Samuel Barber ： Excursions Op.20-1

The first piece of Barber’s Excursions is a vibrant miniature that incorporates the language of American popular music into a classical framework. Syncopation, repeated bass patterns, and blues-inflected harmonies give the music both forward momentum and an approachable character. While maintaining an energetic flow, the piece shifts its expression through changes in register and sonority. In performance, it is important to make the rhythmic sharpness clear while retaining enough flexibility to avoid a mechanical effect. A steady left-hand accompaniment and a light, clearly projected right-hand melody and accents bring out the work’s humor and vitality.