Love Songs
Canzoni d’Amore

Digital Program

Sunday, March 1, 2020 | 7:30 pm
Fort Garry Hotel Concert Ballroom

Welcome!

Welcome to Canzoni d’Amore — Love Songs, a concert featuring the music of Italian women composers of the Baroque and Renaissance, and world premières by three of Canada’s most exciting composers working today. We are delighted to share this rarely-performed repertoire with you!

Tonight’s performance is supported by the Manitoba Arts Council, the Foundation for Choral Music in Manitoba, the Winnipeg Arts Council, the SOCAN Foundation, the Winnipeg Foundation, and numerous generous donors.

The Foundation for Choral Music in Manitoba is a not for profit Foundation that provides support to the Manitoba’s Arts Community towards the development and growth of Choral Arts throughout our province, as such,  the Foundation gratefully accepted donations to the Foundation for investment in the perpetual and endowed funds. The interest income from these investments is used to support concerts, commissions, education and choral works of all kinds, for more information go to www.fcmm.ca or call 204-918-0100.

Canzona

Soprano

Marni Enns
Zohreh Gervais
Leona Hildebrand
Brittany Mielnichuk
Sarah Sommer

Alto

Kim Brown
Karla Ferguson
Donnalynn Grills
Kirsten Schellenberg
Nikita Silagy

Tenor

Josiah Brubacher
Chris Donlevy
Michael Dueck
Aaron Hutton
Doug Pankratz

Bass

John Anderson
Scott Braun
Kris Kornelsen
Ben Kroeker
Scott Reimer
Jereme Wall

Musicians of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

Jeremy Buzash, Violin
Momoko Matsumura, Violin
Elise Lavallee, Viola
Alyssa Ramsay, Cello
Andrew Goodlett, Bass
Cary Denby, Keyboard

Texts and Translations

Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677)

All the works by Barbara Strozzi on this program are from Il primo libro e'madrigali, her First Book of Madrigals published in 1644. During her lifetime, she published eight volumes of music, and had more work in print than any other composer of the era.

Il contrasto de' cinque sensi
The Quarrel of the Five Senses

Chi di noi vaglia più,
Who among us is most worthy,
E di gioia maggior ministro sia,
and is the greatest source of joy,
Fiera lite ognor fu.
has always been a fierce argument.
Io miro, io sento, io gusto, io fiuto, io tocco,
I see; I hear; I taste; I smell; I touch;
E nella donna mia
and in my lady sometimes,
Tal'hor, anco mercé d’un picciol bacio,
thanks to just one little kiss,
Tutto trabocco.
everything in me overflows.
Tocca pur quanto sai,
Touch, then, all you want,
Che nel sol tocco Amore
for with touch alone Love
Il verace gioir non pose mai.
never attains true delight.
Ne sia giudice il cor mesto e languente;
May the sad and languishing heart be the judge;
"Ohimè" senti ch’il cor dentro ci dice,
let the heart within say "alas,"
Ch’un sol bacio, ch’è niente, il fa felice.
and then just one kiss, which counts for nothing, makes one happy.

— Giulio Strozzi

Maddalena Casulana (1544-1590) Ridon’ hor per le piagge
Now the meadows smile

Ridon' hor per le piaggie herbett'e fiori,
Now the meadows smile with grass and flowers,
esser non puo che quel angelic' alma,
it cannot be that her angelic soul
non sent' il suon del' amorose note,
does not hear the sound of loving music.
se nostra ria fortun' è di piu forza,
But if my cruel fate has the greater power,
lagrimand' e cantando i nostri versi,
sing and weep together will be our song,
e col bue zopp' andrem cacciando l'aura.
and with a lame ox go to catch the breeze.

