PROGRAM I. “Se Florindo è fedele” Alessandro Scarlatti (1680-1725) “Se tu m’ami” Alessandro Parisotti (1853- 1913) “Caro mio ben” Giuseppe Giordani (1743- 1798) “Ombra mai fu” (Serse) George Fredric Handel (1685- 1759) II. “Als Luise Briefe” Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756- 1791) Gabriele Von Baumberg (1766- 1839) “Minnelied” Felix Mendelssohn (1809- 1847) “Vergebliches Ständchen” Johannes Brahms (1833- 1897) “Élégie” Jules Massenet (1842- 1912) “Quia Respexit” (Magnificat) Johann Sebastian Bach (1685- 1750) “Ave Maria” Charles Gounod (1818- 1893) III. “Laurie’s Song” (The Tender Land) Aaron Copland (1900- 1990) “Must The Winter Come So Soon” (Vanessa) Samuel Barber (1910- 1981) “I Have Been Wandering” (Wuthering Heights) Bernard Herrman (1911- 1975) Charlotte Brontë (1818- 1855) “Come Ready And See Me” Richard Hundley (1931- 2018) James Purdy (1914- 2009) “I Bought Me A Cat” (Old American Songs) Aaron Copland (1900- 1990) IV. “One Hundred Easy Ways” (Wonderful Town) Leonard Bernstein (1918- 1990) “Someone To Watch Over Me” George Gershwin (1898- 1937) “Far From The Home I Love” (Fiddler On The Roof) Sheldon Harnick (1924- ) Jerry Bock (1928- 2010) “Till There Was You” (The Music Man) Meredith Wilson (1902- 1984) “Hold On” (The Secret Garden) Marsha Norman (1947- ) Lucy Simon (1943- ) “Migratory V” (Myths And Hymns) Adam Guettel (1964- ) Se Florindo è fedele “Se Florindo è fedele” was composed in 1698 by Alessandro Scarlatti (1680- 1725), an Italian composer from the Baroque Period, best known for his operas and chamber cantatas. In total, he composed over forty operas and nine oratorios, including early operatic works such as “Il Pompeo” and “Gli equivoci nel sembiante”. Scarlatti was also the founder of the Neopolitan School of Music. The school was a group associated with opera of 17th and 18th century composers who studied or worked in Naples, Italy. “Se Florindo è fedele” comes from an opera named “La donna ancora è feldele”, which translates to “The Lady Still Is Faithful.” The piece itself is translated as “If Florindo Is Faithful,” and is overall very fun and playful. The singer states that if Florindo is faithful, she will fall in love with him, also stating that she can defend herself from flattering pleas, tears and laments. An echo can also be heard in the line “m’innamorerò” which can be a dialogue between the piano and the voice when she sings “I will fall in love.” Italian: Se Florindo è fedele Io m’innamorerò. Potrà ben l’arco tendere Il faretrato arcier, Ch’io mi saprò defendere D’un guardo lusinghier. Preghi, pianti e quelere, Io non ascolterò. Ma se sarà fedele Io m’innamorerò. English: If Florindo is faithful I will fall in love. The bow may be drawn By the archer. I can defend myself From a flattering glance. Sighs, pleas and laments I will not hear. But if he is faithful I will fall in love. Se tu m’ami “Se tu m’ami” was published in 1885 by Alessandro Parisotti (1853- 1913), who was an Italian composer and music editor from the Romantic Period. He compiled the three volume 24 Italian Songs And Arias. Parisotti attributed the piece to Giovanni Batissta Pergolesi (1710- 1736), an Italian composer from the Baroque Period. Pergolesi was one of the important early composers of comic opera. He had written one of the greatest examples of comic opera, “La serva padrona,” translating to “The Servant Mistress”. However, scholars believe the composer of “Se tu m’ami” to be Parisotti. This flirtatious and entertaining piece translates to “If You Love Me.” The singer knows that a person likes her, but he is mistaken if he thinks that she will love only him. Italian: Se tu m’ami, se tu sospiri Sol per me, gentil pastor Ho dolor de’ tuoi martiri, Ho diletto del tuo amor, Ma se pense, che soletto Io ti debba riamar, Pastorello, sei soggetto Facilmente a t’innganar. Bella rosa porporina Oggi Silvia sceglierà Con la scusa della spina Doman poi la sprezzerà. Ma degli uomini il consiglio Io per me non seguirò. Non perché mi piace il giglio. Gli altri fiori sprezzerò. English: If you love me, if you sigh Only for me, gentle shepherd, I feel sorrow for your sufferings, I delight in your love, But if you think that I will love only you, Little shepherd, you are subject To deceive yourself easily. The beautiful purple rose Today Sylvia will choose, With the excuse of its thorns Tomorrow, she will despise it. But the advice of men I will not follow Just because I like the lily I will not despise the other flowers. Caro mio ben Published in 1782, “Caro mio ben” was attributed to Giuseppe Giordani (1743- 1798), an Italian opera composer from the Baroque Period. There have been thirty or more operas by Giordani that are largely forgotten; he is best known to all singers for this