Presents October 13, 2020 Doug Oldham Recital Hall MUSIC
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presents October 13, 2020 Doug Oldham Recital Hall MUSIC 170 7:30 PM Il mio bel foco Benedetto Marcello (1686-1739) Adelaide Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Aprés un Rêve Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) ‘Til I Hear You Sing Andrew Lloyd Weber, from Love Never Dies Glen Slater The Way You Look Tonight Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields from Swing Time Almost Like Being in Love Frederick Loewe, from Brigadoon Alan Jay Lerner Can’t Take My Eyes Off You Bob Crewe, Bob Gaudio Let Revival Come (Revive Me) Sherman, Frazier, Jones, The Emerging Sound arr. Ed Kerr What Mercy Did For Me Brumley, Yates, Lay, Sherman, Tyler, The Emerging Sound arr. Ed Kerr His Eye Is On The Sparrow Charles Hutchinson Gabriel, Civilla Durfee Martin Il mio bel foco Il mio bel foco, although traditionally attributed to Venetian composer Benedetto Marcello, has been more recently discovered to by the likely work of Francesco Bartolomeo Conti (1681-1732), an Italian composer, mandolinist, and theorbonist. Conti saw much professional success in Vienna, composed multiple operas (though it is not known which work this recitative and aria comes from), and wrote the oldest surviving method book for the mandolin. Additonally, his works were appreciated by both G.F. Handel and J.S. Bach, two of the most prominent composers of the Baroque period. My joyful ardor, whether near or far distant From thee I tarry, un chang’d and constant ever, For thee, O my beloved, shall languish never. In my heart the flames that burn me, All my soul do so enravish, That they ne’er shall cease to glow. And should fate to ye return me, wand’ring rays of my fair sun, Other light I covet none, nor the wish can ever know. Adelaide Adelaide was composed in 1795 by the legendary Ludwig van Beethoven, who was not only one of the foremost figures of the Classical era and classical music in general (as well as a respectable coffee nerd), but perhaps the driving force behind the transition from the Classical to the Romantic era. In this piece, Beethoven sets Friedrich von Matthison’s poem of the same name to music. Matthison, like Beethoven, helped to bring in the early Romantic movment in his own field. Lonely wanders thy friend in spring’s green garden, Mildly streameth the magic light around him, As through trembling blossomtwigs it quivers, Adelaide, Adelaide. In the mirorlike stream, in snows on Alp-hills, In the vanishing daylight’s golden cloudlets, In the fields of the stars, too, gleams thine image, Thine image, Adelaide! Ev’ning winds in the tender leaves are whisp’ring, Silver Maybells amid the cool grass rustling, Waters murm’ring, and nightingales keep fluting, Adelaide! Soon, O wonder! Upon my grave behond it, Springs a flow’ret from out my heart’s cold ashes; Plainly glimmers on ev’ry purple petal: Adelaide! Aprés un Rêve Aprés un Rêve, or “After A Dream,” is one of Gabriel Fauré’s better known works. Fauré, in addition to being an organist, pianist, and teacher, was one of the most prominent French composers of his time and influenced many composers of the 20th century. Composed in 1878, this piece sets a poem of the same name by Romain Bussine to music. This poem was based on an Italian poem, “Levati sol che la luna é levata,” and speaks of a passionate dream to which the dreamer wishes to return although it is ultimately a lie. In sleep made sweet by a vision of you I dreamed of happiness, fervent illusion, Your eyes were softer, your voice pure and ringing, You shone like a sky that was lit by the dawn; You called me and I departed the earth To flee with you toward the light, The heavens parted their clouds for us, We glimpsed unknown splendours, celestial fires. Alas, alas, sad awakening from dreams! I summon you, O night, give me back your delusions; Return, return in radiance, Return, O mysterious night! ‘Til I Hear You Sing “‘Til I Hear You Sing” comes in the biginning of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 2010 musical Love Never Dies, with lyrics by Glenn Slater (this song opens the show in the 2011 Australian version). Andrew Lloyd Webber is, perhaps, one of the most prominent and prolific composers in musical theatre, having been the mind behind Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, and Cats. While Love Never Dies is, technically, a sequel to Lloyd Webber’s 1986 masterpiece musical, The Phantom of the Opera, he has stated that he “didn’t view it as a sequel as much as 'a second story with these characters,'” and more of a standalone piece. Love Never Dies is set in 1907, which is said to be ten years