MUSIC AND WORDS FROM SONGS
Songs from a Jade Garden
Ten short songs for soprano, string trio, piano and narrator; also for soprano, tenor, flute, violin, cello and piano, or soprano and piano. Premiered at St. Peter's Church, New York, NY (2003); Lake Placid Center for the Arts, Lake Placid, NY (2004); Music at Emmanuel, Whitestone, NY (2004); and WMP Concert Hall, New York, NY in collaboration with Chamber 16 (2011).
No. 1 – In Search of Orchids (Sung Yu)
White autumn and black winter have passed.
Traveling treacherous roads as flying dust
On the highway to Phoenix Court![1]
Mulberry scent in green wood spring,
Taunting senses, searching for delicate, sweet orchids.
All still their picking; all but one meet my gaze.
For I am Sung Yu!
Dancing fingertips pick sweet mulberry bright leaves
Swaying from her slender waist,
Robes flowing across rich, red lotus hips.
Unyielding, she does not look my way.
Ha! I have no patience for unwinding
Tightly bound seven color sashes![2]
Flying on mulberry scent,
I shall walk the narrow lane.[3]
Notes For "In Search of Orchids"
[1] To be caught up in a whirl of political activity as a minister at the Imperial Court
[2] Seven color sash was woven for a spring festival of seven colors and showed the a young woman was eligible for marriage
[3] “Narrow lane” refers to the area of the city where brothels would be located.
No. 2 – An Old Proverb (Meng Chu)
It is more painful to meet a minister[4]
Than to become bitter twisted dogwood.
It's more becoming to meet a minister
Than to be a course-cloth cocoon!
It is superior to be Only Wife
Than Concubine or Singing Girl.[5]
However...
It is best to be free of such decisions!
Here is what Meng Chu believes:
Being deaf to arrogant lord's pleas
insures progress as a Singing Girl
And perhaps Only Wife!
Notes For "An Old Proverb"
[4] Working as a mulberry girl is not as desirable as marrying a lord (minister)
[5] “Singing Girl” could be either strictly a performer or a courtesan. A courtesan also would be a performer as part of her job.