Rachel Laux
Indiana University East
MUS I420 7098
Program Notes
Recital 4 Aug. 2015
“Chanson” and “Cantique” from Mélodies pour voix moyenne by Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger was an exceptional French composition teacher, performer, and composer
in the early 20th century. She taught countless American students such as Aaron Copland
and Phillip Glass and toured the United States teaching composition skills. Her influence on
classical music is unparalleled through her wisdom and lessons to her students. Her songs
“Cantique” and “Chanson” were from a collection of seven songs for voice and piano written
in the lyrical and expressive French mélodie style, two of the few compositions she
completed. “Cantique” was performed at a duo concert by Boulanger and her sister to
celebrate her sister’s win of the prestigious Grand Prix de Rome in 1913. She is known for
her expressiveness and painting pictures. In “Chanson”, you can see the lilacs bending in
the breeze from her light, fluid melody. Her work in “Cantique” creates a world where no
darkness or dissonance is found, reflecting the words of the singer.
Chanson
Les lilas sont en en folie
Cache, cache, et les roses sont jolies
Cachez vous. Tirez les rideuax, tirez les rideaux.
Et sous les vertes feuilles
Cachez vous. Llilas et rosiers
La belle. La plus belle c’est toi
The lilacs are madness
Cover, cover. and the roses are nice
You hide, draw the curtains
and under the green sheet
You hide, lilacs and roses,
the beautiful. The best beautiful is you.
Beaux seigneurs et dames belles
Aime, aime, Dans vos atours de dentelles
Aime vous, tirez les rideaux, tirez les rideaux
Qui voudra de mon ame.
Aimez vous. Amours et baisers
La belle, la plus belle c’est toi
Fine gentleman and ladies beautiful
Love, love, in you around of lace
Love you. Draw the curtains.
Who wants my soul
Love you. Love and Kisses
The beautiful. The best beautiful is you.
Cantique
A toute ame qui pleure.
A tout peche qui passé
J’ouvre au sein des etoiles
Mes mains pleines de graces
Has any soul crying
Has all sin passed.
I open in the stars.
My hands full of graces
Il n’est peche qui vive
Quand l’amour a parle
Il N’est ame qui meure
Quand l’amour a pleure
It is no sin that lives
When love spoke
It is no soul that dies
When love is crying
Et si l’amour s’egare
Aux sentiers d’ici-bas
Sesl armes me retrouvent
Et ne s’egarent pas.
And if love is misplaced
the earthly path
his tears find me
And do not get lost.
Rachel Laux
Indiana University East
MUS I420 7098
“Widmung” from Myrthen op. 25 by Robert Schumann
“Widmung” comes from a song cycle entitled Myrthen op. 25 that Schumann composed as a
wedding present to his betrothed Clara. Clara was the inspiration for many of his songs and
often was the premiere performer for his new works. “Widmung” is an example of the
German composition style lieder, which gained popularity in the 19th Century. In this genre,
the text was of utmost importance and dictated the style and pacing of the composition.
The poems on which Myrthen are based were exchanged between Clara and Robert in love
letters and therefore were intensely personal to both composer and performer. The change
to triplets in the second part of the song provides a direct contrast to the upbeat beginning
and ending of the song, evoking the feeling of “rest” and “peace” and building to the
triumphant feeling of raising him above himself.
Widmung
Du meine Seele, du mein Herz,
Du meine Wonn', o du mein Schmerz,
Du meine Welt, in der ich lebe,
Mein Himmel du, darin ich schwebe,
O du mein Grab, in das hinab
Ich ewig meinen Kummer gab!
You my soul, you my heart,
you my bliss, o you my pain,
you the world in which I live;
you my heaven, in which I float,
o you my grave, into which
I eternally cast my grief.
Du bist die Ruh, du bist der Frieden,
Du bist der Himmel, mir beschieden.
Daß du mich liebst, macht mich mir wert,
Dein Blick hat mich vor mir verklärt,
Du hebst mich liebend über mich,
Mein guter Geist, mein beßres Ich!
You are rest, you are peace,
you are bestowed upon me from heaven.
That you love me makes me worthy of you;
your gaze transfigures me;
you raise me lovingly above myself,
my good spirit, my better self!