after Phantom, though the original show is set in 1881. In the song, the Phantom, now the owner of a popular amusement park and sideshow on Coney Island. However, he still greatly misses Christine Daaé and longs to hear her sing again. As such, he recounts the decade since he saw her last and expresses his longing to have her near and to hear her sing. The Way You Look Tonight “The Way You Look Tonight” was written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields, both prolific songwriters of what have come to be classic 20th century pop and jazz standards, for the 1936 film, Swing Time, starring the iconic Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Kern, one of the more prolfic Tin Pan Alley composers, worked alongside Oscar Hammerstein II, of the famed Rodgers and Hammerstein, to bring about the lengendary 1927 musical, Showboat, along with its famous song, “Old Man River.” Additionally, Kern is behind such classic standards as “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” “The Song Is You,” and “All the Things You Are.” Fields also made her mark on the industry, penning the book for Irving Berlin’s Annie Get Your Gun alongside her brother, as well as classic songs “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” and “On the Sunny Side of the Street.” “The Way You Look Tonight” has become a classic of 20th century popular music and a standard of jazz repetoire, having been recorded by giants including Harry Connick Jr., Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman with Peggy Lee, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé, and, most famously, Frank Sinatra. The song won the 1936 Academy Award for Best Original Song, and Fred Astaire’s original recording topped the charts the same year. Almost Like Being in Love “Almost Like Being in Love,” composed by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner for the 1947 musical, Brigadoon, exists in the same pantheon of 20th century jazz classics as “The Way You Look Tonight.” Loewe and Lerner were similarly prolific in the Tin Pan Alley era, with the pair also writing the classic 1956 musical, My Fair Lady, which brought with it the classics “On the Street Where You Live,” “Get Me to the Church on Time,” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face.” Lerner also wrote the 1951 musical comedy film, An American in Paris, and worked with both Kurt Weill and Leonard Berstein. “Almost Like Being in Love” has also left its mark as a classic and standard, with recordings by Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly (in the show’s film version), and Nat King Cole. Sinatra’s rendition charted at number twenty the same year as the musical’s debut, and Nat King Cole’s version was featured in the popular Bill Murray film, Groundhog Day. Can’t Take My Eyes Off You “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio, was originally recorded by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in 1967. Gaudio was one of Valli’s original bandmates and still shares ownership of the band with Valli today. After peresistence convinced Paul Drew of influential radio station CKLW- AM to add it to his rotation, the song became one of the band’s biggest hits, reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for a week, and was Frankie Valli’s biggest solo hit until 1975. The song has been recorded by countless artists across multiple genres, including Andy Williams, charted in multiple countries, and become common to television and film soundtracks. Let Revival Come Let Revival Come, according to Kevin Jones, one of its writers, is a prayer modeled on David’s prayer in Psalm 51, with emphasis on verse 12, which says, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Written and recorded at the annual The Emerging Sound young wiriters camp, the song is a plea for God to renew our hearts and minds, leaving our sin behind us and seeking after Him with a renewed vigor. Additionally, some of People & Songs’ work, this song in particular, draws heavily on the musical elements of gospel as it has derived influence from jazz and funk, with emphasis on a strong beat, chromaticisms and functional harmony, and a higher level of musical and artistic freedom than is present in most mainstream worship music. What Mercy Did For Me What Mercy Did For Me was also written and recorded at The Emerging Sound camp in the summer of 2016 (and, in fact, appears immediately after “Let Revival Come” on the same album) as Crystal Yates reflected on her testimony and all that God had done for her. The song is a celebration of and reflection on what the Lord has done for us and the difference He makes in paying our debt, accepting us, and saving us from our sin.