Virgil Thomson (1896-1989)
Four Saints in Three Acts (1927-28)
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Virgil Thomson and Gertrude Stein at 27 rue de Fleurus, Paris
Photograph by Thérèse Bonney, ca. 1932 |
Libretto by Gertrude Stein
(Abridged by the Composer)
Virgil Thomson conducting
Chorus and Orchestra
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Concerning Four Saints in Three Acts Virgil Thomson has written:
"Please do not try to construe the words of this opera literally or seek in it any obstruse symbolism. If, by means of the poet's liberties with logic and the composer's constant use of the simplest elements of our musical vernacular, something is here evoked of the childlike gaiety and mystical strength of lives devoted in common to a non-materialistic end, the authors will consider their message to have been communicated."
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| Four Saints in Three Acts; original stage production, Feb., 1934 |
Act III
Act IV
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Beatrice Robinson-Wayne,soprano
Ruby Green, alto
Inez Matthews, soprano
Charles Holland, tenor
David Bethea, tenor
Randolph Robinson, baritone
Altonell Hines, mezzo-soprano
Abner Dorsey, bass
(78 rpm transfers; RCA Victor, recorded June, 1947)
Four Saints in Three Acts
abridged version by the composer
To know to know to love her so.
Four saints prepare for saints.
Four saints it makes it well fish.
Four saints prepare for saints it makes it well well
fish it makes it well fish prepare for saints.
In narrative prepare for saints.
Two saints prepare for saints it two saints prepare for
saints in prepare for saints.
A narrative of prepare for saints in narrative prepare
SAINT SETTLEMENT AND SAINT SARAH
Remain to narrate to prepare two saints for saints.
Very well if not to have and miner.
A saint is one to be for two when three and you make
Forgotten saint. What happened today, a narrative.
Saint Teresa Saint Martyr Saint Settlement Saint
Thomasine Saint Electra Saint Wilhelmina Saint
Evelyn Saint Pilar Saint Hillaire Saint Bernadine.
Saint Ignatius Saint Paul Saint William Saint Gilbert
Saint Settle Saint Arthur Saint Selmer Saint Paul
Seize Saint Cardinal Saint Plan Saint Giuseppe.
Any one to tease a saint seriously.
Saint Teresa in a storm at Avila there can be rain and
warm snow and warm that is the water is warm the
river is not warm the sun is not warm and if to stay to
If to stay to if to stay if having to stay to if having to
stay if to cry to stay if to cry stay to cry to stay.
Saint Teresa half in and half out of doors.
Saint Ignatius not there. Saint Ignatius staying
where. Never heard them speak speak of it.
Saint Ignatius silent motive not hidden.
No saint to remember to remember.
Saint Teresa knowing young and told.
If it were possible to kill five thousand chinamen by
pressing a button would it be done.
Saint Teresa not interested.
A pleasure April fool’s day a pleasure. Saint Teresa
Not April fool’s day a pleasure.
Not April fool’s day a pleasure.
April fool’s day April fool’s day as not as pleasure as
April fool’s day not a pleasure.
Saint Teresa seated and not surrounded. There are a
great many persons and places near together. Saint
There are a great many persons and places near
Saint Teresa not seated at once.
There are a great many places and persons near
Saint Teresa once seated.
There are a great many places and persons near
Saint Teresa seated and not surrounded.
There are a great many persons and places near
Saint Teresa visited by very many as well as the
others really visited before she was seated.
There are a great many persons and places close
Saint Teresa not young and younger but visited like
the others by some, who are frequently going there.
Saint Teresa very nearly half inside and half outside
outside the house and not surrounded.
How do you do. Very well I thank you. And when
do you go. I am staying on quite continuously.
When is it planned. Not more than as often.
The garden inside and outside of the wall.
Saint Teresa about to be.
The garden inside and outside outside and inside of
Nobody visits more than they do visits them.
Nobody visits more than they do visits them Saint
As loud as that as allowed as that.
Nobody visits more than they do visits them.
Who settles a private life.
Who settles a private life.
Who settles a private life.
Saint Teresa seated and if he could be standing and
standing and saying and saying left to be.
Introducing Saint Ignatius
She can have no one no one can have any one any
one can have not any one can have not any one can
Saint Teresa seated and not standing half and half of
it and not half and half of it seated and not standing
surrounded and not seated and not seated and not
standing and not surrounded not not surrounded and
not not not seated not seated not seated not
surrounded not seated and Saint Ignatius standing
standing not seated Saint Teresa not standing not
standing and Saint Ignatius not standing standing
surrounded as if in once yesterday. In place of
Saint Teresa could be photographed having been
dressed like a lady and then they taking out her head
changed it to a nun and a nun a saint and a saint so.
