Love Story

CHANTICLEER
Love Story
Casey Breves, Michael McNeil, Gregory Peebles – soprano
Cortez Mitchell, Alan Reinhardt, Adam Ward – alto
Matthew Curtis, Brian Hinman, Ben Jones – tenor
Eric Alatorre, Michael Axtell, Matthew Knickman – baritone and bass
Matthew Oltman – Music Director
I.
Veni, dilecte mi
Sicut lilium inter spinas
Nigra sum sed formosa
Sebastián de Vivanco (1551-1622)
Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611)
II.
Ubi caritas
from Le Cantique des cantiques
Épithalame
Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
Jean Yves Daniel-Lesur (1908-2002)
III.
Tant que vivray
Toutes les nuits
Revecy venir du printans
Claudin de Sermisy (1495-1562)
Clément Jannequin (c.1485-1558)
Claude Le Jeune (1529-1600)
IV.
Drei Männerchore
Vor den Türen
Traumlicht
Frölich im Maien
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
V.
Not an End of Loving
Where I Become You
We Two Boys
Not an End of Loving
Steven Sametz (b. 1954)
Intermission
VI.
This Marriage
A Village Wedding
Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)
Sir John Tavener (b. 1944)
VII.
The Lotus Lovers
Stephen Paulus (b. 1949)
Commissioned for Chanticleer by Mary Rodgers and Henry Guettel
To Be Selected From the Following:
The Smile
When We Make Love
All Night
Illusions
Late Spring
A Rich Brocade
Bitter Harvest
VIII.
A Selection of Popular Songs To Be Announced
TEXTS
Veni, dilecte mi; Sicut lilium inter spinas – Sebastián de Vivanco (1551-1622)
Veni, dilecte mi
Veni, dilecte mi, egrediamur in agro,
commoremur in villis.
Mane surgamus ad vineas;
videamus si floruit vinea,
si flores fructus parturiunt,
si floruerunt mala punica;
ibi dabo tibi ubera mea.
Mandragoræ dederunt odorem suum,
in portis nostris omnia poma,
nova et vetera, dilecte mi, servavi tibi.
Sicut lilium inter spinas
Sicut lilium inter spinas,
sic amica mea inter filias.
Sicut malus inter ligna silvarum,
sic dilectus meus inter filios.
Sub umbra illius quam desideraveram sedi:
et fructus eius dulcis gutturi meo.
Nigra sum sed formosa – Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611)
Nigra sum sed formosa filia Jerusalem,
ideo dilexit me rex,
et introduxit me in cubiculum suum,
et dixit mihi: surge amica mea et veni.
Jam hiems transiit, imber abiit, et recessit,
flores apparuerunt in terra nostra,
tempus putationis advenit.
Ubi caritas - Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Exultemus, et in ipso jucundemur.
Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Amen.
Épithalame – Jean Yves Daniel-Lesur (1908 –2002)
Veni sponsa Christi
accipe coronam
Quam tibi Dominus
præparavit in æternum.
Alleluia.
Pose-moi comme un sceau sur ton cœur
Comme un sceau sur ton bras
Car l’amour est fort comme la mort
La jalousie est dure comme l’enfer
L’amour ses traits sont de feu
Une flamme de Yahvé!
Les grandes eaux n’ont pu éteindre l’amour
Les fleuves ne le submergeront pas!
Alleluia.
Kyrie eleison.
Alleluia Domine. Alleluia!
Tant que vivray - Claudin de Sermisy (1495-1562)
Tant que vivrai, en âge florissant,
Je servirai Amour le dieu puissant,
En faits, en dits, en chansons et accords.
Par plusieurs jours m'a tenu languissant,
Mais apres dueil m'a fait réjouissant,
Car j'ai l'amour de la belle au gent corps.
Son alliance,
C’est ma fiance:
Son cœur est mien,
Le mien est sien:
Fi de tristesse,
Vive liesse,
Puis qu'en amours j’ai tant de bien!
Quand je la veux servir et honorer,
Quand par écrits veux son nom décorer,
Quand je la vois, et visite souvent,
Les envieux n'en font que murmurer;
Mais notre amour n'en saurait moins durer:
Autant ou plus en emporte le vent.
