Ikuma Dan: Four Poems by Sakutaro Hagiwara (1948) [Jpn & Eng sub]

Ikuma Dan [團伊玖磨] (1924~2001, Japan)
萩原朔太郎に依る四つの詩
Four Poems by Sakutaro Hagiwara
00:00 1. A Plate of Skylark 雲雀料理
03:05 2. Grass 草の莖
06:09 3. The Swimmers 遊泳
07:48 4. The Flute 笛
poems by Sakutaro Hagiwara [萩原朔太郎] (1886~1942, Japan)
English translations are from "Japanese Song Collection Vol. 34: Ikuma Dan II," Ongaku-no-tomo-sha.
1. 雲雀料理 [A Plate of Skylark]
ささげまつるゆふべの愛餐、
[For you, tonight, I shall make a feast of love,]
燭に魚蝋のうれひを薫じ、
[And for lamp light, we'll burn the pungent oil of sadness.]
いとしがりみどりの窓をひらきなむ。
[And bursting with love, fling open wide the window, green window of Spring!]
あはれあれみ空をみれば、
[Alas, but alas! In far off skies above]
さつきはるばると流るるものを、
[I see the month of May drifting, the time of youth and gladness.]
手にわれ雲雀の皿をささげ、
[But I shall bring, I shall bring to you a plate of skylark]
いとしがり君がひだりにすすみなむ。
[Because I love you, and you shall sit beside me on my right hand.]
2. 草の莖 [Grass]
冬のさむさに、
[All winter long, all cold winter long,]
ほそき毛をもてつつまれし、
[Enfolded, safe and warm, In mantles of fine fur,]
草の莖をみよや、
[Little shoots of green grass hidden were.]
あをらみ莖はさみしげなれども、
[O little shoots, so green, how lonely it must have been!]
いちめんにうすき毛をもてつつまれし、
[As thro' cold winter enfolded, safe from harm In mantles of fur,]
草の莖をみよや。
[Little shoots of green grass, you hidden were.]
雪もよひする空のかなたに、
[Through snow is like to fall, far off in distant skies,]
草の莖はもえいづる。
[Little shoots of green grass now begin to rise.]
3. 遊泳 [The Swimmers]
浮びいづるごとくにも
[Adashing thro' the merry breakers they go,]
その泳ぎ手はさ青なり
[The bright blue band of swimmers, all in a row,]
みなみをむき
[Towards the south they go,]
なみなみのながれははしる。
[Forever southward the waves and the swimmers flow.]
岬をめぐるみづのうへ
[Upon the moving waters that round the head-land glide,]
みな泳ぎ手はならびゆく。
[The merry band of swimmers the white billows ride.]
ならびてすすむ水のうへ
[Upon the surging breakers and waves, row on row,]
みなみをむき
[Ever southward they go;]
沖合にあるもいつさいに
[Even to the horizon, far out on the sea,]
祈るがごとく浪をきる。
[Like some strange invocation or litany.]
4. 笛 [The Flute]
あふげば高き松が枝に琴かけ鳴らす、
[When I look up, I see a koto in a tree, a koto in a tall pine tree.]
をゆびに紅をさしぐみて、
[And dainty pinktipped fingers]
ふくめる琴をかきならす、
[Are plucking the strings.]
ああ　かき鳴らすひとづま琴の音にもつれぶき、
[Alas! She of the koto is a nother man's wife. But her music blends with the air-]
いみじき笛は天にあり。
[The exquisite air of a flute, a flute in heaven.]
けふの霜夜の空に冴え冴え、
[And now tonight, in the clear, cold frostladen air,]
松の梢を光らして、
[The pine branches glisten with pale frosty light,]
かなしむものの一念に、
[And my sad, ardent heart sees penitence there,]
懺悔の姿をあらはしぬ。
[And still I hear, I hear a flute playing in heaven.]
いみじき笛は天にあり。
[The exquisite air of a flute, a flute in heaven.]
