Hearts on Sleeves – Jessica Bloch
Sunday, December 13 at 5 pm (Eastern)
Hearts on Sleeves
Jessica Bloch, soprano, with Chris Fecteau, piano
Songs of Robert Owens, Poldowski, Undine Smith Moore, Juliana Hall, Cecil Cohen and Barbara Strozzi
PROGRAM NOTES by Jessica Bloch
The theme of my recital, “Hearts on Sleeves,” touches on our human vulnerability as we experience life, death, nature, and love.
‘La Commedia,‘ the first set of songs, is named for the commedia dell’arte characters which connect “Colombine” by Poldowski, and two songs from Robert Owens’ song cycle Heart on the Wall: “Heart”, and “For dead mimes.” Together, these pieces create the story of Pierrot, who is considered a simple character and a servant. Pierrot’s journey begins serving the Colombine (another tricky servant character) with his fellow characters: Leander, Cassander, and Harlequin. Pierrot then offers his heart to the world, only for the world to ignore him. Like so many great artists of their time, they are only appreciated when they are gone. Pierrot rests with his beloved Pierrette.
‘Ghosts,’ our second set, includes three vignettes of lost souls, completing Owens’ Heart on the Wall cycle. “Havana Dreams” shows a person torn between the paths in life which lay before them. They wonder if the fulfillment they seek could be in a life partner, but ultimately are undecided as to what their path should be. “Girl” is the story of a woman who has passed on; however her love of life is still remembered. I dedicate this piece to Henrietta Lacks, a woman who has saved thousands of lives even after her tragic death of an aggressive cervical cancer. Since her death, cancerous cells donated from her body have contributed to countless medical advances. Just as Henrietta Lacks is said to have enjoyed dancing, the ghost of the girl in Owens’ song also still enjoys dancing in the rain. “Remembrance” tells two sides of the same coin: fear of failure, but also fear of success. The subject of the song spent their whole life in such a paradox and now holds onto the regret of not doing more in life.
‘Nature,’ our third group of songs, combines Julianna Hall’s “A Northeast Storm” and Cecil Cohen’s “Death of an Old Seaman”. These contrasting pieces explore the human connection to nature and its wonders. “A Northeast Storm” sets the text of a letter by Emily Dickinson, written to her brother Austin, and recounting their family’s gathering during a particular stormy night. “Death of an Old Seaman” describes sending a loved one back to the sea and thus back to nature on the completion of their life. Storms and seas hold so much power; we can all relate to the effects that nature has on us as people in both life and death.
‘Two-faced Love,’ the fourth and final set, shows both a comical take on love’s pains in Barbara Strozzi’s “Amore è bandito” and the overwhelming warmth and fullness that love brings us in Undine S. Moore’s “Love Let the Wind Cry… How I Adore Thee”. These final pieces remind us that even after the difficult moments that leave us scarred, nothing can match the beauty of loving and being loved. I hope that this last set leaves everyone with a sense of hope and security in this time of vulnerability.
TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS:
Colombine
Léandre le sot, Arlequin aussi, – Do, mi, sol, mi, fa,- Dont les yeux pervers -Eux ils vont toujours! L’implacable enfant, |
Colombine
Leander the fool Harlequin also, – Do, mi, so, mi, fa – Whose wicked eyes Forever they go on! The determined child, |
Heart
Pierrot But no one was curious. So Pierrot |
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For Dead Mimes
O white-faced mimes, And may Pierrette, |
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Havana Dreams
The dream is a cocktail at Sloppy Joe’s — The dream is the road to Batabano. Perhaps the dream is only her face — |
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Girl
She lived in sinful happiness She went one summer morning Folks made a coffin For sure there grew flowers And sure she lived |
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Remembrance
To wander through this living world |
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A Northeast Storm
It might not come amiss, dear Austin, to have a tiding or two We are enjoying this evening what is called a ‘northeast Vinnie is at the instrument, humming a pensive air concerning |
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Death of an Old Seaman
We buried him high on a windy hill, Put no tombstone at my head, |
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Amore è bandito
Amore è bandito, Forniti gl’amori Amore è bandito… Chimere al cervello, Amore è bandito… Speranza e desio, Amore è bandito… Ognun si conforte, Amore è bandito, |
Love is banished
Love is banished – Deception and fraud Love is banished… Foolish hopes in the head, Love is banished… Hope and desire, Love is banished… Everyone take comfort, Love is banished. |
Love Let the Wind Cry… How I Adore Thee
Love let the wind cry Let the long rhythm Love, let the clear call But, more than all sounds, In thine own heart say, |