Sonnets to Orpheus
Eleven songs to words by Rilke - 2013
for mezzo-soprano and piano
duration c.35 minutes
I. Da stieg ein Baum Book 1 no.1
II. Und fast ein Mädchen wars Book 1 no.2
III. O erst dann Book 1 no.23
IV. O ihr Zärtlichen Book 1 no.4
V. Rühmen, das ists! Book 1 no.7
VI. Zu unterest der Alte ...Wurzel… Book 1 no.17
VII. Wartet..., das schmeckt… Book 1 no.15
VIII. Rose, du thronende Book 2 no.6
IX. Zwischen den Sternen… Book 2 no.20
X. Wandelt sich rasch auch die Welt Book 1 no.19
XI. Stiller Freund der vielen Fernen Book 2 no.29
This cycle marks a return to song writing after a gap of many years. The extent of this interval was never intended and indeed settings of these texts had been in my mind for much of this time.
There was, of course, no possibility of setting all 55 of Rilke's sonnets. He penned these in the incredible span of three weeks having heard of the death of a 19 year old friend of his daughter. In them he addresses primarily not, as one might expect, the lost Eurydice of legend (her name almost never directly mentioned) but Orpheus himself; the musician, the man of insight, divine gift, and power over the natural world. This is not to say that Eurydice is really ever far from the implicit narrative, and her loss informs the various exhortations, reflections and philosophy.
For these settings (in German) I used a lower pitched voice than in my earlier cycles which were for soprano. However, this "mezzo" must descend very low (at least G below middle C with some optional F#s) as well as climb. The set will not be an easy ride, and is of significant dimensions...
The cycle does not follow Rilke's order. This was primarily for musical reasons. Three successive poems of a reflective nature can work admirably in literature but less so in music. I deliberately chose a mixture: poems exulting in Orpheus's gift, the loss of his loved one, and of matters philosphical and symbolic. The fact that other composers' choices have overlapped with my own selection perhaps speaks for the more immediate "musical lyricism" of some sonnets.
PLEASE READ: THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC DOMAIN WORK. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED. PRINTED COPIES ARE FOR EVALUATION PURPOSES ONLY
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