Let Evening Come: American Songs Old &
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Let Evening Come: American Songs Old & New Emily Martin, soprano | Ariana Wyatt, soprano | Richard Masters, piano Acknowledgments Recorded March 7-9, 2019 in Rooke Recital Hall, Bucknell University Recording Engineer: Paul Smith Editing and Mastering Engineer: Denver Nuckolls Producer: Ariana Wyatt Acknowledgments: Bucknell University Cover Art: Kathryn Simpson WWW.ALBANYRECORDS.COM TROY1806 ALBANY RECORDS U.S. 915 BROADWAY, ALBANY, NY 12207 TEL: 518.436.8814 FAX: 518.436.0643 ALBANY RECORDS U.K. BOX 137, KENDAL, CUMBRIA LA8 0XD TEL: 01539 824008 © 2020 ALBANY RECORDS MADE IN THE USA DDD WORKS BY ROBERT SPILLMAN | FRANK LA FORGE | LORI LAITMAN WARNING: COPYRIGHT SUBSISTS IN ALL RECORDINGS ISSUED UNDER THIS LABEL. Martin_1806_book.indd 1-2 12/18/19 3:42 PM The Composers The Performers Robert Spillman (b. 1936) was chair of the piano faculty and music director of the opera program at the American soprano Emily Martin has regularly received acclaim for her “enchanting University of Colorado at Boulder until his retirement in 2004. Prior to joining the faculty at CU Boulder, he iridescence,” and has been called “dramatically energetic and skillful” for her per- taught piano and accompanying at the Eastman School of Music. Mr. Spillman worked throughout the United forming in opera houses across the US including The Santa Fe Opera, Palm Beach States as accompanist for artists such as Jan DeGaetani, Sylvia Rosenberg, Yehuda Hanani, Paul Sperry, and Opera, Nevada Opera and the Chautauqua Opera. Emily has graced numerous Lucy Shelton, and performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras. His recordings appear on the Bridge, Vox, concert stages around the United States, and has presented solo recitals across Pro Arte, Musical Heritage and Mercury labels. Since 2010, he has set texts by a wide variety of poets to music, the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. She has conducted masterclasses for from Jane Kenyon and Sara Teasdale to Raymond Carver and Walt Whitman. His music can be purchased at young singers across North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand including at the University of Toronto, Classical Vocal Reprints (www.classicalvocalrep.com). Iceland University of the Arts, Guildhall School of Music (UK), University of Western Australia, Otago University (NZ), among others. As a founding member of the international trio Women on the Verge, Emily has been Described by Fanfare Magazine as “one of the most talented and intriguing of living composers,” Lori Laitman instrumental in commissioning and supporting new works by female composers, including Cecilia Livingston (b. 1955) has composed multiple operas and choral works, and hundreds of songs, setting texts by classical and Emilie LeBel. For more information, visit www.emilymartinvoice.com. and contemporary poets, including those who perished in the Holocaust. Her music has generated substantial critical acclaim. The Journal of Singing wrote “It is difficult to think of anyone before the public today who Ariana Wyatt’s recent opera engagements include appearances with Gotham equals her exceptional gifts for embracing a poetic text and giving it new and deeper life through music.” For Chamber Opera, Opera on the James, Opera Omaha, Opera Roanoke, Glimmerglass more information, please visit artsongs.com. Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera, the Juilliard Opera Center, and the Aspen Opera Theater. Symphonic highlights include appearances with the Roanoke Pianist and composer Frank La Forge (1879-1953) was the first major American collaborative pianist. Musi- and Charleston Symphonies and performances of James Whitbourn’s Annelies in cal partner to some of the greatest performers of his era, La Forge was famous for performing thousands of Israel, Prague, and the Kennedy Center. An avid concert artist, recent appearances accompaniments in a wide variety of keys from memory. He was the first American pianist to record a concerto include those with the Ameropa Festival in Prague, the Parma Festival, the Commixtus Chamber Music Festival movement, and one of the first accompanists to be credited on the record label for his musical contributions. in France, the Aspen Music Festival and School, and the New York Festival of Song. An enthusiastic advocate His vocal anthology Pathways of Song remains a valuable resource for young singers and voice teachers even for contemporary art song and opera, she has premiered and championed chamber works by Alan Louis Smith, today. He began composing while working in Berlin and Vienna, and continued to compose and arrange for the Daron Hagen, Gregory Hutter, and Lori Laitman. Ms. Wyatt is a graduate of the Juilliard Opera Center and the voice until the end of his life. University of Southern California. For more information go to www.arianawyatt.com Martin_1806_book.indd 3-4 12/18/19 3:42 PM Richard Masters is a soloist, opera coach, and conductor based in Blacksburg, Silent as women wait for love, Spring Rain Virginia, where he is an assistant professor of piano and collaborative piano on the The world is waiting for