SFNM's annual 20th Century Revisited" concert featured "classics"
of the last century. In April 2004, SFNM presented the extraordinary talents
of mezzo Janice Felty and legendary tenor John Duykers performing Leos
Janacek's masterpiece, The Diary of One Who Disappeared, in the
original Czech. Among Duykers' many career pinnacles includes singing
the role of Chairman Mao in John Adams's masterful 1987 opera Nixon
in China. The program also featured violinist Martha Caplin and pianist
Maya Hoffman performing Igor Stravinsky's delightful Divertimento.
The evening began with a rare performance of Györgi Ligeti's breathtaking Poème Symphonique for 100 metronomes.
'Some time ago, in an East Moravian highland village, J.D., a law-abiding
and industrious youth, the sole object of hope for his parents, disappeared
from home in a mysterious way. At first an accident or even a crime was
suspected and the imagination of the villagers was kindled. Some days
later, however, a diary was found in his room which disclosed the secret.
It contained several short poems which eventually provided the key to
the mystery. His parents had at first thought that the poems were folk
songs and soldiers' songs that he had copied out. But a court investigation
later revealed their true content. If only for their moving and sincere
atmosphere, they deserve to be saved from the dust and oblivion of court
files...'
Janácek liked the poems because they were written in Wallachian
dialect (Wallachia is the northeast part of Moravia), which is similar
to the dialect of Janácek's native Lachia. They carried for him
the melodic curves of speech which inform the essence of his music. He
composed the work from 1917 to 1919, during which time he became deeply
involved with his mistress Kamila Stösslová he stressed in
his letters to her that he composed the "Diary" under the influence
of his feelings for her. The Diary has been described as an
opera manqué, and in fact it is deeply connected to Janácek's
opera Katya Kabanova, which he began composing after the Diary,
in 1919.
1
One day I met a Gypsy girl, lithe as a deer was she,
Black hair lay on her shoulders, her eyes were deep as the sea.
With searching eyes she looked at me
Then swift as a bird flew,
But left me yearning after her
For all that day, all that day through
2
That back-eyed Gypsy has haunted me all the day.
Why does she not leave me, why does she not leave me?
Leave me and go her way –
Why won't she leave me and go her way?
If she would let me be
She would end this worry,
Then to the church with my prayers I would hurry.
3
Through the twilight glow-worms dance across the meadows
But the dusk falls and across the fields a footstep goes.
Do not wait, I will not yield to this temptation–
That would bring mother's heart endless tribulation.
Now the moon sets through the world thick gloom creating,
By the corner of the stable someone's waiting.
There are two bright eyes glittering through the shade.
Oh, my Saviour, Oh my blessed Saviour,
Hear my prayer and grant me thine aid.
4
Already swallows are tittering overhead,
But I've lain all the night sleepless upon my bed,
Now in the sky there's a light, it's the flush of dawn,
And I've lain all the night as on a bed of thorn.
And I've lain all the night as on a bed of thorn.
5
Weary work is ploughing, without sleep to ease me,
For when I fall asleep, still in dreams she'd tease me,
Still in dreams she'd tease me.
6
Hey, there my tawny oxen, careful how you pull the plough,
Don't look towards the elders, follow the furrow now,
Where the ground is hard, the plough springs back and lurches,
Still can I see that bright kerchief through the branches.
Who's there waiting for me? Oh that she would turn to stone!
My poor head is throbbing, and like a fire has grown.
Who's there waiting for me? Oh that she were turned to stone!
7
I've got a loose axle, that means the axle-pin's gone,
Now oxen wait for me, wait for me, I'll make another one.
Over there I'll cut one from that fine elder tree,
Who can escape his fate? For what must be, must be.
8
Don't look, my oxen, so sad at my change of heart,
No need to fear that because of this we must part.
Black-haired Zeffka's waiting there by the elder tree,
Where like glowing coals of fire her black eyes watch me.
If I should go near her, think not that she'd harm me.
I'll show you, I'll be safe. Here eyes will not charm me.
9
Alto
Welcome my handsome one, I am here to greet you
Why this stroke of fortune? What kind twist of fate has let me meet you?
Once more my welcome, Jan.
Won't you then come near me?
Standing there pale and still,
Is it that you fear me?
Tenor
I've no cause to fear you, why should such fear begin?
I've come here to whittle wood for my axle-pin,
Wood for my axle-pin.
