the journey of the song cycle: from “the iliad” to “american idiot"

The song cycle has been one of the most important musical forms across the span of vocal music. From the time of Beethoven’s composition of An die ferne Geliebte to the present, the basic elements of a song cycle have remained mostly unchanged. The form of the song cycle is also present in concept albums of today and epic poetry of the ancient past. The melding of story and song happens so naturally, the two were truly created to work together. Whether in an ancient mead-hall, a nineteenth-century salon, or a modern-day living room the song cycle has adjusted and will continue to adjust throughout history to remain one of the most important forms of musical expression.