Program Notes and Translations

Austin Boyett, Baritone

Junior Recital
with Carol Evers, Piano
Tuesday, May 3, 2016, 7 p.m. Moorer Auditorium, University of Mobile

I. El pao moruno; Malinconia, ninfa gentile; O del mio amato ben

Manuel de Falla was an early 20th century Spanish composer. While he is most known for his piano compositions, Falla
composed several prolific songs for voice, as well as orchestrated many ballets. His music is said to represent the very essence of
Spain during the 1930s and 1940s. El pao moruno is taken from his collection of songs, 7 Conciones populares Espaoles. The
piece hails its theme from a Spanish folk song, which would normally be played on guitar. Falla transcribes the piece for voice and
piano without compromising the signature Spanish characteristics found in the original accompaniment. The story is quite simple: a
shop has reduced the price of a cloth because it had a stain on it.

El pao moruno (The moorish cloth)

On the fine cloth, in the store,
A stain set in
For a lower price it is sold
Because it has lost its value
Ah!
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Vincenzo Bellini is one of the quintessential composers from the Bel Canto tradition of the 19 th century. What separates
Bellini from any other composer is his innate ability to match his beautiful melodies and well-crafted text to human nature and
psychology. Most known for operas such as Norma or I Puritani, he was also a master composer for Italian art song. Malinconia,
ninfa gentile comes from Composizioni de Camera, a catalog of ariettas published for the centenary commemoration of Bellinis
death. The song expresses the contrast between a life of solitary relief in nature and a life of exhaustion in busy society.

Malinconia, ninfa gentile (Melancholy, gentle nymph)

Melancholy, gentle nymph,
I devote my life to you.
One who despises your pleasures
Is not born to true pleasures.
I asked the gods for fountains and hills;
They heard me at last; I will live satisfied
Even though, with my desires, I never
Go beyond that fountain and that mountain.
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Stephano Donaudy is a Spanish-French composer active during the 1890s and early 20th century. While Donaudy is not well-
known, his most significant work is his collection 36 Arie di Stile Antico, which has been recorded by singers such as Sumi Jo and
Luciano Pavarotti. O del mio amato ben shows off Donaudys ability to merge modern chordal structure with classical era form and
accurately expressing the grief we feel when we lose a loved one.

O del mio amato ben (O thou, my most beloved)

O thou my most beloved enchantment, lost! To me it seems, without her,
From out my sight art thou so far removed That sadness looms here all about.
Who was my glory and my pride! The night, to me it seems, arises out of fire.
Now through these silent rooms Though yet I still might hope
I ever see and call for her aloud, To take some other sure,
Yet with my heart still full of hop. But I seek in vain, Im tormented by one thought alone:
I call in vain! Without her, what can I do?
And yet this weeping is to me so dear, To me life seems but vanity
For only tears remain Ever thus, without my love.
To feed the heart.
II. Deh, vieni alla finestra; Alles fhlt der Liebe freuden

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the most significant composers of the Classical period. Having written nearly twenty-
five of them, Mozarts operatic repertoire is quite possibly the most often performed around the world. At age five, Mozart began
showing prodigious ability on the keyboard and violin. He composed more the six hundred works in all, including all types of
compositions, such as symphonies, concertos, chamber pieces, operas, and chorales. Listeners will recognize Mozart by the clarity,
balance, and transparency of his music.

Don Giovanni follows the antics of Don Giovanni (Don Juan) himself, a young and licentious nobleman. Throughout the
opera, we see Giovannis attempts at seduction being thwarted by a former lover, Donna Elvira, who has taken it upon herself to
avenge his abandonment of her from years before. After convincing Elvira that he desires to be with her again, Giovanni serenades
Elviras maid the women he actually desires in that moment. Can you say scandalous?!

Deh, vieni alla finestra (Oh, come to the window) from Don Giovanni
Ha, ha, ha, ha;
Youre dead!
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
It seems that fate assists me.
Let us see. The windows are these: now let us sing.

Oh, come to the window, oh my treasure

Oh, come and dispel all my sorrow!
If you deny me some refreshment,
Before your dear eyes I will die!
Your lips are sweet than honey;
Your heart is sweetness itself.
Do not be cruel with me, my joy!
I beg for one more glance, my beloved.
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Die Zauberflte (The Magic Flute) is perhaps Mozarts most widely known opera. The story follows Prince Tamino, who has
been commissioned to save Pamina, his newfound love, from captivity. She is being guarded by Monostatos, who is secretly in love
with her beauty. In this aria, Monostatos expresses his feelings for Pamina and the taboo of the situation.

Alles fhlt der Liebe freuden (Everything feels the joys of love) from Die Zauberflte
Everything feels the joys of love
Bills and coos, dallies, hugs and kisses,
And I should have avoided love,
Because a dark person is ugly!
Was I not given a heart?
Am I not of flesh and blood?
To live without a wife,
Would truly be the flames of hell!

