Technological University Dublin ARROW@TU Dublin

Concert Programmes Conservatory of Music and Drama

2012

Wexford Festival Opera, William Vincent Wallace Bicentenary Recitals

Una Hunt DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/aaconmuscp

Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons

Recommended Citation William Vincent Wallace Bicentenary Recitals Programme (Wexford Festival Opera, October-November 2012)

This Other is brought to you for free and open access by the Conservatory of Music and Drama at ARROW@TU Dublin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Concert Programmes by an authorized administrator of ARROW@TU Dublin. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected].

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License 24 October–4 November, 2012

Concert | William V Wallace Recital Sponsors & Funders William V Wallace Recital

Thursday 25 October | 15:30 JEROME HYNES THEATRE Grant-aided by the Arts Council Friday 2 November | 11:00

Image of William V Wallace is reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland (call number EP WALL-WI (1) III)

Festival supported by Fáilte Ireland WILLIAM VINCENT WALLACE (1812–1865) THE DELIUS TRUST Songs and piano music from the William Vincent Wallace Album Máire Flavin (Mezzo-soprano, 25 October) | Rachel Kelly (Mezzo-soprano, 2 November) Lead Production Sponsor Print Media Sponsor & Production Sponsor Production Sponsor Una Hunt (Piano) L’Arlesiana Le Roi malgré lui A Village Romeo and Juliet Salon dances Valse Gracieuse: La Pluie d’Or Schottisch: The Village Festival Song Preferred Hotel Partner Proudly Supporting Le Roi malgré lui Orange Flowers (Romance) Celtic Fantasy The Harp that Once and Fly not Yet Four canzonets — The Seasons Spring – The joyful, joyful Spring Summer – It is the happy Summer time Autumn – The leaves are turning red Winter – The Spring and Summer both are past Piano solo Official IT & Sponsors of the Education Partner Sponsors of the Official Festival Partner Communications Partner Festival Dress Rehearsals Lunchtime Recitals ’Tis the Harp in the Air (romance – Souvenir de Maritana) Invitation Polka Song Say my Heart, can this be Love Opera excerpt from Maritana Proudly Supporting Italian Institute of Culture – Dublin National Broadcast Le Roi malgré lui Proudly Supporting L’Arlesiana Media Partner Community Partner Exclusive Champagne Supplier How Dreary to my Heart – Scenes that are Brightest

Sponsors of The Gala Concert Youth Ticketing Sponsors Official Airport Partner Restaurant Partner Restaurant Partner On the cover: Images reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland (call number MU-vc-34) William V Wallace Recital 1 William V Wallace Recital Notes

