Jake Heggie's Paper Wings: Feeding the Genre of American Art Song
2008; Routledge; Volume: 64; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
2769-4046
Autores Tópico(s)Diverse Musicological Studies
ResumoPAPER WINGS (1997) Music by Jake Heggie Words by Frederica von Stade 1. Bedtime Story 2. Paper Wings 3. Mitten Smitten 4. Route to the Sky First Performance of original version for piano and voice: September 20, 1997 Orchestrated version first performed: January 8, 2000 Published by: Hal Leonard The Faces of Love, songs by Jake Heggie-Book 2 Recordings: The Faces of Love-performed by Frederica von Stade, mezzo soprano, Jake Heggie, piano; BMG Classics-RCA Red Seal Label AMERICAN-BORN COMPOSER JAKE HEGGIE has composed over 150 songs, two full operas, works for chorus and orchestra, chamber music, and concerti. Heggie's first opera, Dead Man Walking, received international acclaim and has been performed in many opera houses, including New York City Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, and Pittsburgh Opera, among others. His newest opera, The End of the Affair, premiered at Houston Grand Opera in March 2004. Although some of his works are exclusively for instruments, most of Heggie's compositions comprise vocal works. When asked why he leans toward vocal writing, Heggie says, The voice still takes my breath away. It is the most expressive, most magical instrument ever. The inspiration comes from the voice. It brings tears to my eyes when I hear a great voice. And I love American English, too. It is a very expressive language.1 Heggie has collaborated with many artists, including Kristin Clayton, Renee Fleming, Nicolle Foland, Sylvia McNair, Jennifer Larmore, Zheng Cao, Susan Graham, Brian Asawa, and Frederica von Stade. Heggie's art songs are wonderful and innovative, and have contributed greatly to the genre of American art song. How thrilling to sit in a concert hall and hear American performers singing songs in their own language, and to feel the audience's immediate understanding and connection with the text and music.2 Throughout Heggie's songs, one can hear many diverse American musical influences, including jazz, gospel, and pop. Jake Heggie composed Paper Wings in 1997. This set of four songs was commissioned by internationally acclaimed mezzo soprano Frederica von Stade as a gift for her daughter, Lisa Elkus. Ms. von Stade's eldest daughter, Jennifer, was named after a song by Carol Hall, entitled Jenny Rebecca, and von Stade wanted Lisa to have a song as well. When von Stade approached Heggie about composing a set for her daughter, Heggie proposed that the singer herself write the poetry for the set. The two previously collaborated on a set of Christmas songs for a group called New Century Orchestra in which von Stade written me texts and Heggie the songs. The composer suggested have a go at the lyrics, since it was such a personal set of songs. Obviously, this piece was ready meant to be a portrait-of a mother and daughter. It was very specific, so it seemed right to go to the source.3 Von Stade was excited about the prospect of writing lyrics to the set and told Heggie, if they aren't any good, you know where the round-file is.4 She and Heggie worked closely together. The singer says that while writing the texts she had no projection . . . on how it will be sung or what the melody will be. I have poetic meters in my head usually and they're the most obvious ones as it's a long time since poetry was a regular part of my life.5 As a singer, poetry has been an integral part of von Stade's life. She has performed many others' poetry and now took advantage of the opportunity to write her own. Arthur Graham, in his article, A Short and Pragmatic Approach to Poetry for Singers, writes that deeper understandings of poetry and of the milieu of its period make a direct impact on a singer's ability to communicate emotion.6 Therefore, according to Graham, von Stade is in the best situation to be writing poetry, since she is the only poet in this situation who has the intimate connection to the text and context of that which she is writing. …
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