Senior Recitals Recitals
5-11-2008
A Senior Recital
Kristopher Jordan University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Elena Mirazchiyska University of Nevada, Las Vegas
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Repository Citation Jordan, K., Mirazchiyska, E. (2008). A Senior Recital. 1-1. Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/music_senior_recitals/30
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A SENIOR RECITAL
KRISTOPHER JORDAN,
BARITONE
W ITH
ELENA MIRAZCHIYSKA,
PIANO
Sunday, 11 l\1ay 2008 2:00 Pl\t Doc Rando Rccitalliall 13cilm Mu~i(;' Center -Program-
Tutta Raccolta Ancor Georg Friedrich Hiindel from Scipione (1685- 1759) Frondi tenere ... Ombra maifo from Serse
Der arme Peter Robert Schuman Belsatzar (1810-1856)
Le Bestiaire ou Cortege d'Orphee Francis Poulenc Le dromadaire (1899-1963) La chevre du Thibet La sauterelle Le dauphin L' ecrevisse La carpe
-Interval-
Blagoslovljaju vas, lesa ... Pyotr Il'ich Tchaikovsky Nam zvjozdy krotkije sijali ... (1840-1893) Serenada Don-Zhuana
Two Stevenson Songs Carlisle Floyd Rain (b. 1926) Where go the boats?
Echo Lori Laitman The Ballad Singer (b. 1955)
Kristopher Jor·dan is a student of Dr. Serdar 1/ban. This performance is offered in partial .fulfillment for the Bachelor of Music Degree m Vocal Pe1jormance. Der arme Peter Poor Peter - Program Notes and Translations - (Heinrich Heine)
I. I. Composed at opposite ends of Handel's career, Scipione (1726) and Serse (1738) were both unsuccessful. How ever, both operas later gained acclaim for individual musical numbers that have garnered fame even to this day. Der Hans und die Grete tanzen herum, Hans and Grete dance around "Om bra mai fu," is certainly one of Handel's most well-known arias, and the opera Serse has been successfully Undjauchzen vor Iauter Freude. and cheer witll loud joy. revived in the recent times at many international venues. "Tutta raccolta ancor" carries a simple but soulful Der Peter steht so still und so stumm, Peter stands so still and mute, energy within its melody where the imagery of the lyrics is expertly painted by the composer. Und ist so blaB wie Kreide. and is as pale as chalk.
Tutta Raccolta Ancor All Remains Settled Der Hans und die Grete sind Braut'gam und Braut, Hans and Grete are bride and groom, (Paolo Antonio Rolli) Und blitzen im Hochzeitsgeschmeide. and shine in their wedding clothes. Der arme Peter die Nagel kaut Poor Peter bites his nails Tutta raccolta ancor All remains settled Und geht im Werkeltagkleide. and goes about in workday clothes. Nel palpitante cor, Though my heart throbs, Tremante ho ]'alma; My soul trembles; Der Peter spricht Ieise vor sich her, Peter speaks softly to himself, Nel palpitante cor. My heart throbs. Und schauet betriibet aufbeide: gazing gloomily at the pair: "Ach! wenn ich nicht gar zu verniinftig war', "Ah, if I weren't so sensible, Ich tate mir was zuleide." I might do myself harm." Frondi tenere ... Ombra mai fu. Tender branches ... No shadow. (Unknown - adap. from Silvio Starnpiglia) II. n.
RECIT.: RECIT.: "In meiner Brust, da sitzt ein Weh, "In my breast there is a pain, Frondi tenere e belle Tender and beautiful branches Das will die Brust zersprengen; that is breaking my heart; Del mio plata no amato, Of my beloved tree, Und wo ich steh' und wo ich geh', and wherever I stay, and wherever I go, Per voi resplcnda il fa to. For you, may fate shine. Will's mich von hinnen drangen. it is always there - pressing me.
Tuoni, Iampi e procelle May thunder, lightning and storms "Es treibt mich nach der Liebsten Nah', "It drives me to my beloved's presence, Non v'oltraggino mai Ia carapace. Never offend your dearest peace, Als kiinnt die Grete heilen; as if Grete could heal me; Ne giunga a profanarvi austro rapace! Nor arrive cruel winds to profane you! Doch wenn ich der ins Auge seh', but when I see my woe in her eyes, MuB ich von hinnen eilen. I must hurry away from there. ARIA: ARIA: Ombra mai fU No shadow "Ich steig' hinauf des Berges Hiih', "l climb to the heights of tl1e mountain, Di vegetabile Of plant was ever Dort ist man doch alleine; there one can yet be alone; Cara ed amabile [More] Dear and beloved Und wenn ich still dort oben steh', and when I stay up there in quiet, Soave piu. Or more gentle. Dann steh' ich still und weine." then l stand quietly and weep."
