Alma Del Core
Alma Del Core
Alma Del Core
Antonio Caldara (1670 28 December 1736) was an Soul of my heart, spirit of my soul,
Italian Baroque composer. One of his italian works is Soul of my heart, spirit of my soul,
Alma del core is the companion piece to Sebben, Always constantly will I adore you!
crudele, which we are told by various sources, comes I adore you, I adore you, I adore you, I adore you
from an opera by Antonio Caldara entitled, La costanza Soul of my heart, spirit of my soul,
in amore vince linganno (Constancy in Love Triumphs Always constantly will I adore you!
over Wickedness). This piece is in roughly a rondo Always constantly will I adore you!
musical form with many repeats of the original theme I will be contented
interspersed with varying sections. It is published in the In my torment
key of a major in the original 24 Italian Songs and Arias, If only I could kiss that beautiful lip.
and, as such, is particularly suited for a high lyric If only I could, If only I could kiss that beautiful lip.
soprano or young coloratura. But, it also suits all voice Soul of my heart, spirit of my soul,
types and is available in many different keys, of course. Soul of my heart, spirit of my soul,
Always constantly will I adore you!
Alma del core, spirto del' alma I adore you, I adore you, I adore you, I adore you
Alma del core, spirto del' alma Soul of my heart, spirit of my soul,
Sempre costante t'adorero Always constantly will I adore you!
T'adorero, t'adorero, t'adorero, t'adorero Always constantly will I adore you!
Alma del core, spirto del' alma
Sempre costante t'adorero
Sempre costante t'adorero Se Tu m Ami (If You Love Me)
Saro contiento Alessando Parisotti (1853-1913)
Nel mio tormento
Se quel bel labro baciar potro. This Baroque Italian aria is perhaps best known as it
Se quel bel labro, se quel bel labro baciar potro. appears in Schirmer's Twenty-Four Italian Songs and
Alma del core, spirto del' alma Arias, most of which had appeared previously in the
Alma del core, spirto del' alma Anthology of Italian Song of the Seventeenth and
Sempre costante t'adorero Eighteenth Centuries. The pieces in that collection were
T'adorero, t'adorero, t'adorero, t'adorero sometimes set with less than historically accurate
Alma del core, spirto del' alma accompaniments. In this case, even the song is a modern
Sempre costante t'adorero fabrication, apparently written by Parisotti and passed
Sempre costante t'adorero off as a song by Pergolesi.
Se tu m'ami, se sospiri I will not follow -
Sol per me, gentil pastor, Just because the lily pleases me,
Ho dolor de' tuoi martiri, I do not have to despise the other flowers.
Ho diletto del tuo amor,
Ma se pensi che soletto
Io ti debba riamar,
Pastorello, sei soggetto THE MERMAID SONG
Facilmente a t'ingannar. Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Bella rosa porporina During most of the Classical period, songs were
Oggi Silvia sceglier, considered trifles--serious vocal writing was reserved for
Con la scusa della spina church or stage music. While composers generally didn't
Doman poi la sprezzer. take the genre very seriously, in a way this made their
Ma degli uomini il consiglio output all the more appealing, as one or two melodic
Io per me non seguir. ideas could be laid out in their simplicity, rather than
Non perch mi piace il giglio elaborated upon as opera or church music demanded.
Gli altri fiori sprezzer. Not surprisingly, composers generally selected folk-like
texts which had the same elements of directness and
simplicity, if not of literary virtue, as Haydn did for this
(Translation) particular song.
The piano depicts the rippling of the water as the singer
If you love me, if you sigh bids, in a mix of imperiousness and charm, the listener
Only for me, dear shepherd, to follow her, in an inticing and insistent theme. The
I am sorrowful for your sufferings; tone throughout is playful, and the last piano flourish
yet I delight in your love. creates the image of the mermaid diving into the depths
But if you think that with a final sparkling flash.
I must in return love only you,
Little shepherd, you are subject Now the dancing sunbeams play
To deceiving yourself easily. On the green and glassy sea,
Come, and I will lead the way
The beautiful purple rose Where the pearly treasures be.
Will Silvia choose today;
With the excuse of its thorns, Come with me, and we will go
Tomorrow, then, will she despise it. Where the rocks of coral grow.
But the advice of the men Follow, follow, follow me.
begins a poignant modulation to the tonic minor. The
Come, behold what treasures lie strophic "Sehnsucht" (Yearning) is set in B minor, with
Far below the rolling waves, only ornamental variation in accompaniment between
Riches, hid from human eye, strophes as the narrator, in the form of a bird, follows the
Dimly shine in ocean's caves. woman of his desires. However, when night falls and the
Ebbing tides bear no delay, narrator becomes a "twinkling star" in the finale strophe,
Stormy winds are far away. Beethoven shifts to a bright B major.
Written in 1842 and revised the following decade, "Oh! Puis sur ma lvre o voltige une flamme,
quand je dors" ("Oh! when I sleep") was the first of clair d'amour que Dieu mme pura,
seven poems of Victor Hugo that Liszt would set Pose un baiser, et d'ange deviens femme...
between 1842 and 1849. By far the best-known of his Soudain mon me
handful of French songs, it contains some of his most S'veillera! S'veillera!
memorable melodic writing and showcases the ease with
which the cosmopolitan Liszt moved between languages (Translation)
and national styles; his French mlodies (as is the case
with his handful of Italian songs) feel as idiomatic and Oh, when I sleep, approach my bed,
grounded in their native culture as do his much-more- as Laura appeared to Petrach;
numerous German lieder. As a body of works, Liszt's and as you pass, touch me with your breath...
songs have fallen into general neglect, but "Oh! quand je at once my lips
dors"' haunting melody and subtle intensity--not to will part!
mention its piano accompaniment, which is considerable
more manageable than those of many other Liszt songs-- On my glum face, where perhaps
have helped to secure a place for it, along with a few a dark dream has rested for too long a time,
other favorites, in the repertory. The first version of "Oh! let your gaze lift it like a star...
quand je dors" was published in Berlin in 1844, along at once my dream
with two other Hugo settings, Enfants, si j'tais roi and will be radiant!
S'il est un charmant gazon; the three were again
published together in their second versions in 1859. Then on my lips, where there flits a brilliance,
a flash of love that God has kept pure,
place a kiss, and transform from angel into woman...
Oh! quand je dors, viens auprs de ma couche, at once my soul
comme Ptrarque apparaissait Laura, will awaken!
Et qu'en passant ton haleine me touche...
Soudain ma bouche
S'entrouvrira!