Mosaics and Music: A Cross-Cultural Journey through Song The intimate relationship between culture and music has

been a growing passion of mine. initially blossoming from my interest in Spanish art song and zarzuela, repertoire which I found possessed an unusually beautiful color and fervent spirit, I gradually explored further unfamiliar folkloric music, such as Brazilian and Latin American song. The fact that such engaging music was relatively unheard-of in comparison to other European (mostly Germanic) song repertory, was both surprising and disappointing. As a result, I incorporated performances of little known works in my recitals like song cycles by Brazilian composer Ernani Braga and zarzuela arias by Basque composer Pablo Sorozbal, as a means of sharing my deep love for these largely obscure musical treasures. A question that persisted throughout my investigation of these works was: what gave these pieces their alluring musical personality? This recital attempts to venture into that enquiry through an exploration of strongly folk-inspired songs. The sets from this recital stem from regions with distinct histories of cross-cultural exchange. The uniqueness of Andalusian Spanish, Auvergnat French, Russian and American culture bud from their very different geographies and demographic groups, a difference that is clearly mirrored in the divergent musical and thematic material of these songs. I hope this humble musical journey delights and inspires you to broaden your interaction with all sorts of music as it has done so for me. Excerpts from Chants dAuvergne Joseph Canteloube was a French regionalist composer who rejected the avantgarde fashion of his day by focusing on the preservation and recreation of folk music. His teacher, Vincent DIndy, greatly encouraged his interests in the Auvergnat culture and music, leading to Canteloubes collection Chants dAuvergne, an orchestral compilation of 30 songs from the region that took him over 30 years to complete. Auvergne was subject to many cultural influences, including Celtic, Roman, and Moorish, as well as later European influences. Occitan, the language of the troubadours, is the principal language of Auvergne and remains intact in the songs along with the original melodies. Bailero is a simple, pastoral song. Canteloube once heard a shepherd and shepherdess sing to one another in the mountains over a distance of a few miles. The verses end with the refrain "bailero," a term that means song of the bayle, or the shepherd chosen to look after the flock in the pastures. In La Delaissado and Pastourelle, the vocal line uses many intervals more common in Andalusian music than in more Europeanized music, but the instrumental lines are more Western, almost impressionistic. The Trois Bourrees pieces are linked to form a group of dance songs. The oboe and clarinet solos evoke nature imagery evocative of the Auvergne countryside and shepherd's pipe music. The first song, "L'ai de rotso" is a light-hearted 2/4 montagnarde , a dance Canteloube called very Gallic for its humor, or spicy stories. The singer warns to avoid water, and drink wine instead. Each verse ends with a cris

sauvage, a whoop that indicates that the advisor takes his own advise quite seriously. In the second song, "Ound' onoren gorda", a long instrumental introduction strongly shows the Celtic influence through its wind imitation of the native Auvergne cabrette instrument, a member of the bagpipe family. The third song, "Obal, din lou Limouzi, ", like the second is a fast 3/8 bourrees with a strong third beat much like the Spanish jota and fandango complete with oboe and clarinet interludes that clearly imitate the cabrette.
Balro Pastr, d dla l'ao, as gar d boun tms? Dio lou balro lro, lo. n'a pa gare, dio, tu? Balro lro, lo! Pastr, lou prat fa flour, li cal gorda toun troupel! Dio lou balro lro, L'erb es pu fin' ol prat d'oci! Balro lro, l! Pastr, couci fora, en obal io lou bel riou! Dio lou balro lro, l! Esprom, t ba irca! Balro lro, l! Bailero Shepherd across the river, you don't seem to be happy, sing the Bailero, etc. Indeed I'm not, and you too, sing the Bailero, etc. Shepherd, the meadow is in bloom, come over here to sing the Bailero, etc. The grass is greener on this side, sing the Bailero, etc. Shepherd, the stream separates us, and I can't cross it, sing the Bailero, etc. Then I'll come and get you, Bailero, etc. Pastorale Oh come closer to me and pass the river Come on to this side so we can speak of business and the rest of the day we will speak of love But i cannot pass How do I pass? I do not have a boat or bridge to cross the water nor even a shepherd who loves me faithfully You should have a fast boat if you were pretty you would have arched bridges You would even have a shepherd who would remain faithful to the grave.

Pastourelle " passo d dessa! passo della l'ao! Bendras olprs de lu, Qu d'ofar parlorn, lou restan del jiour N'en parlorn d'amour!" "N pouodi pas passa! Couci bouos qu iu passi? N'a pas de pount d'arcados n'a pas d batu, Ni m d pastourel Qu m siasco fidl!" "Aurias lu un batu S tu ros poulido! Aurias un pount d'arcados, Aurias un pastourel Qu t serio fidl e m djusqu'al toumbel!

