SAMPLE CHAPTERS  FROM
Songs from Australia

Back to first page

Composer and Dates              Peggy Glanville-Hicks (1912-1990)

Date of Composition              1938

Length of Composition          2’21

Poet and Dates                       John Fletcher (1579-1625)

Outcomes                                Studying and performing this song will enable the student to:

ü      rearticulate repeated vowels

ü      strengthen middle voice tone

ü      develop breath control

ü      control rapid onsets and releases

ü      accommodate changing metres and complex phrasing

ü      initiate rhythmic momentum.

 Accompaniment Grade           6^th Grade

Range                                                                          Tessitura

              E4 - E5                                                                          G4 - D5

Come Sleep presents as a delightful poem; in fact, sadness pervades. This lyric poem is written as an apostrophe, that is, speaking to something that cannot answer, in this case, sleep.  The poet is pleading for sleep to provide some peace, even though it is temporary and false.  He wants to enjoy delightful dreams and fantasies that will heal or take away all his anxiety.  In the second stanza the poet acknowledges that sleep is insubstantial, a shadow which is sinful in its avoidance of reality, a sliding. He nevertheless calls on sleep to provide a little joy for all those who endure constant distress. He pleads that the fantasy or dream last long enough for such unhappiness to be temporarily relieved. The final line is a heart-felt plea for some mental peace.

The underlying sombre tone of the poem is indicated by deceiving, beguile, bereaving, sliding, shadow, annoy.  Constant repetition of the vowel sound [I] in sleep, sweet, deceive, me, pleasing, dreams combined with the repetition of the consonant [l] in sleep, lock, delight, awhile, let, pleasing, beguile, serves to suggest false drowsiness.  This works as onomatopoeia to create a lulling sensation.   The semi-colons form a natural break in the sense of the poem.

 IDEAS FOR SINGERS

Style, Interpretation, Diction and Pedagogy

The deep emotion conveyed in this vocal soliloquy provides the singer with many interpretative opportunities.  The performer can employ a rich variety of tone colours by conveying the pleading of the first verse and by contrasting words such as sweet, deceiving, annoy and contented.  The paradox within the text is conveyed musically by unpredictable phrasing; the singer can dictate pulse by careful enunciation of the off-beat entries.  A slight break after thence and a gently coordinated onset will ensure a clearly articulated I [AI] (bar 10).  Similarly, by articulating the final [t] of thought (bar 24) an articulation break is created before through.  Treating the text in this way gives natural emphasis to the off-beats and avoids creating accents where they are not indicated.

The breath marks and rests are deceptive, in fact there is less time than appears on the score to take a breath, in particular bars 9-10, 12-13, 23-24.   The final phrase requires a well prepared breath to accommodate the metre changes and the pause on the penultimate note.  Good diction and a legato line can be achieved by gliding between syllables and rearticulating the vowels on slurs.  There are many opportunities to use diphthongs for dramatic effect: [AI] I, delight, beguile, sliding, abiding, [oI] joy, annoy and [AU] powers.  The rule for pronouncing diphthongs is as follows:  sing the first vowel for the full length of the note, adding the second vowel as an acciaccatura glide at the end of the note.  Dramatic effect can be gained by varying the timing of the second vowel, always ensuring that the first vowel remains the dominant sound.

 Being aware of melodic imitation between voice and piano can help when learning the song and encourage vocal security in performance.

Piano Accompaniment

            In the best traditions of the English-language art song, this setting achieves a finely crafted fusion between voice and piano accompaniment.

The rhythmic interplay between voice and piano is based on an underlying quaver unit, which accommodates the most subtle nuances of text enunciation; the melodic interplay arises from the polyphonic texture, with often complex phrases shared between voice and both treble and bass piano lines.  These phrases often overlap and compliment each other, with subtle moments of tension and relaxation as dictated by the text.  Piano and voice are in perfect partnership.

