Program
Altdeutsches Frühlingslied, Op. 86, No. 6 – Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)
Der Mond, Op. 86, No. 5 – Felix Mendelssohn
Hexenlied: Andres Maienlied, Op. 8, No. 8 – Felix Mendelssohn
•
Cinq Épitaphes, Op. 73 – Pierre Vellones (1889–1939)
i. … d’une femme par son mari.
ii. … d’une dévote.
iii. … d’un paresseux.
iv. … du pauvre Scarron, par lui-même.
v. … d’un grand médecin.
•
“Madamina, il catalogo è questo” from Don Giovanni, K. 527 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
•
Taking a chance on love – Vernon Duke (1903–1969); arr. Paul Bateman (b. 1954)
Why was I born? – Jerome Kern (1885–1945); arr. Paul Bateman
Come fly with me – Jimmy Van Heusen (1913–1990)
I Like the sunrise – Duke Ellington (1899–1974); arr. Paul Bateman
Texts & Translations
Altdeutsches Frühlingslied Old German Spring Song
Friedrich Spee von Langenfeld (1591–1635)
Der trübe Winter ist vorbei
Die Schwalben wiederkehren;
Nun reget sich alles wieder neu,
Die Quellen sich vermehren:
Laub allgemach
Nun schleicht an Tag,
Die Blümlein nun sich melden,
Wie Schlänglein krumm
Gehn lächlend um
Die Bächlein kühl in Wälden.
Wo nur man schaut, fast alle Welt
Zur Freuden sich tut rüsten:
Zum Scherzen alles ist gestellt,
Schwebt alles fast in Lüsten.
Nur ich allein,
Ich leide Pein,
Ohn Ende werd ich leiden,
Seit du von mir,
Und ich von dir,
O Liebste, mußte scheiden.
Translation by Richard Stokes
The sombre winter is past,
The swallows return once more;
Everything now stirs again,
The mountain springs multiply.
Fresh leaves softly
Emerge into daylight,
The flowers announce their arrival;
Like little snakes,
The cool streams
Laugh their way through the forest.
Wherever one looks, nearly all the world
Takes part in this joy;
Everyone is happy,
Wallowing almost in pleasure.
Only I alone
Suffer agony,
I shall suffer without end:
Ever since
You and I,
O dearest, had to part.
Der Mond The Moon
Emanuel Geibel (1815–1884)
Mein Herz ist wie die dunkle Nacht,
Wenn alle Wipfel rauschen;
Da steigt der Mond in voller Pracht
Aus Wolken sacht,
Und sieh! der Wald verstummt in tiefem Lauschen.
Der Mond, der lichte Mond bist du:
In deiner Liebesfülle
Wirf einen, einen Blick mir zu
Voll Himmelsruh’,
Und sieh! dies ungestüme Herz wird stille.
Translation by Richard Stokes
My heart is like the dark night,
When all the tree-tops rustle;
The moon rises in full splendour
Gently from the clouds – and see!
The wood falls silently, raptly listening.
You are the moon, the shining moon:
In the fullness of your love,
Throw me one, one single glance
Of brimming heavenly peace – and see!
This tempestuous heart is soothed.
Hexenlied: Andres Maienlied Witches Song: Another kind of May song
Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty (1748–1776)
De Schwalbe fliegt,
Der Früling siegt,
Und spendet uns Blumen zum Kranze!
Bald huschen wir
Lies’ aus der Tür,
Und fliegen zum prächtigen Tanze!
Ein schwarzer Bock,
Ein Besenstock,
Die Ofengabel, der Wocken,
Reißt uns geschwind,
Wie Blitz und Wind,
Durch sausende Lüfte zum Brocken!
Um Beelzebub
Tanzt unser Trupp,
Und küßt ihm die kralligen Hände!
Ein Geisterschwarm
Faßt uns beim Arm,
Und schwinget im Tanzen die Brände!
Und Beelzebub
Verheißt dem Trupp
Der Tanzenden Gaben auf Gaben:
Sie sollen schön
In Seide gehn
Und Töpfe voll Goldes sich graben!
Ein Feuerdrach’
Umflieget das Dach
Und bringet uns Butter und Eier:
Die Nachbarn dann sehn
Die Funken wehn,
Und schlagen ein Kreuz vor dem Feuer.
Die Schwalbe fliegt
Der Frühling siegt,
Die Blumen erblühen zum Kranze.
Bald huschen wir
Leis’ aus der Tur,
Juchheisa! zum prächtigen Tanze!
Translation by Richard Stokes
Swallows are flying,
Spring’s triumphant,
Dispensing flowers for wreaths!
Soon we’ll flit
Quietly outside,
And fly to the splendid dance!
