Johanna Kitchen mezzo soprano
La voix et le coeur
with Anna Hakobyan, pianist joined by Emily Densmore, soprano
WEDNESDAY APRIL 23 2025 RD 7:30 PM UTSA Recital Hall
Korngold | Berg | Mahler | Clarke | Adams
Clari | Rossini | Satie | Saint-Saëns | Fauré
Johanna Kitchen mezzo-soprano
Anna Hakobyan piano
Vier Lieder des Abschieds, Op 14: IV Gefasster Abschied
Jugenlieder: Vol 1 Ferne Lieder
Rückert Lieder: No.3 Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957)
Alban Berg (1885-1935)
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Nightsongs: Six Afro-American Songs Prayer Nightsong
The Seal Man
Samson et Dalila Mon coeur s ’ ouvre à ta voix
Che bella cosa é la musica (Long Live Song)
La Pesca
H Leslie Adams (1932-2024)
Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979)
Camille Saint-Säens (1835-1921)
INTERMISSION TEN MINUTES
Giovanni Carlo Maria Clari (1677-1754)
Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)
with Emily Densmore, Soprano
Gloria, R 589 10 Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
2 Songs, Op 4 Chanson du Pêcheur
Tendrement
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)
Erik Satie (1866-1925)
PROGRAM NOTES
Vier Lieder des Abschieds, Op 14: IV: Gefasster Abschied by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Erich Wolfgang Korngold, born in 1897 in what is now the Czech Republic, was a remarkable musical prodigy whose talents were recognized at an early age. In his teens, Korngold began composing sophisticated works like operas and orchestral works that gained admiration from Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss His career took a significant turn in the 1930s when political unrest in Europe led him to emigrate to the United States There, he became a pioneering figure in film music, bringing his lush late-Romantic style to Hollywood and influencing the sound of cinematic scores for generations
Gefasster Abschied, meaning calm or composed farewell, was composed in 1920 in Korngold’s early adulthood The unpredictable accompaniment flirts with tonality and serves as a theatrical underpinning to the vocal line Although a ‘farewell’ piece, musically it is far from somber and rather offers a charming witty flair to it There is even room for interpretation that this piece is completely ironic - the exaggerated musical gestures and extremity of emotions being a play on the mockery of sadness
Weine nicht, daß ich jetzt gehe, Heiter lass dich von mir küssen Blüht das Glück nicht aus der Nähe, Von ferne wird's dich keuscher grüßen.
Nimm diese Blumen, die ich pflückte, Monatsrosen rot und Nelken, Laß die Trauer, die dich drückte, Herzens Blume kann nicht welken
Lächle nicht mit bitter'm Lächeln, Stoße mich nicht stumm zur Seite Linde Luft wird bald dich wieder fächeln, Bald ist Liebe dein Geleite!
Gib deine Hand mir ohne Zittern, Letztem Kuss gib alle Wonne. Bang' vor Sturm nicht: aus Gewittern Geht strahlender auf die Sonne
So schau zuletzt noch die schöne Linde, Drunter uns kein Auge je erspähte Glaub, o glaub, daß ich dich wiederfinde, Denn ernten wird, wer Liebe lächelnd säte
Do not weep that I am now going, Be cheerful and let me kiss you If joy does not bloom when we are near, It will greet you more chastely from afar.
Take these flowers that I have picked, Red China roses and carnations, Shake off the sorrow that oppressed you, The heart’s blossom cannot wither
Do not smile a bitter smile, Do not push me aside in silence A soft breeze will soon fan you once more, Love will soon escort you!
Give me your hand without trembling, Give me all your rapture to this last kiss. Be not afraid of tempests: after storms The sun rises more resplendently
So, take one last look at the lovely lime-tree, Beneath which no eye ever saw us Believe, O believe, I shall find you again, For they who sowed love with a smile shall reap its harvest
PROGRAM NOTES
Jugenlieder, Vol 1: Ferne Lieder by Alban Berg
Alban Berg, born in 1885, was an Austrian composer and a key figure in the Second Viennese School, alongside Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern Berg began studying with Schoenberg in 1904, under whose guidance he developed the evolving twelve-tone technique Though he embraced modernist principles, Berg's music often retained a deep emotional expressiveness and connections to Romantic traditions Berg's life was cut short at age 50, but his contributions helped shape the direction of 20th-century classical music.