III. Ill.
In 1840, known as the " Liederjahre" (Year of Song), Robert Schumann composed a majority of his total song Der arme Peter wankt vorbei, Poor Peter shuffles past, output- 138 songs in one year!i Be/sa tzar, Op. 57 was composed in February and is one of his earliest ventures Gar Iangsam, leichenblaB und sclleu. quite slowly, deathly pale and distant. into vocal writing and helped to cement many elements of his style. The unbalanced nature of the harmonies Es bleiben fast, wie sie ihn sehn, When tlley see him, almost the same, and the constant motion of the piano create the sensation of foreboding that is realized in the eventual outcome Die Leute auf den StraBen stehn. the people in the street appear. of Belsatzar's feast. Heinrich Heine wrote the poetry for both of these compositions, though the style of each is different. In contrast to the rich couplet-ballad of Belsatzar, Der arme Peter, Op. 53 is built of three seamlessly Die Madchen fliistern sich ins Ohr: The maidens whisper in one another's ears: linked songs. The simplicity of the song's style offers an evocative contrast to the deeper meaning of the text as "Der stieg wohl aus dem Grab hervor." "He has surely clinlbed out of the grave!" Schumann's music depicts the various emotional conditions in Heine's lyrics. Interestingly, this composition Ach nein, ihr lieben Jungfraulein, But no, dear young girls, was written later in the year though it is numbered earlier. Der steigt erst in das Grab hinein. he has not yet climbed into his grave.
Er hat veri oren seinen Schatz, He has lost his only treasure; Drum ist das Grab der beste Platz, therefore the grave is the best place for him. Wo er am besten liegen mag Where he might best lie Und schlafen bis zum Jiingsten Tag. and sleep until Judgment Day. Belsatzar Belshazzar Published in 1920, with a dedication to Louis Durey, Le Bestiaire ou Cortege d'Orphee is Francis Poulenc's (Heinrich Heine) first vocal composition. The poetry, written by Guillaume Apollinaire, describes a variety of animals over the course of 30 poems. Poulenc made his dedication to Durey after meeting him while on leave from the mili Die Mitternacht zog niiher schon; Midnight drew nearer already; tary in 1919; learning that Durey had made a setting of all 30 of the poems. Both Durey and Poulenc were In stummer Ruh' lag Babylon. in quiet peace lay Babylon. members of the group known as Les Six, a group of French composers dedicated to the ideals of French form and style- preferring sin1pler, more refined compositions to the "gigantism" of the late romantics. It was on Nur oben in des Konigs SchloB, Only above, in the king's castle, did torches flicker and the king's horde break the silence. the advice of George Auric, another member of Les Six, that Poulenc hemmed the complete cycle of 12 to a Da flackert's, da larmt des Konigs TroB. selection of 6- 3 animals of the land, and 3 of the sea.ii Each depicts elements of joke and irony within the Dort oben, in dem Konigsaal, And above, in the king's hall, personification of the animal, yet.Poulenc cautions that an ironic performance misses the mark on interpreta Belsatzar hielt sein Komgsmahl. Belshazzar held his kingly feast. tion of the poetry and the music. 111 Die Knechte sa Ben in schimmernden Reihn, The knights sat in shimmering rows, Le Bestiaire The Bestiary Und leerten die Becher mit funkelndem Wein. and emptied goblets of sparkhng wine. (Guillaume Apollinaire) The goblets clinked, the knights rejoiced; Es klirrten die Becher, es jauchzten die Knecht ; Le dromadaire The Dromedary [camel] So klang es dem storrigen Konige recht. so was the proud king pleased by the din. Des Konigs Wangen leuchten Glut; The king's cheeks glowed; Avec ses quatre dromadaires With his four dromedaries, Im Wein erwuchs ihm kecker Mut. through wine his courage grew bolder. Don Pedro d'Alfaroubeira Don Pedro of Alfaroubeira Courut le monde et l'admira. Travelled the world and admired it. Und blindlings reiBt der Mut ihn fort; And blindly, his courage gave him strength, II fit ce que je voudrais faire He did what I would like to do Under laster\ die Gottheit mit siindigem Wort. and he lashed at God witl1 sinful words. Si j'avais quatre dromadaires. Ifi had four dromedaries.
