Program
Five Mystical Songs – Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)
i. Easter
ii. I Got Me Flowers
iii. Love Bade Me Welcome
iv. The Call
v. Antiphon
Edmund Milly, baritone
•
Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen – Gustav Mahler (1860–1911)
i. Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht
ii. Ging heut morgen übers Feld
iii. Ich hab' ein glühend Messer
iv. Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz
Sylvia Leith, mezzo-soprano
•
Es rauschet das Wasser, Op. 28, No. 3 – Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Vergebliches Ständchen, Op. 84, No. 4 – Johannes Brahms
Edmund Milly, baritone & Sylvia Leith, mezzo-soprano
Texts & Translations
Five Mystical Songs
poetry of George Herbert (1593–1633)
Easter
Rise heart; thy Lord is risen.
Sing his praise without delayes,
Who takes thee by the hand,
that thou likewise with him may'st rise;
That, as his death calcined thee to dust,
His life may make thee gold, and much more, just.
Awake, my lute, and struggle for thy part with all thy art.
The crosse taught all wood to resound his name, who bore the same.
His stretched sinews taught all strings, what key
Is the best to celebrate this most high day.
Consort both heart and lute, and twist a song pleasant and long;
Or since all musick is but three parts vied and multiplied.
O let thy blessed Spirit bear a part,
And make up our defects with his sweet art.
I Got Me Flowers
I got me flowers to strew thy way;
I got me boughs off many a tree:
But thou wast up by break of day,
And brought'st thy sweets along with thee.
The Sunne arising in the East.
Though he give light, and th'East perfume;
If they should offer to contest
With thy arising, they presume.
Can there be any day but this,
Though many sunnes to shine endeavour?
We count three hundred, but we misse:
There is but one, and that one ever.
Love Bade Me Welcome
Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back.
Guiltie of dust and sinne.
But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack'd anything.
A guest, I answer'd, worthy to be here:
Love said, You shall be he.
I the unkinde, ungrateful? Ah, my deare,
I cannot look on thee.
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
Who made the eyes but I?
Truth Lord, but I have marr'd them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.
And know you not, sayes Love, who bore the blame?
My deare, then I will serve.
You must sit down, sayes Love, and taste my meat:
So I did sit and eat.
The Call
Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
Such a Life, as killeth death.
Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length:
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.
Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joyes in love.
Antiphon
Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing:
My God and King.
The heavens are not too high,
His praise may thither flie;
The earth is not too low,
His praises there may grow.
Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing:
My God and King.
The Church with psalms must shout,
No doore can keep them out;
But above all, the heart
Must bear the longest part.
Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing:
My God and King.
Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen Songs of a Wayfarer
original text by Gustav Mahler; translation by Emily Ezust
Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht
Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht,
Fröhliche Hochzeit macht,
Hab' ich meinen traurigen Tag!
Geh' ich in mein Kämmerlein,
Dunkles Kämmerlein,
Weine, wein' um meinen Schatz,
Um meinen lieben Schatz!
Blümlein blau! Verdorre nicht!
Vöglein süß! Du singst auf grüner Heide.
Ach, wie ist die Welt so schön!
Ziküth! Ziküth!
Singet nicht! Blühet nicht!
Lenz ist ja vorbei!
Alles Singen ist nun aus.
Des Abends, wenn ich schlafen geh',
Denk' ich an mein Leide.
An mein Leide!
When my darling has her wedding-day
When my darling has her wedding-day,
her joyous wedding-day,
I will have my day of mourning!
I will go to my little room,
my dark little room,
and weep, weep for my darling,
for my dear darling!
Blue flower! Do not wither!
Sweet little bird - you sing on the green heath!
Alas, how can the world be so fair?
Chirp! Chirp!
Do not sing; do not bloom!
Spring is over.
All singing must now be done.
At night when I go to sleep,
I think of my sorrow,
of my sorrow!
Ging heut morgen übers Feld
Ging heut morgen übers Feld,
Tau noch auf den Gräsern hing;
Sprach zu mir der lust'ge Fink:
"Ei du! Gelt? Guten Morgen! Ei gelt?
Du! Wird's nicht eine schöne Welt?
Zink! Zink! Schön und flink!
Wie mir doch die Welt gefällt!"
