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OWENS, ROBERT (b. 1925). DESIRE, Op. 13. Song Cycle for Tenor and Piano (Langston Hughes). Darryl Taylor, editor. Classical Vocal Reprints, 2005 (original copyright by Orlando-Musikverlag, München, 1975).
1. "Desire." A minor; E^sub 4^-G^sub 5^; Tess: mH; 6/4, Animato, 4/4, Adagio; D/M, P/M; 2 pages.
2. "Dream." D minor; F^sub 4^-G^sub 5^; Tess: mH; 6/8, Andante con moto; V/M, P/M; 2 pages.
3. "Juliet." E major; E^sub 4^-G^sub 5^; Tess: mH; 3/4, Allegretto; V/M, P/M; 3 ½ pages.
4. "Man." A major; E^sub 4^-F#^sub 5^; Tess: M; 6/8, Lento; V/M, P/mE; 2 pages.
American composer Robert Owens has spent most of his adult life in Germany, and brief biographical information can be found in the September/ October 2006 Journal of Singing, where four other solo works by Owens are reviewed. Owens is a pianist, singer, and actor, and the background that these three performance mediums have given him are evident in his compositional style. The vocal lines fit the voice and text, and his piano parts fit the pianist's hands, showing variety in patterns, lending expression to the text, and using piano technique well. Dramatic situations...