DANCE POEMS

I usually refrain from doing poems to pieces that involve vocal parts to any great extent, because it is my fear that my own linguistic response will be cross-pollinated by the words occurring in the music--which could make for interesting interplay, but not something I'm looking for with the work at this juncture.  However, in the case of the piece below, the "intruding" words are in German so, to a more-or-less non-German speaker, amount to just sounds.  In an attempt to adumbrate the experience of hearing the German libretto and, having a little German (cue German midget a la "Top Secret), recognizing some words, I have translated those words I recognized into English in the body of the embedded libretto (which occurs in the piece at the point at which the vocal part begins relative to the rest of the choreography).


A CHORAL FANTASY
Mark Morris

                                      Photo: Julia Cervantes
 

Firmament                         gloam

                                                margin

                        gyro                        frog

            shuffle

                        prow

                                                droit

            canal

wedge                        shift

                                                disperse

            boomerang

topple

                       

                                                jackstep

jackstep

                        halt

blitz

                        fanfare

                       

                                                encloud

                                                jig

                        game

spar

                                                logjam

sally

            stupa

                                                quadrant

screw

            fulcrum

                        hip

                                                            akimbo

breaker

                                    whither

                                    succumb

in tow

            crane

                        in two

                        prone

                                    montage run

circle triangle cog

                       

                        delta

                        with

pair

            ballast rhythm

                                    quark

                                                go

gauche

            churn ripple

                                    set to walk

                        assembly

freeze

        goes

               behold

                       held

                            above

                                   an hour

                                           hand

intrude

                                    angle            trawl

                                    at the behest

                                    sprechen

puppet                                                                        Schmeichelnd hold & lieblich klingen

                        unseres Lebens harmony,             smack

                                                                        & the Schönheitssinn entschwingen

                                                                        Blumen sich, the ewig blühn.

                                                                        Fried & Freude gleiten friendly

                                                                        wie the Wellen Wechselspiel.

                                    pan drop skitter

                                                Was sich drängte rauh & threatening,

                                                                        ordnet sich zu Hochgefühl.

When the music Zauber walten

                        rainbow                                    & the Wortes Weihe speak,

                                                                        muss sich Herrliches bodies,

                                                                        night & storm werden light.

Äuss're Ruhe, inn're Wonne                                                            massing

                        herrschen for the           

                                                            hairy line                        Glücklichen.

Doch the art Frühlingssonne                                    hull

                                                                        spatter                         lässt aus beiden light entstehn.

twist                                                            Greater, das ins Herz gedrungen,

                                    carry                                                 blüht then new & beautiful empor.

                                                dipper                                     Hat a spirit that aufgeschwungen,

                                                                                    hallt ihm stets a ghostmusic.

                                                                                    Nehmt denn hin, ihr schönen Seelen,

                                                                                    for the Gaben beautiful art

                                                                        Wenn sich Lieb & craft vermählen,

                                    plant                                    lohnt then mankind god’s grace.

                                                plaint