Images of Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary

KRAKOW, POLAND

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

Czech Republic formerly Czechoslovakia

ANTONIN DVORAK (1841-1904)
IPA: /dvoɹæk/
Here is a very beautiful performance of mezzo soprano, Bernarda Fink singing two of the Dvorak Biblical Songs Op. 99.

Note: These songs were published first in 1894 for Sop./Tenor or Alto/Baritone and pianoforte. In 1895, he arranged Nos. 1-5 for orchestra and 6-10 were arranged by Zemánek.

1. Psalm 97:2-6
"Oblak a mrákota jest vůkol něho"

Oblak a mrákota jest vůkol něho,
Spravedlnost a soud základ trůnu jeho.
Óheň předchází jej a zapaluje
vůkol nepřátele jeho.
Zasvěcujít' se po okršku světa blýskání jeho;
To vidouc země děsí se.
Hory jako vosk rozplývají
se před obličejem Hospodina,
Panovníka vší země.
A slávu jeho spatřují všichni národové.
******************************************
Clouds and Darkness are around Him:
justice and judgment are foundations of His throne.
Fire goeth before Him, and sets on fire his enemies around Him.
His lightnings flash around the world:
the earth sees it, and trembles.
Mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
the Lord of the whole earth.
and His glory is seen by all the Nations.

2. Psalms 119:114-117,119,120
"Skrýše má a paveza má Ty jsi"

Skrýše má a paveza má Ty jsi,
Na slovo vzaté očekávám.
Odstuptež ode mne, nešlechetníci,
Abych ostříhal přikázáni Boha svého.
Posiluj mne, bych zachován byl,
A patřil ku stanoveným Tvým ustavičně.
Děsí se strachem před Tebou tělo mé,
Nebo soudů Tvých bojím se náramně.
************************************
Thou art my refuge and my shield: I await Thy word.
Depart from me, ye evildoers:
so that I keep the commandments of my God.
Give me strength, so that I shall be saved,
and that I observe your law always.
My flesh trembleth for fear of Thee;
For I am afraid of Thy judgments, exceedingly.

Translations and more information can be found HERE.


Here are Bernarda Fink and Roger Vignoles performing Dvorak's song cycle Gypsy Songs Op. 55.

Text

1.My song sounds of lovewhen the old day is dying;
it is sowing its shadows
and reaping a collections of pearls. My song resonates with longingwhile my feet roam distant lands.My homeland is in the distant wilderness -my song stirs with nationalism. My song loudly resounds of lovewhile unplanned storms hasten.I'm glad for the freedom that I no longer have a portion in the dying of a brother.

2. Ah! Why is my three-cornered bell ringing so passionately?
As a gypsy song when death is imminent -
the death of a gypsy brings an end
to song, dance, love and all concerns!
To song, dance, love and all concerns! 

3. The forest is quiet all around;
only the heart is disturbing the peace.
As if black smoke is flowing,
tears flow down my cheeks and so they dry.
They need not dry -
let other cheeks feel them.
The one who can in sorrow sing
will not die but lives and lives on. 

4 When my old mother taught me to sing,
Strange that she often had tears in her eyes.
And now I also weep,
when I teach gipsy children to play and sing!

5.The string is taut - young man turn, spin, twirl!
Today reach the heights, tomorrow down again and
after tomorrow, at the holy table of the Nile.
The taut string is stretched - turn young man - turn and twirl! 

6.Wide sleeves and wide trousers have
more freedom than a robe of gold.
The robe of gold constricts the chest
and the song within the body dies.
He who is happy - his song blooms with wishes
that the whole world would lose its taste for gold. 

7.Given a cage to live in made of pure gold, 
the Gypsy would exchange it
for the freedom of a nest of thorns.
Just as a wild horse rushes to the wasteland,
seldom bridled and reined in,
so too the gypsy nature has been given eternal freedom.

Here is Renée Fleming singing her signature aria from Dvorak's Opera, Rusalka.

Poland: Chopin

POLAND
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN (1810-1849)

Below, you will find three performances of Chopin's Songs from Op. 74-- I've included two different versions of Życzenie/ Wish, which is the first song in Op. 74 and one performance of Gdzie lubi/ There where she loves #5 OP. 74


Wish, F.CHOPIN song, Ewa Iżykowska soprano; Jerzy Maciejewski - piano

Elzbieta Szmytka, soprano; Malcolm Martineau,piano

You may want to explore the language links I've included in the Link Section of the blog for further study.

Życzenie/ Wish
Text: Stefan Witwicki (1801-1847)

Gdybym ja była słoneczkiem na niebie,
Nie świeciłabym jak tylko dla ciebie.
Ani na wody, ani na lasy, ale po wszystkie
Czasy pod twym okienkiem i tylko dla ciebie
Gdybym w słoneczko mogła zmienić siebie.

