OH ALMA

Ari Ben-Shabetai OH ALMA !

The sorrows of young Gustav A monodrama for Mezzo Soprano voice and Piano quartet

Notes on Performance There are two ways of performing the work. Either in a semi-staged format – with some acting, or in a concert performance. In the semi staged format, with a theatrical situation depicting the aging Alma Mahler in her salon. A large armchair is placed in the curve of the piano, a standard lamp slightly behind it, a small side table is placed on the far side of the armchair with a framed photograph of Gustav placed on it. Alma walks on to the stage just as the music begins and sits in the armchair. As the music progresses she may stand up' walk around, pick up the photograph, and generally acts as she brings up memories of her long gone husband. The String players should be place to the side and slightly behind the pianist. In the concert version, the piano quartet is seated on stage in the conventional way, and the singer should be standing centered in a meter or two in front of them. Program notes The work is conceived as a mono drama, with Alma Mahler re-living some of the moments in her life as the wife of Gustav Mahler. Having been unfaithful to him in the scandalous affair she conducted with Walter Gropius, Gustav Mahler gallantly forgave her and begun bombarding her with love letters and poetry of his own. It is this fine poetry written by Gustav Mahler, as well as some of his love letters addressed to Alma and a short excerpt from Goete's Werther which are the text sources set to music in this work. Often, quotations from Mahler's own music are "fitted" to his own texts, while these are intertwines with original music by Ari Ben-Shabetai. The work ends with the words "…Only you know the true meaning of this all… farewell my love…" – these were found scribbled in Mahler's own hand on his copy of the unfinished 10th Symphony, which is also famous for it's "Catastrophe" dissonant chord – quoted in the last song.

"OH ALMA"

Die leiden des Jungen Gustav (nach Göethe)

I

"OH ALMA" The Sorrows of Young Gustav (after Göethe)

Mein Liebling, mein Saitenspiel

My darling, My lyre

Komm banne die finstern Geister, sie umklammern mich, sie schleudern mich zu Boden. Bleib mir, mein Stab, komm bald heute, damit ich mich erheben kann. Ich liege darnieder und warte und frage stumm, ob ich noch erlöst werden kann, oder ob ich verdammt bin.

Come and exorcize the spirits of darkness, They claw hold of me, They throw me to the ground. Don't leave me, my staff, Come soon today, so I can rise up. I lie there and wait, and ask in the silence of my heart, Whether I can still be saved Or whether I am damned. Basil Creighton

II

"‫"הוֹ אַ ְל ָמה‬

‫ייסורי גוסטב הצעיר‬

(‫)בעקבות גתה‬

I ,‫ֶח ְמ ַדּת ִל ִבּי‬ ‫ֵבל ֶשׁ ִלּי‬ ֶ‫נ‬ ‫ָר ִשׁי‬ ְ ‫בּוֹאי וְ ג‬ ִ ,‫ֶאת רוּחֹות ָהא ֶֹפל‬ ,‫אוֹתי‬ ִ ‫חוֹבקוֹת‬ ְ ‫ֵהן‬ .‫אַר ָצה‬ ְ ‫אוֹתי‬ ִ ‫ֵהן ַמ ִטּילוֹת‬ ,‫ ַמ ֶטּה ֶשׁ ִלּי‬,‫הֹ ִָשּ ֲא ִרי ִלי‬ ,‫ימי ָלבוֹא ֵא ַלי ַהיּוֹם‬ ִ ‫ַה ְק ִדּ‬ .‫אוּכל ָלקוּם ַעל ַרגְ ַלי‬ ַ ‫ְכּ ֵדי ֶשׁ‬ ‫מוּטל‬ ָ ‫ָכּאן ֲאנִ י‬ ,‫שׁוֹאל ְבּ ֵא ֶלם‬ ֵ ְ‫וּמ ַח ֶכּה ו‬ ְ ,‫ָשׁע‬ ַ ‫אוּכל עוֹד ְל ִהוּ‬ ַ ‫ִאם‬ .‫ָלי לַאֲבָדוֹן‬ ִ ‫אוֹ ֶשׁ ָמּא נִגְ זַר גּוֹר‬ ‫עדה ברודסקי‬

II

Holdeste! Liebste! Mein Saitenspiel!

