MUSIC 183

French Art Song Interpretation

Spring, 2005

This course is designed for advanced singers and pianists to work together as collaborative duos. You
will interpret and perform masterpieces from the French Art Song (Mélodie) repertoire.

Instructor:
Laura Dahl
Office: Braun 222
Email: Laura.Dahl@Stanford.edu
Tel: 725-2699
Office hours: by appointment

Lecture Time/Place: Wednesdays, 2:30-4pm, Campbell Recital Hall, Braun Music Building

Scope and Objective

This course deals with the practical aspects of the interpretation and performance of French song
literature. You will learn to develop the many skills needed for successful and satisfying collaboration
with different musical partners. Your musical ear will be fine-tuned in matters of rhythm, phrasing (in
poetry as well as music), balance, dynamics, and colors. Matters of facility, diction and translation will
be addressed in the context of performance and interpretive skills. Recommended prerequisite courses
are M182 Diction for Singers (singers) and M 170 Collaborative Piano (pianists).

Conduct of the Course

There will be regular homework (including preparation of musical scores, listening assignments, and
translation of foreign texts) as pertains to in-class performance of songs in a master-class type situation.
There will be no final exam, per se, but there will be a final class recital to take place on Saturday, June
7th, 2:30pm, consisting of the best examples of your work over the quarter. Performance in this final
recital is mandatory. Your final grade will depend on a variety of factors, including attendance (whether
or not you are performing), preparation, and personal progress throughout the quarter.

Course Materials
All music will be on reserve in the music library (in the correct keys!), as well as a large number of
reference books to aid you in translation and pronunciation as well as interpretation. These include The
Interpretation of French Song, Masters of the French Art Song, The Singer's Debussy, The Poetic
Debussy, Francis Poulenc: The Man and his Songs, etc.

Day Composer Music Performers

03-30 Course overview and assignment of repertoire
04-06 Berlioz Villanelle, Les nuits d’éte (Amaj) Anna/Laurel
Gounod Viens! Les gazons sont verts! (Fmaj) Roselyn/Laura
Sérénade (Fmaj) Liz/Laura
Liszt O quand je dors (Emaj) Georgia/Noriko

04-13 Chausson Sérénade italienne (Bmaj) Ann/Laurel

Le colibri (Dbmaj) Moon/Noriko
Duparc Chanson triste (Cmaj) Reed/David
Le manoir de Rosemonde (Bmin) Benj/Jeff

04-20 Fauré Les berceaux (cmin-high key) Anna/Jeff

Après un rêve (dmin) Roselyn/Laurel
La lune blanche luit dans les bois (f#maj) Liz/Noriko
Fleur jetée (Fmin) OR Georgia/David
Notre amour (Emaj:high key) (pianist’s decision….)

4.27 Fauré Automne (cmin) Benj/Laurel

Prison (Ebmin) Reed/Noriko
Debussy Clair de lune (F#maj): 4 Chansons de jeunesse Moon/Jeff
Romance: L’âme évaporée (Dmaj) Ann/David

05-04 Debussy Pierrot (Emin): 4 Chansons de jeunesse Georgia/Jeff

Green (Gb): Ariettes Oubliées OR Roselyn/David
Fantoches (Amin): Fêtes Galantes (I)
Ravel Cinque Melodies Populaires Grecques:
I. Le réveil de la mariée (Gmin) AND Anna/Noriko
II. Là bas, vers l’église (G#min) OR Anna/Noriko
III. Quel gallant m’est comparable (Gmaj)
IV. Chanson des cueilleuses de lentisques (Amaj) Liz/Laurel
AND V. Tout gai! (Abmaj) Liz/Laurel

05-11 Satie Dapheneo, Trois Melodies de 1916 (Dmaj) Ann/Jeff

Roussel Reponse d’une épouse sage (Emin) Moon/David
Hahn L’Heure exquise (Dbmaj) OR Reed/Laurel
A Chloris (Emaj)
Si mes vers avaient des ailes (choose key) Benj/Noriko
(Dmaj PdF, Cmaj on reserve in library)

05-18 Milhaud Les Soirées de Pétrograde Anna/David

Choose 2, one from L’ancien régime
And one from La révolution
Honegger Cloche du soir Liz/Jeff

Poulenc Violon (Fiancailles pour rire) Roselyn/Noriko

C. (Deux poèmes de Louis Aragon) Georgia/Laurel

05-25 Poulenc C’est ainsi que tu es (Métamorphoses) Ann/Noriko

Dans l’herbe (Fiancailles pour rire) Moon/Laurel
Hôtel (Banalités) Reed/Jeff
Priez pour paix Benj/David