Notes, Texts, and Translations

I from Semele, HWV 58 George Frideric Handel Endless Pleasure (1685-1759)

George Frideric Handel is one of the main figures from the baroque era and arguably the most important when it comes to vocal music of that era. Though German he lived in both Italy and England. He was truly a cosmopolitan composer, and became a British citizen through an act of parliament in 1727. It is because of this familiarity with both cultures that he was able to master the Italian operatic tradition and create the English oratorio. In his prolific career he wrote forty two and twenty nine oratorios. “Endless Pleasure” is from Handel’s Semele. This musical drama is often grouped with Handel’s oratorios, but that might have more to do with how and when it was premiered than its substance or form. Oratorios are lightly staged musical dramas based on sacred texts. Even though it was premiered as part of Handel’s lenten season at Covent Garden, which was almost entirely composed of oratorio, Semele is based on a secular text. It is based on a pre-existent by William Congreve written around 1705, and tells the story of the Roman gods and goddesses in Ovid’s Metamorphosis. Many viewers decried it as baudy and profane. This aria “Endless Pleasure” comes at the end of the first act out of three. Semele is rejoicing that she has been carried away on eagle’s wings to be with Jupiter, her lover. Handel uses his exquisite knowledge of the voice to set an ornate and florid love song in modified ABA form that captures Semele’s bliss through all of her long melismas.

Endless pleasure

Endless pleasure, endless love, Semele enjoys above! On her bosom Jove reclining, useless now his thunder lies; to her arms his bolts resigning, and his lightning to her eyes. II from Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244 Johann Sebastian Bach Erbarme dich, mein Gott (1685-1750)

Johann Sebastian Bach was, among many things, a church musician in the lutheran tradition. He lived in Germany during a time that was being heavily affected by the protestant reformation. One of the many changes made during this time was making worship more accessible to the people, and they accomplished this through the use of chorales. Chorales are hymn tunes and Bach harmonized hundreds of them. These chorales are important because they were written in German, the language of the people, rather than in latin. Bach then would expound on these chorales and turn them into cantatas, including florid polyphony which was a trait of the baroque period. The Matthäus-Passion is one of his most complex and breathtaking cantatas and represents a culmination of Bach’s sacred creations. The libretto was written by Christian Friedrich Henrici in 1727 under the pen name Picander, and it covers the material of the Gospel of Matthew chapters twenty-six and twenty-seven. In this cantata Bach explores the idea of intertwining musical lines. Although “Erbarme dich, mein Gott” is labeled an aria it would be more aptly described as a duet for violin and voice. In this piece a solo violin and voice duet against the backdrop of the orchestra. They trade Bach’s heartbreaking melody and through their individual ornamentation they paint a picture of the weeping described in the text.

Erbarme dich, mein Gott, Have mercy, my God, um meiner Zähren willen! for my tears sake! Schaue hier, herz und auge See here, heart and eye weint vor dir bitterlich. weep for you bitterly. Erbarme dich, mein Gott. Have mercy, my God.

— translation by Pamela Dellal

III from Die Zauberflöte, K. 620 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Ach, Ich fühl’s (1756-1791)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a great operatic composer of the classical period, writing twenty-two operas over the span of his relatively short life. While he was skilled in the Italian operatic tradition, he would occasionally write the german style Singspiel. A Singspiel is a German light opera where spoken dialogue is dispersed between the musical numbers. Writing in this style allowed Mozart to experiment and try new things that wouldn’t have been as acceptable if he wrote them in the Italian tradition. It also allowed him to write in his native tongue which opened up more opportunities for wit and humour, even though he was fluent in Italian. Die Zauberflöte is Mozart’s best known Singspiel, and it takes place in two acts. It premiered in 1791 with a libretto written by Emanuel Schikaneder. When people think of this opera it is usually either for its hilarious and fast paced numbers like Papageno’s aria and the Papageno/papagena duet or for the stunning vocal coloratura of the Queen of the Night. However Pamina’s aria shouldn’t be discounted. It is a rare serious moment in this comic opera where Pamina is begging for Tamino to listen to her heart breaking. Instead of patter and extreme vocal acrobatics this aria consists of intense legato and loud outbursts. The most coloratura that occurs is on the word ‘herze.’ The staccato notes leading into the upper range give the effect of sobs breaking free. The piece reaches its climax as Pamina exclaims for the second time “fühlst du nicht?” and resigns herself to achieving peace only in death.

