My Art Songs & Vocal Practices (a Singing Blog)
Scroll down to the bottom past June 29, 2017 for old recordings of art songs from Mother Nature, copyright - started libretto by accident in 1999, my self so-called opera. Maybe one day there will be more recorded. I need to get back to my libretto which is color coded. Some sections need revision; some need new music. I added much libretto in 2020/2021, so need more music..
Scroll through if ya want.
(See teaching bio for information about some vocal performance experience. - I also took vocal pedagogy in the past.)
Most practices have been recorded on an old iPod in 2 different apartments with varying degrees of funny acoustics. The recent Videos of my art songs/ariettas/arias during pandemic were done on my own with prerecorded accompaniments with a Zoom recorder and Quicktime player from a laptop. -- Of the other practices, some are of pieces I've never worked on, sing them a few times and post; some I practiced years ago, performed, revisit them and post; some I practiced 1 or 2 times in the past, practice again, and post. -I don't always record on my best singing days. This is random.
Scroll down to the bottom past June 29, 2017 for old recordings of art songs from Mother Nature, copyright - started libretto by accident in 1999, my self so-called opera. Maybe one day there will be more recorded. I need to get back to my libretto which is color coded. Some sections need revision; some need new music. I added much libretto in 2020/2021, so need more music..
Scroll through if ya want.
(See teaching bio for information about some vocal performance experience. - I also took vocal pedagogy in the past.)
Most practices have been recorded on an old iPod in 2 different apartments with varying degrees of funny acoustics. The recent Videos of my art songs/ariettas/arias during pandemic were done on my own with prerecorded accompaniments with a Zoom recorder and Quicktime player from a laptop. -- Of the other practices, some are of pieces I've never worked on, sing them a few times and post; some I practiced years ago, performed, revisit them and post; some I practiced 1 or 2 times in the past, practice again, and post. -I don't always record on my best singing days. This is random.
July 22, 2022: Workshop/Showcase is over. Here is the link to watch the Video of the 18 minute version of Mr. Principal's Method. https://youtu.be/0UrIqQVngaI -- PLEASE read the Synopsis and refer to it as you watch. It fills in some story that couldn't be included in a time limited showcase. I think it's okay for 15-yr-olds and up.
Announcement: Nightingale Opera Theatre accepted me as a Composer to an Opera Workshop, which they expanded into a Showcase. A chunk, incomplete but coherent enough, of my Opera #2 was presented on July 6, 2022. It was a bit of a surprise to me that they wanted a "version" of it at all! The title is Mr. Principal's Method. ---(This project started as a Song Cycle and evolved into an Opera.) I rearranged music, cut Act II, extracted certain finished art songs, because it had to be a shortened coherent version. A work in progress & exciting nonetheless. 😊☺️-- Oh, I am the storywriter, librettist, and composer. I have bits of orchestrations on paper and a lot floating around in the noggin. This was with piano, only.
This was the events page where a link to purchase tickets was.--https://www.nightingaleoperatheatre.com/events
This was the events page where a link to purchase tickets was.--https://www.nightingaleoperatheatre.com/events
Also: Please see my Public Videos at Facebook & YouTube. Anyway, if you want, please scroll down, listen to, and read stuff. Thank you for your support.
September 25th, 2021: I reread some of what I wrote below, and I'm clarifying that the Song Cycle is now an Opera, Opera #2. I stated it would be a two character opera, but now I added a Chamber Chorus and a few other characters that have smaller parts. I want to keep the cast of characters as short as possible. Now, I'm actually deleting and moving scenes around. And onward...
August 17, 2021: I finally uploaded something into YouTube.
Above is "Serenade" for my Opera #2. "Serenade" is one of this character's responses to some of another character's behavior. She has a "working name," but I might change it, so I'll wait to call her a name other than "this character." [If I do not share anything until the whole Opera is complete, it might be that none of it will ever be heard. Out of full context, I'm afraid the story of the Opera might be confusing. Hopefully this "Serenade" brings any meaningful aesthetic to its audience, nonetheless.] So: "Serenade" Text & Music Copyright 1999/2020 Ann Marie Falcone Composer, Librettist, Soprano -- (Text was basically done back in 1999, but I changed a few words in 2020; the music was pretty much also done, but I revised a bit up until and into 2020. I also have a version for voice, strings, and piano.) THANK YOU to Adam Whiting, wonderful piano collaborator! We had minimal rehearsal time before Covid isolation, and during isolation he made a few prerecorded accompaniments for me, including this one. Thank you for reading, listening, and watching! Please see the blurb below this text, too.
"Serenade"
What a gesture from the stage!
Charming,
Charming me for music's sake.
Flash of flame ensnared my trance,
A married sport;
I could not escape his song's embrace.
Placed in time his music had sung
To feel some passion
And make us one.
Now I cannot sleep;
Now I cannot sleep.
Again, I am a soul alone
With my heart
And left to weep.
[You may have to plug in headphones and turn it up to hear this. I'm still experimenting with the equipment I have in the space I have to work with right now- made in an apartment with a Zoom recorder and Quicktime player-- trying.]
Above is "Serenade" for my Opera #2. "Serenade" is one of this character's responses to some of another character's behavior. She has a "working name," but I might change it, so I'll wait to call her a name other than "this character." [If I do not share anything until the whole Opera is complete, it might be that none of it will ever be heard. Out of full context, I'm afraid the story of the Opera might be confusing. Hopefully this "Serenade" brings any meaningful aesthetic to its audience, nonetheless.] So: "Serenade" Text & Music Copyright 1999/2020 Ann Marie Falcone Composer, Librettist, Soprano -- (Text was basically done back in 1999, but I changed a few words in 2020; the music was pretty much also done, but I revised a bit up until and into 2020. I also have a version for voice, strings, and piano.) THANK YOU to Adam Whiting, wonderful piano collaborator! We had minimal rehearsal time before Covid isolation, and during isolation he made a few prerecorded accompaniments for me, including this one. Thank you for reading, listening, and watching! Please see the blurb below this text, too.
"Serenade"
What a gesture from the stage!
Charming,
Charming me for music's sake.
Flash of flame ensnared my trance,
A married sport;
I could not escape his song's embrace.
Placed in time his music had sung
To feel some passion
And make us one.
Now I cannot sleep;
Now I cannot sleep.
Again, I am a soul alone
With my heart
And left to weep.
[You may have to plug in headphones and turn it up to hear this. I'm still experimenting with the equipment I have in the space I have to work with right now- made in an apartment with a Zoom recorder and Quicktime player-- trying.]
August 2021: I attended the Virtual PAVA Symposium in 2020 and 2021. Lots of nice people loving learning about the voice!
This is called "Seductive Enchantments" for my Opera #2 (and Song Cycle):
Ann Marie Falcone - Composer, Librettist, Soprano
My Tempo marking is: Sauntering
Text Copyright 1999 - 2020, revised several times through the years:
"Amorous/Fiery/Alluring/Distant/Confusing/Sneaky/Delicate/Looming/Tingling/Hot/Maddening
If I'd turn, could we love?"
-------
Thank you to ADAM WHITING, beautiful piano collaborator and human being!
*****PLEASE read this if listening to the Video: This song really is like the 8th version (2019) from original text written in 1999. So copyright 1999-2020? LOL. The music here [at Facebook] is at least in its 5th revision and is also nothing like its first version. BTW, the music is far different than "Lightning Bugger." I'm now expanding the Song Cycle into an opera. The story is important, and I have to do it. (The first version of the text for "Seductive Enchantments" would show the character much differently.) ---
Ann Marie Falcone - Composer, Librettist, Soprano
My Tempo marking is: Sauntering
Text Copyright 1999 - 2020, revised several times through the years:
"Amorous/Fiery/Alluring/Distant/Confusing/Sneaky/Delicate/Looming/Tingling/Hot/Maddening
If I'd turn, could we love?"
-------
Thank you to ADAM WHITING, beautiful piano collaborator and human being!
*****PLEASE read this if listening to the Video: This song really is like the 8th version (2019) from original text written in 1999. So copyright 1999-2020? LOL. The music here [at Facebook] is at least in its 5th revision and is also nothing like its first version. BTW, the music is far different than "Lightning Bugger." I'm now expanding the Song Cycle into an opera. The story is important, and I have to do it. (The first version of the text for "Seductive Enchantments" would show the character much differently.) ---
Video Post Right Below this Text (video made on July 26, 2020)
This is called "Lightning Bugger" from my Song Cycle and Opera #2. Copyright for the text is 1999- Ann Marie Falcone composer, librettist, & performer.
"Lightning Bugger" will be about the 3rd song in the Song Cycle, which might begin with a Recitative to set up the story. CAN a Song Cycle begin with a Recitative? Well, mine's gonna; actually, I think it could be performed without the Opening Recitative or with it. The Recitative is a foreshadowing of expanding this into a two person opera. This video is the best I can muster right now. I had to experiment with the Zoom recorder microphone level and the volume of the pre-recorded accompaniment coming from another device. The accompaniment ended up needing to be played rather loudly for the Zoom mic to pick it up at the level I needed it at so it wouldn't give me feedback while I sang. Since I had to fiddle with the equipment each time and the accompaniment had to be played loudly, it took me a few tries to realize I was pushing a bit as I sang, and well, I tired myself out by this " thirteenth take." And so, it's what I mustered.
I'll give this recording stuff with pre-recorded accompaniment another try with a few other art songs from my Song Cycle in the coming days and weeks. --- Update: I broke the computer. It is out for repair. No shops are taking in-person visits, not even for emergency repairs. Unbelievable. TEXT copyright 1999:
"Lightning Bugger"
"Like a lightning bug
He is here, there,
Here, there.
In the dark,
his light returns,
so I can find him.
Daylight comes,
his light goes out.
Oh, I'm weary,
For he does not stay lit."
Thank you to Adam Whiting, who did the pre-recorded accompaniment, Halida Dinova, who rehearsed this little ditty with me years ago and gave me a couple pointers, Ben Malkevitch, who sight read it with me in front of people about a year ago, to Ritt, my Brother-In-Law, who is helping me with equipment and recording tips.
Thank you to all my voice teachers, including: Leon Thurman and Cynthia Skelley Wohlschlager. Also, thank you to my sister, Beth, my brother-in-law, Ritt, and my best friend, Robin, who continually support me.
Also, it has been difficult to hear it without speakers attached to any device. So... well, I hope you can hear it.
This is called "Lightning Bugger" from my Song Cycle and Opera #2. Copyright for the text is 1999- Ann Marie Falcone composer, librettist, & performer.
"Lightning Bugger" will be about the 3rd song in the Song Cycle, which might begin with a Recitative to set up the story. CAN a Song Cycle begin with a Recitative? Well, mine's gonna; actually, I think it could be performed without the Opening Recitative or with it. The Recitative is a foreshadowing of expanding this into a two person opera. This video is the best I can muster right now. I had to experiment with the Zoom recorder microphone level and the volume of the pre-recorded accompaniment coming from another device. The accompaniment ended up needing to be played rather loudly for the Zoom mic to pick it up at the level I needed it at so it wouldn't give me feedback while I sang. Since I had to fiddle with the equipment each time and the accompaniment had to be played loudly, it took me a few tries to realize I was pushing a bit as I sang, and well, I tired myself out by this " thirteenth take." And so, it's what I mustered.
I'll give this recording stuff with pre-recorded accompaniment another try with a few other art songs from my Song Cycle in the coming days and weeks. --- Update: I broke the computer. It is out for repair. No shops are taking in-person visits, not even for emergency repairs. Unbelievable. TEXT copyright 1999:
"Lightning Bugger"
"Like a lightning bug
He is here, there,
Here, there.
In the dark,
his light returns,
so I can find him.
Daylight comes,
his light goes out.
Oh, I'm weary,
For he does not stay lit."
Thank you to Adam Whiting, who did the pre-recorded accompaniment, Halida Dinova, who rehearsed this little ditty with me years ago and gave me a couple pointers, Ben Malkevitch, who sight read it with me in front of people about a year ago, to Ritt, my Brother-In-Law, who is helping me with equipment and recording tips.
Thank you to all my voice teachers, including: Leon Thurman and Cynthia Skelley Wohlschlager. Also, thank you to my sister, Beth, my brother-in-law, Ritt, and my best friend, Robin, who continually support me.
Also, it has been difficult to hear it without speakers attached to any device. So... well, I hope you can hear it.
July 2020: Writing Post - Revised March 7, 2021
I started a new project, #3. Sigh.
Opera #1 --- in process, still
Song Cycle #1 is now definitely turning into Opera #2 --- about 50% done.
So, I'm working on project #3 and the 2nd clarinet composition right now. OH, and I'm working on Opera #1 and the Song Cycle, which is Opera #2, now. I sent the first four songs of the Song Cycle/now Opera #2 to my sister to practice. I'm hoping she doesn't drop the ball. We are geniuses at survival, I guess. At least, I think I've been scrappy as hell. Unfortunately, none of these projects ever may be shared or performed. Who knows? Still singing nearly every day. Still practicing clarinet almost every day, etc...
Even scrappy people die of Covid-19.
Wishing everyone energy.
Wishing everyone strength.
Wishing those who have lost family and friends peace and happy memories.
I started a new project, #3. Sigh.
Opera #1 --- in process, still
Song Cycle #1 is now definitely turning into Opera #2 --- about 50% done.
So, I'm working on project #3 and the 2nd clarinet composition right now. OH, and I'm working on Opera #1 and the Song Cycle, which is Opera #2, now. I sent the first four songs of the Song Cycle/now Opera #2 to my sister to practice. I'm hoping she doesn't drop the ball. We are geniuses at survival, I guess. At least, I think I've been scrappy as hell. Unfortunately, none of these projects ever may be shared or performed. Who knows? Still singing nearly every day. Still practicing clarinet almost every day, etc...
Even scrappy people die of Covid-19.
Wishing everyone energy.
Wishing everyone strength.
Wishing those who have lost family and friends peace and happy memories.
May 20, 2020: Writing Post -
No chorus auditions for 1-2 yrs, probably?? "...andrei Sul Ponte Vecchio, ma per buttarmi in Arno!" -- Pietà, Pietà!! [from "O mio babbino caro."] Does anybody understand ? I'm old, and this felt like Now or Never. I guess it's probably never, then. -- Back to my composing and writing projects. -- Hopefully will still post more recordings along with videos. I used my 10-yr-old iPod to try and get a Video of "When You Wish Upon a Star." It came out a bit stuffy, not great, etc... I just received a very early birthday present, a new device on which I can make Videos, I think. Learning curves. Thankful for the few people who seem to care. -- It's so late if not too late for so many things for me. I get angry, then call for justice in the longest run; I get pissed, but I pray and meditate, too. [Cheer for myself: Go Song Cycle #1/Opera #2!!!!]
No chorus auditions for 1-2 yrs, probably?? "...andrei Sul Ponte Vecchio, ma per buttarmi in Arno!" -- Pietà, Pietà!! [from "O mio babbino caro."] Does anybody understand ? I'm old, and this felt like Now or Never. I guess it's probably never, then. -- Back to my composing and writing projects. -- Hopefully will still post more recordings along with videos. I used my 10-yr-old iPod to try and get a Video of "When You Wish Upon a Star." It came out a bit stuffy, not great, etc... I just received a very early birthday present, a new device on which I can make Videos, I think. Learning curves. Thankful for the few people who seem to care. -- It's so late if not too late for so many things for me. I get angry, then call for justice in the longest run; I get pissed, but I pray and meditate, too. [Cheer for myself: Go Song Cycle #1/Opera #2!!!!]
FEBRUARY 2020: Writing Post - update on Opera #1
Finally sat down and figured out how to upload files from my new Zoom recorder to my computer, hooray.
Now, I need to listen through and decide if I want to use any here or as audition material. I have a feeling I need to collaborate a bit more with one of my piano collaborators before I pick anything.
In one week and a half, I have added 50% more to the story and of that 50%, 35% more of the libretto to Opera #1. I believe the story is complete for this opera. Need more music. Will keep plugging away, as I was working on other projects to try and finish, record, and/or perform THOSE soon.
Finally sat down and figured out how to upload files from my new Zoom recorder to my computer, hooray.
Now, I need to listen through and decide if I want to use any here or as audition material. I have a feeling I need to collaborate a bit more with one of my piano collaborators before I pick anything.
In one week and a half, I have added 50% more to the story and of that 50%, 35% more of the libretto to Opera #1. I believe the story is complete for this opera. Need more music. Will keep plugging away, as I was working on other projects to try and finish, record, and/or perform THOSE soon.
OCTOBER 2019: Writing Post
I bought the Zoom device. Now, I can't upload anything from it onto my computer. I'm trying to figure it out. I didn't think I would need extra software on my computer, etc... Basically, I haven't taken the time to figure it out, because in my free time, I'd rather be composing music, practicing, rehearsing in some form, and writing. I'll get there.
Have attended a few more Singer Forums. I did sing another one of my songs in front of people. It's not really an art song. I consider it more like a cabaret song. However, people liked it.
I also rehearsed with an accompanist, privately, and have made the goal to rehearse with him once a month. This gives me deadlines for my projects.
I made a hefty goal to audition, vocally, there and here. -- So I am practicing about 8 arias and more for fun and have a couple memorized so far. Why not? I can do it, and if anything, it's good for my brain and heart.
(I have not sent any essays out for possible publication, recently, but I made deadlines for some of those things, too. Creating is difficult. I have not had much help my whole life, along with extra deterrents. I'm not kidding. This affected my energy, concentration, and emotional states through life. The endometriosis that was not confirmed until I was nearly forty also contributed to having less energy and lots of physical pain, but anyway, I didn't realize I was an orphan until about middle age, either. It's extremely hard to explain. Since earning the MFA, I've written a new chapter. The way I describe the situation I grew up in is beginning to read interesting; I might as well say that I like how this chapter is turning out.)
I bought the Zoom device. Now, I can't upload anything from it onto my computer. I'm trying to figure it out. I didn't think I would need extra software on my computer, etc... Basically, I haven't taken the time to figure it out, because in my free time, I'd rather be composing music, practicing, rehearsing in some form, and writing. I'll get there.
Have attended a few more Singer Forums. I did sing another one of my songs in front of people. It's not really an art song. I consider it more like a cabaret song. However, people liked it.
I also rehearsed with an accompanist, privately, and have made the goal to rehearse with him once a month. This gives me deadlines for my projects.
I made a hefty goal to audition, vocally, there and here. -- So I am practicing about 8 arias and more for fun and have a couple memorized so far. Why not? I can do it, and if anything, it's good for my brain and heart.
(I have not sent any essays out for possible publication, recently, but I made deadlines for some of those things, too. Creating is difficult. I have not had much help my whole life, along with extra deterrents. I'm not kidding. This affected my energy, concentration, and emotional states through life. The endometriosis that was not confirmed until I was nearly forty also contributed to having less energy and lots of physical pain, but anyway, I didn't realize I was an orphan until about middle age, either. It's extremely hard to explain. Since earning the MFA, I've written a new chapter. The way I describe the situation I grew up in is beginning to read interesting; I might as well say that I like how this chapter is turning out.)
JUNE 2019: Writing Post --- Researching a new recording device
Yeah so, I decided I have to invest in a new recording device. And so, I'm not posting any practices from June. I still might post a practice or two from July at the end of July.
I'm doing research. A friend suggested a Zoom device, but I have a Sony microphone that a professional recording guy assessed years ago. He was mighty impressed with my microphone, was surprised I owned it.
My extremely old iPod does not have an input for this microphone. So, do I buy a Sony device that is compatible with my microphone or a Zoom device that my friend recommended? Rhetorical question, because I doubt anybody out there will answer me, if anybody reads my posts, anyway.
The chorus preparer for the Verdi Requiem started a Singers' Forum. We meet a few times per month. I now have rehearsed 4 of my art songs from my song cycle in front of some people. I had never practiced these pieces with a pianist, and there I am sight reading my music in front of people! [That was a tiny fib. One of those pieces I practiced with a pianist like eight years ago, but I have revised the piece a few times. I'd never rehearsed that particular piece as it is in its format until this Forum.]
I should celebrate finally presenting some of my own music in public. Here is my celebration: HOORAY
Yeah so, I decided I have to invest in a new recording device. And so, I'm not posting any practices from June. I still might post a practice or two from July at the end of July.
I'm doing research. A friend suggested a Zoom device, but I have a Sony microphone that a professional recording guy assessed years ago. He was mighty impressed with my microphone, was surprised I owned it.
My extremely old iPod does not have an input for this microphone. So, do I buy a Sony device that is compatible with my microphone or a Zoom device that my friend recommended? Rhetorical question, because I doubt anybody out there will answer me, if anybody reads my posts, anyway.
The chorus preparer for the Verdi Requiem started a Singers' Forum. We meet a few times per month. I now have rehearsed 4 of my art songs from my song cycle in front of some people. I had never practiced these pieces with a pianist, and there I am sight reading my music in front of people! [That was a tiny fib. One of those pieces I practiced with a pianist like eight years ago, but I have revised the piece a few times. I'd never rehearsed that particular piece as it is in its format until this Forum.]
I should celebrate finally presenting some of my own music in public. Here is my celebration: HOORAY
Some of May 2019's Practices - I was out of town for a bit and could not practice at the end of May into June. I went on a "visiting" vacation to see my best friend's teenager dance her dance recital; she was in 10 numbers. I also watched her son's lacrosse practice among other things. So, these are the best I could muster up for May.
"Sento nel core" Music by Alessandro Scarlatti, Poet Unknown
I never heard of or sang this one before this month. It's about someone hoping for true love. I found it in the Alfred edition of Italian Songs and Arias.
"She that would gain a faithful lover" Music by Purcell, There's no poet listed in the book.
Never worked on this one until this month, either. Only sang the first verse:
-She that would gain a faithful lover, Must at a distance, must at a distance keep the slave;
Not by a look her heart discover: Men should but guess, men should but guess
the thoughts we have; Whilst they're in doubt their flame increases,
And all attendance, and all attendance they will pay;
When once confessed, their ardour ceases, And vows like smoke soon fly away.-
"Sento nel core" Music by Alessandro Scarlatti, Poet Unknown
I never heard of or sang this one before this month. It's about someone hoping for true love. I found it in the Alfred edition of Italian Songs and Arias.
"She that would gain a faithful lover" Music by Purcell, There's no poet listed in the book.
Never worked on this one until this month, either. Only sang the first verse:
-She that would gain a faithful lover, Must at a distance, must at a distance keep the slave;
Not by a look her heart discover: Men should but guess, men should but guess
the thoughts we have; Whilst they're in doubt their flame increases,
And all attendance, and all attendance they will pay;
When once confessed, their ardour ceases, And vows like smoke soon fly away.-
April 2019: Writing Post (revised May 24) Verdi's "Requiem"
I participated in the chorus for CityMusic Cleveland Orchestra's performance of the Verdi Requiem on May 2nd. James Gaffigan rehearsed and conducted us after a very nice chorus director named Ben prepared us.
I attended every community rehearsal but did not practice the music on my own as much as I could have. I didn't want to push my voice into getting tired. And also because I did not look ahead much to the Libera Me until later in April, LOL. - I COULD HAVE memorized my part, but it was not required to do so. HONESTLY, and maybe nobody will believe this if they read it, I did not know what a big deal this concert was.
I only HEARD about the open call for chorus from a new friend I had met in Autumn at a composer's choral project. She Facebooked me and said I should do it. One of the main reasons I auditioned was because it was a concert the ensemble wanted to do for Jewish Remembrance Day, to remember those who died in the Holocaust. I'm Buddhist and thought it would be a nice thing to participate in. I did not know James Gaffigan was even conducting when I auditioned. I had NO IDEA he would come and rehearse us on the Sunday and Monday before the performance. And also, I did not know he conducted at opera houses until the day before the concert! HA HA HA --- I don't regularly follow conductors or any performers. I'm not a groupie to anyone; although after singing right in front of him, I might check his concert schedule a couple times per year, now.
ALSO, I should have stopped drinking my one cup of coffee the whole week before the week of the performance. I only stopped drinking my one cup of coffee after the Sunday before. Oh well, anyway...
It was great fun. He was kind, clear, and as spontaneous as he could be with our piecemeal chorus rehearsed as an incomplete entity beforehand. 98% of us had never sung the piece before, either. I like him. The soloists were wonderful, too.
Okay, maybe I'm holding back. Maybe I wish I were younger, so I could be selected to do parts for my voice. I'll continue to use my talents the best I can, now. I mean, I've been using my talents in different ways my whole life. I just never was in a place to use them to their full potential, in my opinion. If I can leave behind something beautiful and beneficial, as I have said elsewhere, I will be content. That means continuing to practice voice AND clarinet, continuing to write, to compose, and to show up to things as neat as that concert project. -- Still, I had no idea he conducted at opera houses and didn't know the concert was such a big deal! This makes me giggle.
Then there is the topic of "beautiful and beneficial" to contemplate and write about. Is a piece of music beneficial when it is beautiful? If something is beneficial, is it beautiful? Is my voice beneficial when heard if the audience thinks it is beautiful? Are my compositions beneficial when heard if anyone thinks they are beautiful? Of course much research has been done in recent years over music's benefits, and there's the "beauty for beauty's sake" thought. But one person's idea and experience of beauty is not even the same as another person's experience. Anyway, I didn't mean to bring myself to this topic, so I will stop here, at least for now.
In May among other things, I am practicing my own compositions, a new art song I never did before from the Italian Songs and Arias Alfred Edition, a Purcell song I never practiced before, and a coloratura aria I never did before but heard many times when my dad put on opera in the house or the car.
I participated in the chorus for CityMusic Cleveland Orchestra's performance of the Verdi Requiem on May 2nd. James Gaffigan rehearsed and conducted us after a very nice chorus director named Ben prepared us.
I attended every community rehearsal but did not practice the music on my own as much as I could have. I didn't want to push my voice into getting tired. And also because I did not look ahead much to the Libera Me until later in April, LOL. - I COULD HAVE memorized my part, but it was not required to do so. HONESTLY, and maybe nobody will believe this if they read it, I did not know what a big deal this concert was.
I only HEARD about the open call for chorus from a new friend I had met in Autumn at a composer's choral project. She Facebooked me and said I should do it. One of the main reasons I auditioned was because it was a concert the ensemble wanted to do for Jewish Remembrance Day, to remember those who died in the Holocaust. I'm Buddhist and thought it would be a nice thing to participate in. I did not know James Gaffigan was even conducting when I auditioned. I had NO IDEA he would come and rehearse us on the Sunday and Monday before the performance. And also, I did not know he conducted at opera houses until the day before the concert! HA HA HA --- I don't regularly follow conductors or any performers. I'm not a groupie to anyone; although after singing right in front of him, I might check his concert schedule a couple times per year, now.
ALSO, I should have stopped drinking my one cup of coffee the whole week before the week of the performance. I only stopped drinking my one cup of coffee after the Sunday before. Oh well, anyway...
It was great fun. He was kind, clear, and as spontaneous as he could be with our piecemeal chorus rehearsed as an incomplete entity beforehand. 98% of us had never sung the piece before, either. I like him. The soloists were wonderful, too.
Okay, maybe I'm holding back. Maybe I wish I were younger, so I could be selected to do parts for my voice. I'll continue to use my talents the best I can, now. I mean, I've been using my talents in different ways my whole life. I just never was in a place to use them to their full potential, in my opinion. If I can leave behind something beautiful and beneficial, as I have said elsewhere, I will be content. That means continuing to practice voice AND clarinet, continuing to write, to compose, and to show up to things as neat as that concert project. -- Still, I had no idea he conducted at opera houses and didn't know the concert was such a big deal! This makes me giggle.
Then there is the topic of "beautiful and beneficial" to contemplate and write about. Is a piece of music beneficial when it is beautiful? If something is beneficial, is it beautiful? Is my voice beneficial when heard if the audience thinks it is beautiful? Are my compositions beneficial when heard if anyone thinks they are beautiful? Of course much research has been done in recent years over music's benefits, and there's the "beauty for beauty's sake" thought. But one person's idea and experience of beauty is not even the same as another person's experience. Anyway, I didn't mean to bring myself to this topic, so I will stop here, at least for now.
In May among other things, I am practicing my own compositions, a new art song I never did before from the Italian Songs and Arias Alfred Edition, a Purcell song I never practiced before, and a coloratura aria I never did before but heard many times when my dad put on opera in the house or the car.
SOME OF MARCH 2019's PRACTICES
"Porgi, amor" Music by Mozart, Words by Lorenzo da Ponte
Never practiced this one before. I would like to practice this one more. Air, air, air, WORDS, WORDS, WORDS. I am not a big lyric soprano. I would have been some sort of coloratura, probably. -- Must be something I can do with what I have, now. -- Would like to slow this one down a bit and try to get into it more (for fun).
Here is an interesting recording with Gundula Janowitz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz3jBUmzqlQ
"Sehnsucht nach dem Frühlinge" Music by Mozart, Words by Christian Overbeck
Sung Verses 1 & 4 in German
"I Attempt from Love's Sickness to Fly" Music by Henry Purcell, Words by Robert Howard
I posted this down below, somewhere. Will find it later.
"Danza, danza fanciulla gentile" from Alfred edition - Music by Francesco Durante, Words by Lorenzo Pagans
"Porgi, amor" Music by Mozart, Words by Lorenzo da Ponte
Never practiced this one before. I would like to practice this one more. Air, air, air, WORDS, WORDS, WORDS. I am not a big lyric soprano. I would have been some sort of coloratura, probably. -- Must be something I can do with what I have, now. -- Would like to slow this one down a bit and try to get into it more (for fun).
Here is an interesting recording with Gundula Janowitz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz3jBUmzqlQ
"Sehnsucht nach dem Frühlinge" Music by Mozart, Words by Christian Overbeck
Sung Verses 1 & 4 in German
"I Attempt from Love's Sickness to Fly" Music by Henry Purcell, Words by Robert Howard
I posted this down below, somewhere. Will find it later.
"Danza, danza fanciulla gentile" from Alfred edition - Music by Francesco Durante, Words by Lorenzo Pagans
SOME OF FEBRUARY 2019's PRACTICES --- Had nearly a whole month of weird, um, congestion. I was not sick, just congested or going through something. The voice was tight most of the month. I am trying to incorporate some of the things Leon Thurman has been telling me to do, too. Well, in the second week of March, my voice loosened back up, and it became easier to sing.
"Nina" in two versions Music by [Nobody Knows], Poetry by [Nobody Knows] --- I have two Italian Songs and Arias books, now. Supposedly, the book I acquired in the last couple years, which I never opened until recently, has more historically accurate information. Well, it also has different versions of the songs. So, I practiced "Nina" #1 from my first book, Schirmer edition, and also "Nina" #2 from my second book, Alfred edition, this month. I posted "Nina" #1 way back in September of 2017 twice. See below --- It gave me trouble back then. I'm happy to report that it is easier to sing now; however, I could still improve upon it.
"V'adoro Pupille" Music by George Frideric Handel, Libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym (according to Schirmer Arias for Soprano) --- Posted this one back on 8/18/17 and 1/19/18. I really want to spend more time adding different embellishments for the second time through, but since I am not an actual working opera singer getting gigs, this is practice for possible future recitals and/or recordings of my own compositions.
"O Del Mio Dolce Ardor" from the Schirmer edition book - Music by Christoph W von Gluck
I was going to use this one as an audition piece for a choir this particular week in February, and then I changed my piece two days before. Anyway, here is a "take" of a practice session on it. I did post this one twice quite a while ago down below somewhere, also. -- BTW: Not quite sure if I'm in the choir or not. I think I am. Their correspondence has been confusing. I only auditioned, because a new friend contacted me and told me to audition if I was available.
"Nina" in two versions Music by [Nobody Knows], Poetry by [Nobody Knows] --- I have two Italian Songs and Arias books, now. Supposedly, the book I acquired in the last couple years, which I never opened until recently, has more historically accurate information. Well, it also has different versions of the songs. So, I practiced "Nina" #1 from my first book, Schirmer edition, and also "Nina" #2 from my second book, Alfred edition, this month. I posted "Nina" #1 way back in September of 2017 twice. See below --- It gave me trouble back then. I'm happy to report that it is easier to sing now; however, I could still improve upon it.
"V'adoro Pupille" Music by George Frideric Handel, Libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym (according to Schirmer Arias for Soprano) --- Posted this one back on 8/18/17 and 1/19/18. I really want to spend more time adding different embellishments for the second time through, but since I am not an actual working opera singer getting gigs, this is practice for possible future recitals and/or recordings of my own compositions.
"O Del Mio Dolce Ardor" from the Schirmer edition book - Music by Christoph W von Gluck
I was going to use this one as an audition piece for a choir this particular week in February, and then I changed my piece two days before. Anyway, here is a "take" of a practice session on it. I did post this one twice quite a while ago down below somewhere, also. -- BTW: Not quite sure if I'm in the choir or not. I think I am. Their correspondence has been confusing. I only auditioned, because a new friend contacted me and told me to audition if I was available.
SOME OF JANUARY 2019's PRACTICES --
"O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi Music by Giacomo Puccini, libretto by Giovacchino Forzano
Have never practiced this one until this month, 2019. I've heard it many times. It was fun. Two here from 1/28 and 1/18
The words, the words, the words: that is why I picked Maria Callas's performance to put here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi-oSnGfRM4
"Alma del core" Music by Antonio Caldara
This one gave me trouble in the past. I posted it somewhere on here before. I wanted to try it, again. One here from 1/23 -- It's still giving me trouble, HA HA.
"Signore, ascolta" from Turando Music by Giacomo Puccini, Libretto by Giuseppe Adami
Never practiced this one, either, until this month, 2019. The ending is challenging. Two here from 1/29 and 1/18 -
Both Puccini arias were assigned by my vocal coach when I asked him for an assignment.
I giggle at the end of the 1/29 recording. The character should not giggle, but I was having fun. (The note could be held out longer.....)
Here is a recording of Leona Mitchell, HOLY WOW; she's phenomenal. -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDMEmYuDmFE
"O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi Music by Giacomo Puccini, libretto by Giovacchino Forzano
Have never practiced this one until this month, 2019. I've heard it many times. It was fun. Two here from 1/28 and 1/18
The words, the words, the words: that is why I picked Maria Callas's performance to put here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi-oSnGfRM4
"Alma del core" Music by Antonio Caldara
This one gave me trouble in the past. I posted it somewhere on here before. I wanted to try it, again. One here from 1/23 -- It's still giving me trouble, HA HA.
"Signore, ascolta" from Turando Music by Giacomo Puccini, Libretto by Giuseppe Adami
Never practiced this one, either, until this month, 2019. The ending is challenging. Two here from 1/29 and 1/18 -
Both Puccini arias were assigned by my vocal coach when I asked him for an assignment.
I giggle at the end of the 1/29 recording. The character should not giggle, but I was having fun. (The note could be held out longer.....)
Here is a recording of Leona Mitchell, HOLY WOW; she's phenomenal. -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDMEmYuDmFE
Dec. 24, 2018: "Quando men vo" by Puccini and "Silent Night" Music by Franz Xaver Gruber, Words by Joseph Mohr As last year, all Christmas music is dedicated to my best friend and her family as they let me come over to their house almost every day during childhood. They are religious Catholics who celebrate Christmas.
Well, here's a practice of "Quando men vo."
My vocal coach said I can sing anything I like, regardless of voice type. So, why not? (-- This here comment in parentheses is on Sept. 25th, 2021. I'm listening to my voice blog a little bit, today. Haven't listened back to anything in a couple years. My voice has definitely loosened up a bunch since taking lessons with Leon Thurman! Not fair to my old voice teachers as I was pretty shut down emotionally in the past. Working it out, Universe. Workin' it out.)
See here for unbelievableness from Renée Fleming:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC28PbXXWRIlist=PLlg6qXrAkAhOksXFA6MxcTJY8pJPpquvn
Well, here's a practice of "Quando men vo."
My vocal coach said I can sing anything I like, regardless of voice type. So, why not? (-- This here comment in parentheses is on Sept. 25th, 2021. I'm listening to my voice blog a little bit, today. Haven't listened back to anything in a couple years. My voice has definitely loosened up a bunch since taking lessons with Leon Thurman! Not fair to my old voice teachers as I was pretty shut down emotionally in the past. Working it out, Universe. Workin' it out.)
See here for unbelievableness from Renée Fleming:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC28PbXXWRIlist=PLlg6qXrAkAhOksXFA6MxcTJY8pJPpquvn
Dec. 19, 2018: "Stille Nacht" Music by Franz Xaver Gruber, Words by Joseph Mohr
Don't remember ever doing the German before. Quick sang through first verse in German, only. If I have any time in the next couple days, I might sing it in English. As last year, all Christmas music is dedicated to my best friend and her family as they let me come over to their house almost every day during childhood. They are religious Catholics who celebrate Christmas.
Don't remember ever doing the German before. Quick sang through first verse in German, only. If I have any time in the next couple days, I might sing it in English. As last year, all Christmas music is dedicated to my best friend and her family as they let me come over to their house almost every day during childhood. They are religious Catholics who celebrate Christmas.
Dec. 18, 2018: "Il est né, le Divin Enfant," a traditional French Carol.
As last year, all Christmas music is dedicated to my best friend and her family as they let me come over to their house almost every day during childhood. They are religious Catholics who celebrate Christmas.
I've heard this before, but I've never sung it. I did it one time through in French. French and Italian are definitely the languages for my voice.
I posted yesterday, and I realized I had a stuffy left ear. Took a Benadryl last night and woke up this morning completely stuffed up. So, yesterday's "Quando men vo" did feel rough to me, because of congestion, and because I only practiced it a few times so far..... I deleted that practice, but I don't know if I will become anymore unstuffy and/or competent on it enough before Christmas Eve to try and post it, again.
I just keep listening to that Renée Fleming recording. WOW - - I mean WWWWOOOOOWWWW
And now, I am wishing to begin practicing Verdi's "Caro nome."
One of my namesakes, according to my mother, who disappeared when I was three or four but who did manage to have RARE sporadic conversations with me over the phone, is Anna Maria Alberghetti. Here SHE is at something like fifteen years old, unreal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC28PbXXWRIlist=PLlg6qXrAkAhOksXFA6MxcTJY8pJPpquvn
As last year, all Christmas music is dedicated to my best friend and her family as they let me come over to their house almost every day during childhood. They are religious Catholics who celebrate Christmas.
