Tenth Muse Interactive Program
February 15th, Clocktower Salon | February 21st, Piedmont Center for the Arts | February 22nd, St. Francis Salon
Letter from the Cofounder
Dear Audience,
Thank you so much for coming to celebrate Tenth Muse! For those of you who don't know, Meghan, Dana, and I have been working together since the beginning of Insight! We loved collaborating on this program and being able to explore the musical lives of women throughout history.
Thank you for supporting local arts!
Sincerely,
Leah Froyd
President of Insight Chamber
Program
Robert Schumann | Frauenliebe und Liebe
I. Seit ich ihn gesehen | Since First Seeing Him
III. Ich kann’s nicht fassen, nicht glauben| I Cannot Grasp it, Believe it
—
IV. Du Ring an meinem Finger | You Ring On My Finger
V. Helft mir, ihr Schwestern | Help Me, My Sisters
—
VI. Süsser Freund, du blickest | Sweet Friend, You Look
VII. An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust | On My Heart, At My Breast
Clara Schumann (1819-1896) | Three Romances Op. 22
I. Andante Molto
II. Allegretto: Mit zartem Vortrage
III. Leidenschaftlich Schnell
Intermission
Dominick Argento | From the Diary of Virginia Woolf
I. The Diary (April 1919)
VII. Parents (December 1940)
VIII. Last Entry (March 1941)
Cooper Grosscup | 10th Muse
I.I Confess
II. It's No Use
III. Raise High the Roofbeams, Carpenters
IV. Sleep, Darling
V. O' Graces
Texts
Frauenliebe und Leben
Seit ich ihn gesehen
German source: Adelbert von Chamisso
Seit ich ihn gesehen,
Glaub ich blind zu sein;
Wo ich hin nur blicke,
Seh ich ihn allein;
Wie im wachen Traume
Schwebt sein Bild mir vor,
Taucht aus tiefstem Dunkel,
Heller nur empor.
Sonst ist licht- und farblos
Alles um mich her,
Nach der Schwestern Spiele
Nicht begehr ich mehr,
Möchte lieber weinen,
Still im Kämmerlein;
Seit ich ihn gesehen,
Glaub ich blind zu sein.
Since first seeing him
English translation © Richard Stokes
Since first seeing him,
I think I am blind,
Wherever I look,
Him only I see;
As in a waking dream
His image hovers before me,
Rising out of deepest darkness
Ever more brightly.
All else is dark and pale
Around me,
My sisters’ games
I no more long to share,
I would rather weep
Quietly in my room;
Since first seeing him,
I think I am blind.
Ich kann’s nicht fassen, nicht glauben
German source: Adelbert von Chamisso
Ich kann’s nicht fassen, nicht glauben,
Es hat ein Traum mich berückt;
Wie hätt er doch unter allen
Mich Arme erhöht und beglückt?
Mir war’s, er habe gesprochen:
„Ich bin auf ewig dein“—
Mir war’s—ich träume noch immer,
Es kann ja nimmer so sein.
O lass im Traume mich sterben,
Gewieget an seiner Brust,
Den seligen Tod mich schlürfen
In Tränen unendlicher Lust.
I cannot grasp it, believe it
English translation © Richard Stokes
I cannot grasp it, believe it,
A dream has beguiled me;
How, from all women, could he
Have exalted and favoured poor me?
He said, I thought,
‘I am yours forever’,
I was, I thought, still dreaming,
After all, it can never be.
O let me, dreaming, die,
Cradled on his breast;
Let me savour blissful death
In tears of endless joy.
Du Ring an meinem Finger
German source: Adelbert von Chamisso
Du Ring an meinem Finger,
Mein goldenes Ringelein,
Ich drücke dich fromm an die Lippen,
Dich fromm an das Herze mein.
Ich hatt ihn ausgeträumet,
Der Kindheit friedlich schönen Traum,
Ich fand allein mich, verloren
Im öden, unendlichen Raum.
Du Ring an meinem Finger
Da hast du mich erst belehrt,
Hast meinem Blick erschlossen
Des Lebens unendlichen, tiefen Wert.
Ich will ihm dienen, ihm leben,
Ihm angehören ganz,
Hin selber mich geben und finden
Verklärt mich in seinem Glanz.
Du Ring an meinem Finger,
Mein goldenes Ringelein,
Ich drücke dich fromm an die Lippen,
Dich fromm an das Herze mein.
Du Ring an meinem Finger
German source: Adelbert von Chamisso
You ring on my finger,
My golden little ring,
I press you devoutly to my lips,
To my heart.
I had finished dreaming
Childhood’s peaceful dream,
I found myself alone, forlorn
In boundless desolation.
You ring on my finger,
You first taught me,
Opened my eyes
To life’s deep eternal worth.
