Soprano Donna Miller.
Photography by James Scherzi.

Lyrics drawn by Frank DiGiacomo from the poem Magnificat, by Rainer Maria Rilke, published in New Poems, translated by J.B. Leishman, Copyright © 1964 by The Hogarth Press Ltd., reprinted by New Directions Publishing Corp.
Used by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp.

Written at Christmas in 1976, as a gift to his family and friends, this song aptly fits Rilke’s inspiring poetry. Rilke was much influenced by French culture and this poem is a unique combination of French elegance with German intensity.
The live performance of Magnificat is by soprano Donna Miller, accompanied by Frank DiGiacomo, at the recital An Evening of New Music, May 18,1977, at the Carrier Theater of the Mulroy Civic Center in Syracuse, New York.

An electronic sound scape created by Mr. DiGiacomo, on this same subject, can be found in the Electro DiGiacomo section of this website.

LYRICS
Sie kam den Hang herauf, schon schwer, fast ohne
She came, already heavy, up the hill,

an Trost zu glauben, Hoffnung oder Rat;
unsure of hope, advice, or consolation;

doch da die hohe tragende Matrone
when, though, with proud and earnest salutation,

ihr ernst und stolz entgegentrat
the stately carrying matron crossed the sill

und alles wußte ohne ihr Vertrauten,
and knew all, without hearing it, directly,

da war sie plötzlich an ihr ausgeruht;
she, leaning on her, felt her tiredness go;

vorsichtig hielten sich die vollen Frauen,
the full pair held each other circumspectly,

bis daß die junge sprach: Mir ist zumut,
until the younger spoke: I feel as though

als wär ich, Liebe, von nun an für immer.
from now on, dearest, I shall have no ending.

Gott schüttet in der Reichen Eitelkeit
God pours into the wealthy’s vanity,

fast ohne hinzusehen ihren Schimmer;
with scarce a glance, the glitter thence ascending;

doch sorgsam sucht er sich ein Frauenzimmer
yet searches out with care an unpretending

und füllt sie an mit seiner Fernsten Zeit.
female and fills her with futurity.

Daß er mich fand. Bedenk nur; und Befehle
That he found me. Just think; and constellation

um meinetwillen gab von Stern zu Stern —.
on constellation bade me with accord. —

Verherrliche und hebe, meine Seele,
Oh, magnify, my soul, with exaltation

so hoch du kannst; den HERRN.
as lofty as you can: the Lord.

Paris 1908   
Luke 1:39-56