2016年1月26日 星期二

Robert Burns (1759-1796) "Auld Lang Syne", The Music Man, Of Mice and Men

王佐良先生有Robert Burns的詩專書,一時找不到。
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本章有首詩;
"Then I will drink," said Mr. Micawber, "if my friend Copperfield will permit me to take that social liberty【准我交際方面放肆】, to the days when my friend Copperfield and myself were younger, and fought our way in the world side by side. I may say, of myself and Copperfield, in words we have sung together before now, that
        
'We twa hae run about the braes

  And pu'd the gowans fine.'
我倆山邊共遨遊,採擷美麗的告恩。【Robert Burns思果先生《大衛‧考勃非爾》p. 610
—in a figurative point of view—on several occasions. I am not exactly aware," said Mr. Micawber, with the old roll in his voice【聲音有從前的節奏】, and the old indescribable air of saying something genteel, 【還有從前那種形容不出的說點高雅話的派頭】"what gowans may be, but I have no doubt that Copperfield and myself would frequently have taken a pull at them, if it had been feasible."


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*****

他沒明說或深究"thing"是什麼東西。當然,Silver Ring Thing中的thing,就是「銀戒」。不過,這應該不是所謂「複語」(參考錢鍾書《管錐篇 第一冊》)。 

這點疑慮,我們很容易請教梁實秋先生。他在感人的《槐園夢憶》中說:「……『實秋,嘿嘿,嬌小玲瓏。』我覺得好像有人在我耳邊吟唱著彭士(RobertBurns)的幾行詩*:

She is a winsome wee thing,
She is a handsome wee thing,
She is a lo'esome wee thing, 
This dear wee wife o' mine. 

她是一個媚人的小東西,
她是一個漂亮的小東西,
她是一個可愛的小東西,
我這親愛的小嬌妻。」

經過約五十年,他倆年紀大了,梁先生再舉 Burns的John Anderson My Jo
John Anderson, My Jo (1789):

John Anderson, my jo, John, 
When we were first acquent; 
Your locks were like the raven, 
Your bonie brow was brent; 
But now your brow is beld, John, 
Your locks are like the snaw; 
But blessings on your frosty pow, 
John Anderson, my jo. 

John Anderson, my jo, John, 
We clamb the hill thegither; 
And mony a cantie day, John, 
We've had wi' ane anither: 
Now we maun totter down, John, 
And hand in hand we'll go, 
And sleep thegither at the foot, 
John Anderson, my jo. 

約翰安德森我的心肝

約翰安德森我的心肝,約翰, 
當初我們倆剛剛相識的時候,
你的頭髮黑的像是烏鴉一般,
你的美麗的前額光光澑澑;
但是如今你的頭禿了,約翰,
你的頭髮白得像雪一般,
但願上天降福在你的白頭髮上面,
約翰安德森我的心肝!

約翰安德森我的心肝,約翰,
我們兩一同爬上山去,
很多快樂的日子,約翰,
我們要手拉著手走下山去,
在山腳下長眠在一起,
約翰安德森我的心肝!


當然,《槐園夢憶》結尾是餘音裊裊的:
「緬懷既往,聊當一哭!衷心傷悲,擲筆三嘆!」
接下來另一場情,已是舉世皆知的傳奇。昔日反對他的人,現在終於了解他晚年心境。餘波蕩漾著。



"Auld Lang Syne" by Robert Burns (1759-1796)
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
Chorus
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
Sin’ auld lang syne.
Chorus
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne.
Chorus
And there’s a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a right gude-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.
Chorus
*
The most essential of the immortal poems and songs of Scotland's beloved national bard are collected in this volume. With the publication of his first book of poems in 1786, Robert Burns—the twenty-seven-year-old son of a farmer—became a national celebrity, hailed as the "Ploughman Poet." When he died ten years later, ten thousand people came to pay their respects at his funeral, and in the two centuries since then he has inspired a cultlike following among Scots and poetry lovers around the world.A pioneer of the Romantic movement, Burns wrote in a light Scots dialect with brio, emotional directness, and wit, drawing on classical and English literary traditions as well as Scottish folklore—and leaving a timeless legacy. All of his most famous lyrics and poems are here, from "A Red, Red Rose," "To a Mouse," and "To a Louse" to Tam o'Shanter, "Holy Willie's Prayer," and "Auld Lang Syne."






