Friday, November 30, 2012

Suleika D. 720 (Op. 14/1)

Composer: Franz Peter Schubert 
Poet: Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
 
 Questions like "What is Suleika?"
or "What does Suleika mean?" might
comes into mind. Suleika is a poem which is taken from 
Goethe's collection ' Book of Suleika'. It is intersting
to found that Goethes has interest in the East, Persia
and Muslim. It is not hard to believe that Goethe writes 
about one character that is related to one of the follower of Muslim
--Joseph. 
 
Suleika might come from the name of 
a wife of the King during the time of Joseph, whom she 
admires for his charming appearance.  While Goethe was
working on the poem, he gets very close to Marianne von Willemer.
It inspires him to wrote the affection from Marianne just as 
how Suleika admires Joseph. 

In Schubert setting, it started off with few 
chromatic acsendings semiquavers, 
as if the rolling of  the wind or a motion and hence the first line goes-
wondering what does the motions means.

This lied is in a modified-strophic form 
rather than through composed,as 
there are repitions of the same tune at the 
begining and the end with different verses.  
Albeit there are changes of mode in between stanzas, 
first and third in minor,
second and fourth in major, the overall idea are
 all about sceneries, the wind 
playing with the dust up to the clouds, resulting 
the swaying of leaves, and cooling 
the earth and hot cheeks. 
 
In each stanza, the melody interchanges with 
agitated and stillness although the 
piano accompanient are still the same, rolling 
of broken chords in semiquaver. The vocal 
line goes smooth and still in longer value in the 
middle of the songs, where she heard the wishper
of wind who carries the greetings from friends, 
as though she is receiving the thousand 
of kisses. 
 
Music changes into totally different pace after
 a long passage and a climax when 
she finally found her beloved. The longing of
 love is shown by the dominant pedal
point and chromatic chords, moving away 
from tonic, as though the love is eternal. It shows 
continuity, not until the last chord at the end, 
depicting the satisfaction and contentment 
of the love sweet breath that could only be 
learnt by the mouth of his beloved. 
 
 
 
Was bedeutet die Bewegung?
what means   the movement 
 
Bringt der Ost mir frohe Kunde? 
bring  the east me merry  news
 
Seiner Schwingen frische Regung 
his     swing    fresh   movement  
 
Kühlt des Herzens tiefe Wunde.  
cools  of  heart depth wound 
 
Kosend      spielt er mit dem  Staube, 
carresingly plays her with the dust
 
Jagt ihn auf in leichten Wölkchen, 
chase it on  in light    clouds
 
Treibt zur sichern Rebenlaube 
drives to   secure vine leaves
 
Der Insekten frohes Völkchen. 
the insect    merry folk
 
Lindert sanft der Sonne Glühen,  
ease    gently the sun  glow
 
Kühlt auch mir die heißen Wangen, 
cool  also me the  hot cheeks
 
Küßt die Reben noch im Fliehen, 
Kiss the vine more  in escape
 
Die auf Feld  und Hügel prangen. 
the of  field and hills resplendent 
 
Und mir bringt sein leises Flüstern 
and me  bring  them faint  whisper 
 
Von dem Freunde tausend Grüße; 
from the friend thousand greets 
 
Eh' noch diese Hügel düstern, 
eh  more  this hills gloomy 
 
Grüßen mich wohl    tausend Küsse. 
Greets my  probably thousand kiss 
 
Und so kannst du weiter ziehen! 
and so can   you further move 
 
Diene Freunden und  Betrübten. 
the   friend  and    afflicted
 
Dort   wo   hohe Mauern glühen, 
there where high build  glow 
 
Dort find' ich bald den Vielgeliebten. 
there find me  soon the belove
 
Ach, die wahre Herzenskunde, 
Ah   the  true   heart 
 
Liebeshauch, erfrischtes Leben 
Love breath   refreshing  life
 
Wird mir nur aus seinem Munde, 
is   me only from his    mouth 
 
Kann mir nur sein Athem geben.
can  me  only his breath give 
 
 
 
(English translation by Richard Morris)
What does the motion mean?
Does the East wind bring glad tidings?
The refreshing movement of its wings
Chills the heart's deep wound.

It plays gently with the dust,
Chasing it into light clouds.
And drives the happy insect people
to the security of the vine-leaves.

