Senior Recital - Bailie Queen, soprano

Program Notes, Texts, and Translations

Nehmt meinen Dank, K383 (1782) [anon.] Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

(1756–1791)
"Nehmt meinen Dank" is a concert aria written toward the end of Mozart's life, but it is
one of Mozart's first vocal works to be written in German. Although many believe the
piece was written for a benefit concert for his love, Aloisia Lange, very little is known
about the text, and few clues are given about what it means. No one knows who the
author is or its source. All that is known about the piece is that the female narrator is
thanking her patrons for their help and generosity; she assures them that she will never
forget their kindness and states that her heart belongs to them forever. The
accompaniment is somewhat simple and was originally scored for a small chamber
orchestra with strings playing pizzicato. This is a wonderful piece with which I would
like to say goodbye to friends and tell them how much they meant to me as an artist.

Nehmt meinen Dank Thank you, My Friends

Nehmt meinen Dank ihr holden Gonner! Thank you my friends, I sing it proudly,
So feurig, als mein Herz ihn spricht, as ardent thanks as heart can speak;
euch laut zu sagen, können Männer, a man may sing your praises loudly,
ich, nur ein Weib, vermag es nicht. but woman's voice is duly meek.
Doch glaubt, ich werd' in meinem Leben, Believe my memory will keep you ever,
niemals vergessen eure Huld; cherished for kindness shown a friend;
blieb' ich, so wäre mein Bestreben, staying, I would have made it my endeavor,
sie zu verdienen, doch Geduld! to serve you gladly till the end!

Von Anbeginn war stetes Wandern Since time began, the Fates decided
der Musen und der Künstler Los; that artists consistently must roam,
mir geht es so wie allen Andern, and so with me, by Muses guided,
fort aus des Vaterlandes Schoss I leave my fatherland and home.
sch' ich mich von dem Schicksal leiten. My destiny has thus decreed it.
Doch glaubt es mir, in jedem Reich, But oh! In every land that calls and lures,
wohin ich geh', zu allen Zeiten where’re I go, I shall concede it,
bleibt immerdar mein Herz bei euch. You hold me, for my heart is yours.

Poetic Translation by Lorraine Noel Finley 

Schlafendes Jesuskind Hugo Wolf
from Mörike-Lieder (1888) [Mörike] (1860–1903)
Wiegenlied, Op. 49, No. 4 (1868) [Simrock] Johannes Brahms
(1833–1897)
Wiegenlied, D498 (1816) [anon.] Franz Schubert
(1797–1828)
"Schlafendes Jesuskind" is a meditation on a painting of the Christ child by Francesco
Albani. The piano begins very quietly with simple, hymn-like chords that rise and fall,
resembling an opening prayer. The singer enters with a solemn phrase that continues until
the end of the piece, where Wolf has the singer repeat the first line of the poem as quietly
as one can sing, while the piano is required to play even softer. The image of the Christ
child immediately precedes that of a mother singing her child to sleep. Next, is Brahms'
original version of his famous lullaby. The accompaniment is simple, with an ostinato
pattern in the left hand, and the right syncopates itself against the left throughout the
piece. Brahms’ song is strophic, with only two verses, and the vocal line is soothing and
lyrical. Schubert's "Wiegenlied" is a completely different poem in which the mother is
singing to her dead son. It has a sweet vocal line above a continued pattern of eighth
notes, which gives the appearance of the mother trying to hold her composure through
everything that has occurred. One could look at this group of songs as Mary singing to
Jesus in every stage of his life: His infancy, childhood, and death as she watches him die.
Schlafendes Jesuskind The Sleeping Christ Child
Sohn der Jungfrau, Himmelskind! Virgin's son, Child of Heaven, on the floor
am Boden Auf dem Holz der Schmerzen eingeschlafen, on the wood of agony sleeping,
das der fromme Meister, sinnvoll spielend, that, suggestively, the pious master
Deinen leichten Träumen unterlegte; has set beneath your easy dreams;
Blume du, noch in der Knospe dämmernd thou flower, still gleaming in the bud,
Eingehüllt, die Herrlichkeit des Vaters! the glory of the father!
O wer sehen könnte, welche Bilder Oh, to see the picture being painted
Hinter dieser Stirne, deisen schwarzen behind that forehead, those dark
Wimpern sich in sanftem Wechsel malen! lashes, gently, one upon the other!

Wiegenlied Cradle Song

Guten Abend, gut Nacht, Good night, good night,
Mit Rosen bedacht, with roses to roof you,
Mit Näglein besteckt, carnations to adorn you,
Schlupf unter die Deck: slip under your quilt:
Morgen früh, wenn Gott will, by morning, if God wills,
Wirst du weider geweckt. you'll be woken again.