Ferne Lieder was composed around 1900 while Berg was still a teenager and before he had started his studies with Schoenberg Because of this, the piece encompasses his early Romanticstyle reflecting more Wolf, Mahler, and Strauss influence It plays on the edge of tonality with its chromaticism while remaining grounded to Romanticism through its melodic lines. The poetic nuances are reflected both dramatically and intimately that feel almost dance-like in a sultry way Due to his Jugenlieder being an early work and not seen cataloged in his mature output, this cycle is rarely performed or recorded
Rosen!
Ein Zypressenhain, Alte Brunnen fließen
Auf dem Meer im Abendschein
Schwarze Schwalben schießen
Aus der weißen Villa dringt Eine sanfte Klage: Eine Frau, die spielt und singt
Lieder andrer Tage
Eine große Stille spinnt, die Fontänen steigen. Und die fernen Lieder sind Laut geword’nes Schweigen
Roses!
A cypress grove, ancient springs flowing
Above the sea in the evening glow black swallows are darting
From the white villa comes a soft lament: a woman playing and singing songs of bygone days
A great silence is spun, the fountains rise; and the distant songs are silence turned to sound
PROGRAM NOTES
Rückert Lieder, No 3: Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Gustav Mahler, born in 1860, was an Austro-Bohemian composer and conductor widely regarded as one of the most important symphonic composers of the late-Romantic era He studied at the Vienna Conservatory and had a distinguished career as a conductor, serving in major posts such as director of the Vienna Court Opera and later the New York Philharmonic. As a composer, Mahler was known for his large-scale symphonies and orchestral song cycles, his work bridging the gap between the Romantic era and Modernism as they were emotionally intense yet musically complex
According to Mahler, Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen, meaning “I am lost to the world”, was a pure reflection of self Stating that this piece was “truly me ” , it reflects his inner world withdrawn, meditative, and immersed in music rather than in the clamor of everyday life This piece is not your typical lament as it lives in an atmosphere of peace rather than mourning this idea of finding solace not in the world, but through music
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen, Mit der ich sonst viele Zeit verdorben, Sie hat so lange nichts von mir vernommen, Sie mag wohl glauben, ich sei gestorben! Es ist mir auch gar nichts daran gelegen, Ob sie mich für gestorben hält, Ich kann auch gar nichts sagen dagegen, Denn wirklich bin ich gestorben der Welt Ich bin gestorben dem Weltgetümmel, Und ruh’ in einem stillen Gebiet! Ich leb’ allein in meinem Himmel, In meinem Lieben, in meinem Lied!
I am lost to the world
With which I used to waste much time; It has for so long known nothing of me, It may well believe that I am dead Nor am I at all concerned If it should think that I am dead
Nor can I deny it, For truly I am dead to the world I am dead to the world’s tumult And rest in a quiet realm!
I live alone in my heaven, In my love, in my song!
PROGRAM NOTES
Nightsongs: Six Afro-American Songs: Prayer and Nightsong by H. Leslie Adams
H Leslie Adams, born in 1932, was an American composer celebrated for his contributions to vocal, piano, and orchestral music, particularly in the realm of art song Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Adams studied at Oberlin College, California State University Long Beach, and The Ohio State University, where he earned his doctorate in music composition. His musical style blends elements of Western classical tradition with African American musical idioms like spirituals, jazz, and gospel
Adams’s song cycle Nightsongs is one of his best known works and a staple in American art song, especially among African American vocalists. Both “Prayer” and “Nightsong” are set by Harlem Renaissance African American Poets, Langston Hughes and Clarissa Scott Delaney
“Nightsong” opens with a soft, rocking, nocturnal piano line that later shifts very dark and dramatic This is paired with chromatic and stratified movement Prayer has a simple yet deeply expressive accompaniment paired with a vocal line that brings out the nuances of the text in an impactful way; the gentle yet soaring approach to “Lord God” followed by a grounded and emotionally gripping “I do not know” embodies Hughes’s ‘ prayer ’ in an unerring way The subtle harmonic shifts add to the earnestness of the text
“Nightsong”
The night was made for rest and sleep, For winds that softly sigh; It was not made for grief and tears; So then why do I cry?