La Dlassado Uno pastourlo sper ola al capt del bous Lou galan dogulo, m n bn pas! "Ay! sou dlassado! Qu n'a pas vist lou mio galant; Crsio qu m'ambo, ton l'am iu!" Luzigut l'estlo, aqulo qu marco la nut, e lo pauro pastoureletto Dmouret ploura...

The Abandoned One A shepherdess is waiting for her lover, over the grove on the hill. But, sad to say, he doesn't show up. "Ah, he has left me, I don't see my sweetheart. I was certain he loved me, for I loved him so." Now only the evening star keeps the young shepherdess company.

Trois Bourrees: L'ao d rotso L'ao d rotso t foro mourir, filhoto! N t cal pas br' oqul', ao, qul' ao, Ms cal prndr'un couot d'oqul' ao d bi! S'uno filhoto s bouol morida, pitchouno, Li cal pas douna d'oqul' ao d rotso, Amaro miliour oqul' ao d bi!

Spring water Spring water will kill you, my darling You should not drink from that water A good swig of wine would be better When a young girl wants to marry, little one She should not have spring water Much better a shot of wine

Ound' onorn gorda, Ound' onorn gorda, pitchouno drolto? Ound' onorn gorda lou troupl pl moti? Onorn obal din lo ribrto, din lou pradl l'rb fresquto; Passarn lo fdo pl lo flours, al loun dl tsour nous forn l'omour! Ogatso lou moutous, pitchouno drolto, Ogatso lou moutous, ls obilh ma nous! Ogatso lou fdo qu passou l'rbo, ls obilh qu passou lo flours; natres, pitchouno, qu soun d'ama, pr viouvr' obon lou plos d'omour!

Where shall we go to graze? Where shall we go to graze, pretty girl? Where shall we go to graze our flocks in the morn? Well go down by the river where the meadow grass is so fresh; Well let our sheep graze among the flowers,and all day well revel in love! Look at the sheep, pretty girl, Look at the sheep, the bees, and ourselves! Look at the sheep which feed on the grass, look at the bees which feed on the flowers but we, little one, are lovers And we live on the pleasures of love!

Obal din lou Limouzi Obal din lou Limouzi, pitchoun' S l'io d dznto drollo, o b, o b, S l'io d dznto drollo, oi, o b! Golon, ton blo qu siascou l drollo d toun pois, lous nostrs fringars n Limouzi, Saboun miliour counta flourt' o b! Obal, din lou Limouzi, pitchouno, s soun golon, Oi en Aoubrgno, dn moun pos,Lous oms bous amoun soun fidls!

Down below in Limousin Down below in Limousin, little one, the young girls are beautiful. Ah, yes. But there are beautiful girls here too. Gallant lad, although the girls are beautiful in your home country, the men in Limousin make very tender love to us. Yes, down below, in Limousin, little one, the gallant lads may be very loving, but here in our Auvergne, the men love us very faithfully.

Excerpts from Canciones clsicas espaolas A survey-style study of regional Spanish music would immediately indicate how varied Spanish music actually is. After all, the plaintive sentiment of Basque song is quite different to the fiery passion of Andalusian song. Composer Fernando Obradors Canciones clsicas espaolas are a testament to the culturally diverse music of the Andalusian region, including Moorish, Romani, Sephardic, and Christian influences. Al amor and Chiquitita la novia are homages to the flamenco tradition, which in itself is derived from a blending of Romani folk song, Jewish synagogue chants, and Mozarabic musical forms. The songs resemble the canto chico style of flamenco with their reduced tonal ambience, strict rhythm, lightening fast melismas, and bawdy subject matter. The songs were rearranged for guitar, evoking a more flamenco flavor. On the other hand, the reverent lullaby Con Amores, la mi madre, suggests Christian influences further enforced by the use of a villancico (a traditionally religious poetic form) by 15th century Catholic composer, Juan de Anchieta. The overtly romantic Corazn, porqu pasas? and Del cabello ms sutil spring from the NeoClassical style of early 20th century Spain. The sweeping arpeggios and chromatic bravura of the piano accompaniment coupled with a long-lined melody retains a delicate European polish. Al amor Dame, Amor, besos sin cuento Asido de mis cabellos Y mil y ciento tras ellos Y tras ellos mil y ciento Y despus... De muchos millares, tres! Y porque nadie lo sienta Desbaratemos la cuenta Y... contemos al revs. To Love Give me, Love, kisses without number, as the number of hairs on my head, and a thousand and a hundred after that, and a hundred and a thousand after that... and after those... many thousands...three more! And so that no one feels bad... Let us tear up the tally and...count backwards!