Saint Teresa seated and not surrounded might be very
well inclined to be settled.
Made to be coming here. How many saints can sit
around. A great many saints can sit around with one
A saint is easily resisted. Saint Teresa. Let it as land
Saint Teresa. As land beside a house. Saint Teresa.
As land beside a house and at one time Saint Teresa.
As land beside a house to be to this this which theirs
Saint Teresa saints make sugar with a flavor. In
different ways when it is practicable.
Could she know that that he was not not to be to be
very to be dead not dead.
CHORUS I, II and SAINT TERESA I
Saint Teresa must be must be chain left chain right
chain chain is it. No one chain is it not chain is it,
chained to not to life chained to not to snow chained
to chained to go and and gone.
Not this not in this not with this.
Saint Teresa as a young girl being widowed.
Leave later gaily the troubadour plays his guitar.
Saint Teresa might it be Martha. Saint Louise and
Saint Celestine and Saint Louis Paul and Saint
Settlement Fernande and Ignatius.
Could all four saints not only be in brief.
In this way as movement. In having been in.
Does she want to be neglectful of hyacinths and find
Saint Teresa can never change herbs for pansies and
They think there that it is their share.
Saint Teresa makes as in this to be stems.
Saint Teresa settled and some come.
Some come to be near not near her but the same.
Sound them with the thirds and that.
How many are there halving.
Saint Teresa having known that no snow in vain as
Saint Teresa needed it as she was.
Saint Teresa made it be third.
Snow third high third there third.
Saint Teresa in allowance.
How many saints can remember a house which was
built before they can remember.
Ten saints can. How many saints can be and land be
and sand be and on a high plateau there is no sand
there is snow and there is made to be so and very
much can be what there is to see when there is a wind
to have it dry and be what they can understand to
undertake to let it be to send it well as much as none
to be to be behind. None to be behind.
Did wish did want did at most agree that it was not
when they had met that they were separated
While it escapes it adds to it just as it did when it has
and does with it in that to intend to intensity and
Is there a difference between a sound a hiss a kiss a
Could they grow and tell it so if it was left to be to go
to go to see to see to saw to saw to build to place to
come to rest to hand to beam to couple to name to
Saint Ignatius Saint Settlement Saint Paul Seize Saint
Anselmo made it be not only obligatory but very
much as they did in little patches.
Saint Teresa and Saint Teresa and Saint Teresa Seize
and Saint Teresa might be very much as she would if
she very much as she would if she were to be wary.
They might be that much that far that with that widen
never having seen and press, it was a land in one
when altitude by this to be endowed. Might it be in
Saint Teresa and conversation.
Saint Teresa in conversation.
Saint Teresa in and in and one and in and one.
Saint Teresa left in complete.
Saint Teresa and better bowed.
Saint Teresa did she and leave bright.
Snow in snow sun in sun one in one out.
A scene and withers. Scene Three and Scene Two.
How can a sister see Saint Teresa suitably. Pear trees
cherry blossoms pink blossoms and late apples and
surrounded by Spain and lain. Why when in lean
fairly rejoin place dismiss calls.
Saint Teresa refuses to bestow.
Saint Teresa with account.
Saint Teresa having felt it with it.
There can be no peace on earth with calm with calm.
There can be no peace on earth with calm with calm.
There can be no peace on earth with calm with calm
and with whom whose with calm and with whom
whose when they well they well they call it there
made message especial and come.
This amounts to Saint Teresa.
Saint Teresa has been and has been. All saints make
Sunday Monday Sunday Monday Sunday Monday
Saint Teresa has been prepared for there being
Saint Teresa has been prepared for there being
Saint Teresa has been with him. Saint Teresa has
been with him they show they show that summer
summer makes a child happening at all to throw a
ball too often to please.
This is a scene where this is seen. Saint Teresa has
been a queen not as you might say royalty not as you
might say worn not as you might say.
Saint Teresa preparing in as you might say.
Saint Teresa can know the difference between
singing and women. Saint Teresa can know the
difference between snow and thirds. Saint Teresa can
know the difference between when there is a day today
Saint Teresa with the land and laid. Not observing.
Saint Teresa coming to go.
Saint Teresa coming and lots of which it is not as
soon as if when it can left to change change theirs in
glass and yellowish at most most of this can be when
is it that it is very necessary not to plant it green.
Planting it green means that it is protected from the
wind and they never knew about it.
