Twelve Days (Before) Christmas

Day 10 - Noël Nouvelet [France]

Noël Nouvelet is a traditional French Christmas and New Year's carol. The carol dates from the late 15th or early 16th century, and there are at least 13 verses available to sing. The word nouvelet has the same root as Noël, both stemming from the word for news and newness. The song was long ago translated into English as Sing We Now of Christmas, though the English lyrics (usually 5 verses) are somewhat different from the original French ones.

Some sources say it was a song celebrating the New Year. Others point out that the lyrics mainly speak of the news of the birth of the Christ Child in Bethlehem, the announcement by angels to the shepherds in the fields, looking forward to the visit of the Three Kings and the presentation of their gifts to the Holy Family. The carol also celebrates the figures in the crèche, the handmade nativity scenes found throughout France, where they are part of the Christmas celebration in homes and in town squares. And at the time it was written it was sung by families at home and at community gatherings, rather than as part of the liturgy in Roman Catholic churches.
[thanks to the folks at ThoughtCo.com]

Noël nouvelet, Noël chantons ici,
     [New Christmas, Christmas we sing here] - literal English translation
Dévotes gens, crions à Dieu merci!
     [Devout people, let us shout our thanks to God!

Chorus :
Chantons Noël pour le Roi nouvelet!
     [Let us sing Christmas for the new King!]
Chantons Noël pour le Roi nouvelet!
Noël nouvelet, Noël chantons ici!
     [New Christmas, Christmas we sing here.

Quand je m’éveillai, et j’eus assez dormi,
     [When I awoke, and had enough sleep]
Ouvris les yeux, vis un arbre fleuri,
     [Open your eyes, see a flowering tree]
Dont il sortait un bouton vermeillet.
     [From which a ruddy button came out]
Noël nouvelet, Noël chantons ici.
     [Christmas new, Christmas singing here]

D’un oyselet après le chant oui,
     [An angel after hearing the songs]
Qui aux pasteurs disait: 'Partez d’ici
     [Said to the shepherds: “Leave here]
En Bethléem trouvèrent l’agnelet
     [in Bethlehem you’ll find the little lamb]
Noël nouvelet, Noël chantons ici.
     [Christmas new, Christmas singing here]

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~   

Sing we now of Christmas, Noel, sing we here!
Hear our grateful praises to the babe so dear.

Refrain:
Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel!
Sing we now of Christmas, sing we now Noel!

Angels called to shepherds, "Leave your flocks at rest,
journey forth to Bethlehem, find the lambkin blest." [Refrain] 

In Bethlehem they found him; Joseph and Mary mild,
seated by the manger, watching the holy child. [Refrain]

From the eastern country came the kings afar,
bearing gifts to Bethlehem guided by a star. [Refrain] 

Gold and myrrh they took there, gifts of greatest price;
there was ne'er a place on earth so like paradise. [Refrain]

Noël nouvelet - ANÚNA

 

Noël nouvelet - The King's Singers

Noël nouvelet - Apollo's Fire

 

And here's a baroque interpretation of Noël nouvelet by composer Edwin McLean

 

Twelve Days (Before) Christmas

Day 11 - Lulajże, Jezuniu (Lullaby, Little Baby Jesus) [Poland]

Setting a more contemplative mood than yesterday's carols is the beautiful and well loved Polish carol Lulajże, Jezuniu (Lullaby, Little Baby Jesus/Sleep, Jesus). A traditional carol (author and composer unknown), this Koleda (Polish for "carol") is frequently sung in church at a special moment during midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The first written sources in which the words Lulajże, Jezuniu were found come from the beginning of the 18th century. It was first published in 1767 in Father Michał Marcin Mioduszewski's Kantyczki (Canticles) - hymns or chants, typically with a biblical text, forming a regular part of a church service. Later, in 1843, it was also included in Pastorals and Christmas Carols, songs for Christmas to be sung around the house. Lulajże, Jezuniu is a typical lullaby not only because of its delicate, romantic melody, but also because the text is full of maternal tenderness and caring. A pearl, a flower, a rose, an angel - these are just some of the caressing terms used to address the Child falling asleep in a manger. The carol - although devoid of biblical details and theological wisdom - conveys the extraordinary truth about Mary's love for her newborn Son and the beauty of her divine motherhood.

