Combat and Carols

Bruce Fithian, Music Director Com6atancrcaroCs Friday, May 29, 2015, 7:30.PM · Cathedral Church ,of Saint Luke 143' State Street, Portland, Maine ' Sunday, May 31,2015, 4:00 PM Episcopal Church of Saint Mary 43 Foreside Road, Falmouth Foreside, Maine With special reception to follow performance Tuesday, June 2, 2015, 7:30 PM First Parish Church 9 Cleaveland Street, Brunswick, Maine ----"
~-----~~~.
Cotnbat and Carols
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Songs of Love and War Claudio Monteverdi (1567 ..1643) Come dolce hoggi l'auretta
Book IX Madrigals
Soloists: Christine Letcher, soprano I; Molly Harmon, soprano II; Rachel Keller, soprano III
Timothy Burris, theorbo; Kathryn Sytsma, viol da gamba, Bruce Fithian, harpsichord
o mio bene
Book IX Madrigals
Soloists: Martin Lescault, tenor I; Bruce Fithian, tenor II; Bruce Canterbury, bass
Timothy Burris, theorbo; Kathryn Sytsma, viol da gamba, Christopher Pelonzi*, harpsichord
Armato il cor d'amantina fede
Book IX Madrigals
Soloists: Erin Chenard, soprano I; Andrea Graichen, soprano II
Timothy Burris, theorbo; Kathryn Sytsma, violda gamba, Bruce Fithian, harpsichord
Ardo, avvampo, mi struggo
Book VIII Madrigals
Soloists: Christine Letcher, Rachel Keller, Andrea Graichen, Martin Lescault, Bruce
Fithian***, John D. Adams, Bruce Canterbury
Mary Jo Carlsen, violin I; Michael Albert, violin II; Timothy Burris, theorbo; Kathryn Sytsma,
viol da gamba, Christopher Pelonzi**, harpsichord
.II Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda
Book VIII Madrigals
Soloists: Martin Lescault, Testo;}ohn D. Adams, Trancredi; Molly Harmon, Clorinda
Dancers: Erica Diesl, Trancredi; Kaleigh Natale, Clorinda; Colleen Edwards, choreographer
Mary Jo Carlsen, violin I; Michael Albert, violin II; Evan Cuddy, viola; Timothy Burris, theorbo;
Kathryn Sytsma, viol da gamba, Bruce Fithian harpsichord
Intermission
*Christine Letcher, harpsidwrd on May 29
**Bruce Fithian, harpsichord on May 29
*** Paul McGovern on May 29
2
II
George Frideric Handel (1685 .. 1759)
o praise the Lord with one consent, Chandos Anthem No.9, HWV 254
Chorus: 0 praise the Lord with one consent
Air for alto: Praise Him, all ye that in this house
Soloist: Andrea Graichen
Michael Albert, oboe
III. Air for tenor: For this is our truest int'rest
Soloists: Martin Lescault
IV. Air for bass: That God is great
Soloist: John D. Adams
V.
Chorus: With cheerful notes let all the earth
VI. Air for soprano: God's tender mercy knows no bounds
Soloist: Erin Chenard
VII. Chorus: Ye boundless realms of joy
VIII. Chorus: Your voices raise
Mary Jo Carlsen, violin I; Evan Cuddy, violin II; Michael Albert, oboe; Timothy Burris, theorbo;
Kathryn Sytsma, viol da gamba, Bruce Fithian harpsiclwrd
I.
II.
