What I am listening to and who is singing it

 While drinking peppermint tea, sneezing, and watching Spongebob... I compiled this list...

All purchased on iTunes:

Widmung-  Eileen Mager from Songs of Life
 O Del Mio Dolce Ardor- Anne Sofie Von Otter from Opera Arias: Gluck Hayden, & Mozart
Nobody Knows This Little Rose-  Carole Bogard from A Collection of American Songs
Aus meinen grossen Schmerzen- Mitsuko Shirai & Hartmut Holl from Franz, R.: Lieder
Reward-  Suzi More with Angela Manso from Suzi More sings Songs of John Jacob Niles
 Le Nozze Di Figaro (The Marriage Of Figaro) - Act 1: Non So Piu Cosa Son- Erich Kleiber, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Cesare Siepi & Lisa Della Casa from Mozart's Best Operas
 

Untitled #25

This is great! I can hear the music in my head!!! haha!! more often than not, this would seem to be a statement of insanity...but in this case, it is a good sign:)  I know that my listening and score study has paid off and I am learning this music well.  I only hope that I can sing/perform it just as successfully.  It feels good.  I feel pretty confident.  Ive been listening to this songs on iTunes, playing them on the piano, and speaking them in time with the accompaniment.  I think I almost have Widmung to a near memorization.  I'm pretty sure its the whole song I'm hearing in my head.

Untitled #24

These past two weeks I've been learning the words and pronunciations to O Del Mio Dolce Ardor and Widmung.  Most of my time has been spent listening to the songs on iTunes and reading along with the text.  Despite the fact that my singing is not entirely possible right now, I'll have my words possibly memorized to both songs hopefully by Monday...or at least one of them.  Most likely O Del Mio Dolce Ardor.  That one is the one I am most familiar with.

Heinrich Heine (poet/librettist)

Heinrich Heine was born in 1797 and lived at a time of major social and political changes. The French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars deeply influenced society and Heine's poetry.  Heine was also of Jewish background but later converted to Protestantism.  As a young man, he encouraged to pursue a commercial career.  When it was met with failure, Heine studied law at the universities of Bonn, Berlin and Göttingen, but was more interested in literature.  He eventually took a degree in 1825.  Heine's early works show the influence of folk poetry, but his contrariness separated him from the Romantic mainstream. His writing was always easy-going, and his observations were meticulously composed.

Robert Franz (Composer)

Robert Franz was born June 28, 1815 in Halle, Germany.  He was one of the most gifted of German song writers.  As a child, his parents blatantly disproved of his desire to pursue a musical career.  A the age of twenty, he began his formal music studies of the Organ.  Later in life, he filled various public offices, including those of organist to the city, conductor of the Sing-Akademie and of the Symphony concerts, and he was also a royal music-director and master of the music at the university.  In 1841, he became deaf and developed a nervous disorder, which forced him to resign from his duties to the community.  

Robert Schumann (Composer)

Robert Schumann was born June 8, 1810.   As a child, Robert grew up in a home rich with culture, literature, and music. At the age of seven, he claims to have composed his first musical piece.  By the time he turned fourteen he wrote an essay on the aesthetics of music and also contributed to a volume edited by his father entitled Portraits of Famous Men.  Schumann studied music and law while attending school.  In 1839, Robert married piano virtuoso, Clara Wieck.  Together they composed some of the greatest literature of their time.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer/Librettist/Poet)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born 1756 to a very musically inclined Austrian family.  Many would consider Mozart a child prodigy.  It is said that at the age of four, he could learn a piece of music in a half hour.  He composed his first symphony at the age of eight and spent most of his early years touring with his mother and father.  Mozart became one of the first musicians in history to embark upon a free-lance career, without benefit of church, court, or a rich patron.  Many odds were against him, but his undisputed masterworks in virtually every musical genre of his age proved his success.  Despite his greatness, he was also known for his mismanagement of money, tactlessness, impulsiveness, and childish behavior at times.

