FACULTY AND GUEST RECITAL Emily Bullock, mezzo-soprano Timothy Crawford, piano
MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2020 MADELEINE WING ADLER THEATRE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 7:30 PM
PROGRAM O SLEEP, WHY DOST THOU LEAVE ME? SEMELE ................................................. G.F. Handel (1685-1750) SLEEP-STEALER ........................................................................................................Larry Nelson (b. 1944) NOCTURNE, FOUR SONGS FOR VOICE AND PIANO, OP. 13, NO. 4 ................ Samuel Barber (1910-1981) NOCTURNE, ON THIS ISLAND ........................................................................ Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) ADIEU DE L’HÔTESSE ARABE............................................................................... Georges Bizet (1838-1875) EN SOURDINE, CINQ MÉLODIES DE VENISE, OP. 58........................................ Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) BERCEUSE ............................................................................................................Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) INTERMISSION DER TOD DAS IST DIE KÜHLE NACHT, OP. 96, NO. 1 ................................. Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) SCHLAFEN, SCHLAFEN, NICHTS ALS SCHLAFEN! VIER GESÄNGE ....................... Alban Berg (1885-1935) ARRORÓ, CINCO CANCIONES POPULARES ARGENTINAS ......................... Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) NANA, SIETE CANCIONES POPULARES ESPAÑOLAS ....................................Manuel De Falla (1876-1946) CANCIÓN DE CUNA, CINCO CANCIONES NEGRAS ................................Xavier Montsalvatge (1912-2002) DREAM WITH ME ............................................................................................ Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) TWO SLEEPY PEOPLE .................................................................................... Hoagy Carmichael (1899-1981) Please silence all cell phones and electronic devices.
Translations and Program Notes Handel’s Semele, based on a libretto by William Congreve, was originally conceived as a musical drama, more similar to an oratorio than an opera. The King of Thebes and his family have travelled to the temple of Juno to celebrate his daughter Semele’s upcoming marriage; however, Semele keeps delaying the wedding because she is secretly in love with Jupiter. Juno, enraged by Jupiter’s latest affair, enlists Somnus, the god of sleep, to help her destroy Semele. Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was the youngest son of Debendranath Tagore, a leader of the Brahmo Samaj- a new religious sect in nineteenth-century Bengal and which attempted a revival of the ultimate monistic basis of Hinduism. Tagore had early success as a writer in his native Bengal. He was known in the West due to translations of his poetry. His fame took him across continents on lecture tours and tours of friendship. He became the voice of India’s spiritual heritage; and for India, especially for Bengal, he became a great living institution. Although Tagore wrote successfully in all literary genres, he was primarily a poet. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 "because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse… he…made his poetic thought…a part of the literature of the West." Rabindranath Tagore's writing is deeply rooted in both Indian and Western learning traditions. It includes portrayals of common people's lives, literary criticism, philosophy, and social issues. Tagore originally wrote in Bengali, but later recast his poetry in English. His poetry was felt to convey the peace of the soul in harmony with nature. From Nobel Lectures, Literature 1901-1967, Editor Horst Frenz, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1969 Rabindranath Tagore – Facts. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Media AB 2020. Sat. 8 Feb 2020. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1913/tagore/facts/
Who stole sleep from baby's eyes? I must know. Clasping her pitcher to her waist mother went to fetch water from the village near by. It was noon. The children's playtime was over; the ducks in the pond were silent. The shepherd boy lay asleep under the shadow of the banyan tree. The crane stood grave and still in the swamp near the mango grove. In the meanwhile the Sleep-stealer came and, snatching sleep from baby's eyes, flew away. When mother came back she found baby travelling the room over on all fours. Who stole sleep from our baby's eyes? I must know. I must find her and chain her up. I must look into that dark cave, where, through boulders and scowling stones, trickles a tiny stream. I must search in the drowsy shade of the bakula grove, where pigeons coo in their corner, and fairies' anklets tinkle in the stillness of starry nights. In the evening I will peep into the whispering silence of the bamboo forest, where fireflies squander their light, and will ask every creature I meet, "Can anybody tell me where the Sleep-stealer lives?" Who stole sleep from baby's eyes? I must know. Shouldn't I give her a good lesson if I could only catch her! I would raid her nest and see where she hoards all her stolen sleep.
I would plunder it all, and carry it home. I would bind her two wings securely, set her on the bank of the river, and then let her play at fishing with a reed among the rushes and water-lilies. When the marketing is over in the evening, and the village children sit in their mothers' laps, then the night birds will mockingly din her ears with: "Whose sleep will you steal now?"