It softly tempers the sun's incandescence,
and chills my hot cheeks,
As it flees it kisses the vines
which are prominent on the fields and hills

And its soft whispering brings me
A thousand greetings from my friend
Before these hills dim,
I will be greeted by a thousand kisses.

So as you go on your way
And serve friends and the saddened.
There where high walls glow,
I shall soon find my dearly beloved.

Oh, the true message of his heart,
Loves-breath, refreshing life
Comes only from his mouth,
Can be given to me only by his breath.
 
 
 
Resplendant -
 having a very bright or splendid appearance
 
Glow-
to produce a continuous light and sometimes heat

Afflicted-
If a problem or illness afflicts a person or thing, they suffer from it
 
Vine-
any type of plant which climbs or grows along the ground and 
which has woody twisting stems 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Poems of Goethe

SULEIKA.
WHAT is by this stir reveal'd?
Doth the East glad tidings bring?
For my heart's deep wounds are heal'd

By his mild and cooling wing.

He the dust with sports doth meet,
And in gentle cloudlets chase;
To the vineleaf's safe retreat

Drives the insects' happy race,

Cools these burning cheeks of mine,
Checks the sun's fierce glow Adam,
Kisses, as he flies, the vine,

Flaunting over hill and plain.

And his whispers soft convey
Thousand greetings from my friend;
Ere these hills own night's dark sway,

Kisses greet me, without end.

Thus canst thou still onward go,
Serving friend and mourner too!
 

There, where lofty ramparts glow,
Soon the loved one shall I view.

Ah, what makes the heart's truth known,--
Love's sweet breath,--a newborn life,--
Learn I from his mouth alone,

In his breath alone is rife!
                                1815. 





Reference:
http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/goethe

http://www.opera-britannia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=446:miah-persson-the-wigmore-hall-16th-february-2011&catid=10&Itemid=16 



Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Bonjour Suzon! (Goodmorning, Sussie!)

Composer:Léo Delibes (1836-1891)

Poet:  Louis Charles Alfred de Musset (1810-1857) ,
 "Chanson: Bonjour Suzon", from Poésies posthumes

Date of composition:1861-1863

Recommended Recording by Victoria de Los Angeles

 

A playful song with simple poem, "Bonjour Suzon!" portrays the simple love
of a lover coming back  to see his beloved Sussie. A great trip he had where
he writes, loves and enjoys the tour to Italy, but what matter most is the
reunion of him and Sussie after all.

Modulations occurs in the songs to depict the changes of
emotions, making it a contrast upon the simple melody. It shows
the transformation of narrator's emotions while he was singing and awaiting
to see his love, pleading, asking, wondering, questioning etc.

As Sussie replied " I wish not yet"
whether or not they meet each other at the end,
is not been told. The music still ended
as cheerful as the beginning, neither upset, nor satisfaction of relieve. 
 



Bonjour     Suzon, ma fleur des bois!
Goodmorning Sussie my flower the wood
 
Es-tu toujours la plus  jolie?  
are you always the more pretty 
 
Je reviens, tel que  tu me vois,  
I  back    such that you me look 
 
D'un grand voyage en Italie,  
a     big trip    from itlay
 
Du paradis j'ai fait le tour; 
of paradise i   been the tour  
 
J'ai fait des vers, j'ai fait l'amour. 
i    been  the to   i    been  love

Mais que t'importe? 
but  the important
  
Je passe devant ta  maison; 
i  pass  before your house
  
Ouvre ta  porte. 
open  your door
 
Bonjour, Suzon! 
goodmorning   Sussie 
 
Je t'ai vue au temps des lilas. 
I  've  view of time the lilac
 
Ton coeur joyeux venait d'éclore. 
your hear joy    had    hatching
 
Et tu disais: "je ne veux pas, 
and you said   i  not want not
 
Je ne veux pas qu'on m'aime encore." 
i  not want not that love   yet 
  
Qu'as-tu fait depuis mon départ? 
that you  been  since  my departure
 
Qui part  trop tôt   tard revient trop tard. 
thatleave too early late back    too late. 

Mais que m'importe? 
but the important
 
Je passe devant ta maison; 
i   pass before  your house
 
Ouvre ta porte. 
open your door
 
Bonjour, Suzon! 
goodmorning sussie 
 
 
(Translated by Hyperion Records)
 Good morning, Susie, my flower of the woods!
 Are you still the prettiest?
 I return to see you
 from a great journey to Italy,
 Through paradise I have made a tour;
 I have made some verses and made love too.
 What's it to you?
 I pass before your house,
 open your door!
 Good morning, Susie!
 