Lulajze, Jezuniu, moja perelko,
Lulaj, ulubione me piescidelko.
Lulajze, Jezuniu, lulajze, lulaj!
A ty Go, Matulu, w placzu utulaj.
Zamknijze znuzone placzem powieczki,
Utulze zemdlone lkaniem usteczki.
Lulajze, Jezuniu, lulajze lulaj!
A ty Go, Matulu, w placzu utulaj.

Lulajze, piekniuchny nasz Anioleczku,
Lulajze, wdzieczniuchny swiata Kwiateczku.
Lulajze, Jezuniu, lulajze lulaj!
A ty Go, Matulu, w placzu utulaj.

Lulajze, Rzyczko najozdobniejsza,
Lulajze, Lilijko najprzyjemniejsza.
Lulajze, Jezuniu, lulajze lulaj!
A ty Go, Matulu, w placzu utulaj.

Lulajze, przyjemna oczom Gwiazdeczko,
Lulaj, najsliczniejsze swiata Sloneczko.
Lulajze, Jezuniu, lulajze lulaj!
A ty Go, Matulu, w placzu utulaj.

Lullaby, little baby Jesus, my little pearl,
Lull, my favorite little cuddley one.

Lullaby, little baby Jesus, lullaby, lull,
And you, the mama, calm him down when crying.

Close your little eyelids, weary from weeping,
Relax your little lips, tired from sobbing.

Lullaby, little baby Jesus, lullaby, lull,
And you, the mama, calm him down when crying.

Lullaby, our most lovely little angel,
Lullaby, the most enchanting little flower in the world.

Lullaby, little baby Jesus, lullaby, lull,
And you, the mama, calm him down when crying.

Lullaby, the most gorgeous little rose,
Lullaby, the most pleasant little lily.

Lullaby, little baby Jesus, lullaby, lull,
And you, the mama, calm him down when crying.

Lullaby, lovely little star delighting our eyes,
Lullaby, the most beautiful little sun in the world.

Lullaby, little baby Jesus, lullaby, lull,
And you, the mama, calm him down when crying.

Hush, hush, hush, everyone get ready for bed,
Don't wake up my little baby.

Lullaby, little baby Jesus, lullaby, lull,
And you, the mama, calm him down when crying.

 

Lulajże, Jezuniu (Lullaby, Little Baby Jesus) - Skowronki Girls' Choir

Lulajże, Jezuniu (Lullaby, Little Baby Jesus) - Samitra Suwannarit, soprano, Warsaw Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra

 

Lulajże, Jezuniu (Lullaby, Little Baby Jesus)

This tune was even used by Chopin as a change of mood in his Scherzo in B minor, op. 20

 

Twelve Days (Before) Christmas

Day 12 - Another year, another Holiday season, another Twelve Days of Christmas - Before and After!  I hope you've made it through this chaotic year as best you could, and that you've been able to contemplate - and perhaps even DO - some of the familiar holiday activities that bring us all comfort and joy.

The first of our Twelve Days contains two carols - one from Germany, written by a known poet and a known composer, and the second from Bohemia (part of the present day Czech Republic), a traditional carol with no known creator. And the funny part about it all, from my personal perspective, is that I thought they were the same carol! And they ARE very similar in sound and structure. Even their German names are very similar, at least from a non German-speaking American's point of view!

So let's delve into Ihr Kin­der­lein, kom­met (O, Come, Little Children) and after that, Kommet, ihr Hirten (Come, Ye Shepherds).