Alto
Leave it, my handsome Jan. Do not be so headstrong.
Leave your work, sit and hear, I'll sing a Gypsy song.
10
Trio 1 Folding then her hands, sang so sad a strain
Trio 2 Softly sang so sad a strain
Trio 3 Softly sang so sad a strain
That the mournful song filled his heart with pain.
Alto God all-powerful, God eternal, why create the Gypsy race?
Endless wand'ring, never resting, hunted on from place to place.
Why are you silent, Jan? Is it the lark you hear?
Trio That the mournful song filled his heart with pain.
Alto Come and sit beside me, surely you have no fear.
God all-powerful, God redeemer, ere I perish in the wilderness,
Grant me knowledge of desiring, grant me knowledge of desiring.
Trio That her mournful song filled his heart with pain.
Alto Why are you so silent? Won't you then come near me?
Being so close to me seems to make you fear me.
Come and sit beside me – do not think I tease you.
Is it then my color? Does my skin displease you?
But not all my body has endured the sunlight,
Won't you look more closely, here my skin is snow-white
Trio Then from her breast her bright kerchief she slowly turned
Then from her breast her bright kerchief she slowly turned
And all his hot young blood rushed to his face and burned.
And all his hot young blood rushed to his face and burned.
11
Tenor
From the rip'ning cornfield, oh what sweet odors creep?
Alto Will you let me show you how Gypsy people sleep?
Shall I show you the way the Gypsies sleep?
Tenor She brushed some twigs away, threw some pebbles after,
'Behold my bed,' she said, then she shook with laughter.
Alto Earth is my pillow and heaven my covering,
I warm my fingers in my lap when they are shivering.
Tenor In her tattered skirt, there on the ground she lies,
And for my virtue's sake tears sprang to my sad eyes,
Tears sprang to my sad eyes.
12
Forest's shady height,
Water cold and bright,
Eyes as black as night,
Bare knees snowy white,
Those four things, till death relieve me,
Will, I swear it, never leave me.
13
Intermezzo – solo piano
14
See how high the sun is! Is it noon then?
Oh what I have lost now, oh what I have lost now,
Who can give back again? Who can give back again?
15
Now my tawny oxen, why do you stare at me?
If you should betray me, sadly you'll fare with me.
Just give my secrets up and I'll punish you.
Just dare betray me, my beating will finish you.
But now before me by far the worst ordeal lies –
How can I go back home? How face my mother's eyes?
16
What has come over me? What is it I have done?
Must I now learn to love Gypsies who call me son?
Father a Gypsy lout? Mother a Gypsy slut?
Better that a finger from my own hand were cut.
There's a lark above me, offering my gladness,
But my heart is heavy, who can ease my sadness?
17
Who can escape his fate, for what must be, must be.
Ev'ry night I hurry to that same elder tree.
Ask me where I'm off to! Ask me where I'm off to!
Gathering strawberries – under the foliage search for mysteries.
18
Nothing matters now until ev'ning shadows fall,
Soon I'll be with Zeffka, I hear her call.
Glady I'd wring the neck of every cock that crows;
Then there'd be no one to tell us it's time we rose.
Oh that night where endless without a dawn,
Then from each other's arms we would never be torn.
19
See that thieving magpie suddenly fly away!
Did it steal the skirt my sister washed on Monday?
If she should ever know it was no magpie's beak,
She would disown me, no more to me she'd speak.
Oh my Lord God, what a change has come over me.
In my desperation, what strange fancies stir me.
And prayr's confuse my mind – these I can't unravel.
All is alike a stream that's sluggish, clogged with gravel.
20
Now she bears my child, see how bright, bright, bright her eyes are!
As her skirts rides up, see how white, white, white her thighs are!
21
Father, how wrong you were not to respect my pride,
Choosing the girls you wanted to be my bride.
He who has sinned must be punished, so life taught me.
So too must I accept what my fate has brought me.
22
Then farewell, dearest land, fare thee well from my heart,
All that's left for me now is to say we must part.
Fare thee well, Father dear, and to you, Mother dear,
Fare thee well, sister sweet, you with your eyes so clear,
See my hands raised to you, please forgive ev'rything.
There can be no return from the life I'm beginning.
No escape can there be, Fate's bidding must be done.
Zeffka waits for me there, in her arms is my son.
"20th Century Revisited—