Ach, ich fühl’s, es ist verschwunden, Ah, I feel-it, it has disappeared, ewig hin der liebe glück! forever gone love’s happiness! Nimmer kommt ihr, wonnestunde, Never come you, hours of bliss, meinem herzen mehr zurück! to-my heart evermore back! Sieh’ Tamino, diese tränen See Tamino, these tears fließen, trauter, dir allein! flowing, beloved, for-you alone! Fühlst du nicht der liebe sehnen? Do you not feel love’s longing? So wird ruh’ im tode sein! Then my peace will be only in death!

— translation by Bard Suverkrop

IV from Ebben? Ne andrò lontana (1854-1893)

Alfredo Catalani grew up in Italy in a family of musicians, and soon knew he wanted to compose. By this time the purity of Italy’s musical tradition was starting to dissolve, replacing composers like Gioachino Rossini and Gaetano Donizetti with international names like Franz Liszt and . Catalani was especially drawn to Wagner, although his own style was more influenced by . He composed several operas that all fell relatively flat, until he composed La Wally. La Wally is loosely based on Wilhelmine von Hillern’s novel Die Geierwally (Wally, the vulture girl). It was Catalani’s last and best opera, and premiered at in 1892. Although the entire opera is not performed frequently on the modern stage, this aria has made its way into the standard repertoire. Its lyrical lines are reminiscent of , a contemporary of Catalani. The libretto was written by Luigi Illiaca who also wrote the libretti for well known operas by Puccini such as Tosca, La Bohème, and Madame Butterfly. This aria comes at a critical moment in the opera for Wally where she is deciding what to do after being banished from her home. Like the character in Wilhelmine’s novel, she decides to leave with her dignity and venture off alone.

Ebben! Ne andrò lontana, Well then! I shall go far away, come va l’eco della pia campana, as far as the pious tones of the church bell carry, là fra la neve bianca; là fra le nubi d’or; there amid the white snow; there amid the clouds of gold; laddóve la speranza è rimpianto, è dolor! there, where all hope is only regret and sorrow!

O della madre mia casa gioconda, Oh, from my mother’s cheerful home La Wally ne andrà da te lontana assai, La Wally will go very far away, e forse a te, non farà mai più ritorno, perhaps never to return to you, nè più la rivedrai! Mai più! and you will never see her again! Never again!

Ne andrò sola e lontana, I shall go away alone, come l’eco della pia campana là, to the echo of the pious church bell, fra la neve bianca; amid the white snow; ne andrò sola e lontana e fra le nubi d’or! I shall go alone and far and among the clouds of gold!

Ma fermoil piè! And resolute are my feet! Ne andiam, che lunga è la via! Let us go, the journey will be long!

— translation by Bard Suverkrop

V

L'Invitation au Voyage Henri Duparc Sérénade Florentine (1848-1943) Extase

Duparc only has sixteen songs in the french mélodie catalogue, because of an extreme over critical nature towards his compositions. He would often destroy songs he didn’t want published, leaving us with the few we have today. However, even though he published so few they still made a large impact on the french art song tradition. He wrote piano accompaniments that were as complex and lush as if they were being written for orchestra, and instead of older poems he chose texts by living poets. He also had strong opinions on vocal exhibitionism once stating “If I had known what some singers would do to them, I would never have put any rallentandi in my songs.” Instead, he wanted emphasis on legato and purity of tone. L’invitation au Voyage

“L’invitation au voyage” is in a modified strophic form. Charles Baudelaire wrote the poem for this piece in 1857. He wanted to portray the idyllic nature of the Netherlands where he had gone on summer holiday. Although the piano is primarily playing arpeggios for much of the piece, it sets the mood that Baudelaire also set out to capture and evokes a feeling of sun raining down on a landscape. Towards the end Duparc passes the main theme to the piano and has it presented in fragments at different octaves.