Under briistet sich frech und laster\ wild; And he boasted in1pertinently and blasphemed wildly, La chevre du Thibet The Tibetan Goat Die Knechteschar ihm Beifall briillt. the knights all roared their approval. Der Konig rief mit stolzem Blick; The king called with a proud look; Les poils de cette chevre et meme The hair of this goat and even Der Diener eilt und kehrt zuriick. the servant hurried off and soon came back. Ceux d'or pour qui prit tant de peine That of gold for which Jason took such pains Jason, ne valent rien au prix Are worth nothing compared Er trug viel giilden Gerat auf dem Haupt; He carried back many golden relics on his head Des cheveux dont je suis epris. To the hair that I most prize. Das war a us dem Tempel Jehovahs geraubt. that were stolen from Jehovah's Temple. La sauterelle The Grasshopper Und der Konig ergriff mit frevler Hand And the king seized with his criminal hand a holy goblet, filled to the brim. Einen heiligen Becher, gefiillt bis am Rand. Voici Ia fine sauterelle, Here is the delicate grasshopper, Under leert ihn hastig bis auf den Grund, And he drank it hastily to the bottom, La nourriture de saint Jean. The food of Saint John. Und rufet laut mit schaumendem Mund: and called loudly with foaming mouth: Puissant mes vers etre com me elle, Let my verses be as she - Le regal des meilleures gens. The feast of great people. Jehovah! dir kiind' ich auf ewig Hohn "Jehovah! I announce my eternal scorn Ich binder Konig von Babylon! I am the king of Babylon!" Le dauphin The Dolphin Doch kaum das grause Wort verklang, But hardly had those gray words died away, Dauphins, vous jouez dans Ia mer, Dolphins, you play in the sea, Dem Konig ward's heimlich im Busen bang. when the king grew secretly anxious in his breast. Mais le flot est toujours amer. But the wave is always bitter. Parfois, rna joie eclate-t-elle? Sometimes, does my joy burst forth? Das gellende Lachen verstummte zumal; The ringing laughter fell silent at once; Es wurde leichenstill im Saal. the hall became deathly still. La vie est encore cruelle. Life is always cruel. Und sieh! und sieh! an weiBer Wand, And behold! behold! at the white wall L'ecrevisse The Crayfish Da kam 's hervor wie Menschenhand; there came forth a human-like hand; Incertitude, 6 mes delices Hesitantly, Oh! my delights, Und schrieb und schrieb an weiBer Wand and it wrote and wrote on the white wall Vous et moi nous nous en allons You and I, we go Buchstaben von Feuer, und schrieb und schwand. letters of fire; it wrote and disappeared. Com me s'en vont les ecrevisses, As go the crayfish - Areculons, a reculons. Backwards, back-wards. Der Konig stieren Blicks da saB, The king sat,staring at nothing, Mit schlotternden Knien und totenblaB. with knocking knees, and pale as death. La carpe The Carp Die Knechteschar saB kalt durchgraut, The knights became cold and gray, Und saB gar still, gab keinen Laut. and sat entirely still, wiiliout a sound. Dans vos viviers, dans vos etangs, In your pools, in your ponds, Carpes, que vous vivez longtemps ! Carp, you live a long time! Die Magier kamen, doch keiner verstand , The magicians came, but none understood Est-ce que Ia mort vous oublie, Does death forget you, Zu deuten die Flammenschrift an der Wand. the meaning of ilie flaming script on the wall. Poissons de Ia melancolie? Melancholic fish? Belsatzar ward aber in selbiger Nacht But Belshazzar, that very night, Von seinen Knechten umgebracht. by his knights, was killed. Tchaikovsky's songs are more refined and have a distinct sense oflyricism and melody that is often lacking in Serenada Don-Zhuana Don Juan's Serenade the compositions of his fellows, including the so-called "Mighty Handful" - the group of five Russian compos (A. K. Tolstoy) ers dedicated to creating Russian "nationalistic" music Tchaikovsky regularly chose poets of his contempo rary, such as Alexei N. Plescheyev and Alexei K. Tolstoy, as the basis for his romances. Plescheyev was known Gasnut dal'nej Al'pukhary Darkness