UMS Concert Program, November 18, 1948: Seventieth Annual Choral Union Concert Series -- Ezio Pinza

Season: 1948-1949
Concert: Fourth
Complete Series: 2986
Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY
CHARLES A. SINK, PRESIDENT THOR JOHNSON, GUEST CONDUCTOR
LESTER MCCOY. ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR
Fourth Concert 1948-1949 Complete Series 2986
Seventieth Annual
Choral Union Concert Series
EZIO PINZA, Bass Herman Allison at the Piano
Thursday Evening, November 18, 1948, at 8:30 Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
PROGRAM
"Beato chi puo" from "Serse"........Cavalli
"Alma mia"--arietta from "Floridante"......Handel
"Dormi, amore" from "La Flora"......Da Gigliano
Nel cor piu non mi sento.........Paisiello
Che fiero costume...........Legeenzi
Aria from an Unknown Opera.......B. Pasquini
Andante sostenuto; piu mosso; adagio
"Se vuol ballare" ) from Marriage of Figaro" .... Mozart "Non piu andrai j
INTERMISSION
La Prison.............Faure
L'Heureux vagabond (The Happy Vagabond) . . Alfred Bruneau
The Bell Man..........Cecil Forsyth
The Velvet Shoes........Randall Thompson
Dirge............Virgil Thomson
I Due tarli............Zandonai
Three Piedmontese Folksongs .... Arr. by Leone Sinigaglia
II Maritino
II Cacciatore del bosco
Novara O la bella "II Lacerato spirito" from "Simon Boccanegra" .... Verdi
Note.--The University Musical Society has presented Ezio Pinza on previous occasions as follows: October 19, 1935; May 14, 1937; May IS, 1937; May 12, 1939; November 18, 1941; March 6, 1944; and May 10, 1947.
Baldwin piano furnished through the courtesy of Smiley Bros. Co., Detroit, Michigan.
ARS LONGA VITA BREVIS
PROGRAM NOTES
"Beato chi puo" from "Serse"........Cavalli
Blessed are they who away from Royal Courts can enjoy the privileges given to them by nature.
"Alma mia"--arietta from "Floridante"......Handel
O soul of mine, thou art alone my glory and my delight!
"Dormi, amore" from "La Flora"......Da Gigliano
From one of the very early Italian operas comes this lovely restful air, which is an exhortation to sleep, sung to Cupid by the sister Graces.
Nel cor piu non mi sento.........Paisiello
Why feels my heart so dormant No fire of youth divine Thou cause of all my torment. O love, the fault is thine!
Che fiero costume...........Legrenzi
How devious are the ways of Cupid with the human heart!
Aria from an unknown opera.......B. Pasquini
With repose and calm Clara closed her beautiful eyes one day. Filene saw her, and her wonderful sleep was accompanied by his singing. "Murmur around her you zephyr, make her sleep tranquil and see that nothing shall disturb her peace."
"Se vuole ballare" from "Marriage of Figaro" .... Mozart This aria is sung by Figaro. The plot of the opera is a continuation of the "Barber of Seville." Rosina and Count Almaviva have been married, and now arrangements are being made for the wedding of Figaro and Susanna, the Countess' maid. The Count, none too true to Rosina, bothers Susanna with his attentions. She advises Figaro of this and he plans to embarrass the Count. In this aria he tells of his plans. "If you want to dance, my little count, I'll play the guitar for you. Come to my school, and I'll teach you to cut capers--but I'll outwit you at your own game."
"Non piu andrai" from "Marriage of Figaro" .... Mozart Figaro, in a mock-heroic manner, tells the unfortunate Cherubino the differences that exist between the gay, frivolous, luxurious life he has lived among fascinating and lovely women, and the dangerous, hard, and lonely life that is before him:
"No more will you flutter around, you amorous butterfly, disturbing the rest of lovely ladies--you Narcissus, you Adonis of Love! No longer will you wear those fine feathers, that gay and jaunty cap and those curls, that dashing air, that pink girlish complexion. In the ranks you'll be, great mustaches, tight knapsacks, a gun on your shoulder, a sword at your side, your head erect, your expression fearless, a great turban, a heavy helmet, plenty of glory, little pocket money, and, instead of the Fandango, you'll be marching over the mountains in the mud, through valley in snow and heat, to the music of bugles, of bombardments and of cannon. To victory, Cherubino, to military glory you go!"
La Prison.............Faure
This is the lament of one imprisoned who has realized too late that his youth is already wasted, and who reflects upon the simple life, as characterized by his limited view of the outside world.
