Handel and Steffani Baroque Duets of Love and Passion
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33rd SEASON Handel and Steffani Baroque Duets of Love and Passion Amanda Forsythe Colin Balzer Emőke Baráth Christian Immler Boston Early Music Festival Ensemble Saturday 30 September 2017 Alix Goolden Hall Concert Season Cantores: 14th C Music from Bach and Sons the Pope’s Chapel in Avignon 10 February 2018 Saturday 8pm 14 October 2017 Saturday 8pm Alix Goolden Hall Alix Goolden Hall Elinor Frey, viola da gamba Diabolus in Musica FRANCE Luc Beauséjour, harpsichord MONTREAL There was a time when the Christian world bowed to Avignon. The Two of Canada’s leading exponents of historically-informed wealth, splendour, and power of the French popes attracted kings, performance bring to life masterpieces of high Baroque chamber princes, and the greatest Medieval artists. This pilgrimage through music by Johann Sebastian Bach and his sons Johann Christoph beautiful music born in Papal opulence includes many works sung Friedrich and Carl Philipp Emanuel. for the first time since the 14th century. A Telemann Celebration “My Heart Remains With You”: 24 March 2018 Saturday 8pm Medieval Love Songs Inspired Alix Goolden Hall by Arthurian Romance La Rêveuse FRANCE 18 November 2017 Saturday 8pm A master of instrumental music, Telemann enjoyed more fame and Alix Goolden Hall adoration in his time than even the lauded J.S. Bach. Open to French and Italian influences as well as the new galant style that flourished Asteria NEW YORK in Germany, he excelled in chamber music, creating a charming Sylvia Rhyne, soprano Eric Redlinger, tenor and lute synthesis of European styles at the crossroads between Baroque Through the tale of Sir Yvain, one of the most beloved of Arthurian and Classicism. stories, Asteria explores how the ideal of courtly love was very much alive and well in the art songs of the 15th century. Compositions War and Peace include those by Binchois, Busnoys, and Dufay. 22 April 2018 Sunday 3pm Vivaldi: Gloria and Magnificat Alix Goolden Hall 22 December 2017 Friday 8pm The Tallis Scholars UK Alix Goolden Hall Peter Phillips, music director Monica Huggett, violin and music direction UK To commemorate the centenary of the end of World War I, Peter Phillips has put together a stirring program with Pacific Baroque Orchestra masses on the theme of the Armed Man (L’homme armé), Celebrate the holidays with a fresh take on some old favourites. chansons describing a battle (La Batalla), movements from Vivaldi’s Gloria and Magnificat were originally composed for an all- Victoria’s Requiem Mass, and deeply moving funeral motets: female ensemble. Join beloved violinist Monica Huggett as she leads Tavener from the funeral of Princess Diana, Mouton from the these joyful works the way they were originally heard – performed funeral of Anne of Brittany, and Lobo from the funeral of entirely by women. Philip II of Spain. Legacy of the Fugue 13 January 2018 Saturday 8pm Alix Goolden Hall Diderot String Quartet NEW YORK When Leipzig composer Felix Mendelssohn revived Bach’s music, it finally received universal admiration. The Diderot String Quartet performs excerpts from The Art of Fugue alongside Mendelssohn’s No. 4 Fugue for String Quartet, Op. 81 and his much-loved String Quartet No. 2, Op. 13, in a beautiful nod to Bach, the Baroque master. Handel and Steffani Amanda Forsythe, soprano Colin Balzer, tenor Emőke Baráth, soprano Christian Immler, baritone Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Ensemble Stephen Stubbs Paul O’Dette Maxine Eilander, harp Michael Sponseller, harpsichord Erin Headley 3 Handel and Steffani Tengo per infallibile Quanto care al cor E perché non m’uccidete Su, ferisci, alato arciero INTERMISSION Occhi belli, non più Gelosia Fulminate, saettate 4 Texts and Translations Tengo per infallibile I take it as certain Tengo per infallibile, I take it as certain, Bella Clori, che morirò, Lovely Clori, that I will die, Perch’il foco che m’infiammò For the fire that inflames me È già reso inestinguibile. Has already proved inextinguishable. Spargo da’ mesti lumi, Pouring forth from my two eyes, Per spegner tanto ardore, To put out such a conflagration, Disciolt’il cor in lagrimosi fiumi; My heart unleashes rivers of tears; Ma il caldo elemento, But the fiery element, Per essermi avverso, To do me yet more harm, Riceve alimento Receives sustenance Dai pianti ch’io verso, From the tears I shed, E rende Amor per gioco And Cupid, to play a joke on me, Salamandra dell’acque il mio bel foco. Turns my beautiful fire into a water salamander.1 Infocati sospiri Burning sighs Sen volano dal petto Fly forth from my breast, In traccia di ristoro a’ miei desiri; Attempting to restore my lost love; Ma fattisi venti, But transformed into winds Fan anco di Clori They incite even Clori Più freddi, più algenti, To cool and to chill I tepidi avori, The tepid ivory of her breasts, E mormoran ch’è lieve And the winds also murmur: it is easy Gelar con mesti fiati un sen di neve. To freeze with sad winds a breast of snow. —Translation by Stephen Stubbs 1 The Salamander’s usual mythological repute is to survive the fire, but here a “water salamander” makes the lover’s “fire” survive the “waters” of his tears. 