First, Ihr Kin­der­lein, kom­met (O, Come, Little Children). The poetic text was written around 1798 by Christoph von Schmid, with the title Die Kinder bei der Krippe (The Children at the Manger). The original poem had eight verses and it was published in 1811. Schmid then included it in his 1818 collection Blüten dem blühenden Alter gewidmet (Flowers dedicated to the flowering age). Together with other poems from this collection, it was set to music in 1837 by Franz Xaver Luft. However, the music which today is associated with Ihr Kin­der­lein, kom­met was written by composer Johann Abraham Peter Schulz. It originally appeared in 1794 as a secular song named Wie reizend, wie wonnig (How charming, how pleasant). Around 1832, Schulz's melody was combined with Schmid's poem for the collection Sechzig deutsche Lieder für dreißig Pfennig (Sixty German Songs for Thirty Pennies). In addition to its popularity as a Christmas carol, the song has become known around the world as one of the first pieces that children learn when studying the violin using the Suzuki method.

Off we go . . .

Ihr Kinderlein, kommet, o kommet doch all!
Zur Krippe her kommet in Bethlehems Stall
und seht, was in dieser hochheiligen Nacht
der Vater im Himmel für Freude uns macht!
[the full German text is . . . here]

Oh, come, little children, oh, come, one and all,
To Bethlehem's stable, in Bethlehem's stall.
And see with rejoicing this glorious sight,
Our Father in heaven has sent us this night.

Oh, see in the manger, in hallowèd light
A star throws its beam on this holiest sight.
In clean swaddling clothes lies the heavenly Child,
More lovely than angels, this Baby so mild.

Oh, there lies the Christ Child, on hay and on straw;
The shepherds are kneeling before Him with awe.
And Mary and Joseph smile on Him with love,
While angels are singing sweet songs from above.

English translation by Melanie Schulte (1885–1922)

Ihr Kinderlein, kommet - Dresdner Kreuzchor

 

 

Our second tune, Nesem vám noviny (in German: Kommet, ihr Hirten; in English: Come, Ye Shepherds) is a traditional Bohemian carol, later translated into German and eventually into English. The German text was written as a free translation from the Czech original by Carl Riedel and first published in 1870 under the title Die Engel und die Hirten (The Angels and the Shepherds). The English version, translated by Mari Ruef Hofer as Come, All Ye Shepherds, was published in 1912.

Nesem vám noviny, poslouchejte
Z betlémské krajiny, pozor dejte
Slyšte je pilně a neomylně
Slyšte je pilně a neomylně
Rozjímejte

Kommet, ihr Hirten, ihr Männer und Fraun,
Kommet, das liebliche Kindlein zu schaun,
Christus, der Herr, ist heute geboren,
Den Gott zum Heiland euch hat erkoren.
Fürchtet euch nicht!

Come now, ye shepherds, away from your fold,
Come, the dear lovable Child to behold;
Gaze with delight on Christ, the Anointed,
By God as Savior for us appointed,
Banish all fear!

Yea, let us witness in Bethlehem's stall
What we have heard through the heavenly call;
There, with glad voices, publish the story,
Sing of the Savior's wonderful glory.
Hallelujah!

Truly the angels are singing to-day
Unto the shepherds this beautiful lay:
Peace in its fullness to you is granted,
Good will to mortals in all hearts planted.
Glory to God!

 Nesem vám noviny - Balthasar-Neumann-Chor

 

 Nesem vám noviny - Church of the Holy Family

 

 

Both carols appear on YouTube in many different performances. I feel that both carols sound best at a more up-tempo speed. I hope these two lovely, catchy, and boisterous carols will lift our spirits and sweep us into the 2021 Holiday Season - Enjoy!

Weep, O mine eyes

It's been quite a while since I posted anything; I've been busy getting the PCO up and running again. A great big thanks to everyone who's been able to come out and start playing together again!

I have also been doing some research on the English Madrigalist composers, who flourished at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th century. The most famous names among these composers are William Byrd and Thomas Morley (with his ever popular Now is the Month of Maying). One of the lesser known madrigalists is John Bennet, and it is his music that I've been listening to and arranging.