Auch die Glockenblum' am Feld
Hat mir lustig, guter Ding',
Mit den Glöckchen, klinge, kling,
Ihren Morgengruß geschellt:
"Wird's nicht eine schöne Welt?
Kling, kling! Schönes Ding!
Wie mir doch die Welt gefällt! Heia!"
Und da fing im Sonnenschein
Gleich die Welt zu funkeln an;
Alles Ton und Farbe gewann
Im Sonnenschein!
Blum' und Vogel, groß und klein!
"Guten Tag, ist's nicht eine schöne Welt?
Ei du, gelt? Schöne Welt?"
Nun fängt auch mein Glück wohl an?
Nein, nein, das ich mein',
Mir nimmer blühen kann!
I walked across the fields this morning
I walked across the fields this morning;
dew still hung on every blade of grass.
The merry finch spoke to me:
"Hey! Isn't it? Good morning! Isn't it?
You! Isn't it becoming a fine world?
Chirp! Chirp! Fair and sharp!
How the world delights me!"
Also, the bluebells in the field
merrily with good spirits
tolled out to me with bells (ding, ding)
their morning greeting:
"Isn't it becoming a fine world?
Ding, ding! Fair thing!
How the world delights me!"
And then, in the sunshine,
the world suddenly began to glitter;
everything gained sound and color
in the sunshine!
Flower and bird, great and small!
"Good day, is it not a fine world?
Hey, isn't it? A fair world?"
Now will my happiness also begin?
No, no - the happiness I mean
can never bloom!
Ich hab' ein glühend Messer
Ich hab' ein glühend Messer,
Ein Messer in meiner Brust,
O weh! Das schneid't so tief
In jede Freud' und jede Lust.
Ach, was ist das für ein böser Gast!
Nimmer hält er Ruh', nimmer hält er Rast,
Nicht bei Tag, noch bei Nacht, wenn ich schlief.
O Weh!
Wenn ich in dem Himmel seh',
Seh' ich zwei blaue Augen stehn.
O Weh! Wenn ich im gelben Felde geh',
Seh' ich von fern das blonde Haar
Im Winde wehn.
O Weh!
Wenn ich aus dem Traum auffahr'
Und höre klingen ihr silbern' Lachen,
O Weh!
Ich wollt', ich läg auf der schwarzen Bahr',
Könnt' nimmer die Augen aufmachen!
I have a red-hot knife
I have a red-hot knife,
a knife in my breast.
O woe! It cuts so deeply
into every joy and delight.
Alas, what an evil guest it is!
Never does it rest or relax,
not by day or by night, when I would sleep.
O woe!
When I gaze up into the sky
I see two blue eyes there.
O woe! When I walk in the yellow field,
I see from afar her blond hair
waving in the wind.
O woe!
When I start from a dream
and hear the tinkle of her silvery laugh,
O woe!
Would that I lay on my black bier -
Would that I could never again open my eyes!
The two blue eyes of my darling
The two blue eyes of my darling -
they have sent me into the wide world.
I had to take my leave of this well-beloved place!
O blue eyes, why did you gaze on me?
Now I will have eternal sorrow and grief.
I went out into the quiet night
well across the dark heath.
To me no one bade farewell.
Farewell! My companions are love and sorrow!
On the road there stands a linden tree,
and there for the first time I found rest in sleep!
Under the linden tree
that snowed its blossoms onto me -
I did not know how life went on,
and all was well again!
All! All, love and sorrow
and world and dream!
Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz
Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz,
Die haben mich in die weite Welt geschickt.
Da mußt' ich Abschied nehmen vom allerliebsten Platz!
O Augen blau, warum habt ihr mich angeblickt?
Nun hab' ich ewig Leid und Grämen.
Ich bin ausgegangen in stiller Nacht
Wohl über die dunkle Heide.
Hat mir niemand Ade gesagt.
Ade! Mein Gesell' war Lieb' und Leide!
Auf der Straße steht ein Lindenbaum,
Da hab' ich zum ersten Mal im Schlaf geruht!
Unter dem Lindenbaum,
Der hat seine Blüten über mich geschneit,
Da wußt' ich nicht, wie das Leben tut,
War alles, alles wieder gut!
