russia Cast aDrift

21 Pages·2017·1.69 MB·English

D H
mitri vorostovsky
G
eorGy
s
viriDov
r
ussia
C
ast
a
Drift
DE 1631
W P ,
orlD remiere orCHestral version
s . P s s o
t etersburG tate ymPHony rCHestra
s f e
tyle of ive nsemble
C o
onstantine rbelian, conductor
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D D
GEORGY SVIRIDOV:
E E
L L
O O
S S

D D
RUSSIA CAST ADRIFT
E E

1 1
6 6
3 3
1 1

WORLD PREMIERE, ORCHESTRAL VERSION

ARRANGED BY EVGENY STETSYUK

S Autumn ♦ I Left My Home Behind ♦ Open Before Me, S
V V
I I
R R
ID O My Guardian Angel ♦ Silver Path ♦ Russia Cast Adrift ♦ ID
O O
V V
Simon, Peter ... Where Are You? Come to Me ♦ Where Are You,
: :

R R
U U
S O My Father’s House? ♦ Beyond the Hills of the Milky Way ♦ S
S S
I I
A A
It Sounds, It Sounds, the Fateful Trumpet! ♦ An Owl Cries in
C C
A A
S S
Autumn ♦ Oh, I Believe, I Believe in Happiness! ♦ O My
T T

A A
D D
Homeland, O Joyful And Eternal Hour! ♦ The Virgin in the City*
R R
I I
F F
T T

• •

H H
V Total Playing Time: 36:34 V
O O
R R
O O
S S
T * From Petersburg, a vocal poem T
O O
V V
S S
K K
Y DMITRI HVOROSTOVSKY, BARITONE Y

ST. PETERSBURG STATE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

STYLE OF FIVE ENSEMBLE

CONSTANTINE ORBELIAN, CONDUCTOR

O O
DIG RIG DIG RIG
ITAIN ITAIN
LA LA
L L
GEORGY SVIRIDOV:

