Zur Rosenzeit

Instrumentation: clarinet, violin, cello, piano

Duration: 3 minutes

Upon hearing a friend of mine sing Grieg’s “Sechs Lieder,” op. 48, I was captivated by the beauty of the fifth song in the cycle, Zur Rosenzeit. Grieg sets a poem by Goethe of the same name, which translates to “Time of Roses.” The poem concerns heartache and grief—emotions
that I experienced when a relationship of mine came to a close at the beginning of this year.

The following is an excerpt, translated into English:
You fade, sweet roses,
My love did not wear you;
Ah! You bloom for one bereft of hope,
Whose soul now breaks with grief!

Zur Rosenzeit was written for Unheard-Of//Ensemble and premiered by them at Mission San Jose in San Antonio, TX in June, 2024.

Score to View: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RcfFgw9y-dySFJI2e69Xu7YzwjkBImWV/view?usp=drive_link