A unique recital of drawing room music and has been published this year to commemorate Salon dances Valse Gracieuse: La Pluie d’Or opera favourites celebrating the bicentenary of the composer’s bicentenary. The album’s the birth of Irish composer, William Vincent popularity was assured when it was advertised Schottisch: The Village Festival Wallace (1812–1865). Wallace was one of the as a ‘must have’ gift for Christmas 1853.The New most extraordinary musical personalities of York Times declared ‘…This is unquestionably the nineteenth century – not only a composer, one of the handsomest gift books of the season but a virtuoso on two instruments (piano and … we cannot conceive of a more graceful and From his early years Wallace arranged and Wallace would have heard Johann Strauss the violin) and a global traveller. He visited parts of elegant offering to the ladies of the United States’, performed dance music, initially for military Elder’s band when it performed in London in the world that no other Irish musician had set and in The Musical World and Times, Wallace’s bands and later for Dublin theatres and 1849, and the band included the overture to foot in and widened his sphere of influence by prowess as a composer was highly praised: ‘the ballrooms. La pluie d’or (shower of gold), a valse Maritana in its repertoire – still a favourite establishing a music school in Sydney, Australia transcendent genius of Wallace has never before gracieuse, is the more difficult of the two salon in Vienna a year after Wallace’s opera was where he is still regarded as the first great been so fully developed’. The book’s illustrations dances, but was still within the reach of those performed there. The schottisch originated in instrumentalist to visit that continent. From here are indeed handsome, and were described as who practised their scales and arpeggios. The Bohemia and was a very popular variant of the he blazed a trail through South America where ‘among the finest specimens of lithographic main theme, with its cascading notes, which is polka. In The Village Festival Wallace captured he was maestro to a season of Italian opera in art ever done in America’. These sumptuous similar in style to the famous Shower of Pearls by the Viennese éclat typical of this type of lively Mexico City. A new career began as impresario embellishments were produced by the celebrated the Limerick–born composer George Alexander central European dance. before his return to London where his own first artist Napoleon Sarony, the emperor of New Osborne (1806–1893), makes good use of the opera, Maritana, was an outstanding success. York lithography, and his firm Sarony and Major upper reaches of the new seven-octave piano. He was then just thirty-three years old and had became one of the most successful in its field. already had enough experiences to fill several The lithographs were coloured by Spearing and lifetimes! Tales of his adventures and escapades Stutzman in the United States. certainly helped to promote the popularity of his Today’s concert highlights the music from publications, particularly of his salon music. Wallace’s 1854 American Music Album which Wallace had great success as a composer of is available for sale after the performance. The drawing room music in America. His publisher facsimile and CD is published by Heritage Music in New York, William Hall and Son, produced Productions and RTÉ lyric fm in association with a particularly fine collection of Wallace’s music the National Library of Ireland and has been in 1854, an original copy of which is now in the generously sponsored by the Department of Arts, collections at the National Library of Ireland. A Heritage and the Gaeltacht. limited edition facsimile of the album, plus a CD

2 William V Wallace Recital William V Wallace Recital 3 William V Wallace Recital Notes

Song Orange Flowers (Romance) Celtic Fantasy The Harp that Once and Fly not Yet Text: H.F. Chorley (1808–1872)

The critic Henry Fothergill Chorley, who also wrote the libretto for Wallace’s opera heT Amber Witch, In the middle of the nineteenth century Wallace c. 1859. His Celtic Fantasias are not only tuneful was a great admirer of the soprano Mme Henriette Sontag (1806–1854), the dedicatee of Orange Flowers. published a great number of fantasia-style pieces and attractive, they contain a good deal of the Born in Germany, Sontag had been soprano soloist in the first performance of Beethoven’s Ninth for the piano based on Irish and Scottish airs. melodramatic, and were thus extremely popular. Symphony and became a star of both Italian and German opera. In his 1862 book Thirty Years’ Musical His only rivals in this genre were fellow Irishman This fantasy, which includes two famous airs Recollections Chorley wrote that though a German ‘her tendencies were towards all that was elegant and and pianist, George Alexander Osborne, and the from Thomas Moore’sIrish Melodies, opens with florid in Southern music’. Orange Flowers is a virtuoso piece written to display the qualities that Chorley Welsh-born Henry Brinley Richards. Wallace cascading arpeggios before introducing both mentions, incorporating the Spanish atmosphere so often evoked in his compositions. The song was began issuing his fantasias shortly after his arrival themes, and builds to a dramatic conclusion. probably written in advance of Sontag’s visit to the USA in 1852. The published score for voice and piano in London in 1845 and published them until contains orchestral cues, but no instrumental parts have been found.

