California State University, Northridge Graduate

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE

GRADUATE RECITAL IN VOICE

An abstract submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music in Music, Vocal Performance

Xirui Huang

December 2017

The abstract of Xirui Huang is approved:

Prof. Diane Ketchie Date

Dr. Deanna Murray Date

Dr. David Sannerud, Chair Date

California State University, Northridge

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Signature page……………………………………………………………………………ii

Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………..iv

Program………………………………………………………………………………...…1

Notes and texts…………………………………………..…………………………….…3

iii ABSTRACT

GRADUATE RECITAL IN VOICE

Xirui Huang Master of Music in Music, Vocal Performance

This thesis represents the program notes for a vocal graduate recital, which extends through five centuries of music, and encompasses five languages and displays varieties of styles through the

Baroque, Classic, Romantic and 20-century eras. The program includes operatic arias in Italian,

German lied, the French mélodie, an excerpt from oratorio, English songs and a traditional

Chinese art song.

The first group of the program is a set composed by Handel. The selections include Va godendo from SERSE, Lascia ch’io pianga from RINALDO, How beautiful are the feet of them from MASSIAH, and Bel piacere from AGRIPPINA.

Va godendo is an aria from the opera SERSE and was composed in 1738; SERSE is a story revolving around a Persian king, Serse and his brother Arsamene, who are both in love with

Romilda. Romilda, however, only cares about Arsamene. Out of jealousy, Serse banishes his brother. In the meantime, the king receives a letter from a foreign princess Amastre, proclaiming her undying love for him, which he thinks has come from Romilda. Therefore, Serse goes to

Romilda’s father and tells him that when a nobleman seeks Romilda’s hand, they should be married. He is, of course, referring to himself. However, when Arsamene comes to take Romilda into banishment with him, Romilda’s father thinks that the nobleman he was referring to was

Arsamene and approves the marriage. Serse comes to marry Romilda, only to find out that she is

iv already married. He is outraged and shows the letter to Romilda’s father and asks the meaning of it. Only then does Serse realize that this letter is from Amastre, and afterwards, Serse and

Amastre are united.

Va godendo is sung by Romilda in a garden in King Serse's palace, which refers to the lovers’ celebration of freedom, and compares it to the pretty babbling stream that runs gaily to the sea between the flowery meadows. The whole piece is full of joyful phrases in B flat major.

It is set in Da Capo form, and the vocal line is filled with the fast-moving sixteen notes indicating the trembling happy mood. The accompaniment is simpler in nature and serves as a wonderful pairing to the vocal line.

Lascia ch’io pianga from RINALDO is one of the most familiar pieces among Handel’s arias. Giacomo Rossi writes the libretto for RINALDO, which is based upon the epic poem La

Gerusalemme Liberata (Jerusalem Delivered) by Torquato Tasso on 1575. The story is about the first crusade where two religions (Christian and Muslim) fight against each other in order to gain control of Jerusalem. Revolving around the passionate affair among main characters, Lascia ch’io pianga appears in act 2, scene Ⅳ, when Almirena (Ronaldo’s fiancée) is held as a prisoner, she begged Armida, the sorceress, for freedom and mercy. In the opening recitative, her emotions flow between anger and sorrow. The music perfectly captures the text.

The opening melody of the aria often ascends first, and the last two notes descend, indicating a tone of questioning. In the next section, which is more sorrowful, the melodic line descends.

From “Signor” f5-d5, “Deh, Per tie ta”(out of pity) Handel uses half-tone descents, d5-g4sharp, and “Lascia mi piangere” d5-a4. The constancy of the descending line is a common feature that embodies the somber emotion of Almirena. The aria is a binary form with Da Capo, the first verse implying the sorrowful emotion that ends the recitative. Most sentences end with two

v repeated notes, one step up or one step down from the previous notes. The second verse contrasts the first verse with the emotion of anger. The beginning of first two sentences are the same, involving a fifth leap a4-d5 and then to e5 which highlights the following words

“infranga”(break) and “ritorta”(torture). There lies a trill on the word “pieta” (pity) which suggests the trembling of Almirena. The accompaniment is simple, using just simple triads as a foundation of the harmony structure.

