The Music Department of Wagner College Presents

The Music Department of Wagner College presents

Katherine Burns, soprano and composer with Joyce Chung, piano

Saturday, April 25, 2009, at 5 p.m. Music Performance Center, Campus Hall

Katherine is a student of Janet Pranschke and Barbara Wesby.

Program from Magnificat Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) 3. Quia respexit from Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt 2. Mein gläubiges Herze

Le secret Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) Mandoline Après un rêve

Voi avete un cor fedele Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Intermission

Cantata John Carter (1932-1991?) 1. Prelude 2. Rondo (Peter go ring dem bells) 3. Recitative (Sometimes I feel like a motherless child) 4. Air (Let us break bread together) 5. Toccata (Ride on King Jesus)

Inauguration Day Katherine Burns (b. 1987) Barbara Wesby, piano Curtain Call for Three Voices Mae Deevy and Caitlin Ferchaw, vocals

When I Look at You Frank Wildhorn (b. 1959) from The Scarlet Pimpernel

Hear My Song Jason Robert Brown (b. 1970) from Songs for a New World Katherine Burns, piano featuring Vocal Synergy TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS

Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent. for, behold, from henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed. -Luke 1:48 -Francis Browne

Mein gläubiges Herze, My faithful heart, Frohlocke, sing, scherze, rejoice, sing, be merry, Dein Jesus ist da! your Jesus is here! Weg Jammer, weg Klagen, Away with sorrow, away with lamentation Ich will euch nur sagen: I shall just say to you: Mein Jesus ist nah. my Jesus is near. -Christiane Mariane von Ziegler -Francis Browne

Mandoline Les donneurs de sérénades Mandolin Et les belles écouteuses The givers of serenades Echangent des propos fades And the lovely women who listen Sous les ramures chanteuses. Exchange insipid words Under the singing branches. C'est Tircis et c'est Aminte, Et c'est l'éternel Clitandre, There is Thyrsis and Amyntas Et c'est Damis qui pour mainte And there's the eternal Clytander, Cruelle fait maint vers tendre. And there's Damis who, for many a Heartless woman, wrote many a tender verse. Leurs courtes vestes de soie, Leurs longues robes à queues, Their short silk coats, Leur élégance, leur joie Their long dresses with trains, Et leurs molles ombres bleues, Their elegance, their joy And their soft blue shadows, Tourbillonent dans l'extase D'une lune rose et grise, Whirl around in the ecstasy Et la mandoline jase Of a pink and grey moon, Parmi les frissons de brise. And the mandolin prattles -Paul Verlaine Among the shivers from the breeze. -Emily Ezust Le secret The secret Je veux que le matin l’ignore I want the morning not to know Le nome que j’ai dit à la nuit, The name that I told to the night; Et qu’au vent de l’aube, sans bruit, In the dawn wind, silently, Comme un larme il s'évapore. May it evaporate like a teardrop.

Je veux que le jour le proclame I want the day to proclaim L'amour qu'au matin j'ai caché, The love that I hid from the morning, Et sur mon coeur ouvert penché And bent over my open heart Comme un grain d'encens il l'enflamme. To set it aflame, like a grain of incense.

Je veux que le couchant l'oublie I want the sunset to forget Le secret que j'ai dit au jour, The secret I told to the day, Et l'emporte avec mon amour, And to carry it away with my love Aux plis de sa robe pâlie! In the folds of its pale robe! -Armande Silvestre -Peter Low

Après un rêve After a dream Dans un sommeil que charmait ton image In a slumber charmed by your image Je rêvais le bonheur, ardent mirage, I dreamed of happiness, ardent mirage; Tes yeux étaient plus doux, ta voix pure et Your eyes were more tender, your voice sonore, pure and clear. Tu rayonnais comme un ciel éclairé par You were radiant like a sky brightened by l'aurore; sunrise;

Tu m'appelais et je quittais la terre You were calling me, and I left the earth Pour m'enfuir avec toi vers la lumière, To flee with you towards the light; Les cieux pour nous entr'ouvraient leurs The skies opened their clouds for us, nues, Splendeurs inconnues, lueurs divines Splendors unknown, glimpses of divine entrevues, light...

