Songs From Afar

SONGS FROM AFAR

Ryan Mangan, tenor

Alastair Stout, piano

An die ferne Geliebte  | Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

- Auf dem Hügel sitz ich spähend

- Wo die Berge so blau

- Leichte Segler in den Höhen

- Diese Wolken in den Höhen

- Es kehret der Maien, es blühen die Au’

- Nimm sie hin denn, diese Lieder

Songs of Travel | Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

- The Vagabond

- Let Beauty Awake

- The Roadside Fire

- Youth and Love

- In Dreams

- The Infinite Shining Heavens

- Whither Must I Wander

- Bright Is The Ring of Words

- I Have Trod The Upward and the Downward Slope

AN DIE FERNE GELIEBTE

To The Distant Beloved

Considered to be the first “song cycle”, An die ferne Geliebte  is a narrative collection of songs composed by Ludwig van Beethoven to poetry by Alois Jeitteles (1794-1858). It is an innovative piece in that the melodies and text which open the piece return at the end, completing the circle (or the ring of love). An die ferne Geliebte is influenced by folk melody and nature symbolism. It is composed in the traditional style of the late classical period and, typical of Beethoven’s work, shows a development into romanticism. The overhanging theme of unwillful separation is a theme that we have all been familiar with this year.

SONGS OF TRAVEL

English composer Ralph Vaughan-Williams composed Songs of Travel between 1901 and 1904 to the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson (famous for his stories Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Treasure Island). The narrative follows an individual who is separated from a cherished time of childhood, family, and romance. The piece opens with bitterness and resentment as he takes to the road in “The Vagabond”. On his journey, he encounters the splendors of nature in “Let Beauty Awake”, but cannot help to recall the parallel beauty of the love he left behind. In “The Roadside Fire”, his recollections drive him to reimagine the busy anticipations of his youthful love. Deeper he falls into nostalgia in “Youth and Love” until he is trapped in a rut of hopelessness in “In Dreams”. But “The Infinite Shining Heavens” offers a star of hope that light can shine forth from the darkness. He then takes us back to the lost-but-not-forgotten home where he spent his most warm and happy days in “Whither Must I Wander”, learning to accept the inevitable destructiveness of time. “Bright Is The Ring Of Words” offers us his triumph over the darkness as he declares that it is his honest word that lingers and is remembered through time. Like An die ferne Geliebte, Songs of Travel deals with separation yet expands into more complex themes of nostalgia, remorse, resentment, individualism, and hope. It is easy to identify with Stevenson’s poetry today as we find ourselves coldly separated from the way things used to be. With youthful and loving eyes we can look beyond our bitterness and turn toward the light that shines forth in the dark.

TRANSLATIONS

Auf dem Hügel sitz ich spähend

On the hill sit I, peering

Into the blue, hazy land,

Toward the far away pastures

Where I, my beloved, found you.

Far am I, from you, parted,

Separating us are hill and valley

Between us and our peace,

Our happiness and our sorrow.

Ah! The look can you not see,

That which to you shines forth,

And the sighs, they blow away

In the space that separates us.

Will then nothing more be able to reach you,

Will nothing be a message of love?

I will sing, sing songs,

That to you speak of my pain!

For before the sound of love escapes

every space and every hour,

And a loving heart achieves,

What a loving heart makes holy!

Auf dem Hügel sitz ich, spähend

In das blaue Nebelland,

Nach den fernen Triften sehend,

Wo ich dich, Geliebte, fand.

Weit bin ich von dir geschieden,

Trennend liegen Berg und Tal

Zwischen uns und unserm Frieden,

Unserm Glück und unsrer Qual.

Ach, den Blick kannst du nicht sehen,

Der zu dir so glühend eilt,

Und die Seufzer, sie verwehen

In dem Raume, der uns teilt.

Will denn nichts mehr zu dir dringen,

Nichts der Liebe Bote sein?

Singen will ich, Lieder singen,

Die dir klagen meine Pein!

Denn vor Liedesklang entweichet

Jeder Raum und jede Zeit,

Und ein liebend Herz erreichet,

Was ein liebend Herz geweiht!