A black goat,
A broomstick,
The furnace rake, the distaff
Whisk us on our way,
Like lightning and wind,
Through whistling gales to the Brocken!
Our coven dances
Round Beelzebub
And kisses his claw-like hands!
A ghostly throng
Seizes our arms,
Waving firebrands as they dance!
And Beelzebub
Pledges the throng
Of dancers gift after gift:
They shall be dressed
In beautiful silk
And dig themselves pots full of gold!
A fiery dragon
Flies round the roof
And brings us butter and eggs:
The neighbours catch sight
Of the flying sparks,
And cross themselves for fear of the fire.
Swallows are flying,
Spring’s triumphant,
Flowers are blooming for wreaths.
Soon we’ll flit
Quietly outside –
Tally-ho to the splendid dance!
Cinq Épitaphes Five Epitaphes
anonymous 18th-century translation by Pierre Cao
1. ...of a woman by her husband.
Object of my tender pity
Accept from me, dear half
This tomb that nobody envies you.
I must well justly pay tribute to you
Because the last day of your life
Was the first of my happiness.
1. ...d'une femme par son mari
Objet de ma tendre pitié
Reçois de moi, chère moitié
Ce tombeau qu'aucun ne t'envie.
Je dois bien justement te rendre cet honneur
Car le dernier jour de ta vie fut le premier,
Fut le premier de mon bonheur.
2. ...of an excessively pious woman
Here lies a pious woman and who was among
the most honest ones, Who, modestly dressed,
Went to Vespers on Sundays.
What did she do, Friend, on the other days?
That!
That, it is another story.
2. ...d'une dévote
Ci-gît une dévote et qui fut des plus franches,
Qui sous de modestes, sous de modestes atours
Allait à Vêpres les dimanches.
Que faisait-elle, Ami, les autres jours?
Ca! ça! ça! ça!
Ca, c'est une autre paire de manches.
3. ...of a lazybones
Here lies Charlot the lazy one!
Who on his last hour,
Exclaimed: "How happy I am!
I won't have anything more to do!"
Passer by, here rests Charlot;
He never made anything else.
3. ...d'un paresseux
Ci-gît Charlot le paresseux!
Lequel à son heure dernière,
S'écria: "Que je suis heureux!
Je vais n'avoir plus rien à faire!"
Passant, ici Charlot repose;
Il ne fit jamais autre chose.
4. ...of poor Scarron, by himself
The one that here now sleeps
Aroused more pity than desire,
And suffered thousand times death
Before to lose life.
Passer by, do not make here any noise,
Take care no one wakens him;
Because this is the first night
That poor Scarron rests.
4. ...du pauvre Scarron, par lui-même
Celui qui ci maintenant dort
Fit plus de pitié que d'envie,
Et souffrit mille fois la mort
Avant que de perdre la vie.
Passant, ne fais ici de bruit,
Prends garde qu'aucun ne l'éveille;
Car voici la première nuit
Que le pauvre Scarron sommeille.
5. ...of a famous Doctor
He surrendered his soul to God,
Famous Doctor Mathieu
Famous Doctor Mathieu
Who made the town deserted.
He surrendered his soul to God,
Famous Doctor Mathieu
Who made the town deserted.
For the Death it is a great loss.
5. ...d'un Grand Médecin.
Il a rendu son âme à Dieu,
Le célèbre docteur Mathieu
Le célèbre docteur Mathieu,
Qui rendait la ville déserte.
Il a rendu son âme à Dieu,
Le célèbre docteur Mathieu,
Qui rendait la ville déserte.
La mort fait une grande perte.
Madamina, il catalogo è questo My dear lady, this is a list
LEPORELLO
Calm yourself! You are not, were not and will not
be either the first or the last. Look: this fat little
book is entirely full of the names of his
sweethearts. Each town, each district, each
countryside testifies to his affairs with women.
Aria
My dear lady, this is a list
of the beauties my master has loved,
a list which I have compiled.
Observe, read along with me.
In Italy, six hundred and forty;
in Germany, two hundred and thirty-one;
a hundred in France; in Turkey ninety-one.
In Spain already one thousand and three.
Among these are peasant girls,
maidservants, city girls,
countesses, baronesses,
marchionesses, princesses,
women of every rank,
every shape, every age.
In Italy six hundred and forty, etc.
With blondes it is his habit
to praise their kindness;
in brunettes, their faithfulness;
in the very blonde, their sweetness.
In winter he likes fat ones,
in summer he likes thin ones.
He calls the tall ones majestic.
The little ones are always charming.
He seduces the old ones
for the pleasure of adding to the list.
His greatest favourite
is the young beginner.
It doesn't matter if she's rich,
ugly or beautiful;
if she is rich, ugly or beautiful.