Fairest! dearest one! My lyre-play!

Und mein Sturmlied! Du Herrliche! O könnt' ich Töne finden – Mein stammelnd Seufzen Dir in Worte künden! Mein Athem ist – mein Wesen nicht mehr meins! Nicht ich mehr, ich bin von mir selbst geschieden – nicht eher kann mich Himmelsruh befrieden, als bis ich trunken Deines süßen Weins!

My storm-song! You wondrous being! What music could I write Whose words conveyed to you my mortal plight! My breath – my very being is not mine! No longer one, my self and I are driven forth – And find no rest in heaven nor on earth, Until they've slaked their thirst with your sweet wine!

Der Lenz hat mich und Dich zu sich bezwungen, Ich gab mich gleich, nicht hab ich erst gerungen. Ich starb – wie gern – und süß küßt er mich wach!

The springtime forced itself on our alliance, I yielded instantly, without defiance. I died – how gladly – and its kiss restored my life!

Die Töne brausen – wüthen mir im Herzen – die heißen Worte flammen – Hochzeitskerzen – es strömt mein Wesen Dir in's Brautgemach!

The notes fly high, my heart beats quicker – The words, like wedding candles, burn and flicker – My very being flows to you, my wife! Basil Creighton

! ‫ֲענֻגָּה ָבּ ֲענֻגּוֹת! ֶנ ֱא ֶה ֶבת‬ ‫ית ָריו ֲאנִ י ַמ ְפ ִליא‬ ָ ‫ְכּ ִלי ֶשּ ַעל ֵמ‬ !‫ִל ְפרֹט‬ ! ‫ירי ַהנִּ ָשּׂא ַבּ ְסּ ָע ָרה‬ ִ ‫ִשׁ‬ ! ‫אַתּ ֶשׁנִּ ְפ ֵלאת ִלי‬ ְ ‫ילים‬ ִ ‫אתי ְצ ִל‬ ִ ‫לוּ ָמ ָצ‬ ‫יע ְך‬ ֵ ‫ְל ַה ְשׁ ִמ‬ ! ‫ֻמגָמוֹת‬ ְ ‫קוֹתי ַה ְמּג‬ ַ ְ‫ֶאת ֶאנ‬ – ‫ימ ִתי‬ ָ ‫נְ ִשׁ‬ ! ‫ָתי ֵאינָהּ ֶשׁ ִלּי עוֹד‬ ִ ‫ֲה ָוי‬ ,‫שׁוּב ֵאינֶנִּ י ֲאנִ י‬ .‫ֻתּ ְק ִתּי ֵמ ַע ְצ ִמי‬ ַ ‫ִכּי נ‬ ,‫לֹא ֶא ְז ֶכּה ְבּ ַשׁ ְלוַת ָשׁ ַמיִ ם‬ ! ‫ֵך‬ ְ ‫ְבּ ֶט ֶרם ֶא ְשׁ ַכּר ֶאת ֶמ ֶתק יֵינ‬ ,‫אָביב‬ ִ ‫ָכּ ַבשׁ אוֹ ָתנוּ ָה‬ ,‫אוֹת ְך‬ ָ ְ‫אוֹתי ו‬ ִ ,‫ַע ִתּי לוֹ ִמיָּד‬ ְ ‫נִ ְכנ‬ .‫ְבּ ִלי ַמ ֲא ָבק‬ – ‫ָמוֶת ָבּאַנִ י – ָמוֶת ֶשׁל ָרצוֹן‬ ‫אוֹתי‬ ִ ‫אָביב ֵה ִעיר‬ ִ ‫אַך ָה‬ ְ !‫יקת ֶח ֶסד‬ ַ ‫ִבּנְ ִשׁ‬ – ‫ילים‬ ִ ‫סוֹאנִ ים ַה ְצּ ִל‬ ֲ – ‫תּוֹל ִלים ְבּ ִל ִבּי‬ ְ ‫ִמ ְשׁ‬ ‫לֹוֹ ֲהבוֹת ַה ִמּ ִלּים ַהקּוֹ ְדחוֹת‬ .‫ ֲחתוּ ָנה‬-‫ְכּ ֵנרוֹת‬ ‫ימה‬ ָ ִ‫ ְכּלוּלוֹ ַתיִ ְך ְפּנ‬-‫ֶאל ֲח ַדר‬ .‫זוֹ ֶר ֶמת ֲה ָו ָי ִתי‬ ‫עדה ברודסקי‬

