Friends of Pretensions will know that that she is an amateur musician and enjoys singing. Her vocal teacher just tossed her a Tosti score last week and said "This is nice and it''ll be different; try to learn this." Anything seemed better than the umpteenth repetition of "Oh Holy Night" (the last piece) and Pretensions is in the process of note-bashing her way through the art song "Tristezza" (Sorrow).

While searching for musical crutches, ahem, recodings, she came across this wonderful Joaquin Pixan recording of the piece on Youtube and thought she'd share it. P hopes she will eventually sing it 1/10 as well - pity this spanish tenor is so unknown, P thinks his voice is fabulous!

P also found the translation for the lyrics (she's a lazy part-time musician).

Guarda; lontan lontano
(Look, far far away)
muore ne l'onde il sol;
(the sun dies in the waves)
stormi d'uccelli
(flocks of birds)
a vol tornano al piano.
(fly back to the plane)

Una malinconia io sento in cuore
(A melancholy invaded my heart)
e pur non so perchè;
(and I do not know why)
guardandoti negli occhi,
(looking into your eyes)
o bella mia, muto mi stringo a te.
(my beautiful one, I hold you silently)

Copre l'ombrìa d'un manto
(A shadow like a coat covers)
le cose, il cielo, il mar;
(things, the sky, the sea)
io sento tremolar
(I feel the tears)
ne gli occhi il pianto.
(filling my eyes)

Suona l'avemaria ed é sí triste
("hail Mary" rings and it's so sad) <-- melody ringed by church bells> e pur non so perchè:
(and I do not know why)
devotamente preghi, o bella mia,
(You faithfully pray, oh my beautiful one)
io prego insieme con te.
(and I pray with you)

Tenera ne la sera
(Tenderly)
che s'empie di fulgor,
(in the splendor of the evening)
dai nostri amanti cuor
(from our loving hearts)
va la preghiera.
(rises the prayer)

E la malinconia
(And the melancholy)
mi fa pensare
(recalls me)
e pur non so perchè,
(and I do not know why)
che un giorno, ahimè,
(that one day, alas)
dovrà la vita mia
(my life will lose)
perdere il sogno e te!
(this dream and you) '

P's choir is also performing the Nelson Mass (or Missa in Augustis) and she came across this great Youtube video of the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra and University Chorus performing it. Please be warned that the first 20 minutes of the video is of the Mozart Horn concerto - just fast forward to the 20 minute mark. The entire mass is performed over about 40 minutes.