I've heard this before, but I've never sung it. I did it one time through in French. French and Italian are definitely the languages for my voice.
I posted yesterday, and I realized I had a stuffy left ear. Took a Benadryl last night and woke up this morning completely stuffed up. So, yesterday's "Quando men vo" did feel rough to me, because of congestion, and because I only practiced it a few times so far..... I deleted that practice, but I don't know if I will become anymore unstuffy and/or competent on it enough before Christmas Eve to try and post it, again.
I just keep listening to that Renée Fleming recording. WOW - - I mean WWWWOOOOOWWWW
And now, I am wishing to begin practicing Verdi's "Caro nome."
One of my namesakes, according to my mother, who disappeared when I was three or four but who did manage to have RARE sporadic conversations with me over the phone, is Anna Maria Alberghetti. Here SHE is at something like fifteen years old, unreal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC28PbXXWRIlist=PLlg6qXrAkAhOksXFA6MxcTJY8pJPpquvn
Dec. 17, 2018: "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" Music by Richard Willis, Words by Edmund Sears
-- Disclaimer: had stuffy left ear, today, but had fun nonetheless.
As last year, all Christmas music is dedicated to my best friend and her family as they let me come over to their house almost every day during childhood. They are religious Catholics who celebrate Christmas.
Today, I had posted a very tentative PRACTICE of "Quando men vo" by Puccini. I don't think I'm ever going to be a full lyric soprano. I'm a light lyric coloratura soprano or some such thing, who knows. I am practicing this one, anyway. Musetta sings it on Christmas Eve, after all. --- Maybe I'll try again tomorrow.
-- Disclaimer: had stuffy left ear, today, but had fun nonetheless.
As last year, all Christmas music is dedicated to my best friend and her family as they let me come over to their house almost every day during childhood. They are religious Catholics who celebrate Christmas.
Today, I had posted a very tentative PRACTICE of "Quando men vo" by Puccini. I don't think I'm ever going to be a full lyric soprano. I'm a light lyric coloratura soprano or some such thing, who knows. I am practicing this one, anyway. Musetta sings it on Christmas Eve, after all. --- Maybe I'll try again tomorrow.
Dec. 14, 2018: Celebrate Renée
Practiced "Quando men vo" by Puccini, but I didn't have much of a voice, today. Well, I only started learning it a few days ago, but I may never have a voice for it. Here listen to the unbelievable beauty from Renée Fleming, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYhBqYZGVvc
Practiced "Quando men vo" by Puccini, but I didn't have much of a voice, today. Well, I only started learning it a few days ago, but I may never have a voice for it. Here listen to the unbelievable beauty from Renée Fleming, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYhBqYZGVvc
Dec. 13, 2018: Expansion on thoughts from yesterday - My opera, Mother Nature
Although I did not keep a "voice type" in mind for the Song Cycle while composing it, I did keep in mind voice types for Mother Nature for all these years. Well now wait, this is what I mean: I still composed the music from my lyrics, and the "voice types" EMERGED from the characters. How INTERESTING!
Although I did not keep a "voice type" in mind for the Song Cycle while composing it, I did keep in mind voice types for Mother Nature for all these years. Well now wait, this is what I mean: I still composed the music from my lyrics, and the "voice types" EMERGED from the characters. How INTERESTING!
Dec. 12, 2018: "The First Nowell" Traditional English Carol and "Nel cor piu non mi sento" by Giovanni Paisiello
As last year, all Christmas music is dedicated to my best friend and her family as they let me come over to their house almost every day during childhood. They are religious Catholics who celebrate Christmas.
Disclaimer: I think I'm getting a cold and did not do my best, but since I wrote about my coaching and recorded something today, I decided to share the recording, anyway.
I posted "Nel cor" back on Aug. 4, 2017 and on May 15, 2018 -- Today, I opened the book and whatever page it opened to, I sang through it once with the recorder on.
Also today, I had a fantastically fun vocal coaching with Leon Thurman. He worked with me on the first page of one of my art songs from the "Song Cycle," the title of which I am not posting, yet. As soon as I "became" the character I have created, based on a true story, the music came to life. It was MARVELOUSLY fun.
I learned that I did not write any of the music with a "voice type" in mind. Well, tough. Some of these short little things have three versions, because if I don't like the music for one version, I must compose a different version. I composed the music from WORDS I've written. That's how I do things, at least right now. So, this one song from the "Song Cycle," ye who must not be named yet, might sound better with a bigger voice. However, some of the other songs in the cycle are fine for my voice type. I mean, I can sing the one I'm talking about, it just is spooky and serious and it might sound better with a "bigger" voice; however, the rest of them might sound better with my type of voice. There are 7 of them so far.... there could become 9 or 10 of them.... and it could become a two character opera. This is the one I could turn into another opera with two characters. I had said it could be an opera buffa, but I have come to determine the story is truly not funny. I would be okay with fictionalizing it. And it's actually very serious material after all.
Anyway, to compose 7 - 10 songs with different feeling for the same voice type..... hmmmm.... As I said, the words constituted the music I wrote ...... I'm not changing this one song, because I like it. But I understand more about this composing of song cycle/ opera stuff better.
As last year, all Christmas music is dedicated to my best friend and her family as they let me come over to their house almost every day during childhood. They are religious Catholics who celebrate Christmas.
Disclaimer: I think I'm getting a cold and did not do my best, but since I wrote about my coaching and recorded something today, I decided to share the recording, anyway.
I posted "Nel cor" back on Aug. 4, 2017 and on May 15, 2018 -- Today, I opened the book and whatever page it opened to, I sang through it once with the recorder on.
Also today, I had a fantastically fun vocal coaching with Leon Thurman. He worked with me on the first page of one of my art songs from the "Song Cycle," the title of which I am not posting, yet. As soon as I "became" the character I have created, based on a true story, the music came to life. It was MARVELOUSLY fun.
I learned that I did not write any of the music with a "voice type" in mind. Well, tough. Some of these short little things have three versions, because if I don't like the music for one version, I must compose a different version. I composed the music from WORDS I've written. That's how I do things, at least right now. So, this one song from the "Song Cycle," ye who must not be named yet, might sound better with a bigger voice. However, some of the other songs in the cycle are fine for my voice type. I mean, I can sing the one I'm talking about, it just is spooky and serious and it might sound better with a "bigger" voice; however, the rest of them might sound better with my type of voice. There are 7 of them so far.... there could become 9 or 10 of them.... and it could become a two character opera. This is the one I could turn into another opera with two characters. I had said it could be an opera buffa, but I have come to determine the story is truly not funny. I would be okay with fictionalizing it. And it's actually very serious material after all.
Anyway, to compose 7 - 10 songs with different feeling for the same voice type..... hmmmm.... As I said, the words constituted the music I wrote ...... I'm not changing this one song, because I like it. But I understand more about this composing of song cycle/ opera stuff better.
Dec. 7, 2018: "O Little Town of Bethlehem" Music by Lewis H. Redner, Words by Phillips Brooks and "Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabelle" Traditional 17th Century
As last year, all Christmas music is dedicated to my best friend and her family as they let me come over to their house almost every day during childhood. They are religious Catholics who celebrate Christmas.
Posting two for fun. Eh, why not? 'Tis the Season --- I never sang the "Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle" in French before. I quickly did the first verse.
As last year, all Christmas music is dedicated to my best friend and her family as they let me come over to their house almost every day during childhood. They are religious Catholics who celebrate Christmas.
Posting two for fun. Eh, why not? 'Tis the Season --- I never sang the "Un Flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle" in French before. I quickly did the first verse.
Dec. 3, 2018: Writing Post
I have been practicing since my actual last singing practice post. Today, I sang through some rare Christmas carols for fun. Then, I sang "Quando men vo" from La Bohème by Puccini. I have never practiced it in my life until today. I of course have heard it numerous upon numerous times. It was SO MUCH FUN TO SING!!! --- I might post it at some point, soon. I'm in love with it.
Also, I have been practicing my clarinet. I am still on my back up mouthpiece, but the embouchure is slowly getting stronger. I play through parts of my little clarinet piece once in a while for fun.
I have been practicing since my actual last singing practice post. Today, I sang through some rare Christmas carols for fun. Then, I sang "Quando men vo" from La Bohème by Puccini. I have never practiced it in my life until today. I of course have heard it numerous upon numerous times. It was SO MUCH FUN TO SING!!! --- I might post it at some point, soon. I'm in love with it.
Also, I have been practicing my clarinet. I am still on my back up mouthpiece, but the embouchure is slowly getting stronger. I play through parts of my little clarinet piece once in a while for fun.
Nov. 5, 2018: Stuff
1. I'm taking a few brush up voice and pedagogy lessons with Leon Thurman over Skype. He sang under Robert Shaw in the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Choir and teaches from Minnesota. He coached my sister in the past. She bought me a few lessons for being a bridesmaid in her wedding, where I met Leon for the second time.
2. I volunteered to sing in a throw-together choir for a composer who wrote new music to the Mass. We have a few rehearsals and a recording session coming up.
1. I'm taking a few brush up voice and pedagogy lessons with Leon Thurman over Skype. He sang under Robert Shaw in the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Choir and teaches from Minnesota. He coached my sister in the past. She bought me a few lessons for being a bridesmaid in her wedding, where I met Leon for the second time.
2. I volunteered to sing in a throw-together choir for a composer who wrote new music to the Mass. We have a few rehearsals and a recording session coming up.
Revised October 15, 2021- also had been revised Aug. 26, 2019 & Oct. 4, 2018 from original Sept. 3, 2018 Writing Post
My song cycle was coming along very well, but the man whose strangely taunting teasing erotic behavior upon which I wrote this thing has chosen someone (again)..... --- I’ve put tons of work into it, but I am a bit angry. I unfortunately had a very inappropriate confusing moment with him as my teacher in a music lesson, too, years ago. (Besides the taunting, teasing, ogling, other behaviors outside of those lessons.) I've kept his actual nasty words out of the song cycle, but mostly every nasty behavior and word will be added into the opera, Opera #2 that is an extension of the song cycle. -- Oh my gosh, I pined for him, but oddly and sadly and madly, I wasn't aware I was pining. This unawareness has to do with PTSD. It’s the most intense attraction of my life. Most of his antics were romantic, not awful piggish behavior but done slyly while married to or dating others. How could I show any reaction toward a taken man? Besides the fact that at first, I hadn't "found myself" AND the fact that I was emotionally comatose for many years (again, PTSD) from...if anyone cares to find out, read the book when it's finished and published. ---
He has not stepped it up with me, . His teasing has been hurtful. Not a good man with decent intentions? -- Was he trying to teach me something by harassing, teasing, being mean, sexual, and yet sometimes nice? He is very confusing. Are these antics a means to an end for certain teachers in prominent institutions? These behaviors and words are NOT GOOD or HELPFUL but extremely hurtful. What does he or those type of people care as long as they have what they need and want? --- NARCISSISTIC SELFISH HARASSING STALKER
I have to say this, now: He gave me more to write and compose about, but I already had so much to draw from. Those actions and words were hurtful, and I may never know why he acted the way he did. Somebody once told me he might be bipolar. Wow, blame it on a speculative mental illness, what bologna - bipolar does not mean sexual harasser and stalker.
Had I made him my muse by accident? Or did I just need to write through these painful experiences?
Will anyone ever benefit from my creations? Is this one worth it, now? Eventually, I should try to finish it, anyway. Why let myself down? --
My song cycle was coming along very well, but the man whose strangely taunting teasing erotic behavior upon which I wrote this thing has chosen someone (again)..... --- I’ve put tons of work into it, but I am a bit angry. I unfortunately had a very inappropriate confusing moment with him as my teacher in a music lesson, too, years ago. (Besides the taunting, teasing, ogling, other behaviors outside of those lessons.) I've kept his actual nasty words out of the song cycle, but mostly every nasty behavior and word will be added into the opera, Opera #2 that is an extension of the song cycle. -- Oh my gosh, I pined for him, but oddly and sadly and madly, I wasn't aware I was pining. This unawareness has to do with PTSD. It’s the most intense attraction of my life. Most of his antics were romantic, not awful piggish behavior but done slyly while married to or dating others. How could I show any reaction toward a taken man? Besides the fact that at first, I hadn't "found myself" AND the fact that I was emotionally comatose for many years (again, PTSD) from...if anyone cares to find out, read the book when it's finished and published. ---
He has not stepped it up with me, . His teasing has been hurtful. Not a good man with decent intentions? -- Was he trying to teach me something by harassing, teasing, being mean, sexual, and yet sometimes nice? He is very confusing. Are these antics a means to an end for certain teachers in prominent institutions? These behaviors and words are NOT GOOD or HELPFUL but extremely hurtful. What does he or those type of people care as long as they have what they need and want? --- NARCISSISTIC SELFISH HARASSING STALKER
I have to say this, now: He gave me more to write and compose about, but I already had so much to draw from. Those actions and words were hurtful, and I may never know why he acted the way he did. Somebody once told me he might be bipolar. Wow, blame it on a speculative mental illness, what bologna - bipolar does not mean sexual harasser and stalker.
Had I made him my muse by accident? Or did I just need to write through these painful experiences?
Will anyone ever benefit from my creations? Is this one worth it, now? Eventually, I should try to finish it, anyway. Why let myself down? --
July 19, 2018: "Als Luise die Briefe" by Mozart, Poetry by Gabriele von Baumberg
I learned this Mozart from my Mozart book, yesterday and today. I wasn't going to learn this one, because it seems to be not for my voice type.
But I couldn't help myself. The poetry is perfect. A synopsis is basically: The love-letters he wrote to me were not only for me. He also sent love-letters and played love-songs to others, and so I will burn them. Yet, my heart still yearns for him.
I posted me reading a translation, though, too, along with two singing takes. I love reading these out loud. I've done it before here for a few other songs down below.
After practicing yesterday, I listened to about TEN very good recordings online of this piece. I guess lots of other women feel this way about their love-letters and serenades!
The translation I read is from Mozart 12 Songs. Edited by John Glenn Paton, USA, Alfred Publishing Co., 1992.
[The book doesn't have the city it was published in, only USA. Looking at Purdue Owl to see how to put it here as in a Bibliographic format. I think I did post this book's title and information down below somewhere when I practiced, recorded, and read others.]
I learned this Mozart from my Mozart book, yesterday and today. I wasn't going to learn this one, because it seems to be not for my voice type.
But I couldn't help myself. The poetry is perfect. A synopsis is basically: The love-letters he wrote to me were not only for me. He also sent love-letters and played love-songs to others, and so I will burn them. Yet, my heart still yearns for him.
I posted me reading a translation, though, too, along with two singing takes. I love reading these out loud. I've done it before here for a few other songs down below.
After practicing yesterday, I listened to about TEN very good recordings online of this piece. I guess lots of other women feel this way about their love-letters and serenades!
The translation I read is from Mozart 12 Songs. Edited by John Glenn Paton, USA, Alfred Publishing Co., 1992.
[The book doesn't have the city it was published in, only USA. Looking at Purdue Owl to see how to put it here as in a Bibliographic format. I think I did post this book's title and information down below somewhere when I practiced, recorded, and read others.]
July 11, 2018: "Little Elegy" by John Duke, Poem by Elinor Wylie -- "The Mermaid's Song" by Haydn AGAIN -- chunks of "I See in You a Looking Glass" by Dominick Argento, Text by John Olon-Scrymgeour
"Little Elegy" by Elinor Wylie -- Music says, "Plaintively." What came out of my mouth, came out. (Recording has 2 takes on it.)
Withouten you
No rose can grow;
No leaf be green
If never seen Your sweetest face;
No bird have grace Or pow'r to sing;
Or anything
Be kind, or fair,
And you nowhere.
OH, ya know what? I think I had the iPod TOO FAR AWAY from me. It's all a bit unclear and muffled, today. Whatever.
Another try at "The Mermaid's Song," first verse, only.
Practice of "I See in You a Looking Glass" --- NOW, I sang through this back in December 2017 a couple times, but I didn't really practice it, exactly. Today, I tried. I haven't looked at it since December. I still LOVE THIS. Here is partially what I said back in December: "Oh yeah, and today I sang through "I See in You a Looking Glass." I sang through it once like a couple weeks ago. I LOVE IT. The book says it is from Miss Havisham's Fire; however, I looked that opera up, and it has been revised. I don't have a revised aria. This is out of the American Arias book. Anyway, I LOVE IT, and I will learn it for the heck of it."
The opera is now called Miss Havisham's Wedding Night. And here is Heather Buck in a scene with Odyssey Opera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SihFyPQW6nM Well WOW!
Well, I need to practice this more than three times, but here are chunks of it, anyway. --- I get a little screechy at the top notes. And I ended up pronouncing "Satis" wrong. Also, I need to SLOW IT DOWN. I was impatient with it. In the third chunk, BTW, I giggle and say "oh hell," BUT, Here's to practice.
Oh my gosh, GO HERE and if you want, read the article, and definitely listen to the Interview snippet with Dominick Argento at the bottom! -- He's great! http://www.wbur.org/artery/2014/11/19/odyssey-argento
"Little Elegy" by Elinor Wylie -- Music says, "Plaintively." What came out of my mouth, came out. (Recording has 2 takes on it.)
Withouten you
No rose can grow;
No leaf be green
If never seen Your sweetest face;
No bird have grace Or pow'r to sing;
Or anything
Be kind, or fair,
And you nowhere.
OH, ya know what? I think I had the iPod TOO FAR AWAY from me. It's all a bit unclear and muffled, today. Whatever.
Another try at "The Mermaid's Song," first verse, only.
Practice of "I See in You a Looking Glass" --- NOW, I sang through this back in December 2017 a couple times, but I didn't really practice it, exactly. Today, I tried. I haven't looked at it since December. I still LOVE THIS. Here is partially what I said back in December: "Oh yeah, and today I sang through "I See in You a Looking Glass." I sang through it once like a couple weeks ago. I LOVE IT. The book says it is from Miss Havisham's Fire; however, I looked that opera up, and it has been revised. I don't have a revised aria. This is out of the American Arias book. Anyway, I LOVE IT, and I will learn it for the heck of it."
The opera is now called Miss Havisham's Wedding Night. And here is Heather Buck in a scene with Odyssey Opera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SihFyPQW6nM Well WOW!
Well, I need to practice this more than three times, but here are chunks of it, anyway. --- I get a little screechy at the top notes. And I ended up pronouncing "Satis" wrong. Also, I need to SLOW IT DOWN. I was impatient with it. In the third chunk, BTW, I giggle and say "oh hell," BUT, Here's to practice.
Oh my gosh, GO HERE and if you want, read the article, and definitely listen to the Interview snippet with Dominick Argento at the bottom! -- He's great! http://www.wbur.org/artery/2014/11/19/odyssey-argento
July 8, 2018 [Revised July 9th, 3 times]: Writing Post
What do I have to say today?
I was away for my sister's wedding. I have had no practice for nearly two weeks. I will sing tomorrow.
However, I contacted one of the pianists I know around here and told her I will be ready to rehearse my Art Song Cycle soon.
I mean, I can't SING it, yet. HA HA HA
I am coming near to the end of a first composition draft of it. And, my "near to" could mean a couple months or more or less, yet. I keep expanding it and changing it. ---
I showed an accompanist one or two of the pieces of this song cycle years ago when we worked on some of the songs for the so-called opera Mother Nature. I did tell her the potential title of it when I asked if she would like to rehearse through it soon for fun. She had no big reaction to the title and my hope for rehearsing except, "Good." :) [This thing still feels like it could become embarrassing but screw it. I consulted an adult student I was teaching at the time I was trying to decide whether or not to go back to school for the MFA. He is a doctor who had been taking lessons with me for a year at the time. He said, "It's what you leave behind that matters, now, Ann Marie. What do you want to leave behind?" That did it. I had to go back to school to figure out the book, plow through to get to the rest of whatever I'm trying to leave behind. I wish that student had been able to continue with me on the weekends when I made the decision to go back to school. But his schedule wouldn't jive with mine. I'm happy and thankful for what he said to me. There have been other people, not students, years ago, when I was way younger who were just plain nasty and awful. I suppose the Dalai Lama would suggest to be thankful to them, also. I am still writing about some of the things that were said to me. And the art song cycle touches on some confusing mixed messages I have received through the years, also.]
Anyway, I guess I have to practice my own compositions more.
BUT, I found a book of Richard Strauss songs on my shelf. Well, I mean, I knew it was there but never gave it attention until yesterday when I played through a couple of them. I LOOOOOOVE THEM.
Oh, and I listened to young Alma Deutscher's latest composition on YouTube, an art song on text by Goethe. It's beautiful, and she is a miracle. I especially like one of her more recent piano compositions with orchestra.
What do I have to say today?
I was away for my sister's wedding. I have had no practice for nearly two weeks. I will sing tomorrow.
However, I contacted one of the pianists I know around here and told her I will be ready to rehearse my Art Song Cycle soon.
I mean, I can't SING it, yet. HA HA HA
I am coming near to the end of a first composition draft of it. And, my "near to" could mean a couple months or more or less, yet. I keep expanding it and changing it. ---
I showed an accompanist one or two of the pieces of this song cycle years ago when we worked on some of the songs for the so-called opera Mother Nature. I did tell her the potential title of it when I asked if she would like to rehearse through it soon for fun. She had no big reaction to the title and my hope for rehearsing except, "Good." :) [This thing still feels like it could become embarrassing but screw it. I consulted an adult student I was teaching at the time I was trying to decide whether or not to go back to school for the MFA. He is a doctor who had been taking lessons with me for a year at the time. He said, "It's what you leave behind that matters, now, Ann Marie. What do you want to leave behind?" That did it. I had to go back to school to figure out the book, plow through to get to the rest of whatever I'm trying to leave behind. I wish that student had been able to continue with me on the weekends when I made the decision to go back to school. But his schedule wouldn't jive with mine. I'm happy and thankful for what he said to me. There have been other people, not students, years ago, when I was way younger who were just plain nasty and awful. I suppose the Dalai Lama would suggest to be thankful to them, also. I am still writing about some of the things that were said to me. And the art song cycle touches on some confusing mixed messages I have received through the years, also.]
Anyway, I guess I have to practice my own compositions more.
BUT, I found a book of Richard Strauss songs on my shelf. Well, I mean, I knew it was there but never gave it attention until yesterday when I played through a couple of them. I LOOOOOOVE THEM.
Oh, and I listened to young Alma Deutscher's latest composition on YouTube, an art song on text by Goethe. It's beautiful, and she is a miracle. I especially like one of her more recent piano compositions with orchestra.
June 25, 2018: "The Mermaid Song" by Haydn AGAIN
I had to do this one again. I had to try and keep a steadier beat and tempo and be more Mermaidish with it, as I said on Friday. (no practice over weekend, though, just a couple of run-throughs today)
My pet cockatiel likes this one. You can hear him start whistling along.
I still only did the first verse. Aaaaaand, I want to sing this one again another time, still. (I want to do many of the ones I did below again, even the ones I already did twice.) blah blah
I had to do this one again. I had to try and keep a steadier beat and tempo and be more Mermaidish with it, as I said on Friday. (no practice over weekend, though, just a couple of run-throughs today)
My pet cockatiel likes this one. You can hear him start whistling along.
I still only did the first verse. Aaaaaand, I want to sing this one again another time, still. (I want to do many of the ones I did below again, even the ones I already did twice.) blah blah
June 22, 2018: "Rend'il sereno al ciglio" by Handel, again, and "The Mermaid's Song" by Haydn
I wanted to do the Handel again after singing it yesterday. (see yesterday) I'm a bit mad at myself, because I closed a door in the apartment, and it made the acoustics even funnier... but I changed things up in my practice a bit today. -- I still want to practice this one more. I still did not do this one complete justice; I still tightened up here and there and need more practice with it for other reasons. It's a good one for air and stuff!
Then, I did the "Mermaid's Song," quickly, first verse. I never tried this one before today. I want to do it again, some time. I need to be more Mermaidish with it. :)
I wanted to do the Handel again after singing it yesterday. (see yesterday) I'm a bit mad at myself, because I closed a door in the apartment, and it made the acoustics even funnier... but I changed things up in my practice a bit today. -- I still want to practice this one more. I still did not do this one complete justice; I still tightened up here and there and need more practice with it for other reasons. It's a good one for air and stuff!
Then, I did the "Mermaid's Song," quickly, first verse. I never tried this one before today. I want to do it again, some time. I need to be more Mermaidish with it. :)
June 21, 2018: "Rend'il sereno al ciglio" by George Frideric Handel
Well I really wanted to record a happy song this week, but this one is self-explanatory for this particular week in America. It means, "Bring serenity to your mother. Do not cry anymore! To fear any peril, today, how could you?"
I did not do this one complete justice, today; I tightened up here and there. (I didn't wait through all the rests, btw.) But: Here's to practice. I never practiced this one in the past; I tried it yesterday and then again today.
Here is Elisabeth Rethberg singing it very well. She places a syllable in a different place than my music shows. I almost did it her way and then just read the music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFc-Un1dbf8
I wanted to sing "The Mermaid's Song" by Franz Joseph Haydn. That's one I never worked on before, either. I found it in an old book I have laying around, a book I have never sung out of but have assigned a few pieces from.
Blah Blah
Well I really wanted to record a happy song this week, but this one is self-explanatory for this particular week in America. It means, "Bring serenity to your mother. Do not cry anymore! To fear any peril, today, how could you?"
I did not do this one complete justice, today; I tightened up here and there. (I didn't wait through all the rests, btw.) But: Here's to practice. I never practiced this one in the past; I tried it yesterday and then again today.
Here is Elisabeth Rethberg singing it very well. She places a syllable in a different place than my music shows. I almost did it her way and then just read the music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFc-Un1dbf8
I wanted to sing "The Mermaid's Song" by Franz Joseph Haydn. That's one I never worked on before, either. I found it in an old book I have laying around, a book I have never sung out of but have assigned a few pieces from.
Blah Blah
June 16, 2018: Writing Post
A couple days ago, I sang through "Les oiseaux dans la charmille," aka The Doll Song. It's one my dad suggested twelve years ago, because I asked him what pieces I should practice. He knew something I didn't, but... Before anyone goes, "awwww, your dad," his type of personality disorder manifested in subjecting us to an unsafe living environment after he had a hand in my mother's disappearance. And yet, I tried to be his friend and a good daughter until the end. -- I recently finished and am revising a new chapter of the memoir about these things that I touched on briefly in former chapters. --- We were good to him while he passed away in Hospice, don't worry.
Anyway, I wasn't ready to even "la la" through The Doll Song back then. If I had been a voice major? But who knows, because I didn't "find" myself again, long story, until I was 35. And I had a heck of a lot of "tension" from years of clarinet playing and having anxiety and stuff. Have to figure out how to meld my talents together NOW so they don't go to waste.
That said, I only could do about 12 measures of it well. HA HA HA HA HAAAAA, so funny. --- In the olden days, I could hit a high F above high C really easily in my secret private practice room, where nobody could hear me.
It was very fun to try this one, though. It's in French, of course.
I will still practice as many days per week as I am able for as long as I can.
A couple days ago, I sang through "Les oiseaux dans la charmille," aka The Doll Song. It's one my dad suggested twelve years ago, because I asked him what pieces I should practice. He knew something I didn't, but... Before anyone goes, "awwww, your dad," his type of personality disorder manifested in subjecting us to an unsafe living environment after he had a hand in my mother's disappearance. And yet, I tried to be his friend and a good daughter until the end. -- I recently finished and am revising a new chapter of the memoir about these things that I touched on briefly in former chapters. --- We were good to him while he passed away in Hospice, don't worry.
Anyway, I wasn't ready to even "la la" through The Doll Song back then. If I had been a voice major? But who knows, because I didn't "find" myself again, long story, until I was 35. And I had a heck of a lot of "tension" from years of clarinet playing and having anxiety and stuff. Have to figure out how to meld my talents together NOW so they don't go to waste.
That said, I only could do about 12 measures of it well. HA HA HA HA HAAAAA, so funny. --- In the olden days, I could hit a high F above high C really easily in my secret private practice room, where nobody could hear me.
It was very fun to try this one, though. It's in French, of course.
I will still practice as many days per week as I am able for as long as I can.
June 12, 2018 (Revised slightly on June 21): "Sehnsucht nach dem Frühlinge" by Mozart, Lyrics by Christian Adolf Overbeck
Well I should have sung this one back in March; that's when we all here in the city of C. long for May. But there was one thing after another, after another, after another and so on, and so on, and so on.
I sang this one years ago in English but never learned the German until today. I only did the first two stanzas today, and I pronounced Schnee, incorrectly. I knew how to do it, and I sang it wrong, ANYWAY. Like, why in the moment would I change it to WRONG, when I KNEW it should be Schnee as in Sch(knee)? I made it a bit too Italian-like.
I need more practice.
That art song cycle is coming along. But it might be a little embarrassing when it is done. I can't NOT finish this dang thing. So there. Oh, but making it into a two person opera would remedy any embarrassment.... oh.... or create more.
Hmmm, I love the ending of it right now. It acknowledges my truth.
Well I should have sung this one back in March; that's when we all here in the city of C. long for May. But there was one thing after another, after another, after another and so on, and so on, and so on.
I sang this one years ago in English but never learned the German until today. I only did the first two stanzas today, and I pronounced Schnee, incorrectly. I knew how to do it, and I sang it wrong, ANYWAY. Like, why in the moment would I change it to WRONG, when I KNEW it should be Schnee as in Sch(knee)? I made it a bit too Italian-like.
I need more practice.
That art song cycle is coming along. But it might be a little embarrassing when it is done. I can't NOT finish this dang thing. So there. Oh, but making it into a two person opera would remedy any embarrassment.... oh.... or create more.
Hmmm, I love the ending of it right now. It acknowledges my truth.
June 5, 2018: "Mit einer Primula veris" by Edvard Grieg "The First Primrose"
This one I memorized in high school but only in English. Today, I learned the German for the first time. I pronounced two things slightly askew in this German recording. Anyhow, it's a Springtime song, and I wanted to do it. I also posted singing it in English.
I listened to this one with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. She does this so beautifully. I need more practice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOzJJMeNkTU
WHOAH HO---- I just read a bit about Ms. Schwarzkopf, and her life was more than controversial. Yes this recording above is gorgeous, but SHE joins the Nazi party, becomes famous, and teaches at Juilliard????? What the hell? (I have volunteered for several places. I have calmly dealt with my less than ideal upbringing and household full of honest craziness. There was no support. Not whining, just telling the truth, and I still practiced and hoped without joining the Nazi Party. Ah well, I haven't sounded as awesome as Elisabeth in that recording above, either. That's what I get for sticking with clarinet and only concentrating on my voice sporadically through life.
Here is another nice recording with Kirsten Flagstad: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mit+einer+primula+veris
Onward after my very short rant above. Actually, I need to read more about Ms. Schwarzkopf. I am in the middle of an article I found from The Guardian, now. Do not judge, Ann Marie. She may have been manipulated and tried to rise above. Did she ever volunteer? What good did she do besides sing very beautifully and bring these composers' pieces justice? --- [And well then, if I'm going to be this way, I should look up all performers and composers. I've heard that Brahms, of whose music I have put on my favorite list above many other composers', was less than a decent fellow.] --- [After reading more] -- oh... she married a Jewish man. -- aaaand, hmmmm... well then... right... yep... ok... so... shrug.
Here is an article at The New York Times about her. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/04/arts/music/04schwarzkopf.html
That said, NOW onward: I haven't practiced since like May 20th or so, and I am still congested, but I feel a lot better. I don't have a sore throat anymore. I still don't believe I have allergies. See my writing post on May23/June 5th.
I think I want to sing this one again this week, on Thursday, maybe.
This one I memorized in high school but only in English. Today, I learned the German for the first time. I pronounced two things slightly askew in this German recording. Anyhow, it's a Springtime song, and I wanted to do it. I also posted singing it in English.
I listened to this one with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. She does this so beautifully. I need more practice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOzJJMeNkTU
WHOAH HO---- I just read a bit about Ms. Schwarzkopf, and her life was more than controversial. Yes this recording above is gorgeous, but SHE joins the Nazi party, becomes famous, and teaches at Juilliard????? What the hell? (I have volunteered for several places. I have calmly dealt with my less than ideal upbringing and household full of honest craziness. There was no support. Not whining, just telling the truth, and I still practiced and hoped without joining the Nazi Party. Ah well, I haven't sounded as awesome as Elisabeth in that recording above, either. That's what I get for sticking with clarinet and only concentrating on my voice sporadically through life.
Here is another nice recording with Kirsten Flagstad: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mit+einer+primula+veris
Onward after my very short rant above. Actually, I need to read more about Ms. Schwarzkopf. I am in the middle of an article I found from The Guardian, now. Do not judge, Ann Marie. She may have been manipulated and tried to rise above. Did she ever volunteer? What good did she do besides sing very beautifully and bring these composers' pieces justice? --- [And well then, if I'm going to be this way, I should look up all performers and composers. I've heard that Brahms, of whose music I have put on my favorite list above many other composers', was less than a decent fellow.] --- [After reading more] -- oh... she married a Jewish man. -- aaaand, hmmmm... well then... right... yep... ok... so... shrug.
Here is an article at The New York Times about her. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/04/arts/music/04schwarzkopf.html
That said, NOW onward: I haven't practiced since like May 20th or so, and I am still congested, but I feel a lot better. I don't have a sore throat anymore. I still don't believe I have allergies. See my writing post on May23/June 5th.
I think I want to sing this one again this week, on Thursday, maybe.
May 23, 2018 (Revised June 5th and twice between): Writing Post
Oy vey, marone. - Geez, city of C., I was not sick at all in the city of P. over 2.5 years. Here I am with a sinus infection after having the flu twice, now, in 2018. I am sure I caught this from one of my students that came in on Saturday sick. HENCE, there has been no singing this week. [Although I might be in denial over possibly being allergic to the city of C.]
A few days later: The doctor said I'm allergic to something, probably pollen. As it is true that whenever I open the windows in the city of C. in the spring, I get a sore throat and awful sinus pain, congestion, and all. I've never been told I have allergies, except when I was a toddler and could not hold down whole milk. But this is a bit maddening. I was told all of my life that what I get are sinus infections or a bronchitis. Now, this doctor says it's just allergies? -- I guess all my previous doctors were incorrect throughout time.
Anyway, here's a story. I love when things like this happen:
In 2005, I began the piece that right now is the last one of this song cycle. It's called "Home." -- Last summer, at Chatham's Summer Community of Writers [mandatory] Workshop, the nonfiction professor wanted us to write an essay spontaneously on the word “home.” I didn’t do what I was told, exactly. I could only come up with a poem. Recently, I realized this last song needs revising and remembered the poem I wrote last summer. So, I am combining the thing from 2005 with the poem from last summer. Yep, I love when things like this happen. [Of course, I did say below that I'm not fond of the word love. Clarification: I'm not fond of the word "love" used in certain contexts. The word itself is vague but besides that, people use it and then treat you like dirt.] -- Okay, well, I enjoy when serendipity happens.
Oy vey, marone. - Geez, city of C., I was not sick at all in the city of P. over 2.5 years. Here I am with a sinus infection after having the flu twice, now, in 2018. I am sure I caught this from one of my students that came in on Saturday sick. HENCE, there has been no singing this week. [Although I might be in denial over possibly being allergic to the city of C.]
A few days later: The doctor said I'm allergic to something, probably pollen. As it is true that whenever I open the windows in the city of C. in the spring, I get a sore throat and awful sinus pain, congestion, and all. I've never been told I have allergies, except when I was a toddler and could not hold down whole milk. But this is a bit maddening. I was told all of my life that what I get are sinus infections or a bronchitis. Now, this doctor says it's just allergies? -- I guess all my previous doctors were incorrect throughout time.
Anyway, here's a story. I love when things like this happen:
In 2005, I began the piece that right now is the last one of this song cycle. It's called "Home." -- Last summer, at Chatham's Summer Community of Writers [mandatory] Workshop, the nonfiction professor wanted us to write an essay spontaneously on the word “home.” I didn’t do what I was told, exactly. I could only come up with a poem. Recently, I realized this last song needs revising and remembered the poem I wrote last summer. So, I am combining the thing from 2005 with the poem from last summer. Yep, I love when things like this happen. [Of course, I did say below that I'm not fond of the word love. Clarification: I'm not fond of the word "love" used in certain contexts. The word itself is vague but besides that, people use it and then treat you like dirt.] -- Okay, well, I enjoy when serendipity happens.
May 15, 2018: "Nel cor piu non mi sento" by Giovanni Paisiello
I sang this one back on August 4, 2017 -- SEE BELOW. I didn't learn too much about it, then. It was my first time ever practicing it. This time, I learned it is from a comic opera. I went looking for the synopsis. It was difficult, again, to find a decent synopsis, but I found one that told me some stuff. This song, if studied out of context, could be taken for a sad song, as though the singer is longing to feel love again after being teased or jilted. However, in the opera, the young lady sings it twice with two different suitors. I believe she is teasing them. So, this is supposed to be a fun and silly song.
I found a good recording of it here with Eglise Gutierrez https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGknoFTZeGM.
She greatly embellishes the repeat.
So I messed around with it today for 10 minutes and tried to embellish, too. Embellish, embarrass? HA HA HA -- It was fun to try, though.
#1 - Straight
#2 - Embellish, embarrass? -- ENJOYED.
Oh yeah, Beethoven... he wrote variations. I haven't listened to them, yet. I will.
I sang this one back on August 4, 2017 -- SEE BELOW. I didn't learn too much about it, then. It was my first time ever practicing it. This time, I learned it is from a comic opera. I went looking for the synopsis. It was difficult, again, to find a decent synopsis, but I found one that told me some stuff. This song, if studied out of context, could be taken for a sad song, as though the singer is longing to feel love again after being teased or jilted. However, in the opera, the young lady sings it twice with two different suitors. I believe she is teasing them. So, this is supposed to be a fun and silly song.
I found a good recording of it here with Eglise Gutierrez https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGknoFTZeGM.
She greatly embellishes the repeat.
So I messed around with it today for 10 minutes and tried to embellish, too. Embellish, embarrass? HA HA HA -- It was fun to try, though.