The wind that blows through leafy trees Is soft and warm and sweet; For me the night is a gracious cloak To hide my soul's defeat.
Just one dark hour of shaken depths, Of bitter black despair
Another day will find me brave And not afraid to dare!
“Prayer”
I ask you this: Which way to go? I ask you this: Which sin to bear? Which crown to put Upon my hair? I do not know Lord God I do not know
PROGRAM NOTES
The Seal
Man
by Rebecca Clarke
Rebecca Clarke, born in 1886, was a British-American composer and violist whose career spanned both Europe and the United States She was one of the first women to build a successful career as a professional violist, performing internationally and often premiering her own compositions Born in Harrow, England, she studied at both the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music, where her talent as a composer emerged under the guidance of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford. Clarke’s compositions were shaped by her exposure to French Impressionism and English folksong She composed a variety of chamber and vocal works, many of which were not published or widely performed during her lifetime due to gender bias in the classical music world
The Seal Man sets a text by poet John Masefield, inspired by Celtic folklore about selkies mythical beings who live as seals in the sea but can take human form on land The poem tells of a woman who falls in love with a mysterious man from the sea, only to be taken away by him forever The prelude and postlude resembles the movement and waves of the water, this fluidity is mirrored in the autonomous piano and vocal line, as well as tonality The piece is structured like a mini-opera, with dramatic storytelling and recitative-like lines.
And he came by her cabin to the west of the road, calling There was a strong love came up in her at that, and she put down her sewing on the table, and "Mother," she says, "There's no lock, and no key, and no bolt, and no door There's no iron, nor no stone, nor anything at all will keep me this night from the man I love "
And she went out into the moonlight to him, there by the bush where the flowers is pretty, beyond the river And he says to her: "You are all of the beauty of the world, will you come where I go, over the waves of the sea?" And she says to him: "My treasure and my strength," she says, "I would follow you on the frozen hills, my feet bleeding "
Then they went down into the sea together, and the moon made a track on the sea, and they walked down it; it was like a flame before them. There was no fear at all on her; only a great love like the love of the Old Ones, that was stronger than the touch of the fool
She had a little white throat, and little cheeks like flowers, and she went down into the sea with her man, who wasn't a man at all She was drowned, of course It's like he never thought that she wouldn't bear the sea like himself She was drowned, drowned
PROGRAM NOTES
Samson et Dalila: Mon coeur s ’ ouvre ta voix by
Camille Saint-Säens
Camille Saint-Säens, born in 1835, was a French composer and organist best known for works like The Carnival of the Animals, Danse macabre, Samson et Dalila, and Symphony no.3, Op. 78 ("Organ Symphony") His talents were shown early in his long career as he was a child prodigy, giving his first public piano recital at age 10 Though he lived through a period of modernist approaches and impressionism, he remained true to classical models and adhered to a conservative ideal of French music
Saint-Säens composed Samson et Dalila between 1867 and 1877. Early on, it faced resistance as French opera houses were hesitant to stage biblical subjects In the aria Mon coeur s ’ ouvre ta voix, Dalila is setting an emotional trap to betray Samson by tricking him to reveal the secret of his supernatural strength, which lies in his uncut hair She is working in collaboration with the Philistine leaders, Samson’s enemies, who want to capture and defeat him because he has been leading the Israelites in a revolt against their rule Dalila pretends to be heartbroken and deeply in love She seduces Samson emotionally, playing on his feelings and vulnerabilities, urging him to trust her completely. Once Samson finally reveals that his strength comes from his hair, Dalila has his hair cut while he sleeps, leading to his capture, blindness, and imprisonment by the Philistines
Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix, comme s'ouvrent les fleurs aux baisers de l'aurore!