RUSSIA CAST ADRIFT
WORLD PREMIERE, ORCHESTRAL VERSION
ARRANGED BY EVGENY STETSYUK
1. Autumn (2:22) 9. It Sounds, It Sounds, the Fateful
Trumpet! (3:05)
2. I Left My Home Behind (2:22)
10. An Owl Cries in Autumn (2:42)
3. Open Before Me, O My Guardian
Angel (3:23) 11. Oh, I Believe, I Believe in Happiness!
– O My Homeland, O Joyful and
4. Silver Path (2:31) Eternal Hour! (5:23)
5. Russia Cast Adrift (2:00) 12. Bonus track: The Virgin In the City*
(4:15)
6. Simon, Peter ... Where Are You?
Come to Me (4:04)
Total Playing Time: 36:34
7. Where Are You, O My Father’s
House? (2:46)
8. Beyond the Hills of the Milky Way * From Sviridov’s Petersburg, a vocal poem
(1:41)
DMITRI HVOROSTOVSKY, BARITONE
ST. PETERSBURG STATE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
STYLE OF FIVE ENSEMBLE
CONSTANTINE ORBELIAN, CONDUCTOR
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This recording once again reunites Dmitri a great father. He was a man of outstanding
Hvorostovsky with the music of one of intellect and humor, and his knowledge
his most admired composers, Georgy and admiration for Russian poetry was
Sviridov (1915-1998). Personally knowing enormous. I will remember him all my life.”
Sviridov, working with him and performing They became friends, and Sviridov wrote
his music, was, in the singer’s words, “an Petersburg (1995) for Dmitri: nine songs on
enormous epoch” in his life. verses by Alexander Blok. That composition
was later recorded by Delos together with
They first met in 1994: a 79-year-old icon Sviridov’s first masterpiece, Six Romances
of Russian music and a rising international on verses by Alexander Pushkin (1935) –
star singer, born almost half a century later. and with Russia Cast Adrift, all three works
The occasion was Dmitri’s performance of became an important part of Hvorostovsky’s
Russia Cast Adrift (Otchalivshaya Rus) in concert repertoire.
Moscow. Written for tenor and piano in 1977
on verses by Sergei Yesenin (1895-1925), it “Working on Sviridov’s music was a very
was known in Russia, most notably due to important educational experience for me,” said
performances by the great mezzo-soprano Hvorostovsky. “At first glance, his songs seem
Elena Obraztsova. For Hvorostovsky the simple. However, they demand the deepest
performer, however, it was his first encounter emotional involvement. It is not enough to just
with Sviridov’s songs. sing them beautifully. From the first note you
are immersed in his whole world. The music
The composer, usually strict and demanding colors each word with pain and unspeakable
(especially when it came to performances purity … it tortures you emotionally. I always
of his own music), took a liking to Dmitri go through very strong, very dramatic inner
right away and enthusiastically approved his conflicts while performing it.”
interpretation. A few days later, Hvorostovsky
and pianist Michail Arkadiev performed Fearlessly, Hvorostovsky has now decided
Russia Cast Adrift at the Los Angeles Opera to return to Sviridov’s music, specifically
to a standing ovation, and then to great to Russia Cast Adrift. He embarked again
acclaim around the world. Their recording of on this emotionally charged journey not
it on Philips was released in 1996. only because of his experiences over the
twenty-plus years since his first recording;
As Hvorostovsky later recalled, “Sviridov was one that had enormously enriched both his
an austere man, but to me he was kind, like expressive palette and musical perspective.
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He also did it to realize Sviridov’s unfulfilled During his lifetime, Sviridov turned to
wish to orchestrate Russia Cast Adrift. The Yesenin’s poetry a few more times: in a
composer had mentioned his plans for four-movement cantata, Wooden Russia
orchestration in his diary as early as in 1981- (Dereviannay Rus’, 1964) for orchestra and
82 – but his intentions were left unrealized. chorus (it exists also in a later version as a
song cycle for two voices and piano with the
The new version offered here – brilliantly same title), and in Two Choruses (1967). Only
adapted by Evgeny Stetsyuk for orchestra poetry by Yesenin’s contemporary Alexander
and Style of Five, an ensemble of Russian folk Blok (1880-1921) got more musical settings
instruments, and conducted by Constantine by Sviridov, who also set literature by
Orbelian – closely reflects the sonic effects Pushkin, Lermontov, Shakespeare, Robert
and colors of the vividly depictive piano Burns, Avetik Isaakyan, Mayakovsky and
score. Bells ring, winds blow, waves “whisper,” many others.
geese cry, wings flap, and the magnificent
stillness of expansive Russian landscapes The composer was not only drawn to
alternates with sweeping flights through Yesenin’s verses – musical, sincere and
time and space. Russian in soul and sound – but also to
the tragic and rebellious personality of
This new orchestration also dramatically this village-born genius who committed
magnifies both the epic scope and profound suicide in 1925 at the age of thirty. There is
philosophical meaning of the work. Not by a 1976 entry in Sviridov’s diary – not long
chance did the composer define the genre before he created Russia Cast Adrift – about
of Russia Cast Adrift as a “vocal poem,” Yesenin and his poetry: ”… everything is
thus stressing its conceptual unity and deep, from the soul. Everything is simplicity
connecting the work to his monumental itself; everything is truth, not a shadow of
Poem in Memory of Sergey Yesenin for tenor, pretentiousness or self-adoration … He gave
chorus and orchestra. Written in 1956, this his heart to people. He will live on until the
“Poem“ (as well as its close predecessor My last Russian is alive on earth”.
Father is a Peasant (Moi otetz krestianin for
tenor, baritone and piano, 1955) was crucial Always perfectly attuned to language and