 When I saw you in the time of lilacs,
 your heart was full of new found joy
 and you said, "I do not wish,
 I do not wish to be loved yet."
 What have you done since I left?
 He who leaves too soon, comes back too late;
 but what's it to me?
 I pass before your house;
 open your door!
 Good morning, Susie! 
 
 

Lilac-
a bush or small tree with sweet-smelling purple or white flowers

Monday, November 26, 2012

Der Blumenstrauss( The Bouquet)

Composer :Felix Mendelssohn (1809- 1847)
Poet: Karl Klingemann (1798-1862)
 
Op. 47 (Sechs Lieder) no. 5. 

 
Sie wandelt im Blumengarten 
she wanders   in  flower garden  
 
Und mustert den bunten   Flor, 
and  eyes  in  colourful flower 
 
Und alle die Kleinen warten 
and all  the small    wait
 
Und schauen zu  ihr empor. 
and look     to her up
 
Und seid ihr denn Frühlingsboten, 
and  are her because Harbingers spring 
 
Verkündend was  stets    so neu, 
announcing what always  so new
 
So werdet auch meine Boten 
so  will  also  my   messenger
 
An ihn, der mich liebt so treu.« 
to  it  that my love so true 
 
So überschaut   sie die  Habe 
so over looking they the have
 
Und ordnet den lieblichen Strauß, 
and  assigns the  lovely strauss  
 
Und reicht dem Freunde die Gabe, 
and  enough the friend the gift
 
Und weicht seinem Blicke aus. 
and   differs his glances off 
 
Was Blumen und Farben meinen, 
what flower and colours  mean
 
O deutet, o fragt das nicht, 
o indicate oh ask that not
 
 
Wenn aus den Augen der Einen 
that from the   eye of one 
 
Der süßeste Frühling spricht.
the  sweet spring    speech 

 
 
 
(English translation by Yik Ling)
She wanders in the flower garden
And examines the colorful pile,
And all the flowers waiting
And look up at her.

"And because ye are harbingers of spring,
Announcing what always so new
So shall also my messenger
To tell him that my love is so true. "

So she has looks over 
And assigns the lovely bouquet
And friends the gift ranges,
And deviates from her eyes.

What flowers and colors mean
Oh indicate, o do not ask that,
If it is the sight of one
sweetest spring speech.
 
 
Harbingers- 
someone or a thing that shows that something is going to happen soon, especially something bad 


Sunday, November 25, 2012

Minnelied (Love Song)

Composer: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847)
Poem: Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773-1853) 
 
"Minnelied", op. 47 (Sechs Lieder) no. 1 
Composed in 1840.
 
This is a very simple songs composed by Mendelssohn during his
later years, seven years before he passed away.
 It appears like some other standard lieder, strophic,
which two stanzas has the same melody with slight difference at 
the end, an extra repetition of the last melody line.   
 
There is a very simple introduction with some chromatic notes over 
the left hand while the right hand is always in alberti-like semiquaver
Unlike Schumann's composition, Mendelssohn always composed 
the piano part in an accompanimnet form rather than going on with 
the vocal line. 
 
There is a little modulation in the middle of each stanza, hence changing 
of tone colour and mood is always expected. More lyrical line is demanded , albeit 
the melody line is always simple. The vocal line in the second stanza could 
appear lighter than the first, as well as softer in dynamics as it tells about 
the fragrant of the linden tree. The ending of the second might be stronger as 
compare to the ending of first stanza as the text goes " there nothing like her".
However the repition of the same text of both stanza on F on the second time 
should not be too loud or expolosive although it is on the high pitch. It has to be 
as sweet or gentle like the beautiful view and the sweet linden tree.                 
 