I shall serve him, live for him,
Belong to him wholly,
Yield to him and find
Myself transfigured in his light.
You ring on my finger,
My golden little ring,
I press you devoutly to my lips,
To my heart.
Helft mir, ihr Schwestern
German source: Adelbert von Chamisso
Helft mir, ihr Schwestern,
Freundlich mich schmücken,
Dient der Glücklichen heute mir,
Windet geschäftig
Mir um die Stirne
Noch der blühenden Myrte Zier.
Als ich befriedigt,
Freudigen Herzens,
Sonst dem Geliebten im Arme lag,
Immer noch rief er,
Sehnsucht im Herzen,
Ungeduldig den heutigen Tag.
Helft mir, ihr Schwestern,
Helft mir verscheuchen
Eine törichte Bangigkeit,
Dass ich mit klarem
Aug ihn empfange,
Ihn, die Quelle der Freudigkeit.
Bist, mein Geliebter,
Du mir erschienen,
Giebst du mir, Sonne, deinen Schein?
Lass mich in Andacht,
Lass mich in Demut,
Lass mich verneigen dem Herren mein.
Streuet ihm, Schwestern,
Streuet ihm Blumen,
Bringet ihm knospende Rosen dar,
Aber euch, Schwestern,
Grüss ich mit Wehmut,
Freudig scheidend aus eurer Schar.
Help me, My Sisters
English translation © Richard Stokes
Help me, my sisters,
With my bridal attire,
Serve me today in my joy,
Busily braid
About my brow
The wreath of blossoming myrtle.
When with contentment
And joy in my heart
I lay in my beloved’s arms,
He still called,
With longing heart,
Impatiently for this day.
Help me, my sisters,
Help me banish
A foolish fearfulness;
So that I with bright eyes
May receive him,
The source of all my joy.
Have you, my love,
Really entered my life,
Do you, O sun, give me your glow?
Let me in reverence,
Let me in humility
Bow before my lord.
Scatter flowers, O sisters,
Scatter flowers before him,
Bring him budding roses.
But you, sisters,
I greet with sadness,
As I joyfully take leave of you.
Süsser Freund, du blickest
German source: Adelbert von Chamisso
Süsser Freund, du blickest
Mich verwundert an,
Kannst es nicht begreifen,
Wie ich weinen kann;
Lass der feuchten Perlen
Ungewohnte Zier
Freudig hell erzittern
In dem Auge mir!
Wie so bang mein Busen,
Wie so wonnevoll!
Wüsst ich nur mit Worten,
Wie ich’s sagen soll;
Komm und birg dein Antlitz
Hier an meiner Brust,
Will in’s Ohr dir flüstern
Alle meine Lust.
Weisst du nun die Tränen,
Die ich weinen kann,
Sollst du nicht sie sehen,
Du geliebter Mann?
Bleib an meinem Herzen,
Fühle dessen Schlag,
Dass ich fest und fester
Nur dich drücken mag.
Hier an meinem Bette
Hat die Wiege Raum,
Wo sie still verberge
Meinen holden Traum;
Kommen wird der Morgen,
Wo der Traum erwacht,
Und daraus dein Bildnis
Mir entgegen lacht.
Sweet friend, you look
English translation © Richard Stokes
Sweet friend, you look
At me in wonder,
You cannot understand
How I can weep;
Let the unfamiliar beauty
Of these moist pearls
Tremble joyfully bright
In my eyes!
How anxious my heart is,
How full of bliss!
If only I knew
How to say it in words;
Come and hide your face
Here against my breast,
For me to whisper you
All my joy.
Do you now understand the tears
That I can weep,
Should you not see them,
Beloved husband?
Stay by my heart,
Feel how it beats,
That I may press you
Closer and closer.
Here by my bed
There is room for the cradle,
Silently hiding
My blissful dream;
The morning shall come
When the dream awakens,
And your likeness
Laughs up at me.
An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust
German source: Adelbert von Chamisso
An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust,
Du meine Wonne, du meine Lust!
Das Glück ist die Liebe, die Lieb ist das Glück,
Ich hab’s gesagt und nehm’s nicht zurück.
Hab überschwenglich mich geschätzt,
Bin überglücklich aber jetzt.
Nur die da säugt, nur die da liebt
Das Kind, dem sie die Nahrung giebt;
Nur eine Mutter weiss allein,
Was lieben heisst und glücklich sein.
O, wie bedaur’ ich doch den Mann,
Der Mutterglück nicht fühlen kann!
Du lieber, lieber Engel, Du
Du schauest mich an und lächelst dazu!
An meinem Herzen, an meiner Brust,
Du meine Wonne, du meine Lust!
On my heart, at my breast
English translation © Richard Stokes
On my heart, at my breast,
You my delight, my joy!
