MIGNON VIDEO & FROM THE SHOWER TO THE STAGE: THE MASTERCLASS
Hi Lionheart,
I'm thrilled to host From The Shower To The Stage: The Masterclass LIVE in New York City on December 1. More details below.
This week, I'd like to share with you an indie rock / pop song I wrote called "Mignon" (pronounced meen-YON). Watch the video on YouTube and read more below!
Love ya. Thanks for joining me on this journey.
---> Watch 'Mignon' on YouTube here.
---> Buy 'Mignon' on Bandcamp here.
Watch the live performance of "Mignon" featuring Clint Greenlee on bass and Kyle Hutchins on drums.
This song is inspired by the classical German Lied 'Kennst du das Land?' by Robert Schumann. I used to perform this song while I studied at the American Institute for Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, and while I trained to be an opera singer at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University.
You could classify this song as Krautrock, a broad genre of experimental rock that developed in West Germany in the late 1960s and early 1970s among bands that blended elements of psychedelic rock, electronic music, and various avant-garde influences.
I co-produced this song with Daniel Lynas and Alex Dadras, platinum producers for A$AP Rocky.
Here is a beautiful rendition of the original classical version with soprano Dawn Upshaw singing and Richard Goode playing piano.
The text Schumann placed to his piece is from Wilhem Meister's Apprenticeship by German romantic writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. In this novel, the protagonist, Wilhelm Meister, journeys across Bavaria and searches for his self-realization. Along his travels, he encounters a young girl named Mignon, who wistfully sings for her homeland. Many classical composers have written music to her songs in the novel, and this is my take on it. ; )
To write this song, I translated the German text to English, made a few adjustments to modernize the text, and cut a lot of the text since it would've stretched for quite a long time. I wanted the song to fit in a modern pop time frame of roughly 3 minutes, so I got that red pen out to edit and cut away.
The music was inspired by a late-night jam session in a recording studio after a recording session. It was probably 2 or 3am, and a few friends and I were riffing on keys and I sang a melody. I later put the lyrics to this melody and added a driving bassline.
If you want to geek out with me, listen to the very beginning descending piano line in Schumann's song here. Then check out bridge of the song at 2:30 in my live performance video above OR at 2:40 in the album recording. You'll see I took the same descending piano part written by Schumann and included it as the bassline theme for my bridge. : )
Here are the lyrics - the original German text and the ones I translated for my song:
AND THEN MINE:
Do you know that land
Where the blood oranges bloom
And lemon loves lie in leafy trees?
Do you know that house
With its roof on so tight?
Poor child, what of your night?
Do you know that land?
Do you know that land?
Do you know that land?
There would I go with you
I would go with you
There would I go with you
I would go with you
There would I go with you
I would go with you
There would I go with you
Yes, I would
Do you know that path
On the high mountainside
Where warmer winds blow when mists divide?
The dragon rears its brood
In the far ancient cave
And torrents flow over river rock
PRECHORUS
CHORUS
ORIGINAL TEXT:
Kennst du das Land? wo die Citronen blühn,
Im dunkeln Laub die Gold-Orangen glühn,
Ein sanfter Wind vom blauen Himmel weht,
Die Myrte still und hoch der Lorbeer steht,
Kennst du es wohl?
Dahin! Dahin
Möcht' ich mit dir, o mein Geliebter, ziehn.
Kennst du das Haus? Auf Säulen ruht sein Dach,
Es glänzt der Saal, es schimmert das Gemach,
Und Marmorbilder stehn und sehn mich an:
Was hat man Dir, du armes Kind, gethan?
Kennst du es wohl?
Dahin! Dahin
Möcht' ich mit dir, o mein Beschützer, ziehn.
Kennst du den Berg und seinen Wolkensteg?
Das Maulthier sucht im Nebel seinen Weg;
In Höhlen wohnt der Drachen alte Brut;
Es stürzt der Fels und über ihn die Flut.
Kennst du [ihn]1 wohl?
Dahin! Dahin
Geht unser Weg! o Vater, laß uns ziehn!
FROM THE SHOWER TO THE STAGE: THE MASTERCLASS
During this masterclass, you’ll learn how to:
start writing songs from the lyrics in mind without spending a lot of time learning the technical elements of playing an instrument
write bumper sticker hooks
use reference tracks
write within a structure so that it doesn't have to be overly complicated
get unstuck
find your true voice without any confidence blocks
shift your focus to do what you truly love
connect to yourself and overcome fear
unleash your power within through meditation, mindset and visualization
Event time:
Sunday, December 1, 2019
4-6pm EST
Event location:
Domingo Hall
National Opera Center
330 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10001
Tel: 212.796.8620
www.operaamerica.org
This event is free and open to the members of the New York Singing Teachers Association and their guests.
It will be livestreamed on Facebook and Instagram. Please stay tuned for links to watch the live stream.
Much love. Wishing you inspiration and expansion, Lionheart.
XO ALARKE AKA MARY ALOUETTE
P.S. FIND YOUR ELECTRIC VOICE. Interested in taking your singing and songwriting to the next level? Please visit setyourlifetomusic.com.
P.P.S. Know someone who'd like lessons? Find out more about referring a friend for $100 here.