Samuel Barber’s text for “Nocturne” comes from American poet Frederic Prokosch’s (1906-1989) volume of poetry The Carnival of 1938. Prokosch also wrote novels, literary criticism and memoirs. He was an instructor of English at Yale from 1932-34 and, during WWII served as a cultural attaché for the American Legation in Stockholm. Samuel Barber began composing at the age of 7 and began attending the Curtis Institute of Music at the age of 14. Barber had a deep love of poetry and explored many contemporary writers. English-American poet W.H. Auden (1907-1973) is most noted for his stylistic poetry which features themes of politics, morals, love, and religion. He was first recognized at the age of 23 when he published his book Poems. He was a prolific writer of essays and reviews on literary, political, psychological, and religious subjects; and was controversial and influential throughout his career. Critic Joseph Brodsky described him as "the greatest mind of the twentieth century". Graham Johnson describes “Adieu de l’hôtesse Arabe” as Bizet’s greatest song. “The piano’s seductively writhing ostinato cradles a vocal line which swoons and sways on the desert sand in the most sultry fashion.” Johnson feels that it is one of the most effective evocations of ‘oriental’ mélodie. The pedaled ostinato allows the vocal line to “undulate mesmerically, as if we were watching (or hearing) a slow belly dance”. The result is a hypnotic masterpiece which is a true collaboration between the poetry and the music. From notes by Graham Johnson © 1998
Adieu de l’hôtesse Arabe (Farewell of the Arabian hostess) Text: Victor Hugo Since nothing can keep you in this happy land, neither shade-giving palm nor yellow corn, nor repose, nor abundance, nor the sight of our sisters’ young breasts trembling at your voice as, in a whirling swarm at evening, they garland a hillside with their dance, Farewell, fair traveler! Ah! Why are you not like those whose indolent feet venture no further than their roofs of branch or canvas! Who, musing, listen passively to tales and dream at evening, sitting before their door, of wandering among the stars! Had you so wished, perhaps one of us, O young man, would fain have served you, kneeling, in our ever-open huts; lulling you asleep with songs, she would have made,
to chase the noisome midges from your brow, a fan of green leaves. If you do not return, dream at times of the daughters of the desert, sweet-voiced sisters, who dance barefoot on the dunes; O handsome young white man, fair bird of passage, remember – for perhaps, O fleeting stranger, more than one maiden will remember you! Alas! Farewell, fair stranger! Remember! Translation: Richard Stokes
In his Cinq melodies de Venise, composed in 1891, Fauré used recurring musical themes to unify the cycle. All of the musical motifs return in the final song of the cycle “C’est l’extase”- a technique he also used in his later song cycle La bonne chanson. The poetry in Cinq melodies de Venise is taken from Paul Verlaine’s Fêtes galantes and Romances sans paroles. Verlaine was one of a group of poets, referred to as ‘symbolists’ by the critics, who fought against poetic conventions and were socially rebuked. Their poetry was meant to evoke moods and feelings through repeated words, metric innovation, and the musical feel of the verse. En sourdine (Muted) Text: Paul Verlaine Calm in the twilight Cast by loft boughs, Let us steep our love In this deep quiet. Let us mingle our souls, our hearts And our enraptured senses With the hazy languor Of arbutus and pine. Half-close your eyes,
Fold your arms across your breast, And from your heart now lulled to rest Banish forever all intent. Let us both succumb To the gentle and lulling breeze That comes to ruffle at your feet The waves of russet grass. And when, solemnly, evening Falls from the black oaks, That voice of our despair, The nightingale shall sing. Translation: Richard Stokes
Some of Francis Poulenc’s finest work was in the field of vocal composition – choral works, lyrical works, and melodies. His extraordinary feeling for French declamatory style and his melodic gift heightened the literary phrase. For him, “The musical setting of a poem, should be an act of love, never a marriage of convenience”. He said, “I have never claimed to achieve the musical resolution of poetic problems by means of intelligence; the voices of the heart and the instinct are far more reliable.” Berceuse depicts a young girl’s disgust at having to stay and rock the baby rather than having fun fishing for shrimp. Berceuse (Lullaby) Text: Max Jacob Your father is at mass, your mother at the cabaret, you will get a spanking if you cry again.
My mother was a poor woman from the land of Auray and I make crepes while I rock you with my foot. If you would die of croup, colic or diarrhea, if you would die of scabs on your nose.
