CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
GRADUATE RECITAL IN VOICE
A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Music in Music, Performance
by
Jessica Neuffer
December 2020
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The graduate project of Jessica Neuffer is approved: Shigemi Matsumoto Date Erica Davis Date Kathryn G Pisaro Date Dr. John Roscigno, Chair Date
California State University, Northridge
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Signature Page………………………………………………………………………….…ii Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………iv Program……………………………………………………………………………….……1 Texts and Translations……………………………………………..…….…………………4
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ABSTRACT
GRADUATE RECITAL IN VOICE
by
Jessica Neuffer Master of Music in Music, Performance
The overarching theme of this recital is the human condition and the unknown. Some
selections reflect the mystery and uneasy feelings of death and the unfamiliar. Some other pieces
are about accepting death and finding new beauty, reminiscing in old and familiar places. A
majority of this program was written in the Twentieth Century, with pieces from the Romantic,
and Classical period sprinkled throughout.
Mozart is considered to be one of the greatest composers in music history. He was
extremely prolific considering his early death and is a master of many genres. Many of Mozart’s
works are still in “the vault” of compositional standards often performed in all symphonic halls
and operas houses. Mozart wrote concert arias which stood alone or were later inserted into some
of his operas. “Ch’io mi scordi di te” is an insertion aria from a revised version of Idomeneo.
This aria is written for Idamante who is singing to his lover Ilia. However, this aria is rarely
performed in notable productions but is often used as a popular concert aria.
Johannes Brahms is one of the four prominent composers of German Lieder. The other
popular composers of lieder include Schubert, Schumann, and Wolf. He considered himself to
be a self taught composer. His father Johann Jakob Brahms was an innkeeper who played horn
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and double bass. He taught Brahms how to play the piano. When Brahms was a teenager, he
would play in taverns to help support his family.
In the mid 1800’s, the two foremost composers were Wagner and Brahms. These two
composers had two different approaches to composition which influenced many other
composers. However, one could not follow both– one had to choose between the two composers.
Brahms represented the Neoclassical style of composition, which embraced the influences of
earlier composers such as Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Gestillte Sehnsucht is from Op. 91
which consists of two pieces for alto voice, viola, and piano. The second piece was composed
before the first piece. The first song, “Gestillte Sehnsucht,” was composed much later. Both
pieces were published together in 1884. Rükert’s poem is about nature and yearning.
Paladilhe was a composer of the late romantic period. He was a child prodigy who began
his studies at the Paris Conservatoire at nine years of age. Although he was not a prolific
composer, he wrote gorgeous pieces. “Psyche” is his most popular melodie. The character of this
poem is jealous of the wind, the sun, and the clothes that always surround the woman he loves.
Cecile Chaminade is a French composer and pianist of the Twentieth Century.
Chaminade had published about 400 of her compositions until her musical decline later in the
Twentieth Century. Chaminade’s mother was both a pianist and singer, which made her a perfect
teacher for her young daughter Cecile. Well into her musical career, Chaminade became a
prominent composer in America and England. The majority of her compositions were piano
pieces and melodies, but her most popular piece is her Concertino for flute and orchestra written
in 1902. Chaminade’s compositional style is accessible because of her memorable melodies,
chromatic harmonies, and typical nuances of French song.
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Francis Poulenc is a Twentieth Century French composer. He was a member of Les Six, a
group of young contemporary composers. The third piece, “Voyage a Paris” is from a group of
songs from Banalites. It is specifically noted that this group of songs is not a set. This piece is a
cabaret or salon style song that is meant to be a tribute to France. The tempo marking of this
song is “gai” which means cheerful and lively. This is accomplished with a fun, haphazard
swinging rhythm in the piano and large leaps in the voice.
