The seasons of love for lyric soprano

Includes recorded audio files in WAV and MP3 formats, 36:88 in lengthThis program explores music for lyric soprano, specifically music from the Romantic era to the early Modem era. Throughout this recital the concept of love, betrayal, and loss are reflected through the poetry and music. Both the music and poetry complement each other and contribute to the understanding of the changing nature of love and its complexity. \ud The recital begins with a selection of four Spanish songs from Manuel de Falla's, Siete Canciones Espanolas. This set has the energy and the romantic flair of different regions of Spain: Murcia, Asturias, Aragon, and Andalusia. In "Asturiana," the half steps in the voice demonstrate the sadness, uncertainty and cautiousness taken by a young lady as she seeks consolation from a pine tree. In "Jota," an uplifting piece, triple time is used to describe a rapid dance often performed by couples playing castanets. "Nana," a gentle lullaby uses a smooth and legato vocal line of triplets and syncopations to create a perfect setting for rocking a small child to sleep. "Canci6n," the last song in the set, takes a traditional Spanish melody with syncopation and off beat stresses, to illustrate the frustration and anger of a woman dismissing an unfaithful lover.\ud In Francis Poulenc's "Violon," the piano accompaniment combines with the lyrics to evoke an atmosphere of a nightclub. The sudden accents played by the piano are symbolic of a violinist seducing a young woman with his music. In "Jete veux," a valse chantee, the atmosphere of a cabaret is suggested through the use of a 3/4 waltz tempo. Then in "La Diva deL 'Empire," Erik Satie creates a light and humorous melodic line perfect for a "Diva" through the use of an ornamented march tempo, symbolic of a royal entrance. \ud Vicenzo Bellini, is best known as a composer of bel canto opera. Apart from writing operas, Bellini wrote a few ariettas, where he also uses the bel canto compositional style. For instance, in "Vaga Luna che inargenti," the smooth harmonic arpeggiation in the accompaniment creates an atmosphere of longing. The accompaniment along with the soloist's line, create a conversation between the singer and the moon. Both the music and lyrics create a sense of the singers longing for love. The accompaniment moves in harmonic intervals of a third, symbolic of the constant changes in the moon. In the arietta, "Ma rendi Pur contento," Bellini continues to use arpeggiation in a repetitive 9/8 time signature throughout the accompaniment. The text along with the accompaniment is symbolic of a person in love who continues to strive to keep his true love happy. The mood shifts from major to minor in, "Per pieta, bell'idol mio." The accompaniment opens as an Allegro agitato, reflecting the frustration of the character's unrequited love. (See more in text.