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The Unknown Mascagni
Songs and Piano Pieces
Introduction
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Program for the Roosevelt Concert
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This page presents a selection of songs and piano pieces performed live by Cheri
Rose Katz (mezzo soprano) and Alan Mallach (piano), recorded in Roosevelt, New
Jersey, USA on March 20, 2004.
The selection goes from Mascagni's best-known songs, Serenata and M'ama…
non m'ama, to rarities such as his wonderful La luna from 1912. It also
includes piano pieces, namely the famous Intermezzo composed in 1888 and soon
after included in Cavalleria Rusticana, the subtle Visone lirica from
1923, and the rare Pensiero a San Francisco, composed by Mascagni during his
visit of San Francisco in 1903. The set ends with the famous Voi lo sapete, o
mamma from Cavalleria Rusticana.
Alan Mallach is a pianist, composer and independent scholar. He has written
numerous articles and commentaries on opera for such publications as Opera
Quarterly and Nuova Rivista Musicale Italiana. He lives in Roosevelt, New
Jersey. He has recently published the first in-depth biography of Mascagni in
English, Pietro Mascagni and His Operas.
Audio Tracks
The audio tracks available below in MP3 and Ogg format can be played and downloaded
for personal use. Please contact Mascagni.org for
other uses. Many thanks to Alan Mallach for allowing the use of this material!
| Title |
Performers |
Duration |
Download / Play |
"Intermezzo (October 26, 1888)"
Work information |
Piano: Alan Mallach
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2: 59 |
| MP3: |
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4.65 MB |
| Ogg: |
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4.29 MB |
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"Pena d'amore (1883)"
Work information |
Mezzo Soprano: Cheri Rose Katz
Piano: Alan Mallach
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2: 02 |
| MP3: |
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3.71 MB |
| Ogg: |
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3.02 MB |
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"La tua stella (1881)"
Work information |
Mezzo Soprano: Cheri Rose Katz
Piano: Alan Mallach
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1: 34 |
| MP3: |
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2.83 MB |
| Ogg: |
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2.32 MB |
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"M'ama… non m'ama (1884)"
Work information |
Mezzo Soprano: Cheri Rose Katz
Piano: Alan Mallach
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1: 58 |
| MP3: |
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3.49 MB |
| Ogg: |
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3.11 MB |
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"Risveglio (1890)"
Work information |
Mezzo Soprano: Cheri Rose Katz
Piano: Alan Mallach
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2: 56 |
| MP3: |
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4.95 MB |
| Ogg: |
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4.31 MB |
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"Rosa (1890)"
Work information |
Mezzo Soprano: Cheri Rose Katz
Piano: Alan Mallach
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2: 50 |
| MP3: |
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4.85 MB |
| Ogg: |
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4.18 MB |
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"Bella cantiam l'amore (Ballata medievale) (April 1884)"
Work information |
Mezzo Soprano: Cheri Rose Katz
Piano: Alan Mallach
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4: 23 |
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"Un pensiero a San Francisco (February 20, 1903)"
Work information |
Piano: Alan Mallach
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0: 59 |
| MP3: |
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1.44 MB |
| Ogg: |
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1.45 MB |
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"Serenata (1894)"
Work information |
Mezzo Soprano: Cheri Rose Katz
Piano: Alan Mallach
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3: 30 |
| MP3: |
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5.91 MB |
| Ogg: |
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5.15 MB |
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"Ascoltiamo!... (1904)"
Work information |
Mezzo Soprano: Cheri Rose Katz
Piano: Alan Mallach
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2: 05 |
| MP3: |
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3.46 MB |
| Ogg: |
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3.06 MB |
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"La luna (1912)"
Work information |
Mezzo Soprano: Cheri Rose Katz
Piano: Alan Mallach
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3: 39 |
| MP3: |
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5.81 MB |
| Ogg: |
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5.34 MB |
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"Visione lirica (Guardando la Santa Teresa del Bernini) (1923)"
Work information |
Piano: Alan Mallach
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4: 37 |
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"Voi lo sapete, o mamma (1890)"
Work information |
Mezzo Soprano: Cheri Rose Katz
Piano: Alan Mallach
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4: 05 |
| MP3: |
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7.47 MB |
| Ogg: |
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6.56 MB |
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Synopses and Translations
The synoposes for Pena d'amore, La tua stella, M'ama... non
m'ama, Risveglio and Rosa have been kindly provided by Roger Flury
for the page dedicated to the album Serenata. The English
translations of Ascoltiamo!..., La luna and Voi lo sapete, o
mamma are by Erik Bruchez.
Pena d'amore (Love's sorrows)
Text: Antonio Ghislanzoni
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Why did God make you so beautiful? Perhaps if you were less beautiful, I
would have loved you less and suffered less. Why were you not born far away
from the country where I was born and raised. Then I should never have seen
you, loved you, suffered. Yet I would not wish you less beautiful, and I
would not want the sea to separate us. Ah, if seeing and loving you causes
great suffering, then not to see you again would be to die!
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La tua Stella (Your star)
Text: Enrico Fiorentino
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Child, when you look up at your star, I watch you with gentle love. The
star shines and your beautiful face radiates the same splendour. I wonder if
it is the starlight that makes you seem to shine like this, or is it your
beautiful face that lights up the star?
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M'ama... non m'ama (He loves me... he loves me not)
Text: X
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He loves me... he loves me not! Pick the petals any way I like, he loves
me... he loves me not! Ah, he doesn't love me! What do the petals tell me of
love? That I am not loved? Come on, try again. Surely there's a petal
missing from this flower!
