Wednesday, May 4, 2005

I'm back....... almost.
Hey guys! Artukei is back in the hizzey! Hang on.

SLAP!!

I promised myself I wouldn't talk like that again. As the title suggests, I'm almost back. I've returned, but my poor poor lappy's still sick. So no stories for probably another week or so. I know, I know what you're thinking. "Why didn't you make a backup on a hard disk, you baka?! Then we wouldn't be stuck in story limbo!" Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm stupid that way. Sorry.

Anywho, I just got in from California last night (Monday night). I had to go out to La Sierra University and see my sister's recital. She's a mezzo-soprano, which can be described as a soprano with a lower range or half-way between soprano and alto. She... was... ASTOUNDING. My sis has been singing since she could crawl, and until and few years ago sang soprano. But she always seemed to be straining certain notes. The teachers at the university noticed this and found out that all this time she was singing in the wrong range! And I thought it was just because she's my sister and is supposed to be annoying. The change in her voice over the last two years has been INCREDIBLE. It's gotten to the point where I can't recognize it anymore.

For those who aren't in the know, a recital is like a music major's final and the biggest student project of their year. They put together the whole program; every piece is personaly selected and must require a breif biography of every composer and lyric translations for the forieng songs. She pulled out all the stops when it came to language. She performed in English (of course), Italian, German, and French! And I loved every... single... one of them. I'm still wigging out over how much her voice has changed and how professional she sounded the other night. Woo! In fact, I want to share one of her songs with you which is composed by one of the greats and one of my favorites: Ludwig van Beethoven. First, I'll give you the original German text, and then the English.


"Mit einem gemalten Band"

Kleine Blumen, kleine Blatter
Streuen mir mit leichter
Gute, junge Fruhlings-Gotter
Tandelnd auf ein luftig Band.

Zephir, nimm's auf deine Flugel,
Schling's um meiner Liebsten Kleid;
Und so tritt sie vor den Spiegel
All in ihrer Munterkeit.

Sieht mit Rosen sich umgeben,
Selbst wie eine Rose jung.
Einen Blick, geliebtes Leben!
Und ich bin belohnt genug.

Fuhle, was dies Herz empfindet,
Reiche frei mir deine Hand,
Und das Band, das uns verbindet,
Sei kein schwaches Rosenband!

These poetic words touched me very deeply. I was absolutely awe-struck.

"With a painted ribbon"

Small flowers, small leaves
Hand are strewn with a light hand
by good young gods of spring
forming an airy ribbon of flowers

Zephyr, carry it upon your wings
entwine it around my beloved's dress
and thus steps she before the mirror
in all her loveliness

with roses surrounded, she herself
looks like a young rose
One glance from you, beloved one!
and I am rewarded enough,

Feel, feel, what this heart senses
give freely to me your hand
and the ribbon, which unites us,
be no fragile band of roses.

Aufweidersieng.
(I hope a spelled that right.)

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