I would fish for shrimp at the hour of the tide, to make a soup of their heads
and after I would crochet. Translation: E. Bullock
In the following two poems night/sleep is equated with death. Sleep is used as an escape from life and its, sometimes, harsh realities. In Brahms’ setting death/sleep is gentle and welcome. Brahms sets an extended melodic line over regular diatonic harmonies with expected cadential patterns; whereas, Berg makes extensive use of the appoggiatura figure (sigh or grief motive) in the vocal line, chromatic harmonies, extended dynamic range, and dissonance to depict the emotional unrest of the poem. Der Tod das ist die kühle Nacht (Death is the cool night) Text: Heinrich Heine
Schlafen, schlafen, nichts als schlafen! (Sleep, sleep, nothing but sleep!) Text: Christian Friederich Hebbel
Death is the cool night, Life is sultry day. It grows dark already, I feel sleepy, the day has made me tired. Above my bed rises a tree, in it sings the young nightingale; she sings of true love, I hear it even in my dream.
Sleep, sleep, nothing but sleep! No awakening, no dream! Of the pains I had to bear Scarce the faintest memory So that when life's plenitude Echoes down to where I rest, I enshroud myself more deeply still, Press my eyes more tightly shut!
Translation: Jonathan Retzlaff
Translation: Richard Stokes
The text of all three Spanish lullabies is essentially the same, however, each is set in a slightly different way. Ginastera’s melody is reminiscent of a children’s song- making extensive use of minor thirds. The melody is set against somewhat dissonant harmony, which ultimately resolves to the tonic, however the piano ‘leaves us hanging’. In“Nana” De Fall creates an almost constant hemiola by using an off-beat piano ostinato set against a triplet inspired melodic line, which is ornamented with Arab-like flourishes. Montsalvatge’s musical style is eclectic and sometimes borders on atonality. It generally challenges conventionality and is a combination of dance forms, Yoruba words, and African and Caribbean rhythms. His music is an effective mixture of Brazilian, Cuban, and other Latin American influences. For this gentle lullaby he uses a persistent samba rhythm over which he writes an undulating melodic line. Arrorró (Lullaby) Text: anonymous
Nana (Lullaby) Text: anonymous
Lullaby my baby; lullaby my sun; lullaby to you, a part of my heart. This lovely baby wants to sleep but fickle sleep won’t come.
Sleep, baby, sleep, sleep, my soul, sleep, my little morning star. Lullaby, lullaby, sleep, my little morning star.
Translation: E. Bullock
Translation: E. Bullock
Canción de cuna (Cradle song) Text: Idelfonso Pereda Valdés Ninghe, ninghe, ninghe, little tiny one, little black child who doesn't want to sleep. Coconut head, coffee bean, with pretty freckles, with eyes wide open like two windows overlooking the sea. Close your little eyes frightened little black boy; the white boogey-man is going
to come and eat you up! You're not a slave anymore! And if you sleep a lot the master of the house promises to buy you a suit with buttons so that you can be a groom. Ninghe, ninghe, ninghe, sleep little black one, hmmm coconut head, coffee bean. Translation: Paul C. Echol
Leonard Bernstein wrote the incidental music and a set of songs for the 1950 Broadway production of J.M Barrie’s Peter Pan. While it was not a full musical of his usual scope, he wrote more music than was originally requested- incidental music and 7 songs for which he also wrote the lyrics. “Dream With Me” was originally intended as Wendy’s final song; however, at the last minute it was replaced with a reprise of “Who Am I”. The music remained largely unrecognized until 2001 when Leonard Frey re-orchestrated and recorded the entire score. Tonight I have included one of my favorite encores to round out the recital. “Two Sleepy People”, written in 1938 to the lyrics of Frank Loesser, showcases Carmichael’s easy jazzinfluenced style. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters, and also one of the first to use mass media technologies such as television, electronic microphones, and sound recordings. So, with our final song offering of the evening, we bid you ‘Good night’.
UPCOMING WELLS SCHOOL OF MUSIC EVENTS For full event details visit wcupa.edu/music or call (610) 436-2739 Tuesday, March 3, 2020, 8:15 PM Winter Choral Festival David P. DeVenney & Ryan Kelly, directors Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center Thursday, March 5, 2020, 12:00 PM Madeleine Wing Adler Concert Series: Sophomore Instrumental Scholarship Competition Ralph Sorrentino, director Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Grand Foyer Performing Arts Center Monday, March 16, 2020, 7:30 PM Faculty Recital: Elizabeth Pfaffle, horn Philips Autograph Library Philips Memorial Building Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 8:15 PM Bach Celebration Vincent Craig, director Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 8:00 PM 30th Annual WCU Jazz Festival: WCU Faculty Jazz Group Marc Jacoby, director Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center
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