Not much is known about Bennet's life. He was born sometime around 1575, and died sometime after 1614. Despite this dearth of information and his rather meager legacy of compositions, since one of his pieces was published in the collection The Triumphs of Oriana (1601) - which included music by 22 other madrigalists - Bennet's high standing among the leading composers of the time is fairly certain.

One of Bennet's most famous pieces is Weep, O mine eyes, a madrigal for four voices. It is based on/inspired by the even more famous Flow, my teares, a lute song by John Dowland (1563–1626).

I couldn't help sharing this beautiful music. Sad music for sad times. Let us remember those no longer with us, and look forward to better days ahead.

John Bennet: Weep, O mine eyes - performed by Ensemble Luau

Weep, O mine eyes and cease not,
alas, these your spring tides methinks increase not.
O when begin you
to swell so high that I may drown me in you?

 

John Dowland: Flow my teares - performed by Valeria Mignaco (soprano) & Alfonso Marin (lute)

Flow, my tears, fall from your springs!
Exiled for ever, let me mourn;
Where night's black bird her sad infamy sings,
There let me live forlorn.

Down vain lights, shine you no more!
No nights are dark enough for those
That in despair their lost fortunes deplore.
Light doth but shame disclose.

Never may my woes be relieved,
Since pity is fled;
And tears and sighs and groans my weary days
Of all joys have deprived.

From the highest spire of contentment
My fortune is thrown;
And fear and grief and pain for my deserts
Are my hopes, since hope is gone.

Hark! you shadows that in darkness dwell,
Learn to condemn light
Happy, happy they that in hell
Feel not the world's despite.

 

John Dowland: Lachrimae Antiquae Pavan (an instrumental version of Flow my teares) - performed by Finnish Rso

Un de Les Six

Toward the end of World War I, when many French theaters and concert venues were shuttered due to the ongoing global conflict, visionaries of the modern art movement began to put on small concerts in spaces that were readily available to them - their own art studios. One such event that took place in 1917 featured a space with walls decorated by paintings of Picasso, Matisse, Léger, Modigliani and others; the music presented was by Erik Satie, George Auric, Louis Durey and Arthur Honegger. Over the next few years a number of these composers banded together (somewhat by chance) to form Les Six; six composers whose common purpose was to write music reacting against the musical styles of both the Germanic Richard Wagner and the Impressionist Claude Debussy.

Les Six (from oldest to youngest) consisted of Louis Durey, Arthur Honegger, Germaine Tailleferre, Darius Milhaud, Francis Poulenc, and Georges Auric. All were French, except for Honegger, who was born in France to Swiss parents. From the moment their names were joined together, these disparate and unique composers forged paths all their own, some writing works that spoke not only to their own time, but that continue to speak to us over a century later.

One of Arthur Honegger's most famous works, Pacific 231, written in 1923,  depicts, through sound, the impressive machinations of a steam locomotive. An avid train enthusiast himself, he once mused: "I have always loved locomotives passionately. For me they are living creatures and I love them as others love women or horses." But it is not the machine age that we visit today, but a beautiful depiction of Honegger's beloved Swiss alps. Inspired by a vacation to Bern in 1920 he composed Pastorale d'été (Summer Pastorale). On the score itself is inscribed an epigraph by Arthur Rimbaud: J'ai embrassé l'aube d'été - I have embraced the summer dawn. The music speaks for itself . . . Enjoy!

Honegger: Pastorale d'ete - Argovia Philharmonic, Rune Bergmann (conductor)

Rocking in the Renaissance

One of my favorite composer from the past 450 years(!) is Anthony Holborne, who was born sometime around 1562 and died 29 November, 1602. Not much is actually known about his life. One detail is that he was one of the composers in the service of England's Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603). The music that has come down to us was written for lute, cittern (a guitar/mandolin like instrument), chittara (similar to the modern acoustic guitar) and instrumental consort. Holborne sometimes arranged his lute/chittara/cittern pieces for a consort of viola da gambas or strings and winds. And lastly, his works consist mainly of Pavans, Galliards, Almains, Airs, and Fantasias, the slower works exuding a melancholy that was highly prized in the English court of the time.

