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1987 - 1988

Printable version of Notes only
Printable version of Texts/Translations only

Gustav Mahler

Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen

"Songs of a Wayfarer" was assigned to me well before my arrival for my first summer at Marlboro. It is a chamber ensemble arrangement for ten instrumentalists prepared by the twelve-tone composer Arnold Schoenberg. He also began an arrangement of the same composer's "Das Lied von der Erde" but it was left unfinished. It is a faithful re-instrumentation of the original Mahler and every color seems to be in the Schoenberg score as it was in the original. We had many hours of "Marlboro rehearsals" and performed the work without a conductor. This performance took place on August 2, 1986.

The participants are:

Flute	Renee Krimsier
Clarinet	Daniel McKelway
Violin	Philipp Naegele
Violin	Florence Schwartz
VViola	Mary Hammann
Cello	Charles Curtis
Double Bass	Peter Lloyd
Piano	Derek Han
Harmonium	Wu Han
Percussion	Joseph Beiro

01 I. Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht
02 II. Ging heut morgen übers Feld
03 III. Ich hab' ein glühend Messer
04 IV. Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz

Robert Schumann

from Spanisches Liebeslieder

One might say that the main focus at Marlboro is on the strings, winds and piano. A vocal quartet is always on campus and available to perform works that require a singer or singers. Schumann's "Spanisches Liebeslieder is a vocal chamber work for quartet and piano four-hands. In this performance, I was joined by Claudia Visca, soprano, Katherine Ciesinski, mezzo soprano and Daniel Pincus, tenor. The two pianists at one are Judith Gordon and Luis Batlle. This performance of August 9, 1987 took place on a sunny Sunday afternoon concert in the Concert Hall.

The "Spanisches Liebeslieder" consists of two quartets, trios, duets and solos. "Flutenreicher Ebro" is a baritone solo, sometimes performed by the tenor, though the vocal line is written iin the bass clef.

05 V. Flutenreicher Ebro

Gabriel Fauré

Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in A, Op. 13

My first summer at the Marlboro Music Festival was the time that I began to learn and love the chamber works of Gabriel Fauré. I was introduced to the First Violin Sonata via violinist Florence Schwartz. Then I read through it with the violinist in this recording, Anima Ulrike-Mathé. She won a prize in Paris playing this piece and is enchanting to see as well as hear in performance. We made this private recording during my second summer at Marlboro.

06 I. Allegro molto
07 II. Andante
08 III. Allegro vivo
09 IV. Allegro quasi presto

Maurice Ravel

Histoires naturelles

Learning this masterwork, Ravel's Histoires naturelles, taught me so much about singing in french. I first performed it at my recital debut at The Phillips Collection with Walter Huff, having prepared it with Gérard Souzay at the Orford Music Festival in 1979.

This performance is from my recital at New York's Merkin Hall. I remember studying this work anew for this performance and learned even more. What is so unique about this work is how Ravel set the french text. He set out to make the sung text as conversational as possible. Every diction question can be answered in the printed score. Even though it is originally for a medium voice, it should be given to any voice range as required study in conservatories as it is so comprehensive in its diction challenges.

In the winter of 1989, I accompanied an all-Ravel recital on the BargeMusic series at Fulton's Ferry Landing. The singers were soprano Michelle Troise and mezzo-soprano katherine Ciesinski. In addition to "Histoires naturelles", the program consisted of "Shéhérazade", "Cinq mélodies populaires grecques", the Child's aria and "L'air de feu" from L'enfant et les Sortileges".

10 Le paon
11 Le grillon
12 Le cygne
13 Le martin-pêcheur
14 Le pintade

Hugo Wolf

As the listener can glean from the title of this CD, this incredible lied of Hugo Wolf is my favorite art song of all. I was first introduced to this song from the Seraphim recording of the wonderful Salzburg Festival Wolf liederabend given by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf accompanied by the conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler. Later, I performed it in a Wolf group at my degree recital at Peabody Conservatory.