SAINT TERESA I, II AND SAINT IGNATIUS
They never knew about it green and they never knew
about it she never knew about it they never knew
about it they never knew about it she never knew
Planting it green means that it is protected from the
sun and from the wind and the sun and
SAINT TERESA I, II AND SAINT IGNATIUS
They never knew about it and she never knew about
it and she never knew about it and they never knew
Scene once seen once seen once seen.
One two three four five six seven all good children
go to heaven some are good and some are bad one
two three four five six seven.
Saint Teresa when she had been left to come was left
to come was left to right was right to left and there.
There and not there by left and right.
Saint Teresa once and once.
No one surrounded trees as there were none. This
makes Saint Ignatius Act Two.
Saint Ignatius was very well known.
Would it do if there was a Scene Two.
Saint Ignatius and more. Saint Ignatius with as well.
Saint Ignatius needs not be feared.
Saint Ignatius might be very well adapted to plans
Barcelona in the distance.
Was Saint Ignatius able to tell the difference between
palms and Eucalyptus trees.
Saint Ignatius well bound.
Saint Ignatius with it just.
Saint Ignatius might be read.
Saint Ignatius with it Tuesday.
Saint Teresa has very well added it.
How many nails are there in it. Hard shoe nails and
silver nails and silver does not sound valuable.
To be interested in Saint Teresa fortunately.
To be interested in Saint Teresa fortunately.
Saint Ignatius to be interested fortunately.
Fortunately to be interested in Saint Teresa. To be
interested fortunately in Saint Teresa. Interested
fortunately in Saint Teresa Saint Ignatius and saints
who have been changed from the evening to the
In the morning to be changed from the morning to the
A scene of changing from the morning to the
They can be left to many saints.
Many many saints can be left to many many saints
Scene Five left to many many saints.
Scene Five left to many saints.
They are left to many saints and those saints these
They are left to many saints.
Saint Ignatius might be Five.
When three were together one woman sitting and
seeing one man leading and choosing one young man
This is just as if it was a tribe.
Away away away away a day it took three days and
Saint Teresa was very well parted and apart apart
Harry marry saints in place saints and sainted
Saint Teresa in place of Saint Teresa in place.
Can any one feel any one moving and in moving can
any one feel any one and in moving.
Having happily had with it a spoon.
Having happily relied upon noon.
Saint Teresa with Saint Teresa.
Saint Teresa and Saint Teresa.
Saint Teresa to trace. Saint Teresa and place.
Saint Teresa beside. Saint Teresa added ride.
Saint Teresa very made her in.
Saint Teresa Saint Teresa.
Saint Teresa in in in Lynn.
Scene Five. Sent to derive.
Scene Seven. Attached eleven.
Might be there. To be sure. With them and. And
hand. And alight. With them then. Nestle.
It is easy to measure a settlement.
To be asked how much of it is finished. To be asked
Saint Teresa Saint Teresa to be asked how much of it
is finished. To be asked Saint Teresa to be asked
Saint Teresa to be asked ask Saint Teresa ask Saint
Teresa how much of it is finished.
Ask Saint Teresa how much of it is finished.
SAINT SETTLEMENT, SAINT TERESA II, SAINT
How much of it is finished.
Ask how much of it is finished.
Ask how much of it is finished.
Ask how much of it is finished.
Saint Teresa Saint Paul Saint Plan Saint Anne Saint
Once in a while. Once in a while.
Once in a while. Once in a while. Once in a while.
Once in a while. Once in a while.
Once in a while. Once in a while.
When. Then. When. Then. Then. Men. When Ten.
Then. When. Ten. When then. Then. Then. Ten.
Then. Ten. When then. Saints when. Saints when
ten. Ten. Ten. Ten. Ten. Ten. Ten. Ten. Ten. Ten.
In consideration of everything and that it is done by
them as it must be left to them with this as an
arrangement. Night and day cannot be different.
Might it so. Do and doubling with it at once left and
Left left left right left with what is known. In time.
Within it within it within it as a wedding for them in
half of the time. Particularly. Call it a day. With a
wide water with within with withdrawn. As if a
Pigeons on the grass alas.
Pigeons on the grass alas.
Short longer grass short longer longer shorter yellow
grass. Pigeons large pigeons on the shorter longer
yellow grass alas pigeons on the grass.
If they were not pigeons what were they.
If they were not pigeons on the grass alas what were
He had heard of a third and he asked about it.
It was a magpie in the sky.