Amor per qual cagion

Amor per qual cagion mi mand' ia terra,
Love for what reason have you sent me to earth,
se sai te son fedele,
if you know I am faithful to you,
E bramo pacemi ritrov' in guerra,
And I long for peace, though found in war
di te che sei crudele,
with you who are cruel,
ne voi sia per me pace,
may you not be at peace with me,
ma che sempr'arda con tua viva face.
but always burn with the vivid image of your face.

Io d'odorate fronde
I, from fragrant foliage

Io d'odorate fronde de bei fiori
I, from fragrant foliage of beautiful flowers 
Che la felice arabbia in grembo asconde
That hide happy rage in my lap 
Te sacra un gran altar tra verde alhori
Consecrate to you a great altar among green laurels 
Che arda mai sempre qui vicin al onde.
That forever burns here beside the waves. 

E de le nimphe de la nobil ciori
And of the beautiful nymphs of noble Cloris 
Meco la piu leggiadro in queste sponde
the most elegant one, on these shores with me, 
Cantera, cantera le due lodi ad una
will sing your praises one after another 
Fin che col sol il ciel tutto si in bruna.
Until with the sun all the sky darkens.

Gli occhi lucenti

Gli occhi lucent' e belli,
The bright and beautiful eyes,
e rano l'esc' e gli ami,
the lake of souls,
onde pesci morian liet' e contenti,
whereby fishes would lightly and happily die,
correan leggiadr'e snelli
and gracefully and slenderly run
I dei del fium' intenti,
like gods of the rivers
al armonia, al armonia ch'udian tra verdi rami,
seeking harmony, harmony among green branches of trees,
usci Theti dal' acque, tant' il cantar li piacque,
Theti (the goddess of water) came out of the waters, for she liked the singing so much,
e mentre ch'ella mira, dicea,
that while she was looking she said:
felice chi per lei sospira.
happy are those who sigh for her.

Barbara Strozzi - Il silenzio nocivo
Harmful silence

Dolcissimi respiri
Sweetest breaths
De’ nostri cori amanti
of our loving hearts.
Son le parole affettuose e i canti.
are the passionate words and songs
Sfoga, o mio core, il tuo cocente ardore,
Express, oh my heart, your burning desire,
Se tal'hor non ti tocca
when at times you cannot
Nodrirti almen di due soavi baci.
at least nourish yourself with two sweet kisses.
Afflittissima bocca,
Afflicted mouth,
Stolta sei se tu taci:
you're foolish if you remain silent:
Parla, canta, respira, esala il duolo,
Speak, sing, divulge your suffering,
Canta, canta, che solo
sing, sing, for only
Dolcissimi respiri...
Sweetest breaths...

— Giulio Strozzi (translation by Richard Kolb)

Vittoria (Raffaella) Aleotti (1575-c. 1620) - Baciai per aver vita
I kissed in order to have life

Baciai per aver vita,
I kissed in order to have life,
Ch’ov’è bellezza è vita,
for where there is beauty there is life,
ed ebbi morte:
and (I) found death:
Ma morte sì gradita,
but such a welcome death,
Che più bramata sorte
that a more coveted fate
Vivendo non avrei:
I could not have had while living:
Nè più bramar potrei
nor could I desire more
Da sì soave bocca in un bel volto.
from so tender a mouth in a lovely face.
Baciando, il cor mi fu rapito,
Kissing, my heart was ravished
e tolto.
and taken away.

— G.B. Guarini

O quante volte in van cor mio ti chiamo 
O, how many times in vain, my heart, I call you

O quante volte in van cor mio ti chiamo
O, how many times in vain, my heart, I call you,
Vaga di riveder gli amati lumi,
wanting to see you again the burning eyes,
Cagion ch’io mi consumi
the cause that I am consumed
Sì dolcemente che morir ne bramo.
so sweetly that I desire to die from it.
O dolc’esca, o dolce amo,
O sweet bait, I sweet hook,
O dolce stral d’amore
I sweet arrow of Love,
Ch’in ogni parte mi piagasti il core.
that wounded my heart through and through. 

