In original or in translation — yes

This post was written by Charles Jonah, and posted on August 9, 2007 | Filed Under music and religion | Double-click any word for more info | View other posts by Charles Jonah | | For info on this author, visit http://www.sdgmusic.org/voices/2007/07/31/introduction/

One of the persistent questions about choral music is should it be performed in its original language or should it be translated into the local language? The logic for translating the music is so that the audience can better understand the text. The logic for not translating it is that the translation may be less singable (Italian to English), not felicitous, lose the cleverness of the original language or just awkward. In general, for service music, except for certain well-known forms (Masses, Glorias) translation into English can convey the sentiment to a larger fraction of the audience more clearly. For example, the sentiment of How lovely is thy dwelling place is much clearer to an English-speaking audience and much more a part of a religious service than is the German. As a concert piece, Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem may be better done in German, although even there, the significance of the text is much better transferred to an English-speaking audience in a good English translation.

Masses and Glorias generally have such a limited range of words, that it is not difficult – a movement of “Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison” is not difficult to comprehend. Also, I have seen some truly “creative” — for example the Mozart Regina Coeli was translated/reworded as Creator Father.

One can ask what the composer might want. In most cases we probably don’t know; however, in a few cases we do. Poulenc instructed that the Dialog of the Carmelites should be done in the local language. Similarly, it has been reported that when Benjamin Britten was once asked how the old English in Ceremony of Carols should be pronounced. He said, he wasn’t sure, probably how the audience could most easily understand it. (Of course, this latter case is a bit unusual in that the “Ceremony” was written onboard ship and so it wasn’t possible for him to research “correct” pronunciations).

Today, with opera supertitles, one can perform in the original language and still let the audience know what is being said. Of course, supertitles take practice to use correctly; for example, one can tend to fixate on the text of the supertitle and miss part of the drama on stage (how do you think I know).

But for music that is intended to be part of a worship experience, the determining factor must always be – what enhances the worshipful nature most effectively. In some cases, a translation does, in other cases the original text does. In my mind there is no right or wrong answer – possible better or worse – but not right or wrong. Stay tuned for the next blog; I may change my mind completely.

Comments

One Response to “In original or in translation — yes”

Joel Buursma on August 10th, 2007 9:23 pm

Hello, Charles! When I read your introductory post, I hoped you would mention Brahms’ Requiem. I’ve had the privilege of singing it (chorus part) in both German and English, and I cherish both experiences. Although, the fact that I studied German for several years helped me better appreciate the German. For my wife, the English version was preferred hands-down, b/c she knows French and not German.

For me personally, Brahms’ Requiem is wedded to the German language. I know that Brahms read the Luther Bible. I have phrases like “Tod, wo ist dein Stachel?” burned into my brain. And that particular section (the dramatic climax of the work) causes translation difficulties — a bad time for awkward phrasing! But at the same time, I’ve read accounts that Brahms viewed his Requiem in a populist way. Given that, why shouldn’t it be in the vernacular?

So, I guess I come out as a bit of a both-and’er like yourself. Provided, perhaps, you don’t follow through with your threat of changing your mind?

Also, I’m fine with operas with supertitles. It seems like Italian opera takes advantage of the way that Italian rolls off one’s tongue. Hearing Verdi or Puccini in, say, Russian would totally change the way many lines came across.

Leave a Reply