Malgré envie,
Toute ma vie
Je l'aimerai
Et chanterai:
C'est la première,
C'est la dernière,
Que j'ai servie, et servirai.
Toutes les nuits - Clément Jannequin (c.1485-1558)
Toutes les nuits tu m'es présente
Par songe doux et gracieux.
Mais tous les jours tu m'es absente
Qui m'es regretz fort ennuyeux.
Puis donc que la nuit me vaut mieux
Et que je n'ai bien que par songe.
Dormez de jour, Ô pauvres yeux!
Afin que sans cesse je songe.
Revecy venir du printans - Claude Le Jeune (1529-1600)
Revecy venir du Printans
L'amoureuz' et belle saizon.
Le courant des eaus recherchant
Le canal d'été s'éclaircît;
Et la mer calme de ses flots
Amolit le triste courrous.
Le canard s'égay' se plonjant,
Et se lave coint dedans l'eau
Et la grû' qui fourche son vol
Retraverse l'air et s'en va.
Revecy venir du Printans
L'amoureuz' et belle saizon.
Le soleil éclaire luizant,
D'une plus sereine clairté.
Du nuage l'ombre s'enfuit
Qui se joû' et court et noircît.
Et foretz et champs et coutaus
Le labeur humain reverdît,
Et la prê' decouvre ses fleurs.
Revecy venir du Printans
L'amoureuz' et belle saizon.
De Venus le filz Cupidon,
L'univers semant de ses trais
De sa flamme va réchaufer
Animaus, qui volet en l'air,
Animaus, qui rampet au chams
Animaus, qui naget auz eaus.
Ce qui mesmement ne sent pas,
Amoureux se fond de plaizir.
Revecy venir du Printans
L'amoureuz' et belle saizon.
Rion aussi nous, et cherchon
Les ébas et jeus du Printans.
Toute chose rit de plaizir;
Sélebron la gaye saizon.
Revecy venir du Printans
L'amoureuz' et belle saizon.
Drei Männerchore - Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
Vor den Türen
Ich habe geklopft an des Reichtums Haus;
man reicht mir ‘nen Pfennig zum Fenster heraus.
Ich habe gekopft an der Liebe Tür;
da standen schon fünfzehn andre dafür.
Ich klopfte leis’ an der Ehre Schloß;
hier tut man nur auf dem Ritter zu Roß.
Ich habe gesucht der Arbeit Dach;
da hört’ ich drinnen nur Weh und Ach!
Ich suchte das Haus der Zufriedenheit;
es kannt’ es niemand weit und breit.
Nun weiß ich noch ein Häuslein still,
wo ich zuletzt anklopfen will.
Zwar wohnt darin schon mancher Gast,
doch ist für Viele im Grab noch Rast.
Traumlicht
Ein Licht im Traum hat mich besucht,
es nahte kaum und nahm die Flucht.
Der Blick ist tief hier eingesenkt,
den, als ich schlief, du mir geschenkt.
Hell dämmert mild am Tage wach,
O Nachtgebild’, dein Glanz mir nach.
Komm oft, o Stern, in meiner Ruh’!
Dir schließ’ ich gern die Augen zu.
Hell dämmert mild ein Licht im Traum
am Tage mir nach.
Komm oft, o Stern, in meiner Ruh’!
Dir schließ’ ich gern die Augen zu.
Frölich im Maien
Blühende Frauen,
lasset euch schauen
fröhlich im Tanze
unter dem Kranze!
Tanzet zu zweien
unter Schalmeien,
tanzet am Reihen
frölich im Maien!
Prüfende Kenner,
kommet, ihr Männer,
sehet die klaren
Bilder sich paaren,
tanzen zu zweien
unter Schalmeien,
tanzen am Reihen
frölich im Maien!
Freut euch, ihr Alten,
junger Gestalten!
Wie ihr gesprungen,
springen die Jungen,
tanzen zu zweien
unter Schalmeien,
tanzen am Reihen
frölich im Maien!
Junge und schöne
Töchter und Söhne,
Enkel nicht minder
reizend als Kinder;
tanzen zu zweien
unter Schalmeien
tanzen am Reihen
frölich im Maien!
