Fang-hao Chao 2017 Vocal Recital

Posted by Bevin Chu on

Fang-hao Chao 2017 Vocal Recital
posted by Bevin Chu
April 23, 2017
Taipei, China

趙方豪 Fang-hao Chao is an outstanding baritone from the Taiwan Region of China. Not only does he have exceptional vocal and interpretive abilities, he is also an superb teacher and vocal coach.

Maestro Chao knows Bel Canto vocal theory backwards and forwards. But even more importantly, he knows just how to instruct an individual student to enable him to find his own way toward vocal mastery.

As an amateur baritone myself, I count myself privileged to have heard him perform, to have made his acquaintance, and to have learned from his teaching.

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Scanned Document

You Were Meant for Me

Posted by Bevin Chu on


Sung by Irving Kauffman, American singer (born 1890)


Sung by Gene Kelly, American singer (born 1912)

You Were Meant for Me
Music by Nacio Herb Brown
Lyrics by Arthur Freed
From the 1929 musical film “The Broadway Melody”

Lyrics:

Life was a song, you came along
I’ve laid awake the whole night through
If I but dared, to think you cared
This is what I’d say to you

You were meant for me
And I was meant for you
Nature patterned you
And when she was done
You were all the sweet things
Rolled up in one

You’re like a plaintive melody
That never lets me free
But I’m content the angels must have sent you
And they meant you just for me

Phrasing:

Life was a song / you came a-long /
I’ve laid a-wake the whole night through /
If I but dared / to think you cared /
This is what / I’d say to you /

[ You were meant for me /
And I was meant for you /
Na-ture pat-terned you /
And when she was done /
You were all the sweet things /
Rolled up in one /

You’re like a plain-tive me-lo-dy /
That ne-ver lets me free /
But I’m con-tent / the an-gels must have sent you /
And they meant you just for me ]

[ Repeat ]

Winter Wonderland

Posted by Bevin Chu on


Sung by Darlene Love, American singer, b. 1938


Sung by Anne Murray, Canadian singer, b. 1945


Sung by Amy Grant, American singer, b. 1960

Winter Wonderland
Music by Felix Bernard
Lyrics by Dick Smith
1934

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland

Gone away is the bluebird
Here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love song, as we go along
Walking in a winter wonderland

In the meadow we can build a snowman
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
He’ll say, “Are you married?”
We’ll say, “No man”
But you can do the job, when you’re in town

Later on, we’ll conspire
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid, the plans that we’ve made
Walking in a winter wonderland

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland

Gone away is the bluebird
Here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love song, as we go along
Walking in a winter wonderland

In the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend that he’s a circus clown
We’ll have lots of fun with Mister Snowman
Yes, until the all the kids knock him down

And later on, we’ll conspire
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid, the plans that we’ve made
Walking in a winter wonderland
Walking in a winter wonderland

Winter Wonderland Phrasing 

[ Chorus: Sleigh bells ring / are you listening /
In the lane / snow is glistening /
A beautiful sight / we’re happy tonight /
Walking in a winter wonderland /

Gone away is the bluebird /
Here to stay is a new bird /
He sings a love song / as we go along /
Walking in a winter wonderland / ]

[ Verse 1: In the meadow we can build a snowman /
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown /
He’ll say / Are you married? /
We’ll say / No man /
But you can do the job / when you’re in town /

Later on / we’ll conspire /
As we dream by the fire /
To face unafraid / the plans that we’ve made /
Walking in a winter wonderland / ]

[ Chorus ]

[ Verse 2: In the meadow we can build a snowman /
And pretend that he’s a circus clown /
We’ll have lots of fun with Mister Snowman /
until the other kiddies knock him down /

Later on / we’ll conspire /
As we dream by the fire /
To face unafraid / the plans that we’ve made /
Walking in a winter wonderland /
Walking in a winter wonderland / ]

Score: winter-wonderland-sheet-music-sheetmusic-free-com

Edelweiss

Posted by Bevin Chu on


Sung by Julie Andrews, English actor and singer

Edelweiss
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein
From the Broadway musical “The Sound of Music”
1959

Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and white, clean and bright
You look happy to meet me

Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever

Edelweiss Phrasing

E-del-weiss / E-del-weiss /
Ev-ry mor-ning you greet me /
Small and white / clean and bright /
You look hap-py to meet me /

Blos-som of snow may you bloom and grow /
Bloom and grow for-ev-er /
E-del-weiss / E-del-weiss /
Bless my home-land for-ev-er.