St
maPlj Schota
Music Director: Bruce Fithian
Sopranos: Erin Chenard, Molly Harmon, Rachel Keller, Christine Letcher Mezzo..soprano: Andrea Graichen, Abra Mueller Countertenor: James M. Brown Tenors: Bruce Fithian, Martin A. Lescault, Paul McGovern Baritone, Basses: John D. Adams, Asa Bradford, Bruce Canterbury, Nicholas MacDonald* Baroque Violins: Mary Jo Carlsen, Michael Albert, Madeline Kapp* Viola: Evan Cuddy Viol da gamba: Kathryn Sytsma Oboe: Michael Albert Theorbo: Timothy Burris Harpsichord: Bruce Fithian, Christine Letcher Special Guests: Christopher Pelonzi, harpsichord; Colleen Edwards, choreographer; Erica Diesl, Trancredi; Kaleigh Natale, Clorinda Special thanks:
Douglas Watkins - Website Administrator
*Not appearing in this concert
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Thank you for joining us for our 2014,2015 season. It is a pleasure to offer you the best in early music from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque eras. We look forward to seeing you again at in December for our Annual Christmas concert! Special Guests
Colleen Edwards, choreographer, attended The Boston Conservatory where she
earned her BFA in Dance and worked with Luis Fuente, Donna Silva and
Denise Pons. While there, she danced in Jose Limon's Missa Brevis, was a soloist
in Anthony Tudor's Dark Elegies, and Fokine's Les Sylphides. She danced as a
soloist with the Baton Rouge Ballet Theater in their Nutcracker: Tale from the
Bayou, and as the Winter Fairy in Cinderella. Also at BRBT Colleen was chosen
to perform as a soloist at the Gala performance of the Southwest Ballet Festival
in Parable. Colleen danced as a principle in Northeast Ballet Theater's The
Nutcracker, and danced two seasons with Urbanity Contemporary Dance Company in Boston,
performing in the premier of the acclaimed Story of Stuff at the Strand Theater.
Kaleigh Natale, Clorinda, graduated from The Boston Conservatory with her
BFA in Contemporary Dance Performance in 2012. While at The Boston
Conservatory she had the opportunity to perform works by Jose Limon, Gianni
DiMarco, Alwin Nikolais, Ohad Naharin, Danny Pelzig, as well as student
choreographers. Kaleigh joined Portland Ballet Company in 2012 as an
apprentice and was promoted to a company member in 2013. With PBC she
has appeared in the Summer Seaside Social, Halloween Spooktacular, The
Victorian Nutcracker, and The Armed Man.
Erica Diesl, Trancredi, received her early training from the Acton School of Ballet
under the direction of Kathryn Anderson and Walter Morris. After high school,
Erica continued her education at the University of Utah and the San Francisco
Conservatory of Dance, where she was able to learn works by J iri Kylian and
Ohad Naharin among others. Since graduating from the University of Utah, she
has worked with BalletRox in Anthony Williams's Urban Nutcracker, and she
has spent two seasons dancing with the Ballet Theatre of Maryland. She was
recently seen in the role of 'Death' in The Armed Man.
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Board of Directors Jennifer Gregg - President Bruce Fithian - Music Director Thomas Smith - Treasurer Kue John Lor - Secretary The Reverend David Illingworth James Stoddard Nadine Timberlake Dr. Robert Timberlake Jennifer Gregg has spent her last five years as Schola's Board President and will be stepping down from her position. St Mary Schola wishes to indicate their gratitude and appreciation for outstanding service to Jennifer for her years of service to the Schola by granting her the lifetime title of Honorary Director. Thank you Jennifer for all that you have done for the Schola! Robert Timberlake will become the new Schola board president beginning June 2015. St Mary Schola would like to express its gratitude to the communities of Saint Mary in Falmouth, Saint Luke in Portland and First Parish in Brunswick for their continued support and friendship. About the Schola
St Mary Schola was founded in 2008 by The Reverend James Dalton-Thompson and Bruce Fithian
with the goal to provide the finest in early music literature to New England audiences. Based at the
Episcopal Church of Saint Mary in Falmouth, the ensemble presents three concert programs a year.
The Schola features some of Maine's finest singers and instrumentalists who explore the great
masterworks of the medieval, Renaissance and baroque eras, especially the music of Monteverdi,
Schutz and Bach.
Would you like to sponsor a St Mary Schola concert? Concert sponsorship helps pay rental fees and
provides the artists remuneration beyond the ticket sales. Please see any Schola board member or
email [email protected] for more information.
St Mary Schola is looking for volunteers. If you would like to help out in any way, please speak with
any Schola board member or send an email to [email protected] Thank you.
5
We wish to thank the following generous benefactors to St Mary Schola:
Seraphim
Anonymous
Peter and Harriette Griffen
Cherubim
Jennifer A. Gregg
Mrs. Verner Reed
Robert and Nadine Timberlake
Hosts
Anonymous
Tom and Sheila Donaldson
Margaret Fast
Carson and Chris Lutes
Virtues
William R. Britton, Jr.