Mon enfant, ma soeur, My child, my sister, songe à la douceur think how sweet it would be d’aller là-bas vivre ensemble, to go down there, to live together, aimer à loisir, to love free from care, aimer et mourir to love and to die au pays qui te ressemble! in the land that resembles you! Les soleils mouillés The moist suns de ces ciels brouillés of these misty skies, pour mon esprit ont les charmes to my mind, have the charm, si mystérieux so mysterious, de tes traîtres yeux, of your treacherous eyes, brillant à travers leurs larmes. sparkling through their tears.

Là, tout n’est qu’ordre et beauté, There, everything is order and beauty, luxe, calme et volupté. luxury, calm, and pleasure!

Vois sur ces canaux See on these canals dormir ces vaisseaux the sleeping boats dont l’humeur est vagabonde; that capriciously like to roam; c’est pour assouvir ‘tis to satisfy ton moindre désir your slightest wish qu’il viennent du bout du monde. they have come from the ends of the world. Les soleils couchants The setting suns revêtent les champs, again clothe the fields, les canaux, la ville entière, the canals, the whole town, d’hyacinthe et d’or; with hyacinth and gold; le monde s’endort the world falls asleep dans une chaude lumière! in a warm light!

Là, tout n’est qu’ordre et beauté, There everything is order and beauty, luxe, calme et volupté! luxury, calm and pleasure!

— translation by Richard Stokes Sérénade Florentine

In Sérénade Duparc plays with meter to give the song a feeling of otherworldliness and loss of balance. It sounds as though the right hand of the piano is a beat behind for most of the piece except when he sets the lyrics “sur sa blancheur, comme un baiser, viens jusqu’à l’aube te poser.” Here it is the vocal line that seems misaligned with the piano. This allows Duparc to paint words like kiss and repose with extra complexity and importance. Out of the three songs in this set Sérénade is the only through-composed piece, which means that it does not repeat melodic material.

Etoile dont la beauté luit Star, whose beauty shines comme un diamant dans la nuit, like a diamond in the night, regarde vers ma bien-aimée look down on my beloved dont la paupière s’est fermée. with her eyelids closed. Et fais descendre sur ses yeux And let upon her eyes descend la bénédiction des cieux. the blessing of the skies.

Elle s’endort… par la fenêtre; She slumbers… through the window en sa chambre heureuse pénètre; enter her blissful chamber; sur sa blancheur, comme un baiser, on her whiteness, like a kiss, viens jusqu’à l’aube te poser repose until dawn, et que sa pensée, alors, rêve and may her thoughts then dream d’un astre d’amour qui se lève! of a star of love that arises!

— translation by Richard Stokes Extase

“Extase” is heavily influenced by Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. Duparc allows the vocal line to present a melodic idea which the piano takes and expands. The voice does not finish the second verse, instead the melody is passed to the piano. Duparc creates a beautiful texture this way that skillfully builds in intensity before climaxing and releasing into a tonality that is much more settled than the beginning of the piece. Henri Cazalis penned this poem under the pseudonym of Jean Lahor. Along with being a poet Cazalis was a physician whose poems tended to center around dark and gloomy subject material. This poem breaks out of that box, but Duparc certainly manages to give it a mysterious backdrop.