“The Crucifixion” and “The Monk and His Cat” from Hermit Songs by Samuel Barber
Samuel Barber was known for bringing the dissonance and experimentation of Modernism
to American art song and elevating the genre to a new level of intellectual depth. He was a
highly successful composer in the mid 1900’s and was meticulously detailed in his work.
His song cycle Hermit Songs was based off of texts penned by Irish monks in the margins of
manuscripts in the 8th and 9th Century. In these two selections, the connection to nature
inherent in the text selections is portrayed in the accompaniment. In “The Crucifixion”, you
hear the cry of the bird in the grace notes. The monk’s cat prances playfully across the keys
in “The Monk and His Cat” while he writes, creating the dissonant seconds in the
accompaniment.
“Solvieg’s Song” by Edvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg was a Scandinavian composer and activist for Norwegian music in Europe. He
was progressive in his ideas of harmony and precluded the 20th century sound of NeoClassicism, a compositional style rooted in 18th-century Classical music but embracing the
modern harmonic structures we hear today. “Solvieg’s Song” came from a suite of
Rachel Laux
Indiana University East
MUS I420 7098
incidental music for the stage play Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen. Ibsen’s production was based
on a Norwegian folk tale and much of the music was grounded in Norwegian traditional
folk music. The ABAB structure of this song with the repeated melody broken by the light
melisma sections serves to lighten the mood and intensity of the song. “Solvieg’s Song” was
first recorded by Grieg’s wife Nina, written for the main character who waits for her
beloved Peer until her final years on earth, when he returns to her.
Solveig’s Song
Kanske vil der gå både Vinter og Vår,
og næste Sommer med, og det hele År,
men engang vil du komme, det ved jeg vist,
og jeg skal nok vente, for det lovte jeg sidst.
The winter may go, and the spring disappear,
Next summer, too, may fade, and the whole long year,
But you will be returning, in truth, I know,
And I will wait for you as I promised long ago.
Gud styrke dig, hvor du i Verden går,
Gud glæde dig, hvis du for hans Fodskammel står.
Her skal jeg vente til du kommer igjen;
og venter du hist oppe, vi træffes der, min Ven!
May God guide and keep you, wherever you may go,
Upon you His blessing and mercy bestow.
And here I will await you till you are here;
And if you are in Heaven, I'll meet you there.
“Batti, batti o bel Masetto” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
This is an aria from one of Mozart’s most beloved operas Don Giovanni. The young peasant
girl Zerlina has been seduced by the dashing Don Giovanni on her wedding day. In this
piece, she is coyly trying to seduce her betrothed back to her to go on with the marriage.
The singsong approach of the melodic lines constantly undermines the words of violence
and retribution while the accompaniment serves counterpoint to the melodic soprano line.
Mozart is known as one of the greatest composers of all time and his three beloved opera
buffas set the standard for opera composers to date.
Batti, Batti o bel Masetto
Batti, batti, o bel Masetto
la tua povera Zerlina
staro qui come agnellina
le tue botte ad aspettar
Beat, beat, oh dear Masetto.
your poor Zerlina.
I will remain here as a little lamb,
your blows to await.
Lasciero straziarmi il crine
Lasciero cavarmi gliocchi
E le care tue manine
Lieta poi sapro baciar.
I will allow you to tear out my hair
I will allow you to tear out my eyes.
and your dear little hands
happily then I will kiss.
Ah, lo vedo, non hai core
Ah I see, not you have the heart.
Pace, pace, o vita mia,
in content ed allegria
notte e di vogliam passar.
Peace, peace, oh life mine.
in happiness and joy
day and night we will spend.
Rachel Laux
Indiana University East
MUS I420 7098
“Think of Me” by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber is known as the man who single-handedly breathed life back into
Broadway. His blockbuster shows like Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, and Phantom of the
Opera set a new standard for Broadway, introducing the era of the ‘megamusical’. Lloyd
Webber is grounded in opera and Romanticism but unites his styles with progressive lyrics
and rock music to produce show-stopping performances that stand along the highest
grossing Broadway productions in history. Phantom of the Opera is perhaps his crowning
achievement and showcases his compositional maturity. “Think of Me” embodies the
expression and emotion of the Romantic era, portraying the contrast of light (Christine’s
melodic voice) and dark (loss and loneliness of the lyrics), beauty and horror, day and
night.