Jules Massenet is the most outstanding French opera composer of the nineteenth and
twentieth century. His skill shines through his vocal style and orchestration, and is furthered by
his ability to match his musical composition with the stage setting. The opera Cendrillon is
considered to be a comic opera, although Massenet did not approve of grand opera or opera
comique. He often created his own operatic genres such as miracle or haute farce musicale. In
the aria “Enfin je suis ici,” Cendrillon is relieved and saddened to find herself back home. She
lost her glass slipper and her ballgown disappeared. Cendrillon continues by reliving the
glamorous night at the ball that ends with her abrupt departure to arrive back home in time.
My Japanese set consists of songs by different composers. The first piece is “Karatachi
no Hana”. In this piece, the composer is reflecting on his childhood when he lived in a boarding
house. The text is written in a conversational style and the melody follows speech-like
inflections. The second piece, “Sakura Yokocho,” is about the lifespan of cherry blossoms,
which are beautiful but short lived. This causes the poet to compare and reflect on the nature of
the human condition. This is a popular poem and has been set by several different composers.
The third piece, “Narayama,” who is the poet’s young lover, was sent to France because her
father did not approve of their relationship. The piano part imitates the koto, a traditional
Japanese stringed instrument. The last piece, “Hamabe no Uta,” reflects on old memories of the
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ocean and being with friends and family at the beach. This piece was written when the composer,
Tamezo Narita, was a student at the Tokyo Music School. The original poem had four verses, but
only the first two verses are commonly sung.
“A Nun Takes the Veil” is the first song from Opus 13 by Samuel Barber. The poetry is
by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Gerard Manley Hopkins was an English poet and a Jesuit priest.
Growing up, his family raised him in the Anglican Church. His family was deeply religious. The
poem was originally called “Heaven-Haven.” This poem is about a woman committing herself to
God, leaving the outside world behind, and hoping that she will find salvation. The poem
compares a nun entering a convent to a ship entering a harbour out of a storm.
Hopkins converted to the Catholic faith when he was about 22 years old. Additionally,
much of Hopkins’ poetry was connected to his religious faith, and the poems linked to each
other. A theme of a “Tall Nun” appeared in numerous writings and was compared to the image
of Christ on the cross. If we take this idea and apply it to “A Nun Takes The Veil,” we can see
how the nun represents Christ’s salvation and freedom to be in a place of calm.
“Sure on this shining night” written by Samuel Barber, is based on a poem written in
1934 by James Agee. Being everlasting friends, Barber and Agee collaborated on many songs.
This particular poem is the third poem within a set of four poems and is also the third song in the
opus. This collection is unique because each of the songs used words written by different poets.
The lyrical vocal line sets the stage for interplay between the singer and piano, where they
answer each other in the most delicate manner.
The poem itself is not very long– merely ten lines. However, the message of this poem is
timeless and universal. The poem starts by painting a picture of the beautiful night. In the second
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line, he says “kindness must watch for me this side the ground.” In this line, one might suggest
that Agee is contemplating the human condition.
“Nocturne,” the last song in Barber’s Op. 13, is based on a love poem by Frederic
Prokosch. The melody and text on the first page resemble a lullabye. As the song continues, the
chromaticism builds along with the complexity of the accompaniment. The vocal line in this
piece is a great challenge of endurance. There is a large climax, which is slowly built line by line
until the penultimate phrase of the piece. The other challenge of this piece is listening to your
collaborator. The vocal line and the accompaniment are intertwined in a two against three
pattern. Both the vocalist and the accompanist must be very accurate with the rhythms and listen
to one another.
The program ends with “Nocturne” because the last phrase “but the blind eternal night”
creates a feeling of finality and tranquility. The program concludes with Barber because the
poetry ties together perfectly with the theme of uncertainty and death. Overall, this program has
been a journey through many unknowns, self reflections, and reflections of life and death. This
program explored how the cycle of life does not have to be scary but can be beautiful.
