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This program was inspired by my experience playing with The Dallas Opera orchestra last year. I fell in love with the music, the drama, and the stories.
Alyse Hokamp, flute
Eric Schank, piano
Leslie Goldman, soprano
Robert Hokamp, guitar
Julia Richter, flute
This is a free concert. If you would like to make a donation, please send via
Venmo, @Alyse-Hokamp or
PayPal, hokampmusic@gmail.com
Thank you for your support! 😊
Gaetano Donizetti, Sonata
Donizetti (1797-1848) composed over 70 operas, the most famous being L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love), and Lucia di Lammermoor (with the famous mad scene/flute cadenza).
Alyse: I had the opportunity to sub last minute for a rehearsal of L’elisir d’amore with The Dallas Opera last fall. I really liked some of the arias, especially Quanto é bella, quanto é cara (which I arranged for steel guitar), and Una furtiva lagrima.
Domenico Cimarosa, Concerto in G Major for 2 flutes (ft. Julia Richter)
Cimarosa (1749-1801) composed over 80 operas, although they are not frequently performed today.
Alyse: I didn’t realize Cimarosa had composed operas, but came across this piece in researching music for my recital. I recognized it immediately from a Rampal album I had been gifted from my flute teacher (Jean Harling) in high school.
I didn’t have many CDs at the time, so the ones I had were played on repeat. When I heard the melodies again, they seemed operatic to me- very catchy and singable. Then, I read the obligatory Wikipedia article, and realized Cimarosa was a prolific composer of opera.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, arr. Alberto Vingiano, arias from Don Giovanni (ft. Robert Hokamp)
Madamina, il catalogo è questo is sung by Leporello, Don Giovanni’s servant. He is describing his master’s numerous and diverse “conquests.” Read the lyrics and translation here.
Là ci darem la mano is sung by Don Giovanni and Zerlina, a peasant girl already engaged to Masetto. DG is attempting to seduce Zerlina… Read the lyrics and translation here.
Mozart (1756-1791) hardly needs an introduction, being a prolific composer of symphonic, choral, chamber, and opera music.
Alyse: I had the opportunity to perform several arias from Don Giovanni in January with TDO’s Hart Institute for Women Conductors. I didn’t recognize it immediately, but when I researched the opera, I realized Là ci darem la mano, which I did know, was from this opera. I remember liking that aria back when I performed the (entire) opera as a student at UNT, probably about 10 years ago.
Pause
I hope you are enjoying the music! 😊
Franz Schubert, Der Hirt auf dem Felsen
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) was an Austrian composer of symphonic, instrumental, and vocal music. He completed 11 operas, but his art songs (Lieder), such as this one are some of his most enduring work.
The piece is originally scored for clarinet, soprano, and piano.
Text:
| Wilhelm Müller – “Der Berghirt” (The Mountain Shepherd) | |
|---|---|
| Wenn auf dem höchsten Fels ich steh’, In’s tiefe Tal hernieder seh’, Und singe. Fern aus dem tiefen dunkeln Tal Schwingt sich empor der Widerhall Der Klüfte. Je weiter meine Stimme dringt, Je heller sie mir wieder klingt Von unten. Mein Liebchen wohnt so weit von mir, Drum sehn’ ich mich so heiß nach ihr Hinüber.[6] | When, from the highest rock up here, I look deep down into the valley, And sing, Far from the valley dark and deep Echoes rush through, upward and back to me, The chasm. The farther that my voice resounds, So much the brighter it echoes From under. My sweetheart dwells so far from me, I long hotly to be with her Over there. |
| Varnhagen – “Nächtlicher Schall” (Nightly Sound) | |
| In tiefem Gram verzehr ich mich, Mir ist die Freude hin, Auf Erden mir die Hoffnung wich, Ich hier so einsam bin. So sehnend klang im Wald das Lied, So sehnend klang es durch die Nacht, Die Herzen es zum Himmel zieht Mit wunderbarer Macht.[3] | I am consumed in misery, Happiness is far from me, Hope has on earth eluded me, I am so lonesome here. So longingly did sound the song, So longingly through wood and night, Towards heaven it draws all hearts With amazing strength. |
| Wilhelm Müller – “Liebesgedanken” (Love Thoughts) | |
| Der Frühling will kommen, Der Frühling, meine Freud’, Nun mach’ ich mich fertig Zum Wandern bereit.[7] | The Springtime will come, The Springtime, my happiness, Now must I make ready To wander forth. |
Alyse: This beautiful piece was introduced to me by Eric and Leslie. They had been working on it with a clarinetist, who ended up moving away. Here I come, asking Eric out of the blue to play an operatic program of flute music. He suggested I include the Schubert, with the flute playing the clarinet part, and here we are!
Here’s a rehearsal clip of this piece from last week.
Charles Gounod, Concertino
French composer Charles Gounod (1818-1893) composed 12 operas, the most popular being Faust and Roméo et Juliette (to be performed next year at The Dallas Opera).
It is originally scored for flute and small orchestra. The manuscript has no title or composer indicated, but manuscript comparisons show that it is definitely by Gounod. The exact year and occasion it was written for is unknown.
Alyse: This piece is completely new to me!
Georges Bizet, arr. François Borne, Carmen Fantasie Brillante
Bizet (1838-1875) composed 18 operas, Carmen being the final one. Apparently, Gounod (above) attended the premiere, and accused Bizet of plagiarism: “Georges has robbed me! Take the Spanish airs and mine out of the score and there remains nothing to Bizet’s credit but the sauce that masks the fish.”
Alyse: This set of themes and variations is an iconic showpiece for the flute. I first performed it in high school, probably my junior or senior year, which is nearly 18-19 years ago now! At the time it was very challenging, and I had to practice it a lot. But it’s pretty amazing how memory works- a lot of it stuck with me, so it was very quick to memorize, despite the quantity of notes.
My pianist accompanying me back in high school was none other than Eric Schank. His notes and handwriting still linger on my copy of the piano score.
Thank you so much for joining me this evening! It has been such a pleasure to work on this music with such wonderful friends and colleagues ❤️
Alyse Hokamp 