the spring. I thought I had forgotten, music faculty at Virginia Tech’s School of Performing Arts. Significant collaborations But it all came back again include concerts with Grammy-winning baritone Donnie Ray Albert, flutist Valerie Summer Night, Riverside To-night with the first spring thunder Coleman, former Juilliard String Quartet violinist Earl Carlyss, saxophonist Harvey In the wild soft summer darkness In a rush of rain. Pittel, and under the baton of Lorin Maazel. Recent performances include recitals at How many and many a night we two together the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, the Schola Cantorum in Paris, Gallery 345 in Toronto, the Rich- Sat in the park and watched the Hudson I remembered a darkened doorway ard M. Nixon Presidential Library, the Percy Grainger Home and Museum in White Plains, and the San Francisco Wearing her lights like golden spangles Where we stood while the storm swept by, Conservatory. Dr. Masters is a Yamaha Artist. For more information, visit www.richard-masters.com. Glinting on black satin. Thunder gripping the earth The rail along the curving pathway And lightning scrawled on the sky. TEXTS & TRANSLATIONS Was low in a happy place to let us cross, And down the hill a tree that dripped with bloom The passing motor busses swayed, Spring Rain: Seven Poems of Sara Teasdale Spend all you have for loveliness, Sheltered us, For the street was a river of rain, Barter Buy it and never count the cost; While your kisses and the flowers, Lashed into little golden waves Life has loveliness to sell, For one white singing hour of peace Falling, falling, In the lamp light’s stain. All beautiful and splendid things, Count many a year of strife well lost, Tangled in my hair.... Blue waves whitened on a cliff, And for a breath of ecstasy With the wild spring rain and thunder Soaring fire that sways and sings, Give all you have been, or could be. The frail white stars moved slowly over the sky. My heart was wild and gay; And children’s faces looking up Your eyes said more to me that night Holding wonder like a cup. Central Park at Dusk And now, far off Than your lips would ever say. Buildings above the leafless trees In the fragrant darkness Life has loveliness to sell, Loom high as castles in a dream, The tree is tremulous again with bloom I thought I had forgotten, Music like a curve of gold, While one by one the lamps come out For June comes back. But it all came back again Scent of pine trees in the rain, To thread the twilight with a gleam. To-night with the first spring thunder Eyes that love you, arms that hold, To-night what girl In a rush of rain. And for your spirit’s still delight, There is no sign of leaf or bud, Dreamily before her mirror shakes from her hair Holy thoughts that star the night. A hush is over everything – This year’s blossoms, clinging to its coils? Martin_1806_book.indd 5-6 12/18/19 3:42 PM I shall not care And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn, How pure at vesper time When she starts crying, When I am dead and over me bright April Would scarcely know that we were gone. The far bells chiming Say: I come tomorrow! Shakes out her rain-drenched hair, Tho’ you should lean above me broken-hearted, Morning God! Give me hills to climb Erwartung (text by Princess Gabriele Wrede; transla- I shall not care. I went out on an April morning Hills! Hills! tion by Richard Masters) All alone, for my heart was high. In the dark, languishing night, I shall have peace, as leafy trees are peaceful I was a child of the shining meadow, I came with a song (text by Elizabeth Ruggles) The flowers are still lit and burning When rain bends down the bough, I was a sister of the sky. I came with a song on my lips, From the kiss of the day, And I shall be more silent and cold-hearted I came with a rose in my hand, Hot, and sun-drenched. Than you are now. There in the windy flood of morning I came with a void in my heart: Longing lifted its weight from me, O love, do you understand? Her breath is sullen and oppressive, There will come soft rain Lost as a sob in the midst of cheering, Her cup of longing so difficult to bear, There will come soft rain and the smell of the ground, Swept as a sea-bird out to sea. The song has died on my lips; Trembling, expecting his coming, And swallows circling with their shimmering sound; You took the rose from my hand; Oh! If it only it were my beloved! Seven Songs (Frank La Forge) The void is still in my heart: And frogs in the pools singing at night, Hills (text by Arthur Guiterman) O Love, do you understand? Schlupfwinkel And wild plum trees in tremulous white, I want my hills! Hills! (text by Princess Gabriele Wrede; The trail that scorns the hollows An einen Boten translation by Richard Masters) Robins will wear their feathery fire So let me hold my way (from Des Knaben Wunderhorn; I fled to my private place Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire; By nothing halted translation by Richard Masters) At the bright midday hour, Until at close of day I stand exalted! When you visit my little love, It is the quietest spot in my house, And not one will know of the war, not one Say: I have received her greetings; And I am wounded to the quick.