How beautiful are the feet of them is a famous soprano aria from George Frideric Handel’s

Oratorio MESSIAH. First performed in1742, Messiah describes God’s plan for the salvation of the world, including the coming of Jesus and his subsequent death, resurrection and his victory over death. The libretto was written by Charles Jennens and consists of Bible quotations. “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things comes from Romans 10:15 and Isaiah 52:7.”

Bel piacere is an aria from the three-act opera seria AGRIPPINA, composed by George

Frideric Handel, with a libretto by Cardinal Vincenzo Grimani. It is a story about Agrippina who is the mother of Nero. She tries to make mischief and to install her son, Nero, as the emperor of

Roman. Bel Piacere is sung by Poppea who is the lover of both Nero and Otho. In this aria she expresses how much she loves Otho. The aria is in da capo form with an extremely cheerful mood. The accompaniment shares the main melodic line and the time signature changes frequently between 3/8 and 2/4, expressing Poppea’s exhilarating proclamation of her faithful love for Otho.

The second set features three German Lieder by Franz Schubert- Erlafsee, Lied der

Mignon and Lachen und Weinen. The affinity of the poetry to the melodic lines and the unbreakable relationship to the piano accompaniments, are perfectly illustrated in Schubert’s art

vi songs. Erlafsee is originally a poem by Mayrhofer, and it actually has a total of 36 lines but

Schubert chose 14 lines to set to music. The poem describes the scene by the side of Lake Erlaf, and the scene is pastoral with water imagery. This song is in ABA form and the piano accompaniment features triplets throughout the whole piece. Schubert uses the metaphoric fusion of the opening and closing couplet. Starting with F major, the first sentence is “ I am so happy, and so sad.” But when repeating this sentence, Schubert replaces the nature D to D flat in the word “so”(sad), creating the atmosphere of melancholy. The second sentence is the description of the silence, a motionless deep lake with the shadows of clouds floating above. The mood becomes darker here; and the key changes into d minor as well. However, the B section starts with a brand new mood, referring to the fresh winds, the water, the golden sun, and the triple meter now becomes faster and flowing. Finally, the A section returns and the song ends up as it began, in a peaceful mood.

Mignon is a female character appearing in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's poem Sehnsucht

(Longing). Lied der Mignon is the third setting of the poem. In this poem, Mignon is kidnapped and imprisoned on an isolated island, where she suffers from loneliness and sorrow, as she is cut off from her lover. This song is in ABA form. The A section begins in A minor and the piano accompaniment establishes a rather sobbing mood in slow 6/8 triple meter. However, the B section, the piano accompaniment changes in character quite suddenly to tempestuous sextuplets, illustrating the words of the poetry “my entrails are burning”. At last, the song returns to the opening mood and ends quite softly as if Mignon has run out the energy and is not capable of bearing the sorrow any longer.

The text of Lachen Und Weinen is from one of the Friedrich Rückert's collection of poems,

Östlichen Rosen (Eastern Roses), entitled Laughter and Tears”, it is a humorous song about an

vii individual who is confused of his/her own unstable mental state when in love; crying at night, but waking up with a happy mood. The piano accompaniment is delightful and primarily provides lightness and humors.

The next set consists of five French mélodies -- Si mes vers avaient des ailes and

L'Énamourée by Reynaldo Hahn. Le colibri by Ernest Chausson and C and Air champêtre by

Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc.

Si mes vers avaient des ailes (If my verses had wings) was composed by Hahn at the age of thirteen and it was dedicated to his sister, Maria Hahn. Based on the poem written by Victor

Hugo, the gentle and smooth melodic line illustrates the text perfectly. The whole piece is set in

E major in firm and clear tonal tone with three stanzas. The piano accompaniment includes quick sixteen notes throughout the piece, which works in tandem with the lyrical vocal line to suggest the flapping of wings.

L’Enamourée is from Chansons, which is a set of songs that based on Paul Verlaine’s poems. It pictures the tender feeling of seeing the angelic ghost of the dead lover. It begins with an unearthly atmosphere. The first two phrases are accompanied by sustained chords, while the third and forth phrases are paired with sweeping ascending broken chords, featuring the waking of the dead lover.