#1 - Straight
#2 - Embellish, embarrass? -- ENJOYED.
Oh yeah, Beethoven... he wrote variations. I haven't listened to them, yet. I will.
May 9, 2018: New Color of dates for a renewal of this blog. "O cessate di piagarmi" by Alessandro Scarlatti
Ok. I posted this one back on July 13, 2017. Today, I barely tried with it, but I wanted to post something after my break from posting. (See below about why I took a break from posting actual practices.) Back on July 13, 2017, I only sang through it once, did not do the repeat. Today, I followed the directions at the top, sang it twice, the first time through quicker than the second.
I won't be posting too often. It is time consuming, and I have to continue with my Art Song Cycle, and also, I have to organize some essays and try to get them published, somewhere. To try and get published is to try and share my creations for the purpose of contributing to humanity, to bring awareness to the book I am revising, and to add to my resume. It's something a person has to try and do, I guess.
Ok. I posted this one back on July 13, 2017. Today, I barely tried with it, but I wanted to post something after my break from posting. (See below about why I took a break from posting actual practices.) Back on July 13, 2017, I only sang through it once, did not do the repeat. Today, I followed the directions at the top, sang it twice, the first time through quicker than the second.
I won't be posting too often. It is time consuming, and I have to continue with my Art Song Cycle, and also, I have to organize some essays and try to get them published, somewhere. To try and get published is to try and share my creations for the purpose of contributing to humanity, to bring awareness to the book I am revising, and to add to my resume. It's something a person has to try and do, I guess.
April 27, 2018: UGH - Another Idea
I can start another song cycle with the song I thought I might make number 3 in this cycle and use other experiences in the same genre of experience to coagulate it, keeping it out of this one.
And now, I think song number 1 needs more revising, or maybe, hmmmmm.... I can add another song as the first and make the old first one the second one.
WAHOOOO, this is a good solution.
But I won't be able to work much on anything the next week and few days. I have to continue to take care of the situation left when my father passed away, and I can't stay at my piano keyboard and computer for as many hours as I could these past couple weeks.
I will keep notebooks, staff paper, pencils, erasers, and a metronome with me, as I always do.
I can start another song cycle with the song I thought I might make number 3 in this cycle and use other experiences in the same genre of experience to coagulate it, keeping it out of this one.
And now, I think song number 1 needs more revising, or maybe, hmmmmm.... I can add another song as the first and make the old first one the second one.
WAHOOOO, this is a good solution.
But I won't be able to work much on anything the next week and few days. I have to continue to take care of the situation left when my father passed away, and I can't stay at my piano keyboard and computer for as many hours as I could these past couple weeks.
I will keep notebooks, staff paper, pencils, erasers, and a metronome with me, as I always do.
April 26, 2018: Follow Up to yesterday's bit of babble on the art song cycle -
This song cycle is about trying to understand some strange events, and I suppose I have kept it a little vague. If I stretch it out into a longer piece, I can include more details, but I would want to fictionalize it, then, to make it funnier. To me, it could be made into an old fashioned Buffa with whatever music comes out of me. Right now, the cycle starts with a true event and continues with metaphorical poetry and other poetry as my reactions to the event. If I add the third song, it would be about another one of the events, experiences I had. Then, I would continue with reflection.
My feelings are all over the place with this story.
I have other important projects that I want to revise and share, but this one can be done pretty soon, I think. And I need to consider something finished. I've said some of this before below.
Now, if I add the third new song, this thing would be relevant to our time and women's plights for understanding certain men and their certain comments. --- I'm putting it this way for now, I could make the title of the third song "Metaphor," because the words could be taken as a metaphor; I am sure the person would deny having said the words to me years ago, or he would say, "I don't remember." ----
The words were one hundred percent said.
TAKE IT AS A METAPHOR, I tell myself, because there is nothing else you can do. The words haunt me every now and again. I even wrote a memoir piece about the experience, and it received an Honorable Mention in a Competition years ago. I have since revised it and am still revising that chapter.
Actually, if I add this other song in, I think I would change the title to something else I have in mind and use the word metaphor in the text of the song.
But maybe it is best to keep these words, the ones that would be for song number 3, to myself.... They do not need to be in it to have a nice and meaningful song cycle. Putting some more of it this way for now: the second last song's title is "Forgiveness."
This song cycle is about trying to understand some strange events, and I suppose I have kept it a little vague. If I stretch it out into a longer piece, I can include more details, but I would want to fictionalize it, then, to make it funnier. To me, it could be made into an old fashioned Buffa with whatever music comes out of me. Right now, the cycle starts with a true event and continues with metaphorical poetry and other poetry as my reactions to the event. If I add the third song, it would be about another one of the events, experiences I had. Then, I would continue with reflection.
My feelings are all over the place with this story.
I have other important projects that I want to revise and share, but this one can be done pretty soon, I think. And I need to consider something finished. I've said some of this before below.
Now, if I add the third new song, this thing would be relevant to our time and women's plights for understanding certain men and their certain comments. --- I'm putting it this way for now, I could make the title of the third song "Metaphor," because the words could be taken as a metaphor; I am sure the person would deny having said the words to me years ago, or he would say, "I don't remember." ----
The words were one hundred percent said.
TAKE IT AS A METAPHOR, I tell myself, because there is nothing else you can do. The words haunt me every now and again. I even wrote a memoir piece about the experience, and it received an Honorable Mention in a Competition years ago. I have since revised it and am still revising that chapter.
Actually, if I add this other song in, I think I would change the title to something else I have in mind and use the word metaphor in the text of the song.
But maybe it is best to keep these words, the ones that would be for song number 3, to myself.... They do not need to be in it to have a nice and meaningful song cycle. Putting some more of it this way for now: the second last song's title is "Forgiveness."
April 25, 2018: Writing Post -- another one
My voice is coming back after all and during said below, sick twice, etc.... I do warm up vocalizes for half the time I practice, usually. Today, I sang warm ups for 30 minutes and then short fun classical art songs and arias for 30 minutes. Then, I worked on my song cycle. I think I have a title for it! Right now, there are 7 songs in it, but [insert expletive] I think I want to add yet another song. This is the cycle that could be stretched into the Buffa Opera. But I need to finish it as a song cycle. I just DO. This possible last song that would now probably be the 3rd one in line doesn't really need to be there unless I want to keep stretching it out. -- I guess. --- Well, actually, the 5th and 6th which could become the 6th and 7th would make more sense if I write/compose this new third one.... I don't think I want to share the title of the whole thing right now. It makes me laugh, but it is not meant to make others laugh, nor do I think the title is funny. It's funny to me. I will keep working hard on this thing and then I should perform it for the heck of it. --- Oh, I am up to revising the 5th song. That one is only half done. I mean the words are done, but the music is half done. I started it as an extra new one back in maybe 2012, not sure. Then, I put the whole thing away and did other stuff. -- Nothing like a bit of babbling updates, eh?
My voice is coming back after all and during said below, sick twice, etc.... I do warm up vocalizes for half the time I practice, usually. Today, I sang warm ups for 30 minutes and then short fun classical art songs and arias for 30 minutes. Then, I worked on my song cycle. I think I have a title for it! Right now, there are 7 songs in it, but [insert expletive] I think I want to add yet another song. This is the cycle that could be stretched into the Buffa Opera. But I need to finish it as a song cycle. I just DO. This possible last song that would now probably be the 3rd one in line doesn't really need to be there unless I want to keep stretching it out. -- I guess. --- Well, actually, the 5th and 6th which could become the 6th and 7th would make more sense if I write/compose this new third one.... I don't think I want to share the title of the whole thing right now. It makes me laugh, but it is not meant to make others laugh, nor do I think the title is funny. It's funny to me. I will keep working hard on this thing and then I should perform it for the heck of it. --- Oh, I am up to revising the 5th song. That one is only half done. I mean the words are done, but the music is half done. I started it as an extra new one back in maybe 2012, not sure. Then, I put the whole thing away and did other stuff. -- Nothing like a bit of babbling updates, eh?
April 19, 2018: Writing Post
I started to practice singing again two days ago. I can't believe how difficult my voice is being after being sick and during this ongoing situation (the situation after the death of my dad). I won't tell the particulars of what's happening, but it is very stressful. My new chapter to the "book" is about some of it. Some of it I already wrote through the years, basically as semi-diary entries/chapters. Right now, I'm not sleeping well. Practicing the last couple days has made me feel good in those minutes. At this time, I'm only taking some of the shorter pieces that I really enjoyed from below and re-singing them.
HOWEVER, I am still working on my song cycle. Do I turn this Voice Blog into a Composer's & Voice Blog?
Today, I listened to the first two songs in the cycle to help me revise one. I actually completely started over with one with text and music. How is it going to fit after all these years? I mean, I started this thing somewhere around 2001, revised some of it in 2005 and 2008 and then again in 2011 and then I believe in 2012....
I thought I was completely done with the first song.
Today, I changed a few words and a few notes of it and thought, "Ann Marie, this may be too serious and spooky sounding." That's how I felt about the words years ago, but now, my feelings have changed, slightly. Umm, well, the experience of the words when it happened was confusing, spooky, and unforgettable, but I thought, "Lighten up."
Then, I listened to the second one.
I laughed out loud. The second one is much lighter. I cracked myself up. [I also cracked up my class and audience with the essay I read to them at graduation. I am trying to get it published or presented through a journal right now or I would post it or at least the title of it. Getting humorous essays published may be even more difficult than the serious ones. There aren't many outlets that I know of for humor that take unsolicited submissions.]
So, I will continue revising this thing. And maybe I will sing it, somewhere, but maybe not. Do I give a recital? I haven't done that in years. Yeah..... Well...... I feel like I need to invent a word to put here.
Maybe I will just record it with one of the pianists who may like to work with me.
Also, I might start posting practices again, but maybe only ONE per week, and I don't know when I'll start again, because I have so much to do and take care of.
I started to practice singing again two days ago. I can't believe how difficult my voice is being after being sick and during this ongoing situation (the situation after the death of my dad). I won't tell the particulars of what's happening, but it is very stressful. My new chapter to the "book" is about some of it. Some of it I already wrote through the years, basically as semi-diary entries/chapters. Right now, I'm not sleeping well. Practicing the last couple days has made me feel good in those minutes. At this time, I'm only taking some of the shorter pieces that I really enjoyed from below and re-singing them.
HOWEVER, I am still working on my song cycle. Do I turn this Voice Blog into a Composer's & Voice Blog?
Today, I listened to the first two songs in the cycle to help me revise one. I actually completely started over with one with text and music. How is it going to fit after all these years? I mean, I started this thing somewhere around 2001, revised some of it in 2005 and 2008 and then again in 2011 and then I believe in 2012....
I thought I was completely done with the first song.
Today, I changed a few words and a few notes of it and thought, "Ann Marie, this may be too serious and spooky sounding." That's how I felt about the words years ago, but now, my feelings have changed, slightly. Umm, well, the experience of the words when it happened was confusing, spooky, and unforgettable, but I thought, "Lighten up."
Then, I listened to the second one.
I laughed out loud. The second one is much lighter. I cracked myself up. [I also cracked up my class and audience with the essay I read to them at graduation. I am trying to get it published or presented through a journal right now or I would post it or at least the title of it. Getting humorous essays published may be even more difficult than the serious ones. There aren't many outlets that I know of for humor that take unsolicited submissions.]
So, I will continue revising this thing. And maybe I will sing it, somewhere, but maybe not. Do I give a recital? I haven't done that in years. Yeah..... Well...... I feel like I need to invent a word to put here.
Maybe I will just record it with one of the pianists who may like to work with me.
Also, I might start posting practices again, but maybe only ONE per week, and I don't know when I'll start again, because I have so much to do and take care of.
April 8, 2018: UPDATE: Until February 12th, 2018, I posted every few days no matter how I felt or how I sang a piece. - Right now, I have to be more serious about other things, like applying to jobs and dealing with an ongoing situation after my dad passed away a few weeks ago. I don't know when I'll get back to this "singing blog." --- It was fun.
Actually I am writing, revising that writing, and REVISING AND ADDING TO a song cycle I started years ago. But, I will start to practice regularly again. I still don't feel 100% after getting the flu twice in a row.... see March 22nd post below...
Note: Must finish the song cycle and record it... but maybe it is silly to do this. The subject matter is an attempt at understanding. It might taste like bologna in the end. I have much more serious projects on which to focus. Thing is that I think this song cycle could be considered "done," soon, if I work hard on it. I would like to put more things in the "Done" column. Other projects might serve better, though.
Actually I am writing, revising that writing, and REVISING AND ADDING TO a song cycle I started years ago. But, I will start to practice regularly again. I still don't feel 100% after getting the flu twice in a row.... see March 22nd post below...
Note: Must finish the song cycle and record it... but maybe it is silly to do this. The subject matter is an attempt at understanding. It might taste like bologna in the end. I have much more serious projects on which to focus. Thing is that I think this song cycle could be considered "done," soon, if I work hard on it. I would like to put more things in the "Done" column. Other projects might serve better, though.
March 26, 2018: Writing Post - The day began with a mashup of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" and Rachel Platten's "Fight Song" floating through my head. Up and into the day.
March 22, 2018 (Revised slightly on March 23): Writing Post - Marone. Or oy vey, again. Or better to wish the Universe a Happy Spring; let the birds sing and the flowers bloom. I haven't sung in over a month. The day after we brought my dad home from the hospital, I got the flu. I haven't had a fever in years. I don't even know when the last one was. And I got laryngitis. And then, my sister got sick, and my aunt did, too. A week and a half later, I felt a bit better, and then, a week after that, the fever hit me, again, and the symptoms were worse. So there has been no practice, only dealing with the situation we were left with. Writing is one of the ways I have been dealing.
But I am sitting here listening to classical music, and I am tearing my own heart out. I want to sing and play my clarinet. I want to compose. I also want to keep writing. I also have to work; yes, still looking for more work but am teaching students. It's all good. Anyone out there know that saying, "God doesn't give you anything you can't handle?" I always wonder about the people who have committed suicide after I hear that saying.
I'm Buddhist. I've heard about some Buddhists who believe in God. I'm not saying yes or no. I do not like the word God, and I'm not fond of the word Love.
Which project should I focus on? I'm writing a new chapter to the memoir right now. It feels like what I need to do right at this moment. It feels crazy important for me to get through it, whether or not it becomes a stand-alone chapter to send out to journals.
Oddly, I really also feel like singing The Beatles, just for fun. "All You Need is Love." - Okay fine. There's a way to interpret that song that could be appropriate for my situation. But I tell you what, the actual act of dealing with this situation is NOT EASY. And I am still not fond of the word Love, so how can I be fond of that song? -- And I tell you what else, the act of dealing with my mother's disappearance and everything else has never been easy, either. (Even if I only point out ONE way of how I have dealt by accident: practicing clarinet for four hours per day for fifteen years for a dream that did not become reality. That took a lot of energy, determination, and passion for classical music. I would not call it an easy process. It was one safe way through; unfortunately, I may have had PTSD and been dissociated from being able to feel what I was emoting for quite a while. I certainly was not dissociated from my memories. That's my own diagnosis. And how could I bring my true talent to fruition in that state? I must be thankful for... my common sense, I guess. I gravitated to music and the arts. Good for me. And, of course, I am thankful for the instruments my dad had in his house for me to play and my music teachers, and I have done prayers of thanks for much more while driving back and forth between P. and C. for over two years. No, I don't pray to a God.)
But I am sitting here listening to classical music, and I am tearing my own heart out. I want to sing and play my clarinet. I want to compose. I also want to keep writing. I also have to work; yes, still looking for more work but am teaching students. It's all good. Anyone out there know that saying, "God doesn't give you anything you can't handle?" I always wonder about the people who have committed suicide after I hear that saying.
I'm Buddhist. I've heard about some Buddhists who believe in God. I'm not saying yes or no. I do not like the word God, and I'm not fond of the word Love.
Which project should I focus on? I'm writing a new chapter to the memoir right now. It feels like what I need to do right at this moment. It feels crazy important for me to get through it, whether or not it becomes a stand-alone chapter to send out to journals.
Oddly, I really also feel like singing The Beatles, just for fun. "All You Need is Love." - Okay fine. There's a way to interpret that song that could be appropriate for my situation. But I tell you what, the actual act of dealing with this situation is NOT EASY. And I am still not fond of the word Love, so how can I be fond of that song? -- And I tell you what else, the act of dealing with my mother's disappearance and everything else has never been easy, either. (Even if I only point out ONE way of how I have dealt by accident: practicing clarinet for four hours per day for fifteen years for a dream that did not become reality. That took a lot of energy, determination, and passion for classical music. I would not call it an easy process. It was one safe way through; unfortunately, I may have had PTSD and been dissociated from being able to feel what I was emoting for quite a while. I certainly was not dissociated from my memories. That's my own diagnosis. And how could I bring my true talent to fruition in that state? I must be thankful for... my common sense, I guess. I gravitated to music and the arts. Good for me. And, of course, I am thankful for the instruments my dad had in his house for me to play and my music teachers, and I have done prayers of thanks for much more while driving back and forth between P. and C. for over two years. No, I don't pray to a God.)
UPDATE to written post of Feb. 12th on March 8, 2018: "Il mio bel foco" Music by Benedetto Marcello
Uhhhhhhh --- I'm a little disappointed with... sigh.... I don't know. This singing blog is really time consuming. I am having fun with it, and I do need to keep singing and practicing, but recording a few times per week and posting is eating up time. I practiced el clarineto (my own spelling of said instrument in mixture of Italian, Spanish, and English) today, too, for a short time.
I never practiced this one in the past. I've sung through it three times in the last two weeks. I was planning on posting this ON Valentine's Day but keep reading.
On the same day I found out my teensy commentary was being published online and in the newspaper - my very first publication and who knows if the only one ever - I found out I have a parent that may be terminally ill. UPDATED PART: My father was terminally ill. I was away for quite a while as he passed away. That is why I haven't posted anything recently here or elsewhere at my website. And my sister and I are dealing with a situation that might be rare. I have written a little bit about this ongoing situation, one I grew up with, in my memoir. Those parts of the memoir are now going to be easier to rewrite. Anyway, my dad's obituary is at http://www.cantelmifuneralhome.com/obituaries/Philip-Falcone/#!/Obituary It's okay, Dad. I hope the angels and your new place free you of your attachments, addictions, mental afflictions, confusions, anger, delusions, ignorance, and physical pain. Be happy in your new life and may you be forgiven for any harm you unintentionally or intentionally brought upon others in this life.
(The Mom that disappeared when I was four passed away in 2011; I was estranged from my mother at the time but had been trying to become less estranged for a while. I've mentioned that I've written about that, also, in the memoir. Read the book when I finish a whole draft, get an agent and publisher, or win a competition with it and get it published, LOL. Yeah, LOL is nervous giggling, a book? I also wanted a job in an orchestra…. But no quitting; gotta hope for the best, always.)
This piece is perfect for me for Valentine’s Day week. But I am not really ready to sing it. Here’s to practice! – After I was done practicing and recording, as I walked toward a lamp to turn it off, I sang a phrase, and it felt good. Walking and singing does help loosen ya up. There were some phrases, while I practiced, that flew right out of me with the passion needed, but the thing as a whole is not really ready to be posted. This is a difficult one. --- My recording today has a couple good moments, but as I practiced in chunks otherwise, some of those chunks came out much better than what I posted here. I read a word, incorrectly. I say vuolo, but it's vuole. AGH, my glasses needed to be pulled down my nose, and the light in the room I practice in in this new place is not great, seriously.
I didn't HAVE to practice, today, but I did. These are lessons right here. Even if you don't have a singing or playing job, practice anyway. Even if you have a terminally ill parent, practice anyway. Even if your Mother disappears, practice anyway.
I really want to let go with this piece even more. Since I’m not sure when I will post again, I decided to post this one, now. But I DEFINITELY need to sing this one again, some time.
Uhhhhhhh --- I'm a little disappointed with... sigh.... I don't know. This singing blog is really time consuming. I am having fun with it, and I do need to keep singing and practicing, but recording a few times per week and posting is eating up time. I practiced el clarineto (my own spelling of said instrument in mixture of Italian, Spanish, and English) today, too, for a short time.
I never practiced this one in the past. I've sung through it three times in the last two weeks. I was planning on posting this ON Valentine's Day but keep reading.
On the same day I found out my teensy commentary was being published online and in the newspaper - my very first publication and who knows if the only one ever - I found out I have a parent that may be terminally ill. UPDATED PART: My father was terminally ill. I was away for quite a while as he passed away. That is why I haven't posted anything recently here or elsewhere at my website. And my sister and I are dealing with a situation that might be rare. I have written a little bit about this ongoing situation, one I grew up with, in my memoir. Those parts of the memoir are now going to be easier to rewrite. Anyway, my dad's obituary is at http://www.cantelmifuneralhome.com/obituaries/Philip-Falcone/#!/Obituary It's okay, Dad. I hope the angels and your new place free you of your attachments, addictions, mental afflictions, confusions, anger, delusions, ignorance, and physical pain. Be happy in your new life and may you be forgiven for any harm you unintentionally or intentionally brought upon others in this life.
(The Mom that disappeared when I was four passed away in 2011; I was estranged from my mother at the time but had been trying to become less estranged for a while. I've mentioned that I've written about that, also, in the memoir. Read the book when I finish a whole draft, get an agent and publisher, or win a competition with it and get it published, LOL. Yeah, LOL is nervous giggling, a book? I also wanted a job in an orchestra…. But no quitting; gotta hope for the best, always.)
This piece is perfect for me for Valentine’s Day week. But I am not really ready to sing it. Here’s to practice! – After I was done practicing and recording, as I walked toward a lamp to turn it off, I sang a phrase, and it felt good. Walking and singing does help loosen ya up. There were some phrases, while I practiced, that flew right out of me with the passion needed, but the thing as a whole is not really ready to be posted. This is a difficult one. --- My recording today has a couple good moments, but as I practiced in chunks otherwise, some of those chunks came out much better than what I posted here. I read a word, incorrectly. I say vuolo, but it's vuole. AGH, my glasses needed to be pulled down my nose, and the light in the room I practice in in this new place is not great, seriously.
I didn't HAVE to practice, today, but I did. These are lessons right here. Even if you don't have a singing or playing job, practice anyway. Even if you have a terminally ill parent, practice anyway. Even if your Mother disappears, practice anyway.
I really want to let go with this piece even more. Since I’m not sure when I will post again, I decided to post this one, now. But I DEFINITELY need to sing this one again, some time.
February 8, 2018: "Belle Source" Music by Francis Poulenc, Text by Jean Morè
The meaning of this one confused me for a couple weeks. But today, I found two translations slightly different than the one on my music. I decided, especially since the tempo is supposed to be Vite, it's about nature giving happiness to a person with a broken heart.
I really did sing through this one a bunch of times sporadically over the last few weeks, but I sang it slowly. Today, I recorded at quick tempos. The recordings here are me singing it straight through; then, I practice the jump from D to high B a few times. If I posted the recording of the whole practice straight through, you would hear me say at least two bad words, LOL.
Ya know, it's interesting how different pieces bring out a slightly different voice. I think since it is in French, I try to sound French. What I mean is that I felt permission to place the sound far forward. Or it was like I HAD to place it there to sing this song at all. Another French one down below, the ummm, um, um "Au bord de l'eau," felt this way, too. It is quite interesting. I love nearly every Italian and French one I have sung. I love many of the German ones. It's just easier with certain pieces to, geez, I can't explain it.
The meaning of this one confused me for a couple weeks. But today, I found two translations slightly different than the one on my music. I decided, especially since the tempo is supposed to be Vite, it's about nature giving happiness to a person with a broken heart.
I really did sing through this one a bunch of times sporadically over the last few weeks, but I sang it slowly. Today, I recorded at quick tempos. The recordings here are me singing it straight through; then, I practice the jump from D to high B a few times. If I posted the recording of the whole practice straight through, you would hear me say at least two bad words, LOL.
Ya know, it's interesting how different pieces bring out a slightly different voice. I think since it is in French, I try to sound French. What I mean is that I felt permission to place the sound far forward. Or it was like I HAD to place it there to sing this song at all. Another French one down below, the ummm, um, um "Au bord de l'eau," felt this way, too. It is quite interesting. I love nearly every Italian and French one I have sung. I love many of the German ones. It's just easier with certain pieces to, geez, I can't explain it.
February 6, 2018: "I'll Know" from Guys and Dolls - one verse and solfège Music and Words by Frank Loesser
The verse that the man sings is in one of my books. I didn't care so much about this piece as much as the art song ones, and it didn't bring out my silly side like the "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" or "Chicken Song." It's probably much more fun to sing from the beginning with the man. I found various recordings of the musical, and a Barbra Streisand pop-like recording of this same verse. Anyway, it's almost that Cupid Day, and although mostly everything I've sung down below is about love and lust and stuff, I sang this one today. I didn't feel like doing an aria, arietta, or art song. My tempo is slightly too slow, but I can't believe how tricky this one is to sing. I kept going just a hair sharp. I think it would be a little easier if the key was up a step, which I could have done.
I also practiced one in French, the Poulenc that I've sung through a few times now in practice. I'm ready to record it as a practice, but I'm being rather finicky over the words. I found two translations slightly different than the one on my music. It's confusing to know what this one is about.
I also practiced the five-page Purcell, and one in Spanish. I have a story about the Spanish one. It's not too exciting, but I'll save it for when I decide to record and post that one.
The verse that the man sings is in one of my books. I didn't care so much about this piece as much as the art song ones, and it didn't bring out my silly side like the "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" or "Chicken Song." It's probably much more fun to sing from the beginning with the man. I found various recordings of the musical, and a Barbra Streisand pop-like recording of this same verse. Anyway, it's almost that Cupid Day, and although mostly everything I've sung down below is about love and lust and stuff, I sang this one today. I didn't feel like doing an aria, arietta, or art song. My tempo is slightly too slow, but I can't believe how tricky this one is to sing. I kept going just a hair sharp. I think it would be a little easier if the key was up a step, which I could have done.
I also practiced one in French, the Poulenc that I've sung through a few times now in practice. I'm ready to record it as a practice, but I'm being rather finicky over the words. I found two translations slightly different than the one on my music. It's confusing to know what this one is about.
I also practiced the five-page Purcell, and one in Spanish. I have a story about the Spanish one. It's not too exciting, but I'll save it for when I decide to record and post that one.
February 1, 2018: "Der Zauberer" Music by Wolfgang A. Mozart, Text by Christian Felix Weisse
Okay. I've been singing this one on vowels for a couple weeks on and off. I've been trying to spit out the German as well as I can. Today, I FELT THIS ONE; it overcame me. So, I recorded it a couple times, and here are two. It's a little slow, as there are a lot of words to fit into the rhythm, but I had SO MUCH FUN WITH IT!!! -- I LOVE IT!!! -- Oh, of course, my question is, "What happens when no Mother is around to come in on them?" Yup.
Also, I recorded me reading the English of this one, as I have done for a couple others down below. I had as much fun reading it out loud as singing it. One for sure that I read in English down below was another one by Mozart, words by Overbeck, "Das Kinderspiel."
Here is a great recording of Edita Gruberova performing "Der Zauberer." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yga5pmB2p8s
OH YEAH--- She sings all four verses. I sang verses 1., 2., and 4., because that's what is translated in my book, and also, the book leaves out the third verse in the music. It also isn't translated in the front of the music like all the others. I don't know why. Other recordings only had three verses, too. I guess maybe I should go find out what that third verse means. WHOAH, could it be that ribald?
Okay. I've been singing this one on vowels for a couple weeks on and off. I've been trying to spit out the German as well as I can. Today, I FELT THIS ONE; it overcame me. So, I recorded it a couple times, and here are two. It's a little slow, as there are a lot of words to fit into the rhythm, but I had SO MUCH FUN WITH IT!!! -- I LOVE IT!!! -- Oh, of course, my question is, "What happens when no Mother is around to come in on them?" Yup.
Also, I recorded me reading the English of this one, as I have done for a couple others down below. I had as much fun reading it out loud as singing it. One for sure that I read in English down below was another one by Mozart, words by Overbeck, "Das Kinderspiel."
Here is a great recording of Edita Gruberova performing "Der Zauberer." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yga5pmB2p8s
OH YEAH--- She sings all four verses. I sang verses 1., 2., and 4., because that's what is translated in my book, and also, the book leaves out the third verse in the music. It also isn't translated in the front of the music like all the others. I don't know why. Other recordings only had three verses, too. I guess maybe I should go find out what that third verse means. WHOAH, could it be that ribald?
January 30, 2018: "Lasciatemi morire!" AGAIN Music by Claudio Monteverdi, Text by Ottavio Rinuccini and "Non posso disperar" Music was attributed to S. De Luca in my book, but I looked it up found that Giovanni Bononcini actually wrote it. Text by Silvio Stampiglia
I love this "Non posso disperar." I've practiced it for two days, singing it four times through. I posted the fourth time. Never practiced it in the past. It's not perfect, and I would love to do this one, again. -- There were some very good moments here where I felt my heart flutter.
I love this "Non posso disperar." I've practiced it for two days, singing it four times through. I posted the fourth time. Never practiced it in the past. It's not perfect, and I would love to do this one, again. -- There were some very good moments here where I felt my heart flutter.
January 29, 2018: "Nymphs and Shepherds Come Away" AGAIN Music by Henry Purcell, Text by Thomas Shadwell, and "Lasciatemi moririe!" Music by Claudio Monteverdi, Text by Ottavio Rinuccini
Here is the Purcell at a quicker tempo, again. Then, I decided to get something really short out, because I wanted to post something else, too. I worked on the Monteverdi back on August 11, 2017. See below. I wasn't ready to sing it back then, really. Actually, today my concentration was not as sharp as it usually is, but I gave it a shot, anyway. Here's to practice.
Here is the Purcell at a quicker tempo, again. Then, I decided to get something really short out, because I wanted to post something else, too. I worked on the Monteverdi back on August 11, 2017. See below. I wasn't ready to sing it back then, really. Actually, today my concentration was not as sharp as it usually is, but I gave it a shot, anyway. Here's to practice.
January 26, 2018: "Nymphs and Shepherds Come Away" Music by Henry Purcell, Text by Thomas Shadwell
Well, this was a funny day. I had a decent warm up and practiced out of the Italian book I've mentioned a million times now, the French one by Poulenc, and a German one by Mozart. Then, I practiced this Purcell one. I have sung through this one a couple times at slow tempos in the last few weeks. So, I practiced and recorded it at a slow tempo, today. Then, I drank coffee, because I thought I was done for the day. When I listened to the slow practice, I thought, "Ugh, I don't want to post that." So, I quickly chugged some water, warmed back up, and tried to sing this at a faster tempo. And I decided I would post both tempos here, anyway. --- I think I will try this one again next week and practice it a few more times at the quicker tempo! Here's to practice.
Well, this was a funny day. I had a decent warm up and practiced out of the Italian book I've mentioned a million times now, the French one by Poulenc, and a German one by Mozart. Then, I practiced this Purcell one. I have sung through this one a couple times at slow tempos in the last few weeks. So, I practiced and recorded it at a slow tempo, today. Then, I drank coffee, because I thought I was done for the day. When I listened to the slow practice, I thought, "Ugh, I don't want to post that." So, I quickly chugged some water, warmed back up, and tried to sing this at a faster tempo. And I decided I would post both tempos here, anyway. --- I think I will try this one again next week and practice it a few more times at the quicker tempo! Here's to practice.
January 24, 2018: "Caro mio ben" AGAIN Music by Giuseppe Giordani
Wanted to practice this one, again, so I did. This is a little better than yesterday's.
Also practiced the French one by Poulenc, the "If Music Be the Food of Love" five-page version by Purcell, which I think, after looking it up, is the Second Setting, and another one out of that Purcell book. There is a First Setting of "If Music Be the Food of Love" that he revised. I practiced and sang both versions of the First Setting at the end of November 2017. See below. This five-page Second Setting is much fun and a bit more challenging for sure.
Wanted to practice this one, again, so I did. This is a little better than yesterday's.
Also practiced the French one by Poulenc, the "If Music Be the Food of Love" five-page version by Purcell, which I think, after looking it up, is the Second Setting, and another one out of that Purcell book. There is a First Setting of "If Music Be the Food of Love" that he revised. I practiced and sang both versions of the First Setting at the end of November 2017. See below. This five-page Second Setting is much fun and a bit more challenging for sure.
January 23, 2018: "Caro mio ben" Music by Giuseppe Giordani
This is one of the Italian pieces I sang for the first time, yesterday. I will do it again, tomorrow. I feel it can be better. (I also would like to do that "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better," again with the solfège silliness. But I don't know when I will.) Here's to practice.
This is one of the Italian pieces I sang for the first time, yesterday. I will do it again, tomorrow. I feel it can be better. (I also would like to do that "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better," again with the solfège silliness. But I don't know when I will.) Here's to practice.
January 22, 2018: Solfège and Silly Fun with "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" Words and Music by Irving Berlin from Annie Get Your Gun -- I heard this song for the first time when I was four years old. My Great Uncle Louie was a volunteer musician in the town of Roseto, PA, where he led a marching band for every parade and directed the musical for the high school, Pius the Xth. They did a musical review that year, and since I was living with my Great Aunts and other Great Uncle up the street at the time, I was taken to see it.
I recorded this after I'd sung for an hour and a half first. I practiced two Italian ones I never did from the Twenty-Four Italian Songs and Arias book. I practiced two French pieces that my teacher Cynthia gave me years ago through the Continuing Education Department at C.I.M. She gave me a pile of things years ago. I only worked on some of them back then. These two I never practiced until today. I like them. One is by Fauré. The other is by Poulenc.
Anyway, I go for the High C, here - (see "The Chicken Song" down below, hee hee). Definitely need to go up there more in warmups, now. That note's a little screechy, today. I do warmups for half the time of my practice. If I practice an hour, one-half hour is warmups. One of my four voice teachers over my lifetime suggested that, and I do what she told me to do. Okay, sometimes I sing longer than an hour but only do 30 minutes of warmups. But most of the time, I do half and half. Do I count my sister as a Voice Teacher? She gave me two short lessons many years ago. If so, then she would be number five. Maybe I'll post some of my warming up one day.
This was for fun, of course. I give the man character named Frank one made up solfège syllable. It is "Wa." Wa- Wa- Wa, since I'm singing it alone and for fun. HA HA HAAAAAA
I recorded this after I'd sung for an hour and a half first. I practiced two Italian ones I never did from the Twenty-Four Italian Songs and Arias book. I practiced two French pieces that my teacher Cynthia gave me years ago through the Continuing Education Department at C.I.M. She gave me a pile of things years ago. I only worked on some of them back then. These two I never practiced until today. I like them. One is by Fauré. The other is by Poulenc.
Anyway, I go for the High C, here - (see "The Chicken Song" down below, hee hee). Definitely need to go up there more in warmups, now. That note's a little screechy, today. I do warmups for half the time of my practice. If I practice an hour, one-half hour is warmups. One of my four voice teachers over my lifetime suggested that, and I do what she told me to do. Okay, sometimes I sing longer than an hour but only do 30 minutes of warmups. But most of the time, I do half and half. Do I count my sister as a Voice Teacher? She gave me two short lessons many years ago. If so, then she would be number five. Maybe I'll post some of my warming up one day.
This was for fun, of course. I give the man character named Frank one made up solfège syllable. It is "Wa." Wa- Wa- Wa, since I'm singing it alone and for fun. HA HA HAAAAAA
January 19, 2018: "V'adoro pupille" Music by George Frideric Handel, Libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym and "Solfège #802" from Music for Sight Singing by Robert W. Ottman Edition 3
Practiced this one back on August 18, 2017, only a couple months into getting back to singing regularly. I got frustrated with it back then. Haven't sung it since then, but today decided to try it. It was easier and much more enjoyable. So, I posted the whole thing. Except I was going along with it in one try really well, stopped myself in the middle and said out loud, "I hate it. Start Over." When I listened back to THAT "take," it was my favorite beginning. I should have kept going. Anyway, I sang it three more times all the way through, and here is one of them. But the OTHER two have much nicer high B-flats. Oh well.
Now, Cleopatra, from what I have read, is like trying to seduce Caesar with her beautiful voice. I only felt like I was seducing for half of this. The rest of it, I was concentrating on breathing and hitting the right notes and putting embellishments in, HA HA! I have to take some embellishments out or change them, if I practice this one, again. Here is a video of Cecilia Bartoli on stage singing it. I read some of the comments, and some people don't like the staging of this. I think it is HYSTERICAL!!!!! -- I definitely want to sing this one again, now that it feels more comfortable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytNpLXMCTDY Here is another video of it that is also funny with Natalie Dessay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIVc42zTpFY
Then, I found this one, too, Inger Dam-Jensen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cHBSdWftWU
And this one with Ava Pine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_WQ7_t1wG8 She talks about it.
Practiced this one back on August 18, 2017, only a couple months into getting back to singing regularly. I got frustrated with it back then. Haven't sung it since then, but today decided to try it. It was easier and much more enjoyable. So, I posted the whole thing. Except I was going along with it in one try really well, stopped myself in the middle and said out loud, "I hate it. Start Over." When I listened back to THAT "take," it was my favorite beginning. I should have kept going. Anyway, I sang it three more times all the way through, and here is one of them. But the OTHER two have much nicer high B-flats. Oh well.
Now, Cleopatra, from what I have read, is like trying to seduce Caesar with her beautiful voice. I only felt like I was seducing for half of this. The rest of it, I was concentrating on breathing and hitting the right notes and putting embellishments in, HA HA! I have to take some embellishments out or change them, if I practice this one, again. Here is a video of Cecilia Bartoli on stage singing it. I read some of the comments, and some people don't like the staging of this. I think it is HYSTERICAL!!!!! -- I definitely want to sing this one again, now that it feels more comfortable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytNpLXMCTDY Here is another video of it that is also funny with Natalie Dessay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIVc42zTpFY
Then, I found this one, too, Inger Dam-Jensen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cHBSdWftWU
And this one with Ava Pine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_WQ7_t1wG8 She talks about it.
