Program Notes & Translations

Priez pour Paix Pray for Peace

Priez pour paix Doulce Vierge Marie
Reyne des cieulx et du monde maîtresse
Faictes prier par vostre courtoisie
Saints et Saintes et prenez vostre adresse
Vers vostre Fils Requerant sa haultesse
Qu'il Lui plaise son peuple regarder
Que de son sang a voulu racheter
En déboutant guerre qui tout desvoye
De prières ne vous vueillez lasser
Priez pour paix, priez pour paix
Le vray trésor de joye.
Pray for peace, sweet Virgin Mary,
Queen of Heaven and mistress of the world.
In your courtesy, have
the saints pray too,
and address your Son,
begging His Highness to deign to look on His people,
whom He redeemed with His blood,
and to banish war which destroys all.
Do not weary of our prayers.
Pray for peace, pray for peace,
the true treasure of joy.

Translation © 2001 by Faith J. Cormier from the

LiederNet Archive -- http://www.lieder.net/

La grenouillère The Froggery

Au bord de l'île on voit By the shore of the island one sees

Les canots vides qui s'entre-cognent,
Et maintenant
Ni le dimanche, ni les jours de la semaine,
Ni les peintres ni Maupassant ne se promènent
Bras nus sur leurs canots avec des femmes à
grosses poitrines
Et bêtes comme chou.
Petits bateaux vous me faites bien de la peine
Au bord de l'île.
The empty boats which bump against each other,
And now
Neither on Sundays, nor on weekdays,
Neither painters nor Maupassant go walking
With bare arms on their boats with women of full
bosom
And stupid like cabbage.
Little boats, you make me very sorrowful
By the shore of the island.

Translation © 2007 by Derek Welton from the

LiederNet Archive -- http://www.lieder.net/

Francis Poulenc (1899 – 1963) was a French composer known mostly for his mélodies and piano works. By the
time he was eighteen, both of his parents had passed, and his piano teacher, Ricardo Vines, had become his mentor.
Poulenc became part of the famous group of young French composers, called Les Six. Some of his famous works include
the opera Dialogues des Carmélites, and the piano suite Trois mouvements perpétuels. The songs “Priez pour Paix” and
“La grenouillère” were both written around the same time in 1938. “Priez pour Paix” derived off a poem by Charles, the
Duke of Orleans, most likely written during his time as a prisoner of war during the Hundred Years’ War. The poem is
translated “Pray for Peace” and is a prayer to the Virgin Mary. This song was clearly written in the time of conflict leading
up to World War II, primarily the Munich Agreement. “La grenouillère” is from a poem by Apollinaire. Both songs were
written to feature only piano and vocal, but show off just a bit of the talent Poulenc had for piano.
The Vagabond
Give to me the life I love, Let
the lave go by me, Give the jolly
heaven above, And the byway
nigh me. Bed in the bush with
stars to see, Bread I dip in the
river – There’s the life for a man
like me, There’s the life for ever.
Let the blow fall soon or late,
Let what will be o’er me; Give
the face of earth around, And the
road before me. Wealth I seek
not, hope nor love, Nor a friend
to know me; All I seek, the
heaven above, And the road
below me.
Or let autumn fall on me Where
afield I linger, Silencing the bird
on tree, Biting the blue finger.
White as meal the frosty field –
Warm the fireside haven – Not
to autumn will I yield, Not to
winter even!
Whither Must I Wander?
Home no more home to me, whither
must I wander? Hunger my driver, I go
where I must. Cold blows the winter
wind over hill and heather: Thick
drives the rain and my roof is in the
dust. Loved of wise men was the shade
of my roof-tree. The true word of
welcome was spoken in the door. Dear
days of old with the faces in the
firelight. Kind folks of old, you come
again no more.
Home was home then, my dear, full of
kindly faces Home was home then, my
dear, happy for the child. Fire and the
windows bright glittered on the
moorland; Song, tuneful song, built a
palace in the wild. Now when day
dawns on the brow of the moorland.
Lone stands the house, and the
chimney stone is cold. Lone let it stand,
now the friends are all departed. The
kind hearts, the true hearts, that loved
that place of old.
Bright is the Ring of
Words
Bright is the ring of words
When the right man rings
them, Fair the fall of songs
When the singer sings them.
Still they are carolled and
said– On wings they are
carried– After the singer is
dead And the maker buried.
Low as the singer lies In the
field of heather, Songs of his
fashion bring The swains
together.
And when the west is red
With the sunset embers, The
lover lingers and sings And
the maid remembers.