— Battista Guarini

T’amo mia vita
I love you, my life!

«T’amo, mia vita!»,
“I love you, my life!,”
la mia cara vita dolcemente mi dice
says to me sweetly my beloved life,
e in questa sola sì soave parola
and through this single sweet word
par che trasformi lietament’ il core
seems to merrily transform the heart
per farmene signore.
to elect me its master.
«T’amo, mia vita!»
“I love you, my life!,”
O voce di dolcezza e di diletto!
Ah, voice of sweetness and delight!
Prendila tost’ Amore,
Catch it quickly, Love,
stampala nel mio petto,
imprint it in my chest,
spiri solo per lei l’anima mia.
so that my soul may breathe only for her.

— Translation by Campelli

Carmen Braden (b. 1985) - And is this all? What one poor kiss? (world première)

I adapted Mary Dering's solo vocal composition And this is all? What one poor kiss? for this work. I was initially drawn to the cheeky-sounding lyrics of this unsatisfied lover.The simple vocal melody and accompaniment of the original music was a wonderful skeleton to dress in a contemporary fashion. Lady Mary Dering (1629-1704) was an English composer who attended a "ladies university of the female arts" and later studied under composer, Henry Lawes. Some of her works are purportedly the first known published compositions by a woman in England. In adapting her works, I was constantly trying to imagine what life for Lady Mary would have been like as a woman, a composer, a mother, a wife, a daughter... I feel a deep sense of gratitude for her and the other women composers who have come before me and blazed many hard trails to the current day. — Carmen Braden, 2020

And is this all? What one poor kiss?
Thinkst thou my heart contented is with this gratuity?
No Chloris, no,
or give me all that Lovers love and pleasure call.
Or by a free and full deny,
permit me to despair
and so despairing die.

Antonia Bembo (c. 1640-1720) - Anima perfida
Treacherous soul

Anima perfida, ingrato cor,
Treacherous soul, ungrateful heart; 
e non ti fulmina sdegnato amor!
and it does not burn out, indignant love!

Con finti sguardi m’ingannasti,
With false looks you deceived me, 
con falsi vezzi mi tradisti,
With false habits you betrayed me,
nutrendo in petto
Holding greater passion 
per altro oggetto
For someone else
più vivo ardor:
In your heart.

Anima perfida, ingrato cor.
Treacherous soul, ungrateful heart;

Già t’abbandono, empia che sei
I now abandon you, wicked that you are,
assai perdesti, nulla perdei.
You lost much, I lost nothing. 
Tuo, tuo fu l’error,
Yours, yours was the error,
assai perdesti, nulla perdei:
you lost much, I lost nothing.

Anima perfida, ingrato cor.
Treacherous soul, ungrateful heart; 

Tal se palla infocata
If, similarly, a fiery ball 

incontra un marmo.
meets a marble object, 
Quando il marmo colpisce,
When it hits the marble, 
vien rintuzzata e’l feritor ferisce.
It bounces back, and injures the injurer.

Vittoria (Raffaella) Aleotti - Io v’amo, vita mia
I Love you, my life

Io v’amo, vita mia,
I love you, my life,
volli sovente dire
I often wanted to say,
ed ardo ahi lasso.
and I’m burning for you.

Chiuse la voc’entro le labbi amore
But my voice was within the lips of Love,
e vergogna e timore
and shame and fear
e mi cangiar d’huom vivo in muto sasso.
changed me from a living man into a dumb stone.

Amor, ma se to vuoi ch’i miei martiri,
But, Love, if you want me to stop
Io pur taccia e sospiri.
my suffering and my sighing,
Tu dilli à lei che mi consuma e sface
tell it to her who consumes and melts me,
e le riscalda il sen con la tua face.
and ignite her heart with your appearance.