Thus, I want, because I am living,

To bell and coo, kiss, be tender!
Dear good moon, forgive me,
A white woman captivated me,
White is beautiful! I must kiss her;
Moon, hide yourself for this!
Should it vex you too much,
Oh, the close your eyes!

III. Le Bestiaire; Die Mainacht

Francis Poulenc is one of the most prolific composers of French Mlodie. Poulenc drew his inspirations from French poets
and was particularly gifted in matching his musical settings with the poets unique tone and emotion. Poulenc is known to lace all of
his compositions with sarcasm and irony, making his music not only a challenge to sing from a technical standpoint, but also difficult
to perform from an acting standpoint.
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 Le Bestiaire was Poulencs first collection of mlodies, written between 1917 and 1918. Regardless of this being one of his
first, these settings are quite typical of their composer. Each of the songs are bound together by rhythmic or melodic motifs, usually
found in the piano accompaniment. The music is constructed very tightly, leaving little room for error, as most Poulenc pieces do. Le
dromadaire paints a portrait of Don Pedro dAlfaroubeira, a Portuguese explorer and his band of camels. This song evokes a slow and
heavy feel to represent the progress of the explorers journeys. The last four bars, however, add a very different flavor to the mix,
suggesting a contrasting charm and excitement. Le chvre du Thibet is a love song in which the poet compares his loves hair to the
golden fleece of a goat, a beauty that even the gods searched far and wide for. La sauterelle shares of a delicate grasshopper that
nourished Saint John. The poet then wishes his words may be comparable to the grasshopper; a feast for superior people. Le
dauphin, which tells the tale of a dolphin at play, could essentially be its own musical conversation. The playfulness and forte of the
first and third lines give off a very different feel than the cynical piano of the second and fourth lines. Lcrevisse compares the
uncertain movements of the crayfish to the uncertainties of life. Poulenc utilizes the movement of the melody to suggest so. Each
phrase rises to the same C-flat pitch, which feels as if it were leading to a higher note, but then wanders back down. Finally, Le
carpe uses a two measure ostinato to evoke the watery home of the carp. With the piano using both pedals and the singer staying in
low pitch range, the song produces an other-worldly, underwater feeling, which sits perfectly with the melancholic text.

Le dromadaire (The dromedary) Le dauphin (The dolphin)

With his four dromedaries Dolphins, you play in the sea,
Don Pedro DAlfaroubeira But the waves are always briny.
Traveled the world over and admired it. Does my joy burst forth at times?
He did what I would like to do Life is still cruel.
If I had four dromedaries.

Le chvre du Thibet (The Tibetan goat) Lcrevisse (The crayfish)

The hair of this goat and even Uncertainty, oh, my delights,
The golden hair for which such pains were taken You and I, we progress
By Jason are worth nothing compared As crayfish do,
To the hair of the one I love. Backwards, backwards.

La sauterelle (The grasshopper) La carpe (The carp)

Here is the delicate grasshopper, In your pools, in your ponds,
The nourishment of Saint John, Carps, you live such a long time!
May my verses likewise be Is it that death has passed you by,
A feast for superior people. Fish of melancholy?

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Johannes Brahms is my favorite composer. Most known for his piano and chamber compositions, Brahms is one of the
definitive composers for the Romantic period. His music takes the organization and mastery of Bachs counterpoint and blends it with
the emotion and expressions of the modern world. Indeed, Brahms was a craftsman.

Die Mainacht is found in Brahms 4 Gesnge, Op. 43. Though Brahms did not write the text, it is clear that elements of his
past can be found throughout. The piece paints images of personal hardships while transporting listeners to a world of music that
solely serves the expression of Hltys poetry. The opening text depicts the setting: a garden at nighttime, where nature is more
beautiful than ever. The tone changes as we shift from a key major key to the parallel minor key. While everything is very beautiful,
the poet finds it hard to enjoy any of it when his soul is in torment. The garden in the woods represents feeling lost at ones emotional
core. In the end, the poet decides to cry the first step toward deep emotional healing.

Die Mainacht (The May Night)

When the silvery moon through the shrubs beams,
And over the lawn scatters its slumbering light,
And the nightingale sings,
I walk sadly from bush to bush.
Shrouded by foliage, coos a pair of doves
To me their ecstasy; but I turn away,
Seeking darker shadoes,
And a lonely tear flows.

When, O smiling image that like dawn

Shines through my soul, shall I find you on earth?
And the lonely tear flows trembling hot down my cheek.

IV. Excerpts from Let Us Garlands Bring

Gerald Finzi is best known for his work as a choral composer. While identifying as an agnostic of Jewish heritage, his music
deals heavily with existential questions and Biblical text. Finzi thoroughly enjoy reading and studying, specifically English poetry and
philosophy. His loves for this manifests itself in his compositions.