Betsy and Tom Elliman
Eileen Farrar
Ann Jordan
Kue John Lor
Nancy L. Meiners
Joan and Dan McDonald
Patricia C. Mordecai
Peter Murray
Doug and Becky Pride
Tom and Connie Smith
J ames and Elizabeth Stoddard
Richard and Louise Sullivan
Doug Watkins and Michael Pickel
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For a Free Consultation Contact Kim Dorsky and Liz Pattison
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These concerts would not be possible without your support. Relying upon tax-deductible donations,
St Mary Schola is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization devoted to fostering appreciation of early music.
Please visit the Schola's website: stmaryschola.org/donate.html for online donations; or checks made
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6
Program Notes
Welcome to our spring concert. The first half of our program is devoted to the music of Claudio
Monteverdi and his later works of chamber music and music drama. In the course of nine books of
madrigals, Monteverdi transformed the elegant polyphonic forms of the Renaissance into a
completely new style. It is especially in his eighth book, called Madrigafi Guem·eri et Amorosi (Madrigals
of War and Love), that this new style was made manifest. At the beginning of the seventeenth century,
especially in Florence, musicians, philosophers and lovers of music were interested in widening the
scope of music's expressive powers. In his foreword to the Book VIII Madrigals, Monteverdi
describes these efforts, and how through the reading of Plato and Aristotle, he himself came up with
his own solutions. He wrote:
"Having considered that our mind has three principle passions - anger, temperance and
humility, and music theory describes this clearly with the three terms of agitated (concitato),
tender (moffe) and temperate (temperato), and never having been able to find in all the
compositions of the past composers an example of the agitated style as described by Plato:
'Take up that harmony which, as it should, imitates the voice and accents of a man going
bravely into battle,' and, knowing that it is contraries that deeply affect our mind, the goal of
good music ought to have, as Boethius affirms when he says: 'Music is associated with our lives,
to lend honor to our manners,' I have set myself the task of discovering this stife concitato
(agitated style)."
In this way he could juxtapose the startling emotions of war and love. In the ninth book of rnadrigals
there are many striking examples of his invention. 'Come dolce hoggi l'auretta,' from the lost opera
'Proserpina rapita,' paints an exquisite picture of languid breezes caressing lovers. '0 mio bene' begins
with gentle pleading and ends with a refrain that is much more warlike, on the words "no more war!"
Similarly, 'Armato il cor d'amantina fede' describes a soul being armed against the pains of love, with
many military vocal flourishes.
'Ardo, avvampo, mi struggo,' from the eighth book of madrigals has a dramatic contrast of two
emotions: the first part is a hysterical plea of help - clearly this lover is frantically burning with ardor!
Monteverdi almost humorously describes the desperate lover's cries throughout the eight voices with
repeated notes (especially on the phase 'water, water, water, water!' to extinguish the fire of love), and
then in the second part of the madrigal there is contrasting music that is more poignant, more in the
temperate style. And on the words per si beato ardore (for such blissful burning) the mood completely
changes to the tender style (stife moffe). On a footnote, Handel at the end of the baroque era was also
intrigued by the theory of music styles depicting emotions: his oratorio 'L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il
Moderato' explored joyful, pensive and moderate states of mind.
It is with the music drama '11 Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda' that Monteverdi clearly showed
his new style. In his preface he described how he "divided up the whole note into sixteen sixteenth
notes that were sounded one after another to represent anger and vexation. To perform a better
experiment, I seized upon the divine Tasso and the description he makes of the combat between
Tancredi and Clorinda, so that I would have contrary passions to set to music, that is, war,
supplication, and death. And then in the year 1624, when I performed it before the best people of the
noble city of Venice, it was listened to with great applause and praised." He also noted that the
musicians who played the basso continuo felt that "the necessity to strike a single string sixteen. tiro..e'S
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in one measure, laughable rather than praiseworthy." This shows us how revolutionary his invention
was. The story of II Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, from Tasso's epic Gerusalemme liberate
Gerusalem delivered) was perfect for Monteverdi's creativity:
Joining the Schola ensemble for this piece are two special guest dancers, Erica Diesl and I<aleigh
Natale with choreography by Colleen Edwards.