In 1982, Charles Crowder, then Director of Music at Washington's Phillips Collection, notified me of an upcoming master class by the great Wolf interpreter, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. A tape would be required to enter. At the time, a pianist was not available, so I brazenly recorded three Wolf lieder - Fussreise, Verborgenheit and Nachtzauber - in my Philadelphia studio apartment, accompanying myself on the Story & Clark spinet I had owned since the age of 10. At the time, I remember feeling I had given my best for this tape. Luckily, I was accepted and then all of us were required to sing a live private audition for Mme. Schwarzkopf the day before the class. This went well also.

At the class, I decided to begin with "Fussreise". She did not believe in letting the singer sing through his choice but retorted with "We are here to WORK!". My pianist played the four-bar exuberant and happy introduction; I sang two syllables - "Am frisch-" and she immediately stopped me to give me some instruction. This process continued with the other songs for two days, somewhat akin to micro-surgery without anesthesia. Even though she gave me lifetime advice on german diction, it was very hard going and I felt a little frustrated that she didn't like me, as she never said one positive word nor encouragement.

Days later, I listened to the tape I had prepared for the first audition and it was the most boring thing I had ever heard.

The performance of these two Wolf lieder are from a recital at New York's Merkin Hall on May 4, 1988. I placed Nachtzauber as the jewel of the group of Wolf lieder, separating it from the rest. Walter Huff is my wonderful partner in these selections.

15 Nachtzauber (Eichendorff) (mp3 - 1.1MB)
16 Abschied (Mörike)

I. Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht

Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht,
When my darling has her wedding-day,
Fröhliche Hochzeit macht,
her joyous wedding-day,
Hab' ich meinen traurigen Tag!
I will have my day of mourning!
Geh' ich in mein Kämmerlein,
I will go to my little room,
Dunkles Kämmerlein,
my dark little room,
Weine, wein' um meinen Schatz,
and weep, weep for my darling,
zm meinen lieben Schatz!
for my dear darling!
Blümlein blau! Verdorre nicht!
Blue flower! Do not wither!
Vöglein süß! Du singst auf grüner Heide.
Sweet little bird - you sing on the green heath!
Ach, wie ist die Welt so schön!
Alas, how can the world be so fair?
Ziküth! Ziküth!
Chirp! Chirp!
Singet nicht! Blühet nicht!
Do not sing; do not bloom!
Lenz ist ja vorbei!
Spring is over.
Alles Singen ist nun aus.
All singing must now be done.
Des Abends, wenn ich schlafen geh',
At night when I go to sleep,
Denk' ich an mein Leide.
I think of my sorrow,
An mein Leide!
of my sorrow!

II. Ging heut morgen übers Feld

Ging heut morgen übers Feld,
I walked across the fields this morning;
Tau noch auf den Gräsern hing;
dew still hung on every blade of grass.
Sprach zu mir der lust'ge Fink:
The merry finch spoke to me:
"Ei du! Gelt? Guten Morgen! Ei gelt?
"Hey! Isn't it? Good morning! Isn't it?
Du! Wird's nicht eine schöne Welt?
You! Isn't it becoming a fine world?
Zink! Zink! Schön und flink!
Chirp! Chirp! Fair and sharp!
Wie mir doch die Welt gefällt!"
How the world delights me!"

Auch die Glockenblum' am Feld
Also, the bluebells in the field
Hat mir lustig, guter Ding',
merrily with good spirits
Mit den Glöckchen, klinge, kling,
tolled out to me with bells (ding, ding)
Ihren Morgengruß geschellt:
their morning greeting:
"Wird's nicht eine schöne Welt?
"Isn't it becoming a fine world?
Kling, kling! Schönes Ding!
Ding, ding! Fair thing!
Wie mir doch die Welt gefällt! Heia!"
How the world delights me!"

Und da fing im Sonnenschein
And then, in the sunshine,
Gleich die Welt zu funkeln an;
the world suddenly began to glitter;
Alles Ton und Farbe gewann
everything gained sound and color
Im Sonnenschein!
in the sunshine!
Blum' und Vogel, groß und klein!
Flower and bird, great and small!
"Guten Tag, ist's nicht eine schöne Welt?
"Good day, is it not a fine world?
Ei du, gelt? Schöne Welt?"
Hey, isn't it? A fair world?"

