"The Golden Threshold"

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 3, 2 August 1929, Page 8

"The Golden Threshold"

Indian Song Cycle at 4YA ‘GH GOLDEN THRESHOLD," deseribed as an Indian Song Garland, ‘will be sung at 4YA on Monday evening. It is Liza. Lehmann’s setting of poems by Saragini Naidu. There are sixteen items-songs, duets, and cheruses. These are taken from five sections of the poem, respectively entitled "Songs of the Lover and of the Beloved," "Songs of the One ° Alone," "Song of a Youth," "Song of the Little Sister," and "Songs of the’ Crowd." ‘ The vocalists for the Dunedin presentation will be The Majors-Miss ¥reda Elmes, Miss Dorothy Skinner, Mr. J. Montague, and Mr. L. M. Cache-* maille, ‘ The concert work makes up the following programme :- i, "Harvest Hymn" (chorus): Praise is offered to the gods of Harvest. 2. "Song of a Dream" (baritone): A vision of the thirds as spirits of Truth, of the stars as spirits of _ Love, and the streams as spirits ‘of Peace. * "Henna". (soprano and contralto Mae duet) : An injunction to hasten and ‘ a

10. 11. 13. 14, gather the leaves‘ of the henna tree, whose dye shall bedeck lovely maidens. . "Palaquin-Bearers" (tenor and bass duet): The men’s song as they lightly bear a lovely lady. "The Serpents Are Asleep" (contralto). "The Snake Charmer" (soprano) : A song of a youth calling to the snake as "The subtle bride of my mellifiuous wooing," the "silverbreasted moonbeams jof desire." "The Royal Tombs of Golconda" (baritone solo and chorus) : A musing, amidst the ruins, on the memories of ancient grandeur and of the beauty that "wakens with the spring to kindle these pomegranate groves." . "Love Song" (tenor). "Tike a Serpent" (contralto and tenor duet). "Nightfall in Hyderabad" (chorus) : Impressions of the sights and sounds of the great city as night comes to her, "borne like a queen to a sumptuous festival." "Cradle Song’ (soprano): A song of the Little Sister, who sings to the baby of the "little lovely dream" she has bought for him. . "To a Buddha Seated on a Lotus" (baritone solo and quartet): "What mystic rapture dost thou own, immutable and ultimate? . . The end, elusive and unknown, still lures us. . . How shall we reach the great unknown Nirvana of thy Lotus-throne?"’ "Jndian Dancers" (chorus). "New Leaves Grow Green" (soprano, contralto and tenor): An idyll of spring. . "Alabaster" (contralto): "Like this alabaster box’. . . is my heart. . . Therein I treasure the spice and scent of rich and passionate memories." . "At the Threshold" (tenor solo, quartet and chorus): The child, pleading in youthful pride to "drink each joy and pain," is answered. ‘The omnipotent one deerees that he shall know all rapture and despair. After knowledge he shall seek peace. The end of the whole matter is: "Life is a prism of my Light, And death the shadow of my Face."