January 17, 2018: "Sebben, crudele" by Antonio Caldara from the Twenty-Four Italian Songs and Arias book
First time I ever sang this one. I might redo some of the ones from the last seven months down below in this new apartment. I sound a bit like I need to drink more water, today, but I don't have a sore throat. I did have a bit of goop in the throat. Since using a humidifier at night, my stuffy ear has gotten better. But it took me a couple phrases to warm up into this one, today. And I didn't take it so seriously, just sight read through it and sang it twice after.
I need to sing a musical theatre one, a happy one or something next week. I don't have any of those books at the place right now. I can snag some on the weekend. I keep them at the one studio. And actually, during this move to CH, I LOST three books, a tape measure, and a glass powder puff holder. That glass holder was my Great Aunt's, but it isn't worth anything. Those books have me upset. One IS a musical theatre anthology book. The other is a Sibelius reference book. I don't know if that one can be replaced or if it is only available online, now. GRRRRRRR.... Where could they have gone? I packed everything into empty things and hauled it all to CH. OY VEY, MARONE! - I haven't looked for the Sibelius reference book since before I moved a couple years ago to go for the M.F.A., though. Oh where, oh where has my reference book gone? Oh where, oh where can it be?
Anyway, I also practiced "I See You in a Looking Glass" by Dominick Argento. I haven't practiced that one since the last time I mentioned it a month or two ago. [I'm too lazy to scroll down and look for the date right now.] I had so much fun practicing that one, today. Oh goodness, LOVE IT. I'm pretty sure I said I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT down below, too.
I also got el clarineto (my own spelling of said instrument in mixture of Italian, Spanish, and English) out today and played, again. It was fun and good for my concentration. I could blog about getting the embouchure back into shape, but I think I'll just mention sometimes when I get the thing out unless I have something I want to explain.
First time I ever sang this one. I might redo some of the ones from the last seven months down below in this new apartment. I sound a bit like I need to drink more water, today, but I don't have a sore throat. I did have a bit of goop in the throat. Since using a humidifier at night, my stuffy ear has gotten better. But it took me a couple phrases to warm up into this one, today. And I didn't take it so seriously, just sight read through it and sang it twice after.
I need to sing a musical theatre one, a happy one or something next week. I don't have any of those books at the place right now. I can snag some on the weekend. I keep them at the one studio. And actually, during this move to CH, I LOST three books, a tape measure, and a glass powder puff holder. That glass holder was my Great Aunt's, but it isn't worth anything. Those books have me upset. One IS a musical theatre anthology book. The other is a Sibelius reference book. I don't know if that one can be replaced or if it is only available online, now. GRRRRRRR.... Where could they have gone? I packed everything into empty things and hauled it all to CH. OY VEY, MARONE! - I haven't looked for the Sibelius reference book since before I moved a couple years ago to go for the M.F.A., though. Oh where, oh where has my reference book gone? Oh where, oh where can it be?
Anyway, I also practiced "I See You in a Looking Glass" by Dominick Argento. I haven't practiced that one since the last time I mentioned it a month or two ago. [I'm too lazy to scroll down and look for the date right now.] I had so much fun practicing that one, today. Oh goodness, LOVE IT. I'm pretty sure I said I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT down below, too.
I also got el clarineto (my own spelling of said instrument in mixture of Italian, Spanish, and English) out today and played, again. It was fun and good for my concentration. I could blog about getting the embouchure back into shape, but I think I'll just mention sometimes when I get the thing out unless I have something I want to explain.
January 15, 2018: "Fear no more the heat o' the Sun" Music by Roger Quilter, Text by William Shakespeare
Well, I sang this one at my Mama Bear's Memorial, too. [There is a reason I called her that, Mama Bear. Read my book when I get it published.] I haven't sung this piece since that day in 2011 until today. And today, I hit a wall. I nearly passed out. I was like, "Get me coffee or a nap right now!" I barely made it through this, but I wanted to record and post something. Now, I am drinking coffee, and it's not helping. I might actually need to take a nap. Drinking water, too. I guess coffee and water cancel each other out a bit.
I didn't plan this, but this song can be for Martin Luther King Jr. [I didn't plan the one on Veteran's Day, either. I found it that day by accident.] Since I just posted the other song I sang at my mother's Memorial for the last post a few days ago on Jan. 11, I turned to this one today, too.
Shakespeare:
Fear no more the heat o' the sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages:
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney sweepers, come to dust.
Fear no more the frown o' the great,
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke;
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.
Fear no more the lightning flash,
Nor the all-dreaded thunderstone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan:
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.
No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come near thee!
Quiet consummation have:
And renowned be thy grave!
Well, I sang this one at my Mama Bear's Memorial, too. [There is a reason I called her that, Mama Bear. Read my book when I get it published.] I haven't sung this piece since that day in 2011 until today. And today, I hit a wall. I nearly passed out. I was like, "Get me coffee or a nap right now!" I barely made it through this, but I wanted to record and post something. Now, I am drinking coffee, and it's not helping. I might actually need to take a nap. Drinking water, too. I guess coffee and water cancel each other out a bit.
I didn't plan this, but this song can be for Martin Luther King Jr. [I didn't plan the one on Veteran's Day, either. I found it that day by accident.] Since I just posted the other song I sang at my mother's Memorial for the last post a few days ago on Jan. 11, I turned to this one today, too.
Shakespeare:
Fear no more the heat o' the sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages:
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney sweepers, come to dust.
Fear no more the frown o' the great,
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke;
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.
Fear no more the lightning flash,
Nor the all-dreaded thunderstone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan:
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.
No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come near thee!
Quiet consummation have:
And renowned be thy grave!
January 11, 2018: "When I am Laid in Earth" Music by Henry Purcell, Lyrics by Nahum Tate
I said about a month ago down below that I would reveal part of the ending of my opera. So, here it is:
A blurb about Mother Nature along with recordings of a few of the art songs have been at the bottom of this page in red for years. Here is the blurb partially copied and then some more information in purple:
I first wrote some of this Libretto as poetry years ago. Now, I keep adding to it as I go along, since I didn't know I was writing an opera to begin with. I was just taking old poetry and composing music to it, and then, POOF, I realized I had a whole story that could be an opera. Part of the story: Zabe and Anna are sisters. Anna is trapped in a cocoon, which represents her own mind. She repeats thoughts about the disappearance of their Mother, over and over. Zabe tries to free Anna but can't. She decides to go get help. She finds Mother Nature and brings her to Anna. [That part of the opera isn't on here, yet; although the song "Blind" is sung after Anna gets out of the cocoon.] A friend sang the part of Zabe. I sang as Anna. I was sick as a dog with an upper respiratory infection during the recording at the bottom of the page, but it had to be made that day, sigh. --- Other parts of the opera need major revision, and parts of the Libretto still need music. I am getting to it.
From my Kindness page: Unfortunately, my mother disappeared when I was three or four. I am now turning what was a start at a Fictional Autobiography about this into a true memoir, and my opera is about this, but the opera will be fictionalized. [See blurb above.]
Her birthday is today January 11. She passed away in 2011.
I tried so hard to get a good “take” of this piece today. I have some great moments, but I know I can sing it even better. Ya have to practice certain pieces more than two days in a row. I posted four of my tries from today.
But I did sing this one years ago without barely practicing it, too. Here is the story:
I committed Opera Blasphemy. At her Memorial, I sang “When I am Laid in Earth,” and my sister played the piano.
Obviously, the Operatically Incorrectness of singing this aria there is that I took the aria completely out of context and used it in a different context. I sang it as though I WAS MY MOTHER singing it to us children from the grave.
In my opera, my mother gets to sing an aria before she dies. I wrote poetry based on some of the things she said to me in the end. Her aria will probably end up being my interpretation of what I think she really wanted for my sister and me.
I started the poetry and music for her aria a few years ago before going to school for the M.F.A. I haven’t looked at it since, but I wish Purcell were alive to collaborate with me on the music. I want it to be as heartbreaking and memorable as “When I am Laid in Earth.” Ambitious, and I will have to try my best, but “Que será, será…”
How did we get from Point A to Point B with Point A being my mother’s disappearance when I was three or four to Point B being connecting with her, then to find out she was dying? How and why did she disappear? What happened in between? Details are and will be in the book, and some of it is and will be in the opera, but not nearly all the details will be in the opera. And as I said numerous times, now, the opera will be fictionalized only by adding fantasy elements.
[Oh, and I have been in love before. Actually, I think there are different ways to be “in love” as well as different ways “to love.” I’ve felt being in love in different ways with two different men. I’ve also felt lust and longing for two men, okay four men, and had to repent for lusting for the two that were unavailable at the time. If an unavailable man teases, what part of it is on them? They should be happy with their wives, no? I kept my crushes to myself, of course. And I didn't invite the unavailable. I've never been married; marriage I'm sure its own type of love.]
I said about a month ago down below that I would reveal part of the ending of my opera. So, here it is:
A blurb about Mother Nature along with recordings of a few of the art songs have been at the bottom of this page in red for years. Here is the blurb partially copied and then some more information in purple:
I first wrote some of this Libretto as poetry years ago. Now, I keep adding to it as I go along, since I didn't know I was writing an opera to begin with. I was just taking old poetry and composing music to it, and then, POOF, I realized I had a whole story that could be an opera. Part of the story: Zabe and Anna are sisters. Anna is trapped in a cocoon, which represents her own mind. She repeats thoughts about the disappearance of their Mother, over and over. Zabe tries to free Anna but can't. She decides to go get help. She finds Mother Nature and brings her to Anna. [That part of the opera isn't on here, yet; although the song "Blind" is sung after Anna gets out of the cocoon.] A friend sang the part of Zabe. I sang as Anna. I was sick as a dog with an upper respiratory infection during the recording at the bottom of the page, but it had to be made that day, sigh. --- Other parts of the opera need major revision, and parts of the Libretto still need music. I am getting to it.
From my Kindness page: Unfortunately, my mother disappeared when I was three or four. I am now turning what was a start at a Fictional Autobiography about this into a true memoir, and my opera is about this, but the opera will be fictionalized. [See blurb above.]
Her birthday is today January 11. She passed away in 2011.
I tried so hard to get a good “take” of this piece today. I have some great moments, but I know I can sing it even better. Ya have to practice certain pieces more than two days in a row. I posted four of my tries from today.
But I did sing this one years ago without barely practicing it, too. Here is the story:
I committed Opera Blasphemy. At her Memorial, I sang “When I am Laid in Earth,” and my sister played the piano.
Obviously, the Operatically Incorrectness of singing this aria there is that I took the aria completely out of context and used it in a different context. I sang it as though I WAS MY MOTHER singing it to us children from the grave.
In my opera, my mother gets to sing an aria before she dies. I wrote poetry based on some of the things she said to me in the end. Her aria will probably end up being my interpretation of what I think she really wanted for my sister and me.
I started the poetry and music for her aria a few years ago before going to school for the M.F.A. I haven’t looked at it since, but I wish Purcell were alive to collaborate with me on the music. I want it to be as heartbreaking and memorable as “When I am Laid in Earth.” Ambitious, and I will have to try my best, but “Que será, será…”
How did we get from Point A to Point B with Point A being my mother’s disappearance when I was three or four to Point B being connecting with her, then to find out she was dying? How and why did she disappear? What happened in between? Details are and will be in the book, and some of it is and will be in the opera, but not nearly all the details will be in the opera. And as I said numerous times, now, the opera will be fictionalized only by adding fantasy elements.
[Oh, and I have been in love before. Actually, I think there are different ways to be “in love” as well as different ways “to love.” I’ve felt being in love in different ways with two different men. I’ve also felt lust and longing for two men, okay four men, and had to repent for lusting for the two that were unavailable at the time. If an unavailable man teases, what part of it is on them? They should be happy with their wives, no? I kept my crushes to myself, of course. And I didn't invite the unavailable. I've never been married; marriage I'm sure its own type of love.]
January 9, 2018: Same song as yesterday. This went better today, I think, but I clenched up on the high note. I connected better to the music and words, though, this time, in my opinion. Still think I could sing it even better. Still want to experiment with where to place the iPod. It might take a couple more days to figure the sound in this room out. (I'm imagining a concert hall and how they hang the microphones. I placed the iPod in front of me, maybe slightly too far away, and on top of a bird cage that was on top of a table, HA HA HAAAA!)
January 8, 2018: "Tu Lo Sai" by Giuseppi Torelli
Since I deleted the "Tu Lo Sai" from yesterday, I put today's practice of it here. I feel like I only took half a magic carpet ride with it. And it took me a few phrases to warm up the tone in it. I'll keep trying. Here's Richard Tucker doing it so well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY-J8zzgUg8
Also, I didn't have time to experiment with where to place the iPod in this new room, and I didn't change rooms at all. I'll have much more time for that, tomorrow. (Also, I finally saw a nurse about my stuffy ear. It keeps getting stuffy on and off. She is helping me, I hope.)
Since I deleted the "Tu Lo Sai" from yesterday, I put today's practice of it here. I feel like I only took half a magic carpet ride with it. And it took me a few phrases to warm up the tone in it. I'll keep trying. Here's Richard Tucker doing it so well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY-J8zzgUg8
Also, I didn't have time to experiment with where to place the iPod in this new room, and I didn't change rooms at all. I'll have much more time for that, tomorrow. (Also, I finally saw a nurse about my stuffy ear. It keeps getting stuffy on and off. She is helping me, I hope.)
January 5, 2018: Redid "Take, O Take Those Lips Away" Music by Roger Quilter, Text by William Shakespeare I HAD "Tu Lo Sai" posted but couldn't stand how I had sung and recorded it. Yeah, it's a practice blog but still. I deleted that. I had a lot of phlegm in my throat. It's incredibly dry in this apartment, forced air for heat; I got out the humidifier and used it, this night. I might try a different room in this new apartment as well as experiment with where to place the iPod in this room, etc... on Monday. Besides that, the 5th was a really rough practice session. So, I posted "Take, O Take Those Lips Away," another one I recorded in the new room this day. (See Dec. 29, 2017 a couple posts ago, because I sang this one in the old apartment and posted it on that day, too.)
This new room is pretty unforgiving. So, as usual, here's to practice. I did sing "Tu Lo Sai" back on August 1, 2017. (See below) -- I think I might sing it again on Monday if I FEEL BETTER, physically. (I also need to release into the music more, take a magic carpet ride on the words. Too much stress over here. Yada Yada; at least I sang something.)
Anyway, Happy New Year to all. I haven't learned "The Lonely Goatherd" song, yet, but I think it would be fun.
This new room is pretty unforgiving. So, as usual, here's to practice. I did sing "Tu Lo Sai" back on August 1, 2017. (See below) -- I think I might sing it again on Monday if I FEEL BETTER, physically. (I also need to release into the music more, take a magic carpet ride on the words. Too much stress over here. Yada Yada; at least I sang something.)
Anyway, Happy New Year to all. I haven't learned "The Lonely Goatherd" song, yet, but I think it would be fun.
January 4, 2018: Writing Post
I moved a couple days ago, and I'm wiped out. That's what to write about, today. When the body is tired, sometimes, no matter how much water you drink or how many warm ups you do, it doesn't want to cooperate. Today was one of those days, but I ENJOYED SINGING, ANYWAY! :)
I don't recommend moving to a place that is 13 degrees or lower at time of move. I pushed myself. Over one week, I took a car load and walked it up and down flights of stairs, twenty-five times or so, in 13 degree weather. Then, I did it, again, and had a moving company bring the bigger stuff. The moving company was awesome. They are Accurate Moves by Mike and Scott if anyone in the Cleveland area needs somebody for local or long distance moves. The other one that moved me down to Pittsburgh a couple years ago is also awesome. They are Two Men and a Truck.
The pet cockatiel is alive, but he doesn't love his new room, yet. He will probably squawk at me quite a bit for a few months until he gets used to it. This is when a bird owner needs to have some ear plugs on hand. I also need to get used to the new place. It is quite chilly and drafty, but as I said below somewhere, it is charming. I'm pretty tired, because I have been cleaning the crap out of the place. It was not cleaned before I moved in. I am a Type A Virgo; I must make it my place. And there are boxes everywhere, and I kept getting annoyed, because although I was organized for the MOVERS with signs directing them where to put them, I didn't make the time to be incredibly organized for myself. I can't find certain things. I have a better plan for next time, because there might be a next time, soon, depending on if I get any jobs for which I have applied or am applying.
The Beethoven and Mozart Symphonies have helped me today. I'm running them continuously in my room and in the cockatiel's room. He does love listening to classical music, and he seems to like hearing me sing and play the clarinet.
So, I sang today for the first time since the 29th, and I recorded with the iPod sitting in different places in the biggest room, and then took it to the bedroom and recorded there. I am still deciding which sounds the best. Here's to practice, and here's to getting some rest so the voice will do its thing better, tomorrow.
I moved a couple days ago, and I'm wiped out. That's what to write about, today. When the body is tired, sometimes, no matter how much water you drink or how many warm ups you do, it doesn't want to cooperate. Today was one of those days, but I ENJOYED SINGING, ANYWAY! :)
I don't recommend moving to a place that is 13 degrees or lower at time of move. I pushed myself. Over one week, I took a car load and walked it up and down flights of stairs, twenty-five times or so, in 13 degree weather. Then, I did it, again, and had a moving company bring the bigger stuff. The moving company was awesome. They are Accurate Moves by Mike and Scott if anyone in the Cleveland area needs somebody for local or long distance moves. The other one that moved me down to Pittsburgh a couple years ago is also awesome. They are Two Men and a Truck.
The pet cockatiel is alive, but he doesn't love his new room, yet. He will probably squawk at me quite a bit for a few months until he gets used to it. This is when a bird owner needs to have some ear plugs on hand. I also need to get used to the new place. It is quite chilly and drafty, but as I said below somewhere, it is charming. I'm pretty tired, because I have been cleaning the crap out of the place. It was not cleaned before I moved in. I am a Type A Virgo; I must make it my place. And there are boxes everywhere, and I kept getting annoyed, because although I was organized for the MOVERS with signs directing them where to put them, I didn't make the time to be incredibly organized for myself. I can't find certain things. I have a better plan for next time, because there might be a next time, soon, depending on if I get any jobs for which I have applied or am applying.
The Beethoven and Mozart Symphonies have helped me today. I'm running them continuously in my room and in the cockatiel's room. He does love listening to classical music, and he seems to like hearing me sing and play the clarinet.
So, I sang today for the first time since the 29th, and I recorded with the iPod sitting in different places in the biggest room, and then took it to the bedroom and recorded there. I am still deciding which sounds the best. Here's to practice, and here's to getting some rest so the voice will do its thing better, tomorrow.
December 29, 2017: "Take, O Take Those Lips Away" Music by Roger Quilter, Text by William Shakespeare
Learned this two-pager today. The text is from Measure for Measure. The more I sang it, the more challenging it became. There is a version of this by American Woman Composer Amy Beach. I don't have that music but would like to get it. Hers is longer by maybe two pages. Again here is a recording with the funny echo in places. Did some scales in the new place. Each room is different. I'll hear when the furniture gets put in there. Seems really different, and I think in a good way.
Car got fixed after Christmas, and I rescheduled my first haul of stuff to CH for yesterday. Done. Sore muscles.
Guy downstairs has to be sick. Over the last two years, he randomly coughs, frequently, and I can hear him loudly and clearly up here. I decided not to bug him for the last few days as he is home all week. So, this is my first practice since December 23rd. And it will be my last until late next week some time. Moving the rest of the haul and have to get settled. Maybe I'll get on here and say Happy New Year in a couple days, anyway, or something. WHO KNOWS? I might yodel. ;) I crack myself up. (If I had "The Lonely Goatherd" song from The Sound of Music, I could do that. I'm pretty sure we had the full score of that musical growing up. Guess who probably has it? My sister. I have the Godspell, a book of Cats, a book of Annie Get Your Gun, but we had South Pacific, Annie, and Phantom of the Opera, too, I'm pretty sure, as well as others. She is in N.Y.C. after all and should be given most of our books of musicals. I could probably learn it off the recording online, but I don't think I'll have time.)
Here's the text to "Take, O take those lips away":
Take, O take those lips away,
That so sweetly were forsworn;
And those eyes, the break of day,
Lights that do mislead the morn!
But my kisses bring again,
Seals of love, but sealed in vain, sealed in vain!
Learned this two-pager today. The text is from Measure for Measure. The more I sang it, the more challenging it became. There is a version of this by American Woman Composer Amy Beach. I don't have that music but would like to get it. Hers is longer by maybe two pages. Again here is a recording with the funny echo in places. Did some scales in the new place. Each room is different. I'll hear when the furniture gets put in there. Seems really different, and I think in a good way.
Car got fixed after Christmas, and I rescheduled my first haul of stuff to CH for yesterday. Done. Sore muscles.
Guy downstairs has to be sick. Over the last two years, he randomly coughs, frequently, and I can hear him loudly and clearly up here. I decided not to bug him for the last few days as he is home all week. So, this is my first practice since December 23rd. And it will be my last until late next week some time. Moving the rest of the haul and have to get settled. Maybe I'll get on here and say Happy New Year in a couple days, anyway, or something. WHO KNOWS? I might yodel. ;) I crack myself up. (If I had "The Lonely Goatherd" song from The Sound of Music, I could do that. I'm pretty sure we had the full score of that musical growing up. Guess who probably has it? My sister. I have the Godspell, a book of Cats, a book of Annie Get Your Gun, but we had South Pacific, Annie, and Phantom of the Opera, too, I'm pretty sure, as well as others. She is in N.Y.C. after all and should be given most of our books of musicals. I could probably learn it off the recording online, but I don't think I'll have time.)
Here's the text to "Take, O take those lips away":
Take, O take those lips away,
That so sweetly were forsworn;
And those eyes, the break of day,
Lights that do mislead the morn!
But my kisses bring again,
Seals of love, but sealed in vain, sealed in vain!
Merry Christmas to those that celebrate. December 25, 2017:
Probably just a writing post, today, because I don't practice on the weekends right now, and people are home from work in this apartment building for the Holiday. I don't want to bug them.
I think today that I will work on the music for my little poem about war, no war.
Okay, I do have something to post, but it is SO SILLY. My car would not start on the 23rd, and I had it packed to move stuff to the new apartment in my old city 2.5 hours away. So, I had to make the best of it, because my mechanic and others, too, were closed on Saturday, and obviously yesterday and today. I didn't want to take it to a place that I've never been to before, either, at this Holiday season. Well, it might have to be towed tomorrow but maybe not. And so... I wrote silly lyrics to the "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" song by John Rox. I just sang that music with my own lyrics out of frustration. I have a decent car that I bought used a year ago; it passed Inspection last month; I used to have a Toyota Corolla that had NOTHING ELECTRIC ON IT. It had do it yourself roll down windows, even. It was THE BEST MOST RELIABLE CAR EVER. Now, I have a different Toyota that IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MOST RELIABLE OF ITS KIND. I'm definitely frustrated. But maybe it wouldn't start to avert something bad happening.
I recorded this silly thing this morning with NO WARM UP and sort of in a whisper next to the iPod to not bother the neighbors. But I feel that I need to stay more serious here at this blog; I need to get back to composing more regularly and MAYBE even give a recital. It wouldn't happen for a year, probably, maybe eight months, depending.
(I did a silly thing with "The Chicken Song" down below a few months ago, already.) Well, maybe you can imagine the music if I put the silly lyrics here. - (Revised - Okay, I posted me singing it. Oh my goodness, who am I?) --- (Revised again a bit later - I DELETED IT, because I looked up parodies and using somebody else's music for them, and I think I could get in trouble. See here http://blog.sonicbids.com/3-of-the-most-commonly-misunderstood-music-copyright-laws)
Well, the process to write those silly lyrics took about an hour and made me feel better, anyway. I wonder if it's okay to post the lyrics without me singing it to you. Then as I said before up above, you can imagine the song with the lyrics and sing it to yourself. Or is that not allowed? I'm not marketing it to make money, so maybe that's my answer. Well here:
"I don’t want a hippopotamus for Christmas.
Only a horse and carriage see will do.
Don’t want a car, no electric truck,
I want a horse and carriage that will help me change my luck.
I don’t want a hippopotamus for Christmas.
Only a horse and carriage now will do.
No great big bus, nothing that runs on fossil fuels,
I want a horse and carriage or at least a great big mule.
There’s lots of room for him in Cleveland.
I’ll take good care of him there.
I can give sleigh rides,
With jingles on the side,
No need to have a car, again.
I don’t want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a horse and carriage see will do.
I’m not Amish; I’m not making a fuss;
I like transportation that doesn’t accumulate rust.
And a horse wears lucky horseshoes, too." - Me
I HAVE TO GET TO MY ART SONGS for my self so-called opera, NOW. -- I HAVE TO ORCHESTRATE THE CLARINET PIECE. -- I HAVE TO WRITE AN OVERTURE. YES I SAID THAT. I have full scores of opera overtures to study, too. -- I HAVE TO REVISE THE ART SONG CYCLE AND PERFORM IT. AND I HAVE TO GET BACK TO THE BOOK, TOO, at some point. Right now, I'm writing and revising essays and having much fun singing and doing some composing. (Sometimes I repeat what I said down below. It's like an update for myself.)
Merry Christmas and SAFE TRAVELS TO ALL!!!
Probably just a writing post, today, because I don't practice on the weekends right now, and people are home from work in this apartment building for the Holiday. I don't want to bug them.
I think today that I will work on the music for my little poem about war, no war.
Okay, I do have something to post, but it is SO SILLY. My car would not start on the 23rd, and I had it packed to move stuff to the new apartment in my old city 2.5 hours away. So, I had to make the best of it, because my mechanic and others, too, were closed on Saturday, and obviously yesterday and today. I didn't want to take it to a place that I've never been to before, either, at this Holiday season. Well, it might have to be towed tomorrow but maybe not. And so... I wrote silly lyrics to the "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" song by John Rox. I just sang that music with my own lyrics out of frustration. I have a decent car that I bought used a year ago; it passed Inspection last month; I used to have a Toyota Corolla that had NOTHING ELECTRIC ON IT. It had do it yourself roll down windows, even. It was THE BEST MOST RELIABLE CAR EVER. Now, I have a different Toyota that IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MOST RELIABLE OF ITS KIND. I'm definitely frustrated. But maybe it wouldn't start to avert something bad happening.
I recorded this silly thing this morning with NO WARM UP and sort of in a whisper next to the iPod to not bother the neighbors. But I feel that I need to stay more serious here at this blog; I need to get back to composing more regularly and MAYBE even give a recital. It wouldn't happen for a year, probably, maybe eight months, depending.
(I did a silly thing with "The Chicken Song" down below a few months ago, already.) Well, maybe you can imagine the music if I put the silly lyrics here. - (Revised - Okay, I posted me singing it. Oh my goodness, who am I?) --- (Revised again a bit later - I DELETED IT, because I looked up parodies and using somebody else's music for them, and I think I could get in trouble. See here http://blog.sonicbids.com/3-of-the-most-commonly-misunderstood-music-copyright-laws)
Well, the process to write those silly lyrics took about an hour and made me feel better, anyway. I wonder if it's okay to post the lyrics without me singing it to you. Then as I said before up above, you can imagine the song with the lyrics and sing it to yourself. Or is that not allowed? I'm not marketing it to make money, so maybe that's my answer. Well here:
"I don’t want a hippopotamus for Christmas.
Only a horse and carriage see will do.
Don’t want a car, no electric truck,
I want a horse and carriage that will help me change my luck.
I don’t want a hippopotamus for Christmas.
Only a horse and carriage now will do.
No great big bus, nothing that runs on fossil fuels,
I want a horse and carriage or at least a great big mule.
There’s lots of room for him in Cleveland.
I’ll take good care of him there.
I can give sleigh rides,
With jingles on the side,
No need to have a car, again.
I don’t want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a horse and carriage see will do.
I’m not Amish; I’m not making a fuss;
I like transportation that doesn’t accumulate rust.
And a horse wears lucky horseshoes, too." - Me
I HAVE TO GET TO MY ART SONGS for my self so-called opera, NOW. -- I HAVE TO ORCHESTRATE THE CLARINET PIECE. -- I HAVE TO WRITE AN OVERTURE. YES I SAID THAT. I have full scores of opera overtures to study, too. -- I HAVE TO REVISE THE ART SONG CYCLE AND PERFORM IT. AND I HAVE TO GET BACK TO THE BOOK, TOO, at some point. Right now, I'm writing and revising essays and having much fun singing and doing some composing. (Sometimes I repeat what I said down below. It's like an update for myself.)
Merry Christmas and SAFE TRAVELS TO ALL!!!
December 22, 2017: "Cantique de Noël" Music by Adolphe Adam, Text by Placide Cappeau, and #1030 in solfège from Music for Sight Singing! Thank you Northwestern University professors for making me buy this sight singing book when I was very young. I did not know The Snow Maiden by Rimsky-Korsakov. I found this, today, and am listening to the suite right now. I am going to put the whole opera on in a moment; it's long, but I LOVE THE SYNOPSIS!!!!!! I'm in love with it. Not sure how fast #1030 is supposed to go.
I'd planned on singing all the verses of "O Holy Night" in English, but the English wasn't working well for me. Instead today, I learned the first verse in French and put it here. And I'm still stuffy but no sore throat. I drank so much water, I'm going to float. (I don't love any of the "takes" I did, but again, it's a practice blog. Here's to practice, and here are two "takes" with the funny echo in places.)
I'd planned on singing all the verses of "O Holy Night" in English, but the English wasn't working well for me. Instead today, I learned the first verse in French and put it here. And I'm still stuffy but no sore throat. I drank so much water, I'm going to float. (I don't love any of the "takes" I did, but again, it's a practice blog. Here's to practice, and here are two "takes" with the funny echo in places.)
December 20, 2017: "Under the Greenwood Tree" Music by Roger Quilter, Text by William Shakespeare
Shall I be honest, today? I woke up with a headache. I don't know why. I rarely drink alcohol, and I had none, yesterday. I actually didn't have coffee yesterday, either. (And I never drink coffee before singing practice, only after, except two days ago when I met my professor.) My left ear felt clogged a little, again. Ya know what I think it is? I think because I am moving and packing, I am throwing dust everywhere, and it is irritating me. Also, it's winter and dry, and I need a humidifier going, but it's packed, and I don't want to unpack it. Also, this apartment building allows tenants to smoke. I do not smoke, never have. Right now, the windows are closed, because it's cold out. Sometimes, I actually do open the windows to let fresh air in, even in the winter. (I just opened my window, slightly.) I also have a cheapish air purifier but haven't turned it on. (I will turn it on in a few minutes. I'm done practicing, though, but it can help clear the air, maybe, for tomorrow.) It wasn't the easiest singing day.
I learned this little thing, today, and it probably should go slightly faster in tempo. I think I will sing it another time, too, sometime. I love the lyrics. Thanks, Shakespeare. It's from As You Like It. --- Hmm, I just went and read an interpretation of this after recording it. Well, I'm singing it lightheartedly as though I am inviting someone to lie with me under the Greenwood Tree and to sing with me and to leave ambitions behind and to listen to the birds sing, too. I see it as giving up the ambition only as a little vacation from practicing and working so hard all the time. Then, let's get back to it, along with me in collaboration, after having fun under the Greenwood Tree. Well see, practicing can be fun EVERY DAY, though, so we can be under the Greenwood Tree all the time, anyway. Here's my saying, "Do what you love, and you'll always be Under the Greenwood Tree." (hee hee, with riches or not at any given time) I only have the first part of the text here in this Quilter book. I don't have the next section with the cynical fellow's lines.
Shall I be honest, today? I woke up with a headache. I don't know why. I rarely drink alcohol, and I had none, yesterday. I actually didn't have coffee yesterday, either. (And I never drink coffee before singing practice, only after, except two days ago when I met my professor.) My left ear felt clogged a little, again. Ya know what I think it is? I think because I am moving and packing, I am throwing dust everywhere, and it is irritating me. Also, it's winter and dry, and I need a humidifier going, but it's packed, and I don't want to unpack it. Also, this apartment building allows tenants to smoke. I do not smoke, never have. Right now, the windows are closed, because it's cold out. Sometimes, I actually do open the windows to let fresh air in, even in the winter. (I just opened my window, slightly.) I also have a cheapish air purifier but haven't turned it on. (I will turn it on in a few minutes. I'm done practicing, though, but it can help clear the air, maybe, for tomorrow.) It wasn't the easiest singing day.
I learned this little thing, today, and it probably should go slightly faster in tempo. I think I will sing it another time, too, sometime. I love the lyrics. Thanks, Shakespeare. It's from As You Like It. --- Hmm, I just went and read an interpretation of this after recording it. Well, I'm singing it lightheartedly as though I am inviting someone to lie with me under the Greenwood Tree and to sing with me and to leave ambitions behind and to listen to the birds sing, too. I see it as giving up the ambition only as a little vacation from practicing and working so hard all the time. Then, let's get back to it, along with me in collaboration, after having fun under the Greenwood Tree. Well see, practicing can be fun EVERY DAY, though, so we can be under the Greenwood Tree all the time, anyway. Here's my saying, "Do what you love, and you'll always be Under the Greenwood Tree." (hee hee, with riches or not at any given time) I only have the first part of the text here in this Quilter book. I don't have the next section with the cynical fellow's lines.
December 18, 2017: "Domine Deus" Music by Antonio Vivaldi and "O Little Town of Bethlehem" a Christmas Carol - Music by Phillips Brooks, Text by Lewis Redner
Interesting Day!
Happy Chanukah, still.
I met with my professor, Sheila Squillante, and I got her poetry book from her. It is called Beautiful Nerve. I also asked for her ten-year-old child's poetry book. It is called Peace to Heart, and they even created a fake book publishing company for it called Water Lily Press. SO CUTE! This will be some of my reading over the Holidays. Thing is we had coffee, and I hadn't eaten anything or had any water. Then, I came home and chugged some water so I could practice singing, today.
Over the weekend, I read all the poetry in the Volume Two Purcell book. I was mad at one particular poet and thought I might have interpreted the poetry, incorrectly. However, I then found notes at the back of the book, and I interpreted it just fine. It's not a nice poem for women. But anyway, I also found a copy of a piece I have by Purcell that I SWORE came out of a BLUE book, not these two yellowish books. Sure enough, this other song is not in these two books, and I CAN'T FIND MY BLUE BOOK. I also can't find a Motown book I used to have.... I can't stand it when I lose music. I am pretty sure my sister has that other Purcell book. --- I have a story about this particular piece that I might share around January 11th for a particular reason. And actually, I might then give away part of what happens near the end of Mother Nature, my self so-called opera. (Scroll to the bottom of this page and see the blurb in red and listen to some of the art songs I wrote for it that may or may not make it into the final version.) This particular part of the self so-called opera will remain TRUE, not be fictionalized. It would be more poetic to post it in October, and I will explain why in January, but I don't want to wait that long to post it, because I don't know if I will continue doing this voice blog all the way until next October. January 11th will do.
Anyway, this is the best I could do on this Vivaldi, today. The acoustics were weirder today, because I had these metal closet doors closed instead of open. That's where I practice, near these strange closet doors, LOL. This apartment is like from the seventies man. My new one will have better acoustics, I think. It will have wooden floors, not wall to wall carpeting. However, it might be colder and hotter. Charm and acoustics over comfort for now. So like there's an echo going on in today's recording, and I take extra breaths here and there. I did listen to a couple recordings, and I'm not too far off the breathing. Here is one of those very nice recordings with Emma Kirkby: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN5LyvOXeRM.
Also, I don't know when in the time of year this Vivaldi is supposed to be sung. I never have heard it at Christmastime, but I've been singing through this one for the last few weeks to challenge my air. Here is a whole article about how Vivaldi wrote the Gloria, from where this "Domine Deus" comes, for orphaned girls:
http://www.choirs.org.uk/prognotes/Vivaldi%20Gloria%20(Royal%20Free).htm
Interesting Day!
Happy Chanukah, still.
I met with my professor, Sheila Squillante, and I got her poetry book from her. It is called Beautiful Nerve. I also asked for her ten-year-old child's poetry book. It is called Peace to Heart, and they even created a fake book publishing company for it called Water Lily Press. SO CUTE! This will be some of my reading over the Holidays. Thing is we had coffee, and I hadn't eaten anything or had any water. Then, I came home and chugged some water so I could practice singing, today.
Over the weekend, I read all the poetry in the Volume Two Purcell book. I was mad at one particular poet and thought I might have interpreted the poetry, incorrectly. However, I then found notes at the back of the book, and I interpreted it just fine. It's not a nice poem for women. But anyway, I also found a copy of a piece I have by Purcell that I SWORE came out of a BLUE book, not these two yellowish books. Sure enough, this other song is not in these two books, and I CAN'T FIND MY BLUE BOOK. I also can't find a Motown book I used to have.... I can't stand it when I lose music. I am pretty sure my sister has that other Purcell book. --- I have a story about this particular piece that I might share around January 11th for a particular reason. And actually, I might then give away part of what happens near the end of Mother Nature, my self so-called opera. (Scroll to the bottom of this page and see the blurb in red and listen to some of the art songs I wrote for it that may or may not make it into the final version.) This particular part of the self so-called opera will remain TRUE, not be fictionalized. It would be more poetic to post it in October, and I will explain why in January, but I don't want to wait that long to post it, because I don't know if I will continue doing this voice blog all the way until next October. January 11th will do.
Anyway, this is the best I could do on this Vivaldi, today. The acoustics were weirder today, because I had these metal closet doors closed instead of open. That's where I practice, near these strange closet doors, LOL. This apartment is like from the seventies man. My new one will have better acoustics, I think. It will have wooden floors, not wall to wall carpeting. However, it might be colder and hotter. Charm and acoustics over comfort for now. So like there's an echo going on in today's recording, and I take extra breaths here and there. I did listen to a couple recordings, and I'm not too far off the breathing. Here is one of those very nice recordings with Emma Kirkby: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN5LyvOXeRM.
