Hamburgers and Lotus Flowers

I've never really sung much in other languages.  Maybe a few things in Latin, but never in Italian, German, or French.  Well, I think now it is time for me to branch out a bit and do some things I have never done... i.e. I have been trying to learn a song in another language.  Since I don't and haven't ever had a voice teacher, I asked my dad for suggestions.  He pulled out some of his old voice books, which worked because we are both "high-voice" - tenor/soprano.  After flipping through the book playing the melodies and looking at the English translations, I decided to try a piece by Schumann, "Die Lotosblume."  No, I am not telling something to die and it is not a morbid song at all!  The English translation is "The Lotus Flower."  See, not so very bad!  I don't know if you have ever tried to read German, but it is interesting...

(1st verse)
Die Lotosblume angstigt
Sich vor der Sonne Pracht,
Und mit gesenktem Haupte
Erwartet sie traumend die Nacht.

"Oh, I just love that!"  (for hg friends)  I do love the way it sounds, now that is!  You should have heard me yesterday.  I had my dad read through it for me and then went off to start learning it.  Later, I came down still just working on the words.  I was outside on our patio with bbj and Catherine, who were playing volleyball, and when D came out I asked him to listen and see if I was doing it right.  So I started reading, haltingly, and not very far into it he corrected something or the other and we continued.  Then another word was wrong.  So there we are standing outside and he says a word/syllable and I try to repeat it.  Before long the humor of the situation strikes me.  He forms a word, I try to repeat it butchering it completely.  He repeats it either exaggerating or stressing the correct vowel in some way.  Then I try again.  But the funny thing is some of the words have so many vowel sounds that when we say anything it sounds like complete gibberish.  For example, "aoouid" might be one syllable in a word.  Try saying that right the first time, especially when something entirely different is on the page!  With both of us trying so hard and with it sounding the way it did, I couldn't help but laugh and then it all got worse because we were exaggerating even more!

I don't know if this is coming across at all.  To help you get the idea, you should watch this video.

Gotta LOVE!!!!!
And this one!

 "Oh do another one!"

It is SO easy to get off topic on youtube!  You have to love the dancing though!  Man do I wish I could dance like that!  Oooohhh! I just thought of another!

Anyway... so there you have it, hamburgers and lotus flowers... and more!

~ A Song of Joy