Let Us Garlands Bring consists of five settings of songs from plays by William Shakespeare. The song cycle was inspired by
and dedicated to Ralph Vaughn Williams, another well-known English composer. The first song, Come away, come away, death,
comes from Twelfth Night (Act II, Scene IV). In the play, the song is sung by Feste, who wishes to die and be buried far away because
of his unrequited love. Finzis setting of the text focuses on the characters desire for death. The low and somber piano part represents
being buried deep into the ground. The next song, Who is Silvia? hails from The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Act IV, Scene II). Silvia
is a pretty lady who is sought after by many young men, including the two close friends from which the play gets its namesake. This
song is sung by a musician who has been hired by a secondary suitor in order to woo her. He sings the well-known praises of Silvia
and then gives just reasoning as to why she is to be praised. Finzis setting has a very warm tone to it and plays into the familiarity of
compliments being given; the melody sounds at least a bit familiar and is quite memorable. The staccato piano part represents the
many suitors of the young woman, and contrasting with the legato vocal part, which communicates the familiarity of the praises. It is
no question that Silvia is adored by all.

V. What Causes That; Sisters

George Gershwin was one of the most influential composers of the early to mid-twentieth century in genres such as jazz and
musical theatre. Having composed standards such as Someone to Watch Over Me and Cant Take That Away from Me, Gershwin
infused all of his compositions with jazz chord structures and witty lyrics, a challenge paralleled only by masters such as Cole Porter.
Gershwin was a virtuosic pianist as well. His piano compositions are regarded as essential to a well-rounded piano repertoire. Aside
from these, he has also created hugely successful orchestral works like An American in Paris and Rhapsody in Blue.

Crazy for You follows the story of Bobby Child, a younger banker from New York who aspires to be a performer, as he
travels to Nevada to foreclose a local theater. In the process, he falls in love with Polly Baker, one of the only single women from the
town. He decides to use his love for the theater and dance to host a fundraising performance to save the theater and win his woman.
The only issue is that she does not love him at all and refuses to accept his help. In a grand scheme to win her over, he disguises
himself as Bela Zangler, a well-accomplished Broadway producer with a thick Hungarian accent. Bobby calls up his showgirl friends
from New York to join him in Nevada, and no one is the wiseruntil Zangler himself shows up in Nevada in an attempt to impress
Tessie, his unrequited love. With both Bobby and Bela dressed in the same way and rejected by their women, they address their
comical laments in What Causes That?
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Irving Berlin is a standard American songwriter for the screen and the stage with credits such as Holiday Inn, White
Christmas, and Annie Get Your Gun. Jerome Kern has said, Irving Berlin has no place in American music He is American music.
His music is quite simple and pleasant to the ear. His lyrics flow straight from the human mind and mimic normal speech patterns.
Aside from his actual musical gifts, he was a master of comedy. The jokes in his songs are genuinely hilarious, sophisticated, and
underrated.

Sisters comes from White Christmas. Without going too deep into the plot, the song is initially sung by Betty and Judy, two
sisters who have combined to made a vaudeville style act. The song is very eased and light-hearted. Later in the movie, Phil and Bob
lip-sync to the song while jokingly pretending to be the sisters. In the stage version of the piece, the two men actually sing the song,
which is the version being performed tonight.

Bibliography

Bernac, Pierre. The Interpretation of French Song. New York: Norton & Company, 1970.

Kimball, Carol. Song: A Guide to Art Song Style and Literature. Rev. ed. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation, 2006.

Rich, Frank. "Conversations with Sondheim" New York Times, March 12, 2000

Acknowledgements

Id first like to thank everyone in the audience; without you, thered have been no reason to perform a recital in the first
place. Thank you to my family. Your support means the world to me and I wouldnt have gotten this far without your encouragement.
Thank you to my wonderful friends who put up with my complaints and anxiety over the past few months. Thank you to each
professor that has helped me with finding sheet music, advising how I can better prepare and perform, and helping me figure out how
to memorize a thirty-minute recital. Thank you to Dr. Sharon Hudson, who recorded several accompaniment tracks to help me practice
more efficiently. Thank you to Elyn Collier for accompanying my lessons all semester; I wouldnt have traded that time for anything
and we always have a ball working together! Thank you to Carol Evers, who learned a lot of this music in just a few weeks; Im
forever grateful for your expertise, commitment, and encouragement. Thank you to Ryan Dunn for being the Bobby to my Bela and
bringing a little piece of this show back to life, but with less wig and dance. Thank you to Joel King for being my supposed look-a-like
and for actually singing this ridiculous song with me; I didnt think wed actually do it when we joked about it three years ago, but
here we are Ultimately, thank you to Dr. Kathryn Hedlund for being an amazing, patient, wise, hilarious, patient, and patient
teacher. Youve seen me at my best and my worst, and I thank you for your constant willingness to find my voice, even when I dont
work very hard, and for continuing to answer my questions about French diction. Thank you for helping me find what I want to spend
the rest of my life doing and for showing me that I actually do love French diction. Oh, and thank you for sharing my strange, strange
sense of humor.