Junges Gelichter,
ihr seid nicht Richter;
Jünglinge, wählet,
eh’ es euch fehlet;
tanzet zu zweien
unter Schalmeien
tanzet am Reihen
frölich im Maien!
(Tra la la…)
Blühende Frauen…
Not an End to Loving - Steven Sametz (b. 1954)
Where I Become You
text by Antjie Krog (b. 1952)
Where I become you,
there where I am you
have become you
I sing beyond myself
light pulses of quicksilversong
a thing cast beyond all humankind
We Two Boys Together Clinging
Walt Whitman (1819-1892)
We two boys together clinging,
One the other never leaving,
Up and down the roads going—North and South excursions making,
Power enjoying—elbows stretching—fingers clutching,
Arm’d and fearless—eating, drinking, sleeping, loving,
No law less than ourselves owning—sailing, soldiering, thieving, threatening,
Misers, menials, priests alarming—air breathing, water drinking, on the turf or the seabeach dancing,
Cities wrenching, ease scorning, statutes mocking, feebleness chasing,
Fulfilling our foray.
We two boys together clinging,
One the other never leaving…
Not an End to Loving
Alcuin of York (c. 730-804)
(adapted from the translation by Waddell)
Come make an end of singing,
come make an end of grief,
but not an end of loving,
no ne'er an end of love.
I made this song, beloved
with bitter weeping eye,
and yet I know that by God's grace
we two shall see each other's face,
and stand together hearts as one,
those constant hearts shall rest as one.
Come make an end of singing,
come make an end of grief,
but not an end of loving,
no not an end of love,
no ne'er an end of love.
This Marriage - Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)
May these vows and this marriage be blessed.
May it be sweet milk,
like wine and halvah.
May this marriage offer fruit and shade
like the date palm.
May this marriage be full of laughter,
our every day a day in paradise.
May this marriage be a sign of compassion,
a seal of happiness here and hereafter.
May this marriage have a fair face and a good name,
an omen as welcomes the moon in a clear blue sky.
I am out of words to describe
how spirit mingles in this marriage.
Village Wedding - John Tavener (b. 1944)
To my beloved, who breaks my heart.
Do you listen within your veil,
Silent, God-quickened heart?
(O depth and stillness of Virginity!)
Follow your man.
Let them throw white rice
May you – her mystical image. . .
Like a spring cloud let her now tenderly
spread her bridal veil.
O the peace of the bridal dawn.
And he listens.
And as in front of a fount of crystal water
Let the girls pass in front of the bride,
Observing her look from the corner of their eyes
As though balancing pitchers on their heads.
O like Leto giving birth to Apollo.
(Do you listen within your veil?)
When, standing, her hands slight and pale.
(Let them throw white rice)
She clasped the ethereal palm tree on Delos, . . .
(Like a spring cloud)
May you – her mystical image. . .
(O the peace of the bridal dawn.)
Held by your husband’s strong heart,
(And he listens.)
Bring into the world
With a single cry your child as the
Poet brings forth his creation.
refrain:
O Isaiah, dance for joy, for the Virgin is with child.
The Lotus Lovers - Stephen Paulus (b. 1949)
Poetry by Tzu Yeh, 4th c. China, Translations by Sam Hamill, used by permission
A Smile
In this house on a hill without walls,
the four winds touch our faces.
If they blow open your robe of gauze,
I’ll try to hide my smile.
Song
Winter skies are cold and low
with harsh winds and freezing sleet.
But when we make love beneath our quilt,
We make three summer months of heat.
All Night
All the sleepless night
in the moon’s white light, aloneshe listens. Does his voice call out?
She replies to an empty room.
Illusions
Under bright moonlight
the moon is endless
And the sleep I long for
never comes.
Suddenly I hear
I think
your voice, and call for you,
my heart racing into my throat.
Only the echo answers,
Only the echo
to mock me in the night.
Busy in the Spring
Bright moonlight fills the trees,
and like a rich brocade the flowers bloom.
How can I not think of you,
alone, lonely, alone, lonely…
Late Spring
Willows bend to the sea breeze—
how suddenly springtime flies!
Magpies welcome the summer,
but cicadas cry from the trees.
Bitter Harvest
Joyous, who can help but sing?
The one who is hungry eats.
I lean out the door at sunset:
The bitter ones never forget.