aria. It is believed, however, that the actual composer of the piece was either Tomasso Giordani (1730- 1806), who was an Italian composer from the Baroque Period. He was active in both England and Ireland, actually co-producing the first ever serious opera to be performed in Ireland. It can also be believed that Giuseppe’s father, Giuseppe Giordani senior to be the composer of “Caro mio ben” as well. This beautiful piece translates to “My Dear Beloved”. The singer is telling her lover that without him, her heart languishes. Italian: Caro mio ben, credimi almen, Senza di te, languisce il cor. Il tuo fedel, sospira ognor, Cessa crudel, tanto rigor. English: My dear beloved, believe me at least, Without you, my heart languishes. Your faithful one always sighs, Cease cruel one, so much punishment. Ombra mai fu George Fredric Handel (1685- 1759) was a German composer from the Baroque Period, well-known for his operas, oratorios and organ concertos. His most famous work was the oratorio “Messiah” with the famous “Hallelujah” chorus. It is among the most popular works in choral music, also becoming a staple for the holiday season. His opera Serse was first performed in 1738 on April 15th , with the libretto adapted in 1694. The original libretto was written in 1654 by Nicolò Minato (1627- 1698). The opera is loosely based on the life of Xerxes I, who was commonly known as Xerxes the Great. The opera itself had a few elements that were taken from the Greek historian Herodutus’ account of Xerses with his invasion of Greece, but most of the opera’s story is fictional. The aria, translated as “Never Was Shade” is one of Handel’s best known melodies, often known as his “Largo”. The recitative translates to “Tender And Beautiful Fronds.” It is performed by the character Serse who is thanking the tree for its shade, while also praising its beauty. Italian: Frondi tenere e belle Del mio platano amato Per voi, resplenda il Fato. Tuoni, Lampi, e procelle Non v’oltraggino mai la cara pace, Né giunga a profanarvi, austro rapace. Ombra mai fu Di vegetabile, Cara ed amabile, Soave più. English: Tender and beautiful fronds Of my beloved plane tree, Fate shines for you. Thunder, lightning and storms Never disturb your dear peace, Nor may you by blowing winds be profaned. Never was shade Of any plant Dear and lovable Or more sweet. Als Luise Briefe Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756- 1791) was an Austrian composer from the Classical Period and was one of the most influential and prolific composers of his time. He is also considered to be one of the greatest classical composers of all time, having a profound influence on Western music. From a very young age, he was seen as a child prodigy, composing pieces from the age of five and performed before European royalty. Mozart composed more than 600 works, most that are acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concerto, chamber, operatic and choral music. “Als Luise Briefe” was composed and published in 1787 to a poem written by Gabriele Von Baumberg (1766- 1839) a poet who was an acquaintance of Mozart’s. It is translated as “As Luise Was Burning The Letters Of Her Unfaithful Lover”. In the piece, the singer is burning the letters of her lover because he was writing to another woman. As she burns the letters, she realizes that those letters will still burn in her, even if they are destroyed. At the start of the second part of the poem, the piano has a fast paced sixteenth-note melody in the right hand, which is considered to be the fire in which the singer is burning the letters. German: Erzeugt von heisser Phantasie In einer schwärmerischen Stunde Zur Welt gebrachte, geht zu Grunde, Ihr Kinder der Melancholie! Ihr Danket Flammen euer Sein, Ich geb euch nun den Flammen wieder, Und all die schwärmerischen Lieder, Denn ach! er sang nicht mir allein. Ihr brennet nun, und bald, ihr Lieben, Ist keine Spur von euch mehr hier. Doch ach! der Mann, der euch geschrieben, Brennt lange noch vielleicht in mir. English: Generated by ardent fantasy. In a rapturous hour Bought into this world, perish, You children of melancholy! You owe the flames to your existence, So I restore you now to the fire, With all your rapturous songs, For alas! He sang not to me alone. You’ll burn now and soon, you love letters, There will be no trace of you here. But alas! The man who wrote you May perhaps still burn long in me. Minnelied Felix Mendelssohn (1809- 1847) was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic Period. His compositions included symphonies, concertos and piano music. Some of his best known works included the oratorio “Elijah”, the overture for “The Hebrides” and the overture and incidental music for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.