As in many Schumann songs, the piano part also exists in its own right, independent of the vocal line.  It establishes an elegant sarabande-like character from the very start and then invites the voice to enter; at the end it takes over from the voice.  The forward impulse of the music can be initiated by either performer and moves seamlessly backwards and forwards between them.  The piano almost seems to be seeking out another level of understanding behind and beyond the words, enhancing the listener’s comprehension of this fine poem.

 

MUSICAL CONCEPTS

 

PITCH Melody         Harmony   Tonality DURATION Rhythm Metre FORM TONE COLOUR    TEXTURE DYNAMICS and EXPRESSIVE TECHNIQUES

The basic melodic material of the song is foreshadowed in the opening piano statement: The length of phrases is not consistent in order to maintain the syllabic setting and replicate speech rhythm. Contrary motion is present between the voice and accompaniment. Voice and piano parts alternate between acting independently and acting in parallel. Melodic imitation occurs between the voice and piano accompaniment (bars 8 & 9). There are traditional major and minor harmonies. Rich suspension chords are made by the many accented passing notes. There is a strong connection between the harmonic and melodic lines.         G major   The rhythmic character is set up by the piano line (bars 1-3).       The changing metres reflect the text. Strophic A rich tone colour is created by the largely chordal piano writing which supports the vocal line, lying mainly in the upper middle register.  Polyphonic Specific dynamic markings for the singer are indicated only in bars 26 & 28; elsewhere piano dynamics dictate and support those of the singer.

 

ANNOTATIONS

 Composer Biography

Peggy Glanville-Hicks developed an international reputation as a composer of orchestral and operatic works.  She was also tireless in her efforts lobbying and creating opportunities for young musicians.  The large volume of Glanville-Hick’s work was composed and subsequently recorded in America where she lived from 1942 to 1959.  Her recorded works include: Three Gympnopedie, Sinfonia da Pacifica, Etruscan Concerto, Concerto Romantico and Letters from Morocco (premiered by Leopold Stokowski at the Museum of Modern Art).  The Transposed Heads, her opera with libretto by Thomas Mann, was premiered in 1954 in Louisville and again in New York four years later.  A commission to write a ballet score, The Masque of the Wild Man, for the First Spoleto Festival resulted in continuing collaboration with the choreographer John Butler.  Further collaborations included:  Saul and the Witch of Endor, Tragic Celebration and A Season in Hell.

The receipt of a Fulbright Research Fellowship and a Rockefeller Grant enabled Glanville-Hicks to research the Demotic music of Greece and the musical system of India.  While living in Athens she composed Nausicaa with Robert Graves providing the libretto.  This opera was subsequently presented to the Greek Government in the Athens Festival of 1961.  International recognition followed with a commission from the Ford Foundation for the San Francisco Opera, hence Sappho was penned with Lawrence Durrell as librettist.

 A prolific reporter, Glanville-Hicks wrote reviews and articles on contemporary music for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Musical America, Julliard Review and Musical Quarterly Notes. She was acutely aware of the need for raising the consciousness of the public to the precarious situation of musicians and composers.  Glanville-Hicks was also responsible for some Scandinavian, and all the American entries, in the New Grove Dictionary.

 Recordings

 Woman’s Song CD Track 8 – Helen Noonan soprano, Peter Locke, piano; Paul Petran 1992.
Songs from Australia CD Track 3 - Wendy Dixon soprano, David Miller piano; Australian Composers 2005.

                                                                                                                  

Composer and Dates              Stephen Yates (1957-)

Date of Composition              1995

Length of Composition          1’44

Poet and Dates                       Mervyn Peake (1911-1968)

Outcomes                                Studying and performing this song will enable a student to:

ü      enunciate rapidly

ü      strengthen the lower middle vocal range

ü      strengthen the transition into and through the lower passaggio

ü      maintain a consistent vowel through a melisma.

