Several weeks ago I attended a classical concert with a friend and was mesmerized by the beautiful voice of a classically trained soprano, Caryn Marlowe. The concert was delightful and soothing to the soul. I really love classical musical performed by a classically trained singer but I don’t often get to attend live performances. My spouse doesn’t care for them, my children turn my off my music when I’m listening to it in my car and where I live, well let’s just say that where I live, the Grand Ole’ Opry is the preferred opera house. But that’s OK. To each their own.
My friend and I enjoyed the performance as did the others in the audience. The man next to had tears in his eyes after listening to Ava Maria. It’s like chocolate for the ears.
If you who have never attended a live opera performance you should know that it’s not uncommon for the program to contain translations of the songs performed since classical songs are usually performed in a language other than English…usually the language of the composer. Opera doesn’t have to be translated to English in order to understand and feel the emotion of a beautiful aria. The voice and soul of the singer is all the translation you need.
On the drive home my friend and I discussed the concert but then our conversation turned to her daughter who had recently asked her to review a paper for a school assignment. My friend was stunned at how was riddled the paper was with textease. “Textease” is the new shorthand for the millions who prefer to text everyone instead of using vocal cords. My friend was concerned because her daughter was having difficulty writing a school paper using proper English. She was writing like she texted.
The new concern for English teachers is that students are unable to write well because they construct sentences like they were texting messages. A web search reveals more appalling still is the belief that English teachers should allow textease in submitting work because that’s the “new” reality for today’s youth. We should keep up with the times they say. Needless to say I was/am appalled. This old fogey still prefers the Kings James version of the Bible for the beauty of the written word. And how about Shakespeare? How can textease replace the language of Shakespeare? Wouldn’t something be lost in translation?
My thoughts went back to the concert. What if the lyrics to these beautiful songs were printed in textease? Would the beauty of the song be lost in translation?
I’ll leave you to answer that question.
Below are exerpts from two songs from the concert, followed by the song converted to textease. The first song “Cantares” was originally written in Spanish. The second piece “Dream With Me” was written by Leonard Bernstein for the musical “Peter Pan’ but didn’t make the final cut. It was originally written and sung in English.
To get the full effect it would really be ideal if you could find the song in recorded form to listen to as you read. First read the textease version as you listen to the song and then listen again, reading from the full old fogey version. What do you think?
Dream with Me
From Peter Pan by Leonard Bernstein
(Textease Version) Dream W me 2nite, 2nite n evry nyt wherever u may chnc 2 B, we're 2gtha f we dream d same swEt dream, n thO we may B fr apart, kip me n yr hart n dream W me. d X we nvr dared we'll dare n dreamin. d lov we nvr shared cn stil av a meanN, f u 1ly dream a mgic dream W me 2nite, 2nite n evry nyt, wherever u may chnc 2 B. clse yr luvly Iyz n dream W me.
(Old Fogey Version) Dream with me tonight, tonight and every night wherever you may chance to be, we're together if we dream the same sweet dream, and though we may be far apart, keep me in your heart and dream with me. The kiss we never dared we'll dare in dreaming. The love we never shared can still have a meaning, if you only dream a magic dream with me tonight, tonight and every night, wherever you may chance to be. Close your lovely eyes and dream with me.
Cantares
From Poemes ne formes de canciones by Joaquin Turina
(Textease Version) Flee as I may yr embraces, closer 4ever I’m cort; my ev’ry dream, ev’ry thort yr hauntin vision retraces. spk mor 2 me, 4 yday, as I wz enraptured, I listend TU w/o bearing, I lOkd @U w/o seein
(Old Fogey Version) Flee as I may your embraces, closer forever I’m caught; my ev’ry dream, ev’ry thought your haunting vision retraces. Speak more to me, for yesterday, as I was enraptured, I listened to you without bearing, I looked at you without seeing.
