Special Projects - Translations

During his performing career, there were many hours travelling and resting the voice before performances, Chris found the rewarding pursuit of translating works into English of which he felt needed better 'sung' versions.

 

BACH - ST JOHN PASSION

The St John Passion is a highly dramatic piece of musical storytelling. Bible passages in Church are not read in foreign languages, so why is it that we so frequently  perform  this piece in the German language? Even though Bach's setting of the Lutheran text is sublime, it was felt that there needed to be a words written to tell the story more dramatically than in the currently available translations.

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The project began in 2005 after writing new words for the Evangelist's part. (Many regular performers of this role will adapt the text as the imposition of the King James Bible texts upon Bach's own Lutheran version has been widely recognised as being a poor fit.)  

The translation of the passion was a huge scholarly exercise. Each section was examined in exhaustive detail and was written to best balance the actual meaning of the German (which could often be ambiguous), the use of colloquial language and the rhythmic, rhyming and harmonic schemes that Bach used.  

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The new version was premiered in 2012 at the Canberra School of Music. The performance was conducted by David Mackay and featured soloists from the vocal department with Canberra's Oriana Chorale and a professional orchestra. 

 

On March 16 2019 The Lancaster Singers, performed the UK premiere in St Peter's Cathedral, Lancaster, with Soloists Pippa Goss, Sarah Jillian Cox, Jacob Clarke, Charles Murray and Jonathan Millican.

SCHUBERT - Die Schöne Mullerin / The Lovely Maid of the Mill 

 

A full translation of a delightful and emotional song cycle. Using the most colloquial language possible, the translation looks to capture the essence of the character of the young miller with immediacy of understanding to the audience. 
 

Reviews

‘Christopher Steele has an excellent voice for this music, lyrical but with a touch of the heroic, which gives a dramatic edge when necessary. What's more, he sings his own beautiful, poetic English translation of the song texts. It's wonderful to hear these works in this direct and accessible form’.   Amanda Holden.

 

‘Australian tenor, Christopher Steele, gave a highly pleasurable recital in Canberra last Saturday night while home on a short visit. There was more than just a personal interest in his performance, for he has also been working on a new English translation of Schubert's lovely song-cycle Die Schone Mullerin, and his programme was devoted to the first Australian performance of this translation. To those familiar with the original German poems by Wilhelm Muller it was an interesting aural experience. The translations have obviously not only been approached with keen appreciation of the original, but also with considerable skill in capturing the naive and wistful character of Muller's poems. 

From audience comments there was pleasure in being able to follow the words without having to read a translation as the songs were being sung. From the carefree mood of the opening song 'To wander', through the expression of the young miller's growing love to the overflowing joyousness of the eleventh song 'Mine!', the singer was able to convey the changing emotions of the poems. This continued in the second half of the song cycle.  To be successful, an English translation demands of the singer clear and well modulated diction, and happily that is what Steele was able to provide throughout. This was a most engaging recital that offered an appreciative audience warm musical delights.’ 

Canberra Times WL Hoffman Feb 12 2006 

 

 

LORTZING - Der Wildschutz - The Poacher
 

An operatic farce in 3 Acts, full of excellent tunes which is too rarely performed. A faithful translation in 3 cts