Le colibri is the seventh song of Opus 2, which was dedicated to Lady Harbord. Chausson features the poem by Leconte de Lisle in the dreamy, sensuous musical setting. Describing the hummingbirds floating in midair, it also indicates the sense of longing and searching for love.

Setting in the unusual meter time signature 5/4, the melody line is rich in color and a veiled nuance; the arpeggio rhythm suggests the movement of hummingbirds. The accompaniment always gives firm support to the vocal line, anticipating either climax or restraint.

viii C was composed by Poulenc during 1943 which directly corresponded to the Nazis’ occupation in France. Based on Louis Aragon’s poem, in the beginning, it points out that all the stories start from the bridge Ce. The poet recalls the ancient chivalric days while crossing bridge- the images of a wounded knight, the castle of a "mad duke," and a meadow where an "eternal betrothed" dances; then, the poet jerks back to reality. He sees "the overturned cars and the unprimed weapons and the ill-dried tears”, and he sees his beloved, ruined country. Poulenc set every sentence of the poem in a arching line, indicating the bridge. The song is through-compose and is full of chromaticism, with a blurred sense of tonality. A-flat minor changes to relative key

C-flat major when describing swan, the meadow and fiancée. The song then becomes more chromatic when the poet goes back to the reality and sees his destroyed country. The piano accompaniment starts with an arching single melodic line, also capturing the shape of the bridge.

The eighth notes of piano accompaniment continue throughout the whole piece with the sense of unrelenting sorrow.

Air champêtre is the second song from four-song cycle Airs Chantés. The poems were written by Jean Moréas and were extremely popular at that time in Pairs. Set in two stanzas, the poem praises the delightful spring, eulogizes the faithful friendship, and praises the beautiful countryside. Set in 4/4 time, it is an effervescent song with a bouncy, carefree piano accompaniment and a fast tempo. The melody is mostly diatonic in nature, except for the chromatic part in middle section, which is an astonishing modulation for the pure diatonic phrases in the beginning. The whole piece is simply a description of enjoyment of nature and the company of good friends.

Volta la terrea is an aria from the opera Un BALLO IN MASCHERA by Giuseppe Verdi with a libretto by Antonio Somma which was based on a libretto by Eugène Scribe for Daniel

ix Auber’s opera Gustave III, ou le Bal Masqué. It is a story about Riccardo (the duke) who is a beloved leader, but is surrounded by conspirators. He is secretly in love with Amelia, the wife of his closest friend and loyal minister, Renato. Unfortunately, Renato interrupts a meeting between

Amelia and Riccardo and, assuming they are already involved in a love affair, he furiously joins a conspiratorial plot to assassinate Riccardo. At the masked ball, just before Riccardo is about to leave, Renato stabs Riccardo. With his dying breath, he confirms Amelia’s faithfulness to her marriage despite his love for her.

Volta la terrea fronte alle stelle is an aria sung by Oscar, a teenage boy who serves as the page of

Riccardo. His friend, Ulrica, is a fortune-teller who has foreseen the future of Riccardo and his death at the hand of his best friend. However, Riccardo refuses to believe the prediction. Thus,

Oscar sings this aria in defense of Ulrica. The aria has two stanzas and the vocal line is quite virtuosic, vividly showing a fearless, energetic teenage boy. The accompaniment is steady and simple and serves to showcase the coloratura melodic line.

A group of contemporary English songs comprise the next set of the program. The featured songs are Black is the color of my true love’s hair, Go’ way from my window, The Black

Dress By John Jacob Niles and Why do they shut me out of heaven? by Aaron Copland.

Black is the color of my true love’s hair is a folk song first known in the Appalachian

Mountains in the United States in 1915. There are many versions of the song, however, the most famous one is set by John Jacob Niles, and has become one of the most beloved of American

Folk songs. It is strophic song with 4 verses; the texts of the first verse and the fourth verse are the same. The melodic line is gentle and lyrical, expressing one’s passionate love for her lover.

Go’ way from my window is also a traditional folk song, first written during 1907-1908. The song is strophic with five different verses, expressing one’s multiple feelings of sadness, anger,

x helplessness and longing when abandoned by someone that he/she loves. The Black Dress is a quite interesting but also heart breaking folk song. Instead of telling a story in first-person perspective, the story is told by a narrator who could be a little sister or close friend of the girl referred to in the song, describing about she was abandoned by a young man that she thought was faithful but turned out to be a cheater. This strophic song has five verses in different texts.