Hélas! Hélas! triste réveil des songes Alas! Alas, sad awakening from dreams! Je t'appelle, ô nuit, rends moi tes I call to you, oh night, give me back your mensonges, illusions;

Reviens, reviens radieuse, Return, return with your radiance, Reviens ô nuit mystérieuse! Return, oh mysterious night! -Romaine Bussine -David K. Smythe Voi avete un cor fedele, You have the faithful heart, Come amante appassionato: Of an impassioned lover, Ma mio sposo dichiarato, But once my avowed husband, Che farete? cangerete? What will you do? Will you change? Dite, allora che sarà? Speak, what will happen then? Manterrete fedeltà? Will you remain faithful?

Ah! non credo. Ah! I don’t believe it. Già prevedo, Already I foresee, Mi potreste corbellar. You are capable of mocking me. Non ancora, Not yet, Non per ora, Not now, Non mi vuò di voi fidar. I will not put my trust in you. -Anonymous -Katherine Burns/Mae Deevy

Cantata II. Peter go ring dem bells. Wonder where my mother has gone? Heard from heaven today.

III. Sometimes I feel like a motherless child, a long way from home. Sometimes I feel like I’m almost gone, a long way from home. True believer, a long way from home.

IV. Let us break bread together on our knees. When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun, Oh Lord have mercy on me.

Let us drink wine together on our knees. When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun, Oh Lord have mercy on me.

Let us praise God together on our knees. When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, Oh Lord have mercy on me. Amen. V. Ride on King Jesus, no man can a hinder me.

He is King of Kings. He is Lord of Lords. Jesus Christ, first and last, no man works like him.

King Jesus rides a milk white horse, no man works like him. The river of Jordan He did cross, no man works like him.

When I look at you what I always see Is the face of someone else who once belonged to me. Still I can hear him laugh, And even though that melody plays on, he’s gone.

When I look at you, he is standing there. I can almost breathe him in like summer in the air. Why do you smile his smile? That heaven I’d forgotten eases through in you.

If you could look at me once more with all the love you felt before, If you and I could disappear into the past and find that love we knew, I’d never take my eyes away from you.

When I look at you, he is touching me. I would reach for him but who can hold a memory? And love isn’t everything, That moonlight on the bed will melt away someday.

Oh you were once that someone who I followed like a star. Then suddenly you changed, And now I don’t know who you are. Or could it be that I never really knew you from the start? Did I create a dream? Was he a fantasy? Even a memory is paradise for all the fools like me. Now remembering is all that I can do, because I miss him so when I look at you. Hear My Song Child, I know you’re weary And your eyes want to close, And the days are getting longer. We’re not getting any stronger. Trust me, Mama knows.

But lie in my arms while you’re sleeping, And think of the rivers you’ve crossed. I’ll tell you the dreams I’ve been keeping for moments like this, when your hope is lost.

Refrain: Hear my song, it’ll help you believe in tomorrow. Hear my song, it’ll show you the way you can shine. Hear my song, it was made for the times when you don’t know where to go. Listen to the song that I sing: you’ll be fine.

Child, I know you’re frightened, and your throat’s parched and dry, but just trust in Mama’s singing and the gift tomorrow’s bringing. Trust it, don’t ask why.

Just lie in my arms and I’ll tell you the things that you know but forget, the lies no one ever could sell you; I know that it’s hard, but don’t give up yet.

Refrain

‘Cause I’ll be singin’ “Hold on! Hold tight!” I know it’s dark right now, but just believe somehow, that soon there will be light. Hold on! Hold fast! That’s not enough for some, but trust the light will come and we’ll get past, You and Mama, safe at last!

Hear my song, it’ll help us get through ‘til tomorrow. Hear my song, it’ll help us survive all the pain. Hear my song, it’s the one thing I have that has never let me down.

