Lyricism

Lyricism is a term used to describe a piece of art considered to have deep emotions.^[1] Its origin is found in the word lyric, derived via Latin lyricus from the Greek λυρικός (lurikós),^[2] the adjectival form of lyre.^[3] It is often employed to relate to the capability of a lyricist.

Description

Lyricism is primarily used to give a description of art that is thought to have a particularly expressive quality.^[4] It is often used in conjunction with art composed of sound alone, but can apply to all forms of art, including paintings, performances,^[5] poetries, architectures,^[6] or films.^[7]

Uses

The following are examples of lyricism:

• Architecture: The Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque may be seen as an example, as well as the Taj Mahal or the Sistine Chapel. Modern examples would be some of the later works of Le Corbusier^[6] and Zaha Hadid.^[8]
• Dance: Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake or The Sleeping Beauty exhibit classic lyricism.
• Film: Lost, Lost, Lost (1976) has been described as an example of the mid-20th century lyricism movement in film, as well as The Art of Vision (1965) and Fireworks (1947).^[9]
• Music: In jazz, Charlie Parker is renowned for his lyricism.^[10] Nearly all of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's work has been revered for its lyricism.^[11][12][13]
• Poetry: Maya Angelou's poetry has intrinsic lyricism.^[14]

See also

• Art
• Beauty
• Emotion
• Imagination
• Lyric poetry
• Western canon

References

1. "lyricism". Merriam Webster. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
2. "lyric". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2014-01-15. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
3. Liddell, Henry & al. A Greek–English Lexicon 9th ed., "λυρικός". Clarendon Press (Oxford), 1996. Hosted at the Perseus Project. Accessed 15 Jan 2014.
4. "lyricism". Oxford US English Language Dictionary. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
5. DeFrantz, Thomas F. (2006). Dancing Revelations: Alvin Ailey's Embodiment of African American Culture. Oxford University Press. p. 130.
6. Cohen, Jean-Louis (2004). Le Corbusier, 1887-1965: The Lyricism of Architecture in the Machine Age. Taschen.
7. Dillon, Steven (2004). Derek Jarman and Lyric Film: The Mirror and the Sea. University of Texas Press. p. 12.
8. The Architecture of Zaha Hadid: The Pritzker Architecture Prize
9. Corrigan, Timothy; White, Patricia (2012). The Film Experience: An Introduction. Macmillan. p. 306.
10. Woideck, Carl (1998). The Charlie Parker Companion: Six Decades of Commentary. Schirmer Books. p. 214.
11. Knepler, Georg (1997). Wolfgang Amadé Mozart. Translated by Robinson, J. Bradford. Cambridge University Press. p. 181.
12. Todd, R. Larry (2006). Perspectives on Mozart Performance. Cambridge University Press. p. 115.
13. Wallace, Robert K. (2009). Jane Austen and Mozart: Classical Equilibrium in Fiction and Music. University of Georgia Press. p. 151.
14. Braxton, Joanne M. (1999). Maya Angelou's I Know why the Caged Bird Sings: A Casebook. Oxford University Press. pp. 19.