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California State University, Northridge Mike Curb College of the Arts, Media, and Communication
Department of Music
presents
Jessica Neuffer, mezzo-soprano
In her Master of Music Recital*
A student of Shigemi Matsumoto
Helen Wu, piano
Sunday, November 22, 2020, 7:30pm Bethlehem Lutheran Church and School
*In partial fulfillment of the Master of Music degree in Music Performance– Voice
Jessica is the recipient of the CSUN Vocal Arts
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Program
Ch’io mi scordi di te W.A. Mozart (1756-1791)
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Gestillte Sehnsucht Johannes Brahms Op. 91 (1833-1897)
*** Psyche Emile Paladilhe (1844-1926) La Lune Paresseuse Cecile Chaminade
(1857-1944)
Voyage a Paris Francis Poulenc (1899-1863)
Intermission
Enfin je suis ici Jules Massenet From Cendrillon (1842-1912)
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Karatachi no Hana Kosaku Yamada (1885-1942) Sakura Yokocho Yoshinao Nakada (1923-2000) Narayama Sihoko Kitami (1885-1955) Hamabe no Uta Tamezo Narita (1893-1945)
***
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Texts and Translations
Ch’io mi scordi di te
Translations by Bard Suverkrop
Should I forget you?
You can advise me to give myself to her/ him?
And can you wish that I live?
Do not put my constancy, my dear, to the test.
The dreadful blow has hurt me enough!
Ah no, to live would be much worse than death
You were my first love, and the last you will be
Let death come! I will fearlessly await it,
But that I could be consumed by another flame, but that I could love another,
Give my affections to another,
How could I? Ah! I would die of grief!
Fear not, well beloved,
My heart will always be yours.
I cannot bear so much pain any longer,
My soul is failing.
You sigh? Oh sad grief!
At least think what an important moment this is!
Oh God, I cannot explain it! Ah no!
Cruel and pitiless stars,
Why so much severity!
Beautiful souls, who see
My pain at this moment,
Tell me of such torment
Can be endured by a faithful heart.
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Gestillte Sehnsucht
Translations by Bard Suverkrop
Immersed in the golden light of evening,
How festive the woods stand!
Into the soft voices the little birds breathe
The gentle blowing of the evening breezes mingles with the soft voices of the little birds.
What does the wind whisper to the little birds?
They are whispering the world to sleep.
You desires, that are always stirring
In my heart without rest or peace!
You longings, that disturb my heart,
When will you rest, when will you sleep?
To the whispering of the wind and the little birds,
When will you, longing desires, fall asleep?
Ah, when no longer into the golden distance
My spirit on dream wings hurries,
No longer on the eternally distant stars
With a longing gaze my eye lingers;
Then the wind and the little birds will whisper
My longing with my life away.
But the longing will not fall to sleep.
Psyché
Translations by Bard Suverkrop
I am jealous, Psyché, of all the nature!
The rays of the sun you kiss too often,
Your hair allows too much the caresses of the wind.
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When it they your hair fondles, I mutter in protest!
The air even that you breathe
With too much of pleasure passes over your lips.
Your clothes too closely you touch!
And as soon as you sigh,
Something unknown which frightens me
Fears that among your sighs, some sighs are not for me!
La Lune Paresseuse
Translations by Bard Suverkrop
In a ray of twilight
The dragonfly falls asleep;
The nightingale is already asleep
On the branch of a friendly oak,
The grass is full of fireflies
The sky with twinkling stars,
And yet the shining moon
Allows the night its shadows.
Softly, moon, you rest
Beneath some clouds pink…
Oh! The lazy one why
Do you play with my tender emotions?
You are always hidden at the gentle time
When, gliding over the moss,
The crickets sing less strongly,
You still do not rise!
Arise! Brilliant and serene,
Come brighten the plain!
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Moon of silver, moon with the white face,
Illuminate my trembling arms!
Brush with your pure light
The gold of my hair:
For soon will pass
My fiance upon the road!...
Voyage a Paris
Translations by Bard Suverkrop
Ah, it is such a charming thing
To leave a gloomy place
For Paris!
Lovely Paris,
Which, once upon a time, must have been created
By Love.
Enfin je suis ici
Translations by Bard Suverkrop
At-last I am here…
The house is deserted…
I have managed to return without being discovered;
But such sadness and worry!
Fleeing in the night alone,
Through the terraces of the palaces,
While running I lost my glass slipper!