“Come Rain or Come Shine” by Harold Arlen
“Come Rain or Come Shine” is a jazz standard that came out of the Broadway show St. Louis
Women, written specifically for black performers. The rhythm of the music to the lyrics was
written specifically from the pacing of the words in natural spoken tempo. It was known for
both its pairing of two white composers with two black librettists and the contrast it
achieved between the refined score and the lyrics steeped in folk tale. Harold Arlen is a
little-recognized composer who composed numerous pieces for the Harlem Cotton Club,
Tin Pan Alley, Broadway, and Hollywood. His greatest contribution and most well known
composition is the score to The Wizard of Oz.
“Summertime” by George Gershwin
George Gershwin is one of the greatest 20th century composers America can boast. He was a
master at combining the fresh sounds of jazz and blues into sophisticated scores for white
audiences at a time when these sounds were not accepted in white entertainment.
Gershwin pushed the envelope in his compositions and stirred up incredible controversy in
his “jazz opera” entitled Porgy and Bess. His goal was to synthesize all the styles and works
he had created and express first himself, and then America. “Summertime” is one of the
most covered songs in American repertoire and has been transformed into all kinds of
genres. However, the combination of jazz and opera in its original context is what makes it
a masterpiece.
“Falling in Love with Love” by Rodgers & Hart
The Boys from Syracuse is a Broadway show adapted from the Shakespeare play A Comedy
of Errors. In the song “Falling in Love with Love”, Adriana is mourning over the loss of her
husband’s love and chastising herself for it. The song is a standout piece from the rest of the
show because of its use of a waltz, giving it a nostalgic and lamenting mood against the
lively swing rhythms and jazz melodies of the rest of the score. Richard Rodgers & Lorenzo
Hart were a dynamic duo that incorporated many popular forms and styles into their
Rachel Laux
Indiana University East
MUS I420 7098
Broadway productions. They wrote a little bit of everything, at one point leaving Broadway
to compose music for Hollywood. Upon his return, Rodgers teamed up with his old school
buddy, Oscar Hammerstein, to create the first hit musical, Oklahoma!
“A Change in Me” by Alan Menken & Tim Rice
Disney made its way to Broadway in 1994 when they purchased and renovated the New
Amsterdam Theater and permanently declared an address on Broadway with their hit
stage adaptation of the animated film Beauty and the Beast. They rolled out stunning sets
and new songs to accompany the old favorites, including “A Change in Me”, written for Belle
as she reflects on her personal change throughout the story. The fluid opening of the
accompaniment is reminiscent of the magical songs such as the title song “Beauty and the
Beast”. Disney’s interest in Broadway brought the relationship full circle: as Broadway had
inspired structure and creativity for Disney animation, now Disney was returning home to
Broadway to bring a fresh perspective to the stage.
“Sisters” by Irving Berlin
Although Irving Berlin could not read or dictate music, he is arguably the greatest
composer of 20th century American music. He was the forerunner of incorporating ragtime,
blues, and jazz into his compositions to garner interest in white. Entitled “the king of jazz”
before jazz really was a genre, he was a leading composer for Tin Pan Alley as well as a king
of Broadway and film. Berlin was known for his contributions to patriotic music during the
war. His hit film White Christmas tells the story of American soldiers after World War II and
their adventures in show business. “Sisters” is a signature duet in White Christmas
performed by Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen which went on to become a pop song in
the 1950s. The close harmonies reflect their close relationship used in almost every line
they sing in agreement, until they diverge in thinking which is reflected in the music as
well.
“Cry Me A River” by Arthur Hamilton
“Cry Me A River” was originally written for Ella Fitzgerald for the film Pete Kelly’s Blues in
1955. The song was cut from the movie, although several other of Hamilton’s songs were
included in the film. He later recorded it with upcoming artist Julie London, and it gained
her recognition in the music business. She sang it for the film The Girl Can’t Help It and on
her first album Julie is Her Name. The rolling accompaniment and minor chords helps to set
up the tension and mood of the singer and her mocking tone as she addresses her ex-lover.
“Cry Me A River” has been covered by numerous artists, including most recently by Michael
Bublé, returning old jazz standards into the mainstream and introducing the classic genre
to a new generation.