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Home , Ten Blake Songs, The Divine Image

Poems and Fairy Tales

Anna Ball, soprano Annie Winkelman, oboe Lauren Winkelman, piano

from Ten Songs (1958) The Piper Eternity

In Sleep the World is Yours (2014) Lori Laitman Lullaby Yes Tragedy

from Three Fairy Tales (1997) Marcia Kraus The Little Mermaid The Ugly Duckling

Please join us outdoors for a reception following the performance.

Wednesday, June 16, 2021 7:00 p.m. Knollwood Baptist Church www.knollwood.org/live Then every man, of every clime, Eternity That prays in his distress, He who binds to himself a Joy poetry by Prays to the human form divine, Doth the wingèd life destroy; Love, Mercy, , Peace. But he who kisses the Joy as it fies Infant Joy The Lamb Live in Eternity’s sunrise. "I have no name: Little Lamb, who made thee? And all must love the human form, In heathen, Turk, or Jew; I am but two days old." Dost thou know who made thee? The look of love alarms, Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell What shall I call thee? Gave thee life, and bid thee feed, Because it’s fll’d with fre; There God is dwelling too. "I happy am, By the stream and o’er the mead; But the look of soft deceit Joy is my name." Gave thee clothing of delight, Shall win the lover’s hire. Sweet joy befall thee! Softest clothing wooly, bright; Gave thee such a tender voice, Soft deceit and idleness, Pretty Joy! Making all the vales rejoice? These are beauty’s sweetest dress. Sweet Joy, but two days old. Little Lamb, who made thee? Sweet Joy I call thee. Dost thou know who made thee? Thou dost smile, In Sleep the World is Yours I sing the while, Little Lamb, I’ll tell thee, poetry by Selma Meerbaum-Eisinger Sweet joy befall thee! Little Lamb I’ll tell thee: trans. by Jerry Glenn, Florian Birkmayer, Helene Silverblatt, Irene Silverblatt He is callèd by thy name, In Sleep the World is Yours was commissioned by Music Remembrance and The Piper For He calls Himself a Lamb. premiered on May 12, 2014 at Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA with soprano He is meek, and He is mild: Piping down the valleys wild, Megan Chenovick, oboist Benjamin Hausmann, and pianist Mina Miller. He became a little child. Piping songs of pleasant glee, I a child, and thou a lamb, On a cloud I saw a child, We are callèd by His name. Lullaby Yes And he laughing said to me: Little Lamb, God bless thee! Sleep, my child, just fall asleep, You are so distant. Little Lamb, God bless thee! please sleep and don’t cry anymore. As distant as a star I thought I’d grasped. “Pipe a song about a Lamb.” Just look, in sleep the world is yours, And yet you are near — So I piped with merry cheer. please sleep and don’t cry so hard. just a little dusty “Piper, pipe that song again;” The Divine Image like time that’s past. So I piped: he wept to hear. To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love Close your eyes and fall asleep, Yes. “Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe; All pray in their distress; listen, the forest is rustling. Sing thy songs of happy cheer:” And to these virtues of delight In sleep there is no hate and no scorn, You are so huge. So I sang the same again, Return their thankfulness. and in sleep you are not cold. As huge as the shadow of that tree. While he wept with joy to hear. And still you’re just here too — For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love Sleep, my darling, and smile, my child, just pale like “Piper, sit thee down and write Is God, our Father dear, listen, the river is singing. in my bosom. In a book, that all may read.” And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love Sleep, then the wind will sing of joy Yes. So he vanish'd from my sight, Is man, His child and care. and sing of the blossoming . And I pluck'd a hollow reed, Tragedy For Mercy has a human heart, Sleep my child and forget your ails, And I made a rural pen, Pity a human face, This is the hardest: to give yourself away for you the day is dark. And I stain'd the water clear, And Love, the human form divine, and then to see that no one needs you, Bright is the when a dream And I wrote my happy songs And Peace, the human dress. to give all of yourself and realize cuddles you, Every child may joy to hear. you’ll fade like smoke and leave no trace. so sleep my child, so sleep. Three Fairy Tales What need have I of tongue? My eyes will speak of love. He’ll draw me close and claim me for his own. The Little Mermaid And we will wed. The water was so clear that I could see the sky And there’ll be mirth and music. And as I looked a ship stopped overhead Bearing many mortals, with sounds of mirth, and music. She comes bearing a knife to cleave my tail So I can walk to my beloved and loving gain a soul. Suddenly a god-like face gaz’d upon the water. Aaaah the pain! The pain! It was a handsome prince who dallied there. And now I part my lips to pay the promised price. His beauty was so radiant my heart leapt in my breast; My prince! Ah aaaah! My body turned to fre. All the night tossing on my bed The Ugly Duckling His image blazed before me Winter, winter. When I was born my mother did mourn Brighter than the stars Snow covered me. What terrible luck, Whose light streamed through the water. Eternity seemed at hand. She’s too big for a duck But as I slept, Duck duck duck duckling. Day succeeded day; Spring crept across the land. Instead of pink my feet were black, I could not eat; My beak was black, I could not sleep. It was then a great surprise I had the wrong kind of quack I was dying of love. To wake up to sunny skies. For a duckling. Finally I knew what I fain would do. From above a cloud of white Majestic birds in royal fight None of the ducks would play with me Many leagues from here, Called to me. Because I was so ugly. In a purple grotto They saw my plight. The hen didn’t want me, nor the cat, Lives a pow’rful witch; The farmer’s daughter knocked me fat! She can change fsh to mortals. Landing on eager feet, She will cleave my tail and give me legs Speaking in murmurs sweet, Misery. Oh, misery. To walk upon the land and fnd my prince. They stroked me with their beaks and wings My mother tried to explain away My feet will bleed at every step. And said the most astounding things. My clumsy wings and face of gray. The pain will be so strong that only love will bear me on. They said I was a swan! She said go out in the sun and play. But I shall seek him out. Like them, not a duck at all. But I saw in the pond And when he looks at me he’ll know. A swan! I was not blonde! He will know. The crack in my quack grew daily worse. He too will fall in love. Happy at last. And we shall evermore be one. All my ugliness is past, There seemed to be some awful curse. For I am a swan! As I grew stronger Why then would I rue the prince? A beautiful white swan! My neck grew longer. It isn’t peals nor is it gold. I decided to end it all The witch wants what I vowed to give, When the ducks few South in the fall. My tongue, my little tongue! Disconsolate, I would not fy;

I would stay in the pond and die!