5 Quanto care al cor How dear to my heart Quanto care al cor voi siete, How dear to my heart are you, Mie catene, My chains, Per colei che mi legò; Because of her who tied you ’round me; Amo sì fra voi le pene, I love so much the pains you inflict, Che se mai non vi rompete That if you never break, Io già mai non vi sciorrò. I shall never loose you. Quanto care al cor voi siete, How dear to my heart are you, Mie catene, My chains, Per colei che mi legò. Because of her who tied you ’round me. Adorati miei tormenti, O my beloved torments, Sì, stringetemi ogn’or più; Yes, oppress me ever more; Che goder veri contenti A heart that has not suffered Non sa un cor che in voi non fu. Cannot enjoy true happiness. Mai, mai non v’allentate: Never, never let go: Che viver non poss’io se mi lasciate. I cannot live if you release me. Vivi dunque incatenato, And so live on in chains, O mio cor, sino alla morte; My heart, until you die; E se allora il laccio forte And if the powerful bond Eternarsi non potrà, Cannot last for ever, Per pietà della mia doglia Out of pity for my suffering, La man che mi legò, quella mi scioglia. May the hand that bound me free me. E perché non m’uccidete So why do you not kill me E perché non m’uccidete, So why do you not kill me, Spietatissimi occhi ingrati, Most pitiless, ungrateful eyes, Se a’ miei danni congiurati If, sworn to bring me down, Ch’io languisca risolvete? You resolve that I should pine? E perché non m’uccidete? So why do you not kill me? Forse vi mancan l’armi Perhaps you lack the weapons Per ferir, per piagarmi? To wound or injure me? Ah no, che d’arco e strali armati siete. Ah, no: you are armed with bow and arrows. Deh, luci amate, Come, beloved eyes, Se negate If you refuse D’essere amiche stelle, To be propitious stars, Siatemi pur rubelle, Be hostile, then, Siatemi pur comete. Be comets of doom. E perché… So why… —Text by Brigida Bianchi 6 Su, ferisci, alato arciero Come on, shoot, winged archer Su, ferisci, alato arciero, Come on, shoot, winged archer: Il tuo stral non fa morir. Your darts do not kill. Occhio nero che saetta A dark eye firing arrows of love Fa una piaga Makes a wound Che diletta That delights E fa dolce anco il martir. And also a pain that is sweet. Su, ferisci… Come on, shoot… Che tormento può dar un guardo What pain can be given by a glance Che s’incontra con piacer? That is received with delight? Fera pur il nume cieco, Then let the blind god strike, Se ’l suo dardo If his arrow Porta seco Brings with it La speranza di goder. The hope of pleasure. Qual martire può dar quel seno What torment can be caused In cui fisso sta ’l desir? By a heart that hosts desire? Poca nube è quel tormento, That torment is a slender cloud, Ch’il sereno Which by the clear sky D’un contento Of one delight In brev’ora fa sparir. Is soon dispelled. Su, ferisci… Come on, shoot… —Translations by Colin Timms Occhi belli, non più Pretty eyes, no more Occhi belli, non più. Pretty eyes, no more! Voi siete vincitori, ed io son vinto: You win, and I am vanquished: Sono vinto ed avvinto. I am vanquished and enchained. Deh posate omai, posate, Come, leave off now, leave off, Deh non più saettate, Come, shoot at me no more Perch’io trafitto moro Because I, transfixed, am dying, E moribondo i miei nemici adoro. And in dying I adore my enemies. Renditi omai, mio core, Surrender now, my heart, E lascia la battaglia, or che non puoi And give up the fight, since no longer Resister contro doi. Can you stand up to two foes. Ceda, ceda il coraggio, Let your courage give way, Hai troppo disvantaggio; You are at too great a disadvantage; Pugnar fora un aborto It would be a disaster, as a dying man, Contro doppo nemico un semimorto. To fight against a double enemy. 7 Perché, lumi bugiardi, Why, deceitful eyes, Offrirmi pace e poi mancar di fede? Offer me peace and then prove faithless? Fermezza non si vede No constancy is found In voi, mie stelle erranti, In you, my wayward stars, Comete degl’amanti.