Alles! Alles, Lieb und Leid
Und Welt und Traum!
Es rauschet das Wasser The Water Rushes
text by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832)
The water rushes
And will not stay still;
The stars pass merrily
In the sky,
The clouds advance
Merrily in the sky,
And so Love rushes
And wanders there.
The waters are rushing,
The clouds dissolving;
Yet the stars remain:
They wander and hover.
And so it happens as well with Love,
The true kind:
It sways, it stirs,
And does not change.
Es rauschet das Wasser
und bleibet nicht steh’n;
Gar lustig die Sterne
am Himmel hingeh’n;
Gar lustig die Wolken
am Himmel hinzieh’n
So rauschet die Liebe
und fähret dahin.
Es rauschen die Wasser,
die Wolken zergeh’n;
Doch bleiben die Sterne,
sie wandeln und gehn.
So auch mit der Liebe,
der treuen, geschicht,
Sie wegt sich, sie regt sich
und ändert sich nicht.
Vergebliches Ständchen Vain Serenade
anonymous; translation by Richard Stokes
Er: Guten Abend, mein Schatz,
Guten Abend, mein Kind!
Ich komm’ aus Lieb’ zu dir,
Ach, mach’ mir auf die Tür,
Mach’ mir auf die Tür!
Sie: Mein’ Tür ist verschlossen,
Ich lass’ dich nicht ein;
Mutter, die rät’ mir klug,
Wär’st du herein mit Fug,
Wär’s mit mir vorbei!
Er: So kalt ist die Nacht,
So eisig der Wind,
Dass mir das Herz erfriert,
Mein’ Lieb’ erlöschen wird;
Öffne mir, mein Kind!
Sie: Löschet dein’ Lieb’;
Lass’ sie löschen nur!
Löschet sie immerzu,
Geh’ heim zu Bett, zur Ruh’!
Gute Nacht, mein Knab’!
He: Good evening, my sweetheart,
good evening, my child!
I come because I love you;
ah! open up your door to me,
open up your door!
She: My door’s locked,
I won’t let you in;
mother gave me good advice—
if you were allowed in,
all would be over with me!
He: The night’s so cold,
the wind’s so icy,
my heart is freezing,
my love will go out;
open up, my child!
She: If your love goes out,
then let it go out!
If it keeps going out,
then go home to bed and go to sleep!
Goodnight, my lad!
About the Artists
Sylvia Leith
Praised for her “plangent mezzo-soprano” (Washington Classical Review), Sylvia Leith is a versatile performer whose repertoire spans from the medieval to the contemporary. Her recent solo appearances include Elgar’s Sea Pictures with Washington Young Sinfonia, Helena in A Fairy Queen with the IN Series, and Messiah at Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church. Highlights from her opera career include the title role in Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto, Nerone in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea, Nancy in Britten’s Albert Herring, Endimione in Cavalli’s La Calisto, and Hänsel in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel. A regional finalist in the 2019 NATS Artist Awards, Sylvia is one of ten singers to advance to the finals of the 2021 Bethlehem Bach Competition. Equally dedicated to chamber and choral singing, Sylvia is a founding member of the Uncommon Music Festival and the Polyphonists, and she performs with the Thirteen, Cathedra, Bridge, and the professional core of Washington Master Chorale. sylvialeith.com
Edmund Milly
Bass-Baritone Edmund Milly is sought after for his “perfect diction” (Los Angeles Times), distinctive “delicacy and personal warmth” (Boston Classical Review), and “rich and resonant” sound (KC Metropolis). Increasingly in demand as a soloist, he has recently performed with the Folger Consort, BaRock Band, Bach Akademie Charlotte, Spire Chamber Ensemble, the Oregon Bach Festival, and the American Classical Orchestra, and has also been heard internationally on BBC and CBC. Equally devoted to ensemble singing at the highest level, Edmund can be heard on GRAMMY-nominated recordings with the Choir of Trinity Wall Street and Clarion Choir, and is a founding member of new vocal quartet the Polyphonists. Performance highlights include solos at the White House, backup vocals for Madonna at the Met Gala and for 50 Cent at Radio City, and a staged production with the Mark Morris Dance Group. Mr. Milly is a graduate of the American Boychoir School, McGill University, and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. edmundmilly.com
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