III

III

Göethe, Die Leiden des jungen Werther, Erstes Buch, Am 16. Julius

Göethe, The Sorrows of Young Werther, first book, July 16

Sie ist mir heilig. Alle Begier schweigt in ihrer Gegenwart. Ich weis nie, wie mir ist, wenn ich bei ihr bin; es ist, als wenn die Seele sich mir In allen Nerven umkeherte.

She is sacred to me. All lust falls silent in her presence. I never know how I feel when I'm with her; as if my soul were overturned and I felt it in every nerve.

.‫ִהיא ְקדוֹ ָֹשה ִלי‬ ‫כֹּל ַהתְֹּשוּקוֹת‬ .‫חוּתהּ‬ ָ ‫נוֹכ‬ ְ ‫ַמ ְח ִריֹשוֹת ְבּ‬ ‫יוֹד ַע ֶאת ַנפֹ ְִשי‬ ֵ ‫עוֹלם ֵאינִ י‬ ָ ‫ְל‬ .‫יצ ָתהּ‬ ַ ‫כֹּ ְֶש ֲאנִ י ִבּ ְמ ִח‬ ‫ַיְתּה ַנפֹ ְִשי ִמ ְת ַהפֶּכֶת‬ ָ ‫כּ ְִאלּוּ ה‬ .‫ַבּי‬ ַ ‫ְבּכֹל עָצָב ֵמעֲצ‬

– Sie hat eine Melodie, die sie auf dem Klaviere spielet mit der Kraft eines Engels, so simpel und so geistvoll! Es ist ihr Leiblied, und mich stellt es von aller Pein, Verwirrung und Grillen her, wenn sie nur die erste Note davon greift.

– She has a melody which she plays on the clavier with the force of an angel, so simple and so spiritual! It's her favorite song, and it heals me of all pain, confusion and daydreams as soon as she plays even the first note of it.

‫– יֵֹש ַלהּ ַמנְ גִ ינָה‬ ‫ֶש ִהיא ְמ ַנ ֶגּנֶת ַעל ַה ְפּ ַסנְ ֵתּר‬ ,‫ְבּכוֹחוֹ ֶשל ַמ ְלאָך‬ !‫ְשוּטה וּגְ אוֹנִ ית ִהיא‬ ָ ֹ‫כֹּה פּ‬ ,‫זֶהוּ הֹ ִַשיר ַה ִאי ִֹשי ֶֹש ָלּהּ‬ ,‫מֹ ְַש ְח ֵררנִ י הוּא ִמכֹּל ַמ ְכאוֹב‬ ,‫מוּע ָקה‬ ָ ‫ ִמכֹּל‬,‫בוּכה‬ ָ ‫ִמכֹּל ְמ‬ ‫פּוֹר ֶטת‬ ֶ ‫אַך‬ ְ ‫ימת ֶֹש ִהיא‬ ַ ‫כֹּל ֵא‬ .‫ֶאת ְצ ִלילוֹ ַה ִראֹשוֹן‬

Stanley Appelbaum

IV

‫יעקב גוטשלק‬

IV

Nachtschatten sind verweht an einem mächt'gen Wort, Verstummt der Qualen nie ermattend Wühlen. Zusammen floss zu einem einzigen Akkord Mein zagend Denken und mein brausend Fühlen.

The nightmare's dispelled by force of persuasion, Dispersed are the torments of self-contemplation, In one single chord my hesitant notions Converge with the power of searing emotions.

Ich liebe Dich! – ist meine Stärke, die ich preis. die Lebensmelodie, die ich im Schmerz errungen, O liebe mich! – ist meine Weisheit, die ich weiss, der Grundton, auf dem jene mir erklungen.