Sur un lys pâle mon coeur dort On a pale lily my heart is asleep d’un sommeil doux comme la mort… in a slumber sweet like death…

Mort exquise, mort parfumée Exquisite death, death perfumed du souffle de la bien-aimée… by the breath of my beloved…

Sur ton sein pâle mon coeur dort On your pale bosom my heart is asleep d’un sommeil doux comme la mort… in a slumber sweet like death…

— translation by Richard Stokes VI

Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Op. 24 Samuel Barber (1910-1981)

Samuel Barber is most known as a composer, but he was so much more: a pianist, a conductor, a , and a music educator. This gave him a special set of skills for composing, and one of those was his famed ability to write for the high female voice. A number of his best known compositions were written for soprano and orchestra. Leontyne Price, famed operatic soprano, premiered Barber’s Hermit Songs and Antony and Cleopatra. Ms. Price was one of the several with whom Barber worked with. Soprano Eleanor Steber commissioned Barber to write a one-movement orchestral piece, Knoxville: Summer of 1915. Knoxville: Summer of 1915 is a text from a work of prose by James Agee, the Pulitzer prize-winning author of Death in the Family. It is an autobiographical account of a day he spent as a six-year-old with his family in Tennessee. Tragically, 1915 was the last year James Agee shared with his complete family because his father died in a car crash in 1916. Making Agee’s nostalgic poem even more poignant. Barber is a master at setting the English language. He allows the natural flow of speech to dictate how he sets words and is not restrained by traditional ideas of meter and rhythm. His use of hemiolas and the regular use of duplets or triplets shows his adherence to clean text declamation. Barber does not shy away from using the orchestra to create atmosphere and portray different creatures or machines. In the first interlude Barber uses the orchestra to surround the audience with the sounds of hurrying traffic, loud sirens, and noisy people. The entire piece has an extensive ABA structure tied together by the moving eighth-note theme that signals a return to the A. It feels dreamlike and meditative, almost as though each time this theme occurs, Barber is attempting to hypnotize the audience and send them back in time. … It has become that time of evening when people sit on their porches, rocking gently and talking gently and watching the street and the standing up into their sphere of possession of the trees, of birds' hung havens, hangars. People go by; things go by. A horse, drawing a buggy, breaking his hollow iron music on the asphalt; a loud auto; a quiet auto; people in pairs, not in a hurry, scuffling, switching their weight of aestival body, talking casually, the taste hovering over them of vanilla, strawberry, pasteboard and starched milk, the image upon them of lovers and horsemen, squared with clowns in hueless amber.

A streetcar raising its iron moan; stopping, belling and starting; stertorous; rousing and raising again its iron increasing moan and swimming its gold windows and straw seats on past and past and past, the bleak spark crackling and cursing above it like a small malignant spirit set to dog its tracks; the iron whine rises on rising speed; still risen, faints; halts; the faint stinging bell; rises again, still fainter, fainting, lifting, lifts, faints foregone: forgotten. Now is the night one blue dew.

Now is the night one blue dew, my father has drained, he has coiled the hose.

Low on the length of lawns, a frailing of fire who breathes.... Parents on porches: rock and rock. From damp strings morning glories hang their ancient faces.

The dry and exalted noise of the locusts from all the air at once enchants my eardrums.

On the rough wet grass of the backyard my father and mother have spread quilts. We all lie there, my mother, my father, my uncle, my aunt, and I too am lying there....They are not talking much, and the talk is quiet, of nothing in particular, of nothing at all. The stars are wide and alive, they seem each like a smile of great sweetness, and they seem very near. All my people are larger bodies than mine...with voices gentle and meaningless like the voices of sleeping birds. One is an artist, he is living at home. One is a musician, she is living at home. One is my mother who is good to me. One is my father who is good to me. By some chance, here they are, all on this earth; and who shall ever tell the sorrow of being on this earth, lying, on quilts, on the grass, in a summer evening, among the sounds of the night. May God bless my people, my uncle, my aunt, my mother, my good father, oh, remember them kindly in their time of trouble; and in the hour of their taking away.

After a little I am taken in and put to bed. Sleep, soft smiling, draws me unto her: and those receive me, who quietly treat me, as one familiar and well-beloved in that home: but will not, oh, will not, not now, not ever; but will not ever tell me who I am.