The Songs & The Plays - Kean on Shakespeare

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The Songs & The Plays Listen on Youtube Love’s Labours Lost (1593-94) A revised and polished version of this play was presented for Queen Elizabeth I and her court at Christmas 1598. However the elevated language and subject matter of the drama suggests it was always intended for a sophisticated and highly literate audience. There are two parallel plots – one ‘high’ comedy and one ‘low’ comedy. In the high comedy the King of Navarre and his friends make a pact to ‘fast and study’ and to have no contact with women for three years. No sooner have they agreed than the Princess of Aquitaine and her ladies in waiting arrive to discuss ‘state matters’. Inevitably the King falls in love with the Princess and his friends with the French ladies in waiting. The Gentlemen find loophole in their vows and woo and win women with a dance. The Ladies become aware of their broken vows and treat the noblemen with scorn. In the low comedy the page Moth and the clown Costard ridicule the exaggerated m...
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Fernando Obradors - biographical notes & my translations

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 Fernando Jaumandreu Obradors

                                         1897-1945

The Catalan composer Obradors was born in Barcelona. Here he studied with Lamote de Grignon and Antonio Nicolau, although he was eventually self taught. He composed minor zarzuelas and symphonic works and became a conductor, directing the Orquesta del Liceo of Barcelona and Radio Barcelona. He subsequently became a teacher at Las Palmas Conservatory and conductor of the Orquesta Filarmónica of the Grand Canaries.

There is little documentation about Obradors and his life, but he is most famous for his “Canciones Clásicas Españolas”, composed in the 1920’s. This wonderful collection of four volumes includes brilliantly effective folksongs from diverse regions of Spain. Each song is full of noble lyricism and treated with a personal style.

A selection of his songs are included in vocal recitals by most Spanish divas and have therefore become known worldwide.

The three songs I choose are translated here by me. I also added 'El Vito' as an encore.

La Guitarra sin prima                    Listen on YouTube

The guitar with no first string

Sounds angry

As I am with you,

Because of a certain matter.

Ah, away!

As I am with you: “what can it be!”

 

The guitar that I play

Does not have a first string,

But it has bass strings of finest silver.

Ah, away!

But it has bass strings: “what can it be!”

 

Corazón porqué pasais…?                Listen on YouTube

My heart

Why do you pass

The night of love in vigil?

When your master lies

In the arms of another! Ah!

 

Del cabello más sutil                Listen on YouTube

From the finest hair in your braids

I want to make a chain

To tie you to my side.

 

I would like to be a little jug in your home,

So that I would kiss your lips

Each time you take a drink!


El Vito                                        Listen on YouTube

An old woman is worth one Real
And a young girl, two cuartos
But because I am so poor
I sell myself at the cheapest rate

With El Vito, so it goes
Do not pay me compliments
As it makes me blush

Four priests took her away
They took her away to bury her
They took her away and she is my mother-in-law
Ah, what a laugh that gave me
With El Vito
Ay! Won't see her again

With El Vito, so it goes
Do not pay me compliments
As it makes me blush
Ay!

©Copyright Helena Kean


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