Strozzi, arr. laura hawley (b. 1982) - L’Eraclito Amoroso (world première)
Heraclitus in Love

Udite amanti la cagione, oh Dio!
Listen, lovers, the reason, oh heavens!
Ch'a lagrimar mi porta:
that leads me to weep.
Nell’adorato e bello idolo mio,
Oh heavens! in my cherished and beautiful beloved,
Che si fido credei, la fede è morta.
that I thought so faithful, faith is dead.

Vaghezza ho sol di piangere,
My only pleasure is weeping,
Mi pasco sol di lagrime,
I only revel in my tears.
Il duolo è mia delizia
Grief is my delight,
E son miei gioie i gemiti.
and wailing is my joy.

Ogni martire aggradami,
Every torture enchants me,
Ogni dolor dilettami,
every pain pleases me.
I singulti mi sanano,
Sobbing heals me,
I sospir mi consolano.
sighing comforts me.

oh Dio!
Oh heavens!
Nell’adorato e bello idolo mio,
in my cherished and beautiful beloved,
Che si fido credei, la fede è morta.
that I thought so faithful, faith is dead.

Francesca Caccini (1587-1641) - Lasciatemi qui solo
Leave Me Here Alone

Lasciatemi qui solo
Leave me here alone,
Tornate augelli al nido
Return, birds, to your nests,
Mentre l’anim’e ’l duolo
While my soul, and my pain,
Spiro su questo lido
I give up on these shores.
Altri meco non voglio
I want no one else with me
Ch’un freddo scoglio,
Other than a cold rock,
E ’l mio fatal martire.
And my fated death.
Lasciatemi morire.
Leave me to die.

Dolcissime sirene,
Sweetest Sirens,
Che ’n sì pietoso canto
Who with such merciful song
Raddolcite mie pene
Sweeten my sufferings and
Fate soave il pianto
Soften my weeping,
Movet’ il nuoto altronde
Go elsewhere to swim,
Togliete all’onde
Dampen the waves’
I crudi sdegni, e l’ire.
Cruel scorn, and their ire.
Lasciatemi morire.
Leave me to die.

Placidissimi venti
Calmest winds,
Tornate al vostro speco
Return to your cave;
Sol miei duri lamenti
I ask that only my harsh laments
Chieggio che restin meco.
Remain with me.
Vostri sospir non chiamo
I do not call upon your sighs;
Solingo bramo
Alone I wish
I miei dolor finire.
To end my sufferings.
Lasciatemi morire.
Leave me to die.

Casulana - Morir non può il mio cuore 

Morir non può il mio cuore:
My heart cannot die:
ucciderlo vorrei, poi che vi piace.
I would like to kill it, since that would please you, 
Ma trar no si può fuore
but it cannot be pulled out
del petto vostr’ove gran tempo giace.
of your breast, where it has been dwelling for a long time; 

Et uccidendol’io, come desio,
and if I killed it, as I wish, 
so che morreste voi,
I know that you would die,
morrend’ anch’io.
and I would die too.

Caccini - Non sò se quel sorriso
I do not know if that smile

Non sò se quel sorriso
I do not know if that smile
Mi schernisce o m’affida
Mocks me or enocurages me,
Se quel mirami fiso
If that intent look
M’allesta o mi diffida
Rouses me or is suspicious of me;
Già schernito e deriso
Having been mocked and laughed at
Da bella donna infida
By a beautiful faithless lady,
Non vorrei piu che ’l core
I would not want my heart
Fosse strazio d’amore.
Ravaged by love again.

Non vò più per dolcezza
I do not want, for the sweetness
D’immaginato bene
Of an imagined prize,
Nutriemi d’amarezza
To feed on bitterness,
Vivendo sempre in pene,
Living in constant suffering,
Nè per nuova bellezza
Nor for a new beauty
Portar lacci, e catene,
To be bound and chained,
Nè gravar l’alma ancella
Nor to burden my enslaved soul
Di misenta novella.
With new mystery.