'I love you!' – three words that support and maintain me. Life's melody rising from sorrow and pain, O love me! – three words that I know, that sustain me, The bass-note to each and every refrain.

Ich liebe Dich! – ward meines Lebens Sinn. Wie selig will ich Welt und Traum verschlafen,

'I love you!' – three words that remain what I live for. With joy I forfeit the world all around,

O liebe mich! – Du meines Sturms Gewinn! Heil mir – ich starb der Welt – ich bin im Hafen!

O love me! – You that tempests blew ashore! Bless me – dead to the world – my heaven found!

V

,‫גתה‬ ,‫ייסורי ורתר הצעיר‬ ‫ ביולי‬16 ,‫ספר ראשון‬

Basil Creighton

‫ִצ ְל ֵלי ַליְ ָלה נָמוֹגוּ‬ ,‫ירה‬ ָ ‫ִמכּ ָֹחהּ ֶשׁל ִמ ָלּה ַכּ ִבּ‬ ‫סּוּרים‬ ִ ִ‫ָדמוּ יּ‬ ְ‫נ‬ .‫ ֶיגַע‬-‫ ֵאין‬-‫טּוּטים‬ ִ ‫ֶשׁל ִח‬ ‫ָחיד‬ ִ ‫ָרמוּ זֶה ֶאל זֶה ְלאַקוֹרד י‬ ְ‫ז‬ ‫ַמ ְח ַשׁ ְב ִתי ַה ֲח ֵר ָדה‬ .‫סּוֹאן‬ ֵ ‫וְ ִרגְ ִשׁי ַה‬ "!‫יך‬ ְ ‫"א ַה ְב ִתּ‬ ֲ ,‫– ֲה ֵרי ְמקוֹר כּ ִֹחי‬ .‫יטב ַמ ֲה ָל ִלי‬ ַ ‫ֵמ‬ ‫זוֹ ַמנְ גִּ ינַת ַחיַּי‬ ,‫יתי ִלי ִבּ ְכ ֵאב‬ ִ ִ‫ֲא ֶשׁר ָקנ‬ "!‫"הוֹ ֶא ֱה ִבינִ י‬ ,‫– ָח ְכ ָמ ִתי ֶשׁ ֵאין ִבּ ְל ָתּהּ‬ ‫ ַהיְ סוֹד‬-‫ְצ ִליל‬ .‫ְלזוֹ ַה ַמּנְ גִּ ינָה‬ "!‫יך‬ ְ ‫"א ַה ְב ִתּ‬ ֲ .‫– ָהיָה ִלי ַתּ ְכ ִלית ַחיַּי‬ ‫ ֶאת ַה ֲחלוֹם‬,‫עוֹלם‬ ָ ‫ֶאת ָה‬ ,‫נוּמת א ֶֹשׁר‬ ַ ‫ֲביר ְבּ ְת‬ ִ ‫אַע‬ ‫"הוֹ ֶא ֱה ִבינִ י!" ֶשׁנִּ ְקנֵית ִלי‬ !‫ִבּ ְס ָע ָרה‬ ‫אתי‬ ִ ‫עוֹלם – ָבּ‬ ָ ‫אָב ְד ִתּי ָל‬ ַ – ‫אַשׁ ַרי‬ ְ !‫ֶאל נְ ַמל ַה ִמּ ְב ָט ִחים‬ ‫עדה ברודסקי‬

V

Du allein weißt was es bedeutet. Leb’wohl mein Saitenspiel! Leb’wohl Leb’wohl Leb’wohl

You alone know what it means. Farewell my lyre! Farewell Farewell Farewell Antony Beaumont

‫ַרק אַ ְתּ יוֹ ַד ַעת‬ .‫ֶאת מַֹ ְש ָמעוּת ַה ְדּ ָב ִרים‬ !‫ֲהיִ י ֹ ָשלוֹם ֶנ ֶבל ֹ ֶש ִלּי‬ ‫ֲהיִ י ֹ ָשלוֹם‬ ‫ֲהיִ י ֹ ָשלוֹם‬ ‫ֲהיִ י ֹ ָשלוֹם‬ ‫עדה ברודסקי‬