The scene is that of a fight in single combat between a Crusader, Tancredi and the Muslim maiden,
Clorinda, of whose sex he could not be aware, since she is dressed in armor. It is revealed that
Clorinda's parents were Christian, but this does not affect her until the moment of her death.
Tancredi has seen her once without her helmet and has fallen immediately in love. In the battle,
Tancredi, not knowing her identity or even her sex pursues her vengefully as she attempts to defend
her city.
Monteverdi vividly describes much of the action through the orchestra: the trotting of the horses, the
clashing of swords and the famous repeated sixteenth notes in G major, portraying the furious battle.
There is the first use of pizifcato (the plucking of strings) to imitate the sounds of weapons. As the
warriors get tired, the music gets slower and softer, and the whole battle scene is relentlessly in G
major, and just like in minimalism of the 20th century, when the music changes to another tonality, it
is breathtaking.
After a brief respite, the battle continues until Clorinda is mortally wounded. It is at this point that the
stile concitato (agitated style) changes to a mood of reflection and sadness (stile molle tender style). When
Clorinda implores Tancredo that he has been victorious, her vocal line as well as the instruments are
marked forte and piano (again a rare use of these markings), indicating her fighting for breath. When
she has a change of mind and asks Tancredi to baptize her, the mood becomes very quiet, pious and
remorseful. Clorinda's final words of peace are movingly set to ecstatic harmonies.
But what kind of a music theatre piece is Combattimento? There has been a lot of discussion about the
best way to realize this work. It was clearly never meant to be an opera like Monteverdi's other staged
works, because most of Combattimento is narrated, offering the tenor narrator (in our case, the brilliant
Martin Lescault) an opportunity to render the ancient art of oratory. But it is also not an oratorio. We
have come up with our own realization by using both singers and dancers simultaneously. In this way,
the glories of the music can be portrayed aurally as well as visually. I want to take this opportunity to
thank Colleen Edwards, her talented dancers and the musicians of the Schola for the many hours they
have put into bringing this great masterpiece to life.
James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos (1674-1744) \vas an English nobleman who built a sumptuous
country mansion called Cannons (estimated at costing 42 million dollars in today's currency) that was
a seat of great learning and culture. Like Prince Esterhazy in Haydn's time, the Duke of Chandos was
an important patron of music. Handel was the resident composer at Cannons from 1717 until 1719,
where an ensemble of singers and musicians was employed. Handel wrote 11 Chandos anthems which
were performed at the parish church of St Lawrence, Little Stanmore, and the 1716 organ that Handel
himself played is still there. While at Cannons Handel also composed the delightful masque 'Acis and
Galatea' and the oratorio 'Esther.'
8
The Chandos Anthem No.9, '0 praise the Lord with one consent,' is based on verses from Psaln1
135, 117, and 148. After a lovely orchestral introduction, the first chorus' theme will be familiar to
many: it is the melody known as St. Ann, or in most hymns as '0 God, our help in ages past.' The
first part of this chorus explores the main theme with a contrasting celebratory theme on the words
'and magnify his name.' Like Bach, I-Iandel was a master at developing several themes contrapuntally.
In the second part of the chorus, on the words 'let all the servants of the Lord his worthy praise,'
Handel ingeniously composed contrasting then1es that intertwine in a fugue. The whole chorus
sparkles with joy and delight.
The alto air 'Praise him all ye that in his house attend' is one of the many arias Handel composed with
the marking 'larghetto' which left room for a tempo that is not too slow nor too fast. I-Ie clearly loved
this piece because he used it again in a later version of Esther and Deborah.
The tenor air highlights agile coloratura phrases for the tenor voice and is full of great rhythmic
energy.
The majestic bass air 'That God is great,' with the unusually high tessitura must have been written for
the same bass who sang in 'Acis and Galatea.'
The chorus 'With cheerful voice let all the earth to heaven their voices raise' has a very unusual
marking indicating a decrescendo (getting softer little by little). Handel clearly marked f p pp to indicate
this, and it is rare for the baroque era. However, one wonders whether crescendos and decrescendos might
have been asked for in performance, even though they were not notated in this era. The second part
of the chorus has a Lutheran-like chorale theme, similar to the St Ann melody, surrounded by a
wonderfully pulsating eighth note pattern in the voices and instruments.