Wo die Berge so blau

Where the mountains so blue,

Out of the foggy gray,

Overlook.

Where the sun dies out,

Where the cloud encircles,

I wish I were there!

There in the restful valley

Stilled are suffering and sorrow

Where in the rock

Quietly the primrose meditates,

Blows so lightly the wind,

I wish I were there!

There to the thoughtful wood

The power of love pushes me,

Inner pain!

Ah! This moves me not from here,

Could I, my dear, be eternally beside you!

Wo die Berge so blau

Aus dem nebligen Grau

Schauen herein,

Wo die Sonne verglüht,

Wo die Wolke umzieht,

Möchte ich sein!

Dort im ruhigen Tal

Schweigen Schmerzen und Qual.

Wo im Gestein

Still die Primel dort sinnt,

Weht so leise der Wind,

Möchte ich sein!

Hin zum sinnigen Wald

Drängt mich Liebesgewalt,

Innere Pein.

Ach, mich zög's nicht von hier,

Könnt ich, Traute, bei dir ewiglich sein!

Leichte Segler in dem Höhen

Light veils in the heights,

And you, little brook, small and narrow,

Should my love spot you,

Greet her, from me, many thousand times.

See you, clouds, her go then,

Meditating in the quiet valley,

Let my image stand before her

In the airy heavenly hall.

If she near the bushes stands,

Now that autumn is faded and leafless,

Lament to her, what has happened to me,

Lament to her, little birds, my suffering!

Quiet west, bring in the wind

To my heart's chosen one

My sighs, they blow away

Like the last ray of the sun.

Whisper to her of my love's imploring,

Let her, little brook, small and narrow,

True, in your waves see

My tears without number!

Leichte Segler in den Höhen,

Und du, Bächlein klein und schmal,

Könnt mein Liebchen ihr erspähen,

Grüßt sie mir viel tausendmal.

Seht ihr, Wolken, sie dann gehen

Sinnend in dem stillen Tal,

Laßt mein Bild vor ihr entstehen

In dem luftigen Himmelssaal.

Wird sie an den Büschen stehen,

Die nun herbstlich falb und kahl.

Klagt ihr, wie mir ist geschehen,

Klagt ihr, Vöglein, meine Qual.

Stille Weste, bringt im Wehen

Hin zu meiner Herzenswahl

Meine Seufzer, die vergehen

Wie der Sonne letzter Strahl.

Flüstr' ihr zu mein Liebesflehen,

Laß sie, Bächlein klein und schmal,

Treu in deinen Wogen sehen

Meine Tränen ohne Zahl!

Diese Wolken in dem Höhen

These clouds in the heights,

These birds gaily passing,

Will see you, my beloved.

Take me with you on your light flight!

These west winds will play

Caressing your cheek and breast,

In the silky curls will dig.

I share with you this pleasure!

There to you from this hill

Busily, the little brook hurries.

If your image is reflected in it,

Flow back without delay!

Diese Wolken in den Höhen,

Dieser Vöglein muntrer Zug,

Werden dich, o Huldin, sehen.

Nehmt mich mit im leichten Flug!

Diese Weste werden spielen

Scherzend dir um Wang' und Brust,

In den seidnen Locken wühlen.

Teilt ich mit euch diese Lust!

Hin zu dir von jenen Hügeln

Emsig dieses Bächlein eilt.

Wird ihr Bild sich in dir spiegeln,

Fließ zurück dann unverweilt!

Es kehret der Maien, es blumen sie Au’

May returns, the meadow blooms,

The breezes they blow so mildly, so balmy,

Chattering, the brooks now run.

The swallow, that returns to her hospitable roof,

She builds, so busily, her bridal chamber,

Love must dwell there.

She brings, so busily, from all directions,

Many soft pieces for the bridal bed,

Many warm pieces for the little ones.

Now live the couple together so faithfully,

What winter has separated is united by May,

What loves, that he knows how to unite.

May returns, the meadow blooms,

The breezes they blow so softly, so mildly,

Only I cannot go away from here.

When all that loves, the spring unites,

Only to our love no spring appears,

And tears are our only consolation.

