Born into an unhappy family in Prague, Rainer was placed into a Military School; later, with help from his uncle, he entered a German Preparatory School after his uncle saw his potential. Rilke was very cosmopolitan throughout his life, moving to such countries as Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, Egypt, France (which served as his geographical center for most of his life), and Switzerland (World War I forced him to move and stay for the rest of his life). Though he was not known by the general public (primarily known by leading European academe), his reputation has continued to grow steadily since his death in 1926.

 

Les Roses was published posthumously in 1926 and "Une Rose Seule" is number six of the twenty-seven poem series. This work should be performed very freely, like a rose pedal calmly dancing in the gentle breeze before softly landing on the ground. The singers should be very aware of their phrasings and proper text stresses, so the work does not sound lifeless.

 

Composed for the Robidoux Chorale of St. Joseph, Missouri

​

Duration: 3:05

​

Voicing:​ SSATBB a cappella

​

Publisher: Self-Published