Se tu vuoi ch’io t’adori
If you want me to adore you,
D’amor stella gentile
Gentle star of love,
Ti canti, e ch’io t’onori
To sing of you, and to honor you
Su la mia cetra virile
With my manly lyre,
A più degni tesori?
To more worthy treasures,
A guiderdon non vile
To a not inconsiderable reward,
Chiama l’avida speme,
Call my greedy hope,
Che spregiata già teme.
Which, despised, is already afraid.

Soffrir io più non voglio
I no longer want to suffer
La ferità crudele
The cruel ferocity
D’un cor cinto d’orgoglio,
Of a heart girded with pride,
D’un’anima infedele,
Of an unfaithful soul;
Nè tra scoglio
Nor do I wish, among the rocks,
Affidar più le vele
To trust another with the sails
Della mia libertate
Of my freedom
Senza certa pietate.
Without the certainty of mercy.

Strozzi - L’amante modesto
The Modest Lover

Volano frettolosi i giorni e presto
The days fly by in a hurry, and soon
un secolo sarà che t’amo, o Clori,
it will have been a century that I've loved you,
né de’ miei lunghi ossequiosi amori
O Clori, and yet in my unceasing subservient love
un picciol guiderdone anco t’ho chiesto.
I've not asked for even one small reward.

Amante son, ma candido e modesto;
I'm a lover, but purehearted and modest;
voglio che taciturno il cor t’adori
I want my heart to adore you silently,
e voglio disfogar gl’interni ardori
and would relieve my internal burning
col muto fiato d’un sospir onesto.
with the silent breath of an honest sigh.

Godati chi di me più fortunato
Let the one who is more fortunate than me enjoy you,
nacque ai diletti impuri.
and invite you to licentious pleasures.
A me sol basta saper
For me it is enough only
dalla mia Clori esser amato.
to know that I am loved by my Clori.

Così mai non guerreggia e non contrasta
Thus our rivalry is without contention or quarrel;
rivalità; diverso è il nostro stato:
our conditions differ:
egli t’ama impudica, io t’amo casta.
he loves you lasciviously, I love you sincerely.

— Giulio Strozzi

Strozzi - Gli amanti falliti
The Fading Lovers

Amor, Amor, noi ricorriamo a te,
Love, Love, we turn to you,
Supplichevoli avanti,
entreating without assurance
Senza credito o fè, falliti amanti.
or repute, we fading lovers.

Se di forze ci spoglia
As advancing age
Grave cadente età,
deprives us of strength,
S’andiam ogni hora in giù,
as we decline further every hour,
Se non potiamo più,
as we become feeble,
La tua pietà ci toglia
let your mercy remove us
Da dura servitù.
from harsh servitude.

Amor, Amor, noi ricorriamo a te.
Love, Love, we turn to you.
S’a noi manca ogni splendida ricchezza,
Since we lack resplendent comeliness,
Se miseri e dolenti,
miserable and suffering,
D’ogni nostra bellezza
since we watch the flowers
Miriamo i fior languenti,
of our charms fade, and as we 
E se non ritroviam chi più ci guardi,
no longer find anyone who looks at us,
Frena, Amor, i tuoi dardi;
restrain your arrows, Cupid;
Non bersagliar invano,
don't shoot to no purpose,
Ch’il dar morte a manchevoli
for to give death to weaklings
Sarebbe scorno della tua mano. 
would dishonour your bow. 

— Giulio Strozzi (translation by Richard Kolb)

Aleotti - Ch’io non t’ami, cor mio?
That I not love you, my heart?

 Ch’io non t’ami, cor mio?
That I not love you, my heart?
Ch’io non sia la tua vita, e tu la mia?
That I not be your life, and you mine?
Che per novo desio
That I abandon you
e per nova speranza i’ t’abbandoni?
for a new desire or a new hope?
Prima che questo sia
Before that happens
morte non mi perdoni;
lest Death forgive me;
ma se tu sei quel cor’ onde la vita
but if you are that heart for which life
m’è sì dolce e gradita,
is so sweet and agreeable to me,
fonte d’ogni mio ben, d’ogni desire,
the source of all happiness, of all desires,
come poss’io lasciarti e non morire?
how could I leave you, and not die?