Con amores, la mi madre Con amores, la mi madre, Con amores me dorm; As dormida soaba Lo que el corazn velaba, Que el amor me consolaba Con ms bien que merec. Adormecime el favor Que amor me di con amor; Di descanso a mi dolor La fe con que le serv Corazn, porqu pasis? Corazn, porqu pasis Las noches de amor despierto Si vuestro dueo descansa En los brazos de otro dueo? Del cabello ms sutil Del cabello ms sutil Que tienes en tu trenzado He de hacer una cadena Para traerte a mi lado. Una alcarraza en tu casa, Chiquilla, quisiera ser, Para besarte en la boca, Cuando fueras a beber. Chiquitita la novia Chiquitita la novia, Chiquitita el novio, Chiquitita la sala, Y el dormitorio, Por eso yo quiero Chiquitita la cama Y el mosquitero.

With love, my mother With love, my mother, With love I fell asleep; Thus asleep, I was dreaming That which my heart was hiding, That love was consoling me With more good than I deserved. The aid lulled me to sleep. What love gave me, with love, Put to bed my pain by The faith with which I served you. My heart, why do you keep? My heart, why do you keep awake during the nights of love, if your master rests in the arms of another master? Of the softest hair Of the softest hair which you have in you braid, I would make a chain so that I may bring you to my side. A jug in your home, little one, I would like to be... so that I may kiss you each time you take a drink. Tiny is the bride Tiny is the bride, Tiny is the groom, Tiny is the living room, Tiny is the bedroom. That is why I want A tiny bed with a mosquito net.

Un Ballo in Maschera is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma. The libretto is loosely based on an 1833 play, Gustave III, by French playwright Eugene Scribe who wrote about the historical assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden. In Act I, Riccardo(Gustave) is presented with a complaint against a fortune-teller named Ulrica, accused of witchcraft. A magistrate calls for her banishment, but Oscar, the page, provides an amusing defense on the soothsayers behalf. Volta la terrea Volta la terrea fronte alle stelle, come sfavilla la sua pupilla, Quando alle belle Il fin predice Mesto o felice dei loro amor! con Lucifero d'accordo ognor. Chi la profetica sua gonna afferra, O passi 'l mare, voli alla guerra, Le sue vicende soavi, amare Da questa apprende nel dubbio cor. Russian Art Songs The complex evolution of Russian song is directly linked to Russias geography. Russia is the worlds largest country, touching both Eastern and Western hemispheres and boasting an estimated 185 ethnic groups. During the 18th-19th centuries, Western and Eastern culture collided; the Russian upper class emulated French customs and spoke solely in French, while the lower classes spoke Russian. In the later 19th century, a revival of Russian folklore and music arose, championed by the The MIghty Handful, a group of composers, including a young Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. However, since many composers were classically trained in the European fashion, a Eastern-Western dual personality still exists in Russian song. In The Rose and the Nightingale, the composer blends European musical knowledge with borrowed and invented Russian material, such as a languorous melismatic line reminiscent of peasant songs, borrowed arabic melodies, tonal mutability, sparse piano accompaniment, and the use of parallel thirds producing a raw sonority. The next, and also the last generation of the Russian Romantic composer, was found in Sergei Rachmaninov who, unlike Rimsky-Korsakov was not a Nationalist, preferring to find his own individualistic expression of Russian identity. Yet, while his works do not directly borrow oriental or Russian folk tunes, a folkloric quality still permeates his works. His songs, reflect the philosophy of old Russia with its overtones of suffering and unrest, its pastoral but tragic beauty, its ancient and enduring glory. This quality is present in all his songs. She turns her earth-colored face She turns her earth colored face to the stars. How her eyes sparkle! When she predicts the end to all beauties, happy or sad of their love Ah yes she is in collusion with the Devils, always whoever grasps the soothsayers skirt, whether a sailor or a soldier, no matter if his fortune is sweet or bitter, he will learn what is truly in his heart.