Godmother! Godmother!
Ah! Will you ever forgive me?
At the hour appointed I fled… I fled…
I saw amid the dark avenues…
Some statues… what terror! What terror!
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So large… so white, in the moonlight!
Their sightless eyes staring at me…
They pointed at me with their finger.
They laughed at my misfortune.
Ah! Ah!
What terror! What terror!
You must have seen my distress,
Godmother! Godmother!
In order to keep my promise,
I’ve done everything I could in order to keep my promise!
I ran… depp into the garden…
I got lost… everything was dark…
And I ran on and on
Then… I stopped… suddenly…
I was afraid… I was afraid…
You must have seen my distress!
Godmother! Godmother!
I have done all that could in order to keep my promise!
Ah! I have fear! Fear of my shadow…
And I ran on and on!
Scanning the horizon,
Fearing treachery everywhere,
I slip, I slip between the houses
Daring not to cross the square…
A loud noise rings out and makes me freeze
With frightening shivers…
Ah!
It was the bells, the bells in the bell tower!
Ah!
Comforting my heart.
They say to me in their language: Ah!
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They say to me: I shall watch over you!
We shall watch over you.
Take again courage! Courage! Come now! Courage! Go!
Karatachi no Hana
Translations by Mutsumi Moteki
Karatachi blossoms have bloomed.
White white blossoms have bloomed.
Karatachi thorns are prickly,
Green green needles of thorns they are.
Karatachi makes a hedge
By the vegetable field.
Always always I walk through this path
Karatachi also bears fruit in Autumn.
Round round gold balls they are.
By the karatachi hedge I used to cry
Everyone everyone was kind to me.
Karatachi blossoms have bloomed.
White white blossoms have bloomed.
Sakura Yokocho
Translations by Mutsumi Moteki
Spring night when cherry blossoms bloom,
Nothing but blossoms in cherry alley.
I recall our romance of yesteryear;
You are not here any longer.
Ah, you were always the queen of blossoms,
Homeland of my smiling dreams.
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Spring night when cherry blossoms bloom,
Nothing but blossoms in cherry alley.
There will be no chance to see eachother again.
“How have you been?” “Its been a long time.”
Understanding that saying such things
Would be useless,
Lets look at the blossoms.
Spring night when cherry blossoms bloom,
Nothing but blossoms in cherry alley.
Narayama
Translations by Mutsumi Moteki
Being in love and missing someone, how sorrowful it was!
Feeling so, over the hills of Narayama,
I wandered around, how unbearably painful!
In ancient days, too, it is said that missing her husband, A princess crossed
The same path over the hills of Narayama,
Where my tears were falling.
Hamabe no Uta
Translations by Mutsumi Moteki
In the morning
When I take a stroll on the beach,
I recall things from the old days:
The sound of the wind!
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The appearance of the clouds!
Also the waves drawing up,
And the colors of the seashells, too!
In the evening
When I wander around the beach
I recall people from the old days:
Waves drawing up!
Waves returning!
Also the color of the moon,
And the light of the stars, too!
A Nun Takes the Veil
I have desired to go where springs not fail,
To fields where flies no sharp and sided hail
And a few lilies blow.
And I have asked to be where no storms come,
Where the green swell is in the havens dumb,
And out of the swing of the sea.
Sure on this shining night
Sure on this shining night
Of star made shadows round,
Kindness must watch for me
This side the ground.
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The late year lies down the north.
All is healed,
All is health.
High summer holds the earth.
Hearts all whole.
Sure on this shining night
I weep for wonder
Wand’ring far alone
Of shadows on the stars.
Nocturne
Close my darling both your eyes,
Let your arms lie still at last.
Calm the lake of falsehood lies
And the wind of lust has passed,
Waves across these hopeless sands
Fill my heart and end my day,
Underneath your moving hands
All my aching flows away.
Even the human pyramids
Blaze with such a longing now:
Close my love, your trembling lids,
Let the midnight heal your brow.
Northward flames Orion’s horn,
Westward th’Egyptian light.