 
 
 
Wie der Quell   so lieblich klinget  
 as the source  so lovely   sounds
 
Und die zarten Blumen küßt, 
and the  tender flower kisses 
 
Wie der Fink im Schatten singet 
as the  finch in  shadow sing
 
Und das  nahe  Lienbchen grüßt! 
and the  nearby love    greets 
 
Wie die Lichter zitternd schweifen 
as the  light   tremble   wonder
 
Und das Gras sich     grün erfreut, 
and the grass itself green pleased
 
Wie die Tannen weithin greifen 
as the   firs   widely grab
 
Und die Linde  Blüten streut! 
and the linden flowers scatters 
 
In der Linde   süß Gedüfte, 
in the linden sweet fragrance
 
In der Tannen Riesellaut, 
in the firs   rustling loud
 
In dem Spiel der Sommerlüfte 
in the play the  summerbreeze 
 
Glänzet sie als Frühlingsbraut. 
sparkles as they   spring bride
 
Aber Waldton, Vogelsingen, 
but   forest   bird singing
 
Duft der Blüten, haltet ein, 
scent the flowers hold one 
 
Licht, verdunkle, nie gelingen 
 light  darken   never succeed
 
Kann es euch, ihr gleich zu sein! 
 can it you    her equal to be
 
 
 
(English Translation by Carl Johengen)  
How the fountain so lovely sounds
and kisses the tender flowers,
how the finch in the shade sings
and greets the nearby sweetheart!

How the lights curve trembling
and the grass rejoices in its green,
how the firs reach out far
and the lime tree strews its blooms!

In the lime tree's sweet fragrance,
in the firs loud rustling,
in the play of summer air
She appears as a spring bride.

But forest sounds, birdsong,
Fragance of blooms, cease,
light, die away, you can never
Be like unto her!
 
 
ceases
-to stop something  

Finch
-any of various types of small singing 
bird with a short wide pointed beak

firs
-a tall evergreen (= never losing its leaves) 
tree that grows in cold countries and has leaves that are like needles
 

Apparition

Composer: Claude Debussy (182-1918)
Author: Stephane Mallarme (1842-1898) 
 
Apparition was written in 1884, another early composition by Debussy.
 It was written for Madame Vasnier, a coloratura. Hence,
lighter tone colour might be expected to sing this song. Some how this songs is different from
 the previous. Instead of just pure light voice, it requires greater 
vocal technique with symbolic literature. 
 
Debussy first met Stephane Mallarme on 8th Feb 1884. 
He was likely influenced by the symbolic poems
as he almost spent most of the time with poets than musicians. He set a symbolic 
poem by Stephane Mallarme to a song.  The title "apparition"suggested 
a vague subject, hard to imagine or to see. It depicts a dead 
soul which often show the sadness and dark side of 
our emotions. This songs was rather full of sentiments, passionate and 
longing, which leads the songs to the climax where the text repeats the title twice
on a high C.
 
The vocal line joins in in the second bar not 
long after a brief introduction by the piano accompaniment. It creates
subtle ringing atmosphere where the vocal lines almost repeating same note
without leaping widely until few bars later. It suggests a stillness 
night with sad atmosphere, pictures of vague dream-like view which is 
almost untrue in reality-- the sad moon, crying seraphims around the petals 
with their bows in their fingers, vapours...
 
Abruptly, music changes into rich texture in G flat Major where the vocal
line appears in high register. It was indeed emotional that it was the
day when they first kissed, a very memorable day and moment which she long and 
dream for. Her dream was almost torturing, affecting the tonality- a minor
mode in the next phrase, leading to a first- wave-climax, protraying some kind of dramatic 
emotion-- "drowning in the sad perfume without regret and disappointment". 

It changes again unexpectedly into  Major mode in C with leaping melodies but calm, 
still and soft in dynamics. It gradually builds to the climax as her eyes was revited 
while she was walking on the path on that evening, the sun shines through a vague object -- 
 the apparition, an object likely as the feature and figure of her beloved that appears
in front of her own eyes. It depicts a mixtures of excitement, touch and painful emotions. Alas
the main tune comes back again in same key- G flat when she finally saw fairy-like with a 
hat of light which once appeared in her dream. 
 
A sudden PP in the dynamic suggest a quick change when she realized it was all over-
"passed" with the word "Passait" on a leaping A, passed through her careless hand
and the music goes tenderly calm again with few smooth modulations, suggesting the 
scenes of disappearing perfume and starry vapours all around.  
 