Let the blow fall soon or late,
Let what will be o’er me; Give
the face of earth around, And the
road before me. Wealth I ask
not, hope nor love, Nor a friend
to know me; All I ask, the
heaven above, And the road
below me.
Spring shall come, come again, calling
up the moorfowl. Spring shall bring the
sun and the rain, bring the bees and
flowers; Red shall the heather bloom
over hill and valley. Soft flow the
stream through the even-flowing hours.
Fair the day shine as it shone on my
childhood. Fair shine the day on the
house with open door. Birds come and
cry there and twitter in the chimney.
But I go for ever and come again no
more.

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958) was an English composer known for traditional English folk songs and
music influenced by the Tudor era. He had his beginnings in music as a student at the Royal College of Music and Trinity
College. In the middle of his music career, Vaughan Williams volunteered to serve in World War I with the Royal Army
Medical Corps. In a career spanning over 50 years, some of his most popular works are The Lark Ascending and Fantasia
on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. “The Vagabond”, “Bright is the Ring of Words”, and “Whither Must I Wander” are all part
of the song cycle, Songs of Travel. A song cycle is a group, or cycle, of individually complete songs designed to be
performed in a sequence as a unit, because they tell a story and relate thematically. The cycle sets a variety of poems from
the work Songs of travel and Other Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson (writer of Treasure Planet and Strange Case of Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). The cycle follows one man, the traveler, on his voyage through life. The constant battle throughout
his journey is whether to settle down for the sake of love, or to remain in solitude for the sake of adventure. He chooses
the later, and the cycle continues until “Whither Must I Wander”, where the traveler reflects on his life, as here nears ever
closer to death. The song cycle concludes with “I Have Trod the Upward and Downward Slope”, with the opening chords
of “The Vagabond” ending the song.
Mache dich, mein Herze, rein Make thyself clean, my heart

Mache dich, mein Herze, rein, Ich will Jesum Make thyself clean, my heart, I will myself
selbst begraben. Denn er soll nunmehr in mir Fur entomb Jesus. For he shall henceforth in me For
und fur Seine sufle Ruhe haben. Welt, geh aus, ever and ever Take his sweet rest. World, begone,
lafl Jesum ein! let Jesus in!

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) was a German composer considered by some the greatest composer of the
Baroque era. He was known for his instrumental compositions as well as vocal works, with some of his music being
heavily influenced by his Lutheran faith. He came from a family with much musical talent, with many of his family
members holding posts as church organists and composers. His famous works include The Well-Tempered Clavier, the
Brandenburg Concertos, and the St. Matthew Passion. The St. Matthew Passion was a Lutheran setting of the last days of
the life of Jesus. The importance of being a Lutheran setting means that the work was written in the vernacular German,
instead of the alternative of Latin. The song is an aria, a solo piece in opera, for bass. It features a de capo, which is when
the song returns to the beginning after the first time through. The St. Matthew Passion is also an Oratorio, which in this
instance is a narrative on a religious theme. This song is in the perspective of Joseph of Arimathea, directly after the death
of Jesus on the cross, laying him in the tomb.
Die Taubenpost The Pigeon Post

Ich hab' eine Brieftaub' in meinem Sold, In my pay I have a carrier-pigeon

Die ist gar ergeben und treu, Who is utterly loyal and true.
Sie nimmt mir nie das Ziel zu kurz, She never stops too short of her goal,
Und fliegt auch nie vorbei. Nor ever flies too far.

Ich sende sie vieltausendmal A thousand times I send her out

Auf Kundschaft täglich hinaus, To gather everyday information,
Vorbei an manchem lieben Ort, Past many of my favorite places
Bis zu der Liebsten Haus. To my beloved's house.

Dort schaut sie zum Fenster heimlich hinein, There she peeps in secretly at the window,
Belauscht ihren Blick und Schritt, Eavesdropping on every look and step;
Gibt meine Grüße scherzend ab Banteringly she conveys my greetings
Und nimmt die ihren mit. And brings my beloved's back to me.

Kein Briefchen brauch' ich zu schreiben mehr, I don't even need to write a note any longer;
Die Thräne selbst geb' ich ihr: Tears alone I give her.
O sie verträgt sie sicher nicht, Oh, she hardly tolerates those,
Gar eifrig dient sie mir. So fervently does she serve me.

Bei Tag, bei Nacht, im Wachen und Traum, By day, by night, awake or in a dream,
Ihr gilt das alles gleich: It is all the same to her:
Wenn sie nur wandern, wandern kann, Only when she is in flight, and can be in flight,
Dann ist sie überreich! Then she is happy!