Also, I don't know when in the time of year this Vivaldi is supposed to be sung. I never have heard it at Christmastime, but I've been singing through this one for the last few weeks to challenge my air. Here is a whole article about how Vivaldi wrote the Gloria, from where this "Domine Deus" comes, for orphaned girls:
http://www.choirs.org.uk/prognotes/Vivaldi%20Gloria%20(Royal%20Free).htm
Happy Chanukah, just saying. December 15, 2017: "Come Unto Him" Music by George Frideric Handel SECOND TRY -yesterday's might be better- dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. G and Robin and her family and "The Wassail Song" first verse of a Christmas carol dedicated to them, too. I explain why down below, somewhere. The word wassail as a verb means to sing carols from house to house. As a noun, it means a hot celebratory drink served at Christmas time. BUT HAPPY CHANUKAH! I don't know any Jewish songs to sing. I'm not Jewish. I didn't grow up Jewish, either. I grew up kind of nothing but sort of Catholic. My Catholic cousin married a Jewish man, and I went to their wedding when I was like ten years old. And I played Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof when I was thirteen. And I've taught many Jewish music students who have educated me on their Holidays, the ones in the Torah and so forth. (That's the extent of my experiences with Judaism.) Anyway, I'm Buddhist, now. I say that below, somewhere, and actually, I feel uncomfortable saying I am Buddhist. I relate to Buddhism and like its practice. I did take the Bodhisattva vow in 2008.
Oh yeah, and today I sang through "I See in You a Looking Glass" Music by Dominick Argento, Text by John Olon-Scrymgeour. I sang through it once like a couple weeks ago. I LOVE IT. The book says it is from Miss Havisham's Fire; however, I looked that opera up, and it has been revised. I don't have a revised aria. This is out of the American Arias book. Anyway, I LOVE IT; I LOVE IT, and I will learn it for the heck of it. I also tried to sing through "Lady With a Hand Mirror Aria" last week, another by Argento, Text by John Donahue. Yeah, well, hmmmm, yeah, I LOVE IT, TOO, but I need not push myself so much, yet. I have to do my OWN STUFF, TOO. Oh my gosh, and who cares? Only me. I'm out here all alone. Well wait, actually, I ran into a dear wonderful musician friend a few weeks ago, and she said, "I heard you moved away." And I said, "I'm moving back. I need a place to live and a job or two." She said, "Never give up, Ann Marie. You have so much talent." THAT WAS SO NICE OF HER. HARDLY ANYONE EVER HAS COMPLIMENTED ME in that type of way. Mr. Russell Dagon, my clarinet professor, did many years ago when he called me out of the blue and told me to never give up. Okay then, off to the new apartment in the old city of C. to start somewhat afresh. Thank you dear talented pianist friend and Mr. Russell Dagon for that niceness I will never forget. ---My sister recently said, "Go get 'em, Ann Marie!" HA HA HA, but she's my sister. And WHO or WHAT do I go get? I mean... hmmm, go get the audience, the publications... the accolades; I need a job or two. -- I feel I am wasting a lot of.... talent. I can't explain this, this talent. What is talent, anyway? AND people say it's never too late. Never too late for what? How do I show it? I am so slow at showing it, but no fair, now. OMG/B - I am going to drive myself crazy. I'm not allowed near an orchestra, it seems, according to the Universe. I am too old, it seems. Do I just compose, sing, premiere my finished stuff as much as I can, now, besides finishing the book and writing essays? Maybe I need to be near an Opera Orchestra and its stage. None of this makes sense. I am lazy, I guess. Again, I am saying that I am lazy. I need to move, get a job or two, and THEN I CAN GET BACK TO IT. Is it the opera, the stories, the operaS, the clarinet piece, any recitals? I can't make a whole orchestra come out of my vocal cords.
Oh yeah, and today I sang through "I See in You a Looking Glass" Music by Dominick Argento, Text by John Olon-Scrymgeour. I sang through it once like a couple weeks ago. I LOVE IT. The book says it is from Miss Havisham's Fire; however, I looked that opera up, and it has been revised. I don't have a revised aria. This is out of the American Arias book. Anyway, I LOVE IT; I LOVE IT, and I will learn it for the heck of it. I also tried to sing through "Lady With a Hand Mirror Aria" last week, another by Argento, Text by John Donahue. Yeah, well, hmmmm, yeah, I LOVE IT, TOO, but I need not push myself so much, yet. I have to do my OWN STUFF, TOO. Oh my gosh, and who cares? Only me. I'm out here all alone. Well wait, actually, I ran into a dear wonderful musician friend a few weeks ago, and she said, "I heard you moved away." And I said, "I'm moving back. I need a place to live and a job or two." She said, "Never give up, Ann Marie. You have so much talent." THAT WAS SO NICE OF HER. HARDLY ANYONE EVER HAS COMPLIMENTED ME in that type of way. Mr. Russell Dagon, my clarinet professor, did many years ago when he called me out of the blue and told me to never give up. Okay then, off to the new apartment in the old city of C. to start somewhat afresh. Thank you dear talented pianist friend and Mr. Russell Dagon for that niceness I will never forget. ---My sister recently said, "Go get 'em, Ann Marie!" HA HA HA, but she's my sister. And WHO or WHAT do I go get? I mean... hmmm, go get the audience, the publications... the accolades; I need a job or two. -- I feel I am wasting a lot of.... talent. I can't explain this, this talent. What is talent, anyway? AND people say it's never too late. Never too late for what? How do I show it? I am so slow at showing it, but no fair, now. OMG/B - I am going to drive myself crazy. I'm not allowed near an orchestra, it seems, according to the Universe. I am too old, it seems. Do I just compose, sing, premiere my finished stuff as much as I can, now, besides finishing the book and writing essays? Maybe I need to be near an Opera Orchestra and its stage. None of this makes sense. I am lazy, I guess. Again, I am saying that I am lazy. I need to move, get a job or two, and THEN I CAN GET BACK TO IT. Is it the opera, the stories, the operaS, the clarinet piece, any recitals? I can't make a whole orchestra come out of my vocal cords.
December 14, 2017: "Come Unto Him" Music by George Frideric Handel FIRST TRY dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. G and Robin and her family. (I will try again tomorrow or next week. I said that about the "Panis Angelicus," too, and did not repeat it at Thanksgiving. Well, I will try this one again, tomorrow. I also sang through "Rejoice Greatly" maybe twice in the last couple weeks. I'll try that tomorrow, too, but I doubt I'll post that one any time soon, LOL.) Also, I WAS stuffed up, yesterday, and today, too, but no sore throat. And I didn't take a Benadryl last night. Today, I diluted some Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with water and drank it. That seemed to help just a little bit. Here's to practice. And please still listen to Adele Addison, the YouTube page I posted yesterday. ---- Oh, and it took me a bit to warm up into this. I loosen up more as it goes along. See.... I gotta figure out how to start that way.
December 13, 2017: Solfège Day #439 and #1002 in Music for Sight Singing, and "What Child is This" a Christmas Carol -
#439 is a tune from England.
#1002 is a tune from The Magic Flute by Mozart.
The Christmas carol is dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. G and Robin and her family.
Ugh, I had a rough singing day. I mean, I warmed up okay and then I sang a Vivaldi from the Oratorio book. I do that one to help expand my breathing. There are long phrases at a slow tempo in that one. But I recorded it and just don't like how it turned out. Then, I tried "Come Unto Him," and recorded that and didn't like how it turned out.
So go here and listen to Adele Addison and The New York Philharmonic perform it with Leonard Bernstein. She's sings it beautifully! Oh my! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggg3atbJy90
To be fair, my left ear is clogged, again. It was a couple months ago, too. I had taken a Benadryl that night to try and clear it up. I did not take a Benadryl last night, but I might take one tonight. I might go to a doctor, because it feels funny. I had no sore throat, so I practiced.
#439 is a tune from England.
#1002 is a tune from The Magic Flute by Mozart.
The Christmas carol is dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. G and Robin and her family.
Ugh, I had a rough singing day. I mean, I warmed up okay and then I sang a Vivaldi from the Oratorio book. I do that one to help expand my breathing. There are long phrases at a slow tempo in that one. But I recorded it and just don't like how it turned out. Then, I tried "Come Unto Him," and recorded that and didn't like how it turned out.
So go here and listen to Adele Addison and The New York Philharmonic perform it with Leonard Bernstein. She's sings it beautifully! Oh my! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggg3atbJy90
To be fair, my left ear is clogged, again. It was a couple months ago, too. I had taken a Benadryl that night to try and clear it up. I did not take a Benadryl last night, but I might take one tonight. I might go to a doctor, because it feels funny. I had no sore throat, so I practiced.
December 11, 2017: "Wiegenlied" ("Cradle Song") Music by Bernhardt Flies, although my old book Pathways of Song says it is attributed to Mozart, Text from a play by Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter -
Too much to say today:
There are at least a couple lullabies in this book. I learned the English and melodies in high school. I wasn't going to post any of these, as I don't have children, never will have children most likely at my age of forty-something, and my best friend's kids are too old for lullabies. My sister has no children, either. The topic is tough to speak and write about; however, I did write a decent essay during the M.F.A. about having endometriosis and finally having surgery in my late thirties. Thing is I never met a man who loved me enough to want to stick around and try with me to get pregnant. (Oh, and there were a couple that I didn't want to have stick around.)
My case of endometriosis was and again is becoming so bad that I probably wouldn't have been able to get pregnant, anyway. Okay so, I was told this essay was one of my strongest for that class. It was for the FLASH nonfiction class, though, and it is quite short.
Yet, I decided to post this song, today, because my best friend's niece, with whom I get along, just had a baby boy about three months ago. She is a single woman around thirty years old. She had a sperm donor, no husband. She also has a Mom and a Dad who will help babysit and be good grandparents.
I learned the German of this today, only did the first verse and then sang the English on the repeat for only the first verse. It wasn't the easiest singing day, today. Speaking of women's issues, I still have not gone through the menopause, and that time of the month affects my singing, at least the day before it does. And I know I'm not imagining it, because the European Opera Houses used to give grace days to performers for menstruation. I found more than several sources online that cite that. Although, I don't think many do in this modern day. I suppose birth control can alleviate some of the hormonal fluctuations and can also help a singer schedule performances. I had been on it sporadically before the surgery but not continuously until after the surgery. As I said down below somewhere, I didn't have much vibrato if any when I was practicing diligently in my thirties. My voice is just loosening up now in my forties. I'm not on birth control, now. Does that have anything to do with it? In any case, I also mentioned practicing clarinet for hours and hours per day for many years. It may have had only to do with having a tight embouchure and other tension.
Here is the lullaby for my best friend's niece and her newborn. Again, it wasn't the easiest singing day, but I'm supposed to post. It's a blog. Here's to practice.
Oh yeah, and I'm trying to figure out what to practice and post these days. I did many of the Italian ones out of the Italian book below. There are a few arias in the Arias for Soprano book that were mentioned to me years ago as possible pieces for me to work on. I never worked on them. Clarinet came first. Writing, composing, and singing came next. Now, I weigh them equally in passion. There are a few arias in my stack of handouts from years ago that maybe I can go back and relearn. There is at least one more I want to do out of the Mozart book. I can practice them all, but some are 6 pages long, and I won't post them on this blog, I don't think, maybe one day. There are a few about Springtime in Pathways of Song, and I thought I would wait until Spring to practice them. I'm not really ready for my Coloratura book, yet, but the "Mein Herr Marquis" is practicable. The French book is something I have to open up, again. I closed it right back up a couple weeks ago and did not even try any of them. They are all brand new to me. I have my own art songs to practice. Well, I did look at my Song Cycle over the weekend; I wrote it over numerous years. I have about six songs in it. I said it could be expanded into Opera #2. In any case, the Song Cycle needs revision, but I do like it. Oh and my two Purcell books, yes, I can keep singing out of those. Oh, and I have to try more from the American Arias book. (I do have Arias for Soprano Bk. 1 and Bk. 2. But most of these are not ones I can learn in a day. They require a few days or weeks of practice at least.)
I keep saying I am going to slow these posts down. Of course, I could sing a ton of Christmas carols this month. I practiced "Come Unto Him," today, but did not feel like posting it. Maybe tomorrow, dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. G. and Robin, my best friend. They are Catholic as I stated below a bunch of times, now.
Too much to say today:
There are at least a couple lullabies in this book. I learned the English and melodies in high school. I wasn't going to post any of these, as I don't have children, never will have children most likely at my age of forty-something, and my best friend's kids are too old for lullabies. My sister has no children, either. The topic is tough to speak and write about; however, I did write a decent essay during the M.F.A. about having endometriosis and finally having surgery in my late thirties. Thing is I never met a man who loved me enough to want to stick around and try with me to get pregnant. (Oh, and there were a couple that I didn't want to have stick around.)
My case of endometriosis was and again is becoming so bad that I probably wouldn't have been able to get pregnant, anyway. Okay so, I was told this essay was one of my strongest for that class. It was for the FLASH nonfiction class, though, and it is quite short.
Yet, I decided to post this song, today, because my best friend's niece, with whom I get along, just had a baby boy about three months ago. She is a single woman around thirty years old. She had a sperm donor, no husband. She also has a Mom and a Dad who will help babysit and be good grandparents.
I learned the German of this today, only did the first verse and then sang the English on the repeat for only the first verse. It wasn't the easiest singing day, today. Speaking of women's issues, I still have not gone through the menopause, and that time of the month affects my singing, at least the day before it does. And I know I'm not imagining it, because the European Opera Houses used to give grace days to performers for menstruation. I found more than several sources online that cite that. Although, I don't think many do in this modern day. I suppose birth control can alleviate some of the hormonal fluctuations and can also help a singer schedule performances. I had been on it sporadically before the surgery but not continuously until after the surgery. As I said down below somewhere, I didn't have much vibrato if any when I was practicing diligently in my thirties. My voice is just loosening up now in my forties. I'm not on birth control, now. Does that have anything to do with it? In any case, I also mentioned practicing clarinet for hours and hours per day for many years. It may have had only to do with having a tight embouchure and other tension.
Here is the lullaby for my best friend's niece and her newborn. Again, it wasn't the easiest singing day, but I'm supposed to post. It's a blog. Here's to practice.
Oh yeah, and I'm trying to figure out what to practice and post these days. I did many of the Italian ones out of the Italian book below. There are a few arias in the Arias for Soprano book that were mentioned to me years ago as possible pieces for me to work on. I never worked on them. Clarinet came first. Writing, composing, and singing came next. Now, I weigh them equally in passion. There are a few arias in my stack of handouts from years ago that maybe I can go back and relearn. There is at least one more I want to do out of the Mozart book. I can practice them all, but some are 6 pages long, and I won't post them on this blog, I don't think, maybe one day. There are a few about Springtime in Pathways of Song, and I thought I would wait until Spring to practice them. I'm not really ready for my Coloratura book, yet, but the "Mein Herr Marquis" is practicable. The French book is something I have to open up, again. I closed it right back up a couple weeks ago and did not even try any of them. They are all brand new to me. I have my own art songs to practice. Well, I did look at my Song Cycle over the weekend; I wrote it over numerous years. I have about six songs in it. I said it could be expanded into Opera #2. In any case, the Song Cycle needs revision, but I do like it. Oh and my two Purcell books, yes, I can keep singing out of those. Oh, and I have to try more from the American Arias book. (I do have Arias for Soprano Bk. 1 and Bk. 2. But most of these are not ones I can learn in a day. They require a few days or weeks of practice at least.)
I keep saying I am going to slow these posts down. Of course, I could sing a ton of Christmas carols this month. I practiced "Come Unto Him," today, but did not feel like posting it. Maybe tomorrow, dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. G. and Robin, my best friend. They are Catholic as I stated below a bunch of times, now.
December 8, 2017: "Für Musik" Music by Robert Franz, Text by E. Geibel -
Sight Read through this today. Then recorded it four times and here are two. The translation had me confused. The only reason I know it's about devoting oneself to music is because of the title. Else, I would have thought I give my heart away for it to never be returned. I probably should go back and sing it again, sometime.
Sight Read through this today. Then recorded it four times and here are two. The translation had me confused. The only reason I know it's about devoting oneself to music is because of the title. Else, I would have thought I give my heart away for it to never be returned. I probably should go back and sing it again, sometime.
December 6, 2017: "Ah! how sweet it is to love" Music by H. Purcell, Text by John Dryden and "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" by Michael Praetorius -
Sang first verse very simply of the Praetorius.
The Purcell is one I never worked on before a couple days ago. There are very familiar motives in this. Some sound like "Music for a While" and others. I'm starting to understand Purcell better, now, maybe. I could maybe make a CD of him. (I need to make a CD of my own stuff before I'm dead. And give a concert, maybe, again before I'm dead. And try to get the first opera produced before I'm dead, but that's not finished, yet.)
Sang another Dominick Argento one, today. LOVE IT, TOO. Sang "Porgi amor" for the heck of it even though I don't think it's for my voice type and sang "Mein Herr Marquis" with some words and with some Ja Ja's.
Words for Purcell:
Ah how sweet, ah how sweet, how sweet it is to love, Ah! Ah! Ah! how gay is young desire.
And what pleasing pain, and what pleasing pain we prove: When first, when first we feel a lover's fire;
Pains of love are sweeter far Than all, all, all, all, all, all other pleasures are;
Sighs which are, sighs which are, which are from lovers blown, Gently, gently, gently move and heave the heart;
And the tears they shed, and the tears they shed alone, Like trickling, trickling balsam cure the smart;
Lovers, when they lose their breath, Bleed, bleed away in early death, in early death.
Sang first verse very simply of the Praetorius.
The Purcell is one I never worked on before a couple days ago. There are very familiar motives in this. Some sound like "Music for a While" and others. I'm starting to understand Purcell better, now, maybe. I could maybe make a CD of him. (I need to make a CD of my own stuff before I'm dead. And give a concert, maybe, again before I'm dead. And try to get the first opera produced before I'm dead, but that's not finished, yet.)
Sang another Dominick Argento one, today. LOVE IT, TOO. Sang "Porgi amor" for the heck of it even though I don't think it's for my voice type and sang "Mein Herr Marquis" with some words and with some Ja Ja's.
Words for Purcell:
Ah how sweet, ah how sweet, how sweet it is to love, Ah! Ah! Ah! how gay is young desire.
And what pleasing pain, and what pleasing pain we prove: When first, when first we feel a lover's fire;
Pains of love are sweeter far Than all, all, all, all, all, all other pleasures are;
Sighs which are, sighs which are, which are from lovers blown, Gently, gently, gently move and heave the heart;
And the tears they shed, and the tears they shed alone, Like trickling, trickling balsam cure the smart;
Lovers, when they lose their breath, Bleed, bleed away in early death, in early death.
December 4, 2017: Solfège Day:
#610 from Music for Sight Singing Mozart, Zufriedenheit (Never heard it before. In F# M.)
"Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" - Michael Praetorius (Did solfège at tail end of practice and didn't really want to post anything today, but....) I did practice "Porgi amor." That one is for a lyric soprano, though. I am a very light lyric soprano who may have been a coloratura if I'd trained for voice more than clarinet. I mean, technically, I'm still a coloratura that needs to practice more, I guess, to show it better. But anyway, I wrote a short Op Ed and put it at my Essay Itches page this morning. That's more important today than this, I suppose. I also practiced one out of the Oratorio book and a different Purcell. Here's to practice. It mostly was a fun day.
Oh yeah, over the weekend I played through almost every song in the American Arias book. I sang through one I never did before, a Dominick Argento one. LOVE IT. Maybe I should work on that one for fun. I played through some of the piano accompaniments the best I could, too. I didn't go listen to any others than "Ain't it a Pretty Night" on YouTube, yet.
#610 from Music for Sight Singing Mozart, Zufriedenheit (Never heard it before. In F# M.)
"Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" - Michael Praetorius (Did solfège at tail end of practice and didn't really want to post anything today, but....) I did practice "Porgi amor." That one is for a lyric soprano, though. I am a very light lyric soprano who may have been a coloratura if I'd trained for voice more than clarinet. I mean, technically, I'm still a coloratura that needs to practice more, I guess, to show it better. But anyway, I wrote a short Op Ed and put it at my Essay Itches page this morning. That's more important today than this, I suppose. I also practiced one out of the Oratorio book and a different Purcell. Here's to practice. It mostly was a fun day.
Oh yeah, over the weekend I played through almost every song in the American Arias book. I sang through one I never did before, a Dominick Argento one. LOVE IT. Maybe I should work on that one for fun. I played through some of the piano accompaniments the best I could, too. I didn't go listen to any others than "Ain't it a Pretty Night" on YouTube, yet.
December 1, 2017: "Ain't It a Pretty Night" Text and Music by Carlisle Floyd, "If Music Be the Food of Love - second version of first setting" Music by H. Purcell, Text by H. Heveningham (for the most part), "Deck the Hall with Boughs of Holly" Traditional Old Welsh Carol -
Please be forgiving, today, any listeners who are listening. This is the thing; I have too much to say.
First, I SHOULD NOT POST "Ain't It a Pretty Night," today, but I just am. It's practice, oh and I skip some rests. I HAVE NOT PRACTICED IT since I took it out a few weeks ago and sang through it twice or so. I performed it about eleven years ago in a studio recital and had worked on it pretty hard back then. Today, I sang through it three times. I flub up an interval in the #2 take, which was actually practiced before the #1. I wasn't paying attention for a second, and it is RATHER FUNNY, because it's supposed to be an easy octave, and well, I sang something else. ;) to those who know it. Anyway, also, I go a little flat here and there but somehow pull it back each time. I'm posting, because I found that Mr. Floyd wrote another opera, recently, called Prince of Players. I read a synopsis and have the FSU performance up in a Youtube page to listen to. Oh here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4tDLBLg7Fw
Anyway, I can do better on "Ain't It a Pretty Night" with a bit more practice, and I will positively do it again. Out of that American Arias book, I have not performed any others but did sing through a couple others for fun years ago, too.
Second, I sang through the second version of the first setting of the Purcell today.
Third: then a Christmas carol for the cherry on top, I guess, with a bit of solfege sprinkles.
OH YEAH, fourth, I wrote a poem, yesterday and began to put a melody to it. It's, um, an important poem to me, um, about war, sort of. Also, I know. I still have to finish my "Philosophy of Music #1." I haven't looked at it since Sibelius annoyed me. I am easily annoyed, sometimes. I figured out how to download it but am having other troubles. AND I do not like that it is digital, now, or whatever. I feel like Big Brother Sibelius is inside my computer. (Oh to be a Millennial, instead -- [furl brow].)
Please be forgiving, today, any listeners who are listening. This is the thing; I have too much to say.
First, I SHOULD NOT POST "Ain't It a Pretty Night," today, but I just am. It's practice, oh and I skip some rests. I HAVE NOT PRACTICED IT since I took it out a few weeks ago and sang through it twice or so. I performed it about eleven years ago in a studio recital and had worked on it pretty hard back then. Today, I sang through it three times. I flub up an interval in the #2 take, which was actually practiced before the #1. I wasn't paying attention for a second, and it is RATHER FUNNY, because it's supposed to be an easy octave, and well, I sang something else. ;) to those who know it. Anyway, also, I go a little flat here and there but somehow pull it back each time. I'm posting, because I found that Mr. Floyd wrote another opera, recently, called Prince of Players. I read a synopsis and have the FSU performance up in a Youtube page to listen to. Oh here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4tDLBLg7Fw
Anyway, I can do better on "Ain't It a Pretty Night" with a bit more practice, and I will positively do it again. Out of that American Arias book, I have not performed any others but did sing through a couple others for fun years ago, too.
Second, I sang through the second version of the first setting of the Purcell today.
Third: then a Christmas carol for the cherry on top, I guess, with a bit of solfege sprinkles.
OH YEAH, fourth, I wrote a poem, yesterday and began to put a melody to it. It's, um, an important poem to me, um, about war, sort of. Also, I know. I still have to finish my "Philosophy of Music #1." I haven't looked at it since Sibelius annoyed me. I am easily annoyed, sometimes. I figured out how to download it but am having other troubles. AND I do not like that it is digital, now, or whatever. I feel like Big Brother Sibelius is inside my computer. (Oh to be a Millennial, instead -- [furl brow].)
November 29, 2017: "If Music Be the Food of Love - first setting" Music by Henry Purcell, Text by Henry Heveningham (for the most part) -
Well, I saw three versions of this in my Purcell book a few weeks ago. I sang through the third back then. Today, I needed something to record and picked the first version. I didn't feel like singing Christmas music. In the city I am in right now, I only have one small old Christmas carol book, which is interesting in that I found different versions of some pieces I know really well. My other Christmas books are in the other city, and my sister has the best book of carols from when we were little. Anyway, any of those sung, if I do any, are dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. G. and Robin as I said down below twice, now. I did practice a piece out of the Oratorio book, too. This here is the best I can do on this Purcell for today. I did not take all the repeats as deemed so. This is a very nice piece and I suppose quite popular for those who studied voice in school, maybe? Oh well, anyway, here's to practice.
Well, I saw three versions of this in my Purcell book a few weeks ago. I sang through the third back then. Today, I needed something to record and picked the first version. I didn't feel like singing Christmas music. In the city I am in right now, I only have one small old Christmas carol book, which is interesting in that I found different versions of some pieces I know really well. My other Christmas books are in the other city, and my sister has the best book of carols from when we were little. Anyway, any of those sung, if I do any, are dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. G. and Robin as I said down below twice, now. I did practice a piece out of the Oratorio book, too. This here is the best I can do on this Purcell for today. I did not take all the repeats as deemed so. This is a very nice piece and I suppose quite popular for those who studied voice in school, maybe? Oh well, anyway, here's to practice.
November 27, 2017: "Das Kinderspiel" Music by W. A. Mozart, Text by Christian A. Overbeck - Oh this is SO FUN! I LOVE THIS ONE! It is so cute. In it, the children play outside and laugh. I posted me reading the English translation from this Mozart book, the one I cited down below, somewhere.
I stumbled over myself a little here. I wanted to emphasize certain words and then flubbed them a little bit. Here's two takes of it. I want to sing it, again. I never worked on this one in the past, just a few times the last couple weeks. Can do better. (I giggle at my stumbling in the second one.)
Anyway, the kids, um students and my best friend's kids, are getting excited for Chanukah and Christmas. A toast to the children!! ha HA!!
I stumbled over myself a little here. I wanted to emphasize certain words and then flubbed them a little bit. Here's two takes of it. I want to sing it, again. I never worked on this one in the past, just a few times the last couple weeks. Can do better. (I giggle at my stumbling in the second one.)
Anyway, the kids, um students and my best friend's kids, are getting excited for Chanukah and Christmas. A toast to the children!! ha HA!!
November 26, 2017: Writing Post - It's Sunday, and right now, I don't sing on Sundays. I usually work on Sundays a little. I may be able to sing on the weekends starting in January or February, even though I will still work on the weekends.
This evening, I opened the French book my sister gave me years ago. I knew I should have left it closed. No "oy vey." No "maron." Just a HOLY SHOOT.
I browsed through the songs and tried to pick one. I haven't picked one, yet, to work on. I'm not sure I'm ready for this book, but I should study them. I've been looking at accompaniments through my books, and it is surprising how so many are simple accompaniments. Then there are those that are intermediate and so forth. Mozart has all sorts of levels of accompaniments. And of course Purcell's are of his time. I guess they all are of their era: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, etc....
Well, I can sing "O Holy Night" in dedication to Mr. and Mrs. G. and Robin for the Holidays. Not sure I can in French, but I performed that "O Holy Night" in English several times as a younger person. HA HA -- I'm not picking any of these in this book right now.
I need to study harder and quicker. I can. I can study and not sing them to the best of my ability.
Today, I rewrote an essay after reading some essays at a few online journals.
I feel I am being lazy. I can do so much more. This blog may just be silliness. It has kept me practicing, though. It's like a fun project I didn't mean to have happen.
Good night, dark Universe and Mr. Sunshine.
This evening, I opened the French book my sister gave me years ago. I knew I should have left it closed. No "oy vey." No "maron." Just a HOLY SHOOT.
I browsed through the songs and tried to pick one. I haven't picked one, yet, to work on. I'm not sure I'm ready for this book, but I should study them. I've been looking at accompaniments through my books, and it is surprising how so many are simple accompaniments. Then there are those that are intermediate and so forth. Mozart has all sorts of levels of accompaniments. And of course Purcell's are of his time. I guess they all are of their era: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, etc....
Well, I can sing "O Holy Night" in dedication to Mr. and Mrs. G. and Robin for the Holidays. Not sure I can in French, but I performed that "O Holy Night" in English several times as a younger person. HA HA -- I'm not picking any of these in this book right now.
I need to study harder and quicker. I can. I can study and not sing them to the best of my ability.
Today, I rewrote an essay after reading some essays at a few online journals.
I feel I am being lazy. I can do so much more. This blog may just be silliness. It has kept me practicing, though. It's like a fun project I didn't mean to have happen.
Good night, dark Universe and Mr. Sunshine.
November 24, 2017: Solfège Day: "Jingle Bells" by James Pierpont -
First, it seems that many musicians now know that "Jingle Bells" is not a Christmas song. Historians are not positive it was written for Thanksgiving but believe so. I didn't feel like singing the words, today. I did it in solfège.
Second, I should have done an American Indian song. I don't think I have any in any of my books, but I probably could find something online. Today is Native American Heritage Day, and guess what Universe? I'm a splash of Iroquois. Remember that Mother who disappeared when I was three or four? Well, there was always a rumor that we were American Indian. Read my memoir. For some reason, I never met any of her side of the family throughout the years. I never spoke to any of them on the phone, not even my grandmother. I don't know if it is because they didn't try to contact me or if someone in the house in where I grew up intercepted the calls when I was a child. Of course at some point, I started answering the phone, too, though. I had seven or so aunts and uncles I never met. Finally, the rumor was corroborated by a first cousin, recently, who said our Great Great Grandmother was 100% Iroquois Indian, and our Great Grandmother was 50% Iroquois Indian. Happy Native American Heritage Day!
Third, I had to sing softly, today, because many people are home from work in this apartment building. I didn't want to bother anyone. That's why it's not a different kind of singing post, today.
Fourth, I also have a bit of a clogged ear and wasn't completely well for the last two days. Nothing too yucky, just a little yucky. Solfège, it does a singer good.
Fifth, I read the notes right out of an old book I have; there are a couple different notes written in my music that are different from what is usually sung. Just saying.
First, it seems that many musicians now know that "Jingle Bells" is not a Christmas song. Historians are not positive it was written for Thanksgiving but believe so. I didn't feel like singing the words, today. I did it in solfège.
Second, I should have done an American Indian song. I don't think I have any in any of my books, but I probably could find something online. Today is Native American Heritage Day, and guess what Universe? I'm a splash of Iroquois. Remember that Mother who disappeared when I was three or four? Well, there was always a rumor that we were American Indian. Read my memoir. For some reason, I never met any of her side of the family throughout the years. I never spoke to any of them on the phone, not even my grandmother. I don't know if it is because they didn't try to contact me or if someone in the house in where I grew up intercepted the calls when I was a child. Of course at some point, I started answering the phone, too, though. I had seven or so aunts and uncles I never met. Finally, the rumor was corroborated by a first cousin, recently, who said our Great Great Grandmother was 100% Iroquois Indian, and our Great Grandmother was 50% Iroquois Indian. Happy Native American Heritage Day!
Third, I had to sing softly, today, because many people are home from work in this apartment building. I didn't want to bother anyone. That's why it's not a different kind of singing post, today.
Fourth, I also have a bit of a clogged ear and wasn't completely well for the last two days. Nothing too yucky, just a little yucky. Solfège, it does a singer good.
Fifth, I read the notes right out of an old book I have; there are a couple different notes written in my music that are different from what is usually sung. Just saying.
November 21, 2017: "Oiseaux, si tous les ans" Music by W. A. Mozart, Poem by Antoine Ferrand -
First, I did this one again because some birds flew away, yesterday, and more are flying away today.
Second, I only sang for an hour, today, and it was the most fun hour of hours. That's text for music: "It was the most fun hour of hours." -- "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...." (Dickens 1) -- "It was the most fun hour of hours." (Me, from right here.)
Why was it the most fun hour of hours? My warm up went well. I sang two Mozart songs, one in French, one in German. I sang Gounod. I sang Vivaldi. I sang a new one for me from the Purcell book called, "Nymphs and shepherds come away," and also sang that one in solfège. I got all excited about the Purcell.
Third, I posted two takes from today. It's short, and there are a lot of birds flying to warmer places from colder places all the time. I learned something today, as usual. I took a twenty minute break, and then went back and sang some more, and it all felt different and sounded different. Interesting.
Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. Chapman and Hall, 1859.
First, I did this one again because some birds flew away, yesterday, and more are flying away today.
Second, I only sang for an hour, today, and it was the most fun hour of hours. That's text for music: "It was the most fun hour of hours." -- "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...." (Dickens 1) -- "It was the most fun hour of hours." (Me, from right here.)
Why was it the most fun hour of hours? My warm up went well. I sang two Mozart songs, one in French, one in German. I sang Gounod. I sang Vivaldi. I sang a new one for me from the Purcell book called, "Nymphs and shepherds come away," and also sang that one in solfège. I got all excited about the Purcell.
Third, I posted two takes from today. It's short, and there are a lot of birds flying to warmer places from colder places all the time. I learned something today, as usual. I took a twenty minute break, and then went back and sang some more, and it all felt different and sounded different. Interesting.
Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. Chapman and Hall, 1859.
November 20, 2017: "Oiseaux, si tous les ans" Music by W. A. Mozart, Poem by Antoine Ferrand -
This one is out of the Mozart book I've been mentioning. It is about birds migrating to warmer weather, which is what they should be doing right now from where I am. They like to be in the warmth to love each other all year round. Sweet. I was not at my best, today, didn't have as much energy as usual.
Today's the first time I ever practiced this one. I was going to wait until tomorrow to try again and post it, but... here's to practice. It was fun to figure out the French. I would like to practice this one another time, too. Here is Rita Streich singing it very nicely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHLD8NrdXKk
This one is out of the Mozart book I've been mentioning. It is about birds migrating to warmer weather, which is what they should be doing right now from where I am. They like to be in the warmth to love each other all year round. Sweet. I was not at my best, today, didn't have as much energy as usual.
Today's the first time I ever practiced this one. I was going to wait until tomorrow to try again and post it, but... here's to practice. It was fun to figure out the French. I would like to practice this one another time, too. Here is Rita Streich singing it very nicely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHLD8NrdXKk
November 16, 2017: "Panis Angelicus" by César Franck FIRST TRY - Any religious ones and Holiday songs I sing like this one throughout the Holiday Season are dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. G., Robin G. and her whole family. They are devout Catholics who made my childhood life fun. I spent half of my childhood at their house across the street. They were the most gracious neighbors a girl without a Mom could ever have. They are nearly Saints. I love them all. Robin is still my best friend, the one I joke about having ESP with. No offense to them or anyone that I am now Buddhist. It makes sense to my life. Also, no offense to my fellow Buddhists for singing Christian music. I grew up with it.
This is a first try. I think I will sing it again tomorrow and next week.
Years ago, I practiced this one numerous times and that actually might make this one HARDER to do because of muscle memory. I didn't have any vibrato when I was younger. It could have been because I played the clarinet for four hours per day and had much tension in my jaw and muscles. One of my voice teachers when I was already in my thirties helped me release tension from my shoulders which I had no idea were crooked. One was higher than the other. With breathing exercises, we fixed that over a whole year. I think I still have a lot of tension, though.
The translation from Pathways of Song is:
Heavenly manna granted to mortals,
O blessed privilege, O grace beyond compare,
O wond'rous token of loving kindness,
Needy, lowly, all may thy bounty share,
Needy, lowly, all may thy bounty share.
This is a first try. I think I will sing it again tomorrow and next week.
Years ago, I practiced this one numerous times and that actually might make this one HARDER to do because of muscle memory. I didn't have any vibrato when I was younger. It could have been because I played the clarinet for four hours per day and had much tension in my jaw and muscles. One of my voice teachers when I was already in my thirties helped me release tension from my shoulders which I had no idea were crooked. One was higher than the other. With breathing exercises, we fixed that over a whole year. I think I still have a lot of tension, though.
The translation from Pathways of Song is:
Heavenly manna granted to mortals,
O blessed privilege, O grace beyond compare,
O wond'rous token of loving kindness,
Needy, lowly, all may thy bounty share,
Needy, lowly, all may thy bounty share.
November 15, 2017: "An den Sonnenschein" by Robert Schumann, Composer, and Robert Reinick, Poet:
First, another new one for me, today. I really was not going to post, but I pushed myself to learn this one, "To the Sunshine." I LAUGHED OUT LOUD. See my post below on November 10th about the sun and moon. I'd like to write music to this text. I think I want to. But Schumann's music is, to me, a very funny sarcastic salute to the sunshine and his ways. --- And I have so much to do, anyway. -- Again, too, it was very difficult to sing all the way through it without laughing, then, after laughing so hard. I said to myself, "Pretend you are performing for the blog!" oy vey.... [A bit later in the day, I looked this one up and found that it probably is for a man to sing, because he reproaches the sun for kissing so many of the innocent flowers and decides that he won't follow the example. When I sang it today, I felt the reproach toward the sun and thought it was hysterical. I did think the melody didn't serve the words too well at first, and then, I decided the patriotic melody could be interpreted as a sarcastic tribute to the sun's philandering. And as a woman, I interpreted the meaning slightly differently. I felt I was one of those flowers the sun wanted to play with, and then I say I have to leave but feel the pang of desire for the sun at the end. And I figured the part when it says, "For me, it would be wrong," was me the woman singer deciding she didn't want to be a part of the harem or be a woman who kisses every man she meets.]
Second, I posted two versions: the best one I could get after forty-five minutes of practice on it, and the silly one where I could not control my laughter. I just love listening to it, because then I begin to laugh, again.
Third, here is a very nice version with Peter Anders. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2b0XUXyBjA. He seems to understand this sun song, too. Why have I never heard of Peter Anders? My father played so much classical music and opera and musical theatre music on his Vitrola and other stereo systems; I can't believe I never heard of this guy before. Maybe I just don't remember his name; I mean, I remember so many of the ladies' names. --- Well, I looked Mr. Anders up, and he was a German specialist. Yeah, we didn't listen to much Wagner, except my dad's teacher Marjorie Lawrence and others as Brünnhilde.
Oh wait, the translation in my book Pathways of Song is this:
"O sunshine, o sunshine, Thou shinest in this heart of mine;
Thou wakest there such joy to be; My heart o'erflows with ecstasy!
I cannot longer here remain; I wander in this broad domain,
Enticing there before mine eyes The loveliest of visions rise.