Sing your northern prairies In your dreary far land In a pretty lay. Groweth nothing fair Of your tiny daisies Fit for triumph’s garland And pale flow’rs of may! Twin’d in beauty’s hair Four canzonets The Seasons Texts: H.C. Watson (1818–1875) We have sweeter music, Deck the maiden yearning Richer airs are ours By the river side Spring – The joyful, joyful Spring Breathing at the eventide With a wreath of mourning Summer – It is the happy Summer time From the orange bow’rs. We adorn the Bride. Autumn – The leaves are turning red Look! how stars of silver Leave to northern praises ’Mid the green leaves glow, All their chill-white may. Winter – The Spring and Summer both are past Look! how cressets golden And their pretty daisies Hang from every bough. Fit for child’s array Each a cap discloses We have sweeter music That rare nectar pours Richer airs are ours. Henry Cood Watson, who is now regarded as America’s first real music critic, provided the words to What are all your roses? What are all your roses? five out of the six songs in Wallace’s 1854 Album. A fine writer and practical musician, Watson’s lyrics We have orange flow’rs We have orange flow’rs! are highly regarded. The seasons are used as a metaphor for the journey through life: the wonder and What are all your roses? What are all your roses? innocence of youth in Spring, the rapture and ecstasy of adult love in Summer, maturity in Autumn, fond We have orange flow’rs We have orange flow’rs. memory and the approach of death in Winter. Watson’s writing is often sensuous, portraying fervent La. La. heat, ecstatic joy, rapture, bounding hearts and rapid pulses; the depiction of such passions was common We have orange flow’rs. in many of the songs of the day. La.

4 William V Wallace Recital William V Wallace Recital 5 William V Wallace Recital Notes

Spring – The joyful, joyful Spring Summer – It is the happy Summer time

1. O Joyful, joyful Spring! To dew tears from above! 1. It is the happy Summer time! 2. It is the happy summer time! How welcome to they coming; The streamlets flow, The fruits are rip’ning fast; O beating heart be still! The flow’rs and trees put forth their leaves, They bless and flow, The glad earth cloth’d in brightest green Bound not with such extatic joy, And busy bees are humming. Like gen’rous human love. Forgets the snowy past. With such a rapturous shrill! Joyful Spring! How welcome is thy coming. The streamlets flow, The fruits are rip’ning fast, O beating heart be still! The flow’rs and trees put forth their leaves, They bless and flow, The glad earth cloth’d in brightest green, Bound not with such extatic joy, And busy bees are humming. Like gen’rous human love. Forgets the snowy past. With such a rapturous shrill! The trees put forth their leaves, Like gen’rous human love. The quick’ning sun shines bright on all, All living things seem to rejoice, And busy bees are humming. The flow’rs rich odours bear; The Spirit soars on wings; And all day long, 3. O Joyful, joyful Spring! The streamlets flow thro’ leafy bow’rs And Nature, with exultant voice, The happy song, The glad heart looks around! And joy is ev’ry where, The praise of Summer sings, Of birds upon the wing, And feels the throb of ardent life The streamlets flow thro’ leafy bow’rs And Nature, with exultant voice, Of birds upon the wing, In all its pulses bound And joy is ev’ry where. The praise of Summer sings! In accents sweet Joyful Spring, the glad heart hooks around, Appear to greet, And feels the throb of ardent life Thy coming gentle Spring. In all its pulses bound, In accents sweet, The throb of ardent life, Appear to greet, In all its pulses bound. Thy coming gentle Spring, Then heart to heart, Thy coming gentle Spring. Sweet thoughts impart, For Love reigns sov’reign king! 2. O Joyful, joyful Spring! For Love reigns sov’reign king! Forgot is winter now-- In very truth, Life seems all youth, Thy flow’ry hand hath swept away In the Joyful time of Spring! The snow-wreath from his brow! In very truth, Life seems all youth, Joyful Spring! Forgot is winter now; In the Joyful time of Spring! Thy flow’ry hand hath swept away The Joyful time of Spring, The snow-wreath from his brow. The time of Spring! Thy hand hath swept away The snow-wreath from his brow. Thy warmth is felt. The ice drops melt To dew tears from above!

