For the Love of Music

DEVIN MIRACLE
Junior Music Education Voice Recital
with Karina Johnson, Piano

April 6th at 7 PM
First United Methodist Church
Lexington, Ky
 Program
Longing, Desire, and Yearning
L'heure exquise Poldowski (Lady Dean Paul)
(1880 - 1932)

Tu ch'hai le penne, Amore Giulio Caccini

(1546 – 1618)
Beauty, Joy, and Love
Auf Flügeln des Gesanges Felix Mendelssohn
(1809 – 1847)

La speranza al cor mi dice Isabella Colbran

(1785 – 1845)
Betrayal, Death, and Loss
Da eben seinen Lauf vollbracht Maria Theresa
von Paradis
(1759 – 1824)

Ici-bas! Gabriel Fauré

(1845 – 1924)
Rest, Peace, and Hope
A chi more per Dio Anonymous
(c. 17th Century)
Sierra Kidd, soprano
Caitlin Flemm, alto
Adam Sparks, bass

Abendfriede Josef Rheinberger

(1839 – 1901)

INTERMISSION
*Please hold applause until the end of each set/piece. Please turn off and
put away all electronic devices in respect of performers and other audience
members*
 Program

The Song That Music by Adrien Pellerin

No One Likes Lyrics by Sarah Smallwood Parsons

Role of a Lifetime Music by Damon Intrabartolo

from Bare: A Pop Opera (1974 – 2013)
Lyrics by Jon Hartmere

I Know It’s Today Music by Jeanine Tesori

from Shrek the Musical Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abraire
arr. Caitlin Flemm
with Olivia Jett
and Kat Jump

Crazier Than You Andrew Lippa

from The Addams Family
with Caitlin Flemm

To My Brother Joseph Gregorio

with Jonathan Adkins, Jake Ballard,
Larkin Gensheimer, Dylan Shade, and Adam Sparks

Dirait-on Morten Johanes Lauridsen

b. 1943

*Please hold applause until the end of the following piece*

The Music of Stillness Elaine Hagenberg
b. 1979

This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the

Bachelor of Music in Music Education. Devin Miracle is a student of
Dr. Elizabeth Arnold.
 Program Notes
When selecting music for my recital I was looking for texts that I
connected to and melodies that I would enjoy singing. What I wasn’t
looking for was a connection between pieces. Digging deeper into the
texts of the pieces I selected, I found a storyline that could be
interpreted when stringing them together. I have tried to convey this
with how I have grouped the pieces into couples with adjectives to
describe the feeling, message, and plotline of each set. The goal of the
story was to create a complete cycle with the final piece tying back to
the beginning, showing the cyclical nature of both life and love.

Longing, Desire, and Yearning

Beginning with L’heure exquise, we see the singer picturing
themselves in the dark of night at a pond. The singer is using vivid
imagery to describe the scene they are in when they hear a voice they
believe to be their love. They are “dreaming it is the exquisite hour, ”
the hour in which their love will come.
Tu ch’hai le penne, Amore continues to express the singer’s
yearning for their lover calling out to them to “fly swiftly to where my
heart is.” In contrast to the previous piece where the singer is
describing where they are at, this piece is describing to their love where
they should fly to be reunited.

Beauty, Joy, and Love

Auf Flügeln des Gesanges portrays a beautiful place along the
Ganges River in India. In doing research about this text, I learned about
how meaningful the Ganges River is to the Hindu religion, being
regarded as the holiest river in the world. Tying back to L’heure exquise,
the singer is describing a flowering garden under the moonlight and
describes the personification of the violets and roses here. This piece
truly sets the scene for where the singer and their love will be reunited.
In La speranza al cor mi dice, the singer is still wishing for their
love to come but is beginning to have doubts about their desire for love
singing that “love’s deceit appears, and with it, fears.” But no matter
how fearful they are, “hope comes again and foretells joy to come.”
 Program Notes
Betrayal, Death, and Loss
Da eben seinen Lauf vollbracht is truly the turning point in the
story. The story of the entire piece was what drew me to organize these
pieces in this way. The text tells the story of a man and a woman and
their love for each other, but he had developed feelings for another
woman. The woman is reflecting on her life and their past love begging
him to reflect on how she could love him more than his new interest.
In the section that I am performing, she realizes that she does not need
him, and is too good for him. She tells him to go with his new love and
let God be the true judge of his character. On her deathbed, she wishes
him well and good life but not to tread “upon her green grave.”
Ici-bas! continues this story into the afterlife, singing of how
lonely death is for the deceased and how the dead yearn for their
friends and their loves. Relationships they “dream that last forever.”

Rest, Peace, and Hope

A chi more per Dio ends this story of death by describing how
eternal it truly is. The woman in Da eben seinen Lauf vollbracht confesses
her love for her husband to God and how God may be his judge while
she will be eternally at rest in the afterlife and this peace is further
conveying her message.
Ending the cycle is Abendfriede, a song that encompasses the
thoughts and feelings of all the previous pieces. The piece tells of a
town in the late evening and how a sense of peace and calm is lying
over it. As the sun falls to the horizon, we hear a bird singing its
evening song leaving with us a message for tomorrow, “it will be a
beautiful morning.”

