About this work:
Modern Love Songs (1997-2002) evolved from the collaboration between composer Chester Biscardi and writer William Zinsser that reflects their shared passion for the American Songbook; the cycle that results sits somewhere between cabaret/standard tunes and art songs. As the title suggests, these songs look at the myriad possibilities found in modern romance: coincidence, self-examination, astonishment, luck, and loss. "What a Coincidence" (1997) is about being lucky in love; "I Wouldn't Know About That" (1997) is about needing love; "Someone New" (1999) is about finding love, about love being transformative; "Now You See It, Now You Don't" (1998) is about losing love; and "At Any Given Moment" (2002) is about the quantity and quality of love, about love being thankful/prayerful.
Modern Love Songs, for voice and piano (1997-2002) ca. 15 minutes Lyrics: William Zinsser This piece was made possible by a grant from the Fromm Music Foundation. Published by Biscardi Music Press (B48 numbers) and distributed by Classical Vocal Reprints (CVR numbers): Versions for medium [A3 - E5] - No. B48-97/02-1a No. CVR3617 - and high voice [C4 - G#5 (A-flat5)] - No. B48-97/02-1b No. CVR3618 "What a Coincidence," for voice and piano (1997) [B-lat3 - D5] [D4 - F#5] No. B48-97-1 ca. 3 minutes; "I Wouldn’t Know About That," for voice and piano (1997) [A3 - E5] [C4 - G5] No. B48-97-2 ca. 3 minutes; "Someone New," for voice and piano (1999) [a# - e2] [d - a-flat2] No. B48-99-2 ca. 3 minutes; "Now You See It, Now You Don’t," for voice and piano (1998) [B3 - D5] [D#4 - F#5] No. B48-98-2 ca. 3 minutes; "At Any Given Moment," for voice and piano (2002) [C#4 - E5] [F4 - A-flat5] No. B48-02-1 ca. 3 minutes Modern Love Songs (1997-2002) evolved from a collaboration between composer Chester Biscardi and writer William Zinsser that reflects their shared passion for American popular song; the cycle that results sits somewhere between cabaret/standard tunes and art songs. As the title suggests, these songs look at the myriad possibilities of coincidence, self-examination, astonishment, luck and loss that describe aspects of modern romance. WHAT A COINCIDENCE What a coincidence! That you should come along Just when I was wishing That someone just like you Would come along and end my lonely night. What a coincidence! That you should prove me wrong Just when I was thinking That nothing in my world Was going right. What a fantastic, amazing contradiction of the odds! My lucky day! What a roll of the dice, Suffice it to say You're a gift from the strict, unpredictable gods. What an astonishment! That you were lonely too. Just when you were wishing That someone you could love Might possibly be waiting, waiting just for you. What a coincidence! Or was it always meant to be? That the someone who was waiting, Who was always meant to love you, Was me? I WOULDN’T KNOW ABOUT THAT When you’re in love, they say you walk on air, I wouldn’t know about that. When you’re in love, ev’ry day’s a country fair. I wouldn’t know about That kind of transcendental state. I wake up to the same old world, The same plat-du-jour on my plate. When you’re in love, they say your heart beats fast, I wouldn’t know about that. All you can think is, “It’s much too good to last,” And yet it does. I wouldn’t know about That kind of buzz, My pulse is slow, My heart is steady. I only know I’m ready . . . Ready for that once-in-a-lifetime kick, The click/that’s heard in ev’ry romantic plot, But not by me. Why can’t that happen to me? Please make that happen to me! I’m ready for that thunderbolt that suddenly knocks you flat. I’d like to know about that. SOMEONE NEW Where did he [she] go? The boy [girl] I was this morning? Who never knew that birds could sing and skies could be so blue. Where did she [he] come from? She [He] wasn’t here this morning. She [He] chased away the other me and brought in someone new. How could that melancholy former me Slip away? I could have sworn that he [she] Was here to stay. Where did he [she] go? He [She] left without a warning. But here’s the thing I’m really certain of: That missing he [she] Has left a brand new me, A brand new boy [girl] in love. NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON’T Verse: What happened during the night? I don’t understand. Was it a magic act, was it sleight of hand? Have I been some sorcerer’s old fool. Dazzled by the mirrors and smoke? I loved magic as a child in school. Funny, I no longer get the joke. Chorus: Now you see it, now you don’t. Pardon my confusion. Yesterday I was love’s Exhibit A. Was that an illusion? Now you hear it, now you don’t. Do my ears deceive me? Yesterday I could hear somebody say “Good morning” when I woke up. It never crossed my mind that she [he] might leave me. Did some magician wave his wand When my back was turned? “Absence makes the heart grow fond” (They say). Try telling that to someone who’s been burned. Now you see it, now you don’t. The rabbit’s been put back into the hat. The show is over and I won’t pretend to know how it was done. I only know that it was so much quicker than the eye. Can you see my love anywhere? Neither can I. AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT Verse As the poet said: How do I love you? Let me count the ways. But I’d like to rephrase the question and start again. Not with how do I love you, But when? Chorus At any given moment Of any given hour Of any given day You are somewhere in my mind. At any given drop of sand in the hourglass, At any given tick of the clock, At any given shift in the sun’s position I get that shock Of recognition. It’s you again! Come to remind me Of all our times together since we met Not that I could ever forget. At every given moment Of every given hour Of every given season Of the year You appear.