descends for his high romantic and lyrical style of poetry and was a source of inspiration for much of Tchaikovsky's Zolotistyje kraja, on Alpujara's golden edges. romance literature."' Nam zvjozdy krotkije sija/i was the final collaboration between the two. Tchaikovsky's Na prizyvnyj zvon gitary My guitar invites you, use of Tolstoy's poetry was equally common, although the two never met. Tolstoy's poetry is simple, yet very Vyjdi, milaja moja! come out my dear! exciting, making it ideal for song composition: Blagoslov/jaju vas, lesa has a simple, pastoral quality rela tive to its Biblical inspiration (the words of St. John Damascene). In Nam zvjozdy krotkije sijali, the shining Vsekh, kto skazhet, chto drugaja Any who says that another stars are created in the motivic triplet, while emotional unrest is created by the interplay of the duple melody Zdes' ravnjajetsja s toboj, Can be equaled to you, against this motive. While in Serenada Don-Zhuanna, the Don's guitar speaks oflove, dance, and death. Vsekh, ljuboviju sgoraja, All who bum for your love, Vsekh, vsekh, vsekh zovu na smertnyj boj! All, I challenge them all to a duel! Blagoslovljaju vas, lesa ... I bless you, woods ... (A K. Tolstoy) Ot lunnogo sveta Now the moonlight Zardel nebosklon, Ensilvers the sky, Blagoslovljaju vas, lesa, doliny, nivy, gory, vody, I bless you, woods, valleys, fields, mountains, waters, 0, vyjdi, Niseta, o vyjdi, Niseta, come out, Nisetta, oh come out, Nisetta, Blagoslovljajuja svobodu i golubyje nebesa! I bless freedom and blue heavens. Skorej na balkon! on to your balcony, quickly!
I posokh moj blagoslovljaju, i 'etu bednuju sumu, I bless my staff and my humble rags. Ot Sevil'ji do Grenady, From Seville to Granada I step' ot kraju i do kraju, And the steppe from edge to edge, V tikhom sum rake nochej, in the silence of the nights, i solnca svet, i nochi t'mu, And the sun-light, and night's darkness, Razdajutsja serenady, are the sounds of serenades, Razdajotsja stukh mechej. and the clash of fighting swords. I odinokuju tropinku, po kojej, nishij, ja idu, And the lonely path on which, begging, I go I v pole kazhduju bylinku, And, in the field every blade of grass, Mnogo krovi, mnogo pesnej Much blood, much song, i v nebe kazhduju zvezdu! and every star in the sky! Dlja prelestnykh l'jutsja darn, Flow forth for the charming ladies; Ja zhe toj, kto vsekh prelestnej, and I, for the most charming of all, 0! if only I could bring all life together, 0 , jesli b mog vsju zhizn' smeshat' ja, Vsjo, vsjo, pesn' i krov' moju otdam! am ready to give my song and my blood. Vsju dushu vmeste s vami slit', And join my soul with yours. 0! if only I could embrace you all - 0, jesli b mog v moji ob"jat'ja Ot lunnogo sveta ja vas, vragi, druz'ja, i brat'ja, Enemies, friends and brothers, Now the moonlight I vsju prirodu v moji ob"jat'ja zakljuchit'! And all of nature in my embraces enfold! Zardel nebosk.lon, Ensilvers the sky, 0 , vyjdi, Niseta, o vyjd.i, Niseta, Come out, Nisetta, oh come out, Nisetta, Skorej na balk on! on to your balcony, quickly! Nam zvjozdy krotkije sijali ... The tender stars shone on us .. . (A. N. Pleshcheyev)
Nam zvjozdy krotkije sijali, The tender stars shone on us, chut' vejal tikhij veterok, A silent breeze was hardly heard, krugom cvety blagoukhali, The smell of sweet flowers surrounded us, i volny laskovo zhurchali And waves tenderly murmured u nashikh nog. At our feet.
My byli juny, my ljubili, We were young, we were in love, i s veroj v dal' smotreli my; And we believed in the future; v nas grjozy raduzhnyje zhili, Our dreams were bright within us, i nam ne strashny v'jugi byli And we were not frightened sedoj zimy. By the blizzards of gray winter.
Gde zh 'eti nochi s ikh sijan'jem, Where are those nights of shining stars? s blagoukhajushchej krasoj Of sweet, fragrant beauty i voln tajinstvennym zhurchan'jem, And mysterious, munnuring waves? nadezhd, vostorzhjonnykh mechtanij Hopes, passionate dreams- gde svetlyj roj? Where are they aU?