O sunshine fair, thou seest how I cannot be as free as thou,
For thou may'st kiss each lovely flower, Who shyly looks up from her bow'r.
But thou the world hast known so long, And know'st for me that would be wrong.
Why then should'st cause me all this pain?
O sunshine."
LaForge, Frank and Will Earhart, editors. Pathways of Song, Volume One. Alfred Publishing Company, 1934.
Then, I found a different translation online. Well the one online wouldn't have made me laugh like the one in the book, I don't think.
First, another new one for me, today. I really was not going to post, but I pushed myself to learn this one, "To the Sunshine." I LAUGHED OUT LOUD. See my post below on November 10th about the sun and moon. I'd like to write music to this text. I think I want to. But Schumann's music is, to me, a very funny sarcastic salute to the sunshine and his ways. --- And I have so much to do, anyway. -- Again, too, it was very difficult to sing all the way through it without laughing, then, after laughing so hard. I said to myself, "Pretend you are performing for the blog!" oy vey.... [A bit later in the day, I looked this one up and found that it probably is for a man to sing, because he reproaches the sun for kissing so many of the innocent flowers and decides that he won't follow the example. When I sang it today, I felt the reproach toward the sun and thought it was hysterical. I did think the melody didn't serve the words too well at first, and then, I decided the patriotic melody could be interpreted as a sarcastic tribute to the sun's philandering. And as a woman, I interpreted the meaning slightly differently. I felt I was one of those flowers the sun wanted to play with, and then I say I have to leave but feel the pang of desire for the sun at the end. And I figured the part when it says, "For me, it would be wrong," was me the woman singer deciding she didn't want to be a part of the harem or be a woman who kisses every man she meets.]
Second, I posted two versions: the best one I could get after forty-five minutes of practice on it, and the silly one where I could not control my laughter. I just love listening to it, because then I begin to laugh, again.
Third, here is a very nice version with Peter Anders. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2b0XUXyBjA. He seems to understand this sun song, too. Why have I never heard of Peter Anders? My father played so much classical music and opera and musical theatre music on his Vitrola and other stereo systems; I can't believe I never heard of this guy before. Maybe I just don't remember his name; I mean, I remember so many of the ladies' names. --- Well, I looked Mr. Anders up, and he was a German specialist. Yeah, we didn't listen to much Wagner, except my dad's teacher Marjorie Lawrence and others as Brünnhilde.
Oh wait, the translation in my book Pathways of Song is this:
"O sunshine, o sunshine, Thou shinest in this heart of mine;
Thou wakest there such joy to be; My heart o'erflows with ecstasy!
I cannot longer here remain; I wander in this broad domain,
Enticing there before mine eyes The loveliest of visions rise.
O sunshine fair, thou seest how I cannot be as free as thou,
For thou may'st kiss each lovely flower, Who shyly looks up from her bow'r.
But thou the world hast known so long, And know'st for me that would be wrong.
Why then should'st cause me all this pain?
O sunshine."
LaForge, Frank and Will Earhart, editors. Pathways of Song, Volume One. Alfred Publishing Company, 1934.
Then, I found a different translation online. Well the one online wouldn't have made me laugh like the one in the book, I don't think.
November 13, 2017: "Dance Song," a Czechoslovakian Folksong in English arranged by Frank La Forge - This is out of one of my high school books, too, the Pathways of Song. It could be an ode to our veterans for Veteran's Day, as the English translation is:
Dancing, dancing, whirling 'round, When the snow is on the ground
Glowing stove will keep us warm And protect us from the storm.
Dancing 'round, whirling 'round, Then our stove will keep us warm.
See the soldier brave and true, All night long thru mist and dew,
Happy we who stay inside, Dancing till the morning tide.
Dancing 'round, whirling 'round, On we go with merry sound.
Saw a gypsy weak and worn, Gave to him a coat all torn,
Promised to enchant for me Lovers who would dance with glee.
Dancing 'round, whirling 'round, On we go with merry sound.
Here is a children's choir singing a version of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hF8FIqJtKI
P S - I decided I like five other Purcell songs from that first book so far. One of them is two pages long, doable.
Dancing, dancing, whirling 'round, When the snow is on the ground
Glowing stove will keep us warm And protect us from the storm.
Dancing 'round, whirling 'round, Then our stove will keep us warm.
See the soldier brave and true, All night long thru mist and dew,
Happy we who stay inside, Dancing till the morning tide.
Dancing 'round, whirling 'round, On we go with merry sound.
Saw a gypsy weak and worn, Gave to him a coat all torn,
Promised to enchant for me Lovers who would dance with glee.
Dancing 'round, whirling 'round, On we go with merry sound.
Here is a children's choir singing a version of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hF8FIqJtKI
P S - I decided I like five other Purcell songs from that first book so far. One of them is two pages long, doable.
November 10, 2017: "Die Lotosblume" Music by Robert Schumann, poem by Heinrich Heine -
First, never have I practiced this one until today. I had to have something to post. And I'm stressed out. But anyway, this one is in one of my high school books. And I did not want to sing it in English. It would have been easier, maybe, to just throw it down in English or solfège. I learned the German as best I could and practiced it for a half hour. Rita Streich sings this so prettily here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaY2xT4bets. Is prettily a word? I'll go look it up. She rolls her r's and when I looked up the pronunciations individually spoken online, many are not really pronounced the way we Americans, Italians, or French people do 'em. I rolled mine, because she did. In any case, this melody with German is slightly more complicated than it looks. Here's to practice, though. I would like to do this one again another time.
Second, I put two practices up, because it's short. I don't know how long I can keep this blog going. I did say I was going to cut back to once or twice a week. I "Ja, Ja'd" through "Mein Herr Marquis" today for fun. I saw that Die Fledermaus when I was ten years old at The Reading Opera house in Pennsylvania.
I also tried to sing through some musical theatre and Disney pieces, but they didn't go so well. If you are TOO OLD for the piece, can you still sing them for fun? I sang one from The Fantasticks and realized I'm much too old to pretend to be Luisa next door. UMMM, I'm also too old for Adele's part, technically. Too old to perform as the maid, but not to be called an old maid, which is unfortunately a true description of me in so many ways. When does a person hit the old maid age? I suppose the ages and labels have changed with the times. I guess in the olden days, I would have been considered an old maid at twenty-nine years old when I was actually working as a part-time nanny/maid. I'm done with this paragraph. I've written about some of that for my memoir projects.
As for the lyrics, she's in love with the moon and shies away from the sun. I AM IN LOVE WITH THE SUN AND THE MOON, and I would choose the SUN, but he needs to learn not to burn me.
First, never have I practiced this one until today. I had to have something to post. And I'm stressed out. But anyway, this one is in one of my high school books. And I did not want to sing it in English. It would have been easier, maybe, to just throw it down in English or solfège. I learned the German as best I could and practiced it for a half hour. Rita Streich sings this so prettily here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaY2xT4bets. Is prettily a word? I'll go look it up. She rolls her r's and when I looked up the pronunciations individually spoken online, many are not really pronounced the way we Americans, Italians, or French people do 'em. I rolled mine, because she did. In any case, this melody with German is slightly more complicated than it looks. Here's to practice, though. I would like to do this one again another time.
Second, I put two practices up, because it's short. I don't know how long I can keep this blog going. I did say I was going to cut back to once or twice a week. I "Ja, Ja'd" through "Mein Herr Marquis" today for fun. I saw that Die Fledermaus when I was ten years old at The Reading Opera house in Pennsylvania.
I also tried to sing through some musical theatre and Disney pieces, but they didn't go so well. If you are TOO OLD for the piece, can you still sing them for fun? I sang one from The Fantasticks and realized I'm much too old to pretend to be Luisa next door. UMMM, I'm also too old for Adele's part, technically. Too old to perform as the maid, but not to be called an old maid, which is unfortunately a true description of me in so many ways. When does a person hit the old maid age? I suppose the ages and labels have changed with the times. I guess in the olden days, I would have been considered an old maid at twenty-nine years old when I was actually working as a part-time nanny/maid. I'm done with this paragraph. I've written about some of that for my memoir projects.
As for the lyrics, she's in love with the moon and shies away from the sun. I AM IN LOVE WITH THE SUN AND THE MOON, and I would choose the SUN, but he needs to learn not to burn me.
November 9, 2017: Writing Post -
First a Story: A newbie teenage singer came to me a few months ago. I tailor vocalises to each student, and actually started to compile/compose a vocal workbook a few years ago based on teaching voice lessons to young people. But anyway, we've agreed to work on several things such as a Beatles song, a Frank Sinatra melody, along with the Italian workbook exercises, and some easy musical theatre pieces. This past week, I said, "Hey, I'm assigning "Love Me Tender" for this week. Let me get it out." He stares as though he didn't hear me. I say, "Ya know, Elvis?" Blank face, shakes his head no. I say, "Oh my gosh, Elvis really IS dead."
Second: I found ANOTHER one that I love in the Purcell book, and I found two others in the Mozart book that I love and can work on. Others in that book are like six pages long. I can practice them but maybe not to post here at this voice blog. I don't know. Anyway, there are two in French in the Mozart book and the rest, besides that Italian one I did below, are in German. Yeah, I will have to double check some of the German pronunciations on the two I picked for now.
Third: I have yet to open the French book my sister gave me years ago.
First a Story: A newbie teenage singer came to me a few months ago. I tailor vocalises to each student, and actually started to compile/compose a vocal workbook a few years ago based on teaching voice lessons to young people. But anyway, we've agreed to work on several things such as a Beatles song, a Frank Sinatra melody, along with the Italian workbook exercises, and some easy musical theatre pieces. This past week, I said, "Hey, I'm assigning "Love Me Tender" for this week. Let me get it out." He stares as though he didn't hear me. I say, "Ya know, Elvis?" Blank face, shakes his head no. I say, "Oh my gosh, Elvis really IS dead."
Second: I found ANOTHER one that I love in the Purcell book, and I found two others in the Mozart book that I love and can work on. Others in that book are like six pages long. I can practice them but maybe not to post here at this voice blog. I don't know. Anyway, there are two in French in the Mozart book and the rest, besides that Italian one I did below, are in German. Yeah, I will have to double check some of the German pronunciations on the two I picked for now.
Third: I have yet to open the French book my sister gave me years ago.
November 8, 2017: Solfège Post - I did practice an Italian piece a few times through and a couple other things, but I didn't want to post any of that, today. So here are two exercises from Music for Sight Singing, the book I still have from Undergraduate school at N. U. I wonder how many of my classmate friends still have this book? LOL, probably not the ones who are actually playing in orchestras. Anyway, here's to practice, but I didn't take these two little exercises so seriously, just sight read through them, quickly, slouched on the bed. Oh, one is in fm, the other is in F# M, aaaand yeah, the second one is supposed to be animated; I was not in the mood to be very animated. It's practice, not performance. ---- OHHHH, and then later this evening, I looked #584 up on Youtube, found nice recordings of it, "Vergebliches Ständchen (Futile Serenade)" with all the stanzas, and found the translation. I LOVE IT!! IT'S FUNNY. Salute to Anton Wilhelm Florentin von Zuccalmaglio, the poet, and Johannes Brahms, the composer!!
November 6, 2017: "Die Forelle" by Franz Schubert -
First: Uuuurrgh, I now love this one, but I will not practice it again for a while. This is my story. I kept messing up the words in different places. It's partially because I haven't practiced this one slowly enough or said the words out loud slowly enough. But it's also because I couldn't SEE the words clearly. I kept pulling my glasses down my nose and adjusting the music further away from me or closer, and I kept making small mistakes, anyway. After about fifteen tries, and I was sounding/ feeling good today, I finally switched to other glasses after I had already become a bit tired. In my defense, the music is NOT PRINTED VERY CLEARLY, either - TRUTH! Anyway, it then only took me two tries to get through it okay. But then, I NEARLY squished my other pair of glasses when I leaned on the bed to press the recording button. The glasses nearly became THIS FISH. And I now love this little fish and am happy my glasses are not squished.
Second: I posted a practice one with a couple mistakes with the wrong glasses on, because I had fun with it, and I like the ending of that one better.
Third: Here is a very nice performance with Barbara Bonney - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TFp2hDkgvc
Fourth: Oh yeah, and the rustling of the music is to create the sound of the fish jumping around in the water, etc... ;)
First: Uuuurrgh, I now love this one, but I will not practice it again for a while. This is my story. I kept messing up the words in different places. It's partially because I haven't practiced this one slowly enough or said the words out loud slowly enough. But it's also because I couldn't SEE the words clearly. I kept pulling my glasses down my nose and adjusting the music further away from me or closer, and I kept making small mistakes, anyway. After about fifteen tries, and I was sounding/ feeling good today, I finally switched to other glasses after I had already become a bit tired. In my defense, the music is NOT PRINTED VERY CLEARLY, either - TRUTH! Anyway, it then only took me two tries to get through it okay. But then, I NEARLY squished my other pair of glasses when I leaned on the bed to press the recording button. The glasses nearly became THIS FISH. And I now love this little fish and am happy my glasses are not squished.
Second: I posted a practice one with a couple mistakes with the wrong glasses on, because I had fun with it, and I like the ending of that one better.
Third: Here is a very nice performance with Barbara Bonney - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TFp2hDkgvc
Fourth: Oh yeah, and the rustling of the music is to create the sound of the fish jumping around in the water, etc... ;)
November 3, 2017: "Ridente la calma" by Josef Mysliveček and W A Mozart -
First, I posted 46 seconds or so of me practicing this. When I plunked some of the accompaniment out, the keyboard made an unexpected timbre. I must have bumped a button when I pressed my metronome's "Do." I couldn't contain my laughter and pretty much cackled. It's the little things, people. :) After that, it was hard to keep practicing this one, but I managed to record it all the way through, anyway.
Second, I'm a bit confused. I have this Mozart book of 12 songs edited by John Glenn Paton given to me from my sister. And there are blurbs about each piece before each one. It seems, I think, that Mozart adapted Mysliveček's aria. It says, "No one knows why Mozart decided to adapt his friend's aria for voice and piano; perhaps he merely liked it and wanted to copy it for his own private use. More puzzling is the fact that he used a different text than did Mysliveček, although it has a similar mood."
Paton, John Glenn, editor. Mozart. Alfred Publishing Company, 1992.
Third, I think I may be getting sick and that's why I felt like passing out, yesterday. Yet, singing felt okay-ISH, today -no sore throat but for some reason very tired. I can do better on this one.
Fourth, the Purcell I found that I really like is "If Music Be the Food of Love." It's in three different versions in a Purcell book I have. The one version I said was four pages is actually five. oy oy
Fifth, the translation of this Mozart is:
Smiling, calm in-the-soul may-awaken.
Nor may-remain a sign of anger and fear.
You come meanwhile to tighten, my dear,
the sweet chains so pleasing to my heart.
First, I posted 46 seconds or so of me practicing this. When I plunked some of the accompaniment out, the keyboard made an unexpected timbre. I must have bumped a button when I pressed my metronome's "Do." I couldn't contain my laughter and pretty much cackled. It's the little things, people. :) After that, it was hard to keep practicing this one, but I managed to record it all the way through, anyway.
Second, I'm a bit confused. I have this Mozart book of 12 songs edited by John Glenn Paton given to me from my sister. And there are blurbs about each piece before each one. It seems, I think, that Mozart adapted Mysliveček's aria. It says, "No one knows why Mozart decided to adapt his friend's aria for voice and piano; perhaps he merely liked it and wanted to copy it for his own private use. More puzzling is the fact that he used a different text than did Mysliveček, although it has a similar mood."
Paton, John Glenn, editor. Mozart. Alfred Publishing Company, 1992.
Third, I think I may be getting sick and that's why I felt like passing out, yesterday. Yet, singing felt okay-ISH, today -no sore throat but for some reason very tired. I can do better on this one.
Fourth, the Purcell I found that I really like is "If Music Be the Food of Love." It's in three different versions in a Purcell book I have. The one version I said was four pages is actually five. oy oy
Fifth, the translation of this Mozart is:
Smiling, calm in-the-soul may-awaken.
Nor may-remain a sign of anger and fear.
You come meanwhile to tighten, my dear,
the sweet chains so pleasing to my heart.
November 2, 2017: "Somewhere Out There" written by James Horner, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil - Yeah, so somewhere below, I said sometimes I sound like a chipmunk. Well, didn't the chipmunks' cousins, the cute little mice, sing this one? [After practicing a Mozart and a Schubert, I looked at a Poulenc, a Fauré, sight solfèged through an Annie Get Your Gun song, sang a couple pages of "Rejoice Greatly," and played through a couple others. Then, I nearly passed out. Don't know why, but I really wanted to take a nap. I did not. I got this one out so that I would have something to post today. Now, I might take a nap, except I'm trying to actively listen to music right now at the same time as pretty much fretting over where I'm going to live come January 2nd. -- oooooo, and I found another Purcell I like a lot that I never worked on in the past, but it's four pages long. oy
October 31, 2017: "Per la gloria d'adorarvi" by G B Bononcini - This is the best I can do on this one for now. I never worked on this one in the past and have sung through it several times over the last two weeks. It's not my favorite. I mean the text is typical pining for love, longing for a true love to appear and ask for companionship; where is he? But it's not Valentine's Day; Happy Halloween, though. With my luck, I'll get Freddy Krueger in my dreams, tonight. Maybe the singing of this song today will ward off the nightmares. But really this song is not my favorite, because I'm struggling with getting my voice to fall into place well. Maybe it's not suited well for my type of voice. Maybe that's why my teachers never assigned this one in the past. Anyway, here's to practice. - Actually, I think I need to go back to some sweeter sounding ones and then do this one again some time later. Some of the repeated passages need a few frills added to them. For Thanksgiving, I will practice "Panis Angelicus." That is a song that helps me feel the correct placement of my voice and helps me with my timbre, even though I didn't have any vibrato when I was younger when I learned this. It still helps me "warm up" my chipmunk sound. I am going to make a list of songs that have seemed to work well for me.
!!!! October 30, 2017: "Put on a Happy Face" AGAIN I redid this one, because on Friday, I sang it for myself to make myself feel better. This time, I sang it a little more loosely as if I had an audience in front of me. I'm no jazz/musical singer, really, just having fun. AND here is the tail end of my practice on "Per la gloria d'adorarvi" by G B Bononcini - I SHOULD HAVE practiced the Bononcini EARLIER in my practice. I DID have a decent practice today and sang too many things, though. So, then at the end, I was getting tired. But, I put the metronome "Do" on, and I felt like I was being more theatrical/musical with the words. Tomorrow, I will try even harder to "implore ye to love me!" Here is a translation: http://www.lieder.net/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=21168. The Twenty-Four Italian Songs and Arias book translates it, differently, using the words "implore ye."
October 28, 2017: No singing today, 'cause I had to drive to the city of C. and teach, and I was up at 3:30 am. BUT IF YOU LISTEN CLOSELY TO YESTERDAY'S "Put on a Happy Face," you can hear my pet cockatiel whistling in the background at the end. HA HA HAAAAA -- He loves classical music, too.
October 27, 2017: "Put on a Happy Face" Music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Lee Adams - I woke up with a headache this morning. No, I didn't drink alcohol last night. I also didn't drink coffee after 4 pm, yesterday. I did drink hot chocolate in the evening. Anyway, my warm up today did not go well. I still sang through a couple Italian ones and then felt like doing something happy. Singing this one really does cheer a person up!! :) You can go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83pBQA15hao and hear Tony Bennett sing it, too!
October 26, 2017: "Ombra mai fu" AGAIN, by George Frideric Handel - Today, I REALLY practiced "Ombra mai fu." I did my warm up as usual with concentrating on certain vocalises over others. Then, I sang through two other Italian pieces: the Bononcini from the Twenty-four Italian Songs and Arias book and the Mozart one in Italian I've been singing through now and again. The Bononcini is growing on me, even though it is about being in love, just torture when the other person teases, or can't show or tell their feelings in a healthy way. ("What's love got to do, got to do with it?" - Terry Britten and Graham Lyle - Tina Turner, performer.) Anyway, then, I got this one out, again, because I did not like how it went, yesterday. I sang it with only connecting the vowels, no consonants, about eight times through. Then, I recorded it three times and put one here. (I still want to do it in a higher key, and on this one, I didn't hold the first note out long enough, etc... Go to the link from yesterday, too, to hear Ms. Battle.)
October 25, 2017: "Ombra mai fu" by George Frideric Handel - Well... I never worked on this one before until today; however, I taught it to an adult student a few years ago. I'm at the point where some of my books are in the city of C. and others are here in the city of P., and I almost didn't have anything to post, today. Then, I paged through a book and found this. I need to DO IT AGAIN. Who wouldn't want to listen to Kathleen Battle right here sing this? Go here to this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO3AlJT2GjM, but maybe listen to mine first, else you won't want to after hearing her (and of course I do all mine without accompaniment, because I'm practicing.) I should give myself a week or two on this before posting it... whatever... here's to practice. -- Oh yeah, and I think Chatham U. and the Dalai Lama might like this one. It's about giving gratitude to a tree. [I happen to love trees and used to imagine myself living in the tops of them when I was a kid. Later, I read a Fantasy book, The Baron in the Trees, for a literature class at Northwestern. It has forever since been my favorite book.] And Ms. Battle sings it in a slightly higher key than I did, today. I think I should try it in the higher key. -- And I think my "Simple Gifts" was slightly slow, yesterday, but I forgot to rerecord it, today. Blah blah... it is a dance song, and it says Andante on top of my music.
October 23, 2017: "Simple Gifts" A Shaker Tune: Had a decent practice, today, but felt like singing something short and sweet. Cheers to Shaker Heights, OH! Of course, Aaron Copland used this in his "Appalachian Spring," and the clarinet gets the solo near the end of it. And I'm not playing it on clarinet, here. But I did do the solfège. I was looking at my book, and it is in the key of F M, but I sang it up a step in G M. --- Oh, but I practiced "Ain't it a Pretty Night," a Mozart in Italian, and another in Italian, today. I actually performed "Ain't it a Pretty Night" in a studio recital years ago. I have the American Arias book, but that's the only one I had performed from it. I worked on others for fun yrs ago.
October 20, 2017: "Du bist die Ruh" Music by Franz Schubert, Poem by Friedrich Rückert, second try [yesterday was first try] - Should I be honest here? Okay, so I practiced it again, today. I had to take extra breaths, but it turned out a smidgen better than yesterday. Thing is, when I tried to immerse myself into the words, I nearly passed out. And then, I tried reading the English out loud to post here, and I started to sweat. Yes, I really did. I also started to laugh uncontrollably for a few seconds and then, I pictured the white lotus flower and calmed down. Well, I did record myself reading the English all the way through, but I can't post it. I can read it better, but besides that, it's a little embarrassing for some reason. (ADDED Oct. 23, 2017: oooooo, I found a better English translation, an earlier translation. Go here to read it: https://harpers.org/blog/2008/06/schubertruckert-du-bist-die-ruh/.)
Friedrich Rückert's name isn't printed above the music in my book. Actually, neither is Schubert's. After I read through the poem again and again and again, I finally looked up who wrote the words. But then, I noticed his last name under the title and above the translation. Schubert's is way up there, too. (It's strange to me that the names are not above the music like normal.) Okay then, I definitely want to do this one some other times and also practice it soon in the HIGHER key. --- [And I will admit that some of the words in one of my poems is eerily very similar to one line of this. I titled it "Home." I did set it to music in two different versions and haven't looked at it in years. However, this past summer, I wrote another poem called "Home" that I like, too, and I may combine them and redo the music all over again. That one is part of my song cycle that could be expanded into an opera buffa, even though we are in the twenty-first century. Maybe I could put a spin on it; maybe I'm already putting a spin on it, because I'm a female. I don't know. There are some women who have composed operas. I saw one or two names on USopera.com a few years ago. I don't know how many have written a book, the libretto, and the music. Anyway, I'll be lucky to finish libretto and music for all of one, I guess. Ugh, I shouldn't talk like that. I still could live another thirty to forty years. If I hurry up, I may finish a few. But I gotta go to day jobs that pay, too.] -- um yeah, and go to the link from yesterday and listen to Ms. Fleming.
Friedrich Rückert's name isn't printed above the music in my book. Actually, neither is Schubert's. After I read through the poem again and again and again, I finally looked up who wrote the words. But then, I noticed his last name under the title and above the translation. Schubert's is way up there, too. (It's strange to me that the names are not above the music like normal.) Okay then, I definitely want to do this one some other times and also practice it soon in the HIGHER key. --- [And I will admit that some of the words in one of my poems is eerily very similar to one line of this. I titled it "Home." I did set it to music in two different versions and haven't looked at it in years. However, this past summer, I wrote another poem called "Home" that I like, too, and I may combine them and redo the music all over again. That one is part of my song cycle that could be expanded into an opera buffa, even though we are in the twenty-first century. Maybe I could put a spin on it; maybe I'm already putting a spin on it, because I'm a female. I don't know. There are some women who have composed operas. I saw one or two names on USopera.com a few years ago. I don't know how many have written a book, the libretto, and the music. Anyway, I'll be lucky to finish libretto and music for all of one, I guess. Ugh, I shouldn't talk like that. I still could live another thirty to forty years. If I hurry up, I may finish a few. But I gotta go to day jobs that pay, too.] -- um yeah, and go to the link from yesterday and listen to Ms. Fleming.
October 19, 2017: "Du bist die Ruh" by Franz Schubert - I can't believe I'm going to post this. I've practiced it for a couple days. I've never practiced it before in my life; however, at one point I did practice the piano part for fun. Here, I am in the LOWER key. Also, I plunk just a couple notes out on my small keyboard that isn't connected to an amp. -- Now, after I was done practicing and wrote the first half of this post, I found some recordings. They are all very good. And I don't think I should post my practice after hearing this one of Renée Fleming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCTKTrJD8sg - It's fantastic in the HIGHER key. - I need to practice this without thinking so much about the pronunciations. I was concentrating too much on getting them exact, instead of feeling the words all the way through; I did pretty well in some parts of it. And I need to allocate my air, better; I ran out AND cleared my throat. But... it's a singing blog. So, here's to practice?
October 17, 2017: "Die Landlust" by Haydn first verse, only. I said yesterday that I would try to do the German, today. So, here. Entfernt von Gram und Sorgen, erwach' ich jeden Morgen, wenn ich vorher die Nacht sanft schlummernd hingebracht. Die Freiheit in dem Herzen, die Freiheit in dem Herzen, hab' ich das höste Gut: und ohne Sorg' und Schmerzen bleib' ich bei gleichem Muth, bleib' ich bei gleichem Muth.
October 16, 2017: Solfège Day-- "In the Country" ("Die Landlust") by Haydn and "The Sandman," A German Folksong - Today's practice was inconsistent; hence, I made it a solfège day. I didn't have a great warm up. Anyway, I will try to sing "Die Landlust" in German, tomorrow. The pronunciations are tricky for me. The pronunciations for "Ich folge dir Gleichfalls" and "Mein gläubiges Herze" were easy for me years ago. "Haiden- Röslein"'s words weren't so bad, either. For some reason this little thing's words are annoying. I looked up every pronunciation of every word of the first verse so far and couldn't find two, but those words I can figure out with the basic rules of German I learned in sixth grade. I then found two okay recordings of it online, and THEIR words are slightly DIFFERENT than the words I have in my book. I may only do the first verse, tomorrow. Anyway... here is the solfège. It's in C Major. Then, "The Sandman" is a German Folk song, but I only have a copy of it in English. So, here is the solfège for it. It's in G Major. Simple and fun.
October 13, 2017: "The Sound of Music" Music by Richard Rodgers and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein - I never worked on this one before, but I played clarinet in the pit orchestra as a young person for The Sound of Music. I also saw the movie a few times. I figure it should be Chatham University's theme song. They do have a self-sustaining farm campus. It seemed in certain classes, I was out of place. I didn't know I would need to be a nature lover when I applied. Anyway, some classes did make me more aware of the beauty of the outdoors. It is important to respect and enjoy nature. I'm just much more of a memoirist, philosopher, an essayist, and musician than a nature writer.
Also practiced a Mozart song in Italian, a Bononcini aria I never worked on before from the Twenty-four Italian Art Songs and Arias book that all the other Italian art songs below are from, and a Schubert art song.
Also practiced a Mozart song in Italian, a Bononcini aria I never worked on before from the Twenty-four Italian Art Songs and Arias book that all the other Italian art songs below are from, and a Schubert art song.
October 11, 2017: "Au bord de l'eau" ("At the Water's Edge") Music by Gabriel Fauré, Poem by Rene Francois Armand Prudhomme - I read the English Translation, too, for fun. I posted two "takes" of it. In the second one, I kept a chunk of my practice of it at the end on the recording. The second one flows better, but both practices here may be a little slow. I haven't sung many songs in French in my life. And to me, the words make me feel like I should NOT rush the tempo. I should savor every note and word. Still, I could one day sing it two metronome ticks quicker. Here's to practice.
I think I have to dedicate this one to my high school French teacher! I had three years of French in HS and then a year in college. ("deux au bord" - I remember that I should pronounce the "x" into "au." When I listened to other people sing this, a few did not pronounce it, and a few did. Then, I looked up two tutorials. One pronounced it, the other did not. I pronounced it.) This is funny; the French teacher was 100% Italian and also was the "disciplinarian" at the HS. His name was Mr. DeFilippis, I THINK. I could be remembering that incorrectly. He would go to the blackboard and try to draw a perfect circle with the chalk. He said it was his goal to make one, and he told us why, but I can't remember exactly what he said. It was something like he was told if he drew a perfect circle that meant he was a genius. Seriously, he said something to that effect.
I love this one. I think these words are special, and it promotes cultivating mindfulness, calm, and peace. We need to be with each other and love. That said, there is a time for enjoying every moment in the moment and not caring "at all about the world's quarrels." I believe we all need to take time out and enjoy without stress, "to not grow weary." Now, if we all did that all the time, no one would ever engage and try to help others. So, noticing the clouds and the joy of love and the sounds around us is beautiful and important, and it is also important not to turn a blind eye to injustices all around us done to other people and ourselves.
I think I have to dedicate this one to my high school French teacher! I had three years of French in HS and then a year in college. ("deux au bord" - I remember that I should pronounce the "x" into "au." When I listened to other people sing this, a few did not pronounce it, and a few did. Then, I looked up two tutorials. One pronounced it, the other did not. I pronounced it.) This is funny; the French teacher was 100% Italian and also was the "disciplinarian" at the HS. His name was Mr. DeFilippis, I THINK. I could be remembering that incorrectly. He would go to the blackboard and try to draw a perfect circle with the chalk. He said it was his goal to make one, and he told us why, but I can't remember exactly what he said. It was something like he was told if he drew a perfect circle that meant he was a genius. Seriously, he said something to that effect.
I love this one. I think these words are special, and it promotes cultivating mindfulness, calm, and peace. We need to be with each other and love. That said, there is a time for enjoying every moment in the moment and not caring "at all about the world's quarrels." I believe we all need to take time out and enjoy without stress, "to not grow weary." Now, if we all did that all the time, no one would ever engage and try to help others. So, noticing the clouds and the joy of love and the sounds around us is beautiful and important, and it is also important not to turn a blind eye to injustices all around us done to other people and ourselves.
October 9, 2017: "On a Clear Day" Music by Burton Lane, Words by Alan Jay Lerner -
First, I said I was going to slow down my amount of posts. I probably am, but I can get songs like this one out and learn them in a day, because I've heard them throughout my life now and again. I never actually sang this one before. The first time I heard this melody, I was playing clarinet in a concert band as a young person. The trumpet had this melody. On this recording, I clear my throat before I sing. I've heard that's not a good thing to do before you sing. Common sense tells me that, too. Actually, I read an article, maybe it was an interview, a few years ago that quoted Renée Fleming as saying she tries not to cough on the days she sings. Don't inflame those vocal cords. I just tried looking the interview up online, but I can't find it.
Second, I found a pile of art songs I was working on years ago in French and German. Today, I practiced one by Fauré that I nearly posted, and one by F. Schubert. There are a few others I never actually did learn and will try to learn. I have a whole book of French art songs that my sister gave me years ago and a whole book of Mozart art songs in different languages that showed up in my pile of stuff at some point. I have full opera scores to look at and listen to. I have two Purcell books and actually a ton of other books now that I think about it. -- There is plenty to sing and have fun with.
Third, this one is from the musical On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. I never saw this one. I've heard so much music in my life. I remember so much of it. Anyway, I just looked up the synopsis. Interestingly, the character Daisy has ESP. Ha Ha, I mention ESP down below somewhere as it is an inside joke between my best friend and me.
First, I said I was going to slow down my amount of posts. I probably am, but I can get songs like this one out and learn them in a day, because I've heard them throughout my life now and again. I never actually sang this one before. The first time I heard this melody, I was playing clarinet in a concert band as a young person. The trumpet had this melody. On this recording, I clear my throat before I sing. I've heard that's not a good thing to do before you sing. Common sense tells me that, too. Actually, I read an article, maybe it was an interview, a few years ago that quoted Renée Fleming as saying she tries not to cough on the days she sings. Don't inflame those vocal cords. I just tried looking the interview up online, but I can't find it.
Second, I found a pile of art songs I was working on years ago in French and German. Today, I practiced one by Fauré that I nearly posted, and one by F. Schubert. There are a few others I never actually did learn and will try to learn. I have a whole book of French art songs that my sister gave me years ago and a whole book of Mozart art songs in different languages that showed up in my pile of stuff at some point. I have full opera scores to look at and listen to. I have two Purcell books and actually a ton of other books now that I think about it. -- There is plenty to sing and have fun with.
Third, this one is from the musical On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. I never saw this one. I've heard so much music in my life. I remember so much of it. Anyway, I just looked up the synopsis. Interestingly, the character Daisy has ESP. Ha Ha, I mention ESP down below somewhere as it is an inside joke between my best friend and me.
October 5, 2017: "Try to Remember" Music by Harvey Schmidt, Words by Tom Jones -
First, I'm going to have to slow down these posts. I may only post once or twice a week for a while. I have to get serious about packing up my non-essentials for the purpose of moving. I don't have a choice, really. I have to be ready to move, just in case something good happens, and even if it doesn't, I think I have to move, anyway. Unless something good happens right here, but I can't give up my private students in the city of C., unless something good happens in a totally different city. oy vayee (Oct. 8th revision: oops, I looked that up. It's actually oy vey. I guess I should say "maron." That's what my great Italian Aunts said a few times when I lived with them when I was four. It's used to express annoyance.)
Second, I was going to post my Philosophy of Music #1 melody today, but I I'm not 100% enamored with it. I have an idea for accompaniment, percussion and piano type of thing. I may still change the melody, keep half of it and go from there. I want to put my accompaniment ideas with it through Sibelius. I had to upgrade. Made me mad, because I just got out of school. I upgraded, anyway, and now it won't let me download it. Ridiculous. - oy vayee, oy vey, maron
Third, the other reason to slow down these posts for a while is that I need to practice new music. I still have much music I sang years ago to get back to, but those pieces are longer and more difficult. (And many are religious, which is fine. I'd rather sing more secular things right now, though. Time to practice my own art songs.) There are some art songs in a book from high school I can do, too, but most of them I learned in English. They are in English or German, and I would like to learn them in German. That takes more than one day of practice. LA LA LA - I can sight read a lot of musical theatre stuff, and there are many of those pieces I sang years ago, too. Anyway, I have to focus on other things right now.
Fourth, Let's "try to remember the kind of September when life was slow and oh, so mellow." It's from The Fantasticks.
First, I'm going to have to slow down these posts. I may only post once or twice a week for a while. I have to get serious about packing up my non-essentials for the purpose of moving. I don't have a choice, really. I have to be ready to move, just in case something good happens, and even if it doesn't, I think I have to move, anyway. Unless something good happens right here, but I can't give up my private students in the city of C., unless something good happens in a totally different city. oy vayee (Oct. 8th revision: oops, I looked that up. It's actually oy vey. I guess I should say "maron." That's what my great Italian Aunts said a few times when I lived with them when I was four. It's used to express annoyance.)
Second, I was going to post my Philosophy of Music #1 melody today, but I I'm not 100% enamored with it. I have an idea for accompaniment, percussion and piano type of thing. I may still change the melody, keep half of it and go from there. I want to put my accompaniment ideas with it through Sibelius. I had to upgrade. Made me mad, because I just got out of school. I upgraded, anyway, and now it won't let me download it. Ridiculous. - oy vayee, oy vey, maron
Third, the other reason to slow down these posts for a while is that I need to practice new music. I still have much music I sang years ago to get back to, but those pieces are longer and more difficult. (And many are religious, which is fine. I'd rather sing more secular things right now, though. Time to practice my own art songs.) There are some art songs in a book from high school I can do, too, but most of them I learned in English. They are in English or German, and I would like to learn them in German. That takes more than one day of practice. LA LA LA - I can sight read a lot of musical theatre stuff, and there are many of those pieces I sang years ago, too. Anyway, I have to focus on other things right now.
Fourth, Let's "try to remember the kind of September when life was slow and oh, so mellow." It's from The Fantasticks.
October 3, 2017: "Music for a While" Music by Henry Purcell, Words by John Dryden and "My Favorite Things" Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein -
First, these are the two songs that came to mind, yesterday, the day of the reporting about the Las Vegas concert tragedy. I had to sing them to create moments of peace. And I hope at least "Music for a While" comes across that way. Although, I check my pitch on my metronome a couple times which disrupts the music. I'll sing it again another time. (skipped a couple rests, can have better timbre and be more musical without taking away from the simple beauty of it.) This is the best I could do since Sept. 29th. This one is quite difficult. I practiced it years ago in a much higher key and only a couple times this week. This piece is incidental music for the play Oedipus, and I had to really think about the meaning of it.
Words:
Music, music for a while
Shall all your cares beguile.
Wond'ring - wond'ring
how your pains were eas'd
And disdaining to be pleas'd
Till Alecto free the dead
From their eternal bands;
Till the snakes drop from her head,
And the whip from out her hand.
Music, music for a while
Shall all your cares beguile.
Second, I think I need to put on a humidifier now at night. Had a couple of bloody noses and a little goop in the throat, again. My common sense says a humidifier will help. But I looked up if running a humidifier truly helps the vocal cords, and I found many websites that say it does. I don't think I need to cite a source, then.