Nun fängt auch mein Glück wohl an?
Now will my happiness also begin?
Nein, nein, das ich mein',
No, no - the happiness I mean
Mir nimmer blühen kann!
can never bloom!

III. Ich hab' ein glühend Messer

Ich hab' ein glühend Messer,
I have a red-hot knife,
Ein Messer in meiner Brust,
a knife in my breast.
O weh! Das schneid't so tief
O woe! It cuts so deeply
In jede Freud' und jede Lust.
into every joy and delight.
Ach, was ist das für ein böser Gast!
Alas, what an evil guest it is!
Nimmer hält er Ruh', nimmer hält er Rast,
Never does it rest or relax,
Nicht bei Tag, noch bei Nacht, wenn ich schlief.
not by day or by night, when I would sleep.
O Weh!
O woe!

Wenn ich in dem Himmel seh',
When I gaze up into the sky
Seh' ich zwei blaue Augen stehn.
I see two blue eyes there.
O Weh! Wenn ich im gelben Felde geh',
O woe! When I walk in the yellow field,
Seh' ich von fern das blonde Haar
I see from afar her blond hair
Im Winde wehn.
waving in the wind.
O Weh!
O woe!

Wenn ich aus dem Traum auffahr'
When I start from a dream
Und höre klingen uhr silbern' Lachen,
and hear the tinkle of her silvery laugh,
O Weh!
O woe!
Ich wollt', ich läg auf der schwarzen Bahr',
Would that I lay on my black bier -
Könnt' nimmer die Augen aufmachen!
Would that I could never again open my eyes!

IV. Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz

Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz,
The two blue eyes of my darling -
Die haben mich in die weite Welt geschickt.
they have sent me into the wide world.
Da mußt ich Abschied nehmen
I had to take my leave
Vom allerliebsten Platz!
of this well-beloved place!
O Augen blau, warum habt ihr mich angeblickt?
O blue eyes, why did you gaze on me?
Nun hab' ich ewig Leid und Grämen.
Now I will have eternal sorrow and grief.

Ich bin ausgegangen in stiller Nacht
I went out into the quiet night
Wohl über die dunkle Heide.
well across the dark heath.
Hat mir niemand Ade gesagt.
To me no one bade farewell.
Ade! Mein Gesell' war Lieb' und Leide!
Farewell! My companions are love and sorrow!
Auf der Straße steht ein Lindenbaum,
On the road there stands a linden tree,
Da hab' ich zum ersten Mal im Schlaf geruht!
and there for the first time I found rest in sleep!

Unter dem Lindenbaum, der hat
Under the linden tree that
Seine Blüten über mich geschneit,
snowed its blossoms onto me -
Da wußt' ich nicht, wie das Leben tut,
I did not know how life went on,
War alles, alles wieder gut!
and all was well again!
Alles! Alles, Lieb und Leid
All! All, love and sorrow
Und Welt und Traum!
and world and dream!

Flutenreicher Ebro
(Spanisches Liebeslieder, Op. 138, no. 5)

(German Translation by Emanuel von Geibel)

Flutenreicher Ebro, blühendes Ufer,
Full-flowing Ebro, flowering banks,
all' ihr grünen Matten, Schatten des Waldes,
all you green meadows and shadows of the forest,
fraget die Gelieble, die unter euch ruhet,
ask my beloved, who dwells in your midst,
ob in ihrem Glücke sie meiner gedenket!
if she thinks of me in tier happiness!

Und ihr lauigen Perlen, die ihr im Frühroth
And you pearly dewdrops, who in the rosy dawn
den grünenden Rasen bunt mit Farben schmückt
bedeck the breening lawn with so many colors,
fraget die Celiebte, wenn sie Kühling atmet,
ask my beloved, when she breathes the cool air,
ob in ihrem Glücke sie meiner gedenket!
if she thinks of me in her happiness!

