PROGRAM NOTES
Aldina, for Soprano and Vibraphone, was composed in memory
of my mother Alda Melchiori. The text used is "Song",
a 1848 poem by Christina Rossetti. The poem describes the parting
from life and evokes, in a lyrical and moving style, some scenes
from the natural world, which was very dear to my mother. The
title was inspired by an old photo of my mother as a very young
child, found by chance in one of her drawers. On the back of
the photo someone wrote in pencil "Aldina" (Little
Alda). Generally we are not used to think of our parents as children;
therefore I found this image of my mother as a baby particularly
moving. The piece was commissioned by the percussionist Federico
Maria Poli, to whom it is also dedicated.
PROGRAMMA DI SALA
Aldina, per voce di Soprano e Vibrafono, e' stato composto
in memoria di mia madre, Alda Melchiori. Il testo usato e' "Song",
una poesia di Christina Rossetti del 1848, in cui, in un tono
lirico e pacato e con toccante semplicita', viene cantato l'addio
alla vita, evocando alcune immagini della natura che erano anche
molto care a mia madre. Il titolo e' stato ispirato da una vecchia
foto di lei bambina, trovata per caso in un suo cassetto, sul
retro della quale qualcuno ha scritto a matita "Aldina".
Il brano e' stato commissionato dal percussionista Federico Maria
Poli, a cui e' anche dedicato.
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SONG
When I am dead, my dearest,
Sing no sad songs for me;
Plant thou no roses at my head,
Nor shady cypress tree:
Be the green grass above me
With showers and dewdrops wet;
And if thou wilt, remember,
And if thou wilt, forget.
I shall not see the shadows,
I shall not feel the rain;
I shall not hear the nightingale
Sing on, as if in pain:
And dreaming through the twilight
That doth not rise nor set,
Haply I may remember,
And haply I may forget.