Choir Members

Jonathan Adkins Dorian Gordon Ashley Rodriguez

Jake Ballard Amber Hale Jessica Rogers
Essence Davis Olivia Jett Katelyn Rose
Hannah Douglas Kat Jump Dylan Shade
Justin Felix Sierra Kidd Emily Sparks
Caitlin Flemm Matt McBee Adam Sparks
Larkin Gensheimer Ethan Neal Hailey Wells
 Texts and Translations
L'heure exquise
La lune blanche The white moon
Luit dans les bois; Shines through the trees;
De chaque branche From each branch
Part une voix Comes a voice
Sous la ramée… Under the boughs…

O bien-aimée! Oh my beloved!

L’étang reflète, The pond reflects,

Profoud miroir, As a deep mirror,
La silhouette The outline
Du saule noir Of the black willow
Où le vent pleure… Where the wind weeps…

Rêvons, c’est l’heure. Let us dream, it is the hour.

Un vaste et tendre A vast and tender

Apaisement Calm
Semble descender Seems to descend
Du firmament From the heavens
Que l’astre irise… With the iridescent star…

C’est l’heure exquise. It is the exquisite hour.

Tu ch'hai le penne, Amore

Tu ch’hai le penne, Amore, You who have wings, Love,
E sai spiegarle a volo, And know how to spread them in flight,
Deh muovi ratto un volo Pray, fly swiftly
Fin là dov’è’l mio core. To where my heart is.
E se non sai la via And if you do not know the way,
Coi miei sospir t’invia. My sighs will show you.

Va pur: che’l troverai Then go: you will find it

Tra’l velo e’l bianco seno, Between the veil and the white breast,
O tra’l dolce sereno de’ luminosi rai, Or in the sweet serenity of the luminous eyes,
O tra bei nodi d’oro Or among the beautiful golden tresses
Del mio dolce tesoro. Of my sweet treasure.
 Texts and Translations
Auf Flügeln des Gesanges
Auf Flügeln des Gesanges, On wings of song,
Herzliebchen, trag' ich dich fort, my love, I'll carry you away
Fort nach den Fluren des Ganges, to the fields of the Ganges
Dort weiß ich den schönsten Ort. Where I know the most beautiful place.

Dort liegt ein rotblühender Garten There lies a red-flowering garden,

Im stillen Mondenschein; in the serene moonlight,
Die Lotosblumen erwarten the lotus-flowers await
Ihr trautes Schwesterlein. Their beloved sister.

Die Veilchen kichern und kosen, The violets giggle and cherish,
Und schaun nach den Sternen empor; and look up at the stars,
Heimlich erzählen die Rosen The roses tell each other secretly
Sich duftende Märchen ins Ohr. Their fragrant fairy-tales.

Es hüpfen herbei und lauschen The gentle, bright gazelles,

Die frommen, klugen Gazell'n; pass and listen;
Und in der Ferne rauschen and in the distance murmurs
Des heiligen Stromes Well'n. The waves of the holy stream.

Dort wollen wir niedersinken There we will lay down,

Unter dem Palmenbaum, under the palm-tree,
Und Liebe und Ruhe trinken, and drink of love and peacefulness
Und träumen seligen Traum. And dream our blessed dream.

La speranza al cor mi dice

La Speranza al cor mi dice Hope tells my heart
Che sarò felice ancor That I will know joy again.
Ma la speme inganna trice But love’s deceit appears, and with it, fears
Poimi dice il mio timor Yet hope comes again and foretells joy to come.
 Texts and Translations
Da eben seinen Lauf vollbracht
(Since He His Course Completed)
Der kleine Bach in dessen Glanz The little brook in whose radiance
Ich mich so gern erblickt’ I so gladly saw myself reflected,
Wenn ich mit einem Blumenkraz When with a wreath of flowers
Mein blondes Haar geschmückt, I had garlanded my blonde locks,
Zeight jetzt mir nur, wie dies Gesicht Now shows me only how this face
Von Lieb und Gram ver blüht; Is withered by love and affliction;
O Lucia, Lucia siehst du nicht, Oh! Lucia, Lucia, do you not see
Wie bald der Reiz uns flieht? How quickly our charms pass away?

Doch du, But you,

der mich vergass bey ihr, who forgot about me when you were with her,
Nun meinen Anblick fliehst; You now flee before my sight:
O sag, um welchen Reiz du mir Oh tell me for which allurement you
So ganz dein Herz entziehst? Withdraw your heart so completely from me?
O! liebte sich dich treuer wohl, Oh! Did she love you more faithfully,
Wohl zärthlicher als ich? More tenderly than I?
Doch nein, mein letzter Seufzer soll But no, my last sigh
Nicht klagen wider dich. Shall not be a complaint against you,

Vielmeh soll er zum Himmel flehn, Rather it shall fly to heaven

Für dich, den ich geliebt, For you, whom I loved,
Daß er, der Treu dich schwören sehn, That He who saw you swear fidelity
Den falschen Schque vergiebt. May forgive your false oath.
Und nun, da bald vollendet ist, And now that soon shall be ended
Des Lebens trüber Pfad, My dreary life’s pathway,
Nun hör; eh sich mein Auge schließt, Now hear, before my eyes are closed,
Was sterbend ich noch bat. What in dying I still asked