Third, I figured I would throw in "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music. I haven't sung that one since fifth grade, but I teach it to some of my students for whom it is appropriate. My favorite things include: the smell of my pet cockatiel after he has a bath, writing, playing clarinet, composing, singing, listening to crickets in the evening, making brownies, and looking at paintings. Doing this blog is becoming a favorite thing. Listening to orchestral music is a favorite thing, but sometimes it tortures me a little. Looking at orchestral scores is fun, too.
First, these are the two songs that came to mind, yesterday, the day of the reporting about the Las Vegas concert tragedy. I had to sing them to create moments of peace. And I hope at least "Music for a While" comes across that way. Although, I check my pitch on my metronome a couple times which disrupts the music. I'll sing it again another time. (skipped a couple rests, can have better timbre and be more musical without taking away from the simple beauty of it.) This is the best I could do since Sept. 29th. This one is quite difficult. I practiced it years ago in a much higher key and only a couple times this week. This piece is incidental music for the play Oedipus, and I had to really think about the meaning of it.
Words:
Music, music for a while
Shall all your cares beguile.
Wond'ring - wond'ring
how your pains were eas'd
And disdaining to be pleas'd
Till Alecto free the dead
From their eternal bands;
Till the snakes drop from her head,
And the whip from out her hand.
Music, music for a while
Shall all your cares beguile.
Second, I think I need to put on a humidifier now at night. Had a couple of bloody noses and a little goop in the throat, again. My common sense says a humidifier will help. But I looked up if running a humidifier truly helps the vocal cords, and I found many websites that say it does. I don't think I need to cite a source, then.
Third, I figured I would throw in "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music. I haven't sung that one since fifth grade, but I teach it to some of my students for whom it is appropriate. My favorite things include: the smell of my pet cockatiel after he has a bath, writing, playing clarinet, composing, singing, listening to crickets in the evening, making brownies, and looking at paintings. Doing this blog is becoming a favorite thing. Listening to orchestral music is a favorite thing, but sometimes it tortures me a little. Looking at orchestral scores is fun, too.
September 29, 2017: "Haiden - Röslein" - "Hedge-Roses" by Franz Schubert - From now on, I'll be experimenting, I guess. I'm getting interesting timbres on many notes. And sometimes, it seems like a "fake" sound, and other times, it is real. I barely worked on this years ago. It's a tricky little piece. So, I practiced it maybe five times and recorded it a couple times. Maybe I'll do it again later. It says mp in the beginning. The crescendos are in the piano part, not in the voice part. But the ritardandos are in both parts. I need to do this again, for sure. Anyway, here's to practice. Oh and I posted myself READING the English translation for fun. (Ya know, if I were that rose, I might be a little more grateful, depending on my level of attraction to and admiration for the picker. She warned him, though.)
September 28, 2017: TODAY'S POST IS CERTAINLY SHOWING A LITTLE BIT OF REAL PRACTICE. I stop and start in "When You Wish Upon A Star." Also, I didn't record for my best "takes" today. I recorded as I was experimenting with my support. I did "Nina," again, too. I took "When You Wish" up a half step. Some high notes are pinched here, but I'm trying to get the tone better in my whole range. This really is practice. Here's to it. Please read:
I have learned some stuff from practice over the last couple months, but more in the last two weeks or so. I noticed some things. It's good to notice things when you practice, and I've also noticed things when I listen to myself. So I changed how I warm up a little bit, well actually a lot-a-bit. I sing softer, and I've changed up my vocalizes. Anyway, I'm trying to get a nicer timbre/tone, of course. Don't we all want to improve in our singing and on our instruments? Sometimes, I sound like a chipmunk. I know this. I have a thin voice, yeah like I mentioned below somewhere, probably like a Lily Pons or Mado Robin, except not exactly like theirs. I know about the fach system. I took vocal pedagogy. I'm older, so, I don't know how much.... um.... practicing the clarinet for so many hours per day for years and years and years helped or hurt me and NOT practicing voice consecutively through the years has held me back. Well, I mean, it's too late for me and an opera career. (I'm in my mid-forties; oh my, I just posted that.) Except I am writing an opera or two and up to four or five opera-type things from original stories. (Just saying.) And I know some people die and never have their operas performed. That's okay. Maybe if I finish at least the first one, I could write myself a part to sing in it! HA HA HA. Why the heck not? (hmmmm ---- hmmmm, I already have all the characters and most of the story figured out, but I never know as I write what I might add or subtract. I'm actually too old to play the main character, but I've written it for a light lyric soprano so far, because it's based on my book. Revised a couple hours later: It would be easier to add a character for me to sing in the second opera-type thing.) AGAIN, ANYWAY, I experimented today after taking TWO WORDS AND NOTES from two prior practices below and putting them into my warm up. Whatever. WHAAAAATEVER. Singing is still fun. ---- I wrote an essay today, too. I mean I revised an essay but basically rewrote the WHOLE thing. :)
I have learned some stuff from practice over the last couple months, but more in the last two weeks or so. I noticed some things. It's good to notice things when you practice, and I've also noticed things when I listen to myself. So I changed how I warm up a little bit, well actually a lot-a-bit. I sing softer, and I've changed up my vocalizes. Anyway, I'm trying to get a nicer timbre/tone, of course. Don't we all want to improve in our singing and on our instruments? Sometimes, I sound like a chipmunk. I know this. I have a thin voice, yeah like I mentioned below somewhere, probably like a Lily Pons or Mado Robin, except not exactly like theirs. I know about the fach system. I took vocal pedagogy. I'm older, so, I don't know how much.... um.... practicing the clarinet for so many hours per day for years and years and years helped or hurt me and NOT practicing voice consecutively through the years has held me back. Well, I mean, it's too late for me and an opera career. (I'm in my mid-forties; oh my, I just posted that.) Except I am writing an opera or two and up to four or five opera-type things from original stories. (Just saying.) And I know some people die and never have their operas performed. That's okay. Maybe if I finish at least the first one, I could write myself a part to sing in it! HA HA HA. Why the heck not? (hmmmm ---- hmmmm, I already have all the characters and most of the story figured out, but I never know as I write what I might add or subtract. I'm actually too old to play the main character, but I've written it for a light lyric soprano so far, because it's based on my book. Revised a couple hours later: It would be easier to add a character for me to sing in the second opera-type thing.) AGAIN, ANYWAY, I experimented today after taking TWO WORDS AND NOTES from two prior practices below and putting them into my warm up. Whatever. WHAAAAATEVER. Singing is still fun. ---- I wrote an essay today, too. I mean I revised an essay but basically rewrote the WHOLE thing. :)
September 27, 2017: "Oh! had I Jubal's Lyre" by George Frideric Handel from Joshua- I recorded and posted this, yesterday, and then took it down. Today, I did it, again. I haven't tried it any faster. Go listen to this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7UtzT3HVr8&list=PLlg6qXrAkAhMjMjEB3A86yM5FGOYZ8hwN&index=8 with Kathleen Battle. This is fantastic. But maybe listen to mine first, because as I said below at the "Hark, the echoing air" post about Carolyn Sampson, hers is kinda brilliant. uhhhhhh-- Those ladies are amazing, along with many others I've mentioned below, somewhere. Thank you to Handel for creating such a pretty piece. Oh also, I skipped some rests. Don't tell John Cage's spirit. AND I haven't worked on the ending enough; I have sung the very end better than this. Here's to practice.
September 26, 2017: "Green Finch and Linnet Bird" by Stephen Sondheim from Sweeney Todd
First, I didn't take today's practice session on my songs very seriously. I took my warm up seriously. See, yesterday, I was disappointed in my practice. Today, I had some "goop" in my throat but NOT A SORE THROAT. I sang, anyway, and I can do better, but here's to practice. (My voice was not as loose/free as it could have been.)
Second, I also practiced "Pietà, Signore!," by Alessandro Stradella. Some of that came out decent, but I made a couple brain bloopers, and my high notes aren't what they could be, today, so, I'll save that one for another day. Also, I will have to explain about me gently following Buddhism and how Buddhists do repent. I think of "Pietà, Signore!" and other religious songs differently when I sing them. I know. Church jobs, sacred music, and my voice go together. I sang as a section leader and soloist in a church for six years. I figure if I make people happy with my voice and their music, I don't mind if they don't mind. It's just that Buddhism makes sense with my life. Oh geez, anything I say might sound offensive. Jesus taught a lot of beautiful things. Anyway, I can't be sorry for making sense of my life with Buddhism.
First, I didn't take today's practice session on my songs very seriously. I took my warm up seriously. See, yesterday, I was disappointed in my practice. Today, I had some "goop" in my throat but NOT A SORE THROAT. I sang, anyway, and I can do better, but here's to practice. (My voice was not as loose/free as it could have been.)
Second, I also practiced "Pietà, Signore!," by Alessandro Stradella. Some of that came out decent, but I made a couple brain bloopers, and my high notes aren't what they could be, today, so, I'll save that one for another day. Also, I will have to explain about me gently following Buddhism and how Buddhists do repent. I think of "Pietà, Signore!" and other religious songs differently when I sing them. I know. Church jobs, sacred music, and my voice go together. I sang as a section leader and soloist in a church for six years. I figure if I make people happy with my voice and their music, I don't mind if they don't mind. It's just that Buddhism makes sense with my life. Oh geez, anything I say might sound offensive. Jesus taught a lot of beautiful things. Anyway, I can't be sorry for making sense of my life with Buddhism.
September 22, 2017: "Ich folge dir gleichfalls" by J. S. Bach and "Hark, the echoing air" by H. Purcell, again -
First, I practiced this Bach years ago, rehearsed it with a pianist but never performed it. [September 24 revision: NOPE, I lied. I did not rehearse this one with a pianist years ago. I rehearsed "Mein gläubiges Herze" years ago. I only practiced "Ich folge dir gleichfalls." Okay, memory, don't quit on me, now.] Anyway, got it out two weeks ago, eh, here. I skipped some rests.
Second, my "Philosophy of Music #1" is not complete. I've barely practiced singing it. It's tentative. I add to it and change it every time I go to it, which has been rarely. Today, I said, "Well, this is good enough for now, but I WANT to expand the middle part and change it." Anyway, I really have to do other things but wanted to honor my post from a few months ago that said I would do this. I'm allowed to change it later and call it "Philosophy of Music #1, revised." [Me] "When does it become "Philosophy of Music #2?"" -- [Me] "When I change the words and start a new melody." --- OKAY NO. I deleted it. I had it posted for a couple hours and kept thinking, "No. It needs to be changed, and I know how to change it, now." Maybe I needed to share it with the abyss to know how to change it. I will delete the "Here Comes the Sun" motive in the beginning but keep it at the end, etc...
But here are the Words -
"Ahhhh, sound,
circles,
dissolves pain,
and we share our hearts,
from chords and winds,
and strings and beats,
to feel for
the sun."
Third, I did the Purcell, again, today, obviously, but it STILL did not come out the way I want it to. I didn't emphasize things quite exactly the way I wanted to, but I'm posting it, again, anyway. Please listen to the link to Carolyn Sampson below, though, at some point. The direction on the top of the music says, "Quick and brilliant," and she sings it that way. Here's to Practice.
First, I practiced this Bach years ago, rehearsed it with a pianist but never performed it. [September 24 revision: NOPE, I lied. I did not rehearse this one with a pianist years ago. I rehearsed "Mein gläubiges Herze" years ago. I only practiced "Ich folge dir gleichfalls." Okay, memory, don't quit on me, now.] Anyway, got it out two weeks ago, eh, here. I skipped some rests.
Second, my "Philosophy of Music #1" is not complete. I've barely practiced singing it. It's tentative. I add to it and change it every time I go to it, which has been rarely. Today, I said, "Well, this is good enough for now, but I WANT to expand the middle part and change it." Anyway, I really have to do other things but wanted to honor my post from a few months ago that said I would do this. I'm allowed to change it later and call it "Philosophy of Music #1, revised." [Me] "When does it become "Philosophy of Music #2?"" -- [Me] "When I change the words and start a new melody." --- OKAY NO. I deleted it. I had it posted for a couple hours and kept thinking, "No. It needs to be changed, and I know how to change it, now." Maybe I needed to share it with the abyss to know how to change it. I will delete the "Here Comes the Sun" motive in the beginning but keep it at the end, etc...
But here are the Words -
"Ahhhh, sound,
circles,
dissolves pain,
and we share our hearts,
from chords and winds,
and strings and beats,
to feel for
the sun."
Third, I did the Purcell, again, today, obviously, but it STILL did not come out the way I want it to. I didn't emphasize things quite exactly the way I wanted to, but I'm posting it, again, anyway. Please listen to the link to Carolyn Sampson below, though, at some point. The direction on the top of the music says, "Quick and brilliant," and she sings it that way. Here's to Practice.
September 21, 2017: "Hark, the echoing air" by Henry Purcell -
First, I had an urge to call Cynthia, my old voice teacher, and ask for a coaching. I haven't had one in years from anyone. She's in a D.M.A. for Voice program right now, far away, and I can't go to her. (And I can't really have one right now, anyway.) Congratulations, Cynthia! Have fun!
Second, I got this Purcell out a few days ago. Sang this a few times about seven years ago. I didn't work on it to perform it back then. I'm not working on it to perform it, now, either, necessarily. A few times through and ici, an a capella practice recording for the Universe. I TOOK IT A LITTLE SLOWER than maybe I would perform it, and I did not do the repeats. It's a simple practice of a pretty piece and actually, I think the second half is better than the first half, AND I think I was on the verge of freedom with it. I should have done a few more takes of it, today. Then, I went and found a couple recordings of it, and everyone's tempos are different. Here is a very nice performance of this with Carolyn Sampson as a fully free soprano but maybe listen to mine first, because hers is kind of brilliant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vrwbmLzJw -- Oh yeah, and it's from the semi-opera The Fairy Queen.
Third, I worked on my "Philosophy of Music No. 1" for a little, today. I'm going to finish it soon. It's only three lines long, and I don't mean it to be profound. I guess I gave myself a series of composition assignments by accident. Every time I work on it, I change it a little. Time to be satisfied with it, because I have other important projects to get to.
First, I had an urge to call Cynthia, my old voice teacher, and ask for a coaching. I haven't had one in years from anyone. She's in a D.M.A. for Voice program right now, far away, and I can't go to her. (And I can't really have one right now, anyway.) Congratulations, Cynthia! Have fun!
Second, I got this Purcell out a few days ago. Sang this a few times about seven years ago. I didn't work on it to perform it back then. I'm not working on it to perform it, now, either, necessarily. A few times through and ici, an a capella practice recording for the Universe. I TOOK IT A LITTLE SLOWER than maybe I would perform it, and I did not do the repeats. It's a simple practice of a pretty piece and actually, I think the second half is better than the first half, AND I think I was on the verge of freedom with it. I should have done a few more takes of it, today. Then, I went and found a couple recordings of it, and everyone's tempos are different. Here is a very nice performance of this with Carolyn Sampson as a fully free soprano but maybe listen to mine first, because hers is kind of brilliant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vrwbmLzJw -- Oh yeah, and it's from the semi-opera The Fairy Queen.
Third, I worked on my "Philosophy of Music No. 1" for a little, today. I'm going to finish it soon. It's only three lines long, and I don't mean it to be profound. I guess I gave myself a series of composition assignments by accident. Every time I work on it, I change it a little. Time to be satisfied with it, because I have other important projects to get to.
September 20, 2017: "The Daisies" Poem by James Stephens and Music by Samuel Barber - Wasn't a best singing day, today. Picked this one from the same book, Basics of Singing, that I used two days ago. I also did redo "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" with all the correct notes. It was really difficult to fix my memory. And even though I got all the notes right, I didn't like my timbre or interpretation this time, probably because I was being too self-conscious about getting all the right notes. So, I didn't post it. I'll try again another time.
September 18, 2017: 9:16 am - I will post a piece later today. (It's later. See below or read and then see below.) I never plan these posts. Maybe I should start planning these singing posts. Woke up tired, never a good sign for the day. Will drink a lot of water and see how I feel. Had a birthday; slow down, birthdays. I have much to do, and I still would like to be a, and be with a, true love.
(Received my M.F.A. diploma in the mail this weekend, too. A Gen X'er taking a huge risk for another artistic degree. Wow, Ann Marie, wow. Would any program want me as a PhD/DMA in music composition student? Do I really need it?)
Ya know what, I didn't think of it until now, but I could give a voice recital of my art song compositions, soon. (And by soon, I mean at least a few months to a year, since my life feels up in the air, and I need to get back to composing more and revising.) I'm not one with a voice degree, but yo, I did have nine nonconsecutive years of voice lessons and did take vocal pedagogy. BTW: I auditioned for and am singing with The Bach Choir of P. while I am here, but I can't commit to their whole season. I need a job and/or more students, and small signs are pointing back to the city of C., where everything is familiar, and I can gather collaborators together more easily, anyway. There are several pianists I can contact back there. However, my sister is picked for the clarinet piece, and she could be the vocal collaborator, too, but she is in "N.Y.C." AH, Annie!!! We had so much fun singing from musicals as kids. To tell the truth, we only sang together for a couple years. She's a bunch of years older than I am, and she started practicing piano and writing seriously for hours at a time when I was outside playing with the next door neighbor. When I was alone at the piano after she was gone, I sang through things for fun, myself. Let's see how many lyrics I can remember:
N. Y. CCCCCCC, too busy, too crazy
Too hot - Too cold - Too late - I'm sold
Again - on N. - Y. CCCCCCC.
Woops, that's the ending, I think. It's been twenty-five years since I sang through that one. In the middle, there's something about cab drivers answering back in language far from pure and frankfurters, too. Ummm, no - no or yes - yes? If one of the very few places I applied to in N.Y.C. would have me, I would move to N.Y.C., since my sister is there. But most places in any city completely ignore my application. Yep. That seems to be how America works these days. I've started packing, regardless. Chin up, "Whistle a Happy Tune," sing, compose, write, revise, breathe, and get the clarinet out, shoot.
Okay, here: 2:21 pm - "Dolce scherza" by G. A. Perti and "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" Lyrics by Martin Charnin, Music by Charles Strouse from childhood memory- Things to say:
First: Since I went back to being a kid above by mentioning Annie, I decided to get my Basics of Singing book by Jan Schmidt out and sing "Dolce scherza." I sang that one in high school, haven't sung it since. It's a dang cupid type one.
Lyrics: "Sweetly play and sweetly laugh, Lips, which inspire my love; But they entice you and then destroy you, Thus afflicting my heart." - Didn't practice this one too seriously, just sang through it twice and placed one of those here.
Second: And thinking about childhood, I decided to sing "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile." Haven't sung it since middle school or early high school. Sang it from memory; I wanted to see what would come out of me. Here, I made two or three note mistakes. While I was singing, I thought, "I'm not sure all these notes are right." THEN I looked up the song in my Broadway Gold book and found which notes I boo-booed. I didn't feel like re-recording it, today, with all the right notes. It was an experiment to see what I could do from memory. And I do remember being confused as a kid in the middle part when learning it. ANYWAY, at the end, we could all do jazz hands, together. I say don't just smile, but "Be honest, senators. --- yeah!" I think I'll redo it, tomorrow, and fix my mistakes, because since I know I made a couple boo-boos, I can't keep them on here. But it was an experiment in memory.
Third: I ALMOST posted "Oh Had I Jubal's Lyre" but.... maybe I should. It's not near perfect and doing it a capella?? blah ha haaa -- I've been singing through it, on average twice a week, over the last few weeks. Today's practice on it was decent. Maybe I'll post the recording later tonight, because I don't know how much I really want to continue to work on it.
(Received my M.F.A. diploma in the mail this weekend, too. A Gen X'er taking a huge risk for another artistic degree. Wow, Ann Marie, wow. Would any program want me as a PhD/DMA in music composition student? Do I really need it?)
Ya know what, I didn't think of it until now, but I could give a voice recital of my art song compositions, soon. (And by soon, I mean at least a few months to a year, since my life feels up in the air, and I need to get back to composing more and revising.) I'm not one with a voice degree, but yo, I did have nine nonconsecutive years of voice lessons and did take vocal pedagogy. BTW: I auditioned for and am singing with The Bach Choir of P. while I am here, but I can't commit to their whole season. I need a job and/or more students, and small signs are pointing back to the city of C., where everything is familiar, and I can gather collaborators together more easily, anyway. There are several pianists I can contact back there. However, my sister is picked for the clarinet piece, and she could be the vocal collaborator, too, but she is in "N.Y.C." AH, Annie!!! We had so much fun singing from musicals as kids. To tell the truth, we only sang together for a couple years. She's a bunch of years older than I am, and she started practicing piano and writing seriously for hours at a time when I was outside playing with the next door neighbor. When I was alone at the piano after she was gone, I sang through things for fun, myself. Let's see how many lyrics I can remember:
N. Y. CCCCCCC, too busy, too crazy
Too hot - Too cold - Too late - I'm sold
Again - on N. - Y. CCCCCCC.
Woops, that's the ending, I think. It's been twenty-five years since I sang through that one. In the middle, there's something about cab drivers answering back in language far from pure and frankfurters, too. Ummm, no - no or yes - yes? If one of the very few places I applied to in N.Y.C. would have me, I would move to N.Y.C., since my sister is there. But most places in any city completely ignore my application. Yep. That seems to be how America works these days. I've started packing, regardless. Chin up, "Whistle a Happy Tune," sing, compose, write, revise, breathe, and get the clarinet out, shoot.
Okay, here: 2:21 pm - "Dolce scherza" by G. A. Perti and "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" Lyrics by Martin Charnin, Music by Charles Strouse from childhood memory- Things to say:
First: Since I went back to being a kid above by mentioning Annie, I decided to get my Basics of Singing book by Jan Schmidt out and sing "Dolce scherza." I sang that one in high school, haven't sung it since. It's a dang cupid type one.
Lyrics: "Sweetly play and sweetly laugh, Lips, which inspire my love; But they entice you and then destroy you, Thus afflicting my heart." - Didn't practice this one too seriously, just sang through it twice and placed one of those here.
Second: And thinking about childhood, I decided to sing "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile." Haven't sung it since middle school or early high school. Sang it from memory; I wanted to see what would come out of me. Here, I made two or three note mistakes. While I was singing, I thought, "I'm not sure all these notes are right." THEN I looked up the song in my Broadway Gold book and found which notes I boo-booed. I didn't feel like re-recording it, today, with all the right notes. It was an experiment to see what I could do from memory. And I do remember being confused as a kid in the middle part when learning it. ANYWAY, at the end, we could all do jazz hands, together. I say don't just smile, but "Be honest, senators. --- yeah!" I think I'll redo it, tomorrow, and fix my mistakes, because since I know I made a couple boo-boos, I can't keep them on here. But it was an experiment in memory.
Third: I ALMOST posted "Oh Had I Jubal's Lyre" but.... maybe I should. It's not near perfect and doing it a capella?? blah ha haaa -- I've been singing through it, on average twice a week, over the last few weeks. Today's practice on it was decent. Maybe I'll post the recording later tonight, because I don't know how much I really want to continue to work on it.
September 14, 2017: "Somewhere" Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Music by Leonard Bernstein from West Side Story, of course - So today, I felt I had a better singing day than yesterday, and I should have redone "Nina," but I practiced other stuff, and then I was like, "You have to record something." So, I got this out, and I've never worked on it before, but I've heard it a handful of times in the past. I've seen the movie a couple times when younger. And this is really a little low for me. I could have changed the key to up a step, but for some reason, I didn't want to. BTW: The acoustics in my apartment are starting to annoy me. But anyway, here's to practice. And really these lyrics could be sung to America right now, as a love song to all people.
September 13, 2017: "Nina" by Legrenzio Ciampi - This is a sad one. I read that it is about a parent who sings to a dying child. The translation of the lyrics in my book is unclear, though. Since I don't have children and have never experienced that, I sang it as though I was singing to a dying parent. [Please don't die. Please wake up.] Ha. I have watched a few people die in my lifetime. This is where y'all will have to read the memoir to find out more. 'Cause at another part of this website, if anybody went looking, it does say my mother disappeared when I was 3 or 4. That was a kind of death. And that's what the memoir is mostly about and what the first opera is mostly about. (Am I putzing around with this singing blog? I need to be working on my projects more diligently. Singing is helping me right now, personally.) -- Never worked on this song before about two weeks ago. Listening to this, there are some good moments, but it wasn't a best singing day. I'll practice this one again sometime soon.
September 11, 2017: "We Choose Love" by Beth Falcone, musician in New York City. - Dear America: My sister lives in New York City. She was there on September 11, 2001. She wrote a song the week after. This past year, she got her students and friends together, and they did a Flash Mob in NYC with her song. I couldn't go sing, because I was in school. This is for her and New York City, today. I recorded the main chorus once through, about 40 seconds a capella. And here is their Flash Mob on Youtube and the website page! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqevYra8rRQ&feature=youtu.be --- http://wechooselove.net/
"We have hope. We have faith that we can make this world a better place. We are one, and together we stand. We are peace. We are love. And we will learn that we can rise above this pain that darkens our land. We're Americans, and we choose love."
"We have hope. We have faith that we can make this world a better place. We are one, and together we stand. We are peace. We are love. And we will learn that we can rise above this pain that darkens our land. We're Americans, and we choose love."
September 10, 2017: (Revised Sept. 14th) Writing post: Welp, if anybody is reading or listening, I don't know what y'all think of me. But I've gotta tell that my short first "Philosophy of Music" sentence with melody had ESP with From the Top and Joshua Bell the violinist. When I said I would make a little philosophy of music statement with melody a couple months back, I didn't know how to start it. The song "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles popped into my head. I sang the four note motif. I then came up with a sentence and put the motif sung on "Ah" at the very beginning of my "Philosophy of Music" No. 1. I also put three notes of the four note motif at the end of the little thing. Welp, yesterday or the day before, I saw a post by NPR Music on Facebook with Joshua Bell the violinist. In a short video, he plays an arrangement of "Here Comes the Sun" with two young musicians. It made me giggle, and I thought, "I had ESP with From the Top and Joshua Bell. Dangit, he beat me to posting." - My best friend, who was my childhood neighbor, and I have an inside joke about ESP through our forty-four year friendship. Actually, the ESP banter didn't start until about late middle school, and we've known each other since we were two. Just telling that because it's something that comes up now and again between us; then, it's not unusual that I would joke about it, here.-- (Like, I don't have a "following" [see September 3rd post below], also known as "an audience base from which people give a hoot." Yeah well, I'm not sure I'd ever want as much popularity as Mr. Bell. - But to get my clarinet piece published, how much of a following does one need? - Anyway, I need to finish all my started creations. Of course, I want to share them, too. That's what this website is for. And for sake of honesty, obviously not every decent musician gets to have her voice, clarinet playing, or original works heard and enjoyed. Those that really know me and my background know I practiced my tail off, built a place to perform that got taken away, and tried with the resources I had. I didn't "find myself" until I was 35, and then, I continued to practice the clarinet for three to four hours per day until I was about 40. And I vocalized an hour per day, also, for eight years. Now, I sound like I'm whining. I mean, at some point, the Universe has to be on board, too. Oh whatever, the "Philosophy of Music" No. 1 is eighteen words and three lines of melody. I still may revise it a couple more times and then, I have to learn to sing it. Kind of learning it as I write it, because I sing through it every time I change it. That's how I wrote my clarinet piece. I began to play my long tone warm up. I was bored, not being in a musical group, and I kept adding onto one low note with a crescendo. That became the beginning of the middle part. It took me seven years to compose that 9 minute piece, but I put it down for like three years and didn't work on it. But hopefully, I will stick with one or maybe two projects at a time from now on. Some happen to be gigantic projects, with many parts such as chapters, Acts, or movements, and I want to be the orchestrator for everything that needs it, too. I can't expect myself to play every instrument at a professional level, though, to compose for it. HA HA, that's what I'm doing, playing clarinet and singing to the best of my ability and composing with them. And I just had to get an MFA to push my writing, too. I'm not going to pick up the violin and play it for ten years before I compose for it. HA HA HAAAAAA - However, it IS one of those instruments I've always WANTED to play. Singing works for everything. Playing piano helps, too. I'm at the intermediate/advanced piano level but have to practice, of course. -- Dear me: get a job and more students. Maybe move back to the city of "C," if there is a job and maybe even if there is not, piece together life, keep going, and Finish some stuff! And hopefully, seriously, your sharp memory will continue to be sharp. Ya know what, I am VERY THANKFUL for my sharp memory.
September 8, 2017: "Se Florindo è fedele" by Alessandro Scarlatti - Basically, this one is about a woman who says, "If Florindo will be faithful, I will surely fall in love with him." I have a lot to say today. I'll number my thoughts and comments:
1. It took me one page to warm up into the song.
2. Yesterday, I had a great singing day and didn't record anything. Today, I don't feel well. I have a bit of a stomach ache but NO SORE THROAT, so, I thought I'd sing, anyway. But my energy is low. See #3.
3. I barely worked on this years ago. There were four measures that I couldn't "spit out" back then. I spit them out here; however, I had a couple brain bloopers in other places in this.
4. After I recorded it, I listened to some recordings on Youtube. My tempo is slower than all of them. Well, I haven't practiced it in like five years, BUT the tempo does say Allegretto grazioso, moderato assai - eighth note = 132. I didn't put on the metronome for my tempo when I started. I never do with these practice recordings. I happen to like much music played and sung a bit slower than most. An example is the first movement of Brahms' Symphony No. Four. I like it conducted slower than most do.
5. Oh, I need to post a melody and sentence about my philosophy of music. I said I would do that like a month ago. I haven't been working on it since then. I looked at it, yesterday, and the short little thing is coming along. I don't know if I can sing it. HA HA -- It's not THAT bad. You wanna hear something unbelievably difficult to sing that is sung unbelievably: HERE-- Ligeti with one heck of a soprano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0Tvj83xqDw.
1. It took me one page to warm up into the song.
2. Yesterday, I had a great singing day and didn't record anything. Today, I don't feel well. I have a bit of a stomach ache but NO SORE THROAT, so, I thought I'd sing, anyway. But my energy is low. See #3.
3. I barely worked on this years ago. There were four measures that I couldn't "spit out" back then. I spit them out here; however, I had a couple brain bloopers in other places in this.
4. After I recorded it, I listened to some recordings on Youtube. My tempo is slower than all of them. Well, I haven't practiced it in like five years, BUT the tempo does say Allegretto grazioso, moderato assai - eighth note = 132. I didn't put on the metronome for my tempo when I started. I never do with these practice recordings. I happen to like much music played and sung a bit slower than most. An example is the first movement of Brahms' Symphony No. Four. I like it conducted slower than most do.
5. Oh, I need to post a melody and sentence about my philosophy of music. I said I would do that like a month ago. I haven't been working on it since then. I looked at it, yesterday, and the short little thing is coming along. I don't know if I can sing it. HA HA -- It's not THAT bad. You wanna hear something unbelievably difficult to sing that is sung unbelievably: HERE-- Ligeti with one heck of a soprano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0Tvj83xqDw.
September 6, 2017: Sticking with Marian the Librarian, I picked "Goodnight, My Someone" by Meredith Willson, today. Never sung it until once, yesterday. Today, I recorded it four times and have something against all four recordings. Had to pick one, though. So, here it is. Yesterday, I recorded "Whistle While You Work" for all those who had to go back to work after Labor Day, but I didn't post it, because I felt it was more silly than doing "The Chicken Song" (below) in solfege. I'm becoming embarrassed, NOW?? LOL
September 4, 2017: Here's "Till There Was You" by Meredith Willson from The Music Man. I found that Meredith Willson wrote the book, the lyrics, AND the music for The Music Man. What an interesting tidbit of information to find. (said that somewhere below, too) Today's "take" was after one time through, and it's okay. I had no practice over the weekend and ALMOST took today off from it, because if people are home from work in my apartment building for Labor Day, I didn't want to annoy them. Sang anyway; I also need to practice the clarinet, but that will really bug them. Time consuming when I should be pounding the pavement for jobs. I miss Cleveland, terribly. So many awful things happened there, some of which I've written about and some not, and I miss it, anyway.
The good things up there, though: A few loyal and appreciative students have remained in my studio while I earned the MFA. - I could have access to a practice room, semi-regularly at strange hours. - My general doctor, dentist, and hairdresser up there are lovely people. - A Buddhist nun friend has created a nice community in which I am welcome. - I know my way around, and it's beautiful. - (But I have to be where I get a job.)
Alright, I'll post "Alma del core" by Antonio Caldara. It is still giving me fits. When I let go through the whole thing and am more musical, I go flat. Here, I let go in places, held on in others, and tried to keep pitch the best I could. It's the best I can do for now on it. Here's to practice.
The good things up there, though: A few loyal and appreciative students have remained in my studio while I earned the MFA. - I could have access to a practice room, semi-regularly at strange hours. - My general doctor, dentist, and hairdresser up there are lovely people. - A Buddhist nun friend has created a nice community in which I am welcome. - I know my way around, and it's beautiful. - (But I have to be where I get a job.)
Alright, I'll post "Alma del core" by Antonio Caldara. It is still giving me fits. When I let go through the whole thing and am more musical, I go flat. Here, I let go in places, held on in others, and tried to keep pitch the best I could. It's the best I can do for now on it. Here's to practice.
September 3, 2017 (4:30 AM, revised at 5:30 AM, 6:45 AM, 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:27 PM, 12:59 PM, 1:05 PM, 9:00 PM, and 11:20 AM on Sept. 4th): Writing post: Silly me, maybe I should start singing clarinet excerpts and my favorite orchestral melodies. -- I crack myself up. -- Well, I made my MFA class, professors, and the audience crack up with my reading at graduation. But I can't post that essay, because I want to try and get it published. Many of them said I should try. I sent it to two newspapers and one journal, and it was rejected. I didn't follow the newspapers' rules. I didn't shorten it to their op-ed length; I am my own trouble, like Queen Zempoalla is her own "fever" in "I Attempt from Love's Sickness to Flyyyyyyy" by Purcell (see Aug. 16th, 2017 post) And the journal to where I sent it has a more serious political tone. This essay is actually a very serious piece about music and politics, with a touch of humor. At first, I wasn't trying to be funny; then, after my workshop class found the humor refreshing, and it was suggested that I do more with it, I pushed the humor in a revision. It could be put back to a more serious tone, but I have seen many serious articles about how music influences humanity. I haven't sent it to a "music" journal. Is there a "literary music" journal? I suppose "Rolling Stone" is considered to be one, but do they accept unsolicited submissions? I don't think so. Oh, there is "The Clarinet" magazine, but this essay isn't about clarinet stuff. This post should be on the Essay Itches page. My goodness, I should CHANT these. Or better yet, sing them in recitative.
{Again, silly me, I need to get another job or jobs, and here I am blogging; my current students in the city of C. amount to 1/6th of a full-time one. And I still can't explain on this website all the reasons behind me leaving the independent contractor part-time director job for the MFA; although, I wish people would ask me or read between the lines forming logical conclusions. Actually, I was a little more specific at my LinkedIn profile, recently. Anyway, I have been trying for various types of jobs but sticking within realms in which I have experience. I'd be able to go for other types of teaching jobs if I was published. I've placed in three competitions for essays and memoir. I haven't tried to send my clarinet piece to any competitions. Because don't I want to premiere it? I tried about four years ago to get that published and was told I need a following and a substantial portfolio of compositions. I didn't tell them about my art song cycle or opera, because I don't have a following. Oh, popularity! Now, I should sing "Popular" from Wicked to MYSELF. I need to be POP-UU-LAR. -- Must be clear: I didn't SEND those publishing companies my clarinet piece. I emailed them and told them I had one and asked about getting it published. They never even looked at it.
I was never thinking of giving up music, and I am coming out of this MFA more impassioned than ever. I added on to music. It takes time to revise essays, compositions, operas, the book, and develop new ideas. I do wish I would have premiered the clarinet piece before I went back to school. But, it just didn't happen, and I need a goal with my clarinet, anyway, to be motivated to get back into shape. I am missing the benefits playing it gives me, such as exercise in concentration. I said something similar to this somewhere else on this website, I believe. What if popularity never suits me? -- I had my resume posted at this website and took it down after a few days. Maybe I should just keep it on here. I may be waking up at 4:30 AM every morning until I find my job(s).}
{Again, silly me, I need to get another job or jobs, and here I am blogging; my current students in the city of C. amount to 1/6th of a full-time one. And I still can't explain on this website all the reasons behind me leaving the independent contractor part-time director job for the MFA; although, I wish people would ask me or read between the lines forming logical conclusions. Actually, I was a little more specific at my LinkedIn profile, recently. Anyway, I have been trying for various types of jobs but sticking within realms in which I have experience. I'd be able to go for other types of teaching jobs if I was published. I've placed in three competitions for essays and memoir. I haven't tried to send my clarinet piece to any competitions. Because don't I want to premiere it? I tried about four years ago to get that published and was told I need a following and a substantial portfolio of compositions. I didn't tell them about my art song cycle or opera, because I don't have a following. Oh, popularity! Now, I should sing "Popular" from Wicked to MYSELF. I need to be POP-UU-LAR. -- Must be clear: I didn't SEND those publishing companies my clarinet piece. I emailed them and told them I had one and asked about getting it published. They never even looked at it.
I was never thinking of giving up music, and I am coming out of this MFA more impassioned than ever. I added on to music. It takes time to revise essays, compositions, operas, the book, and develop new ideas. I do wish I would have premiered the clarinet piece before I went back to school. But, it just didn't happen, and I need a goal with my clarinet, anyway, to be motivated to get back into shape. I am missing the benefits playing it gives me, such as exercise in concentration. I said something similar to this somewhere else on this website, I believe. What if popularity never suits me? -- I had my resume posted at this website and took it down after a few days. Maybe I should just keep it on here. I may be waking up at 4:30 AM every morning until I find my job(s).}
September 2, 2017: Reminder to Myself and the Universe - In Italian, 2 ss's between vowels in a word is an "s" sound, not a "z" sound. ONE "s" between vowels is a "z" sound. In "Vedrai, carino" I overthought it and pronounced "addosso" as "addozo." As I sang it, I thought, '"poss'io" is "poss'io" with an "s" sound, oops, already did the "z" sound.' When I listened to a couple recordings after posting it below, I heard the "s" in "addosso," but I didn't look up the rule in the Vaccai exercise book until today. Something to fix for the next "take." -- Also, thank you Universe. I found the rest of my vocal music in the city of "C.," today, too.
