BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY OF NORTHERN IRELAND 1968 1969 SIXTH RECITAL under the auspices of THE QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST MATTIWILDA DOBBS SOPRANO MARTIN ISEPP PIANO SIR WILLIAM WHITLA HALL Queen's University, Belfast THURSDAY, 17th APRIL, 1969 at 7.45 p.m.

CANZONETTA: 'Ridente la calma' (How calm is my spirit) ARIETTA: 'Un moto di gioia' (With joyous emotion) This aria was originally written for Susanna in 'The Marriage of Figaro'. It was later deleted from the opera. CANZONETTA: 'She never told her love' From the second set of Canzonettas, written in 1795 during a visit to England. The words are from Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night'. Mozart (1756-1791) ARIA DI CARDELLINA Written for a performance of Gugliemi's opera 'La Quakera Spiritosa' which was directed by Haydn. Cardellina, the maid, says to her angry mistress- 'Take it easy, Signorina, don't put on airs or I can too!' 321 VITA II Ständchen Open up, my love, but softly So that no one wakes. Haydn (1732-1809) Die Nacht Night comes forth, spreading darkness all around her. Let me press you to my heart lest the night's dark hand should take you from me. The brook hardly murmurs, the breeze hardly moves a leaf in the bushes and hedges. With quiet footsteps slip into the garden to join me. The flowers sleep by the rippling brook - only love is awake. Strauss (1864-1949) Members are asked to make every effort to avoid coughing during the performance

Morgen Tomorrow the sun will shine again and we shall walk to the shore with its blue waves. Mutely we shall look into each other's eyes and the silence of happiness will again sink upon us. Amor A setting of a poem about Cupid - how he burnt himself and cried for help. A shepherdess takes pity on him, not realising who he is. In the end he leaves her needing help herself. III ARIA: 'Ombra leggiera' (from 'Dinorah') 'Dinorah', an opera founded on a Breton idyll was first produced at the Opéra-Comique in 1859. The heroine, Dinorah, is a peasant girl and she sings to the fleet shadow that follows my step' as she passes through a wood by moonlight. INTERVAL IV La Promessa From 'Serati Musicali' - a collection of Ariettas and duets, published in 1835. In this song a lover vows never to be unfaithful. Non t'accostare all'urna First of 'Six Romances' published in 1838. A song about a young man who has died because of the cruelty of his beloved. Now she comes to his grave to cover it with flowers. He asks her to let him sleep in peace. La zingara First of a set of songs called 'Viennese Inspirations'. Strauss Rossini (1792-1868) Meyerbeer (1791-1864) Verdi (1813-1901) Donizetti (1797-1848)

12 ARIA: 'Dearest Mama (from 'The Ballad of Baby Doc') ARIA: 'Hello, hello' (from 'The Telephone' - a satirical piece the plot of which is enacted mainly over the telephone. Written in 1947 and became a Broadway 'hit'. VI Louisiana Creole Songs and Negro Spirituals Aurore Prader (spiritual) Gué, gué, Solingaie (lullaby) Toucouyoute I want Jesus to walk with me (spiritual) Stan' still, Jordan (spiritual) Douglas Moore b. 1893 (American composer) NEXT CONCERT Saturday, May 3rd arr. ANNIE FISCHER Piano Menotti b. 1911 Creole music Indigenous music of Latin America. Some of its rhythms are peculiar to it. Melodies are often accompanied by a short bass phrase repeated over and over again with slight changes. Blanchard Nickerson Blanchard Spirituals The term 'spiritual' dates from the late 19th century and marks the start of the popularity of negro religious songs among the white community in America. There is a general flavour of sad- ness about the words and music of many of these songs even the ones where the words are joyful are sometimes sung in a spirit of sorrow and although slavery is not mentioned it is reflected in the way so many of the songs dwell a longing for the next world, as depicted in the Scriptures. White Burleigh