Alena Songs (2012)
10 minutes
for tenor and guitar

Commissioned by The Firm New Music, Adelaide.

First performance by Robert Macfarlane (tenor) and Aleksandr Tsiboulski (guitar) on June 25th 2012 at Pilgrim Uniting Church, Adelaide, South Australia.
The texts for these three short songs are taken from the compilation …I never saw another butterfly…-Children’s Drawings and
Poems from Terezin Concentration Camp, 1942-1944.
A total of around 15,000 children under the age of 15 passed through Terezin. Of these, around 100 came back. Our young authoress, Alena Synkova, was one of the lucky ones.
To Olga

Listen!
The boat whistle has sounded now
And we must sail
Out toward an unknown port.
We’ll sail a long, long way
And dreams will turn to truth.
Oh, how sweet the name Morocco!
Listen!
Now it’s time.
The wind sings songs of far away,
Just look up to heaven
And think about the violets.
Listen!
Now it’s time.

Untitled

I’ve met enough people.
Seldom a human being.
Therefore, I will wait-
until my life’s purpose
is fulfilled
and you will come.
Though there is anguish
deep in my soul
what if I must search for you forever?-
I must not lose faith,
I must not lose hope.

Tears

And thereafter come…
tears,
without them
there is no life.
Tears-
inspired by grief
tears
that fall like rain.

REVIEWS
“The knowledge and skills essential for successful matching of music to words should not be underestimated. The music should clarify, enhance, intensify the text. Anne Cawrse chose her words well. Short, pithy poems by Alena Munkova-Synkova were treated respectfully. ‘Listen!’ and we did, to the silence. Minor relented to major at last – hope is not lost. Tears dropped from the strings.”

-Elizabeth Silsbury, The Advertiser August 8th 2014