"The Life of Maria" - Rilke, Hindemith, Marsh

My intent with my translation of Rainer Maria Rilke's "Das Marienleben" (The Life of Maria), for the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York, has been immediate text comprehension.
"Das Marienleben" is one of the most difficult and most intoxicating poetic works. One can discuss the meanings of Rilke's poetry indefinitely, which is part of his charmed genius, but when the massive complexities of Paul Hindemith's composing are added to this, it can be overwhelming to listeners, particularly at first hearing.
My objective has been to alleviate the obscure use of the German language and open it to immediate understanding, while still staying very close to Rilke's text intent. A public needs to "get" the words immediately, so Hindemith's powerful musical concept can also be enjoyed.