Ihr laubigen Pappein, schimmernde Pfacle,
You leafy poplars, you shimmering paths
wo leichten Fusses mein Mädchen wandeft,
where with light foot my maiden treads,
wenn sie euch begegnet, fragi sie, fragt sie,
when she comes to you, ask her, ask tier,
ob in ifirem Glücke sie meiner gedenket!
if she thinks of me in tier happiness!

ihr schwärmenden Vögel, die den Sonnenaulgang
You soaring birds, who greet the sunrise
singend für begrüsset mit Flötenstinimen.
singing with flute-like voices,
fraget die Geliebte, dieses Ufers Blume,
ask my beloved, my flower of the riverbank,
ob in ihrem Glücke sie meiner gedenket!
if she thinks of me in tier happiness!

I. Le paon
(The Peacock)

Il va sûrement se marier aujourd'hui.
He must be getting married today.

Ce devait être pour hier.
It was supposed to be yesterday.
En habit de gala, il était prêt.
Wearing his best, he was ready.
Il n'attendait que
All he was waiting for
sa fiancée.
was his fiancee.
Elle n'est pas venue.
She didn't come.
Elle ne peut tarder.
She can't be long now.

Glorieux, il se promène avec une allure de prince indien
Superb, he strolls about as indolently as any Hindu prince,
et porte sur lui les riches présents d'usage.
and bears upon himself the rich ceremonial presents.
L'amour avive l'éclat de ses couleurs
Love enlivens the luster of his colors,
et son aigrette tremble comme une lyre.
and his crest trembles like a lyre.

La fiancée n'arrive pas.
The fiancee does not come.

Il monte au haut du toit et regarde du côté du soleil.
He climbs to the roof and looks toward the sun.
Il jette son cri diabolique:
He utters his diabolic cry:
Léon! L'éon!

Leon! Leon!

C'est ainsi qu'il appelle sa fiancée.
This is what he calls his fiancee.
Il ne voit rien venir et personne ne répond.
He sees nothing coming, and no one answers.
Les volailles habituées ne lèvent même point la tête.
The hens, accustomed, do not even raise their heads.
Elles sont lasses de l'admirer.
They are tired of admiring him.
Il redescend dans la cour, si sûr d'être beau
He comes back down into the barnyard, so sure of being beautiful
qu'il est incapable de rancune.
that he is incapable of rancor.

Son mariage sera pour demain.
The marriage will take place tomorrow.

Et, ne sachant que faire du rest de la journée, il se dirige vers le perron.
And undecided about what to do with the rest of the day. he heads for the terrace in front of the house.
Il gravit les marches, comme des marches de temple, d'un pas officiel.
He climbs the steps as though they were temple steps, with an official gait.

Il relève sa robe à queue toute lourde des yeux
He raises his train that is so heavy with the eyes
qui n'ont pu se détacher d'elle.
which could not tear themselves away.

Il répète encore une fois la cérémonie.
And once more he repeats the ceremony.

II. Le grillon
(The Cricket)

C'est l'heure où, las d'errer, l'insecte nègre revient
This is the hour when, tired of wandering, the black insect returns from
de promenade et répare avec soin le désordre de son domaine.
his promenade and carefully repairs the disorder of his domain.

D'abord il ratisse ses étroites allées de sable.
First of all, he rakes his narrow sandy walks.

Il fait du bran de scie qu'il écarte au seuil de sa retraite.
He makes some sawdust, which he then spreads on the doorstep of his retreat.

Il lime la racine de cette grande herbe propre àle harceler.
He files down the root of that big weed likely to bother him later on.

Il se repose.
He rests.

Puis il remonte sa minuscule montre.
Then he rewinds his tiny watch.

A-t-il fini?
Is he through?
est-elle cassé?
Is it broken?
Il se repose encore un peu.
He rests some more.

Il rentre chez lui et ferme sa porte.
He goes inside and shuts his door.

Longtemps il tourne sa clef dans la serrure délicate.
For a long time, he turns his key in the delicate lock.

Et il écoute:
And he listens.

Point d'alarme dehors.
Nothing outside is moving.