Sie wird nicht müd, sie wird nicht matt, She never grows tired, she never feels dull,
Der Weg ist stets ihr neu; The way always feels new to her;
Sie braucht nicht Lockung, braucht nicht Lohn, She needs no enticement, needs no reward,
Die Taub' ist so mir treu! So true to me is this pigeon!

Drum heg' ich sie auch so treu an der Brust, And so I cherish her so truly in my heart,
Versichert des schönsten Gewinns; Assured of the fairest prize;
Sie heißt - die Sehnsucht! Kennt ihr sie? - Her name is -- Longing! Do you know her? --
Die Botin treuen Sinns. The messenger of a devoted heart.

Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,

from the LiederNet Archive -- http://www.lieder.net/

Franz Schubert (1797 – 1828) was an Austrian composer who composed between the Classical and Romantic
eras, and was mainly known for his Lieder, which are German art songs for voice and piano, and Chamber music. Initially
training under his father, he received a scholarship to sing with the Stadtkonvikt, Imperial Seminary, and continued his
training there. He was writing his first compositions around the age of 15. Some of his most famous works include the
song cycles Die Schone Mullerin and Winterreise (Winter Journey). The songs “Der Doppelganger” and “Die Taubenpost”
are the final two songs from a collection called Schwanengesang, which translates to Swan Song. The collection is not a
real song cycle, but instead consists of two sets and a separate song that was published as a collection. The reason for this
is that these songs were among the last compositions before his untimely death at the age of 31 from typhoid fever
(syphilis). The collection was set to be his final musical statement in his life. The final two songs have very contrasting
stories. “Der Doppelganger” is about a man who sees himself from long ago, grieving at the house belonging to his former
beloved. In a complete change of tone, “Die Taubenpost” is about a man's appreciation for his carrier pigeon, who carries
letters to his beloved for him.
Là ci darem la mano There you will give me your hand

DON GIOVANNI: DON GIOVANNI:

Là ci darem la mano, There you will give me your hand,
là mi dirai di sì. there you will tell me "yes".
Vedi, non è lontano; You see, it is not far;
partiam, ben mio, da qui. Let us leave, my beloved.
ZERLINA: ZERLINA:
Vorrei e non vorrei; I'd like to, but yet I would not.
mi trema un poco il cor. My heart trembles a little.
Felice, è ver sarei, It's true I would be happy,
ma può burlarmi ancor. but he may just be tricking me.
G: Vieni, mio bel diletto! G: Come, my dearly beloved!
Z: Mi fa pietà Masetto! Z: I'm sorry for Masetto.
G: Io cangierò tua sorte! G: I will change your life!
Z: Presto, non son più forte! Z: Soon I won't be able to resist.
G: Vieni! Vieni! G: Come! Come!
Là ci darem la mano! There you will give me your hand.
Z: Vorrei, e non vorrei! Z: I'd like to, but yet I would not.
G: Là mi dirai di sì. G: There you will tell me "yes".
Z: Mi trema un poco il cor! Z: My heart trembles a little.
G: Partiam, mio ben, da qui! G: Let us leave, my beloved.
Z: Ma può burlarmi ancor! Z: But he may just be tricking me.
G: Vieni, mio bel diletto! G: Come, my dearly beloved!
Z: Mi fa pietà Masetto! Z: I'm sorry for Masetto.
G: Io cangierò tua sorte. G: I will change your life.
Z: Presto, non son più forte! Z: Soon I won't be able to resist.
G: Andiam! Andiam! G: Let us go!
Z: Andiam! Z: Let us go!
G & Z: G & Z:
Andiam, andiam, mio bene, Let us go, let us go, my beloved,
a ristorar le pene to soothe the pangs
d'un innocente amor! of an innocent love!

© Translated by Dmitry Murashev

Reproduced with express permission
from http://www.murashev.com/opera/

The opera that this duet is taken from, Don Giovanni, was premiered in Austria with a setting in Spain, but it was
written by a composer who spoke German (Mozart), but wrote the opera in Italian. The opera is based off of the story of
Don Juan and centers on Don Giovanni, a womanizer and flirt. We learn in a scene before this one that he has been with
91 women in Turkey, 100 in France, 231 in Germany, 640 in Italy, and 1,003 in Spain, where the opera is set. Immediately
preceding this song, there is a scene in which newlyweds Zerlina and Masetto are processing through the countryside and
Don Giovanni offers to host a wedding celebration for them (since he is smitten on Zerlina). Don Giovanni and Zerlina
are caught alone at the wedding celebration and he attempts to seduce her with this song. Luckily, one of the other main
characters, Donna Elvira, catches them and thwarts Giovanni’s plans in the recitative (musical narrative) that follows “Là
ci darem la mano.”