Gdybym ja była ptaszkiem z tego gaju,
Nie śpiewałabym w żadnym obcym kraju.
Ani na wody, ani na lasy, ale po wsystkie
Czasy pod twym okienkiem i tylko dla ciebie
Gdybym w słoneczko mogła zmienić siebie.
**********************************************
If I were the sun in the sky
I wouldn't shine just on you.
Neither on lakes nor forests but on everything;
Oh the times under your window and only for you
If I could only change into the sun.

If I were a bird from that forest
I wouldn't sing in any foreign country
Neither on lakes nor forests but on everything;
Oh the times under your window and only for you
If I could only change into the sun.

Elzbieta Szmytka, soprano; Malcolm Martineau,piano
Gdzie lubi/ There where she loves #5 OP. 74
Stefan Witwicki (1801-1847)

Strumyk lubi wdolinie,
Sarna lubi w gęstwinie,
Ptaszek lubi pod strzechą,
Lecz dziewczyna, dziewczyna!

Z uciechą lubi gdzie niebieskie oko,
Lubi gdzie i czarne oko,
Lubi gdzie wesołe pieśni,
Lubi gdzie i smutne pieśni.

Sama nie wie gdzie lubi,
Wszędzie, wszędzie serce zgubi,
Sama nie wie gdzie lubi,
Wszędzie, wszędzie serce zgubi

**************************************
There where she loves

Streams gurgle through the valley;
Birds are nesting under the eaves;
Deer hide in the forest,
But where can a girl's heart find its home?

Perhaps where there are bright blue eyes,
Or dark, deep, mysterious ones;
But to songs of love or pain
Her heart may or may not fly.

She herself is powerless
As to where her heart will alight.
She is powerless
As to where her heart will stray.



All translations are from the Lied Art Song Page.

HUNGARY

Hungarian Folk Song


Some info on Hungarian Soprano, Erika Miklósa

Interview with composer: Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
Listen to him speaking about his music.


Bartók plays Bartók Romanian Dance no. 1
Many other performances of the composer playing his own music at Youtube!



I wasn't able to find very many examples of Bartok or Kodaly Songs. But here is the wonderful Lucia Popp,who was born in Slovakia (formerly Czechoslovakia) with pianist, Geoffrey Parsons. She sings four Kodaly Folk Songs in Hungarian and according to Kata, her pronunciation is perfect!
Zoltán Kodály: "Magyar népzene" (Hungarian Folk Music/Ungarische Volksmusik)

"Akkor szép az erdő" (Lovely is the forest/Schön ist' s im Walde)

"Kocsi, szekér" (Wheelcart, barrow/Noch ein Monat)

"Ifjúság, mint sólyommadár" (A Little Sad Song/Jugend)

SEE ADDITIONAL LINKS UNDER THE COMMENTS OF THIS POST!

Spain and South America

Spanish Singer by Manet



Goya

Harmony of the Universe

"An Astronomer"- detail from a map of the planets from "The Celestial Atlas" by Andreas Cellarius
"Harmony of the Universe" my title.

"Polo" by Manuel de Falla

Teresa Berganza, mezzo soprano
Gabriel Estarellas, guitar
"Polo" from Siete Canciones Españolas by Manuel de Falla
Text- Traditonal


¡Ay!
Guardo una, ¡Ay!
Guardo una, ¡Ay!
¡Guardo una pena en mi pecho,
¡Guardo una pena en mi pecho,
¡Ay!
Que a nadie se la diré!

Malhaya el amor, malhaya,
Malhaya el amor, malhaya,
¡Ay!
¡Y quien me lo dió a entender!
¡Ay!
**************************************
Ay!
I keep a... (Ay!)
I keep a... (Ay!)
I keep a sorrow in my breast,
I keep a sorrow in my breast
that to no one will I tell.

Wretched be love, wretched,
Wretched be love, wretched,
Ay!
And he who gave me to understand it!
Ay!

Translations from
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page

"El paño moruno" by Manuel de Falla

Teresa Berganza, mezzo soprano
Gabriel Estarellas, guitar
"El paño moruno" from Siete Canciones Españolas by Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)
Text: Traditional

Al paño fino, en la tienda,
una mancha le cayó;
Por menos precio se vende,
Porque perdió su valor.
¡Ay!
*********************************
On the fine cloth in the store
a stain has fallen;
It sells at a lesser price,
because it has lost its value.
Alas!

"Sevillanas del Siglo XVIII" by Federico Garcia Lorca

Lorca and La Argentinita performing together. Clicking on La Argentinita will take you to a link to learn who she is.

Sevillanas del S.XVIII
Text:Federico García Lorca

¡Viva Sevilla!
Llevan las sevillanas
en la mantilla
un letrero que dice:
¡Viva Sevilla!

¡Viva Triana!
¡Vivan los trianeros,
los de Triana!
¡Vivan los sevillanos
y sevillanas!
**************************
Long live Sevilla!
The women of Sevilla wear a sign in their mantillas that reads "Viva Sevilla!

Long live Triana!
Long live the people of Triana!
Long live the women and the men of Sevilla!