Mais, ô mon bienaimé, pour mieux sécher mes pleurs, que ta voix parle encore!
Dis-moi qu'à Dalila tu reviens pour jamais Redis à ma tendresse les serments d'autrefois, ces serments que j'aimais! Ah! réponds à ma tendresse! Verse-moi, verse-moi l'ivresse!
Ainsi qu'on voit des blés les épis onduler sous la brise légère, ainsi frémit mon coeur, prêt à se consoler, à ta voix qui m'est chère! La flèche est moins rapide à porter le trépas, que ne l'est ton amante à voler dans tes bras! Ah! réponds à ma tendresse! Verse-moi, verse-moi l'ivresse!
My heart opens to your voice, as flowers open to the kisses of dawn! But, oh my beloved, to better dry my tears, let your voice speak again! Tell me that to Delilah you return forever Tell my tenderness again the vows of old, those vows I loved! Ah! respond to my tenderness! Pour into me, pour into me intoxication!
As one sees wheat the ears waving in the light breeze, so my heart trembles, ready to console itself, at your voice that is dear to me! The arrow is less swift to bring death, than your lover is to fly into your arms! Ah! respond to my tenderness! Pour into me, pour into me intoxication!
PROGRAM NOTES
Live Song by Giovanni Carlo Maria Clari
Giovanni Carlo Maria Clari, born in 1677, was an Italian composer and maestro di cappella who composed primarily sacred music, including masses, motets, and psalm settings Although not well-known today, he is best known for his vocal chamber music, particularly his duets and trios Clari’s compositions fully emulate the Baroque style
Clari’s Long Live Song is simple on the surface yet very artfully constructed. Its joyful and uplifting character plays well with the imitative dance-like lines and fugal techniques Mirroring the Baroque traditions, Long Live Song reflects this structurally with a celebratory playfulness
Do re mi fa sol la, Che bella cosa é la musica!
Oh ciel che bella cosa!
Sol fa mi re, re mi fa sol, Che voce che in canto, Evviva la virtú, evviva il canto!
Do re mi fa sol la, What a beautiful thing music is!
Oh heavens, what a beautiful thing!
Sol fa mi re, re mi fa sol, What a voice that sings, Long live virtue, long live singing!
La Pesca by Gioachino Rossini
Gioachino Rossini, born in 1792, was a renowned Italian composer whose 39 operas, defining the early 19th century bel canto style, made him one of the most celebrated musical figures of his time In1829, at the height of his fame, Rossini unexpectedly retired from composing opera, turning instead to sacred music and piano works
La pesca belongs to Rossini’s final creative period, long after he had retired from opera composition It is part of his collection titled Péchés de vieillesse (Sins of Old Age), written during his years in Paris Already renowned for his comic operas, La Pesca is full of double meanings and comic innuendo the “fishing” metaphor is really a thin disguise for romantic pursuit He achieves this with a buoyant back-and-forth and exaggerated vocal-line exchange
Già la notte s'avvicina
Vieni, o Nice, amato bene Della placida marina
Le fresch' aure a respirar
Non sa dir che sia diletto
Chi non posa in queste arene
Or che un lento zeffiretto
Dolcemente increspa il mar
Night is already approaching Come, oh Nice,
beloved Of the placid sea
The fresh breezes to breathe
He cannot say what delight is
He who does not rest on these sands
Now that a slow zephyr
Gently ruffles the sea
Long
PROGRAM NOTES
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris by Antonio Vivaldi
Antonio Vivaldi, born in 1678, was a prominent Italian composer, violinist, and priest, widely recognized as one of the leading figures of the Baroque era He composed and conducted a vast number of works, including concertos, sacred choral music, opera, etc, and is especially celebrated for his innovative contributions to the concerto form, particularly through The Four Seasons Vivaldi’s music experienced a major revival in the 20th century, and he is now recognized as one of the most influential composers of his time.