Pomerk.li zvjozdy, i unylo The stars have grown dim, and sad ponik.li bleklyje cvety ... hang the faded flowers ... Kogda zh, o serdce, vse, chto bylo, When, o Heart, will you forget chto nam vesna s toboj darila, All that the spring bestowed upon us? zabudesh' ty? When will you forget? The Ballad Singer Known primarily for his opera composition, Carlisle Floyd is American composer made famous by his operas, (Thomas Hardy) Susannah and Of Mice and Men, among others. Having studied piano with Ernst Bacon, Floyd implies that composition sort of came, more or less, by osmosis. The evident wit of his composition speaks to both the Sing, Ballad-singer, raise a hearty tune; poetry and persona of Stevenson and that of his native South Carolina. VI Make me forget that there was ever a one 1 walked with in the meek light of the moon Lori Laitman is one of America's most prolific and widely performed composers of art song. "It is difficult to When the day's work was done. think of anyone before the public today who equals her exceptional gifts for embracing a poetic text and giving it new and deeper life through music." (Journal of Singing) Rhyme, Ballad-rhymer, start a country song; Make me forget that she whom 1loved well Laitman has worked with many of today's important poets - among them Mary Oliver, Thomas Lux, Paul Swore she would love me dearly, love me long, Muldoon, Dana Gioia, Joyce Sutphen, Margaret Atwood, Toi Derricotte, Annie Finch, David Mason, John Then- what I cannot tell! Wood, Anne Ranasinghe, and Jerzy Ficowski- in addition to setting such classic poets as Emily Dickinson and William Carlos Williams. Recent U.S. performances of her music have taken place at Weill Recital Hall, Sing, Ballad-singer, from your little book; Merkin Hall and Alice Tully Hall (New York); Shriver Hall (Maryland); Benaroya Hall (Washington); The Make me forget those heart-breaks, achings, fears; Cleveland Institute of Art (Ohio); The Sk)'light Opera Theatre (Wisconsin); and The U.S. Holocaust Memo Make me forget her name, her sweet sweet look - rial Museum, The Corcoran Gallery and The Kennedy Center (DC). In June 2004, The Cleveland Opera Make me forget her tears. premiered Ms. Laitman's opera, "Come to Me in Dreams." Currently, Laitman is composing an opera based on "The Scarlet Letter" with a new libretto by David Mason - for a fall 2008 premiere at The University of Central Arkansas.
Laitman graduated from Yale College and received her M.M. in flute performance from the Yale School of Music. Initially, she focused on composing music for film and theatre, but in 1991 Laitman started composing for voice. Albany Records released her debut CD, "Mystery- The Songs of Lori Laitman" in August 2000, "Dreaming" in May 2003 and "Becoming a Redwood" in October 2006, all to critical acclaim. ~itman ' s songs have been recorded on such other labels as Channel Classics, Gasparo, Capstone and Naxos.VI' *All translations by KristopherJordan
Two Stevenson Songs Echo (Robert Louis Stevenson) (Christina Rossetti)
Rain Come to me in the silence of the night; Come in the speaking silence of a dream; The rain is raining all around, Come with soft rounded cheeks and eyes as bright It falls on field and tree, As sunlight on a stream; It rains on the umbrellas here, Come back in tears, And on the ships at sea. 0 memory, hope, love of finished years.
Where go the boats? Oh dream how sweet, too sweet, too bitter sweet, Whose wakening should have been in Paradise, Dark brown is the river, Where souls brimfull of love abide and meet; Golden is the sand. Where thirsting longing eyes It flows along for ever, Watch the slow door With trees on either band. That opening, letting in , lets out no more.
Green leaves a-floating, Castles of the foam , Yet come to me in dreams, that I may live Boats of mine a-boating My very life again though cold in death: Where will all come home? Come back to me in dreams, that 1 may give Pulse for pulse, breath for breath: On goes the river Speak low, lean low, And out past the mill, As long ago, my love, how long ago! Away down the valley, Kimball, Carol. Song: A Guide to Art Song Style and Literature. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corp., 2005, pp.77. Away down the hill. .. Kimball, Song, pp. 225-26. Ill ibid. Away down the river, iv http:/ ftchaikov.rufplescheev.html A hundred miles or more, ' . http:/ /tchaikov.rufatolstoy.html Other little children VI http:/ fwww.evennore.com/ azo/c_ bios/floyd.php3 Shall bring my boats ashore. "i• Courtesy of Lori Laitman.