Es kehret der Maien, es blühet die Au,

Die Lüfte, sie wehen so milde, so lau,

Geschwätzig die Bäche nun rinnen.

Die Schwalbe, die kehret zum wirtlichen Dach,

Sie baut sich so emsig ihr bräutlich Gemach,

Die Liebe soll wohnen da drinnen.

Sie bringt sich geschäftig von kreuz und von quer

Manch weicheres Stück zu dem Brautbett hierher,

Manch wärmendes Stück für die Kleinen.

Nun wohnen die Gatten beisammen so treu,

Was Winter geschieden, verband nun der Mai,

Was liebet, das weiß er zu einen.

Es kehret der Maien, es blühet die Au.

Die Lüfte, sie wehen so milde, so lau.

Nur ich kann nicht ziehen von hinnen.

Wenn alles, was liebet, der Frühling vereint,

Nur unserer Liebe kein Frühling erscheint,

Und Tränen sind all ihr Gewinnen.

Nimm sie hin denn, diese Lieder

Take, then, these songs,

That I to you, my beloved, have sung,

Sing them in the evening hours

To the sweet sounds of the lute!

When the red twilight then moves

Toward the calm, blue lake,

And the last ray dies away

Beyond every mountain peak.

And you sing, what I have sung,

What I, from my full heart,

Artlessly have sounded,

Only aware of its longings.

For before these songs yields,

What separates us so far,

And a loving heart achieves

What a loving heart makes holy.

Nimm sie hin denn, diese Lieder,

Die ich dir, Geliebte, sang,

Singe sie dann abends wieder

Zu der Laute süßem Klang.

Wenn das Dämmrungsrot dann ziehet

Nach dem stillen blauen See,

Und sein letzter Strahl verglühet

Hinter jener Bergeshöh;

Und du singst, was ich gesungen,

Was mir aus der vollen Brust

ohne Kunstgepräng erklungen,

Nur der Sehnsucht sich bewußt:

Dann vor diesen Liedern weichet

Was geschieden uns so weit,

Und ein liebend Herz erreichet

Was ein liebend Herz geweiht.

RYAN MANGAN

Rutland native, Ryan Mangan, is a classical vocalist and actor. With performance credits in Hartford, Boston, and New York City, he has sung with Opera Theatre of Weston, Manchester Music Festival, New England Opera Intensive, VOX New England, Opera Connecticut, and Hartt Opera Theatre. ​Some of the roles in his repertoire include Alfred in Die Fledermaus, Camille in The Merry Widow, Borsa in Rigoletto, and Le petit vieillard in L’enfant et les sortilèges . His dedication for artistry in the classical song repertoire earned him the highest honor of the Vocal Scholarship Performance at the Vermont All-State Music Festival, the Dean's Award in the 2nd Annual Hartt Vocal Competition, and First Place in the undergraduate division of the VOX New England Classical Idol Competition. ​He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Voice Performance from The Hartt School where he studied under Metropolitan Opera artist Sondra Kelly and Yale Opera faculty member Kyle Swann.

ALASTAIR STOUT

Alastair Stout spent his early childhood on Scotland’s Shetland Islands. His musical gifts were recognized at an early age when he was chosen to be a chorister at Ely Cathedral, Cambridgeshire, UK. From the age of 10 to 14 he was steeped in the English choral tradition, singing under the renowned conductor and composer Dr. Arthur Wills, OBE. He published his first solo organ composition at the age of 15. He subsequently graduated from the Royal College of Music with First Class Honors. He continued his studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and at Royal Holloway, University of London, where he graduated with a Ph.D. in composition. Alastair has written for almost every genre and has had his award-winning music performed and recorded throughout the world. He is also a concert organist and has performed throughout the US, UK and Mexico. In 2002 he moved to the USA to become Director of Music at the Coraopolis United Methodist Church in Southwest PA, and in 2010 was appointed director of the Pittsburgh Compline Choir. In 2017 Alastair and his partner, Krista, moved to Rutland, where he was appointed Minister of Music of Grace Congregational UCC. Visit www.stoutworks.net