Sometimes the “ Fa-la-la” phrase which imitation the middle age secular song tradition, is humorous but somehow distressing.

Why do they shut me out of heaven? is the third song of the song cycle “ Twelve poems of

Emily Dickinson” by Aaron Copland. The song begins with a rather angry tone in fortissimo, questioning “Why do they shut me out of heaven?”, and the next phrase becomes chromatic and mezzo piano since the text explains “ But I can sing a little minor”. The second verse of the song changes into D flat major, then modulates to A flat major, and then to g minor, suggesting the little hand knocks at the heaven’s robes. In the final phrase the angry question returns with a high vocal outburst, however the piano accompaniment is impassive and emotionless in the postlude, as if the outburst has never happened.

The next section is a Chinese song of farewell dating back to the Tang dynasty and composed by Yue Fu.( Qin ge is actually a genre) and based on poem by one of the most famous poets from the late Tang dynasty, Wei Wang. The poet is on the way to send off his close friend to assume his duty in a far away place. The distance and the inconvenience of travel probably means that they may not see each other again. Thus, it is a song filled with sorrow of parting and is describing the morning raindrops, the tenderly green willow and the toasting wine no more.

This song was made possible by a government music institute, which collected folk music, edited and created new music for royal families in ancient China. It is set tonally in the Chinese national

xi five-tone mode. In terms of western music, it is called a pentatonic scale, consisting of five notes-C-D-E-G-A. It has three stanzas and the piano accompaniment imitates the sounds of the ancient Chinese instrument GuQin. The entire piece exudes a sentimental emotion.

O luce di quest’ anima is a sparkling coloratura aria from the opera LINDA DI

CHAMOUNIX by Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti. Based on the Italian libretto written by

Gaetano Rossi, this three-act opera is about a sweet, naïve country girl, Linda, who falls in love with a nobleman, Carlo, who disguises himself as a penniless painter. His family insists that he marry a young titled girl despite his firm rejection. Linda mistakenly took that as betrayal, and collapsed in grief. However, the kind village prefect sings songs to wake her up and the two young people finally get back together. This aria is sung in the first act, when Linda arrives late at their favorite meeting place and finds out she missed her beloved Carlo. Despite the disappointment, she sings of her enthusiastic love for Carlo. The aria has three verses, with the same texts but with many additional ornaments and fioratura as the emotion becomes more and more excited and passionate. It finally reaches the climax with a dramatic cadenza in a sparkling vocal display, which splendidly ends this delightful aria.

My recital program encompassed a number of different genres form oratorio and operatic arias to songs. Being varied, the repertoire presented a number of different technique challenges, from virtuosic coloratura passageworks to complex rhythmic patterns and gorgeous legato lines.

As in all music, these works express the degree of emotions we all experience from love to loss.

My recital was a significant performance experience for me and forced me to be communicative in a wide variety of styles. As Victor Hugo said, “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”

xii PROGRAM

Ⅰ Va godendo Lascia ch’io pianga How beautiful are the feet of them Bel piacere ...... …...... George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) Ⅱ Erlafsee Lied der Mignon Lachen und Weinen

…...... …...... Franz Peter Schubert (1797–1828) Ⅲ Si mes vers avaient des ailes L'Énamourée …...... …...... Reynaldo Hahn (1874 –1947) Le colibri ………………………………………………………...Ernest Chausson (1855–1899) C Air champêtre ……………………………………………...…………Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (1899–1963)

1 INTERMISSION

Ⅳ Volta la terrea fronte alle stelle From Un Ballo In Maschera …………………………….…...... ….Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (1813–1901)

Ⅴ Black is the color of my true love’s hair Go’ way from my window ……………………………………...... John Jacob Niles (1892–1980) Why do they shut me out of heaven? …………………………………………………...... Aaron Copland (1900 –1990) The Black Dress ...... John Jacob Niles (1892-1980) Ⅵ A farewell song …………………………………………………....…..Yue Fu Qin Ge (Tang dynasty)

Ⅶ O luce di quest’ anima From Linda di Chamounix ……………………………….....………………….…Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (1797 –1848)

2 TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS

“Và godendo”

Joyously and graciously ripples, That free-flowing brooklet, And with clear waves it runs through the grass Gaily towards the sea.