[ Repeat ]

Edelweiss score:

edelweiss

Serenata Rimpianto

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Serenata Rimpianto  嘆息小夜曲  Serenade of Regret 


Sung by Beniamino Gigli, Italian tenor


Sung by Alfredo Kraus, Austrian Spanish tenor


Sung by Mario Lanza, American tenor


Sung by Jose Carreras, Spanish tenor

Serenata Rimpianto
Music by Enrico Toselli
Lyrics by Alfredo Silvestri
1922

Lyrics in Original Italian:

Come un sogno d’or, scolpito è nel core
Il ricordo ancor’, di quell’amor che non esiste più
Fu la sua vision, qual dolce sorriso
che più lieta fa, col suo brillar, la nostra gioventù

Ma fu molto breve in me, la dolcezza di quel ben, svani
quel bel sogno d’or lasciando in me, il dolor.
Cupo è l’avvenir, sempre più tristi i di, la gioventù, passata sarà
rimpianto mi resta sol, sì rimpianto amaro e duol’, nel cor!

Oh raggio di sole
Sul mio cammino ahimè non brii li più
Mai più, mai più

Translated into English by Bevin Chu:

Like a dream of gold, sculpted in the heart
the memory still, of that love that exists no more
It was the vision of her, such a sweet smile
that pleased, with her brilliance, in our youth

But it was very brief for me, the sweetness which has truly, vanished
that beautiful dream of gold left me in, sorrow
Gloominess has come to pass, ever sadder over days, of youth passed
with regret I remain alone, yes, regret bitter with grief, in my heart

O ray of sunshine
Along my path shines no more
No more, no more!

Phrasing, as sung by Alfredo Kraus:

[ Instrumental Prelude: Co-me un so-gno d’or / scol-pi-to è nel co-re /
Il ri-cor-do an-cor’ / di quel-l’a-mor che non e-sis-te più… ]

Co-me un so-gno d’or / scol-pi-to è nel co-re /
Il ri-cor-do an-cor’ / di quel-l’a-mor che non e-sis-te più… /
Fu la sua vi-sion / qual dol-ce sor-ri-so /
che più lie-ta fa / col suo bril-lar / la nos-tra gio-ven-tù… /

Ma fu mol-to bre-ve in me / la dol-cez-za di quel ben / sva-ni /
quel bel sog-no d’or la-scian-do in me / il do-lor /
cu-po è l’av-ve-nir… / sem-pre più tri-sti i di / la gio-ven-tù / pas-sa-ta sa-rà /
rim-pian-to mi res-ta sol / sì rim-pian-to ama-ro e duol’ / nel cor /

[ Co-me un so-gno d’or ]
Oh rag-gio di so-le /
[ Fu la sua vi-sion ]
Sul mio cam-mi-no a hi-mè non bril-li… più /
Mai più / mai… più… !

Score in C Major:

imslp394879-pmlp96344-t_ser_it_c

Maestro Ren Friday Voice Class Class Schedule for 2016

Posted by Bevin Chu on

Maestro Ren Friday Voice Class Class Schedule for 2016
任蓉表演藝術學坊歌唱班上課時間表
Posted by Maestro Ren Rong
November 1, 2015

大家好，

由於我們歌唱班在社教舘的本期課程將于12月4日結束，但是場地可以用到18日，所以將在4日后繼續下期課程上課至18日，也就是新學期于104年12月11日開始，並繼續于18日上課，可以上兩次課，元旦假期后于105年1月8日在忠孝教會開始新學期的第三次課。

Screenshot - 2015年11月01日 - 06時42分15秒

Because

Posted by Bevin Chu on


sung by Jan Peerce, American tenor (b. 1904)


sung by Eugene Conley, American tenor (b. 1908)


sung by Leonard Warren, American baritone (b. 1911)


sung by Mario Lanza, American tenor (b. 1921)


sung by Deanna Durbin, Canadian soprano (b. 1921)

Because
music by Guy d’Hardelot
lyrics by Edward Teschemacher
1902

Because, you come to me,
with naught save love,
and hold my hand and lift mine eyes above,
a wider world of hope and joy I see,
because you come to me!