— G.B. Guarini

Marie-Claire Saindon - O Vive Rose (world première)

O Living Roses

"O vive rose" is a re-interpretation of Fancesca Caccini's piece of the same name, seen through the lens of today's choral practice. This new work is a mix between re-using the original melody by Caccini and re-composing certain sections. After an original introduction, Caccini's soaring melody is first introduced as the first verse in a way that allows it to bounce from section to section, while certain notes are held, giving the impression that it is being sung in a very large reverberant hall. After a more "straight" second verse that is more energetic and dancing, the third verse is re-composed to bring in the warmth of the text (which was originally the text for the fourth verse). The work then closes on the final fourth verse that is re-harmonised once again. — Marie-Claire Saindon, 2020

The commission of this work is generously supported by the SOCAN Foundation.

O vive rose
O living roses,
Labbr’amorose
Loving lips,
Se d’un bel viso
If a lovely face,
D’un bel sorriso
A lovely smile,
Altere andate
Make you proud,
Cedete omai 
Make way, now,
Labbr’odorate
Scented lips,
A quei bei rai
For those lovely rays,
Luci d’amor ridenti 
Merry lights of love,
Occhi miei soli ardenti. 
Ardent eyes, that are mine alone.

Occhi guerrieri 
Warrior eyes,
Possenti arcieri
Powerful archers,
Se con pietate
If you look at me
Voi mi mirate
With mercy,
Per gl’occhi io sento 
Through my eyes I feel
Scender nel seno 
Descend into my soul
Dolce tormento 
A sweet torment
Dal bel sereno
From that lovely, serene
Raggi del cor tesoro 
(O heart’s rays) treasure,
Occhi, ch’in terra adoro. 
Eyes that here on earth I worship.

Sù sù ridete
Come, come, laugh,
O luci liete,
O happy lights,
Per voi nel viso, 
Thanks to you, on her face
Più splende il riso, 
Laughter sparkles more
Che su quel labro, 
Than it does on those lips
Ch’Amor compose 
That Love made
Di bel cinabro
Cinnabar red,
Di vive rose 
Like living roses;
Sù sù ridete omai 
Come, come, laugh now,
Occhi co’ vostri rai. 
Eyes, with your rays.

Occhi parlate
You speak, eyes,
E sospirate
And sigh,
Lingue d’Amore
Tongues of Love;
Quel vivo ardore
That living ardor
Di voi pupille
Of your pupils,
Quei lieti giri
Those happy turns,
Pur son faville,
Are indeed sparks,
Pur son sospiri
Are indeed sighs;
Sospir, parole, e riso 
Sighs, words, and laughter,
Occhi m’ha il cor diviso. 
Eyes, have split among them my heart. 

Strozzi - Priego ad amore
Prayer to Love

Pietosissimo Amore,
Most merciful Love,
tu mai non abbandoni
you never abandon
chi ti consacra riverente il core.
one who reverently offers you his heart.
Chi cieco ti figura,
He who envisions you blind,
chi nudo, chi bendato,
naked, blindfolded,
chi di saette armato
armed with arrows
non provò tua dolcissima natura.
has not tested your sweet nature.

Morir, né morir mai,
You never die
languir, ma per un poco,
nor languish, but brief
è gloria del tuo foco.
is the glory of your fire.

Vieni, deh, vieni a noi,
Come, oh come to us,
vieni, gioia dell’alme,
come joy of my soul,
Spargi, spargi benigno i doni tuoi
bestow your sweet gifts
e d’un cortese affetto
and for a kind affection
alla Barbara mia feconda il petto.
toward my Barbara make fertile my heart.

 — Giulio Strozzi (translation by Candace Magner) 

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