Half of Life

Eduard Pütz was inspired to write this piano piece by the poem ‘Hälfte des Lebens’ by Friedrich Hölderlin. In this composition, the two thoughts of the fullness of life (youth) and the expectation of death (age) provoke contrasting musical emotions and structures. Consequently, the two-movement structure of the composition is caused by the opposing nature of Hölderlin’s two verses. The music carries great intensity and expressiveness, yet is never merely illustrative or programme music. An important contribution to 20th-century piano music.