Mais il ne se trouve pas en sûreté.
But he doesn't feel safe.

Et comme par une chaînette dont la poulie grince,
And as though by a fine cable whose pulley creaks,
il descend jusqu'au fond de la terre.
he descends into the bowels of the earth.

On n'entend plus rien.
There is not another sound.

Dans la campagne muette,
In the silent fields,
les peupliers se dressent comme des doigts en l'air
the poplars rise into the air like fingers,
et désignent la lune.
pointing at the moon.

III. Le cygne
(The Swan)

Il glisse sur le bassin,
He slides across the pond
comme un traî
like a white sled,
du nuage en nuage.
from cloud to cloud.
Car il n'a faim que des nuages
You see, that's alFhe likes to eat: the cottony clouds
floconneux qu'il voit naître, bouger,
he watches appearing, moving,
et se perdre dans l'eau.
and vanishing in the water.
C'est l'un d'eaux qu'il désire.
It's one of them he wants.
Il le vise du bec, et il plonge tout à coup son vol vêtu de neige.
He aims at it with his beak, and abruptly plunges his snowy neck into it.

Puis, tel un bras de femme sort d'une manche, il le retire.
Then, the way a woman's arm comes out of a sleeve, he withdraws it.

Il n'a rien.
He has nothing.

Il regarde:
He stares:
les nuages effarouchés ont disparu.
the startled clouds have vanished.

Il ne reste qu'un instant désabusé,
His disappointment lasts only a moment,
car les nuages tardent peu à revenir,
for the clouds don't take long to come back,
et, là-bas, où meurent les ondulations de l'eau,
and over there, where the ripples are dying out,
en voici un qui se reforme.
one is forming again.

Doucement, sur son léger coussin de plumes,
Gently, on his light cushion of feathers,
le cygne rame et s'approche . . .
the swan rows over to it...

Il s'épuise à pêcher de vains reflets,
He wears himself out fishing for vain reflections,
et peut-être qu'il mourra, victime de cette illusion,
and perhaps he will starve, a victim of this illusion,
avant d'attraper un seul morceau de nuage.
before he catches a single piece of cloud.

Mais qu'est-ce que je dis?
But what am I saying?

Chaque fois qu'il plonge, il fouille du bec la vase nourrissante et ramène un ver.
Each time he dives, he pokes his beak into the nourishing mud
et ramène un ver.
and brings up a worm.

Il engraisse comme une oie.
He's getting fat as a goose.

IV. Le martin-pêcheur
(The KingFisher)

Ça n'a pas mordu, ce soir,
They weren't biting this evening,
mais je rapporte une rare émotion.
but 1 came home with a rare emotion.

Comme je tenais ma perche de ligne tendue,
While I was sitting there, holding out my line,
un martin-pêcheur est venu s'y poser.
a kingfisher came and perched on the rod.

Nous n'avons pas d'oiseau plus éclatant.
We have no bird more brilliant.

Il semblait une grosse fleur bleue au bout d'une longue tige.
He looked like a big blue flower on the end of a long stem.
La perche pliait sous le poids.
The rod bent under his weight.
Je ne respirais plus,
I Iheld my breath,
tout fier d'être pris pour un arbre
proud of being taken for a tree
par un martin-pêcheur.
by a kingfisher.

Et je suis sûr qu'il ne s'est pas envolé de peur,
And I'm sure he didn't fly away because he was frightened,
mais qu'il a cru qu'il ne faisait que passer
but because he thought he was merely passing
d'une branche à une autre.
from one branch to another.

V. Le pintade
(The Guinea Hen) d'une branche à une autre.

C'est la bossue de ma cour.
She is the hunchback of my barnyard.
Elle ne rêve que plaies à cause de sa bosse.
The only thing she can think of is quarrelling - because of her hump.

Les poules ne lui disent rien:
The hens have nothing to do with her,
Brusquement, elle se précipite et les harcèle.
and all of a sudden she goes for them like a fury.