Listen to the song that I sing, Listen to the words in my heart, Listen to the hope I can bring and we’ll start to grow and shine! Listen to the song that I sing, and trust me.. We’ll be fine. PROGRAM NOTES

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany. He is known as one of the pivotal figures in Baroque music. From a very musical family, he learned the harpsichord and violin from his father. Bach is famous for writing contrapunctally, meaning for many parts, as is most clearly evident in his fugues. The Well-Tempered Clavier is two collections of preludes and fugues in every major and minor key. In 1723, Bach took the position of Cantor, or professor at the St. Thomas Lutheran School in Liepzig He also was the kapellmeister of the church there. During his time there, he wrote over 200 cantatas to accompany weekly masses. These works drew from the Gospel readings and often incorporated traditional church hymns.

Cantata 243 is Bach’s Magnificat in D major. The work was written for Christmas services in 1723 in E flat major, but was re-worked to be performed at any time throughout the year and lowered to D major for the benefit of the trumpet players. The first performance of the newer version, the most popular today, occurred on July 2, 1733. The work is written for five- part chorus, two soprano, one alto, one tenor, and one bass soloist, accompanied by orchestra. Instruments included in the orchestra were three trumpets, two flutes, two oboes, strings, organ, and continuo. The aria “Quia respexit” was originally written for the first soprano soloist, oboe d’amore, and organ and continuo.

Bach's cantata, Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt, was first performed on May 21, 1725. The text of the aria “Mein glaubiges Herze” reflects the joy of knowing that Jesus is near, a sentiment quite strong during Eastertime and the Feast of Pentecost. The music for the piece is an enlarged arrangement of “Weil die wollenreichen Herden” (While the flocks rich in wool) from Bach’s secular cantata Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd (What pleases me above all is the lively hunt). The music is marked “Presto” or very quick, and the piece is a lively and joyful anthem.

Gabriel Fauré is considered the master of the French art song. Over his life, he wrote in many different styles, ranging from an early Romantic style similar to that of Mendelssohn, to a late Romantic, and even to a twentieth century style as well. His works tend to use simple rhythmic motives and grand harmonic gestures. He used seventh and ninth chords, which were atypical of his time and seen as dissonances, as expressive statements, and therefore has created some of the most beautiful and interesting songs ever written.

“Le secret” was written by French poet Armand Silvestre during the years 1880-1. It was set to music and published by Fauré in 1881 in his opus 23. The simple chordal accompaniment allows the Silvestre’s text to be the focal point. The song is strophic, as the first and third verses are sung to the same music, with the second verse varying slightly.

The text of “Mandoline” was penned by Paul Verlaine in a collection of poems entitled Fêtes galantes in 1869, when he was just twenty-five years old. It paints a lovely picture of the forest, and a scene of storytellers and their listeners amongst the “singing boughs”. Fauré set the text to music in 1891 in his work Cinq mélodies "De Venise". The text of “Après un rêve” was originally written as “Levati sol che la luna elevata” (The sun raises as the moon raises) in Italian by an anonymous Tuscan poet. It was translated into French by Romain Bussine and set to music by Fauré in 1878 in his opus 7. The text has also been set to music by Joseph Jongen, another French composer, in 1902. The text of this piece discusses awaking from a wonderful dream and wishing to go back to sleep. The piano accompaniment is rhythmically simple, but utilizes sonorities that were uncommon at the time.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the most famous composers of all time. He is known for producing magnificent concerti, symphonies, chamber music, and opera buffas, or comic operas such as Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni. He was born in Salzburg in 1756 to musical parents and began playing the harpsichord at age three. By the age of six, he was composing. His father did not want to waste his talents, and so took Wolfgang and his sister on a tour of royal courts across Europe, hoping to secure positions for his children. Wolfgang spent time working in Austria, Italy, France, and eventually returned to Austria for the remainder of his life in 1778. He composed most of his operas in Vienna between 1778 and his early death in 1791.

The author of the text of “Voi avete un cor fedele” is unknown, but Mozart used the text to write the orchestral accompaniment to the soprano aria in 1775. The aria was inserted into Galuppi’s opera buffa Le Nozze (The Wedding) for performance by soprano Catarina Ristorini. This was a common practice of the day; where opera singers would substitute an aria that did not suit them with an aria by another composer or from another opera. These arias are now known as concert arias and are performed separately from the operas that they were originally heard in. In “Voi avete”, the character Dorina is expressing her concerns about her fiance’s lasting fidelity.