in bringing Yesenin’s name back onto the poetry and thoughtful in his selections,
list of the “officially accepted” artists after Sviridov chose a few short poems for Russia
decades of harsh ideological criticism by Cast Adrift – along with some excerpts
Soviet cultural authorities. from Yesenin’s larger works – to build a
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philosophical narrative about the soul and Having been strongly influenced by church
fate of a poet and his beloved country. singing since childhood, he dedicated
All were written between 1914 and 1920, his entire creative life to music for voice –
during the most dramatic and turbulent both in the choral and chamber genres,
period in modern Russian history: the years and incorporated many features of Russian
of World War One, the Bolshevik revolution folk and church music into his own organic
and the devastating Civil War. Although musical language. In Russia Cast Adrift, he is
Yesenin explored his favorite topics here – at the peak of his mastery, bringing together
the beauty of Russian landscape, love for the best qualities of his style: seemingly
Mother Russia, Christian faith, loneliness traditional yet recognizably original, laconic
and longing – they all seem to take on an yet immensely rich, austere yet emotionally
especially dark tone. intense.
The verses also overflow with religious Sviridov is celebrated and admired in Russia,
symbolism: Jesus and other biblical figures but remains relatively unknown beyond its
appear, sad premonitions are felt, and borders. Dmitri Hvorostovsky has taken on
cosmic fires burn. Moments of intimacy, the personal mission of making his music
lyricism and strong melancholy contrast more widely known. This album is yet
with images of tragic destruction – but there another vital and lasting contribution from
are also evocations of hymn-like, epic, and Hvorostovsky – and it is as deep, personal
triumphant grandeur. At the end, Russia and sincere as the music itself.
– “My golden land,” as the poet calls it,
watched over by God, is seen through the — Maya Pritsker
eyes of someone who loves it passionately
and believes in its special destiny and in its
Editor’s note: A bonus track (No. 12: The Vir-
survival in the eternal battle of good and
gin in the City) has been added to the pro-
evil.
gram. This is the ninth and final song from
Sviridov, whose songs were often a means Sviridov’s Petersburg, a vocal poem (see
of expressing his spiritual independence above program notes, p. 3).
and inner resistance to Soviet officialdom,
not only shared these sentiments; he also
identified to some degree with the poet.
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1. Osen’ Autumn
Tikho v chashche mozhevelya pa abryvu, In the juniper thicket by the cliff,
osen’- ryzhaya kabyla cheshet grivu, autumn, like a chestnut mare,
Nad rechnym pakrovom beregof softly shakes her mane.
slyshen sinii liask yiyo padkof. Over the river’s veiled banks,
one hears the blue ring of her hooves.
Veter – skhimnik shagom astarozhnym Like a monk, with careful steps,
mnyot listvu pa vystupam darozhnym, the wind tramples the leaves
i tseluet na ryabinovom kustu on the rutted road,
yazvy krasnye nezrimomu Khrisru. and, on a rowan bush, kisses
the unseen Christ’s scarlet wounds.
2. Ya pakinul radimyi dom I Left My Home Behind
Ya pakinul radimyi dom I left my home behind,
galubuyu astavil Rus’. renouncing blue Russia.
F tri zvezdy bereznyak nat prudom Dangling over the pond,
Teplit materi staroi grust. three stars of birch melt my old mother’s grief.
Zalatoyu liagushkoi luna Like a golden frog, the moonshine
rasplastalas’ na tikhoi vade. dapples the still water.
Slovno yablonnyi tsvet, sedina Sprinkles of gray, like apple blossoms,
u atsa pralilas v barade. show in my father’s beard.
Ya ne skoro, ne skoro vernus’! I won’t return for a very long time!
Dolga pet’ i zvinet’ purge. Singing blizzards will long ring.
Sterizhot zalatuyu Rus’ An ancient, one-legged maple
staryi klion na adnoi nage. keeps vigil over blue Russia.
I ya znayu, est radost’ v nyom, And I know that I would
tem, kto listyef tseluyet dosht’, kiss its rain of leaves with joy,
attavo, shto tot staryi klion for the maple tree’s head
golovoi na menya pakhosh. is much like my own.
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3. Atvari mne, strash zaoblachnyi Open Before Me, O My Guardian Angel
Atvari mne, strash zaoblachnyi, Open before me, O my guardian angel,
Galubye dveri dnya. the day’s blue gates.
Belyi angel etoi polnochyu Yesterday at midnight, a white angel
maivo uvyol kanya. took my horse from me.
Bogu lishnivo ni nadabna, God doesn’t need him –
kon’ moi – moshch maya i krep’. my horse, my power and strength.
Slishu ya, kak rzhot on zhalabna, I hear his pathetic whinny,
zakusif zlatuyu tsep’. as he champs his golden bit.
Vizhu, kak on byotsa, mechitsa, I see him struggling and flailing,
teribya tugoi arkan, tugging at his tight halter,
i letit s nivo, kak s mesitsa, his dark hair flying into the mist,
sherst bulanaya f tuman. as if from the moon.
4. Seribristaya daroga Silver Path
Seribristaya daroga, Silver path,
ty zaviosh minya kuda? where do you lead me?
Svechkoi chistochetvirgovoi Above me shines a star,
Nada mnoi garit zvizda. like a burning candle in holy week.
Grust’ ty ili radost’ teplizh? Is there joy or grief in your warmth?
Il’ k bizumyu pravish bek? Or do you lead straight into madness?
Pamagi mne sertsem veshnim Help me to love your bitter snow
dalubit’ tvoi zhostkiy snek. with a heart of spring.
Dai ty mne zariu na drovni, And bring me dawn on a wooden sleigh,
Vetku verby na uzdu. a sprig of willow in the horse’s bridle.
Mozhet byt’, k vratam gaspodnim Perhaps I can find
sam sibya ya prividu. heaven’s gates alone.
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5. Atchalifshaya Rus’ Russia Cast Adrift