6 William V Wallace Recital William V Wallace Recital 7 William V Wallace Recital Notes

Autumn – The leaves are turning red Winter – The Spring and Summer both are past

1. The leaves are turning red, [REFRAIN] 1. The Spring and Summer both are past, 2. The fleecy snow is falling fast, The green has pass’d away; O fair as Autumn Golden Autumn! And all their pleasures flown; Upon the frozen ground; The balmy air Nature paints thy richest dyes, The Autumn’s golden tinted leaves, The rivers erst so glancing bright, Breathes perfume rare, Tints that shame a southern sunset, Upon the earth are strown. In icy chains are bound. From mounds of new mown hay. Shed a glow o’er earth and skies, The bending corn is gather’d in, The Winter moon looks coldly down, Shed a glow o’er earth and skies! The fruit is all in store; Upon the earth so drear; The leaves are turning red, All barren now the meadows gay, The howling wind, in boding tones The balmy air 3. The leaves are falling fast, That we have wander’d o’er! Proclaims the dying year! Breathes perfume rare, And o’er the earth are strown; The Winter cometh now, The spring so fresh and warm, From mounds of new mown hay. A chilling breeze The Winter cometh now, Has all Youth’s joyous charm; Sweeps tho’ the trees, With storms around his brow, The Summer is life’ Prime;— Fair children sport the hay among, With sad and fitful moan. And bitter Northern blast; Like Autumn, ripen’d Age; Like fairy sprites at play, Ah! weep for Pleasures gone, Then comes the closing Page, They laugh and sing a joyous song, The leaves are falling fast, All perish’d ev’ry one, The solemn Winter time! Amid the fragrant hay! And o’er the earth are strown; Ah! weep for pleasures gone, Them comes life’s closing Page, They laugh and sing a joyous song, A chilling breeze Too bright, too bright to last. The solemn Winter time! Amid the fragrant hay! Sweeps tho’ the trees, Ah! weep for pleasures gone, Then comes life’s closing Page, With sad and fitful moan. 2. The corn is rip’ning fast, too bright, too bright to last. The solemn Winter time! And bendeth to the ground; We read in this life’s omen sad, The Winter time! The peach and pear, Of coming winter’s thrall; And melon rare, We’ve pass’d our spring and summer glad, And gen’rous grape abound! We’re rip’ning to the fall! We’ve pass’d our spring and summer glad, The corn is rip’ning fast, We’re rip’ning to the fall! And bendeth to the ground; The peach and pear, [REFRAIN] And melon rare, Still fair Autumn! Golden Autumn! And gen’rous grape abound! Nature paints thy richest dyes; Tints that shame a southern sunset No more the summer’s fervent heat, Shed a glow o’er earth and skies, O’ertakes us on our way; Shed a glow o’er earth and skie. We roam at will with tireless feet, Thro’out the livelong day! We roam at will with tireless feet, Thro’out the livelong day!

8 William V Wallace Recital William V Wallace Recital 9 William V Wallace Recital Notes

Piano solo ’Tis the Harp in the Air (romance – Souvenir de Maritana) Song Say my Heart, can this be Love Invitation Polka words by H.C. Watson (1818–1875)