If a magpie in the sky on the sky can not cry if the
pigeon on the grass alas can alas and to pass the
pigeon on the grass alas and the magpie in the sky on
the sky and to try and to try alas on the grass alas the
pigeon on the grass the pigeon on the grass and alas.
They might be very well very well very well they
might be they might be very well they might be very
well very well they might be.
Let Lucy Lily Lily Lucy Lucy let Lucy Lucy Lily
Lily Lily Lily Lily let Lily Lucy Lucy let Lily: Let
Saint Ignatius and please please please please.
Might they be with they be with them might they be
Never to return to distinctions.
Might they be with them with they be with they be
In line and in in line please say it first in line. When
it is ordinarily thoughtful and making it be what they
were wishing at one time insatiably and with
renounced where where ware and wear wear with
them with them and where where will it be as long as
long as they might with it with it individually
removing left to it when it very well way well and
crossed crossed in articulately minding what you do.
Might be admired for himself alone.
Saint Ignatius might be admired for himself alone
and because of that it might be as much as any one
could desire. Because of that because it might be as
much as any one could desire. It might be that it
could be done as easily as because it might very
much as if precisely why they were carried.
Left when there was precious little to be asked by the
ones who were overwhelmingly particular about what
they were adding to themselves by means of their
arrangements which might be why they went away
It is every once in a while very much what they
In a minute by the time that it is graciously
gratification and might be with them to be with them
to be with them to be to be windowed.
As seen as seen. Saint Ignatius surrounded by them.
Saint Ignatius and one of two.
Saint Chavez might be with them at that time.
Might be with them at that time. All of them might
be with them all of them at that time. Might be with
them at that time all of them might be with them at
Scene Two. It is very easy to love alone.
There are very sweetly very sweetly Henry very
sweetly René very sweetly many very sweetly.
There are very sweetly many very sweetly René very
sweetly there are many very sweetly.
Foundationally marvellously aboundingly illimitably
with it as a circumstance. Fundamentally and saints
fundamentally and saints and fundamentally and
Once in a while and where and where around around
is as sound and around is a sound and around is a
sound and around. Around is a sound around is a
sound around is a sound and around. Around
differing from anointed now. Now differing from
anointed now. Now differing differing. Now
differing from anointed now. Now when there is left
and with it integrally with it integrally withstood
within without with drawn as much as could be
withstanding what in might might be so.
Letting pin in letting let in let in in in in in let in let in
wet in wed in dead in dead wed led in led wed dead
in dead in led in wed in said in said led wed dead wed
dead said led led said wed dead wed dead led in led
in wed in wed in said in wed in led in said in dead in
dead wed said led led said wed dead in.
That makes they have might kind find fined when
this arbitrarily makes it be what is it might they can it
fairly well to be added to in this at the time that they
can candied leaving as with with it by the the left of it
with with in in the funniest in union.
Across across a cross coupled across crept across
crept crept crept crept across. They crept across.
If they are between thirty and thirty five and alive
who made them see Saturday.
Between thirty five and forty five between forty five
and three five as then when they were forty five and
thirty five when they were forty five and thirty five
when they were then forty five and thirty five and
thirty two and to achieve leave relieve and receive
their astonishment. Were they to be left to do to do
as well as they do mean I mean I mean. Left to their
in their to their to be their to be there all their to be
there all there all their time to be there to be there all
their to be all their time there.
With wed led said with led dead said with dead led
said with said dead led wed said wed dead led dead
With be there all their all their time there be there
vine there be vine time there be there time there all
SAINT STEPHEN AND SAINT SETTLEMENT
Let it be why if they were adding adding comes
cunningly to be additionally cunningly in the sense of
attracting attracting in the sense of adding adding in
the sense of windowing and windowing and panes
and pigeons and ordinary trees and while while away.
One at a time regularly regularly by the time that they
are in and and in one at at time.
The envelopes are on all the fruit of the fruit trees.
Meant to send, and meant to send and meant meant to
differ between send and went and end and mend and
Made it with with in with withdrawn.
Let all act as if they went away.
Begin to trace begin to race begin to place begin and
in in that that is why this is what is left as may may
follows June and June follows moon and moon
follows soon and it is very nearly ended with bread.
Who can think that they can leave it here to me.
When this you see remember me. They have to be.
They have to be. They have to be to see. To see to
Who makes who makes it do.
Saint Teresa and Saint Teresa too.
Who does and who does care.
Who may be what is it when it is instead.
SAINT TERESA I AND SAINT IGNATIUS
Saint Plan Saint Plan to may to say to say two may
Who makes it be what they had as porcelain.
Saint Ignatius and left and right laterally be lined.