L'Heureux vagabond (The Happy Vagabond) . . Alfred Bruneau The eternal philosophy of the rambling Vagabond, who blithely faces every adversity of life--"because I've been in my heart so gay, tra-la-lay, my dearies."
The Bell Man............Forsyth
The Velvet Shoes ..........Thompson
Dirge.............Thomson
I Due tarli............Zandonai
The maggot in the old library said to the maggot in the cemetery, "He was sadly mourned, for he was great and wise! Tell me what do you do in that dark grave" And the maggot in the grave replied, "I sleep among the flowers that were strewn over him, and eat into the cells of his superb brain. I decipher his unborn thoughts! .... And you, what do you do" Whereupon the maggot in the library answered, "Here on this shelf I eat into this great book which he wrote, in which he expressed all his thoughts and hopes for immortality." "Devour brother, in that fertile ground, and together in mysterious silence let us devour all matter and thought, for before us all the world is bound to crumble."
Three Piedmontese Folksongs .... Arr. by Leone Sinigaglia II Maritino: The ridiculous story of a little husband, so tiny that his shoes were made from nut shells, and his sword from a sewing needle. His wife, after completing his ludicrous attire was left desolate, for alas, he was eaten by an ant.
II Cacciatore del bosco: While hunting one day, the Hunter of the Woods finds a beautiful and fetching maiden, with whom he falls in love. He takes her by the arm and invites her to sit down .... oh, what joy .... what bliss. Adelina falls asleep; but alas, in the morning awakes crying, "Mama, I have been betrayed .... the hunter man has gone away."
Novara O la bella: A rollicking dance song, telling of the wonders of the beautiful city of Novara, its gay eating and drinking, and the beautiful women whose sole ambition is to be seen, gaily dressed, clinging to the arm of a handsome soldier.
"II Lacerato spirito" from "Simon Boccanegra" .... Verdi Simon Boccanegra is a colorful tale of personal enmity and political intrigue in fourteenth century Genoa. Two political schemers are planning to elevate Simon to the Doge's throne. He has secretly been married to Maria, the daughter of his avowed political enemy, Fiesco. Suddenly Simon learns that Maria has died and their baby daughter has been kidnapped. At the same time he learns that he has been elected the Doge. In a scene with Fiesco, he begs for the nobleman's friendship. Fiesco haughtily refuses and in the aria, "The Wounded Heart," tells of his feeling.
CONCERTS
Clifford Curzon, Pianist.....Saturday, November 27
Rudolf Serkin, Pianist......Friday, December 3
Boston Symphony Orchestra .... Monday, December 6 Serge Kousseviizky, Conductor
Ginette Neveu, Violinist......Saturday, January 8
Vladimir Horowitz, Pianist.....Friday, February 11
Heifetz, Violinist.......Saturday, February 19
Nathan Milstein, Violinist......Friday, March 4
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra .... Sunday, March 13
Fabien Sevitzky, Conductor Chicago Symphony Orchestra.....Sunday, March 27
Fritz Busch, Guest Conductor
Single Concerts (inc. tax): $3.00--$2.40--$1.80--$1.50.
Christmas Concerts
"Messiah" (Handel)--Saturday, December 11, at 8:30 p.m., and a repeat performance, Sunday, December 12, at 2:30 p.m.
Doris Doree, Soprano; Nan Merriman, Contralto; Frederick Jacel, Tenor; John Gurney, Bass; University Choral Union; Special "Messiah" Orchestra; Mary McCall Stubbins, Organist; Lester McCoy, Conductor.
Tickets (inc. tax): 70 cents and SO cents.
Chamber Music Festival
Paganlni String Quartet--Three concerts, January 14, IS, and 16, 1949.
Henri Temianka and Gustave Rosseels, Violins; Robert Courte, Viola, and Adolf Frezin, Violoncello. Tickets (inc. tax): $3.60 and $2.40
Friday Evening at 8:30
Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 125, No. 1 ............................ Schubebt
Quartet in F major, Op. 59, No. 1 ................................ Beethoven
Quartet in C major (Dissonance), K. 46S ............................ Mozart
Saturday Evening at 8:30
Quartet in G major, Op. 77, No. 1 ....................................Haydn
Quartet No. 3 ...................................................... Jacobi
Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 127 ................................. Beethoven
Sunday Afternoon at 2:30
Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 18, No. 6 ............................ Beethoven
Quartet No. 7 .................................................... Milhaud
Quartet in D major................................................ Franck
MAY FESTIVAL season ticket orders will be accepted beginning as of December 1, and filed in sequence--Unclaimed seats in Block A, $12.00; Block B, $10.80; Block C, $9.60; Block D, $8.40--at University Musical Society, Charles A. Sink, President, Burton Memorial Tower.