“Lascia ch'io pianga”

Recitative: Armida, pitiless, With the power of the underworld, Abducted me from the dear heaven Of my contentment. And here with grief eternal Keeps me living in a tormented hell. Lord, ah, through pity Let me weep.

Aria: Let me weep Let me weep over my cruel fate, And that I long for freedom! And that I long, and that I long for freedom! Let me weep over my cruel fate, And that I long for freedom!

“How beautiful are the feet of them”

How beautiful are the feet of them That preach the gospel of peace, And bring glad tidings, Glad tidings of good things!

3 “Bel piacere”

It is great pleasure to enjoy a faithful love! It pleases the heart. Splendor is not measured by beauty If it does not come from a faithful heart.

“Erlafsee”

I feel so happy, but so sad By the calm Lake Erlaf Sacred silence in spruce branches Blue-sky reflection is motionless Only the shadows of clouds are fleeing Over the dark mirror Fresh wind gently makes ripples The water, the water And the golden crown of the sun Sparkles paler, sparkles paler

“Lied der Mignon”

Only he who knows longing Knows what I suffer. Alone and separated from all joy, I look to the firmament Toward yonder direction. Ah, he who loves and knows me Is far away. I am reeling; My insides Are on fire.

“Lachen und Weinen”

Laughter and tears, at whatever hour, Arise, in love, from so many causes. In the morning I laughed for joy, And why, in the glow of the evening, I am now weeping,

4 I myself do not know.

Tears and laughter, at whatever hour, Arise, in love, from so many causes In the evening I wept with grief, And how you can awake In the morning laughing, I must ask you, my heart.

“Si mes vers avaient des ailes”

My verses would flee, soft and frail, Toward your oh so beautiful garden, If my verses had wings, Wings like a bird.

They would fly, sparks, Toward your laughing home, If my verses had wings, Wings like the spirit.

Close to you, pure and faithful, They would hasten, night and day, If my verses had wings, Wings like love!

“L'Énamourée”

They say, my dove, That you dream, even now dead, Beneath the stone of a tomb: But for the soul which loves you, You awaken, revived, O thoughtful dearest beloved!

In the white night of stars, In the murmuring breeze,

I caress your long veils, Your dying hair,

5 And the half-closed wings Which hover over the roses!

O sweetness! I breathe in Your divine blond tresses! Your pure voice, this lyre, Follows the wave across the waters And, suavely, brushes against them Like a weeping swan!

“Le colibri”

The green hummingbird, the king of the hillsides, Seeing the dew and the bright sun Sparkle in its nest, woven from fine grasses, Like a fresh ray escapes in the air.

It hurries and flies to the neighbouring springs, Where the bamboos make the sound of the sea; Where the red hibiscus, with its divine fragrances, Opens, and carries a moist spark to the heart.

It descends towards the gilded flower, settles, And drinks so much love from the rosy cup, That it dies without knowing if it had drunk it dry. Upon your pure lip, o my dear beloved, So too would my soul have wished to die Of the first kiss which perfumed it!

“C”

I have crossed the bridges of Cé, It is there that it all began A song of bygone days Of a rose on the carriageway And an unlaced bodice Of the castle of a mad duke And swans on the moats Of the meadow where comes dancing An eternal betrothed love.

6 And I drank like iced milk The long lay of false glories The Loire carries my thoughts away With the overturned cars And the unprimed weapons And the ill-dried tears Oh, my France! Oh my forsaken France! I have crossed the bridges of Cé.

“Air champêtre”

Beautiful spring, beautiful spring, I wish to remember forever That one day, guided by affection, Enchanted, I looked at your face, o Goddess, Half concealed underneath the moss. Has he but remained, this friend for whom I mourn, O nymph, adhering to your cult, To mingle at least with the breeze that touches you And to respond to your hidden waters.

“Volta la terrea fronte alle stelle”

When she turns Her dusky brow to the stars How her eyes, Flash, like lightning, As she foretells the course Of their loves To the belles of the town, Be it happy or sad! With Lucifer himself She has a pact!