In The Soldiers Wife, Rachmaninov writes in the manner of a Russian folk lament. Following the tradition of laments, the composer provides little accentuation of the songs melody. In Lilacs and How Fair this Spot, he uses a Russian folk idiom. The exquisite Lilacs possesses a subtle dushevnost (heartfelt sincerity) of expression that grows out of opening variations of the intonation, frequent in Russian folksong. In How fair this spot, the composer uses the melodic development of Russian protyazhnye (slowly sung) folk songs in which images of nature portray the spiritual and emotional state of the singer
, , ; ... ; - ? ?... , , , . [ ]1 ! ; , ... , , , ... [ ]1 . , , , ; , , ... , ; , . The nightingale and the rose Captivated by a rose, the nightingale, both day and night sings over it. But the rose silently listens to the song The singer plays on the lyre And sings t a young maiden The lovely maiden does not know Who sings it nor why the songs is so sad

The Soldiers Wife To my sorrow, I have grown to love my wretched little orphan. That is the fate which has befallen me. Powerful people separated us. They took him away to be a recruit... a soldier's wife, a lonely soul, it seems that I will grow old in a stranger's home. That is the fate, which has befallen me. Lilacs In the morning, at daybreak, over the dewy grass, I will go to breathe the crisp dawn; and in the fragrant shade, where the lilac crowds, I will go to seek my happiness... In life, only one happiness it was fated for me to discover, and that happiness lives in the lilacs; in the green boughs, in the fragrant bunches, my poor happiness blossoms...

 ... , ; , . ... ... . , , , !

How fair this spot How fair this spot... Look - far away, The river is a blaze of fire; The meadows lie like carpets of color The clouds are white. Here there is no one... Here it is silent... Here is only God and I, The flowers, the old pine tree, And you, my dream!

American Art Songs by Ned Rorem Often regarded as the greatest contemporary art song composer, Ned Rorems style is surprisingly conservative. Rorem states, My musical education, like everyone elses of my time, was equal parts classical and pop. My vocal writing was more influenced by Billie Holiday than by any famous diva. His musical style is incredibly idiosyncratic; drawing inspiration from fellow American composers like Copland, Les Six French composers like Poulenc, and pop/jazz music. Rorems songs are a true musical sample of American multicultural identity. His francophilia is particularly noticeable in the lyricism, elegance, clarity, and wit of his songs. Oh you whom I often and silently come and See how they love me are especially appropriate examples of the mellifluous French vocal line. I strolled across an open Field sets an interesting contrast between legato and syncopated staccato phrases, which along with the use of several extended and altered chords, produces a sweetly dissonant sound suggestive of jazz harmonies. The text in this set from the late 50s to 60s displays Rorems affinity for American poets, namely Walt Whitman, Theodore Roethke, and Howard Moss.

Oh you whom I often and silently come Oh you whom I often and silently come where you are that I may be with you As I walk by your side or sit near or remain in the same room with you Little you know the subtle electric fire that for your sake is playing within me.

See how they love me See how they love me green leaf, gold grass, swearing my blue wrists tick and are timeless. See how it moves me old sea, blue sea, curving a half-moon round to surround me. See how it loves me high sky, blue sky, letting the light be kindled to warm me. But you rebuke me, oh Love Love that I only pursue. See how they love me. I strolled across an open field I strolled across an open field; The sun was out; heat was happy. This way! This way! The wren's throat shimmered, Either to other, The blossoms sang.The stones sang, The little ones did, And flowers jumped like small goats. A ragged fringe of daisies waved; I wasn't alone In a grove of apples. Far in the wood a nestling sighed; The dew loosened Its morning smells. I came where the river ran over stones: My ears knew an early joy. And all the waters of all the streams Sang in my veins that summer day.

Douglas Moores 1956 American opera, The Ballad of Baby Doe, revolves around the tragic relationship of Elizabeth Baby Doe Tabor and entrepreneur Horace Tabor. In Act I scene 2 of the opera, Baby Doe sits at a piano, playing and singing for herself. The song she sings sounds like an ordinary tune about lost love. However, she is actually singing about her broken marriage with Harvey Doe and how it fell apart. Willow Song Willow, where we met together Willow, when our love was new Willow, if he once should be returning Pray tell him I am weeping too. So far from each other while the days pass In their emptiness away. Oh my love, must it be forever Never once again to meet as on that day? And never rediscover the way of telling The way of knowing all our hearts would say. Gone are the ways of pleasure Gone are the friends I had of yore Only the recollection fatal Of the word that was spoken: Nevermore. Bibliography Casares, Emilio. Diccionario de la Msica Espaola e Hispanoamericana. Sociedad general de autores y editores. Madrid, 2002 Challis, Natalia. The Singers Rachmaninov. Perlion Press New York, 1989. Cockburn, Jacqueline and Richard Stokes.The Spanish Song Companion. Victor Gollancz Ltd. London, 1992 Figes, Orlando. Natashas Dance: A Cultural History of Russia. Henry Holt and Company. New York, 2002. McCann, Lori. A Critical Performing Edition of Selected Songs from Chants dAuvergne. Collected and Harmonized by Joseph Canteloube. Doctoral Thesis, University of Wisconsin, 1996. Rorem, Ned. A Ned Rorem Reader. Harvard Press. New York,1968.