Friedrich Ruckert (poet/librettist)

Friedrich Ruckert (1788-1866)

Ruckert was a prominent German poet. His works were inspiration for many famous composers including: Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Strauss, Mahler, Hindemith, Berg, Bartók, and Wolf. He was also a master of over thirty different languages and worked as a translator. Later on he was appointed professor of Oriental languages at the University of Erlangen. He had a large output of poetry which was most notable for its neat workmanship in various verse forms than for vision or originality.

Christoph Willibald von Gluck (Composer)

Christoph Willibald von Gluck was a revolutionary Opera composer for his time.  He was born in 1714 and died in 1787.  His life was a true rags to riches story.  As a child, he grew up in a lower class family who served as game keepers under Prince Lobkowitz.  This is not to say however that he did not receive an education, in fact, the Prince helped fund his early schooling.  As a young man, Christoph furthered his education in Prague.  When he returned the Prince helped him become a well-known composer/musician by getting him gigs with the best families in Austria.  From there, Christoph's hard work began to pay off.  He wrote many beautiful French and Italian Operas during his time and they are still enjoyed today.

Theodore Baker

Theodore Baker was an American musicologist.  He was a New York native born on June 3, 1851.  Although he was an American citizen, he preferred to travel to Germany to the University of Leipzig to get his education.  After he received his Doctorate, Baker returned to the United States and got a job working for G. Schirmer Publishing as the literary editor.  Throughout his career he wrote several dissertations and articles about music.  After he retired, he returned to Germany and died in Dresden in 1934.

William Roy (Composer)

William Roy was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1928. His musical career began at the young age of three. He sang on a weekly children's radio program. When old enough to read he became a regular on "The Lone Ranger" and "The Green Hornet," which at that time were both broadcast from Detroit.  As a young adult, he was educated at the Hollywood Professional School and studied music with Arthur Laage, Joseph Achron, Eada Rubinstein, and Rina Larson.  His musical career involved writing tunes and revues for night clubs.  He was well known in the Cabaret and Broadway scene.

Emily Dickinson (poet)

Emily Dickinson was born into a well-known middle class family in Amherst Massachusetts.  A reoccurring theme in many of Dickinson's poems is the subject of death.  It is said that the untimely deaths of several close friends and family members traumatized her deeply.  To the locals she was considered eccentric.  She was known for her for obsession with white clothing and her reluctance to greet guests or even leave her room. Most of her friendships were carried out by correspondence. Dickinson's poems were ahead of her time in many ways.  Typically they contained short lines, lacked titles, and often used slant rhyme, as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation.  Dickinson was also very humble about her work.  Most of her writing was kept private and wasn't discovered until after her death.

John Jacob Niles (Poet/Librettist/Composer)

John Jacob Niles was a collector of traditional ballads and folk songs.  He was born April 28, 1892 and died March 1, 1980.  This southern born composer was a huge advocate for the American Folk Music Revival in the 50's and 60's.   He served in the U.S Army Air Corps during World War I and studied music in France.  Later, he returned to the U.S. to finish his degree at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. During the early part of his career, Niles sang opera and folk music over the radio and toured with Contralto, Marion Kerby.  Later in his career, he published music both Folk and Classical.

Aus meinen großen Schmerzen ( Out of My Great Pain) by Robert Franz

Lyrics and Translation: 

Aus meinen großen Schmerzen

Out of my great pain

Mach' ich die kleinen Lieder;

I fashion little songs;

Die heben ihr klingend Gefieder

they lift their vibrant feathers

Und flattern nach ihrem Herzen.

ans flutter toward her heart.

Sie fanden den Weg zur Trauten,

They found the way to the beloved,

Doch kommen sie wieder und klagen,

yet they come again and complain,

Und klagen, und wollen nicht sagen,

and complain, and will not say

Was sie im Herzen schauten.

what they saw in her heart.

Character Study:

I.  Before

1.  The events that have occurred prior to this song that have led me to this point are that

I have told the one I love about my feelings for her and I have not gotten a response.

2.  My feelings just before the song begins are that I am sad that she does not return my love

and that she says nothing in response about her feelings at all.