In its review of the Album on 12 January 1854, The ‘happening to hear him play, I was so Sometimes overwhelming in its sentimentality and often lacking in musical substance, the subject matter New York Times stated struck with his performance, that I speedily of the Victorian ballad ranges from forlorn love to death, and many examples hold no relevance for modern resolved to write some words to a splendid listeners and performers. Yet, at their best they are superbly finished works of art, which effortlessly became ‘The chief attraction of the instrumental piece, of his composition, which has since concert favourites. Though written with an easy accompaniment and certainly less difficult to perform portion of the album is the charming air from become so excessively popular, under the than the four songs from The Seasons, Watson and Wallace give us a melodic treat which, with careful Maritana, The Harp in the Air, transcribed for somewhat romantic title of ‘The Harp in the interpretation, can be highly dramatic and almost operatic in performance. The theme of a secret passion is the piano. It is by no means easy of execution, Air’. This was our commencement, from still a staple of popular song, and the protagonist’s mental anguish would be all too familiar to the modern and is intended, doubtless, as a study. It is which, piece by piece, we concluded his adolescent. Wallace’s frequent musical hints such as con amore, con passione, and con tristezza, encourages written on three staves, the melody being universally admired opera of Maritana.’ the singer to add drama to her performance. A less-inspired composer would have used a two-section sustained simultaneously with a brilliant structure. Here Wallace provides a third section giving the music a higher level of intensity and substance – accompaniment of chords and octaves The piece that inspired Fitzball and became the surely a mark of his operatic experience. This ballad became a concert favourite in Dublin in 1854. through the entire range of the instrument.’ genesis of Maritana was never published, though a tantalising fragment, in the same key and with ThisSouvenir de Maritana has a curious history. a familiar arpeggio, can be found in a musical 1. Ever still he hovers round me, Not from fear do I thus tremble – Having been originally a piano piece, then an autograph Wallace presented to a friend before And his presence yields a thrill; Say my heart, can it be Love! operatic aria, it returns in the 1854 volume as he began work on the opera. It would appear Yet while others warmly praise me, Say my heart, can it be Love! a piano solo. Wallace’s compositions gained that the piece lost much of its Spanish quality in He alone is mute and still! Wayward heart, can this be Love! an individual voice during his spell in Latin its transformation to suit the English stage, but Tho’ sweet flatt’ry pleases ever, Say my heart, wayward heart! America. Many of the early piano works, waltzes exotic hints remain to remind us of its origin. And the sternest hearts can move; Say my heart can it be Love! and nocturnes published in New York during his Praise is tame, unless he praises, first visit, have a distinctive Spanish flavour, with The 1840s saw the introduction of the polka, a Say my heart, can this be Love! 3. He shall never know my feeling, titles such as La chilena and La mexicana. Many dance in 2/4 time, which soon transcended all Say my heart, can this be Love! I will hide it from all eyes; more had remained unpublished but were part others in popularity. Wallace’s contribution to Wayward heart, can this be Love! Silly heart! Thy love concealing, of his repertoire when he arrived in London in the genre is considerable. Together with three Say my heart, wayward heart! Let no tell-tale blushes rise! 1845. Edward Fitzball (1792–1873) recounted in virtuosic Grand polkas de concert, he wrote at Say my heart can this be Love! Should he never seek to woo me, his memoirs that Wallace had been introduced least six polkas for the salon. Their popularity Time my heart can never move; to him with a view to their collaborating on was such that orchestral versions of these were 2. Night and day his image haunts me, Vainly would another sue me, an opera. However, Fitzball was not interested heard at concerts and Wallace conducted a full In each breeze his sighs I hear; Own sad heart this, this is Love! initially as Wallace was then unknown to him. orchestra in his World’s Fair Polka at a concert he Some strange feeling thrills my bosom – Wayward heart, ah! This is Love! Shortly after, Fitzball happened to attend one of gave in 1851. The Invitation Polka is lively, melodic Is it Love? It is not fear! Own sad heart, this is Love! Wallace’s performances and fun to perform, and brings the lovely music Fear! Ah no, those eyes so tender; Own sad heart, wayward heart, album to a satisfying conclusion. Voice so soft, his kindness prove; Own sad heart, ah! this is Love!

10 William V Wallace Recital William V Wallace Recital 11 William V Wallace Recital Notes Artist Biographies

Opera excerpt How Dreary to my Heart – Scenes that are Brightest from Maritana Text: Edward Fitzball (1792–1873)/Alfred Bunn (1796–1860)

