Thursday, January 16, 2025
10:15 – 10:45 a.m.
Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis
Melissa Holm-Johansen, soprano
Bryon Wilson, piano
“Nordic Tales and Folklore”
Songs by Danish
and Norwegian Composers:
Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann
Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller
Peter Heise
Edvard Grieg
1. Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann
(1805-1900)
“Flyv, fugl, flyv”
(Fly, Bird, Fly)
1838, text by Christian Winther
2. Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller (1850-1926)
“Skin ud, du klare solskin”
(Shine Bright, O Glorious Sunshine)
1882, text by Thor Lange
“Hyrden drager sin Kappe paa”
(The Shepherd Puts on His Cloak)
1888, text by Thor Lange
“Aakande”
(Water-lily)
1890, text by Vilhelm Bergsøe
3. Peter Heise
(1830-1879)
“Det var sig humleranken”
(The Hop-Vine)
1878, from the opera
Drot og Marsk,
libretto by Christian Richardt
“Pilen og sangen”
(The Arrow and the Song)
1877, original English text
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
4. Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
“Hytten”
(The Cottage)
1869, text by Hans Christian Andersen
“Rosenknoppen”
(The Rosebud)
1869, text by Hans Christian Andersen
“Jeg elsker dig”
(I Love But Thee)
1865, text by Hans Christian Andersen
TRANSLATIONS
“Flyv, fugl, flyv”
(Fly, Bird, Fly)
Fly, bird, fly over lake Furesøens.
Now comes the night so black!
All is sunny behind the dusky woods,
the day it slips away.
Now hurry home to your feathered mate,
to the yellow-billed little ones,
but when tomorrow you come back,
then tell me everything you saw!
Fly, bird! Fly over the Furesøen’s wave,
spread your wings now!
If you see two lovers, follow them,
deep you must scout their soul.
If I’m a singer, I should know
love’s flattering lust,
all that a heart can hold and suffer,
should interpret my voice.
“Skin ud, du klare solskin”
(Shine Bright, O Glorious Sunshine)
Shine bright, O glorious sunshine,
And lead our way to spring!
And guide two eager young lovers together their lives to bring!
On yonder lofty mountains
are icy paths and snow;
that cannot change or melt away
Till God doth will it so.
Lo, now the snow is melting,
And wonderful spring is here;
God gladden father and mother,
I go to my true love so dear.
“Hyrden drager sin kappe paa”
(The Shepherd Puts on His Cloak)
The shepherd puts on his cloak,
He let his sheep graze
Under the side of the mountain
Between the Birke whites.
Two mountain maidens
came walking down,
And the shepherd
asked them to have God’s peace;
They would answer him nothing,
They laughed with bright eyes.
One spoke as the Swallow sang,
The other spoke as the bell rang,
One was white as a dove,
The other was red as a Lue.
And come You Shepherd!
Go away with us
In the mountain,
the night is short for you;
And let the sheep go,
Your dogs can handle them. —
The one took him into the Arm,
The other led him into the mountain,
But all his sheep and dogs
They run wild in the meadow.
“Aakande”
(Water-lily)
You, my quiet lotus flower,
from the forest lake’s edge,
You Swan, who cradles you on the wave,
Say, do you sink at night to the land of dreams?
Is that why you are closing your crown?
Is that why you sink
into the depths of the forest,
When the evening star
above you twinkles?
Alas, open me your cup
just one evening,
It is more than the dream
that beckons you.
“Det var sig humleranken”
(The Hop-Vine)
It was a hop vine,
that wanted to reach so high on its straw,
when it clambered against the gable,
it had to understand that it couldn’t.
It greened itself with the linden,
it nodded to the stork’s little ones,
it fluttered in the wind
with its grey feathers.
Then the wild swan
flew past in the blue air.
The hop vine reached out,
she wanted to reach the swan.
But the north wind blew,
swept it down like a feather;
there it lay broken in the dust,
she became a tendril.
“Pilen og Sangen”
(The Arrow and the Song)
I shot an Arrow into the air
It fell to earth I knew not where,
For so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.
I breath’d a song into the air
It fell to earth, I knew not where.
For who has sight so keen and strong
That it can follow the flight of a song?
Long, long afterward in an oak
I found the Arrow still unbroke;
And the Song from beginning to end
I found again in the heart of a friend.
“Hytten”
(The Cottage)
Where cliffs above the ocean rise
a humble peasant cottage lies;
it stands alone;
no garden there,
nor tree nor meadow fair.
The sky, the sea, and barren land
lie roundabout on ev’ry hand.
Yet this a Paradise must be,
for here dwells charity!
No gold or silver here are found,
but love and tenderness abound.
His eyes adore her ev’ry move,
her glance proclaims her love.
They utter not the slightest sound,
they care not for the world around.
They are content with what they see,
for here dwells charity!
translation by Dr. William Halverson
“Rosenknoppen”
(The Rosebud)
Rosebud fair with crimson tips,
tempting as a maiden’s lips,
like a bride accept from me
my kiss giv’n so willingly.
Rose, to you my lips I’m turning:
see how I’m yearning!
Lovely Rosebud, this I vow:
Never have I kissed ’til now.
No young maid awaits my touch,
none esteems me overmuch.
Rose, to you again I’m turning:
See how I’m yearning!
With each kiss a melody,
so you will remember me.
Each song will record what’s true:
None has kissed my lips but you.
You alone your face upturning;
see how I’m yearning!
Danish maidens, when I die,
gathered ’round my grave will cry:
“Ev’ry song deserves a kiss!”
True, but let me tell you this:
I’ll take kisses while I’m living!
Maidens, start giving!
translation by Dr. William Halverson
“Jeg elsker dig”
(I Love But Thee)
Thou art my joy,
the radiance of my being,
O my beloved, thou my ecstasy!
I cherish thee,
my ev’ry passion freeing,
I love but thee, I love but thee,
I love but thee now and eternally!
I love but thee now and eternally!
translation by Dr. William Halverson
Melissa Holm-Johansen 