In the soprano air 'God's tender mercy knows no bound,' one can see why singers in Handel's time as
well as today love his vocal writing. His ability to compose soaring lines, filled with passion, continues
to enchant us.
The chorus 'Ye boundless realms of joy, exalt your maker's fame' is also in two parts, the first part of
which explores two contrasting themes. The second part has a very lyrical theme on the words "his
praise your song employ above the starry frame," in which the vocal line rises gracefully upwards.
The final chorus 'Your voices raise' brings in a rousing alleluia in contrapuntal variations like in his
much later chorus 'For not us a child is given' from Messiah.
It has been an honor to learn and present these amazing glories from the past and we are so glad to
share them with you, our loyal and appreciative audience.
Bruce Fithian
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Translations
Come dolce hoggi l' auretta, Claudio Monteverdi, poem by Giulio Strozzi
Come dolce hoggi l'auretta How sweet today the enchanting breeze Lusinga spira, spira e vien breathes and comes to kiss me, teasingly, A baciarmi lascivetta, to kiss my cheeks and breast. A baciarmi Ie guancie '1 sen. Gli Amoretti l'aura fanno Quando l' ali spiegan al ciel Quando vanno, quando vanno Della notte a squarciar il vel. The breeze creates lovers when their wings soar up to heaven when they go to lift the veil of night. Ride il bosco, brilla il prato, Scherza il fonte, festeggia '1 mar Quando un fiato, quando un fiato D'aura fresca s'ode spirar. The forest laughs, the meadows shine, the fountain plays, the waves rejoice, when a breath of cool breeze is heard blowing. Entri pur nel nostro petto o bell' aura nel tuo venir
Quel diletto, quel diletto
Che fa l'alme tanto gioir.
Come, you too, to our breast, o beautiful breeze and with your coming, what delight which makes the soul so rejoice! o mio bene, Claudio Monteverdi
o mio bene, 0 mia vita,
o my beloved, 0
non mi far pili languire.
Non mi negar aita,
ch'io mi sento morire.
Non pili guerra d'amore,
no, no, nuo core.
my life, Don't let me languish anymore! Do not refuse to help me, otherwise, I feel I may die! No more love-war! no, no, my heart! o begli occhi, 0
o beautiful eyes, 0
bei rai,
non pili, non pili penare,
non mi date pili guai,
ch'io mi sento mancare.
N on pili guerra di pene,
no, no, mio bene.
o mio core, 0
mio core
o mia face, 0 mia face
non m'esser pili crudele
non mi negar pili pace
perch'io ti son fedele.
N on pili guerra di noia
no, no, nuo gtoia.
beautiful beams no more pain! Give me no more troubles! Otherwise, I feel I will faint. No more pains of war! No, no, my beloved o my heart, my heart,
o my beloved face,
Do not be so cruel to me
Do not deny me peace
Because I am faithful to you!
No more annoying war
. I
N 0, no, my JOY.
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Armato i1 cor d'amantina fede, Claudio Monteverdi
Armato il cor d'adamantina fede
I come, armed with a heart of unbreakable faith
nell'amoroso regno,
in the reign of love,
to war
a mili tar ne vegno,
contrastero col Ciel
I will fight against heaven
and against destiny!
e con la sorte,
pugnero con la morte,
I will battle with death,
ch'intrepido guerriero
as an intrepid warrior,
And if I am not victorious,
se vittoria non ho,
I will not want to live!
vita non chero.
Ardo, avvampo, mi struggo, Claudio Monteverdi Ardo, avvampo, mi struggo!
I burn, I blaze, I melt: Accorrete
Come running! amici, vicini, all'infiammato loco!
friends, neighbors, to the site of the blaze Alladro, alladro!
stop, thiefl Al tradimento! Al foco!
Treachery! Fire! Scale, accette, martelli,
Take ladders, hatches, hammers, water! acqua prendete!
And you, church towers, are you still silent? E voi torri sacrate anco tacete?
Come, bells, come, for I am hoarse with shouting, Su, su, bronzi, ch'io dal gridar son roco,
Dite il periglio altrui non lieve 0 poco, proclaim this peril, not slight or small, to others and request pity for my burning. E degl'incendi miei pieta chiedete!
