Program Notes Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) is one of the most celebrated composers in Western music with works spanning nearly every genre of his time, including operas, symphony, chamber music, piano works, and sacred music alike. In 1789, he composed Vado, ma dove? O Dei! (K.583), a concert aria for soprano and orchestra, written for the Italian soprano Louise Villeneuve. The text, drawn from an opera by Giuseppe Sarti, captures a woman’s inner thoughts as she is torn by guilt and remorse after upsetting her beloved. Mozart expresses these feelings in the music itself with restless orchestration while the soprano line moves between soft, pleading phrases and passionate outbursts that show her shifting emotions. Though written as a standalone concert piece, Vado ma dove? O Dei! has the same dramatic power as any of Mozart’s operatic arias. Vado, ma dove? O Dei! Se de tormenti suoi, Se desospiri miei Non sente il ciel pieta! Tu che mi parli al core, Guida i miei passi, amore; Tu quel retegno or togli Che dubitar mi fa.
I-go, by where-to? Oh gods! If for his torment, If for my sighs, Heaven has no pity! You who speak to my heart, Guide my footsteps, love; Remove that obstacle That makes me doubt.
Text by Lorenzo Da Ponte
Translation by Bard Suverkrop
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924), a central figure in French music of the late 19th century, was known for linking the end of romanticism and the beginning of modernism. His Mandoline, composed in 1891 and set to a poem by Paul Verlaine, came several years after Debussy’s own composition of the same text. Like Debussy, Fauré uses broken chords in the piano to evoke the light, dance-like strumming of the mandolin, but his setting stands out with the singer acting as a narrator observing the festivities rather than character in the scene. Fauré brings elegant refinement and gentle buoyancy to the piece, letting the music to float with charm. Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was a French composer known for his impressionistic style, delicate textures and innovative harmonies. Mandoline, composed in 1883, set a poem by Paul Verlaine, who was inspired by a set of paintings by artist Jean-Antoine Watteau. Debussy captured the elegance and flirtation of a Parisian garden scene where lovers and musicians gather under the night sky. The piano accompaniment sparkles with light, dance-like figures that imitate the strumming of a mandolin. The vocal line flows above, reflecting Verlaine’s verses about serenades beneath the moonlight. Mandoline showcases Debussy’s early gift for blending poetry and music. The result is a charming glimpse into Debussy’s world full of beauty, imagination, and a touch of youthful joy.