At the beginning of Act 3, Maritana, now the Countess de Bazan, is alone in the gilded, mirrored hall of the Villa de Aranjuez, which is adjacent to the Royal Palace south of Madrid, where she is held captive by Don José to become a plaything of the King, Charles II. Wallace cleverly bases the recitative (the most extensive Máire Flavin Una Hunt Rachel Kelly one in the opera) on Maritana’s first air ‘It was a knight’ from Act 1. In it she dreamt of becoming a great Mezzo-soprano Piano Mezzo-soprano lady and living in a gilded palace; now, all she can think about is her happy and carefree life as a gypsy girl (‘My lonely form reflected as I pass, seems like a spectre on my steps to wait’). In the succeeding air, ‘Scenes Mezzo-soprano Máire Flavin Una Hunt is one of Ireland’s Rachel studied singing with that are brightest’, which is perhaps the best-known and most popular of the entire opera, she laments ‘With represented Ireland at Cardiff Singer leading pianists and has performed Mary Brennan in Dublin and is none to love us, how sad they [the fabled mirrored halls] seem’. She is, of course, eventually rescued from her of the World in 2011, and reached concertos with the National presently with Janice Chapman the Song Prize Final. She is a recent Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, in London, where she attends the plight by her new husband whom she married in prison, Don Cæsar. graduate of the National Opera the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the National Opera Studio. She is a Studio and the Guildhall Opera Ulster Orchestra. She has played Samling Scholar and was awarded How dreary to my heart is this gay chamber! course where she studied with Janice recital programmes in Britain, a Masters degree with distinction Those crystal mirrors and those marble walls, Chapman, and is a graduate of Ireland, Russia and the USA and has on the Opera Course at the Royal Add to my gloom, while sweetly sad remembrance the Royal Irish Academy of Music toured extensively with her violinist Academy of Music, receiving the Masters programme where she sister Fionnuala. DipRam for Excellence. The joyful hours of liberty recalls studied with Colette McGahon-Tosh. My lonely form reflected as I pass, Her interest in the music of Irish Recent roles include Fanny (London Máire has worked with Lyric composers has led to nine world- premiere, Mansfield Park), Beatrice Seems like a spectre on my steps to wait, Opera Ireland, Clonter Opera, premiere recording projects, most (Béatrice et Bénédict, director John Enquiring from the gold enwreathed glass, Glyndebourne, Scottish Opera and recently William Vincent Wallace’s Copley, conductor Sir Colin Davies), “Can mighty grandeur be thus desolate?” Welsh National Opera, and has sung music album published in New Wu (Kommilitonen, Peter Maxwell several roles at GSMD and RIAM. York in 1854 which has been Davies), and Dorabella (Così fan 1. Scenes that are brightest 2. Words cannot scatter Recently she made her Royal Albert produced as a facsimile and CD. tutte). Rachel has performed as Hall debut performing Mahler’s Una is a prominent advocate for soloist with the National Symphony May charm awhile The thoughts we fear 8th Symphony with the Royal the promotion of neglected works Orchestra of Ireland, and at Hearts which are lighted, For tho’ they flatter, Philharmonic Orchestra. Máire is by Irish composers and helped Carnegie Hall and in St Petersburg And eyes that smile; They mock the ear. an alumna of the Opera Theatre establish the National Archive of with the Thomas Moore Festival; Yet o’er them, above us, Hopes will still deceive us Company Young Artist and Britten Irish Composers, the first digital recorded the role of Jane (Dearest Tho’ nature beam, With tearful cost Pears Young Artist programmes. online collection of historic music Enemy) and recently gave a solo from the National Library of Ireland recital at the National Concert Hall, With none to love us, And when they leave us Future engagements include Les (www.naic.ie). Her experience as Dublin. She is kindly supported by Nuits d’Éte in the National Concert How sad they seem The heart is lost a producer and broadcaster has the Ian Smith of Stornoway Legacy, Hall with the National Symphony With none to love us, And when they leave us resulted in many documentaries, the Arts Council of Ireland, the Orchestra, Jacinthe in Gretry’s How sad they seem! The heart is lost. including a three-programme series Sickle Foundation and the Sybil L’amant jaloux for Bampton opera, on Wallace, The Road to Maritana, Tutton Award from the Musicians and a number of recitals in the UK for RTÉ Lyric fm in October 2012. Benevolent Fund. and Ireland.

12 William V Wallace Recital Programme notes by Peter Jaggard, Una Hunt and David Grant. William V Wallace Recital 13