Nicholas Spanos: "Desires" poetry Cavafy

"Epithymiae" - ("Desires")
Nicholas Spanos sings in greek one of his own songs, entitled "Desires", on poetry by C.P. Cavafy. Along with another one (called "Since 9 p.m."), these two songs are composed for medium voice, cello and piano. Spanos interprets his own music for the first time at the "Suoni mezzi" recital, given in Thessaloniki, Greece, on October 10th, 2009.

SUONI MEZZI Recital for countertenor, violoncello & piano
Thessalonica, Greece, 10.10.2009
Piano: Nikos Zafranas
Violoncello: Yannis Stefos


"DESIRES"

Like beautiful bodies of the dead who had not grown old
and they shut them, with tears, in a magnificent mausoleum,
with roses at the head and jasmine at the feet -
this is what desires resemble that have passed
without fulfillment; with none of them having achieved
a night of sensual delight, or a bright morning. Poetry by C. P. Cavafy (Music composed by Nicholas Spanos)


"ΕΠΙΘΥΜΙΕΣ"

Σαν σώματα ωραία νεκρών που δεν εγέρασαν
και τά'κλεισαν, με δάκρυα, σε μαυσωλείο λαμπρό,
με ρόδα στο κεφάλι και στα πόδια γιασεμιά -
έτσ' η επιθυμίες μοιάζουν που επέρασαν
χωρίς να εκπληρωθούν• χωρίς ν' αξιωθεί καμιά
της ηδονής μια νύχτα, ή ένα πρωϊ της φεγγερό. (μουσική Νίκος Σπανός)


http://www.nicholas-spanos.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Nicholas
• Spanos
• Nikos
• Nicos
• countertenor
• Desires
• poetry
• Cavafy
• επιθυμίες
• Καβάφη
• Νίκος
• Σπανός
• Κόντρα
• Τενόρος
• contre-ténor
• Kontratenor
• controtenore

[cavafyinenglish]

Superb!

[Habrolissimo]

This was a special pleasure for me, as I've always loved Cavafy's poems. I was very pleased to find that Spanos can compose as well, and how beautifully he does it.

[serenaluce]

@arpeggio1358 And even a person who might turn pages ot the score for the musicians at recital for that matter:-)... And even some people in the audience or on the street of the city where the concert takes place for that matter:-)...

[arpeggio1358]

@serenaluce You're so right. The voice and interpretation are what count. Who cares about the sexual orientation of the composer or singer...or instrumentalist or conductor for that matter.

[serenaluce]

@arpeggio1358 I'd also like to add here that really only VOICE and INTERPRETATION matters on musical videos instead of IMAGINING other stuff. If a male artist sings music on a presumably gay poet's lyric means nothing. If a woman composes a song on Sappho's poem doesn't make her lesbian herself. Other female locals of the island of Lesbon are not ALL lesbians if SHE was from there! Artists who sing Chaikovsky's operas are NOT all gays and lesbians themselves. Isn't it better just enjoy MUSIC?!

[serenaluce]

@arpeggio1358 Thanks for your reply:-). I completely agree with you too. Straight or gay male or female singer is irrelevant for singing, all art. You and me are straight women. I perfectly understand the image. It's all in the head of the listener and I get the message in the my way. What, straight people can't feel what sensual delight is? It's discrimination of straight people! We should fight for our rights then! LOL If Mr Spanos composes music on Rilke or Karyotakis I'll be happy to listen!

[arpeggio1358]

@serenaluce I can only agree completely with you in all of your posts on this video. The voice and the singing are the only things that matter for a singer. Black, white, gay, straight are all irrelevant. I feel sorry for people who cannot realize this.

[suoidolem]

@MmeFigaro Shakespeare was no blond prince. But he was a theater genius. I'm saying, it takes a genius to bridge the discrimination Nature shows over us all. We're all different; each perceives things in a unique way no other can 100% comprehend. There is, of course, sympathy: trying to imagine how one must feel, but it's still our own fantasy. However, sb who's lost an arm will bond easier to sb else with the same disability, without any words involved. Life's a mystery words can't describe.

[suoidolem]

@MmeFigaro It is sometimes better to leave egos behind and accept things as they are (facts), not as we'd like them to be (perceptions). Any actor can perform Hamlet in a play. The fact is, though, that Hamlet WAS a blond prince of Danemark. For some reason unknown to us, God made Danish people blond in their majority. Then came Shakespeare, an Englishman, and put words into his Hamlet's mouth that any man might have uttered. That is great art. (TB. cont.)

[serenaluce]

@MmeFigaro According to unofficial version certain circles didn't like that he was gay and got rid of him. He died at 53. As suiodolem says "gays" feel it in their flesh"... Actually it's so banal to talk again and again about gay culture on countertenors' videos though it's just a singing technique. If you want to be original you could right something like that on bass's videos, e.g. on Gremin's aria "Lubvi vse vozrasty pokorny"... Why is it not gay culture then?...

[serenaluce]

@MmeFigaro Geniuses' life is always surrounded by mysteries and gossips. Oscar Wilde didn't confess either that he is gay but even rumours can make life a nightmare. He was accused of sodomy and sent to penal servitude though his "crime" wasn't proved. He died at 46. You can imagine that his life wasn't that easy. Chaikovsky was considered gay though he married a woman. There's an official version that he died of cholera but he was buried in an open coffin against common practice. How come?...

[serenaluce]

@MmeFigaro Mamma mia, obviously I just replied to your comment and butted in your private communication with suiodolem which has nothing to do with this video. Actually I have no children either but there's such a thing as compassion and ability to put yourself in somebody else's shoes. I don't care either who sings and what music and never chose my favourites or friends based on skin and eye colour. And I can speak about anybody I like. If you don't know much about Chaikovsky I do...