Poem here is incomplete. There are more verses.
Trans.Milagro Vargas

"En el Cafe de Chinitas" by Federico Garcia Lorca

Teresa Berganza, mezzo soprano; Narciso Yepes, guitar

El café de Chinitas
Federico García Lorca (1898-1936)

En el café de Chinitas
dijo a Paquiro un hermano:
"Soy más valiente que tú
más torero y mas gitano."

En el café de Chinitas
dijo a Paquiro un Frascuelo:
"Soy más valiente que tú
más gitano y mas torero."

Sacó Paquiro el reló
y dijo de esta manera:
"Este toro ha de morir
antes de las cuatro y media."

Al dar las cuatro en la calle
se salieron del café
y era Paquiro en la calle
un torero de cartel.

Enlgish Translation

In Chinita's cafe Paquiro said to his brother:
I'm more courageous than you,  a better bullfighter and more of a gypsy.

In Chinita's cafe Paquiro said to Frascuelo:
I'm more courageous than you,
more of a gypsy and more of a bullfighter.

Paquiro took out his watch and said in this manner:
"This bull is going to die before 4:30.

When the 4 o'clock arrived in the street, they left the cafe,
and Paquiro was in the street, a star bullfighter!

Translation M. Vargas

Arthur Rubenstein in de Falla's "Ritual Fire Dance"

Click on title for performance.  Amor Brujo is a ballet composed by Falla.  He later composed this piano suite based on the themes in the larger work.

The orchestral piece can be heard here!

"Cancion del arbol del olvido" by Ginastera

Composer: Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983)
Alfredo Kraus, tenor
José Todesillas, pianist

El arbol del olvido

En mis pagos hay un arbol
Que del olvido se llama,
Al que van a despenarse,
Vidalitay, Vidalitay,
Los moribundos del alma.

Para no pensar en vos
Bajo el arbol del olvido
Me acosté una nochecita,
Vidalitay, Vidalitay,
Y me quedé bien dormido.

Al despertar de aquel sueño
Pensaba en vos otra vez,
Pues me olvidé de olvidarte,
Vidalitay, Vidalitay,
Encuantito me acosté.

************************************

The Tree of forgetting

In my neighbourhood there is a tree
that's called the tree of forgetting,
to which go to lay down their troubles,
Vidalitay, Vidalitay,
Those whose souls are dying.

So that I would no longer think of you
under the tree of forgetting
I lay down one evening,
Vidalitay, Vidalitay,
And I fell fast asleep.
When I awoke from that dream
I thought of you once again,
because I forgot to forget you,
Vidalitay, Vidalitay,
as soon as I lay down.

Translations are from
Lied and Art Song Page

"Cancion de cuna para dormir a un negrito" by Montsalvatge

Composer:Xavier Montsalvatge (1912-2002)
Cradle Song for a small black child
From Cinco Canciones Negras
Text: Rafael Alberti
Teresa Berganza, soprano; Felix Lavilla, piano
Aix-en-provence festival 18 July 1964

Translation

Ninghe, ninghe, ninghe, so tiny,
the little black child that doesn't want to sleep.
Head of coconut, grain of coffee,
with pretty freckles, with eyes wide open
like two windows that overlook the sea.

Close your tiny eyes, frightened little black boy;
the white boogey-man can eat you up.
You're no longer are slave! And if you sleep a lot
the master of the house promises to buy you
a suit with buttons, so you can be a "groom."

Ninghe, ninghe, ninghe, sleep little black child,
head of coconut, grain of coffee.

Translations from
Lied and Art Song Page

"El vito" by Obradors

Composer: Fernando J. Obradors (1897-1945)
Teresa Berganza, soprano; Felix Lavilla, piano
Aix-en-provence festival 18 July 1964

El Vito
Text: Anonymous

Una vieja vale un real
y una muchacha dos cuartos,
[y yo, como]1 soy tan pobre
me voy a lo más barato.
Con el vito, vito, vito,
con el vito, vito, va.
No me haga 'usté' cosquillas,
que me pongo 'colorá'.
******************************
An old woman is worth a real1
and a young girl two cuartos2,
but as I am so poor
I go for the cheapest.
On with the dancing,
on with the dancing, ole!
Stop your teasing, sir,
else I'll blush!

Note: a vito is a dance full of fire, performed in the taverns by a woman standing on a table before an audience of bullfighters.
1 Real: A silver coin.
2 Cuarto: A copper coin.

Translations are from
Lied and Art Song Page

I reckon--when I count at all

I reckon -- when I count at all --
First -- Poets -- Then the Sun --
Then Summer -- Then the Heaven of God --
And then -- the List is done --

But, looking back -- the First so seems
To Comprehend the Whole --
The Others look a needless Show --
So I write -- Poets -- All --

Their Summer -- lasts a Solid Year --
They can afford a Sun
The East -- would deem extravagant --
And if the Further Heaven --

Be Beautiful as they prepare
For Those who worship Them --
It is too difficult a Grace --
To justify the Dream –

Emily Dickinson