Exhibition: Jewels in Her Crown: Treasures of Columbia University Libraries Special Collections
Item appears in the following exhibition pagesItem InformationDublin CoreTitleEgdon Heath
DescriptionThe music of "Egdon Heath," inspired by Thomas Hardy's The Return of the Native, is elusive and unpredictable. Its three main elements are set out at the beginning-a pulseless wandering melody, first for double basses and then all the strings, a sad brass processional and restless music for strings and oboe. All three intertwine and transmute, eventually coming to rest with music of desolation, out of which emerges a ghostly dance, the strangest moment in a strange work. After this comes a resolution of sorts, and the ending, though hardly conclusive, gives the impression of an immense journey achieved, even though "Egdon Heath" lasts no more than 12 minutes.
CreatorHolst, Gustav, 1874-1934
DateAugust 1927
MODSKey Date1927-08
Form/Genremanuscripts
Repository NameGabe M. Wiener Music & Arts Library, Columbia University
Digital Originreformatted digital
CitationHolst, Gustav, 1874-1934, “Egdon Heath,” Columbia University Libraries Online Exhibitions, accessed March 17, 2025, https://exhibitions.library.columbia.edu/exhibits/show/jewels/item/11259. |