II.  During

1.  I am a lover.

2.  I am a young male musician.  I am passionate but full of sadness because of my rejection.

3.  The other characters involved are the "songs" that are personified as birds and my lover,

the lady who I love.

4.  The songs are the little bird creations inspired by the musician. They do the musicians

bidding and relay the musicians feelings like little love notes.  Like the musician, their

feelings are hurt when they are rejected by the musicians lady.  The lady,my lover, is a cold

woman who simply is not interested in this musician.

5.  I am sitting alone in my room.  I am writing another song about my feelings for my lover.

I am preparing to send another "messenger pigeon". 

6.  I am singing to my lady.

7.  This person is not with me now.

8.  I am saying this because I want to know how to find my way to this woman's heart and despite

my attempts, she will not let me in.

9.  My feelings throughout this song are that I am sad that she does not return my love and

hoping that she will see my sad state in this song and pay a little attention to me.

10.  N/A

III.  After

1.  My thoughts and feelings as the song ends are that I hope that this little "messenger pigeon"

or song finds it's way to her heart.

2.  The events that will happen as a result of this song is that she will receive this next song 

just continue to disregard it like all the rest. 

Widmung (Dedication) by Robert Schumann

Lyrics and Translation:

Du meine Seele, du mein Herz,

You my soul, you my heart,

Du meine Wonn', o du mein Schmerz,

You my delight, o you my pain,

Du meine Welt, in der ich lebe,

you my world in which I live,

Mein Himmel du, darin ich schwebe,

my heaven you, into which I soar,

O du mein Grab, in das hinab

O you my grave in which

Ich ewig meinen Kummer gab!

I have buried forever my sorrows!

Du bist die Ruh, du bist der Frieden,

You are rest, you are peace.

Du bist der Himmel, mir beschieden.

you were given to me by heaven.

Dass du mich liebst, macht mich mir wert,

Your love makes me feel worthy, 

Dein Blick hat mich vor mir verklärt,

your glance has transformed me in my own eyes,

Du hebst mich liebend über mich,

you lift me lovingly above myself,

Mein guter Geist, mein beßres Ich!

my guardian spirit, my better self!

Character Study:

I.  Before

  1.  The events that have occurred prior to this song that have led me to this point is that I am about to be married.

  2.  My thoughts and feelings just before the song begins are that I am happy and excited to be married and that I love this person so much.  I want the world to know how wonderful I think they are and how special they are to me

II.   During

1.  I am a bride or a groom. 

2.  I am a young bride or groom.  I am loving, tender, passionate, and sweet.

3.  My lover is the other character involved.

4.  They are my greatest joy and my greatest pain, they always make me happy and when they are around, all my troubles melt away.  They are like a guardian angel sent from heaven, and they make me feel worthy.

5.  I am not with them now, but maybe I am talking to someone else about how much I love them.  Maybe I am talking with my friend on the street, or one of our houses.

6.  I could be speaking to my friends, my parents or just myself.

7.  Yes, this person is with me now.

8.  I am saying this because I feel like we are truly in love.  When I look into their eyes I can see what they see in me that makes them love me.  They love me better than I could love myself and think the world of me.

9.  My feelings throughout this song are happiness, amazement, and wonder.  It is awesome to know that someone has that amount of love for me.

10.  N/A

III.  After

1.  My thoughts and feelings as the song ends are that I am overjoyed that we are together and that we are in love.

2.  The events that will occur as a result of this song is that we will get married and live happily ever after. 

Reward by John Jacob Niles

Character Study:

I.  Before
  1.  The events that have occurred prior to this song that have led me to this point is that I have been in love with someone for a long time and they have not returned my love in the same way.
  2.  My thoughts and feelings just before the song begins is that I am tired and I am going to put my feelings out there.  I am going to lay my love on the line.
II.  During
  1.  I am a lover.
  2.  I could be an older woman of middle class decent.  I am patient, giving, kind, loving, gentle, and loyal.
  3.  My lover is the other character involved.
  4.  My lover is another older man.
  5.  I am at home with my lover.
  6.  I am singing to my lover.
  7.  Yes, this person is present with me now.
  8.  I am saying this because I have patiently waited all these long and painful years to be with the one I love and now finally I can be united with the one I have longed to be with so desperately.
  9.  My thoughts throughout this song are that I am so happy that this long wait is finally over.  I can be with the one I love forever and no one can tear us apart now.  I am in his strong arms where I feel safe and where I feel like I belong.  Now I can kiss the lips that I have longed to kiss.  We belong to each other.
  10.  N/A
III. After
  1.  My thoughts and feelings as the song ends are of joy because the world I lived in before was not as nice as it is now.  I worked and waited but my efforts were not recognized until my lover came and returned my love.
  2.  The events that will occur as a result of this song are that I will be with my lover forever and nothing will tear us apart.  It's almost like I am so happy I died and went to heaven.

This Little Rose by William Roy

Character Study:

I.  Before
  1.  The events that have occurred prior to this song that have led me to this point is that a rose, representing human life, has just died.
  2.  My thoughts before the song begins is of our role in human life.  I am feeling thoughtful, peaceful, and serene.
II.  During
  1.  I am just an observer.
  2.  I could be anybody.  I might have known this "little rose" before it died.
  3.  The other characters involved are the bees, the butterflies, the birds, and the breeze.
  4.  The butterfly and the bee are close family or friends of the rose, but the bird and the breeze are merely familiar faces who aren't connected to the rose in any sort of relationship at all.
  5.  I am sitting alone somewhere like my room or a garden pondering life.
  6.  I am singing to myself.
  7.  I am saying this because the "bee" and the "butterfly" (representing friends and family) need the rose to survive.  They love, cherish, and appreciate the rose.  The bird and the breeze, however, do not know the rose, nor do they need the rose to live happily.  They represent those who don't know the "rose".  They wonder about the "rose" but they just pass on by like a breeze.  When the "rose" dies, only the "butterfly" and the "bee" will be affected because they love and care about the "rose" and need it to survive. 
It will not affect those who don’t notice the "rose". So basically it is not that big of a deal if the "rose" is dead or alive.  "You hasten from a far journey," means that the "rose" has been through many things in life. "On it’s breast to lie" means that after all it has put up with through life, it has to lay down and surrender.  It is easy for the "rose" to die because those who care will still be there and those who don’t care will remain not caring. The rose, gives it's all, it's life, to the world, and yet not everyone in the world notices it.
  9.  My feelings throughout this song are peace, serenity, and acceptance.
  10.  N/A
III. After
   1.  My feelings as the song ends are peace, serenity, and acceptance.
   2.  N/A

O del mio dolce ardor by Christoph Willibald von Gluck

Lyrics Translation:

O del mio dolce ardor bramato oggetto,

O thou beloved, whom long my heart desireth

    bramato oggetto,

    my heart desireth,

L'aura che tu respiri,

At length the air thou breathest

    alfin respiro,

    my soul inspireth,

Ovunque il guardo io giro.

Where'er mine eye may wander.

Le tue vaghe sembianze Amore in medipinge:

Still of thee some vague semblance Doth Love awake within me.

Il mio pensier si finge

My every thought doth win me

  Le più liete speranze;
  To yet fonder remembrance;

  E nel desio che così m'empie il petto
  And in this ardor that all my bosom so fireth

Cerco te, chiamo te, spero e sospiro.
Thee I seek, Thee I call, Fondly and e'er fonder.


Ah! O del mio dolce ardor bramato oggetto,
Ah! O thou beloved, whom long my heart desireth,

  bramato oggetto,
  my heart desireth,

L'aura che tu respiri,
At length the air thou breathest,


al fin respiro,
my soul inspireth,


alfin, alfin respiro.
my soul, my soul inspireth.