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris is rich in Baroque ornamentation with its light and buoyant texture paired with an agile melismatic vocal line that dances Part of his sacred work Gloria RV 589, one of his most famous works, was actually lost for centuries and only rediscovered in the 20th century, helping to spark the Vivaldi revival.
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, Miserere nobis
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father have mercy upon us
PROGRAM NOTES
Chanson du Pêcheur by Gabriel Fauré
Gabriel Fauré, born in 1845, was a French composer, organist, teacher, and central figure in late 19th and early 20th century French melodie. His music is often acclaimed to be a bridge between the Romantic and Modern era– his Romantic style influenced by his teacher Camille Saint-Säens His teaching and influence later extended to composers such as Ravel and Nadia Boulanger
Chanson du Pêcheur, composed in 1872, is based on a French translation of a poem by Goethe, originally titled Der Fischer. The poem tells the story of a fisherman who is lured into the water by a mysterious and seductive water spirit Being a Goethe text, his fascination with German lieder is evident as well as the narrative style influence of Schumann and Schubert The fluid and undulating piano line mirrors the water as the melody creates a dreamlike, suspended feeling as though the voice is floating above the rippling piano accompaniment The piano and vocal line creates tension between serenity and seduction, characterizing the siren’s calls.
Ma belle amie est morte,
Je pleurerai toujours;
Sous la tombe elle emporte
Mon âme et mes amours
Dans le ciel, sans m ’attendre, Elle s ’ en retourna;
L’ange qui l’emmena
Ne voulut pas me prendre
Que mon sort est amer!
Ah! sans amour s ’ en aller sur la mer!
La blanche créature
Est couchée au cercueil; Comme dans la nature
Tout me paraît en deuil!
La colombe oubliée
Pleure et songe à l’absent; Mon âme pleure et sent
Qu’elle est dépareillée
Que mon sort est amer!
Ah! sans amour s ’ en aller sur la mer!
Sur moi la nuit immense
Plane comme un linceul, Je chante ma romance
Que le ciel entend seul
Ah! comme elle était belle, Et combien je l’aimais!
Je n ’aimerai jamais
Une femme autant qu ’elle
Que mon sort est amer!
Ah! sans amour s ’ en aller sur la mer!
My dearest love is dead: I shall weep for evermore; To the tomb she takes with her
My soul and all my love
Without waiting for me
She has returned to Heaven;
The angel who took her away
Did not wish to take me
How bitter is my fate!
Alas! to set sail loveless across the sea!
The pure white soul
Lies in her coffin
How everything in nature
Seems to mourn!
The forsaken dove
Weeps, dreaming of its absent mate; My soul weeps and feels
Itself adrift
How bitter is my fate!
Alas! to set sail loveless across the sea!
The immense night above me
Is spread like a shroud; I sing my song
Which heaven alone can hear
Ah! how beautiful she was,
And how I loved her!
I shall never love a woman
As I loved her.
How bitter is my fate!
Alas! to set sail loveless across the sea!
