SUNY Buffalo State, Music Department Presents A Virtual Senior Recital by Alison Cleary, mezzo-soprano Student of Dr. Joseph Spann This fulfills the Capstone Project requirement for Bachelor’s in Arts degree. And Mason Battle, tenor Student of Dr. Holly Bewlay This fulfills degree requirement for Bachelor’s in Music Education. Assisted by Ivan Docenko, harpsichord, and piano May 8th, 2021 5:00 P.M. Ciminelli Recital Hall, Third Floor of Rockwell Hall, SUNY Buffalo State Program Als Luise die Briefe ihres ungetreuen Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart(1756 – 1791) Liebhabers verbrannte Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer Johannes Brahms(1833 – 1897) O wüsst ich doch den Weg zurück Nevicata Ottorino Respighi(1879 – 1936) Su una Violetta morta A Green Lowland of Pianos Samuel Barber(1910 – 1981) Must the winter come so soon? from Vanessa En prière Gabriel Fauré(1845 – 1924) Chacun à son gout from Die Fledermaus Johann Strauss II(1825 – 1899) In my own little corner from Cinderella Richard Rodgers(1902 – 1979) Alison Cleary, mezzo-soprano INTERMISSION Come again, sweet love John Dowland (1563-1626) I love and I must Henry Purcell (1659-1695) Cara e dolce Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) Ombra mai fu from Xerxes Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759) Pause Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Im wunderschönen Monat Mai Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Feldeinsamkeit Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Beau soir Claude Debussy (1862-1918) L’allée est sans fin Reynaldo Hahn (1874-1947) Adieu Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) Mason Battle, tenor Translations/ Program notes Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian composer from the Classical period of music history. He is considered by many to be the first Romantic composer. As a child musical prodigy, he was diligently tutored by his father, Leopold. The musical style of Mozart's early works reflected those of Johann Christian Bach and other composers of the pre-Classical period. His maturing musical style became heavily influenced by Italian opera in the outstanding quality of its melodic and dramatic expression. Als Luise die Briefe is a German Lied modeled on the aria genre, despite not being part of an opera. Like other Mozart arias, this one depicts the character's quarreling emotions, with one dominating in the revelation of the character's interior motivation. This dramatic model was used frequently in Mozart's operas, including Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni. Als Luise die Briefe ihres ungetreuen Liebhabers verbrannte (When Luise burned the letters of her unfaithful lover) Text by Gabriele von Baumberg Erzeugt von heißer Phantasie, Produced by hot imagination In einer schwärmerischen Stunde in a passionate hour Zur Welt gebrachte, geht zu Grunde, brought to the world - Perish, Ihr Kinder der Melancholie! you children of melancholy! Ihr danket Flammen euer Sein, You owe your existence to the flames in the heart Ich geb' euch nun den Flammen wieder, I give you now to the flames back Und all' die schwärmerischen Lieder, And all the passionate songs Denn ach! er sang nicht mir allein. For oh! He sang them not for me alone. Ihr brennet nun, und bald, ihr Lieben, You burn now, and soon, you dear letters, Ist keine Spur von euch mehr hier. There is no trace of you left Doch ach! der Mann, der euch geschrieben, But oh! The man who wrote you Brennt lange noch vielleicht in mir. Burns long perhaps in me Johannes Brahms was a German composer and among the most renowned Romantic composers. He studied music from a young age and performed in various piano ensemble settings. The Classical structures of Ludwig von Beethoven heavily influenced Brahms' instrumental music. German Romantic literature also significantly shaped Brahms' music, especially his vocal works. He set many poems from previously obscure German poets to music. Most of Brahms' vocal compositions explore severe and dark topics, such as death, loneliness, yearning, and unrequited love. Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer and O wüsst ich doch den Weg zurück are two well-known examples. Immer leiser portrays a young woman at the brink of death pining for her beloved, while O wüsst ich doch is about longing for one's childhood years. Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer (Each night I sleep more lightly) Text by Hermann von Ling Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer, Each night I sleep more lightly; Nur wie Schleier liegt mein Kummer like a veil my grief Zitternd über mir. lies trembling over me. Oft im Traume hör' ich dich Often in my dreams I hear you Rufen drauß vor meiner Tür: calling outside my door. Niemand wacht und öffnet dir, No one wakes and lets you in; Ich erwach' und weine bitterlich. I awaken and weep bitterly. Ja, ich werde sterben müssen, Yes, I shall have to die; Eine Andre wirst du küssen, you will kiss another Wenn ich bleich und kalt. when I am pale and cold. Eh' die Maienlüfte wehen, Before the May breezes blow, Eh' die Drossel singt im Wald: before the thrush sings in the wood, Willst du einmal noch mich sehen, If you could see me once again, Komm, o komme bald! come, o come soon! O wüsst ich doch den Weg zurück (Oh, if only I Knew the way bacK) Text by Klaus Groth Oh, if only I knew the way back, O wüßt ich doch den Weg zurück, The delightful way to the land of childhood! Den lieben Weg zum Kinderland! Oh, why did I seek after fortune O warum sucht' ich nach dem Glück And let go of my mother's hand? Und ließ der Mutter Hand? Oh, how I long to rest, O wie mich sehnet auszuruhn, Undisturbed by any aspiration, Von keinem Streben aufgeweckt, To close my tired eyes, Die müden Augen zuzutun, Gently sheltered by love! Von Liebe sanft bedeckt! And to seek nothing, to look for nothing, Und nichts zu forschen, nichts zu spähn, And only to dream, lightly and softly, Und nur zu träumen leicht und lind; Not to notice the change of seasons, Der Zeiten Wandel nicht zu sehn, For the second time, to be a child! Zum zweiten Mal ein Kind! Oh, do show me the way back, O zeig mir doch den Weg zurück, The delightful way to the land of childhood! Den lieben Weg zum Kinderland! In vain do I seek after fortune, Vergebens such ich nach dem Glück, All around is a desolate shore! Ringsum ist öder Strand! Ottorino Respighi was an Italian composer whose work bridged the late Romantic and early Modern eras. Although he was often compared to his colleague Giacomo Puccini, Respighi achieved artistic distinction in his own right. He worked briefly as an orchestra violist while building his reputation as a composer. Respighi's music is known for its eclectic style, influenced by the Italian Baroque and Romantic exoticism, as well as opera. His vocal music sets much Romantic poetry. Su una Violetta morta was adapted from an Italian translation of Percy Bysshe Shelley's On A Faded Violet, which reminisces about lost love. Nevicata explores a similar theme, but reflects upon a lost love after death. Nevicata (Snowfall) Text by Ada Negri Sui campi e sulle strade On the fields and in the streets Silenziosa e lieve, Silent and light, Volteggiando, la neve Twirling, the snow Cade. Falls. Danza la falda bianca The white snowflake dances Ne l'ampio ciel scherzosa, In the wide sky jokingly, Poi sul terren si posa And then settles on the ground Stanca. Tired. In mille immote forme In a thousand motionless shapes Sui tetti e sui camini, On rooftops and on paths, Sui cippi e nei giardini On headstones and in gardens Dorme. It sleeps. Tutto dintorno è pace: Everything around is peaceful: Chiuso in oblìo profondo, Closed in profound oblivion, Indifferente il mondo The indifferent world Tace... Is quiet... Ma ne la calma immense But in the immense calm Torna ai ricordi il core, The heart turns to memories, E ad un sopito amore And reminisces about Pensa. A faded love. Su una Violetta morta (On A Faded Violet) Italian Translation by Francesco Rocchi Original Poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley È vanito l'odor di questo fiore, The odour from the flower is gone Che, come il bacio tuo, tenero ardente respirava su Which like thy kisses breathed on me; me. The colour from the flower is flown Anche di questo fior fuggì il colore, Which glowed of thee and only thee! Che rilucea deliziosamente di te, solo di te. Forma languida e vana ella riposa A shrivelled, lifeless, vacant form. Sul mio povero cuor, Che non oblia, povero stanco It lies on my abandoned breast, cuor; And mocks the heart which yet is warm, Immobile, di gel, silenziosa With cold and silent rest. Ella irride così l'anima mia, l'anima calda ancor. In vano, in vano io piango a lei d'accanto; I weep, -- my tears revive it not! E sospirando invan su lei mi chino: oh! tutto in lei I sigh, -- it breathes no more on me; finì! Its mute and uncomplaining lot Il suo destino è muto, senza pianto. Is such as mine should be. Il suo destino è muto. Oh! il mio destino dovrebe esser così! Samuel Barber was a 20th-century American composer. Barber is among the most respected American composers of the 20th century. Much like Mozart, Barber was a child prodigy. As an adult, Barber studied singing and later became a performing baritone. His aunt, mezzo-soprano Louise Homer, was a Metropolitan Opera star. His experience with vocal performance greatly influenced his compositions' musical expression. Barber's musical style primarily stemmed from the expressiveness and tonal quality of the Romantic era.