Harue Miyake [三宅春恵], soprano
Yoichi Miura [三浦洋一], piano
Released: 1960
This piece was composed in 1948 from four poems by Sakutaro Hagiwara, "Tsuki ni hoeru (Howling at the Moon)" and "Cho o yomemu (Dreaming of a Butterfly)," and was first performed by Harue Miyake, who sings on this record.
Although the piece is strongly influenced by modern French music, Ikuma Dan's own personality is strongly felt in the singing parts. All four songs are beautifully written with refined brush strokes, and are among the densest songs written by a Japanese composer during this period.
―1. A Plate of Skylark
The motif played by the piano in prelude gives the entire piece unity and dignity, and the composition is extremely complete. In the middle section, the parallel chords Debussy liked to use sound fresh.
―2. Grass
The piano depicts a cold winter scene, and the singing is sung in the upper register with a mysterious calmness in Adagio misterioso. The image of a stalk of grass, covered with fine hairs, deserted against the winter sky comes to mind.
―3. The Swimmers
Fresh dispersed chords reminiscent of Fauré express a cloudless midsummer swimming scene. The song is sung smoothly with the lightness of a dance.
―4. The flute
The mysterious sound of the flute contrasts with the sound of the koto stirred by the married woman in this colorful masterpiece.
from TA-9311 "Songs of Ikuma Dan" package
　この曲は萩原朔太郎の詩集「月に吠える 」「蝶を夢む」から〈雲雀料理〉〈草の茎〉〈遊泳〉〈笛〉の4篇を選んで1948年に作曲されたもので、このレコードで歌っている三宅春恵によって初演されている。近代フランス音楽の影響の濃い作品ではあるが、歌のパートには團伊玖磨独自の個性が強く感じられる。4曲とも洗練された筆致で書かれた美しい作品で、この期に書かれた日本人の作品の中では最も密度の濃い歌曲であると言えよう。
―1. 雲雀料理
　ピアノの前奏に表現されている附点附モティーフが全曲に統一と格調の高さを与えており、極めて完成度の高い構成を持っている曲である。中間部にはドビュッシーが好んで用いた平行和音が新鮮に響く。
―2. 草の茎
　アダージョ・ミステリオーソと指示されており、ピアノが寒々とした冬の情景を描き、歌唱も高音域で神秘的な静けさを持って歌われる。細い毛でおゝわれた草の茎がさびしげに冬の空に対している情景が眼に浮んでくる。
―3. 遊泳
　フォーレを想わせる爽やかな分散和音が曇りのない真夏の遊泳の情景を表現している。歌は舞曲のような軽快さで、滑らかに歌われていく。
―4. 笛
　神秘的な笛の音と人妻のかき鳴らす琴の音が対照的に響く、色彩感豊かな傑作。
（TA-9311『團伊玖磨歌曲集』パッケージ背面の解説より）

[@classicalongakulovers7252]

Dan's other vocal works with eng & jpn subtitles in my channel
Six Songs for Children (1945)
ua-cam.com/video/LaKCz1DOulg/v-deo.html
Five Fragments (1946)
ua-cam.com/video/CmnQERM0aik/v-deo.html
My Songs (1947) [tenor ver.]
ua-cam.com/video/LOJgsL3aY3o/v-deo.html
My Songs (1947) [soprano ver.]
ua-cam.com/video/72r0vs0b50s/v-deo.html
To the People of Mino (1950)
ua-cam.com/video/TWGNtmDTCww/v-deo.html
Flowery Town (1947)
ua-cam.com/video/O7zYn-H7D_Y/v-deo.html
Lullaby (1950)
ua-cam.com/video/rrDa1gQ8TLQ/v-deo.html
Journey (1951)
ua-cam.com/video/xLkAKVkQSgQ/v-deo.html
Aria "Yohyo, oh my darling, my beloved Yohyo" from "Yūzuru" (1951/56)
ua-cam.com/video/txt4P7u-96c/v-deo.html

[@DottoreSM]

These are all outstanding. They deserve to be more well known.

[@DottoreSM]

F, Cm7