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Anna E. Garman, Composer

O Art Gracieux (2010)

Commissioned by Susan Curtice

Solo Soprano and Piano
~3:00
 
PROGRAM NOTE:
    For me O Art Gracieux is very much about duality. Not knowing French was a great struggle when working with this text, because I based the setting solely on the brief study I did of the language and the translation of the text, not on my understanding of the original language or text. I decided to represent this in the tonal language of the piece by using a sort of polytonal backdrop. The next struggle was to set the text in a way that supported the meaning of the text, but also represented my feelings on the piece as a whole. The product is a setting that is a bit unexpected based solely on the text, but represents the process of its creation well. O Art Gracieux was commissioned by Susan Curtice.

youtube video

TEXT:
O Art gracieux, dans combien d'heures sombres,
Où le cycle de la vie me saisit
As-tu mon coeur, car un amour débute,
Tu m'as conduit dans un bien meilleur monde!

Souvent, un soupir a échappé de ton harpe,
Un doux accord béni de ta presence
M'a ouvert un meilleur temps au ciel,
O Art gracieux, merci pour ceci!

-Original poem by Franz von Schober
-Translation by Claire Curtice, used with permission

TRANSLATION:
O gracious Art, in how many gray hours,
Where am ensnared wild life circle
Hast thou my heart to warm love ignite,
You have caught me in a better world!

Often a sigh, your harp has flowed,
A sweet, blest chord of thine
The heaven of better times I opened up,
O gracious Art, thank you for it!




'And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.' Col 3:17a
Last Updated: 8/19/2015