The Music Man
TheMusicManPoster.jpg
Original Broadway Poster
Music Meredith Willson
Lyrics Meredith Willson
Book Meredith Willson
Productions 1957 Broadway
1980 Broadway revival
2000 Broadway revival
Awards Tony Award for Best Musical

小說的題目源自一首羅伯特·伯恩斯詩歌《致老鼠》,其中提到「人和老鼠的命運,時常被扭曲」。
Of Mice and Men is a phrase from a poem To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough by Robert Burns. An often quoted refrain from the poem is a cliché:
...The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley ... (often go astray)

The Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson. The show is based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with the cash. In River City, Iowa, prim Marian the librarian sees through him, but when Hill helps her younger brother, Marian begins to fall in love with Harold. Harold, in turn falling for Marian, risks being caught to win her.
In 1957, the show became a hit on Broadway, winning five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and running for 1,375 performances. The cast album won the first Grammy Award for "Best Original Cast Album". The show's success led to revivals and a popular 1962 film adaptation and a 2003 television remake. It frequently is produced by both professional and amateur theater companies.

Contents

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Background

Meredith Willson was inspired by his boyhood in Mason City, Iowa, in writing and composing his first musical, The Music Man.[1] He first approached producers Cy Feuer and Ernest Martin for a television special, and then MGM producer Jesse L. Lasky. After these and other unsuccessful attempts, Willson invited Franklin Lacey to help him edit and simplify the libretto. At this time, Willson considered eliminating a long piece of dialogue about the serious trouble facing River City parents. Willson realized it sounded like a lyric, and transformed it into the now-famous song, "Ya Got Trouble".[2]
The character, Marian Paroo, was inspired by Marian Seeley of Provo, Utah, who met Willson during World War II, when Seeley was a medical records librarian.[3] In the original production (and the film), the School Board was played by the 1950 International Quartet Champions of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA),[4] the Buffalo Bills. Robert Preston claimed that he got the role of Harold Hill despite his limited singing range because, when he went to audition, they were having the men sing "Trouble". The producers felt it would be the most difficult song to sing, but with his acting background, it was the easiest for Preston.[citation needed]

Productions

After years of development, a change of producers, almost forty songs (twenty-two were cut), and more than forty drafts, the original Broadway production, directed by Morton DaCosta and choreographed by Onna White, opened on December 19, 1957 at the Majestic Theatre. It won five Tony awards, including Best Musical, even beating out West Side Story.[5] It remained at the Majestic for nearly three years before transferring to The Broadway Theatre to complete its 1,375-performance run. The original cast included Robert Preston (who went on to reprise his role in the 1962 screen adaptation) as Harold Hill, Barbara Cook as Marian, and Eddie Hodges as Winthrop, with Pert Kelton, David Burns and Iggie Wolfington in supporting roles. Eddie Albert and Bert Parks each replaced Preston later in the run.
The original cast recording was released by Capitol Records on January 20, 1958 in stereophonic & monaural versions and held the #1 spot on the Billboard charts for twelve weeks, remaining on the charts for a total of 245 weeks. The cast album was awarded "Best Original Cast Album" at the first Grammy Awards ceremony in 1958 and was inducted in 1998 as a Grammy Hall of Fame Award winner.[6]

Dick Van Dyke on the 1980 Playbill
After eight previews, the first Broadway revival, directed and choreographed by Michael Kidd, opened on June 5, 1980, at the New York City Center, where it ran for 21 performances. The cast included Dick Van Dyke as Hill, Meg Bussert as Marian, and Christian Slater as Winthrop.
After twenty-two previews, the second Broadway revival, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, opened on April 27, 2000 at the Neil Simon Theatre, where it ran for 699 performances. The cast included Craig Bierko (making his Broadway debut) as Hill and Rebecca Luker as Marian. Robert Sean Leonard and Eric McCormack portrayed Hill later in the run.
The success of the 2000 revival prompted a 2003 television movie starring Matthew Broderick as Hill and Kristin Chenoweth as Marian, with Victor Garber, Debra Monk, and Molly Shannon in supporting roles.
Willson recorded his trials and tribulations in getting the show to Broadway in his book But He Doesn't Know The Territory.
In 2008, there was a revival of the show at the Chichester Festival Theatre, England. This starred Brian Conley as Hill and Scarlett Strallen as Marian. This opened to critical acclaim and was nominated for the Whatsonstage.com award for Best Regional Production.
In 1987, a Chinese translation of the musical was staged at Beijing's Central Opera Theater.[7]

Synopsis

Act One

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