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M'ama, non m'ama,
M'ama, non m'ama,
M'ama, non m'ama,
M'ama, non m'ama.
Sfoglia sfoglia finche' n'hai voglia,
sfoglia sfoglia finche' n'hai voglia.
M'ama, non m'ama,
M'ama, non m'ama,
M'ama, non m'ama.
Ahi! non m'ama...
Che ti rispose la sfinge d'amore?
che non t'amo?
Via ritentiamo,
via ritentiamo.
Certo mancava una foglia a quel fiore,
mancava una foglia a quel fiore,
mancava una foglia.
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Risveglio (Awakening)
Text: Giuseppe Emilio Ducati
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Sing to me, bright swallow, from your perch on the balcony, about early
dawns, kisses, caresses and loves yet to come. The sweetness of your
whispered greeting makes me happy, and I want to brush the sleep from my
eyes and sing with you. I wish we could sing the same song. But no; your
song pours forth brilliantly. My songs of passionate love have stolen away
into her heart. Ah!
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Rosa (Rose)
Text: Rocco E. Pagliara
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A poor rose is pressed into your little prayer book. A poor rose abandoned
and damaged by the long season. Who gave you that sad flower? What do you
remember in your gentle dreams? "Ah!" you answer, "of lost love. Flown like
the beautiful April evenings." Now your expression changes, your eyes are
veiled with tears. Trembling, you kiss the rose, and on your face appears a
vivid smile. Who gave you that sad flower? "Ah!" you answer, "a lost love.
Flown like the beautiful April evenings."
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Serenata (Serenade)
Text: Lorenzo Stecchetti
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Just as the lovesick dove sleeps with its head tucked beneath its white
wing, so you rest your tired body under your soft embroidered blanket.
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Come col capo sotto l'ala bianca
Dormon le palombelle innamorate,
Così tu adagi la persona stanca,
Sotto le coltri molli e ricamate.
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Your fair head rests on the pillow, happy with rose-coloured dreams, and
one of those shadows dear to you, passes by and brushes your cheek.
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La testa bionda sul guancial riposa,
Lieta de' sogni suoi color di rosa,
E tra le larve care al tuo sorriso,
Una ne passa che ti sfiora il viso,
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It passes and tells you that I feel my blood run hot and my heart bleeds
for you. It passes and tells you that I love you; that you are my
sweetness and my torment.
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Passa e ti dice che bruciar le vene,
Che sanguinare il cor per te mi sento.
Passa e ti dice che ti voglio bene,
Che sei la mia dolcezza e il mio tormento.
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Pale, surrounded by a halo of golden hair, you smile happily at your
pleasant dreams. Ah, do not awaken, flower of Paradise. I will come in
your dreams to kiss you.
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Bianca tra un nimbo di capelli biondi
Dormi e sorridi ai sogni tuoi giocondi....
Ah, non destarti, o fior del Paradiso,
Ch'io vengo in sogno per baciarti in viso !
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Ascoltiamo!... (Let's listen)
Text: Guido Menasci
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Let's listen! It is a sweet melody that seems a dream become reality: our
names together muttered in a moment of happiness. Don't you hear, my love,
over there in the vast illuminated skies, the stars are answering us. So be
it!
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Ascoltiamo! È una dolce melodia che sembra sogno fatto realtà:
i nostri nomi insieme mormorati in un istante di felicità. Non
senti, anima mia, lassù ai vasti cieli illuminati ci rispondon
le stelle. Così sia!
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La luna (The moon)
Text: Guido Menasci
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Little brunette, do you know why the moon is so pale?
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Piccina bruna, lo sai perch'è sì pallida la luna?
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The moon is the heart of a girl beautiful like a flower.
Love inhabited her, and it was a sun!
When love left her, the heart became pale: the sky became its new home.
But in the nocturnal veil, the suffering heart, still watches the earth,
and becomes paler, and becomes paler!
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La luna è il cuore d'una ragazza bella come un fiore.
V'abitava l'amore ed era un sole!
Quando l'amor fuggì, il cuore impallidì: l'accolse il cielo.
Ma tra il notturno velo, il cuor che s'addolora, guarda la terra ancora,
e più si discolora, e più si discolora!
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Little brunette, now I know why the moon is pale!
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Piccina, ormai perché la luna è pallida lo sai!
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Voi lo sapete, o mamma (You know it, mother)
Text: Targioni-Tozzetti, Guido Menasci
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You know it, mother,
Before joining the army,
Turiddu had to Lola
Sworn eternal faith.
He returned, knew her married;
And with a new love
He wanted to put out the flame
That burned his heart:
He loved me, I loved him.
The one who envied all my delights,
Forgot about her husband,
Burnt by jealousy.
She robbed him from me...
I remain without my honor:
Lola and Turiddu love each other,
I am crying, I am crying.
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Voi lo sapete, o mamma,
Prima d'andar soldato,
Turiddu aveva a Lola
Eterna fè giurato.
Tornò, la seppe sposa;
E con un nuovo amore
Volle spegner la fiamma
Che gli bruciava il core:
M'amò, l'amai.
Quell'invidia d'ogni delizia mia,
Del suo sposo dimentica,
Arse di gelosia...
Me l'ha rapito...
Priva dell'onor mio rimango:
Lola e Turiddu s'amano,
Io piango, io piango!
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