Because you speak to me in accents sweet,
I find the roses waking round my feet,
and I am led through tears and joy to thee,
because you speak to me!

Because God made thee mine,
I’ll cherish thee,
through light and darkness through all time to be,
and pray His love may make our love divine,
because God made thee mine!

Phrasing

[ Instrumental prelude:
Be-cause / you come to me /
with naught save lo-ove / ]

Be-cause / you come to me /
with naught save lo-ove /
and hold my hand / and lift mine eyes a-bove /
a wi-der world of hope and joy I see /
be-cause / you come to me /

[ Instrumental:
Be-cause / you come to me /
with naught save lo-ove / ]

Be-cause / you speak to me in ac-cents sweet /
I find the ro-ses wa-king round my feet /
and I am led through tears and joy to thee-ee /
be-cause / you speak to me… /

Be-cause / God made thee mine /
I’ll cher-ish thee-ee /
through light and dark-ness through all time to be /
and pray His love may make our love di-vine /
be-cause / God made thee / mine!

Score:

a308cea9-435e-4d9c-a0bf-0bdbbd65dd26

http://www.musicaneo.com/sheetmusic/sm-73119_because.html

Jean Liu Chu Memorial Service 朱劉珍子追思禮拜

Posted by Bevin Chu on

Jean Liu Chu Memorial Service
朱劉珍子 追思禮拜
Saturday 星期六
2015.05.09 13:00
忠孝教會 Church of the Nazarene
忠孝東路 四段 216巷 54號 2F
Zhong Xiao East Road Section 4 Lane 216 Number 54 2nd Floor

My mother 朱劉珍子 Jean Liu Chu, aka 朱夫人 Madame Chu, was the wife of career diplomat 朱晉康 Tsing-kang Chu. She was also a fan of opera. Admittedly she had zero musical knowledge or training. She couldn’t sing to save her life.

But lo and behold, she could instantly tell you with complete accuracy which singer was belting and which singer was using correct Bel Canto opera technique.

She attended every one of my recitals with Maestro Ren’s voice class. She encouraged my fellow students, and lavished them with sincere praise.

I can only surmise that is why my fellow students have come forth unbidden, to express their heartfelt sympathy over her recent passing on April 30, 2015.

I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for all you have said and done in her memory.

jean liu chu back

jean liu chu back

jean liu chu back

jean liu chu front

jean liu chu front

jean liu chu front

NB: 2015.05.05 星期二 15:00 二殯 火葬儀式

追思會歌譜及歌詞 PDF file:
追思會歌譜及歌詞

Posted to Facebook the night my mother died – Edited

My mother died tonight, April 30, at 10pm.

Even though she was 89, and about to turn 90 next week, her death came as a genuine shock.

Why?

Because although she had a stent installed this afternoon at 2pm, the operation itself was successful. Her colour was good, and her mind was alert. The surgeon even thought she could check out of the hospital the next morning. We began happily making plans for the next fun event.

So what happened?

What happened was the incision in her thigh where they inserted the catheter was hurting her, so she asked for a painkiller. The nurses gave her an intravenous injection of “Tramtor”.

Not long afterwards she began to feel fidgety. She couldn’t remain still. She began shaking, sweating, and experiencing dry heaves. She complained of nausea, saying “I feel like throwing up”. I notified the nurses, who in turn notified the doctors. They said she was probably having an allergic reaction, but that it would pass. They put her on monitors and hovered over her.

Suddenly however, her heart stopped. They revived her with CPR. Her heart stopped again. They revived her with CPR again. Her heart stopped a total of three or four times in all. They eventually resorted to paddles to shock her back to life, and moved her to a CCU.

Shortly afterwards they came out gave us the bad news. Her heart was being pumped with a machine. It was no longer working on its own. Her brain had probably been deprived of oxygen for too long. Even assuming she could be revived, she would probably never regain her mental faculties.

I signed a DNR form, and told them to turn off the machine and let her go.

I’m going to have to take care of the hospital bills tomorrow morning, and the funeral arrangements tomorrow afternoon.

Fate plays cruel tricks on us mere mortals. But what can we do?

Bevin