Guten Abend, gut Nacht, Good night, good night,

Von Englein bewacht, with angels to keep watch,
Die zeigen im Traum they'll show you in dreams
Dir Christkindleins Baum: the Christ-child's tree:
Schlaf nun selig und süß, Sleep now happy and sweet,
Schau im Traum's Paradies. see Heaven in your dreams.
Wiegenlied Cradle Song
Schlafe, schlafe, holder, süßer Knabe, Sleep, sleep, dear, sweet boy,
Leise wiegt dich deiner Mutter Hand; softly rocked by your mother's hand;
Sanfte Ruhe, milde Labe gentle rest, mild comfort
Bringt dir schwebend dieses Wiegenband. brings to you this swaying cradle-strap.

Schlafe, schlafe in dem süßen Grabe, Sleep, sleep in the sweet grave,
Noch beschützt dich deiner Mutter Arm, your mother's arm still protects you,
All Wünsche, alle Habe all her wishes, all her worldly goods
Faßt sie liebend, all liebewarm. she holds lovingly, filled with the warmth of love.

Schlafe, schlafe in der Flaumen Schoße, Sleep, sleep in the downy womb,
Noch umtönt dich lauter Liebeston, around you still rings love's pure tones,
Eine Lilie, eine Rose, a lily, a rose,
Nach dem Schlafe werd' sie dir zum Lohn. will be your reward after your sleep.

Translations for the Wolf and Brahms are by George Bird and Richard Stokes
Translation for the Schubert is by Beaumont Glass
Havfruens Sange (1857) [Ingemann] Peter Heise
I. Havfruen synger til Sigurd (1830–1879)
III. Havfruen bringer Sigurd et skærf
IV. Havfruends fortvivlelse
V. Den befriede havfrue
Peter Heise is one of the most well-known Danish composers from the late 19th century.
His style was influenced by German Romantic music, especially Schumann. Havfruens
Sange (The Mermaid's Songs) is a collection of five pieces, all in strophic form, with
folk-like melodies that have a more limited range than many of Schumann’s art songs.
The story is of a mermaid, or Havfruen, who, in the first piece, sees a human, named
Sigurd, and falls in love with him. She then wants to become human also. The mermaid
in the second piece tries to befriend Sigurd, telling him to not fear her. In the third piece,
Sigurd has left, and she feels despair because her longing to be human will never occur.
During the final piece, the mermaid's dream has become true. She is human, and she
sings of how one day all people's dreams will come true. These songs feature themes of
longing and romance and are much like the plot of Disney's The Little Mermaid. They are
beautifully set by Heise and a wonderful example of the Danish art song tradition.

I. Havfruen synger til Sigurd I. The Mermaid Sings for Sigurd

Jeg kunde mig glæde som Like you I could enjoy

du over livet på jorden, life on earth,
jeg kunne lyksalig dens blomster betræde, blissfully I could tread on flowers,
ak! Hvis jeg din søster var vorden; if only I had become your sister;
nu svømmer jeg ensom fra kyst og til kyst lonely I swim from coast to coast
og gemmer dit billed i trofaste bryst. faithfully bearing your face in my heart.

Jeg så dig dernede, I saw you down there,

Jeg hørte din livsglade stemme, I heard your joyful voice
min fred er forsvunden; men ikke min glæde, my peace is gone but my joy,
og nu skal jeg aldrig dig glemme: now I'll never forget you:
Du gav mig din strengeleg, gylden og skøn, you gave me a touch of your strings, golden and fine,
ved den skal jeg synge og klage i løn. to its tune I shall secretly sing and lament.

Kun du skal det høre i natten, You alone shall hear it in the night
når havet er stille, when the sea is at peace,
når svævende smævende småskyer måanen omsløre, when small clouds glide to embrace the moon,
når stjerner på havfladen spille. when stars play on the face of sea.
Og har end dit billed mig røvet min ro, Though your picture has bereaved me my rest,
jeg danser på bølgen dog, når du er fro. I'll dance on the waves in the time you are glad.
III. Havfruen bringer Sigurd et skærft III. The Mermaid Brings Sigurd a Sash

Frygt ej din veninde på havsens bund! Fear not your friend at the bottom of the sea,
For jord og himmel hun ej vil forblinde She won't blind for heaven and earth,
dit øje i midnattens stund. your eyes in the midnight hour.

Hun vil dig kun bringe et venskabspant, She only wants to bring you her friendship’s pledge,
med det skal du fro over valen dig svinge: with it you shall gladly on the battlefield win:
til livet din stjerne dig bandt. your star has linked you to life.

IV. Havfruens fortvivlelse IV. The Mermaid's Despair

Far hen, mit håb! Far evig hen! Die away, my hope, die away forever!
Han kommer ej mer tilbage; He will never return again;
forglemt mig haver min hjertensven, my heart's friend has forgotten me,
vil aldrig fra dybet mig drage. he will never draw me up from the bottom of the sea.
Far hen, mit håb! Far evig hen! Die away, my hope, die away forever!