Accompaniment Grade          7^th Grade

Range                                                                          Tessitura

B3 - E5                                                                         E4 – C5

A kernel of profound wisdom is contained in this quirky little poem.  The perennially complaining person, who has nothing to complain about, is caught in his/her own web of discontent.  Persons even complain about perfection, such as in flowers or gems!  Geraniums are meant to be red; diamonds are meant to be bright, and so on.  By looking for trouble we will find it, no matter how petty or fabricated!  Worst of all, comes our own narcissistic tendency to stare at ourselves until ironically, all we are aware of is our own imperfection.  The speaker’s looking glass reflects trouble, in the form of his/her own self-centredness.  The singer is an opinionated ‘know-all’ who is finally confronted with him/herself.  Nouns pile incessantly, adding to the list of complaints, building strong but disparate visual imagery: geraniums, toast, diamonds, fish, stars to finally, myself.  The mundane blends with the exotic and a universal truth emerges.

The coda, beginning at the colon, contains many truths.  On an individual level it is saying that there should not be trouble within yourself, and now that you have recognized it, do something about it!   On a wider level the message for humanity warns that unnecessary trouble is rampant.  The poet repeats the trouble to build a case for the final line, inviting a strong contrast with all and never.

 IDEAS FOR SINGERS

Style, Interpretation, Diction and Pedagogy

The perky musical confidence of the complainant is shattered when reality hits. The assertive denunciation of mundane, every day items moves into complaints with universal relevance.   It is only then that the insignificance of the complainer’s place in the world is realised.

It can be tempting to follow the highly rhythmic articulation in the piano and lose legato line.  Do not treat this as either a declamation or a patter song; a legato line is always required even when enunciating rapidly.  Give full value to the first note in each phrase and keep the jaw relaxed with the lips slightly forward.  The [tr] beginning trouble automatically brings the lips forward and by maintaining this position throughout the song rapid enunciation is facilitated.  Open Italianate vowels will produce good tone and also facilitate pronunciation.  Breathe in the rhythm of the phrase when there is time to do this. For the entries that allow less time, the release of breath from one phrase becomes the intake for the next in a very fluid movement.  This helps the singer to link the thoughts though each stanza (bars 8-28 & 29-56).   The two closing statements must be individually explored and dramatised; speaking the poem as an acting text will assist this process. 

All phrases begin with an anacrusis using either the [c] or there’s [Ec]; the needs to be consciously lengthened to avoid swallowing this word.  The melisma on fly should be sung on a consistent [A], the [I] of this diphthong only being sounded at the very end of the last note.   Exercising downward octave scales will strengthen the transition through the low passaggio.  It is important to maintain pitch, keeping a bright, open vowel, especially when the voice uses the heavier musculature in the lower notes.

           Downwards octave scales from D5-D4, C#5-C#4, C5-C4 and B4-B3

 
Piano Accompaniment

           The music-hall vamp of the opening bars builds towards the vocal entry … nothing happens … the singer’s first note is then discreetly played and the music               proceeds … the tone of the song has been established. 

Like so much literature written as if through the eyes of a child, there can be some surprising sub-texts.  These are hinted at by the composer when the piano stops abruptly leaving the voice to trail off into a reflective silence and again when the final phrase becomes hesitant and fragmented before the wry smile of the final note.  This musical setting promotes a direct and earnest attempt to solve some of life’s most difficult questions and the piano uses a variety of descriptive effects to support this, including a resolute tango and an operatic cantabile.  Comparisons with Leonard Bernstein’s song cycle I Hate Music could be interesting. 

 Composer Biography

Stephen Yates’ prolific number of compositions have been written for a variety of instruments and purposes.  He has composed for the small ensemble, voice, harpsichord, oboe, strings, theatre, dance and marionette performances.  Much of his work exists in private collections and is yet to be published.  He is frequently commissioned by established artists.  Elaine Funaro, the distinguished American harpsichordist, recorded Suite in 1997 on the US label, Gasparo.  Suite was one of six finalists in the ‘Alienor Composition Awards’ held in Atlanta, USA.  Yates’ composition Movements was published by Allans Music in 2001 as part of the  AMEB Violin syllabus for 7^th grade.

  Recordings

 Simply Songs CD Track 27 - Wendy Dixon soprano, David Miller piano; Australian Composers 2004.
Songs from Australia CD Track 10 - Wendy Dixon soprano, David Miller piano; Australian Composers 2005.

