Rhapsody

Rhapsody - the symphonic power metal band

Rhapsody has several meanings in various contexts.

Rhapsody in Greek poetry denotes a series of epic or lyric episodes, literally a "stitched together song." The rhapsodist often was a singer of other poets' words, who was inspired on the spur of the moment, stringing together as the occasion required, episodes that were quite different in subject and meter.

The elevated and inspired aspect of a 'rhapsody' has overtaken its older meaning of a 'medley.' A poetic rhapsody is a rapturous expression of ecstasy, in which prosody may become fragmented.

A rhapsody in music is a one-movement work that is episodic yet integrated, free-flowing in structure, featuring a range of highly contrasted moods, color and tonality. An air of spontaneous inspiration and a sense of improvisation make it freer in form than a set of variations. Sergei Rachmaninov's set of variations on a theme by Niccolò Paganini are so free in structure that the composer called them a Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

Rhapsodies particularly appealed to Romantic composers. The heroine's mad scene in Donizetti's opera Lucia di Lammermoor is rhapsodic in form.

Some familiar examples will give an idea of the character of a rhapsody:

Franz Liszt, Hungarian Rhapsodies
Johannes Brahms, Rhapsodies for solo pianoforte, and the Alto Rhapsody for alto voice, male choir and orchestra.
George Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue
Emmanuel Chabrier, España is a rhapsody on Spanish tunes.

An uninspired rhapsody is a pot-pourri.

Rhapsody is also the name of an operating system released by Apple Computer, originating from OPENSTEP, and is the direct precursor to Mac OS X.

Rhapsody (online music service)