 
 
  


Word-by-word English Translation 
La lune s'attristait. Des séraphins en pleurs
The moon  sad        of seraphim    in cry
 
Rêvant, l'archet aux doigts, dans le calme des fleurs
dreamin  bow     of   finger  on the clam  of   flowers           
 
Vaporeuses, tiraient de mourantes violes 
vapour       drew        dying    viols
 
De blancs sanglots glissant sur l'azur des  corolles. 
the white  sobs     slide   on    azur  of   corolla  
 
C'était le jour béni   de ton premier baiser. 
it was the day blessed of your  first kiss 
 
Ma songerie aimant à me martyriser 
my  dream   magnet to my  martyr 
 
S'enivrait savamment du parfum de tristesse 
intoxicate carefully of perfume the sad  
 
Que même sans    regret et sans     déboire laisse 
the same without regret and without disappointment leash
 
La cueillaison d'un Rêve au coeur qui l'accueille. 
the     ?        a dream of heart that hosts
 
J'errais donc, l'oeil rivé    sur le pavé     vieilli 
I wandered so    eye revited  on the pavement age
 
Quand avec du soleil aux cheveux, dans la rue 
when with  of sun   of    hair    on the street 
 
Et dans le soir, tu m'es en riant apparue 
and in the evening you me  laughter appeared
 
Et j'ai  cru voir la  fée  au chapeau de clarté 
and i am row  see the fairy to  hat  of clarity
 
Qui jadis sur mes beaux sommeils d'enfant gâté 
that  one on  my  beauty sleeps  childhood spoiled
 
Passait, laissant toujours de ses mains mal fermées 
passed    leaving always   of its hand  bad closed
 
Neiger de blancs bouquets d'étoiles parfumées.
snow   of  white   bouquet  starry perfume 
 
 
(English Translation) 
The moon was saddened. Seraphims in tears
dreaming, bows at their fingers, in the calm of filmy flowers
Threw dying violas of white sobs 
sliding over the blue of corollas.
It was the blessed day of your first kiss;
My reverie, loving to torture me, 
wisely imbibed its perfume of sadness
That even without regret and without setback
leaves the gathering of a dream within the heart that gathered it.
I wandered then, my eye riveted on the aged cobblestones.
When, with light in your hair, in the street
and in the evening, you appeared to me smiling
and I thought I had seen the fairy with a hat of light
who passed in my sweet dreams as a spoiled child,
always dropping from her carelessly closed hand
a snow of white bouquets of perfumed stars. 

(Translated by Laura Claycomb, Peter Grunberg)
---------------------------------------------
 
Viols:
-16th/ 17th centuries instruments.(viol da gamba)

Corolla:
-all of the petals of a flower as a group
 
Martyr: 
-a person who suffers very much or is killed 
because of their political or religious beliefs,
and is often admired because of it 

Leash:
-a piece of rope, chain, etc. tied to an animal, 
especially to a dog at its collar when taking it for a walk
 
Apparition
- A soul of a dead person appearing in a form which can be seen 

Revited
-not be able to be stop looking at something because it is so
interesting or frightening

Reverie
- Dream-like thought 

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Guess what for April Fool?





Buy a biscuits and replace the fillings with toothpaste! What would you feel when you had a toothpaste- flavor- biscuits?
Oh please don't get mad of me! .............Its April Fool!!

Monday, March 12, 2012

There was once..

.................they were both holding hands walking along the river bank in that particular evening

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Tiring day.

My legs are aching a bit. A tiring day i had.
------------------------------------------

Morning: teaching

Noon: quick practice, cookies making for a special person , Cleaning toilet, preparing dinner for brother and me of course.

Evening: night street, Hong Kong movie with brother.
------------------------------------------------------

Two dishes for our dinner, I know they looks awful but I can assure you that they do tasted nice!




Nice wrapping ready to be given out tomorrow, hopefully won't stop by any obstacle half way.


Simple and ordinary oat cookies

I only have a small oven, and it does take me sometime to finished the baking.






Monday, March 5, 2012

才发现, 我们曾走过的一部分。。还蛮开心的。。我却仅记者不好的。。。 虽然现在什么都不是, 什么也不存在,但翻过过去的照片, 仍然能感觉到。。。

很安慰, 我们不知不觉已跨过 放下的阶段, 从习惯一个人, 变成习惯有你, 在慢慢的习惯没有你。。。。我想, 一切都已过去了。。。 真真正正地过去了!

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Got Bored!!

Started to feel lifeless with this kind of teaching life... and wondering is this the thing I really want? Get paid every month but totally boring at office every single day!