Here are some of my favorite Holborne works:

Muy Linda (Very Pretty) - performed by L'Achéron

. . . and the same piece performed by lutenist Michal Gondko

 

The Night Watch - performed by the Chelys Consort

Countess Of Pembrokes' Paradise - Noam Kanter (guitar)
. . . by the way, Holborne's patron was the Countess of Pembroke, Mary Sidney

The titles of some of Holborne's pieces seem to refer to literary works of the day. In Edmund Spenser's The Shepheardes Calendar (1579), the shepherds, Perigot and Willye meet and decide to have a singing match (a rustic game immortalized in the Idylls of Theocritus). Each shepherd sings a line, answered by the other. One begins 'As it fell on a holie eve', and the other replies 'Heigh Ho Holiday' and so their contest proceeds . . .

Heigh Ho Holiday - performed by ViolMedium

. . . and the same piece performed by lutenist Julian Bream

Two of the courtly dances of Holborne's time were the Pavane and the Gailliard. The word pavane most probably comes from  "padovana" (old Italian: "from Padua"), though it's origin might also derive from the Spanish word "pavón" meaning peacock. This courtly dance, almost certainly of Italian origin, is often associated with Spain, and the decorous sweep of the pavane very much suited the new more sober Spanish-influenced courtly manners of 16th-century Italy. The Pavane is often joined to a second, faster Gailliard. The galliard was a favorite dance of Queen Elizabeth I of England, and although it is a relatively vigorous dance, in 1589 when the Queen was in her mid-fifties, John Stanhope of the Privy Chamber reported, "the Queen is so well as I assure you, six or seven galliards in a morning, besides music and singing, is her ordinary exercise."

Pavan and Galliard - performed by Thomas C. Boysen (lute)

. . . and here's a demonstration of royalty dancing a Pavane and Galliard

And lastly (if you've made it this far!) one of my all-time favorites - The Fairie Round

The Fairie Round - John Bigelow (lute)

The Fairie Round - performed by The Voices of Music

The Fairie Round - performed by Hespèrion XXI , Jordi Savall director

A Brave New (Sound) World

We'll take a little leap today and find ourselves in some very unique and fascinating sound worlds, with three short pieces by John Cage, Delia Derbyshire, and Igor Stravinsky.

During the years 1946, 1947 and 1948 John Cage composed his Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano, a cycle of twenty pieces to be performed on a piano "prepared" with various alterations to the strings and soundboard. These alterations create a sound world far removed from the one we normally expect to hear from a standard grand piano. Cage composed these works shortly after his introduction to two of the major influences that would change his approach to musical composition - Indian philosophy and the teachings of art historian Ananda K. Coomaraswamy.

At the beginning of 1946, Cage met Gita Sarabhai, an Indian musician who came to the United States concerned about Western influence on the music of her country. She ended up studying with Cage, who offered to teach her for free if she taught him about Indian music in return. The purpose of music, according to Sarabhai's teacher in India, was "to sober and quiet the mind, thus rendering it susceptible to divine influences", and this definition became one of the cornerstones of Cage's view on music and art in general. And it is this that he began to explore in his Sonatas and Interludes.

Here's a fantastic video performance of the Sonata No. 5 performed by pianist Carlos Sanchis Aguirre.

I couldn't resist this equally amazing performance by David Greilsamm!

Delia Derbyshire was an inspired and innovative composer of electronic music. For a large part of her career - from 1960 to 1973 - she worked in the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop, experimenting and manipulating sound, magnetic tape and recording equipment. To the world at large she is best remembered for arranging and producing the theme music for the Doctor Who series. Her amazingly creative, experimental and groundbreaking work produced sound worlds that express a unique and forward looking vision, stretching the boundaries of what we consider music to be. Derbyshire's haunting and mesmerising Blue Veils and Golden Sands (1967) was composed for the film The World About Us, a documentary about the Tuareg people of the Sahara desert.

