🇺🇸Samuel Barber ： Excursions Op.20-3

The third piece from Barber’s Excursions is a compact work marked by lively momentum and a sharply defined rhythmic character. Its musical language suggests affinities with jazz and blues, while syncopation brings buoyancy and unexpected turns to the flow of the beat. One of its attractions lies in the way the character of the melodies and harmonies changes over a clear rhythmic foundation. In performance, the smaller rhythmic details should not be made merely mechanical; careful attention to the placement of accents and the timing of rests is essential to preserve the music’s light, energetic movement.