Character Study:
I.  Before
  1.  The events that have occurred prior to this song that have led me to this point are that I have just met and fallen in love with Queen Helen of Sparta.
  2.  My thoughts and feelings just before the song begins are that I am full of love and passion and determination to win the love of Lady Helen.
II.  During
  1.  I am Paris, Prince of Troy and son of King Priam.
  2.  I am a brave, handsome, and talented young Prince.
  3.  Helen of Sparta is involved.
  4.  Helen is the most beautiful woman on earth. She is also a smart young Queen.
  5.  I am at Helen's Palace in Sparta.  The Spartans are having an athletic competition and Queen Helen has called on me to judge it.
  6.  I am singing to Queen Helen.
  7.  Yes, Helen is present for the song.
  8.  I am saying this because Helen has asked me to sing a song for her.  I want this song to impress her and win her love.
  9.  My thoughts and feelings throughout this song are that I am so in love with Queen Helen.  She is the most beautiful woman in the world and everything about her inspires me.  I am filled with passion and desire by her every breath.
  10.  Other factors that have bearing on this situation is that Helen is already married.  Out lives and our provinces are in danger of war.  This Opera is set in the 10th century B.C.
III.  After
  1.  My thoughts and feelings as the song ends is that of despair because Helen has sent me away.  I begin to plead for her to reconsider and to accept my love.
  2.  The events that will occur as a result of this song is that Helen will dismiss me after she hears the song because she has discovered the true intentions of my visit.  After I have pleaded with her, she begins to reconsider her decision and falls in love with him.

Non so più cosa son by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Lyric Translation

Non so più cosa son, cosa faccio;
I don't know anymore what I am, what I'm doing;

or di foco, ora sono di ghiaccio.
now I'm made of fire, now of ice.

Ogni donna cangiar di colore,
     ongi donna cangiar mi fa palpitar.
Every woman makes me change color;
    every woman makes me tremble.

Solo ai nomi d'amore, di diletto,
At merely the words "love," "pleasure,"

mi si turba, mi s'altera il petto,
my breast becomes nervous and upset

e a parlare mi sforza d'amore un desio,
    un desio ch'io non posso spiegar.
and a desire for love--a desire that I
    can't explain--forces me to talk.

Parlo d'amore vegliando,
I talk about love when I am awake.

parlo d'amore songnando,
I talk about love when I am dreaming,

all'acqua, all'ombra, ai monti,
to the water, to the shadow, to the mountains,

ai fiori, all'erbe, ai fonti,
to the flowers, to the grass, to the fountains,

all'eco, all'aria, ai venti,
to the echo, to the air, to the winds,

che il suon de' vani accenti
    portano via con se.
which carry away with them the sound of
    my futile words.

E se non ho chi m'oda,
And if I don't have someone to hear me,

parlo d'amore con me.
I talk about love to myself

Character Study:
I. Before
1.  The events that have occurred prior to this song that have led me to this point are that I, Cherubino, have just been caught in the arms of Barbarina by the Count Almaviva who has threatened to banish me from the castle.
2.  My thoughts and feelings just before the song begins are passion and desire.
II.  During
1.  I am Cherubino.
2.  I am a fourteen year old boy who is the page to the Count Almaviva.  I am obsessed with love and women.  I am also a wonderful singer and song writer.
3.  The Count Almaviva, Barbarina, and Susanna are the other characters involved.
4.  The Count Almaviva is a philandering husband who tries to seduce Figaro's fiance Susanna.  Barbarina is Susanna's cousin and the gardener Antonio's daughter.  Susanna is the Countess Rosina's Chamber maid and Figaro's fiance.
5.  I am in Susanna's new room.
6.  I am speaking to Susanna.
7.  Yes, this person is present with me now.
8.  My present concern is that I am in a love affair with love and set a blaze with passion by any and every woman I come across.
9.  My thoughts and feelings throughout this song are full of teenage angst, unbearable amounts of passion, and lust.
10.  This Opera is set in 17th Century Seville.
III. After
1.  My thoughts and feelings as the song ends are that I am worried about my future punishment from the Count.  I am hoping that Susanna will be able to help me elude his plans.
2.  The events that will occur as a result of this song are that the Count will come into Susanna's chambers and try to seduce her. I will hide behind a chair just in time to escape him.