Son due belli occhi illadro, e seco amore
Two beautiful eyes are the thief and, with them, Love l'incendiario che l'inique faci
is the arsonist who hurled dentro la rocca m'avvento del core!
the evil torches inside the citadel of my heart. Ecco i rimedi omai vani e fallaci.
Mi dice ogn'un, "Per si beato ardore:
las cia che'l cor s'incenerisca, e taci."
By now all cure is vain and deceptive. Everyone tells me, "Such burning is so blissful, allow your heart to burn to ashes, and be silent." II Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, Claudio Monteverdi
Tancredi che Clorinda un uomo stima
vuol ne l'armi provarla al paragone.
Va girando colei l'alpestre cima
ver altra porta, ove d'entrar dispone.
Segue egli impetuoso, onde assai prima
che giunga, in guisa avvien che d'armi suone ch'ella si volge e grida: correndo si? - Rispose: - E guerra e morte.
0
tu, che porte,
Tancredi, believing Clorinda is a man, desires to challenge her in single combat. She, skirting round the mountain peak, is heading for a city she intends to enter. 11 So impetuous is his chase that well before
he reaches her she hears the noise of armor and, turning, cries, "You there, what is the cause of such
great haste?" He answers, "war and death."
Guerra e morte avrai: - disse - io non rifiuto darlati, se la cerchi e fermo attendee
Ne vuol Tancredi, ch'ebbe a pie veduto
il suo nen1ico, usar cavallo, e scende.
E impugna l'un e l'altro il ferro acuto, ed aguzza l'orgoglio e l'ira accende; e vansi incontro a
passi tardi e lenti quai due tori gelosi e d'ira ardenti.
"War and death you'll have," she said. "I'll not deny your object if you'll stand and face me." Tancredi, who saw his enemy on foot, declines to stay on horseback, and dismounts. Both grasp their sharp­ edged swords, prick on their pride, whip up their fury. and advance upon each other with slow steps like two rival bulls inflamed with fury. Notte, che nel profondo oscuro seno chiudesti e nell'oblio fatto si grande, degne d'un chiaro
sol, degne d'un pieno teatro, opre sarian si memorande. Piacciati ch'indi i1 tragga e'n bel
sereno
a Ie future eta 10 spieghi e mande. Viva la fama lor, e tra lor gloria splenda dal fosco tuo l'alta
memorIa.
Night, who hath enclosed in thy dark breast and in obscurity a deed so great, since the light of day and of a crowded theatre feats so memorable are worthy, grant that I may illuminate them thus, transmitting them to future generations. May their fame live on, and may their glory shine out, a noble memory, from your darkness. Non schivar, non parar, non pur ritrarsi voglion costor, ne qui destrezza ha parte. Non danno
i colpi or finti, or pieni, or scarsi: toglie l'ombra e'l furor l'uso de l'arte.
odi Ie spade orribilmente urtarsi
a mezzo il ferro; e'l pie d'orma non parte: sempre il pie fermo e la man sempre in moto, ne
scende taglio in van, ne punta a voto.
To dodge, to parry blows or to retreat they do not strive, for skill has here no part. They do not feint, nor strike now hard, now soft; darkness and rage preclude all subtlety. Hark to the horrifying clash of sword on steel; their feet cleave the ground; their feet are still, their hands move constantly, no cut but finds its mark, no thrust goes wide. L'onta irrita 10 sdegno a la vendetta, e la vendetta poi l'onta rinova: onde sempre al ferir, sempre ala fretta stimol novo s'aggiunge e piaga nova. d'or in or piu si mesce e pi u ristretta 12
si fa la pugna, e spada oprar non giova: dansi con pomi, e infelloniti e crudi
cozzan con gli elmi insieme e con gli scudi.
Indignation fuels their vengeful fury, vengeful fury fuels more indignation, whence to their fierce exchange, their frenzy, comes a new stimulus to inflict more wounds. from time to time they close, and then the fight is more restricted, sword blades are no use; they strike with pommels and, more savage now, clash their casques and their shields together. Tre volte il cavalier la donna stringe con Ie robuste braccia, e altrettante poi da quei nodi
tenaci ella si scinge, nodi di fier nemico e non d'amante. Tornano al ferro, e l'un e l'altro il
tinge di molto sangue: e stanco e anelante e questi e quegli al fin pur si ritira,
e dopo lungo faticar respira.