For those interested in finding out more about Delia Derbyshire, there's a fine documentary film called The Delian Mode. You can watch it here

And we'll end with the melancholy and meditative first movement of Igor Stravinsky's Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet (1918) performed by Dimitri Schenker.

 

. . . all Three Pieces (performed by Szymon Parulski)  here

The Confluence of Musical Styles and World Influences - Part 1

While musical styles from various parts of the world intermingled in the early twentieth century, Heitor Villa-Lobos sought to promote Brazilian music throughout the classical music world. Instead of presenting only Brazilian styles, Villa-Lobos, in an attempt to showcase the international adaptability of Brazil's musical culture, developed a style all his own, which was a combination of his classical training in the western tradition and his first-hand experience with both Brazilian popular and Native Brazilian music. Much of his music manifests these influences, but his music for solo guitar, Brazil's national instrument, also features new techniques and timbres  used in his Cinq Preludes for solo guitar.
 - Heather Joy, from her Villa-Lobos’s Cinq Preludes: An Analysis of Influences

Enjoy this beautiful performance of the Villa-Lobos Prelude No. 1 played by guitarist Marcin Dylla

 And from Hungary . . . Béla Bartók's Romanian Folk Dances for String Orchestra played by the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra (get out your dancing shoes!)

Reeds in the Wind

Double-reed wind instruments (where the instrument's sound is produced by two carved reeds vibrating against each other) have been around since antiquity; pictures of such instruments date back to 3,000 BC. They were the most highly regarded musical instruments in ancient Greece and Rome, with players receiving high social standing and enjoying great popularity and many privileges.

A wide variety of instruments using this sound production method derived from these ancient origins: bombards, crumhorns, dolcians and even bagpipes (all members of the shawm family). During the 17th century the treble shawm evolved into the hoboy or hautboy (or in French, the hautbois; and finally in English, the oboe), and by the late 1600s the oboe became a standard member of orchestras. From that point on the oboe flourished, its heyday lasting until the end of the 18th century.

As an orchestra member, oboes were initially used mainly to double the violins, although by the Classical period they had asserted themselves and were performing functions of their own. In the opera orchestra they were given their first solo roles (obligatos) in arias. The instrument’s repertoire expanded in the beginning of the 18th century with countless solo sonatas, suites, trios and concertos. And the oboe has held its place through the 19th and 20th centuries as an integral and prominent voice in orchestral music.

All is bringing us to our music selections for today . . .

The year 1849 was one of the most productive years for composer Robert Schumann. In addition to works for solo piano, chorus, and solo voice, Schumann turned his attention to three wind instruments in chamber music settings: the Three Fantasy Pieces for clarinet and piano, the Adagio and Allegro for horn and piano, and the Three Romances for oboe and piano. The Three Romances for oboe were given to his wife, Clara Schumann-Wieck as a Christmas present that year. Though these beautiful pieces do not require a high degree of overt virtuosity, they do demand expert breath-control to bring across their long, lyrical melodies and convey Schumann’s feel for the emotional tone of the oboe.

Here's the first of Schumann's Three Romances performed by Céline Moinet (oboe) and Florian Uhlig (piano)

And if you have time to sit back for 20 minutes, the same lyricism and melancholy that imbues the Schumann Romances is also found in the Oboe Concerto by Bohuslav Martinů, a work written in 1955. The slow movement is an especial favorite of mine.

Bohuslav Martinů: Oboe Concerto (1955)
Diana Danielian (oboe), St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Titov (conductor)

 

Looking ahead to when we can play together again

According to Merriam-Webster: "Sturm und Drang comes from German, where it literally means "storm and stress." Although it’s now a generic synonym of "turmoil," the term was originally used in English to identify a late 18th-century German literary movement whose works were filled with rousing action and high emotionalism, and often dealt with an individual rebelling against the injustices of society. The movement took its name from the 1776 play Sturm und Drang, a work by one of its proponents, dramatist and novelist Friedrich von Klinger. Although the literary movement was well known in Germany in the late 1700s, the term Sturm und Drang didn’t appear in English prose until the mid-1800s."

