Archive for laasa
Just released: A Guide to the Latin American Art Song Repertoire
Projects like this take FOREVER (FOREVER = 8 years of data gathering and 3 years of culling and editing the data). And I only authored the chapter on Argentina! My good friend and colleague Stela Brandão authored the chapter on Brasil. Editor Maya Hoover was a trooper all the way through the process. Needless to say, we are SO happy to see this baby IN PRINT!
If you are a classically-trained singer or know one, help us celebrate by sharing the gift of this largely unexplored repertoire.
Buy at Amazon or directly from the publisher.
Product description:
A reference guide to the vast array of art song literature and composers from Latin America, this book introduces the music of Latin America from a singer’s perspective and provides a basis for research into the songs of this richly musical area of the world. The book is divided by country into 22 chapters, with each chapter containing an introductory essay on the music of the region, a catalog of art songs for that country, and a list of publishers. Some chapters include information on additional sources. Singers and teachers may use descriptive annotations (language, poet) or pedagogical annotations (range, tessitura) to determine which pieces are appropriate for their voices or programming needs, or those of their students. The guide will be a valuable resource for vocalists and researchers, however familiar they may be with this glorious repertoire
La Silenciosa (The Silent One)
I’ve decided to start a new series of posts with recordings of some of the Argentine art songs I’ve been studying. Hopefully, some of these songs will pique the interest of musicians and listeners not familiar with the repertoire.
La silenciosa (The Silent One)
Poet: Tomás Allende Iragorri (1881-1954)
Composer: Andrés Gaos (1874-1959)
Mis transidas esperanzas
llorosas y sin consuelo
preguntan por la su madre
por la su madre que ha muerto.
Cuando lloran por el día
las campanas del silencio.
Enlutaré mis alcobas
hasta hoy tan florecidas
y agostaré mis jardines
y sus fuentes de agua viva
que la rosa más preciada
murió agostando mi vida.
Despedido ha todo encanto
y el monje del desconsuelo
dice a mi oído palabras
mas amargas que el pan negro.
La silenciosa no llega
y a la silenciosa espero.
–
My longing tears overwhelm me
spilling without a hope of consolation,
Yearning for my mother,
For my mother who is dead.
The evening bells cry out,
the bells of death’s silence.
I will drape my alcoves in black,
that once were in full bloom,
and I will starve my garden plants,
and I will choke the wells of living water.
My most precious rose
has died, extinguishing my life.
Life’s charm has disappeared
and the monk of sorrows
whispers words in my ears
more bitter than black bread.
The silent one does not come,
yet I wait for the silent one.
[English translation by Allison L. Weiss]
Soprano: Allison L. Weiss
Piano: Silas Bassa
–
For more information regarding the Latin American art song, please visit LAASA.org and the LAASA social network.
I made a list…
A Guide to the Latin American Art Song Repertoire
Since 2001, I’ve been collecting art songs from Argentina and trying to figure out what this particular cultural manifestation has meant to listeners and performers. I don’t have any good answers yet, but I DO have a catalog.
After more than eight years of collecting this stuff and one intense winter working with my family (’06-’07) to input all 1243 individual songs (by 82 different composers), their ranges, tessiture, collections, publishers, dedicatees, etc., etc., ETC. into Excel, this information will finally be made available to adventurous singers and researchers the world over!!!
I know. It’s exciting. Just stay in your seat until the show’s over and you’ll get your very own autographed copy.
Dr. Maya Hoover has been great to work with on this project. I think all of us contributors are relieved, however, that we are on the home stretch. I sent my final edits in yesterday and if all goes well (knocking on every piece of wood within sight), this lovely reference will be available in December. Tell your local librarian to order this book!!
I’m hoping I’ll be able to make it available on the LAASA.ORG website.
Read more about the publication here. And check out the Table of Contents.