If she wears a petticoat,
you know what he does.
If she wears a petticoat, etc.
LEPORELLO
Eh, consolatevi! Non siete voi, non foste, e non
sarete né la prima, né l'ultima.Guardate: questo
non picciol libro è tutto pieno di nomi di sue belle;
ogni villa, ogni borgo, ogni paese è testimon di sue
donnesche imprese.
Aria
Madamina, il catalogo è questo
delle belle, che amò il padron mio;
un catalogo egli è, che ho fatt'io.
Osservate, leggete con me.
In Italia seicento e quaranta,
in Almagna duecento e trentuna,
cento in Francia, in Turchia novantuna,
ma in Ispagna son già mille e tre!
V'han fra queste contadine,
cameriere, cittadine,
v'han contesse, baronesse,
marchesine, principesse,
e v'han donne d'ogni grado,
d'ogni forma, d'ogni età.
In Italia seicento e quaranta, ecc.
Nella bionda egli ha l'usanza
di lodar la gentilezza;
nella bruna, la costanza;
nella bianca la dolcezza;
vuol d'inverno la grassotta,
vuol d'estate la magrotta;
è la grande maestosa,
la piccina è ognor vezzosa;
delle vecchie fa conquista
pel piacer di porle in lista.
Sua passion predominante
è la giovin principiante.
Non si picca se sia ricca,
se sia brutta, se sia bella,
se sia brutta, ricca, se sia bella;
purché porti la gonnella,
voi sapete quel che fa!
Purché porti la gonnella, ecc.
About the Artists
Douglas Williams (photo: Florian Grey)
Bass-baritone Douglas Williams has, in the last few seasons, made a name for himself in several leading roles, including Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro with Edo de Waart and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Don Giovanni with Opera Atelier conducted by David Fallis, and Nick Shadow in TheRake’s Progress with Barbara Hannigan and the Munich Philharmonic, all to great acclaim. This season he continues his collaboration with Ms. Hannigan in Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, with L’Orchestra Philharmonique de Radio France and the Munich Philharmonic. Mr. Williams has also made an impression in smaller roles with major conductors, including Sciarrone in Tosca with Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic for Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, and Priest/Armed Man with Yannick Nézet-Séguin in Die Zauberflöte for Deutsche Grammophon with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Mr. Williams is “a lively mover” on stage (New York Times), and with this ability he has appeared in choreographic opera productions from distinguished choreographers, including Acis and Galatea of Mark Morris for Lincoln Center, and Orfeo of Sasha Waltz for the Dutch National Opera. With the choreographer Andreas Heise and the pianist Jonathan Ware he is currently creating a choreographic Die Schöne Müllerin for himself and three dancers. In chamber music Mr. Williams has appeared with Igor Levitt and the Jack Quartet at the Tanglewood Festival for Schoenberg’s Ode to Napoleon, with the Signal Ensemble in the world premiere of Charles Wuorinen’s It Happens Like This for the Guggenheim Museum, as a guest recitalist with the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and with the violinist Daniel Hope in an evening of Rodgers and Hammerstein. In concert music Williams has appeared with the National Symphony Orchestra, the Nashville Symphony, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the NDR Radio Philharmoniker, the Detroit Symphony, the Houston Symphony, and Les Talens Lyriques, with conductors Trevor Pinnock, Nicholas McGegan, Andrew Manze, and Pablo Heras-Casado, among others. He trained at the New England Conservatory and the Yale School of Music.
Christian Lane
Winner of the 2011 Canadian International Organ Competition and director of Boston Organ Studio, Christian Lane is one of North America’s most accomplished, respected and dynamic concert organists and teachers. Noted for his "gratifying musical maturity, demonstrated through playing that is suave, elegant, and exciting (The American Organist),” he is a frequent recitalist in North America, Europe, and Asia. As founding director of Boston Organ Studio, Christian Lane cultivates the largest private organ studio in the United States. In doing so, he teaches students from all of Boston’s major universities — including Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology — and leads them in group learning experiences, including annual international study tours. A proponent of new music, he has commissioned and premiered many new works for organ, including significant contributions to the repertoire by Nico Muhly, Carson Cooman, and Graham Gordon Ramsay. Committed to supporting his profession, Mr. Lane has served in several leadership roles within the American Guild of Organists, most notably as national vice-president from 2014–16. Christian Lane holds degrees from Yale University and the Eastman School of Music, and has served in many notable positions, including at Harvard University and Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue (New York). In 2018–19, he served as Visiting Professor of Organ at McGill University in Montréal, Canada. Mr. Lane currently serves as Interim Director of Music at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Baltimore and is represented by Karen McFarlane Artists, Inc. For more information, please visit: www.ChristianLane.com and www.BostonOrganStudio.com