Wenn dir dereinst der Tag erscheint, When sometime the day shall dawn for you
(Ich werd’ ihn nicht mehr sehn) (I shall never see it),
Der Lucien ganz mit dir vereint, That unites you completely with Lucia,
Dan denk an dies mein Flehn. Then think of this my pleas.
Und wenn du mit dem Hochzeitzug And when with your wedding procession
Den Kirchhof gehst herab; You walk down the churchyard;
Sp trete nicht dein froher Zug Then do not let your happy procession
Auf mein begrüntes Grab. Step upon my green grave.
 Texts and Translations
Ici-bas!
Da eben seinen Lauf vollbracht
(Since
Ici-bas tous les lilas He His Course
meurent, Completed)
Here below (in this world) all the lilacs die.
Tous les chants des oiseaux sont courts, All the birds songs are short,
Je rêve aux étés qui demeurent I dream of summers that last
Toujours… Forever…

Ici-bas les lèvres effleurent Here below lips lightly touch

Sans rien laisser de leur velours, Without leaving anything of their velvet,
Je rêve aux baisers qui demeurent I dream of kisses that last
Toujours… Forever…

Ici-bas, tous les hommes pleurant Here below, all the men mourn
Leurs amities ou leurs amours; Their friendships or their loves;
Je rêve aux couples qui demeurent, I dream of couples that last,
Aux couples qui demeurent, qui demeurent Of couples that last, that last
Toujours… Forever…

A chi more per Dio

A chi more per Dio, To those who die for God,
La morte e vita Death is life.

Abendfriede
Die Schwalbe schwingt zum Abendliede The swallow soars for its evening song
sich auf das Stänglein unterm Dach, to the perch under the roof,
im Feld und in der Stadt ist Friede, peace lies over the fields and in the town,
Fried ist im Haus und im Gemach. peace is in the house and in the chamber.

Ein Schimmer fällt vom Abendrote A shimmer from the sunset falls
leis in die stille Straß' herein, softly into the quiet street,
und vorm Entschlafen sagt der Bote, and before dying away the messenger says,
es werd' ein schöner Morgen sein! it will be a beautiful morning!

Dirait-on
Abandon entouré d'abandon, Abandon surrounding abandon,
tendresse touchant aux tendresses… Tenderness touching tenderness…
C'est ton intérieur qui sans cesse Your oneness endlessly
se caresse, dirait-on; Caresses itself, so they say;

se caresse en soi-même, Self-caressing

par son propre reflet éclairé. Through its own clear reflection.
Ainsi tu inventes le thème Thus you invent the theme
du Narcisse exaucé. Of Narcissus fulfilled.
 Texts and Translations
Da ebenTo My Brother
seinen Lauf vollbracht
I was browsing
(Since He at
HistheCourse
newsstand and I saw you.
Completed)
I always do -
a brief glimpse at a life with none of the detail.

I'm not sure when I first realized

The rainbow-colored elephant;
it was just something we left dangling in the air, unsaid -
an unbreakable barrier.

I never really told you how much I admired you.

I always thought that, between us, you were the stronger one.
When I was biking a mile, you were unicycling two.
Where I was shy, you were fearless.
When I imagined your future, I saw the world at your feet.

You were one noisy kid.

I remember walking inside
and the most beautiful sounds of Tchaikovksy and Mozart
would waft through every room.

It is so quiet now.

You were youth,

potential just beginning to unfold.
You were beauty,
fleeting and marvelous.
I know there was pain, and I'm sorry for that,
but you were joy, too.

You were never alone; it just felt like it.

You were so easy to love,
with your kind eyes and gentle heart.
You will always be my sweet, tender little brother.

Your voice, your smile,

tiny hands clinging to mine.

I will never let go.

The Music of Stillness

There will be rest, and sure stars shining
Over the roof-tops crowned with snow,
A reign of rest, serene forgetting,
The music of stillness holy and low.

I will make this world of my devising

Out of a dream in my lonely mind.
I shall find the crystal of peace, – above me
Stars I shall find.
 Special Thanks

My Parents

All the teachers in my life, especially

Mrs. Julie Lucky, Mr. John Merz, and
Mrs. Emily Eastman

Creative Arts LLP Coordinator, Emily Elkins

UK Choral and Music Education Faculty

Professor Beth Wilson, Dr. Lori Hetzel,
Dr. Jefferson Johnson, and Dr. Martina Vasil

The Choral Music Education Class of 2023

Jake Ballard, Katie Bishop, Essence Davis,
Caitlin Flemm, Larkin Gensheimer, Alfred Jetoh,
Olivia Jett, Kat Jump, Sierra Kidd, Austin Morgan,
Ethan Neal, Ashley Rodriguez, Jessica Rogers,
Adam Sparks, and Hailey Wells

My accompanist, Karina Johnson

My voice teacher, Dr. Beth Arnold