Puis elle baisse sa tête, penche le corps,
Then she lowers her head, leans forward,
et, de toute la vitesse de ses pattes maigres, elle court frapper, de son bec dur,
and as fast as her skinny feet can carry her, she dashes over and pecks hard at
juste au centre de la roue d'une dinde.
the very center of a turkey-cock's fantail.

Cette poseuse l'agaçait.
If there's one thing she can't stand it's affectation.

Ainsi, la tête bleuie, ses barbillons à vif,
That's how it is: head blue, she fumes on,
cocardière, elle rage du matin au soir.
wattles stiff with rage, from morning to night.
Elle se bat sans motif,
She picks fights for no reason,
peut-être parce qu'elle s'imagine toujours
maybe because she ialways magines
qu'on se moque de sa taille, de son crâne chauve et de sa queue basse.
they're making fun of her size,
et de sa queue basse.
her bald head and her runty tail.

Et elle ne cesse de jeter un cri discordant
And she keeps making her harsh little cry
qui perce l'aire comme un pointe.
that stabs the air like another beak.

Parfois elle quitte la cour et disparaît.
Sometimes she leaves the barnyard and disappears,
Elle laisse aux volailles pacifiques un moment de répit.
affording the peaceful fowl there a moment's relief.
Mais elle revient plus turbulente et plus criarde.
But she returns more turbulent and noisier than ever.
Et, frénétique, elle se vautre par terre.
In a frenzy, she sprawls on the ground.

Qu'a-t'elle donc?
What's the matter with her now?

La sournoise fait une farce.
The sneak is up to something.

Elle est allée pondre son oeuf à la campagne.
She's gone off to lay her egg in the field somewhere.

Je peux le chercher si ça m'amuse.
I can go hunt for it if 1 want to.

Et elle se roule dans la poussière comme une bossue.
She rolls around in the dust, like a hunchback.

Nachtzauber(Night's Magic)

(Josef Karl Benedikt von Eichendorff)

Hörst du nicht die Quellen gehen
Do you not hear the spring running
zwischen Stein und Blumen weit
between the stones and flowers far
nach den stillen Waldesseen,
toward the quiet wood lakes,
wo die Marmorbilder stehen
where the marble statues stand
in der schönen Einsamkeit?
in fine solitude?

Von den Bergen sacht hernieder,
From the mountains, gently descend
weckend die uralten Lieder,
awakening ancient songs,
steigt die wunderbare Nacht,
the wondrous night descends
und die Gründe glänzen wieder,
and the earth gleams again
wie du's oft im Traum gedacht.
as you often see in a dream.

Kennst die Blume du, entsprossen
Do you know the flower that blooms
in dem mondbeglänzten Grund
in the moonlit land,
Aus der Knospe, halb erschlossen,
from whose buds, half-open,
junge Glieder blühendsprossen,
young limbs bloom with
weiße Arme, roter Mund,
white arms and red mouth?
und die Nachtigallen schlagen
And the nightingale sings,
und rings hebt es an zu klagen,
and all around, a lament is raised;
ach, vor Liebe todeswund,
alas, wounded fatally by love,
von versunk'nen schönen Tagen -
by lovely days now gone forever -
komm, o komm zum stillen Grund!
come, o come to the silent land!
Komm! Komm!
Come! come!

Abschied
(Farewell)

(Eduard Mörike)

Unangeklopft ein Herr tritt Abends bei mir ein:
Without knocking, a gentleman comes visiting me evening:
»Ich habe die Ehr', Ihr Rezensent zu sein!«
I have the honor to be your critic!" [he says.]
Sofort nimmt er das Licht in die Hand,
Immediately he takes the light in his hand,
besieht lang meinen Schatten an der Wand,
gazes long at my shadow on the wall,
rückt nah und fern: »Nun, lieber junger Mann,
stepping close and then stepping back: "Now, my good young man,
sehn Sie doch gefälligst mal Ihre Nas' so von der Seite an!
kindly see how your nose looks from the side!
Sie geben zu, daß das ein Auswuchs is'.«
You must admit that it is a protuberance."
Das? Alle Wetter - gewiß!