PROGRAM NOTES
Tendrement by Erik Satie
Erik Satie (1866–1925) was a French composer and pianist best known for his eccentric personality and groundbreaking approach to music that challenged the conventions of his time. Often considered a forerunner of modernism and minimalism, Satie rejected the dramatic flair of Romanticism in favor of simplicity, clarity, and irony He studied briefly at the Paris Conservatoire, where he was called "giftless," yet went on to influence major composers like Debussy, Ravel, and even John Cage He collaborated with avant-garde artists and writers, contributing to ballet, cabaret, and experimental music Satie was known for his peculiar habits; he only ate white food, wore identical velvet suits, carried a hammer with him everywhere he went, and lived in a tiny room filled with umbrellas and odd inventions
Satie’s Tendrement was written in the midst of World War I in 1915 during a personal time of artistic experimentation and personal reflection Tendrement is the final piece in his Avantdernières pensées set, which includes three short movements titled after emotional states or moods. While he was known for his eccentric, often satirical works, Tendrement stands out as a rare, genuinely tender and lyrical piece It shows a softer side of Satie, contrasting with his more ironic or absurd earlier works
D'un amour tendre et pur afin qu'il vous souvienne, Voici mon coeur, mon coeur tremblant, Mon pauvre coeur d'enfant
Et voici, pâle fleur que vous fites éclore, Mon âme qui ce meurt de vous Et de vos yeux si doux
Mon âme est la chapelle, Où la nuit et le jour
Devant votre grâce immortelle, Prie à deux genoux mon fidèle amour
Dans l'ombre et le mystère
Chante amoureusement
Un douce prière, Païenne si légère, C'est votre nom charmant
D'un amour tendre et pur
Des roses sont écloses
Au jardin de mon coeur, Ces roses d'amour sont moins roses Que vos adorables lèvres en fleur
De vos main si cruelles Et dont je suis jaloux, Effeuilles les plus belles, Vous pouvez les cueillir, le jardin est à vous.
D'un amour tendre et pur
With a tender and pure love so that it may remember you, Here is my heart, my trembling heart, My poor child's heart
And behold, a pale flower that you made bloom, My soul that dies of you And of your eyes so sweet
My soul is the chapel, Where night and day Before your immortal grace, My faithful love prays on both knees
In the shadows and the mystery
Sings lovingly
A sweet prayer, So light a pagan, It is your charming name
With a tender and pure love
Roses are blooming In the garden of my heart, These roses of love are less pink Than your adorable lips in bloom
With your hands so cruel And of which I am jealous, Pluck the most beautiful ones, You can pick them, the garden is yours.
With a tender and pure love
SPECIAL THANKS
Dr Jourdan Laine Howell- It has been an absolute pleasure learning from such a caring, passionate, and incredibly talented voice teacher Your guidance has been nothing but inspiring and the bond we have created will always be cherished Thank you for challenging me to do things I’ve never thought I could do; not only has this made me grow as a musician but as a person. Because of you, I know what passions I want to strive for and what I want for my future in music. You have such a gift in teaching and have never failed to inspire me with any performance or production I’ve done under your direction All of this was so important to me in finding myself as a vocalist and performer I’ve enjoyed all these years being your student and working with you, they will be missed tremendously A million thanks to you for everything
Anna Hakobyan- Thank you so much for your time and collaboration with me, your talent and musicianship has been such an honor to work with and incredibly inspiring. You are a huge part of my growth as a musician and I can never thank you enough Through any performance, show, or competition your support and artistry has always been something that made me feel secure and proud to perform Thank you for being my pianist, you will always be appreciated for your presence in my experiences here at UTSA
And a special thanks to Emily Densmore. Thank you for joining me on my recital, it has been an absolute pleasure performing with you.
UPCOMING VOICE AREA EVENTS
Thursday, April 24 , 5:00PM th Voice Recital
Lilly Sandoval, soprano
Thursday, April 24 , 7:30PM th
UTSA Concerto and Aria Winners Concert Conducted by Troy Peters with Emily Densmore, soprano
Friday, April 25 , 7:30PM th Choral Cavalcade
Conducted by Yoojin Muhn & Jordan D Boyd featuring UTSA’s Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, and University Chorus
Tuesday, April 29 , 5:00PM th Voice Recital Bree Bell, soprano
Wednesday, April 30 , 5:00PM th Voice Recital Bernadette Fernandez, soprano
Thursday, May 1 , 5:00PM st Voice Recital Deeana Jaini-Malave, mezzo-soprano
Thursday, May 1 , 5:30PM st Voice Recital Michael Reyes, tenor
Friday, May 2 , 7:30PM nd Voice Recital
Milena Sousa, soprano
Sunday, May 4 , 3:00PM th Voice Recital
Ana Mariñelarena, soprano
Sunday, May 7 , 7:30PM th Voice Recital
Justin Chappell, tenor