Thrice does the knight the woman grip in his strong arms, and as oft does she break free from those tenacious bonds, the bonds of bitter enmity, not love. Now they resume their swords, and each the other bathes in streams of blood; weary and panting, both he and she must draw apart at last, and after laboring long, regain their breath. L'un l'altro guarda, e del suo corpo essangue su'l pomo de la spada appoggia il peso. Gia de l'ultima stella i1 raggio langue suI primo albor ch'e in oriente acceso. Vede Tancredi in maggior copia il sangue del suo nemico e se non tanto offeso, ne gode e in superbisce. oh nostra folIe mente ch'ogn'aura di fortuna estolle! They eye each other, and lean exhausted bodies upon the pommels of their swords. The last remaining star is fading now as dawn's first rays illuminate the east. Tancredi sees his enemy's copious loss of blood, and his own injuries less grave. Well pleased, he preens himself. Oh human folly, that fortune's every offering refuses! Misero, di che godi? oh quanto mesti siano i trionfi e infelice il vanto! Gli occhi tuoi pagheran (s'in vita resti) di quel sangue ogni stilla un mar di pianto. Cost tacendo e rimirando, questi sanguinosi guerrier cessaro alquanto. Ruppe il silenzio al fin Tancredi e disse, perche il suo nome l'un l'altro scoprisse: Poor man, what joy is this! How tragic is
your victory, how ill-conceived your pride!
These eyes of yours will pay - if you survive ­
a sea of tears for each drop of that blood.
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So silently and thoughtfully they stood, these bloody warriors, and paused awhile. At last Tancredi broke the silence, saying, because he wished them to disclose their names: "Nostra sventura eben che qui s'impieghi tanto valor, dove silenzio il copra. Ma poi che sorte rea vien che ci nieghi e lode e testimon degni de l'opra, pregoti (se fra l'armi han loco i preghi) che'l tuo nome e'l tuo stato a me tu scopra, accio ch'io sappia, 0 vinto 0 vincitore, chi la mia morte 0 vittoria onore." "our true misfortune is that we employ
such valor here, where it must go unsung. But, since our cruel destiny denies us
the admiration worthy of such feats,
I pray you - if in combat prayers have place - to reveal your name and status to me
so that, as victor or as vanquished, I know
who has honored me with life or death."
Rispose la feroce: - Indarno chiedi
quel c'ho per uso di non far palese.
Ma chiunque io mi sia, tu innanzi vedi un di quei due che la gra~ torre accese. - Arse di
sdegno a quel parlar Tancredi
e: - In mal punto il dicesti; (indi riprese) e'l tuo dir e'l tacer di par m'alletta, barbaro
discortese, a la vendetta.
The warrior maid replies: "You ask in vain that which it is my custom to conceal. But whoever I may be, you see before you one of the two who set the great tower ablaze." Hearing these words Tancredi is incensed: "Inopportune were those words!" "Your speech and silence spur me on alike, uncouth barbarian, to retribution." Torna l'ira ne' cori e Ii trasporta, benche deboIi, in guerra a fiera pugna! U'l'arte in bando, u'gia la forza e morta, ove, in vece, d'entrambi il furor pugna! 0 che sanguigna e spaziosa porta fa l'una e l'altra spada, ovunque giugna ne l'armi e ne Ie cami! e se la vita non esce, sdegno tienla al petto unita. Their anger now rekindles, and propels tl1em back, though weak, to war, to that fierce fight where skill is outlawed, strength is dead, and naked fury takes the place of both. o what bloody gaping openings
the sword of each inflicts where'er it strikes on armor and on flesh, and life would issue forth did fury
not retain it in the breast.
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Ma ecco omai l'ora fatal e giunta
che'l viver di Clorinda al suo fin deve. Spinge egli il ferro nel bel sen di punta che vi
s'immerge e'l sangue avido beve;
e la veste che d'or vago trapunta
Ie mammelle stringea tenere e lieve, l'empie d'un caldo fiume. Ella gia sente morirsi, e'l pie Ie
manca egro e languente.