Happiness is love, love is happiness,
I’ve always said and say so still.
I thought myself rapturous,
But now am delirious with joy.
Only she who suckles, only she who loves
The child that she nourishes;
Only a mother knows
What it means to love and be happy.
Ah, how I pity the man
Who cannot feel a mother’s bliss!
You dear, dear angel, you,
You look at me and you smile!
On my heart, at my breast,
You my delight, my joy!
From the Diary of Virginia Woolf
The Diary (April 1919)
English source: Virginia Woolf
What sort of diary should I like mine to be? Something . . . so
elastic that it will embrace anything, solemn, slight or beautiful
that comes into my mind. I should like it to resemble some deep
old desk . . . in which one flings a mass of odds and ends
without looking them through. I should like to come back, after
a year or two, and find that the collection had sorted itself
and refined itself and coalesced, as such deposits so mysteriously
do, into a mould, transparent enough to reflect the light of our life.
Parents
How beautiful they were, those old people - I mean father and mother - how simple, how clear, how untroubled. I have been dipping into old letters and father's memoirs. He loved her: oh and was so candid and reasonable and transparent . . . How serene and gay even, their life reads to me: no mud; no whirlpools. And so human - with the children and the little hum and song of the nursery. But if I read as a contemporary I shall lose my child's vision and so must stop. Nothing turbulent; nothing involved; no introspection.
Last Entry
No: I intend no introspection. I mark Henry James' sentence:
Observe perpetually. Observe the oncome of age. Observe greed.
Observe my own despondency. By that means it becomes
serviceable. Or so I hope. I insist upon spending this
time to the best advantage. I will go down with my colours
flying . . . Occupation is essential. And now with some pleasure
I find that it's seven; and must cook dinner. Haddock and
sausage meat. I think it is true that one gains a certain
hold on sausage and haddock by writing them down.
Tenth Muse
I Confess
I confess,
I love
that which caresses me.
I believe,
love has it's share
in the sun's brilliance and virtue
I desire
and I crave.
You set me on fire!
there was no dance,
no holy place
from which we were absent.
It's No Use
It's no use
mother dear,
I can't fnish my weaving.
You may blame Aprhodite. Soft as she is,
she has almost killed me with love for that boy*!
Raise High the Roofbeams, Carpenters!
If she sees you now,
she will pursue you;
if she won’t accept what you give, she will give it.
If she doesn’t love you,
she will love you soon,
even unwilling.
Come to me again,
and release me
from this want past bearing.
All that my heart desires to happen- make it happen!
And stand beside me,
goddess, my ally.
Raise high the roofbeams, carpenters! like ares comes the groom,
taller far than any a tall man.
Sleep, Darling
Sleep, darling
I have a small daughter called Ceis,
who is like a golden flower. I wouldn’t take
all of Croesus’ kingdom
(with love thrown in)
for her.
Don't ask me what to wear.
I have no headband from Sardis to give you, Cleis-
such as I wore...
a girl whose hair
is yellower than torchlight should wear no headdress but fresh flowers.
O' Graces
Awed by her splendor,
stars near the lovely moon darken their own bright faces when she is roundest
and lights the earth
with her silver.
Now while we dance, come here to us, gentle gaity,
revelry, radiance!
Come to me,
o' ye Graces,
delicate, tender, fair. Come to me
o' Graces,
muses with golden hair!
About the Musicians
Acknowledgements & How to Support
Thank you so much for supporting local arts! Just by being here, you are showing your support for local musicians and composers. To help continue the work Insight does, consider making a monetary or in kind donation. Insight is a 501c non profit organization and all donations may be eligible for a tax deduction. If you have any questions or would like to make your contribution by check, please contact admin@insightchamber.com!
Administration & Board
Leah Froyd, Cofounder & President
José Vargas, Board Officer. Resident Composer 22-25'
Advisory Committee
Felicia Su, Miro
Albert Yeh, ZenDesk
David Conte, Composer and Chair of Composition at San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Cooper Grosscup, First Principles Music School. Resident Composer 22-25'
Jolie Wu, Marketing Strategy and Branding
Board Emeritus
Ericsson Hatfield, Cofounder
Host Committee
Davidson Bidwell-Waite & Edwin Waite, Clocktower Salon
Gail Baugh & Jim Warshell, Fisk House
George Horsfall, Blue Painted Lady
Simon Wistow & Stephanie Vacher, Broderick Victorian
Udi & Guy Ledergor, St. Francis Salon
Bing Liem, Lumina Salon
Linda Chrisman, Faithful Fools
Dan Robinson & Courtney Chenette, Shanon-Kavanaugh House
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(over $5,000 annual contribution)
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(up to $500 annual contribution
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