Sample sheet music of Trouble with Geraniums

Composer and Dates              Horace Keats (1895-1945)

 Date of Composition              1934

Length of Composition           2’12

 Poet and Dates                       William Blake (1757-1827)

 Outcomes                                Studying and performing this song will enable the student to:

ü      strengthen the transition into and through the upper passaggio

ü      sing large intervals into the upper register

ü      control a wide range of dynamics

ü      develop interpretative and narrative skills

ü      distinguish between normal rhythmic stresses, accents and tenuto.

 Accompaniment Grade           5^th Grade

Range                                                                          Tessitura

          D4 - G5                                                                          F4 - Eb5

This lyric poem is a lament from an unhappy man; is he young or old?  He doesn’t tell.  Is this warning the result of a first love lost, or the remorseful reflection of an old man?  An even more poignant interpretation of Love’s Secret suggests that the traveller who stole the sad speaker’s lover was death itself.  The singer and the pianist must decide. 

 The regretful lover fearfully warns against telling everything, offering heart, mind and soul to another.  Life is unpredictable, the gentle wind doth move silently, invisibly beyond our control.  Three times, he desperately repeats I told my love; three times he sadly acknowledges the silent, invisible stronger power.  Whatever the reason, whatever the power, his lover quickly fell into the arms of a traveller who took her with a sigh.   The lover’s grief was inconsolable; he had given his heart, confessed the unspeakable, now was left with nothing but regret and longing. 

 Punctuation conveys meaning.  Commas, the explanation mark, semi-colon, colon and full stops are used to emphasize, join or separate ideas in the text.  The last line is ambiguous; the sigh could relate to either he or her.  This simple but significant sigh contrasts with the trembling confession recalled by the poet.  Who is doing the sighing is not clear but this does not significantly change the meaning of the text.   The sigh could have been one of amazement, sexual ecstasy or the last breath before death.  The singer’s chosen interpretation will dictate the tone of the performance.  

IDEAS FOR SINGERS

Style, Interpretation, Diction and Pedagogy

 The words and music of Love’s Secret are beautifully integrated, moving through the urgency of the message into reflection and finally to regret.  A mature voice is required for the broad-ranging sustained legato phrases.   

The largest dynamic range occurs in the first section reflecting the growing desperation of the narrator.  Keats uses phrase marks quite deliberately in this song, they help to give a sense of someone holding back tears, trying to control their emotions.  The accent on told (bars 8 & 9) is created by beginning with an energetic [t], maintaining this energy while moving into a forte pure Italian [O] vowel, then rapidly returning to mezzo forte.  This contrasts with the natural stress on told (bar 10), a longer value note leading towards heart.

 The fortissimo on cold (bar 12) should not be sung too loudly, it is a cry from the heart, not a yell.

 The unaccompanied vocal section heralds a change in tone colour.

 The tenuto (bars 17 & 28) can be expressed with a slight holding of tempo before singing Ah! and with. Almost leaning into the sound in this manner is an interpretive technique, giving individuality to the rendition. 

 The singer can also gather emotional tension by ‘singing through the rests’ (bars 17, 26 & 28) without releasing the breath; in this way the silence becomes an integral part of the phrase. 

 Three techniques are recommended in preparation for the leap to the high G invisibly (bar 27):

·        Vocalising this phrase on [î] will assist the singer to find natural support without any imposed tension.
·        Singing exercises built on 7^ths (Vaccai for example).
·        The si of invisibly can be modified from [sI] to [sA].  

Piano Accompaniment

 The setting of this passionate and complex poem is initially accompanied by turbulent waves of sonority that impel the voice forward to the early, dramatic climax.  The virtuosic keyboard writing must remain at all times responsive to the rhythmic, melodic and dynamic demands of the vocal line.

In the second section, the piano becomes a more active protagonist in the musical argument. Careful pedalling and articulation will heighten the effect of the melodic line, doubled in well-spaced parallel chords.  The piano eloquently hands this phrase to the voice, before making a passing reference back to the opening mood of the song.

        This change in the relationship between the two performers in their interpretation of the song is an important feature of the setting.