CORD MEIJERING COMPOSER

CORD MEIJERING

SERENADE 1

Two songs for soprano and bass clarinet
after a poem by Michelangelo

composed in
1992

duration
approx. 13 min.

dedicated to
my sister Margaret

first performance
April 1, 1992
Leiden, Netherlands
Djoke Winkler-Prins, soprano
Henri Bok, bass clarinet

publisher
EDITION MEIJERING

poem (with english and german translations)
Sopra la Notte del Buonarroto di Giovanni Strozzi

La Notte, che tu vedi in si dolci attj
Dormir, fu da un Angelo scolpita
In questo sasso, et perche dorme, ha uita.
Destala, se nol credi, et parlerattj.

Riposta del Buonarroto

Caro m'è 'l sonno et piu l'esser di sasso
Mentre che 'l danno et la uergogna dura.
Non ueder, non sentir m' è gran uentura;
Pero non mi destar, deh! parla basso.

(Michelangelo)

english translation:
On Buonarroto's Night by Giovanni Strozzi

The Night you see in such a sweetened state
Of sleep, has carved an Angel from this stone
And just because it's asleep it's alive. You don't
Believe me? Wake it. Hear it contemplate.

Buonarroti's reply

Sleep sounds dear to me, but being of stone sounds
More so in times of shame and destruction.
Not to see, not to feel brings me luck, so
Don't you dare wake me! Keep your voice down.

deutsche Übersetzung:
Auf die Nacht des Buonarroti von Giovanni Strozzi

Die Nacht, die du hier siehst, im Gleichgewicht
des schönen Schlafes, bildete im Stein
ein Engel. Schlaf heißt ihr Lebendigsein.
Wenn du's nicht glaubst, so weck sie auf: sie spricht.

Antwort des Buonarroti

Schlaf ist mir lieb, doch über alles preise
ich Stein zu sein. Währt Schande und Zerstören,
nenn ich es Glück: nicht sehen und nicht hören.
Drum wage nicht zu wecken. Ach! Sprich leise.