The music on tonight’s concert is inspired by philosophical and spiritual explorations of the nature of life, death, the values we live by, and the resilience of the human spirit. Johannes Brahms repurposes the bleak poetic conclusions of Friedrich Hölderlin into a message of hope in Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny), while Paul Moravec’s Montserrat celebrates the spiritual and physical beauty of the Montserrat monastery in the hills of Spain. Finally, Beethoven’s complete incidental music to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s play Egmont honors the heroic sacrifice of the historical Count Egmont, who fought and died to ensure freedom of the Flemish people from their Spanish oppressors.
Series sponsored by
Series presented by
Concert Sponsors
Richard and Sandra Hilt
Eileen Nobles and Robert Odie
Concert Co-Sponsor
Phil and Meg Kendall
Guest Artist Sponsors
Marion and John Meyer
Fred and Linda Veitch
Susanne Anselmi
Ms. Frederica A. Thrash
Jean Bodman
J. Michael and Marcia Conway
Saturday, April 1 at 7:30pm
Sunday, April 2 at 2:30pm
Josep Caballé-Domenech conductor
Leah Hansen cello
Heidi Melton soprano
Andrew Garland narrator
Colorado Springs Chorale, Adam Torres artistic director
BRAHMS
Schicksalslied (Song of Fate), Op. 54
I. Langsam und schnsuchtsroll (Slowly and longingly)
II. Allegro
III. Adagio
PAUL MORAVEC
Montserrat: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra
INTERMISSION
BEETHOVEN
Egmont, Op. 84
Translated and adapted by Philip Boehm.
Translation commissioned by The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, who streamed the premiere production in October 2020.
Ouverture. Sostenuto, ma non troppo - Allegro - Allegro con brio
I. Lied: Die Trommel gerühret. (The Drum Calls to Battle) Vivace
II. Entracte: Andante
III. Entracte: Larghetto
IV. Lied: Freudvoll und leidvoll (Joyful and woeful) Andante con moto - Allegro assai vivace
V. Entracte III: Allegro - Marcia. Vivace
VI. Entracte IV: Poco sostenuto e risoluto - Larghetto - Andante agitato
VII. Clärchens Tod bezeichnend: (Clarchen’s death) Larghetto
VIII. Melodrama: Poco sostenuto - Poco vivace - Andante con
moto Allegro ma non troppo
IX.Siegessymphonie: (Victory Symphony) Allegro con brio
Beethoven Egmont
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I. LEID: DIE TROMMEL GERÜHRET Die Trommel gerühret! Das Pfeifchen gespielt! Mein Liebster gewaffnet , Dem Haufen befiehlt, Die Lanze hoch führet Die Leute regieret Wie klopft mir das Herze! Wie wallt mir das Blut! O hätt ich ein Wämslein, Und Hosen und Hut!
Ich folgt ihm zum Tor naus Mit mutigem Schritt, Ging durch die Provinzen, Ging überall mit. Die Feinde schon weichen, Wir schiessen darein Welch Glück sondergleichen, Ein Mannsbild zu sein! |
I. SONG: THE DRUM CALLS TO BATTLE The drum calls to battle The fifes follow suit My darling is armed and Commanding his troops: He leads his men onward To glory and honor. My blood starts to surge! My heart’s beating fast! I just need a jerkin And doublet and hat!
I’d follow him blindly with bold step and stride from province to province I’d march at his side. Our enemies scatter before our advance: There’s no fortune better Than life as a man! |
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IV. LIED FREUDVOLL UND LEIDVOLL Freudvoll Und leidvoll Gedankenvoll sein, Langen Und bangen In schwebender Pein, Himmelhoch jauchzend, Zum Tode betrübt, Glücklich allein, Ist der Seele, die liebt. |
IV. SONG: JOYFUL AND WOEFUL Joyful And woeful With no peace of mind. Yearning And burning With pain and delight. Heavenly raptures And fretful despair: Happy alone Is the soul who’s in love |
Shicksalslied (Song of Destiny)
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Ihr wandelt droben im Licht Auf weichem Boden selige Genien! Glänzende Götterlüfte Rühren Euch leicht, Wie die Finger der Künstlerin Heilige Saiten.
Schicksallos, wie der Schlafende Säugling, atmen die Himmlischen; Keusch bewahrt, In bescheidener Knospe Blühet ewig Ihnen der Geist, Und die seligen Augen Blicken in stiller Ewiger Klarheit
Doch uns ist gegeben Auf keiner Stätte zu ruh'n; Es schwinden, es fallen Die leidenden Menschen Blindlings von einer Stunde zur andern, Wie Wasser von Klippe Zu Klippe geworfen Jahrlang in's Ungewisse hinab |
You walk in the light above on soft ground,blessed spirits! Divine breezes waft lightly by you, like the fingers of the performer on the holy strings
Fearless as sleeping infants, the Blessed abide. With purest buds ever protected, their spirit will bloom in joy forever. And their happy eyes look on in silent, eternal clarity.
But we are granted no place to rest. We wretched, suffering mortals falter and perish. Blindly from one moment to the next, like water tossed about from cliff to cliff, we are destined to disappear into the abyss! |
Text and Translations © Philip Boehm 2020
Philip Boehm has translated over thirty books and plays by German and Polish writers such as Herta Müller, Franz Kafka and Hanna Krall. For these translations he has received numerous awards including fellowships from the NEA and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. He also works as a stage director and playwright and is the founding Artistic Director of Upstream Theater in St. Louis.
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Soprano Emma Barber Stephanie Botsford Dani Bovee Carol Chin Erika Cincotta Teodora Kandic-Corn Katy Crumpton Susan Curtis Sandra Damron Trudy Fennewald Pamela Freeman Tori Gile Judy Gillispie Miriam Glock Hannah Gordon Rhoni Goslin Brooke Graves Carolena Graves Ellie Hackbarth May Harper Cathleen Hobson Patricia Keith Alyssa Koogler Judith Kramer Meg Meadow Jenifer Nelson Amy Pieir Julia Rozzell Kit M. Ruff Rachel Scott Jennifer Suffoletto Tamara Teske Lenz Sylvia Valley Amy Williams Claire Williams Meghan Woodring Alicia Zentmeyer Allison Zimmerman Alto Caitlin Arnony Lynn Barber Sarah Chandler Marti Cooksey Mary Enger Christi Esterle Jennifer Fernandez Susan Garner Kim Gilbert Brittany Harrison VIctoria Heinecke Joyce R. Kauffman Karen Lange Jennifer Lighthall Linda Madden Gloria K Neuder Ellen Prechtl Constance Raub Karen Reinking Deb Schubert Hanna Silver Stephanie Stachitus Audrey Sujkowski |
Tenor Richard Buchanan Brian Cornish Jonathan Heinecke Jonathan A Henderson Lee Henry Scott Johnson Robbie Douglas Knapp Joshua Milus John Nickell Nicholas Rytting Zachary Rytting Chris Straka John C. Strand Calvin D. Streeter II Kory Turner Bass Mark Dempsey Kirk Garner Steve Harter John Hetzler James Hutson Richard Lays Robert Lays Dan Miller Ken Myers Daniel Price Dean Rees Alex Saks Frank Stachitus Doug Towner |
