Leslie Simmons
clarinet & saxophone
Ināra Zandmane, piano
assisted by:
Laura Dawalt, soprano
Antonio Truyols, piano
Gavin Douglas, guitar
Andrew Simmons, uilleann pipes
Graduate Recital
Saturday, March 17, 2012
1:30 pm
Recital Hall, Music Building
Program
Sonata Arnold Bax
Molto moderato (1883-1953)
Vivace
To Be Sung Upon the Water Dominick Argento
I. Prologue: Shadow and Substance (b. 1927)
II. The Lake at Evening
IV. Fair is the Swan
VIII. Epilogue: De Profundis
Intermission
Concerto Elie Siegmeister
Easy, freely (1909-1991)
Lightly, lively
Slow drag
Fast and driving
The South Wind / John McHugh’s / Adam and Eve / Traditional Irish
Kid on the Mountain
Leslie Simmons is a student of Dr. Kelly Burke
________
In partial fulfillment of the degree requirements for the
Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance
I. Prologue: Shadow And Substance
As one who hangs down-bending from the side
Of a slow-moving boat, upon the breast
Of a still water, solacing himself
With such discoveries as his eye can make
Beneath him in the bottom of the deep,
Sees many beauteous sights-weeds, fishes, flowers,
Grots, pebbles, roots of trees, and fancies more,
Yet often is perplexed and cannot part
The shadow from the substance, rocks and sky,
Mountains and clouds, reflected in the depth
Of the clear flood, from things which there abide
In their true dwelling; now is crossed by gleam
Of his own image, by a sunbeam now,
And wavering motions sent he knows not whence,
Impediments that make his task more sweet;
Such pleasant office have I long pursued
Incumbent o'er the surface of past time.
II. The Lake At Evening
Clouds, lingering yet, extend in solid bars
Through the grey west; and lo! these waters, steeled
By breezeless air to smoothest polish, yield
A vivid repetition of the stars;
Jove, Venus, and the ruddy crest of Mars
Amid his fellows beauteously revealed
At happy distance from earth's groaning field,
Where ruthless mortals wage incessant wars.
Is it a mirror?--or the nether Sphere
Opening to view the abyss in which she feeds
Her own calm fires?-But list! a voice is near;
Great Pan himself low-whispering through the reeds
'Be thankful, thou; for, if unholy deeds
Ravage the world, tranquillity is here!'
IV. Fair Is The Swan
Fair is the Swan, whose majesty, prevailing
O'er breezeless water, on Locarno's Jake,
Bears him on while proudly sailing
He leaves behind a moon-illumined wake:
- Behold! - as with a gushing impulse heaves
That downy prow, and softly cleaves
The mirror of the crystal flood,
Vanish inverted hill, and shadowy wood,
And pendent rocks, where'er, in gliding state,
Winds the mute Creature without visible Mate
Or Rival, save the Queen of night
Showering down a silver light,
From heaven, upon her chosen Favourite!
VIII. Epilogue: De Profundis
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not.-Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.
-William Wordsworth