September 1, 2017 (revised Sept. 3): Oy... it is time to post a piece. Well, I looked up the words to "Till There Was You" by Meredith Willson and I was CLOSE, yesterday. I had a few of the words wrong, which I knew, because two lines wouldn't be near the same. Anyway, I sang it today three times through, twice in a higher key, and once, one half step lower. Posted it, then deleted it. I haven't seen the music in over a year, didn't look up a Youtube recording. Did it from memory for fun and the heck of it, and it needs more practice. I taught it to one of my voice students back then; I've never actually sung it out loud until today. Who knew it was such a fun piece? AH AND, Meredith Willson wrote the book, the lyrics, AND the music for The Music Man. What an interesting tidbit of information to find.
Here is an unrefined, no frills, quick practice (didn't follow rests or tempos, exactly, either) of "With Verdure Clad" by F. J. Haydn. I was given the music in English years ago and performed it twice, like two years apart from each other. I haven't sung it in, let's see, seven years. I thought it was supposed to be done in German, so, I was disappointed that I'd learned it in English. Today, I looked up its history, and it was written to be performed in English. Made me feel better for not having learned it in German. Anyway, here's to practice.
Here is an unrefined, no frills, quick practice (didn't follow rests or tempos, exactly, either) of "With Verdure Clad" by F. J. Haydn. I was given the music in English years ago and performed it twice, like two years apart from each other. I haven't sung it in, let's see, seven years. I thought it was supposed to be done in German, so, I was disappointed that I'd learned it in English. Today, I looked up its history, and it was written to be performed in English. Made me feel better for not having learned it in German. Anyway, here's to practice.
August 31st, 2017: No singing post, today, just a writing post. I listened to "Ah! Je veux vivre" from Gounod's Romeo and Juliette a few times with different sopranos singing. No, I'm not going to attempt to sing that one, maybe a few measures here and there for fun. Anyway, my book has it in F M, but here is Dame Joan Sutherland singing it in G M. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FZUTtADWFc -- You know what that means, right? The high "C" becomes a high "D" at the end, "D" for Dame. ---
I haven't sung any musical theatre here, yet. I think "Till There Was You," from The Music Man might be a good one, soon. That book is in the city of C. If I remember, I will pick it up this weekend. Actually, I think I have the melody memorized. I just need the words, which I can find online, I'm sure, plus a decent recording on Youtube, but I don't need it. -- Actually, let's see how many lyrics I know without looking them up:
There were bells, on a hill, but I never heard them ringing, no I never heard them at all, till there was you.
There were birds, in the sky, but I never heard them singing, no I never heard them at, till there was you.
And there was music, and there were wonderful roses, they tell me, of sweet fragrant meadows of dawn and dew;
There was love, all around, but I never heard it singing, no I never heard it at all, till there was you.
Ha, ha -- Those can't be completely accurate, but it was fun to try. I sang it in my head. I have too much time on my hands. I should be composing, writing, revising, re-composing, and filling out more job applications. Yep, back to it all.
I haven't sung any musical theatre here, yet. I think "Till There Was You," from The Music Man might be a good one, soon. That book is in the city of C. If I remember, I will pick it up this weekend. Actually, I think I have the melody memorized. I just need the words, which I can find online, I'm sure, plus a decent recording on Youtube, but I don't need it. -- Actually, let's see how many lyrics I know without looking them up:
There were bells, on a hill, but I never heard them ringing, no I never heard them at all, till there was you.
There were birds, in the sky, but I never heard them singing, no I never heard them at, till there was you.
And there was music, and there were wonderful roses, they tell me, of sweet fragrant meadows of dawn and dew;
There was love, all around, but I never heard it singing, no I never heard it at all, till there was you.
Ha, ha -- Those can't be completely accurate, but it was fun to try. I sang it in my head. I have too much time on my hands. I should be composing, writing, revising, re-composing, and filling out more job applications. Yep, back to it all.
August 29, 2017: I went back to "O del mio dolce ardor" by C W von Gluck, the first one I posted in this voice blog exactly two months ago. Here, I sing it memorized. For a capella memorized, it's pretty good, with one brain blooper. But AGAIN, I didn't sleep well last night, up in the middle of the night, so.... anyway, I could post a German one, too, today, but this particular German one isn't setting with my voice incredibly well, yet, LOL. I guess I'll post "Once Upon a Dream," by Sammy Fain & Jack Lawrence too, today. Sang it three times and ici. It could be better. They all could be better. It's practice. - oh, and again, as I said below a couple times, the acoustics in here are funny.
August 28, 2017: Okay, today is supposed to be a post. Well, I'm not on any kind of timeline, really. But, I...well... I have a few students on the weekend; must get another job or jobs and more students, though, since graduating this month with the MFA. Anyway, I don't get to practice much on the weekends right now. And today, I feel like a Mack Truck ran over me. I'm so tired. I woke up in the middle of the night and thought I heard five gun shots. I mean, it seemed like they were in my dream, maybe, until I woke up. And then, I didn't get good sleep the rest of the night.
When I'm tired, I sometimes become silly. "The Chicken Song" popped in my head. So, I did it in solfege in C Major at the end of my trying practice, today. Here it is, with a slight accelerando and at the end, I am "too chicken" to go to the High C; still warming the voice back up, will take at least a few months. The chicken dance song was originally called the duck song, I read. Also, it is sometimes called the bird song. Since I have a pet cockatiel that is turning twenty-five years old soon, I can sing it to him. His name is Featherhead, Featherhead Cockatiel, but his nicknames are Snoopy and Turkey. He loves to listen to me play the clarinet and also loves to listen to classical music through the radio.
I had posted "Alma del core" by Antonio Caldara, and then I deleted it. It gave me fits, today. Maybe because I'm tired, it didn't go too well. I can try it again, tomorrow, or not. Too chicken to keep the post of that "take" of it. (Note to self): I can't find all my vocal music. I'm missing my copy of "Batti, batti, o bel Masetto." That happens to be in my Singers Anthology, anyway, though. And I'm missing a French song, along with a few Bach pieces, a Gounod, and others. They must be in the city of C, where I left many of my teaching books. Where else could they be? hmmm
When I'm tired, I sometimes become silly. "The Chicken Song" popped in my head. So, I did it in solfege in C Major at the end of my trying practice, today. Here it is, with a slight accelerando and at the end, I am "too chicken" to go to the High C; still warming the voice back up, will take at least a few months. The chicken dance song was originally called the duck song, I read. Also, it is sometimes called the bird song. Since I have a pet cockatiel that is turning twenty-five years old soon, I can sing it to him. His name is Featherhead, Featherhead Cockatiel, but his nicknames are Snoopy and Turkey. He loves to listen to me play the clarinet and also loves to listen to classical music through the radio.
I had posted "Alma del core" by Antonio Caldara, and then I deleted it. It gave me fits, today. Maybe because I'm tired, it didn't go too well. I can try it again, tomorrow, or not. Too chicken to keep the post of that "take" of it. (Note to self): I can't find all my vocal music. I'm missing my copy of "Batti, batti, o bel Masetto." That happens to be in my Singers Anthology, anyway, though. And I'm missing a French song, along with a few Bach pieces, a Gounod, and others. They must be in the city of C, where I left many of my teaching books. Where else could they be? hmmm
August 24, 2017: "Vedrai, carino" by Mozart (except Mozart didn't write the libretto) - Yes, I know I am too old for the Zerlina part. I worked on this years ago for a tiny bit, probably when I was the right age for the part. Too bad, I hadn't connected to my true voice back then. The things I've been singing the past few days have been tough, and it's time to make a post. So, I got this out. I sang through it twice and recorded it. I might do it again, tomorrow, because I didn't immerse myself in her character the way I could have, and this is tentative, along with singing the grace note before the beat at the end. In my copy, it's with a slash, but I have a marking above that says to do it on the beat, but I am a purist clarinetist. oy... except, then I slide around, LOL. [Added Sept. 2, 2017: AND in Italian, 2 ss's between vowels in a word is an "s" sound, not a "z" sound. ONE "s" between vowels is a "z" sound. In this, I overthought it and pronounced "addosso" as "addozo," and that "z" sound shouldn't have been there.]
Well, anyway, I then went online and listened to a few real opera singers and refreshed myself on Zerlina's character. Why not? [I heard the "s" in addosso," then, too, but didn't look up the rule in the Vaccai exercise book until Sept. 2nd.] If I want to finish writing and composing an opera, I might as well keep studying it for fun. -- But I was brought up in an opera household, where we listened to it very frequently, especially the Lily Pons types, BUT Verdi was a favorite in the house. Why then did I want to play in the symphony orchestra so desperately? Sing, sing, sing... 'til death, now? HA HA, I am dramatic. -- No, I should say we listened to them all: Sutherland, Callas, Te Kanawa, Sills, Price, and more I might name later, 'cause I didn't even include any men, here.
Well, anyway, I then went online and listened to a few real opera singers and refreshed myself on Zerlina's character. Why not? [I heard the "s" in addosso," then, too, but didn't look up the rule in the Vaccai exercise book until Sept. 2nd.] If I want to finish writing and composing an opera, I might as well keep studying it for fun. -- But I was brought up in an opera household, where we listened to it very frequently, especially the Lily Pons types, BUT Verdi was a favorite in the house. Why then did I want to play in the symphony orchestra so desperately? Sing, sing, sing... 'til death, now? HA HA, I am dramatic. -- No, I should say we listened to them all: Sutherland, Callas, Te Kanawa, Sills, Price, and more I might name later, 'cause I didn't even include any men, here.
August 21, 2017: "Vergin, tutto amor" by Francesco Durante - This is almost a great take. Still could do better. I snap my fingers in the rests a bit faster than the tempo to get through and to give any person listening something to listen to. Nope, not looking at the eclipse; I have to work harder.
August 18, 2017: "Laudate Dominum" by Mozart and two tries on "V'adoro, pupille" by Handel - This is crazy. First, in the middle of the Mozart, I practice coming in on the F a few times to get it right. But also, I didn't get much sleep last night, so I can't believe I am posting it, kinda tired. Second, for the Handel, yesterday, I did the whole thing, and then today, I did the first part or so and stopped. I became annoyed with it. Yesterday, I went too high, meaning, I need a few more months to warm up my high notes before going there, but I'm posting this, anyway. It's screechy in places. Hey, it's practice. - "V'adoro" I practiced about seven years ago, and the Mozart, I've practiced a few times in the past but not too diligently, really. I just really need to get to my own stuff.
August 16, 2017: "I Attempt from Love's Sickness to flyyyyy," AGAIN.... Now.... I am experimenting here. Yesterday, I sang it very straight. Today, I became a bit theatrical with it, and of course, it isn't near perfect, and I'm not sure how overboard Purcell would let me go with it. This might show my silly side just a little. Poor Queen Zempoalla is in love. She's lovesick. Unfortunately she kills herself at the end. I am singing this here as though she lives another day (since I recorded it yesterday, too!!!) I only practiced this yesterday, today, and eleven years ago; please be forgiving. -- Goodness gracious, I tried to find a decent synopsis of The Indian Queen online, and it was nearly impossible. I finally found one here http://www.cockaigne.org.uk/research/IndianQueen.html. It's Purcell's unfinished opera and really this song is supposed to be heartbreaking. I mean, she's her own "fever." So she's a mean lady in the beginning but saves Montezuma in the end from death. That should have been part of her repentance, and there should have been no need to kill herself. But... -- I should write an alternate version. I see that his brother added a tag ending. But I guess I shouldn't change the Queen's outcome for the positive.
August 15, 2017: "I Attempt from Love's Sickness to flyyyyyy" by Henry Purcell and "Danza, danza, fanciulla gentile" again, because today's is better than yesterday's. Oh dear, poor Queen Zempoalla. Yet, practicing is so fun that I started on some Mozart, Handel's "V'adoro Pupille," and "Oh had I Jubal's Lyre," and some others, today.
August 14, 2017: "Danza, danza, fanciulla gentile" by Francesco Durante - Had no practice over the weekend, but it's time to post. Took me a few measures to sound warmed up here. Uhhh, I took it up a step from the book; maybe tomorrow I will try it again. I practiced it ten years ago in the key of the book. But anyway, I almost posted one from West Side Story, instead, in solfege, today, because this needs a little more practice. But then... I started opening too many books and looking at too many things. I get distracted too easily. Must focus and get organized.
August 11, 2017: "Lasciatemi morire!" by Claudio Monteverdi - Well, oy. Also, here is "Pur dicesti, o bocca bella" by Antonio Lotti. I have to do both of these again, soon, because I want to practice the interpretations more. And I talk to myself in the middle of the Lotti and skip rests, but it's practice. (And it's still fun. Time to get organized with my "ideas and started projects." This has to be helping me learn so I can do well on them. I think I can go back to CSU or somewhere and make a CD of more of my art songs, soon, a good goal.)
August 8, 2017: "Se tu m'ami, se sospiri," again... and "Che fiero costume" by Giovanni Legrenzi - I didn't like yesterday's "Se tu m'ami" much, so I did it again today, and it is a little better. As for the Legrenzi, I like a lot of it but not all of it.
August 7, 2017: "Se tu m'ami, se sospiri" by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (or is it by Alessandro Parisotti?) - It is getting more difficult to practice one and post it in the same day. I think after this one, I will have to make sure to practice each two or more days in a row and then post. (like I did with "When You Wish Upon a Star," and "O Cessate," LOL.) This one I did practice ten years ago but not recently until today. It could be better. The ending didn't quite come out right, but I wanted to post something, today. Still was a fun practice session. --- oh yeah, and my metronome is the slightest hair flatter than the old keyboard I plunk on in the middle of this... I should have given myself "Do" from the keyboard to begin with.
August 4, 2017: "Nel cor piu non mi sento" by Giovanni Paisiello - a capella in my bedroom, again funny acoustics. I never worked on this one before today. Hence, I never performed this one like the "Tu lo sai," and the "O del mio dolce ardor" below. Never worked on or performed the "O cessate di piagarmi" before the day below, either. After an hour, picked the best "take" for here. And I giggled while singing this one, and then, I did not, and then, I did. Anyway, it's a singing blog. Why not keep posting? Still - just getting my understanding of how to be musical with these types of songs, and it is still fun. I forgot to give "Do" from my metronome at the end of this one, oops.
August 1, 2017: "Tu lo sai" by Giuseppe Torelli -- a capella in my bedroom - oh. um, where the acoustics are funny as I said somewhere below - This is the first art song I performed as an adult when I started taking voice lessons continuously like twelve or thirteen years ago. I haven't sung it since. (And I haven't been taking lessons for a bunch of years.) But, here, I practiced it twice and recorded it. THIS COULD BE BETTER, because I pinched and pushed a couple of the high notes, and at the end I say, "MEH, maybe tomorrow." Figured I would post this, anyway, right now. Tomorrow, I might have a cold or something. Oh, and I think I'm only just learning how to be musical with these types of songs, and it is fun.
August 3rd addition to the July 24, 2017: MORE ENCOURAGEMENT. Nice and sweet people surround me here. Went to the fringe of the woods, again, last night. Many people left for the day and evening. We were on our own for dinner. Warmed up, sang several art songs, a couple Disney pieces. Some beautiful yellow bird flew back and forth directly in front of me, creating a wave pattern. I wanted it to come to me. Then, I saw its love, and they met each other on a tall flower.
"Ann Marie, is that you singing down there?" asked someone from behind me. I turned around, looked up the hill.
"Yeah, it's me."
"That's really pretty."
"Is that you, Rachel?"
"Yeah."
"Hi." I waved. "It makes me feel better."
August 3rd addition: [It was nearly overwhelming when I moved alone and went back to school. Now, at the end, I still have quite a bit of anxiety. I have always found a way to survive and really did what I had to do. When I was younger, I didn't feel the anxiety of not knowing where I was going to work after graduation. I had a dream, and I practiced toward that dream. Now, I have projects and realizations, and I feel the anxiety. Singing makes me feel better about all of it. Playing clarinet would, too, but I gotta find a daily practice place. (And, unfortunately, I was having painful women's menstrual issues at the writers' workshop, too; that type of blog post belongs on my Essay Itches page, though. Maybe later, but my point is singing made me feel better.)
Yeah, choices, we all have choices. There were other reasons why I came down here than I wanted to figure out how to finish my book. I can't post them here. I've started an essay about it, though. I would not have come down here for school if my sister and best friend and 98% of all other people I talked to, including some current and former students, didn't encourage me with their whole hearts. Thank you all for the encouragement. -- Now, I need a job or two. -- And I will sing and write and compose and play clarinet. And maybe, one or more of my compositions and stories will be published one day. And I will premiere that clarinet piece and some other projects I'm working on. And maybe, I will get lucky and some of my other dreams will still come true. And maybe, a Northern red cardinal will fly through my window and sing me to sleep. My pet cockatiel is quite the squawker. Stress makes your stomach hurt, A LOT.]
In the morning, I walked in at the end of the breakfast service, as usual, and Aspen had sunflowers in her hair. She said, "Ann Marie, was that you singing last night?"
"Yes."
"It was beautiful." She continued with compliments in her extraordinary lyric writing voice, one I can't imitate here on paper. I can't remember all her exact words. I folded my hands in prayer position and bowed slightly toward her.
"Thank you. I've practiced very hard."
She said, "You are amazing."
"Oh, I wouldn't say amazing. Yes, I think I'm very good. It's too late for me to have a career as a Diva. When I'm practicing clarinet, I play that maybe better than I sing. You could hear me at my website. I sing because it makes me feel better."
If people hear me, and it makes them feel better, too, then that's nice, too.
Hence Max late last night, after I had paced back and forth outside for a couple hours and finished a writing prompt Professor Ira assigned a few days ago, said, "I could hear you singing, today. It was very pretty."
"Oh, thank you," I said.
"No really, it made my entire day," he said.
"Thanks, Max. Love you. Sweet dreams."
The breakfast was frittata, sweet potato hash, oatmeal, sausage, and watermelon. I took small amounts of all, except the sausage. Two minutes late for class, and Prof. Ira is a Buddhist. The Dalai Lama showed us at his week long talk at Lehigh University in 2008 to never be late, oops. I returned my plate to the kitchen.
Chelsea was practically running her plate into the kitchen. "Your voice is gorgeous. I mean opera worthy, really."
Oh dear...
"Well, thank you, but I am too old for an opera career. I can sing at weddings, though."
I didn't even think in that moment that Chelsea has a new boyfriend. I didn't mean to market myself to her. LOL I've tried to market myself as a wedding singer in the past. Guess I didn't try hard enough. I suppose I could try again. I do need a job. Hey, I practiced my arse off on the clarinet and composed a piece. I've practiced my arse off singing and hopefully will finish composing an opera or two - UGH, as I think more about things, I also started and finished a first draft of a Novella during school, a completely unrelated project to anything I was supposed to be doing. AND I FELT LIKE I WAS WRITING AN OPERA BUFFA in parts of it. Would that be an operetta if I ever want it to be? [I need to list my projects and start checking them off; there are others.] - When I finish the memoir and some more essays and compositions, I wouldn't have wasted too much of my life. Must finish more. The orchestra, though, ... will never leave my heart.
I doubt those yellow birds will ever leave each other.
"Ann Marie, is that you singing down there?" asked someone from behind me. I turned around, looked up the hill.
"Yeah, it's me."
"That's really pretty."
"Is that you, Rachel?"
"Yeah."
"Hi." I waved. "It makes me feel better."
August 3rd addition: [It was nearly overwhelming when I moved alone and went back to school. Now, at the end, I still have quite a bit of anxiety. I have always found a way to survive and really did what I had to do. When I was younger, I didn't feel the anxiety of not knowing where I was going to work after graduation. I had a dream, and I practiced toward that dream. Now, I have projects and realizations, and I feel the anxiety. Singing makes me feel better about all of it. Playing clarinet would, too, but I gotta find a daily practice place. (And, unfortunately, I was having painful women's menstrual issues at the writers' workshop, too; that type of blog post belongs on my Essay Itches page, though. Maybe later, but my point is singing made me feel better.)
Yeah, choices, we all have choices. There were other reasons why I came down here than I wanted to figure out how to finish my book. I can't post them here. I've started an essay about it, though. I would not have come down here for school if my sister and best friend and 98% of all other people I talked to, including some current and former students, didn't encourage me with their whole hearts. Thank you all for the encouragement. -- Now, I need a job or two. -- And I will sing and write and compose and play clarinet. And maybe, one or more of my compositions and stories will be published one day. And I will premiere that clarinet piece and some other projects I'm working on. And maybe, I will get lucky and some of my other dreams will still come true. And maybe, a Northern red cardinal will fly through my window and sing me to sleep. My pet cockatiel is quite the squawker. Stress makes your stomach hurt, A LOT.]
In the morning, I walked in at the end of the breakfast service, as usual, and Aspen had sunflowers in her hair. She said, "Ann Marie, was that you singing last night?"
"Yes."
"It was beautiful." She continued with compliments in her extraordinary lyric writing voice, one I can't imitate here on paper. I can't remember all her exact words. I folded my hands in prayer position and bowed slightly toward her.
"Thank you. I've practiced very hard."
She said, "You are amazing."
"Oh, I wouldn't say amazing. Yes, I think I'm very good. It's too late for me to have a career as a Diva. When I'm practicing clarinet, I play that maybe better than I sing. You could hear me at my website. I sing because it makes me feel better."
If people hear me, and it makes them feel better, too, then that's nice, too.
Hence Max late last night, after I had paced back and forth outside for a couple hours and finished a writing prompt Professor Ira assigned a few days ago, said, "I could hear you singing, today. It was very pretty."
"Oh, thank you," I said.
"No really, it made my entire day," he said.
"Thanks, Max. Love you. Sweet dreams."
The breakfast was frittata, sweet potato hash, oatmeal, sausage, and watermelon. I took small amounts of all, except the sausage. Two minutes late for class, and Prof. Ira is a Buddhist. The Dalai Lama showed us at his week long talk at Lehigh University in 2008 to never be late, oops. I returned my plate to the kitchen.
Chelsea was practically running her plate into the kitchen. "Your voice is gorgeous. I mean opera worthy, really."
Oh dear...
"Well, thank you, but I am too old for an opera career. I can sing at weddings, though."
I didn't even think in that moment that Chelsea has a new boyfriend. I didn't mean to market myself to her. LOL I've tried to market myself as a wedding singer in the past. Guess I didn't try hard enough. I suppose I could try again. I do need a job. Hey, I practiced my arse off on the clarinet and composed a piece. I've practiced my arse off singing and hopefully will finish composing an opera or two - UGH, as I think more about things, I also started and finished a first draft of a Novella during school, a completely unrelated project to anything I was supposed to be doing. AND I FELT LIKE I WAS WRITING AN OPERA BUFFA in parts of it. Would that be an operetta if I ever want it to be? [I need to list my projects and start checking them off; there are others.] - When I finish the memoir and some more essays and compositions, I wouldn't have wasted too much of my life. Must finish more. The orchestra, though, ... will never leave my heart.
I doubt those yellow birds will ever leave each other.
July 22, 2017: ENCOURAGEMENT! Walked to a different part of the woods and sang in the evening of the 20th. Along with another deer and rabbit, I thought the grasses nearly as tall as I am, sunflowers, assortments of purple wild flowers, trees, and red berries were the only things that could hear me.
I saw a classmate walk down the hill, set up a mat to do Yoga. I said, "I'm singing. I will bother you."
She said, "No. I heard you as I got closer. It was lovely."
Hmmmm, that was nice. Lovely, though, I keep going flat on that Disney song.
After thirty-five minutes, I felt something on my toe. I looked down, screeched, and flicked it away. On my way back up the hill, the classmate in Tree Pose asked, "Are you okay?"
I said, "I think it was a leech on my toe. It was black, long, squishy, and crawling, and I didn't know if it would bite me. I should have taken a picture of it." It was twice the thickness of my middle finger, ick.
As I walked the path back to the dorms, another classmate said, "Was that you singing?"
I said, "Uh oh. I was way down the hill in the grasses, saw another deer and rabbit, how could you hear me?"
She said, "I didn't know where it was coming from. It was so pretty. It's a good thing I could hear you."
I said, "I had to stop. There was a leech on my toe. It's getting dark, anyway. But there's nowhere to sing."
"It probably was a slug. There are lots of slugs around here."
The next morning, our MFA program helper said, "Professor Ira said you have the voice of an angel."
Oh no. What do I say? "I didn't know anybody could hear me. There's nowhere to practice. I'm too old to have an opera career."
She said, "Will you sing for us at open mic?"
"I haven't performed in front of anyone in years. And I've only warmed up sometimes on the weekends for the last two years. I need to practice."
Open mic is for the writers.
Another professor came near, "You should sing for us. You could do it outside in the amphitheatre."
I remained silent. Oh no, no. I need to practice. She doesn't mean it. It's not on the schedule. Maybe another time. But why didn't Professor Ira say my writing was as brilliant as an angel's?
This morning, Professor B.K. walked up to me in the breakfast line. "You have a beautiful voice."
Poor Professor B.K. I didn't just say thank you and move on; I told her much of my musical life story in 120 seconds. "I haven't performed in front of anyone in years. I have a Masters in Clarinet. I composed a piece. I want to write two opera-type things. I want to conduct an orchestra. I'm too old to have a singing career and be a Diva. I came to write my memoir to get to the other side. I studied with many great clarinetists. I had years of voice lessons. I have some professional singing experience. I have a few private students in Cleveland, but I need another job or jobs, too. Professors are nice when you are young. Then, they are mean."
She said, "I know," and laughed.
Back to: you need to win something, get published, get lucky. - I'm too old for competitions, right? Where do I build? How can I build? blah, blah. I say blah, blah, because I worked very hard for years to try and build, just not in a supportive environment, and it was like a Buddhist sand mandala. It was swept away. And now, I AM oldish. Premiere the piece. Premiere the piece. I need to get my embouchure back. But singing, writing, composing, FINDING WORK...
Then she said, "I know this is going to sound cliché, Ann Marie, but it is never too late."
What do I do, Universe? Where do I go? I miss Cleveland. My few loyal students are kind of begging me to come back. I have many projects in the cauldron. I have to start pulling them out. At least the clarinet piece is finished, (not orchestrated as planned, yet). At least the memoir is getting closer. At least I can still sing, beautifully, once in a while when watching deer bound by. --- I need to pay my bills. I always have even with four part-time jobs at seven days per week for a few years when I was younger. Universe, help. I need to do Right Living, enjoy my work, make music, create, and by the way, love would be nice, too.
I saw a classmate walk down the hill, set up a mat to do Yoga. I said, "I'm singing. I will bother you."
She said, "No. I heard you as I got closer. It was lovely."
Hmmmm, that was nice. Lovely, though, I keep going flat on that Disney song.
After thirty-five minutes, I felt something on my toe. I looked down, screeched, and flicked it away. On my way back up the hill, the classmate in Tree Pose asked, "Are you okay?"
I said, "I think it was a leech on my toe. It was black, long, squishy, and crawling, and I didn't know if it would bite me. I should have taken a picture of it." It was twice the thickness of my middle finger, ick.
As I walked the path back to the dorms, another classmate said, "Was that you singing?"
I said, "Uh oh. I was way down the hill in the grasses, saw another deer and rabbit, how could you hear me?"
She said, "I didn't know where it was coming from. It was so pretty. It's a good thing I could hear you."
I said, "I had to stop. There was a leech on my toe. It's getting dark, anyway. But there's nowhere to sing."
"It probably was a slug. There are lots of slugs around here."
The next morning, our MFA program helper said, "Professor Ira said you have the voice of an angel."
Oh no. What do I say? "I didn't know anybody could hear me. There's nowhere to practice. I'm too old to have an opera career."
She said, "Will you sing for us at open mic?"
"I haven't performed in front of anyone in years. And I've only warmed up sometimes on the weekends for the last two years. I need to practice."
Open mic is for the writers.
Another professor came near, "You should sing for us. You could do it outside in the amphitheatre."
I remained silent. Oh no, no. I need to practice. She doesn't mean it. It's not on the schedule. Maybe another time. But why didn't Professor Ira say my writing was as brilliant as an angel's?
This morning, Professor B.K. walked up to me in the breakfast line. "You have a beautiful voice."
Poor Professor B.K. I didn't just say thank you and move on; I told her much of my musical life story in 120 seconds. "I haven't performed in front of anyone in years. I have a Masters in Clarinet. I composed a piece. I want to write two opera-type things. I want to conduct an orchestra. I'm too old to have a singing career and be a Diva. I came to write my memoir to get to the other side. I studied with many great clarinetists. I had years of voice lessons. I have some professional singing experience. I have a few private students in Cleveland, but I need another job or jobs, too. Professors are nice when you are young. Then, they are mean."
She said, "I know," and laughed.
Back to: you need to win something, get published, get lucky. - I'm too old for competitions, right? Where do I build? How can I build? blah, blah. I say blah, blah, because I worked very hard for years to try and build, just not in a supportive environment, and it was like a Buddhist sand mandala. It was swept away. And now, I AM oldish. Premiere the piece. Premiere the piece. I need to get my embouchure back. But singing, writing, composing, FINDING WORK...
Then she said, "I know this is going to sound cliché, Ann Marie, but it is never too late."
What do I do, Universe? Where do I go? I miss Cleveland. My few loyal students are kind of begging me to come back. I have many projects in the cauldron. I have to start pulling them out. At least the clarinet piece is finished, (not orchestrated as planned, yet). At least the memoir is getting closer. At least I can still sing, beautifully, once in a while when watching deer bound by. --- I need to pay my bills. I always have even with four part-time jobs at seven days per week for a few years when I was younger. Universe, help. I need to do Right Living, enjoy my work, make music, create, and by the way, love would be nice, too.
July 20, 2017: I snuck to the edge of the woods last evening and sang warmups and five art songs and one Disney song. I saw a doe and a rabbit but couldn't get pictures of them. I wasn't quick enough. Plus my phone doesn't take great pictures. There's a best picture contest going on. I have a cheap old camera, too, but I can't email my pictures directly to the workshop's FB page from it. ---- I kind of felt like Snow White out there, LOL, but I've always been cute, not pretty, never pretty, and now, I AM older. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Come out, come out, wherever you are!
July 13, 2017: "O cessate di piagarmi" by Alessandro Scarlatti - (My original post for this day was deleted. I tried to change the color to white, and when I pressed enter, Weebly deleted all the text and wouldn't let me "undo" that - frustrating. I don't remember exactly what I wrote, and funnily enough, I was in the midst of copying everything here and saving it to my computer, just in case. So, what I do remember is that I said I had never worked on this piece before this week. I think I also said that there sounds like there is an echo in this recording, because I am singing in my bedroom, and the acoustics must be funny in there. What else did I say? Since I am coming up with something, anyway, I might as well admit that this one has become one my favorites out of the Twenty-Four Italian Songs and Arias book.)
Well, I just wrote that below and decided to post "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes," anyway. --- This is the best I have on it for now. (Tricky little thing, hmph. -- Gotta redo this one; gotta sing art songs. At workshop, dying to sing and play my clarinet and write music/opera, and get a job or jobs, AND REWRITE MY THESIS/BOOK, and work on my essays. They are giving us new homework here, no time to rewrite the book, add chapters, and work on my essays. I'm sneaking out to the woods to sing. Freak it; that comes first.)
Darn it, I wanted to post another one before I do a mandatory writers' workshop, but I didn't get a chance to come up with something. All I want to do right now is sing, find a job, and write little phrases about my philosophy of music, and I can't believe it, but I want to play my clarinet. I can't right now. It's been quite a while, too long, and I don't have a regular place to practice it. Anyhow, oh just blabbing. Okay, time to go spend time at this mandatory workshop. -- Have ideas for a new essay and stuff... This should have been sung, HA HAAA!
"When You Wish Upon a Star" by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington - This is the best I have for now on this one - only did warmups now and again during getting the MFA. (Later will be a very short poem thing, like a sentence or two, with only melody I'm writing as like my philosophy of music #1. I might do a series of these.)
"Don't Stop Me Now" solfege and words mixed but only first time through. After you listen to my solfege mix, go to Queen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgzGwKwLmgM AND then to Peter Bence's cover and mashup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrQnnhAXLt0&list=RDLrQnnhAXLt0.
Here's "Cry Me a River" in solfege. Not pretending to be a jazz singer. Just practicing for fun. Go here to hear a great jazz singer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gn9A-kdsRo
For good measure: Solfege from Music for Sight Singing Third Edition, Robert Ottman - sang through twice, then recorded, no written syllables above.
MORE TO COME -- Some minor ones added 7/2/2017
MORE TO COME -- Some minor ones added 7/2/2017
June 29, 2017: "O del mio dolce ardor" by C W von Gluck. Practicing a capella. Practicing diligently for the first time in a really long time. I still warmed up now and again during getting the MFA. Was difficult to do anything but assignments, write, and drive here and there to teach. Can't believe I'm posting this. I made kind of a goal to do this, a promise. Anyway, hoping to get a decent take of "When You Wish Upon a Star" in the next week. Just because. It's quite the difficult little Disney piece, kind of kicking me into gear. (Maybe it's the English besides the hiatus.) 6/29/2017
Live performance (memorized) at The Cleveland Institute of Music May 21st, 2011
"Almen se non poss'io" - Vincenzo Bellini
Below is some of my opera, Mother Nature. I first wrote some of this Libretto as poetry years ago. Now, I keep adding to it as I go along, since I didn't know I was writing an opera to begin with. I was just taking old poetry and composing music to it, and then, POOF, I realized I had a whole story that could be an opera. Part of the story: Zabe and Anna are sisters. Anna is trapped in a cocoon, which represents her own mind. She repeats thoughts about the disappearance of their Mother, over and over. Zabe tries to free her but can't. She decides to go get help. She finds Mother Nature and brings her to Anna. [That part of the opera isn't on here, yet; although the song "Blind" is sung after Anna gets out of the cocoon.] A friend sang the part of Zabe. I sang as Anna. I was sick as a dog with an upper respiratory infection during this recording, but it had to be made that day, sigh. --- Other parts of the opera need major revision, and parts of the Libretto still need music. I am getting to it. Recordings are from back about 2010 and 2011. See my revised Dec. 15, 2017th Written Post below. Poetry/Libretto was started years before any recording.
Opening: Zabe sings to the audience. -- "Rules of Marriage I" - Ann Marie Falcone, Composer, Librettist "Do any of us read the rules of marriage before committing to its deal? Our father and mother married and made us, and then she disappeared POOF! poof poof! POOOOOF! This is Anna, my little sister."
Recitative: Zabe sings to the audience about her sister, Anna-- "Cocoon" - Ann Marie Falcone, Composer, Librettist "She's in a cocoon. No one has been able to break her out. But no one has really tried hard. She sings day and night to herself about the story. . . in this room, this cocoon." - Libretto is in a notebook, written c. 2005. I have to look and see when I put it into my computer, but we recorded this about 2010.
Anna sings to herself in the cocoon about the story: "Choice" - Ann Marie Falcone, Composer, Librettist, & Soprano Artist
Will be for flutes and soprano. Forgive my singing on this one. I was sick with an upper respiratory infection, but the recording had to happen that day. "As protection from wrath, her innocent nature tried hard to stand firm, hard to stand firm against undue danger. A fine line of trust, her nature embedded in life with a man to whom she had wed. The fine line was farce. All power was his. He forced her hand away from his. And the choice that she had was, to abandon her kids. So from this place, my story comes. It is too vague and far from done."
Will be for flutes and soprano. Forgive my singing on this one. I was sick with an upper respiratory infection, but the recording had to happen that day. "As protection from wrath, her innocent nature tried hard to stand firm, hard to stand firm against undue danger. A fine line of trust, her nature embedded in life with a man to whom she had wed. The fine line was farce. All power was his. He forced her hand away from his. And the choice that she had was, to abandon her kids. So from this place, my story comes. It is too vague and far from done."
Zabe sings to the audience-- "Rules of Marriage II" - Ann Marie Falcone, Composer, Librettist "And people, people like us seek counsel before marriage, after watching our parents show us their way. Yes, our mother was thrown away, and then we were sent away. Anna went to live at our great aunts' house, and I went to my uncle's house. Anna was gone for a year. And when we returned to our parents' home, Mother was gone."
Recorded at Cleveland State University March 21st, 2010
Anna sings in the cocoon. "Mirror" - Ann Marie Falcone, Composer, Librettist, & Soprano Artist "My heart strains. It beats ferociously. And my eyes, they weep with wildness. I keep them closed, with questions of deceit. While scenes of debauchery creep through my mind and do not leave. My cheeks flush as red as the devil's face. And my brow shows thoughts of the lies I've saved. How can a person understand? It's not a story to repeat. A mirror is all I have to grieve."
Written post updated December 15, 2017: This one was actually recorded in a studio with the ones above. I do have a recording of this from Cleveland State U. March 21, 2010, but it was deleted from here when Weebly updated some things. Some of my pictures were, too. When I went to replace this recording, I quickly replaced it with the one I did at the same time in the studio with the "Rules of Marriage" and others above. That was the day I was sick. Anyway, I will try to put the other recording from 2010 here, again, soon, if I can. --- I really want to finish my other Art Song Cycle, now, and record that, too. (Of course I keep saying the Song Cycle could be expanded into Opera #2. Yeah, I'm ready to finish that Song Cycle and even perform it, somewhere, somehow.)
Anna explains that she feels blind after being freed from the cocoon. "Blind" - Ann Marie Falcone, Composer, Librettist, & Soprano Artist "This Mother I do not know, yet her shadow follows me close. The choice she made seems simple, to find a place without us. See us now, looking for her soul. This Mother I do not know. Seeing yours there, hurts me, so? All is light. Can you see it? It is here for her to find us. Mother, Mother, where did you go? We were left behind. Our hearts have become blind. But when I sing for you, the angels hear me, too."
Live performance March 20th, 2011 at Euclid Avenue Congregational Church with choir during service: Music starts at 1:43 w/ organ chord, choir comes in at 4:12
"Oh Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem" - John Blow