Synk dybt, synk dybt! Usalige mø! Sink deep, sink deep! Unfortunate maid!
Forskertset er himmelens rige, Forfeited is the Kingdom of Heaven,
som havskummet skal du smelte og dø- you'll die as the foam of the sea,
skal aldrig til livet opstige. you'll never ascend to life.
Synk dybt, synk dybt! Usalige mø! Sink deep, sink deep, unfortunate maid!

V. Den befriede havfrue V. The Liberated Mermaid

Mit liv var en længsel, jeg selv ej forstod, My life was a longing I did not understand,
en hemmelig trængsel, et savn uden bod, a secret trouble, an unrememdied need,
et suk efter frihed i havdybets fængsel, a longing for freedom from deep-sea dungeon,
en drøm kun om livet med evige rod. a dream but of life everlasting.

Det liv er opdukket af længslernes strøm! That life has arisen from the stream of longing!
Hen smeltet er sukket! Opfyldt er min drøm: Died away has the sigh! My dream has come true:
For mig er nu også den himmel oplukket, For me, too, heaven lies open,
som spejled sin evige glans i min strøm. whose eternal glory was mirrored in my stream.

En dag skal husvale alskabningens ve! One day all creatures’ pain will be soothed!
Den stumme skal tale, den blinde skal se: The dumb will speak out, and the blind shall see:
Når sjælen opvågner, som drømmer i dvale, when the soul awakes that lies in a dream,
det saligste kærligheds under vil ske! most blissful love's marvel will be!

Translations by Karl Heinz Westarp

Art Is Calling for Me Victor Herbert
from The Enchantress (1911) [Harry B. Smith] (1859–1924)
Victor Herbert, whom most people know for his operetta, Babes in Toyland, wrote very
few well-known operettas. The Enchantress is even less known and rarely performed.
"Art is Calling for Me" is one of the few pieces from the show that people still perform.
The story of The Enchantress has to do with a young prince named Prince Ivan, who
governs the country, Zergovia. The minister of war, Ozir, persuades the prima donna
Vivien Savary to seduce the Prince; because, if he marries a commoner, he must give up
the throne, leaving Ozir to govern the country. Vivien succeeds, but she falls in love with
Ivan. She forces Ozir to give her the abdication papers, which she destroys. A timely
discovery that Vivien has royal blood solves any remaining problems. Throughout the
show, several smaller characters come to life. Many of these are princess who wish to
become the "Prima Donna." They sing of Nellie Melba and Luisa Tetrazzini, famous
opera singers of the day, saying how they could be better than they were. One of the
princesses, named Stellina, sings the show stopping, "Art is Calling for Me."

The Lorelei George Gershwin

from Pardon My English (1933) [Ira Gershwin] (1898–1937)
When George Gershwin teamed up with his older brother Ira Gershwin in 1924, "the
Gershwins" became Broadway’s favorite songwriters. Together, they created some of the
most successful musical comedies of all time. Although Pardon My English is not one of
the Gershwin's most well known shows, it has many charming songs. The plot takes
place in Germany during a time when the government has banned the sale of all non-
alcoholic beverages in order to promote the sale of beer and wine. Golo Schmidt opens a
club in retaliation where patrons can buy non-alcoholic drinks. "The Lorelei" is the
second song in the show and is sung by Gita Gobel, Golo's sweetheart, in Golo's bar as
the main act. The show is probably a reaction to the American Prohibition. The singer
tells the audience how much she wants to be like the Lorelei, who charmed all the sailors
in the Rhine back during "the days of Knights in armor." The fable of the Lorelei is this:
Lorelei is the name of the beautiful maiden who lived in the Rhine river in Germany. She
lives in the most narrow and dangerous part of the river that is surrounded by a huge cliff
that happens also to be called "The Lorelei." She lures sailors to this dangerous area to
their deaths by singing, much like the Greek Sirens did; however, she looks like the
modern day mermaid. This is one of my favorite pieces by the Gershwins.
Hola Lola Zina Goldrich
from Dear Edwina (2008) [Heisler] (b. 1964)
Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler are probably most well known for their song "Taylor
the Latte Boy," but they have also created many other songs and short one-act musicals,
such as Dear Edwina, which is a one-hour musical for kids. It concerns a young 13-year-
old girl named Edwina Spoonapple, whose special talent is giving advice to others. Her
dream is to be a part of the Kalamazoo “Advice-a-Palooza” Festival. A talent scout visits
her hometown of Paw Paw, Michigan to find people to take part in the Festival. Edwina
and her friends decide to put on a musical show in her garage answering letters from
other children who write to her with their problems, such as money issues and making
friends. The show recently closed after a long run off-Broadway last April. "Hola Lola,"
one of the catchiest pieces from the show, is a fun piece that incorporates syncopated
rhythms and Spanish and Hawaiian influences. The lesson this song gives is that anyone
can make friends if they just say, "Hello."