But 10, the fatal hour has now arrived
that to Clorinda's life must put an end.
He thrusts the blade straight into her fair breast where, immersed, it avidly drinks her blood. And her
tunic, exquisitely gold-embroidered, that clings around her dainty, tender breasts, fllls with a tepid
stream. She knows at once that she must die, and staggers, weak and faint.
Segue egli la vittoria, e la trafitta vergine minacciando incalza e preme. Ella, mentre cadea, la voce afflitta movendo, disse Ie parole estreme: parole ch'a lei novo spirto addita, spirto di fe, di carita, di speme, virtu che dio Ie infonde, e se rubella in vita fu, la vuole in morte ancella. Victory in his grasp, he throws himself menacingly upon the wounded maiden. She, while falling, with her failing voice speaks her dying words which indicate a change of heart, a spirit new to her, one of faith, of charity, of hope; virtues inspired by God, intent that she, rebellious in life, in death will be his handmaid. Amico, hai vinto: io ti perdon... perdona tuancora, al corpo no,che nulla pave,
a l'alma si: deh! per lei prega, e dona battesmo a me ch'ogni miacolpa lave. - In queste voci
languide risuona
un non so che di flebile e soave
ch'al cor gli scendeed ogni sdegno ammorza,e gli occhi a lagrimar invoglia e sforza.
Friend, you have won. I pardon you. Your pardon grant me too, not for my fearless body, but for my soul; 0 pray for that, and give me baptism to cleanse me of all sin. In this languid utterance he hears a strange appeal, a plaintive gendeness that to his heart descends and melts all anger, making tears sting, then gush forth from his eyes. Poco quindi lontan nel sen d'un monte scaturia mormorando un picciol rio. Egli v'accorse e
l'elmo empie nel fonte, e tomo mesto al grande ufficio e pio. Tremar senti la man, mentre la
fronte non conosciuta ancor sciolse e scoprio. La vide e la conobbe: e resto senza
e voce e moto. Ahi vista! ahi conoscenza!
Not far off, from the heart of a mountain welled a litde murmuring stream. Thither he ran, his casque filled at the spring, and, grieving, began the great and sacred rite. His hand was trembling as he loosened the vizor and raised it from the face as yet unknown. He saw and recognized her; then was he bereft of speech and movement. Ah tragic revelation! 15 Non mori gia, che sue virtuti accolse
tutte in quel punto e in guardia al cor Ie mise, e premendo il suo affanno a dar si volse
vita con l'acqua a chi col ferro uccise.
Mentre egli il suon de' sacri detti sciolse,
colei di gioia trasmutossi, e rise:
e in atto di morir lieta e vivace
dir parea: "S'apre il ciel: io vado in pace".
He did not die; but marshalled his forces and posted them around his heart to guard it, and stifling his grief, he sought to restore, with water, life to the one his sword had slain. While listening to the holy words he uttered, she was transformed by happiness, and smiled; as she died, her spirit filled with joy, she seemed to say: "f-Ieaven opens; I go in peace." INTERMISSION
o praise the Lord with one consent, Chandos Anthem No.9, HWV 254, George Frideric Handel
1. Chorus - 0 praise the Lord with one consent and magnify his name.
Let all the servants of the Lord his worthy praise proclaim.
2. Alto Air - Praise him, all ye thatin his house attend with constant care
with those that to his utmost courts with humble zeal repair.
3. Tenor Air - For this our truest int'rest is glad hymns of praise to sing
and with loud songs to bless his name, a most delightful thing.
4. Bass Air - That God is great, we often have by glad experience found
and seen how he, with wond'rous pow'r, above all gods is crown'd.
5. Chorus - With cheerful notes let all the earth to heaven their voices raise.
Let all inspir'd with godly mirth, sing solemn hymns with praise.
6. Soprano Air - God's tender mercy knows no bounds, his truth shall ne'er decay
then let the willing nations round their grateful tribute pay.
7. Chorus - Ye boundless realms of joy exalt your Maker'sfame.
His praise your song employ above the starry frame.
8. Chorus - Your voices raise, ye Cherubin and Seraphin, to sing his praise, Alleluja.
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