John Carter was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1932. It is assumed that he is no longer alive, yet the actual year of his death is under dispute. He served as composer-in-residence with the National Symphony Orchestra in 1958 and wrote many pieces for them. He was also a professor at Federal City College in the 1970s. His work Cantata was published in 1964. It includes five movements, the first of which is an instrumental prelude. He uses four African- American spirituals- “Peter Go Ring Dem Bells”, “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child”, “Let Us Break Bread Together”, and “Ride On, King Jesus” as melodic source material for twentieth-century arrangements.

The piece Inauguration Day was written this semester as an exploration of minimalism. Minimalism is a musical style of the late 20th century that focuses on recurring motives, including rhythmic and melodic ideas. American composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass are most commonly associated with this type of experimental music. The piece also has a program, which explores this past presidential inauguration. To commemorate this significant and monumental occasion, the piece incorporates musical representations of that day in Washington. The composed chorale melody heard throughout the piece has a patriotic and optimistic nature. Curtain Call for Three Voices was awarded the Stanley Drama Award in Composition this year. The rules of submission for the contest included no more than three voices, no more than four minutes in length, and an upbeat nature. The piece presents a lively theme, first introduced by the second soprano, who is then joined by the other two voices. The theme is developed and returns in a higher key, a practice typical of many theater songs. The piece utilizes no words, only “scat” syllables: doos, dits, and dahs. Many passages are left to the performers to choose appropriate syllables, therefore creating an organic performance that is always changing.

The Scarlet Pimpernel opened on Broadway at the Minskoff Theater in the fall of 1997. The book, based on the novel of the same name by Baroness Orczy, was penned by Nan Knighton. Frank Wildhorn composed the music. A well-known theater composer, Wildhorn has also composed music for The Civil War and Jekyll and Hyde. The story takes place in England and France during the French revolution. The plot involves Marguerite, an actress who leaves the profession to wed a wealthy English aristocrat, Sir Percy Blakeney. After their wedding, Percy discovers that Marguerite was once involved in a plot to betray his friend to the revolutionary government and their relationship grows cold. Marguerite sings “When I Look at You” to a portrait of her husband, explaining how she cannot understand how the man he has become could be so different from the man she married.

Songs for a New World opened off-Broadway at the WPA Theater in 1995 and ran for 28 performances. Composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown composed the music, and wrote the book and lyrics. Some consider the work to be a song cycle, while many argue that is an abstract musical. The music of Songs for a New World is heavily influenced by a broad range of musical genres, including pop, gospel, jazz, and classical music. The songs in the work are connected by theme, not by narrative. The actors, with names such as Man and Woman 1, play many different characters throughout. “Hear My Song” is the show’s finale, and is a hopeful look towards the future. Vocal Synergy, Wagner’s female a cappella ensemble will join Katherine on this number in a fitting finale to her years as founder and music director of the group.

~~~~~ Katherine Burns is a senior Music major, Italian Studies minor from South Windsor, CT. She is the founder, primary arranger, and music director of Vocal Synergy, Wagner’s female a cappella group. During her four years at Wagner, she has participated in College Choir, Chamber Singers, Stretto, College Band, Guitar Ensemble, Opera Workshop, studied voice with Janet Pranschke, and composition with Barbara Wesby. She traveled to New Orleans with Wagner’s Habitat for Humanity in December of her freshman year to build homes for victims of Hurricane Katrina. She studied abroad in London in the spring of 2007 and traveled throughout Europe during her time there. This past January, she had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica for two weeks with music professors Roger and Barbara Wesby as part of an “Expanding Your Horizons” winter course. She and the five other students on the trip studied the music history of Costa Rica while immersing themselves in Latin American culture. She is a sister of Tau Kappa Sigma, where she has served as Secretary, Fundraising Chair, and currently as Philanthropy Chair. She has played an active role on the Senior Week Committee this past year as well. She is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honors society. Katherine completed an internship at Cherry Lane Music Company in the fall of 2008, working in the Sheet Music and Educational departments as a website coordinator and music editor. She plans to move to Orlando after graduation to pursue her dream of performing in Disneyworld and hopes to continue her education in the fall of 2010 with graduate studies in Opera Performance or Choral Conducting.