I already mentioned how a purely instrumental composition can have textural elements added, as in Berlioz’s Fantastic Symphony or any “tone poem”.. In that case a textural plot, or subtext is added to an instrumental composition in addition to its instrumental form, in this case a symphony. Even without a sung text, this text technique adds a second dimension to the music. Creating a song to a poem or any text adds a third dimension to composition because a text not only implies its own particular meaning but also implies a form as well. That is, songs can also be “tone poems”. So using a sung text to compose a song as a single entity implies three musical dimensions.
There are two kinds of song cycles. In one type of cycle, or collection, a composer sets the work of a particular poet or poets, as individual songs and so does not intend a particular order to the performance. The songs can be sung in any combination or combined with other songs. This is a common performance practice. In the integrated song cycle the order of the songs must be maintained and unbroken, or the meaning is altered. The integrated song cycle, where a group or related songs created to be performed as a totality, in a particular order(or disorder), could then enter the fourth dimension of music. This is closely related to opera, yet staging an opera creates even more dimensions.
Consider the layers of meaning that can be addresses in an integrated song cycle. It is possible to be true to every text and every song setting, yet create a totality that has a completely different meaning from the original texts. I can build an indirect story form the poems themselves. For example, in my song cycle on a selection of H.D.’s poems Sea Garden—Sea Flowers . I create the story of Eddie Flowers continued survival from HIV. I also construct the order of the poems from morning to night. There is also a quotation of a cat walking on the piano as my cat Thisby liked to do. How is this different then the “ironic” concept? Well that too adds layers of meaning. For example a song about loving Mom and Dad—sung by Lizzie Borden! Irony works on your expectations—-no expectations no irony Anyway ….
Practice: Find a series of poems to set to music about water then place the songs in an order by the size of the body of water; puddle, pond, lake, ocean etc. That is from small to large. Reverse the process.