Whoever touches Her prophetic gown, Whether he plans to cross the sea Or go off to war, His future, his fortunes, Be they bitter or sweet, His doubting heart Will learn from her, It is with Lucifer himself

7 She has a pact!

“Black is the color of my true love’s hair”

Black is the color of my true love’s hair, His lips are something wondrous fair. The kindest face and the strongest hands, I love the grass where on he stands.

I love my love and well he knows, I love the grass where on he goes, If he on earth no more I see, My life will quickly leave me.

I go to Troublesome to mourn, to weep But satisfied I never can sleep, I will write him a note in a few little lines, I’ll suffer death ten thousand times.

“Go’ way from my window”

Go’ way from my window, Go’ way from my door. Go’ way from my bedside, And bother me no more.

I'll give you back your letters, I'll give you back your ring. But I'll never forget my own true love, As long as songbirds sing.

I'll go and tell all my brothers, Tell all my sisters too. That the reason why my heart is broke Is on account of you.

Go on your way be happy, Go on your way and rest. Remember dear that you’ re the one I really did love best.

“Why do they shut me out of Heaven? ”

Why do they shut me out of Heaven? Did I sing too loud? But I can sing a little "minor" Timid as a Bird!

Wouldn't the Angels try me Just once more? Just see if I troubled them But don't shut the door!

Oh, if I were the Gentleman In the "White Robe" And they were the little Hand that knocked, Could I forbid?

“The black dress”

Oh she'll take off the black dress And put on the green For she is foresaken and only nineteen. Fa la la la la la la la la fa la la la la la For she is foresaken and only nineteen.

Oh he courted her and he kissed her And he made her heart warm. And then when he left her He laughed her to scorn. Fa la la la la la la la la fa la la la la la And then when he left her He laughed her to scorn.

Forsaken, forsaken Her heart is forlorn. Fa la la la la la la la la fa la la la la la la But he is mistaken If he thinks she will mourn.

9 For we will build her a cabin On yon mountain high, Where the wild birds can’t find her Nor hear her heart cry. Fa la la la la la la la la fa la la la la la Where the wild birds can’t find her Nor hear her heart cry.

Take warning take warning, Young ladies pray do, For you are quite lucky That this is not you, Fa la la la la la la la la fa la la la la la For you are quite lucky That this is not you!

“A farewell song”

The fall of morning drops in this Town of Wei, Its dust light doth moisten Tenderly green are the new willow sprouts Of this spring adorned tavern. I pray thee to quench once more full to the brim This farewell cup of wine, For after thy departure from this western most pass Thou will have no old friend of mine.

Depart so soon Cause it shall be long journey. Going through myriads of hardship, Going through myriads of bitter experience, Please take care of yourself my friend.

10 Thou will have no old friend of mine.

I cannot bear your leaving, my friend Tear moistening the scarves Recalling the past event with emotional I think about you all the hours in a day How can I do about it? How could anyone change this situation? I’ve been drowned in the fascination to forget the sorrow

Cheers my friend, cheers! I am already drunk even before I drink The loaded carriage is going to galloping , The date when you will be back is uncertain, How many cups of wine can be empty?

Even thousands of cups maybe emptied But the longing inside would never be unconsumed, Only left eternal sorrow. Please write to me, and I will write to you as well. If we do it may still feels That we are close together as we used to be.

Oh, after saying farewell today We will be apart. And you shall be all over my dreams May smooth sailing company your journey, Hope the swan gooses bring back massages from you.

“O luce di quest’anima “

11 Recitative: Ah! Too long I have waited; And yet I have not found At our favorite place my dear Carlo. And who can tell What he has suffered? But not as much as I have! As a symbol of his love, He left me these flowers! What a tender heart!

And for that heart I do adore him It is the greatest treasure he has! We are both but poor, Living only on thoughts of love Although unknown painter now, He will shine with his genius! And I will be his wife. Oh, what happiness!

Aria: Oh, you are the radiance of my soul, Delightful life and love; On earth and in heaven, We will be united. Come, my dear And find calm in my yearning heart That sighs for your love, Of which mine is for you alone.