Franz Joseph Haydn was influenced by this German literary movement, especially in the symphonies he composed during the late 1760s and early 1770s. His Symphony No. 49 in F minor dates from 1768, and it is one of the high points of his symphonic writing during this time period. The form he chooses for the work is somewhat archaic, following the layout of the baroque church sonata, with four movements in slow-fast-slow-fast ordering. This produces a wonderfully ominous effect, with the intense and dark first slow movement lasting some 8 minutes, before the outburst of the Allegro second movement. The work is scored for 2 oboes, bassoon, 2 horns, and strings.

The symphony's nickname - La passione (not originating from Haydn) - derived from a performance of the work given during Holy Week in the Northern German city of Schwerin in 1790. The nickname has stuck with the work for good reason.

Here's a performance of the second movement of the Symphony No. 49 by l'Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France, with Barbara Hannigan conducting.

Tentative steps towards normalcy

Well here we are. Three hundred and sixty four days since the nation-wide lock down. Fifty two weeks since our last PCO indoor rehearsal. Mid-winter 2021.

Yet the light at the end of the tunnel has grown a little brighter since yesterday. Hopefully some of you may have been able to get vaccinated. And it looks like many, if not all, of us will be vaccinated by the beginning of the summer.  If we hang on a little longer we can begin to see more of our family and friends in person, and, tentatively, to go back to those things that bring pleasure and joy into our lives. My fingers are crossed very tightly!

I also figured that the only way for me to consistently share some beautiful music and ease the PCO back into existence is to lay down a schedule and stick to it. Easier said than done, but I'll give it a try.

So here we go.

At least once a week - if not more than that, if I am lucky enough - I'll share with you all some short little musical gem that we can savor and help bring on the spring that is not too far away. An attempt to ever so gently exit our long hibernation.

Let's begin with what most people call the Largo from Xerxes by George Frederic Handel. I first played this piece as a flute student back in 8th grade in an arrangement for flute and piano which I found in a collection of famous melodies. I have never forgotten it.

Regarding the opera in which this aria is found, Serse (Xerxes is the English translation), as writer Raymond Tuttle puts it . . . "is the typical Baroque tale of misplaced affections. Serse (Xerxes), the King of Persia, is engaged to Amastre, but he really loves Romilda, the daughter of Ariodate, the commander of Serse's army. Romilda is in love with Arsamene, Serse's brother. Arsamene returns her love, but he in turn is loved Atalanta, Romilda's sister. Serse's and Atalanta's jealousy is the wheel on which the plot revolves. Elviro, Arsamene's tippling manservant, provides comic relief. Confused?" You are not alone!

This most famous aria from Serse, and perhaps Handel's most famous - or at least most beautiful - tune is the one that opens the opera, Ombra mai fu. Within the context of the story, King Serse sings about the admiration and love he has for the shade of his beloved plane tree.

Hanako Yamaguchi sums it up beautifully: "It is incredible how this simple plaintive melody that begins with a note materializing out of nothing, suspended in space, never fails to affect me profoundly. Whenever I hear Ombra mai fu, I am transformed. The work exemplifies the enormous power music has to lift and move one’s spirit. It is a moment of fathomless grace, and a nearly 300-year-old example of how being mindful can reveal the extraordinary within the ordinary."

The recitative that precedes the aria sets the mood:

Frondi tenere e belle / Tender and beautiful fronds
del mio platano amato / of my beloved plane tree,
per voi risplenda il fato. / let Fate smile upon you.
Tuoni, lampi, e procelle / May thunder, lightning, and storms
non v'oltraggino mai la cara pace, / never disturb your dear peace,
né giunga a profanarvi austro rapace. / nor may you by blowing winds be profaned.

And the simple text of the aria itself . . .

Ombra mai fu / Never was a shade
di vegetabile / of any plant
cara ed amabile / dearer and more lovely
soave più. / or more sweet.

First is an orchestral arrangement with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra

 And now how it was originally heard, in an amazing performance by counter tenor Andreas Scholl