Zemlya maya zlataya! My golden earth!
Asenniy svetlyi khram! Shining temple of autumn!
Gusei kriklivykh staya A flock of noisy geese
nisyotsa k ablakam. flies up to the clouds.
To dush priobrazhennykh A countless host
neschislimaya rat’, of transformed souls,
s azior padnyafshis’ sonnykh rises from the sleepy lake,
litit v nibesnyi sat. ascending to heaven’s garden.

A fpiridi ikh lebit’, And a swan leads them,
v glazakh, kak roshcha, grust’. a grove of sorrow in its eyes.
Ni ty li plachish v nebe, Is that you wailing in the heavens,
atchalifshaya Rus’? Russia cast adrift?
Leti, leti, ni beisya, Fly, fly, don’t worry,
fsimu svoi chas i brek. there’s a time and place for everything.
Vitra stekayut f pesniu, The wind descends, flowing into my song,
a pesnya kanet v vek. and my song fades away into time.
Leti, zlataya Rus’! Fly, golden Russia!
6. Simone, Pyotr… Gde ty? Pridi… Simon, Peter ... Where Are You? Come to Me
“Simone, Pyotr… Gde ty? Pridi…” “Simon, Peter ... Where are you? Come here
Vzdrognuli vyotly: “Tam, fperidi!” to me ... “
“Simone, Pyotr… Gde ty? Zavu!” The willows quivered: “There, just ahead!”
Shepchitsa kto-to: “Krichi f sinivu!” “Simon, Peter ... Where are you? I call to you!”
Kriknul – I gromko vzdybilsya mrak. Someone whispers: “Call into the blue!”
Vyshel s katomkoi ryshiy rybak. He called out, and the darkness bristled loudly.
“Druk… ty atkuda?” “Shol za taboi…” Out came a redheaded fisherman with a
“Kto ty?” – “Iuda”, – shamknul priboi. knapsack.
“My friend ... where did you come from? I
followed you ... who are you?”
“Judas,” murmured the surf.
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7. Gde ty, gde ty, otchiy dom Where Are You, O My Father’s House?
Gde ty, gde ty, otchiy dom Where are you, where are you,
grefshiy spinu gad bugrom? O my father’s house,
Siniy, siniy moi tsvitok, as it warms your back on the hill?
niprikhozheniy pisok. My blue, blue flower, untracked sand.
Gde ty? Za rekoi payot pitukh – Where are you? Beyond the river, a
tam stada stiryok pastukh, cock crows – a shepherd guards his flock,
i svitilis’ iz vady and three faraway stars
Tri dalyokie zvizdy. glow in the water.
Vremya – melnitsa s krylom Time, on a windmill’s wings,
apuskait za silom swings the moon down behind the village
mesyats mayatnikom v rosh like a pendulum, streaming
lit’ chisof nizrimimyi dosht’. an unseen rain of hours into the rye.
Etot dozhdik s sonmom strel The rain, with arrows flying,
f tuchakh dom moi zavirtel, spun my house in the clouds.
Galuboi skasil tsvitok, It mowed down the blue flower,
zalatoi primyal pisok. flattening the golden sand.
Gde ty, gde ty, Where are you, where are you,
otchiy dom? O my father’s house?
8. Tam, za mlechnymi khalmami Beyond the Hills of the Milky Way
Tam, za mlechnymi khalmami, Beyond the Milky Way’s hills,
Sred’ nibesnykh topolei, amid the heavenly poplars,
aprakinulsia nad nami silver-stringed Aquarius
srebrostrunnyi Vadalei. stumbled from the sky above.
On Midveditsei s lazuri – He ladled the Great Bear
kak iz bochki chirpakom. up from the blue, like water from a barrel.
V nebo prygnufshaya burya A storm, springing into the sky,
sela mesiatsu virkhom. straddled the moon.
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