Smirnov D. Suite to the verses by the Scottish and English Poets for soloist, mixed choir and two pianos

Dmitri Valentinovich Smirnov (born in 1952) is the Petersburgian composer, whose passion is choral and pedagogical activity. The “Compozitor Publishing House • St Petersburg” has already edited his collection of ecclesiastic and secular works to the verses by A. Pushkin, A. Fet, A. Tyutchev, M. Tsvetayeva, I. Annensky, B. Pasternak, A. Tarkovsky, Yu. Morits, so as his cycles “Cypress Casket” to the verses by Innokentiy Annensky and “Birth of Wing” to Yunna Morits, Arseniy Tarkovsky and Boris Pasternak, Concerto to the verses by Osip Mandelshtam “Small Cantata to the verses Lev Ginsburg”, choral triptych to Avetik Isaakyan, three choruses to the Latin American poets translated to Russian by Viktor Viktorov.

The compositions by Dmitri Smirnov have already entered the stock of different choirs in Russia and all over the world. Poetry is akin to vocal. Their natures are alike. Pronounced word strives for being poured to the sung word. 

The Suite to the verses by the Scottish and English poets was composed and firstly performed in 1981 (version for the soloist, female choir and two pianos). In 1987 Smirnov gave birth to the second version of the Suite published in this very edition for soloist, mixed choir and two pianos (now this opus is used in such an edition only). 

The première took place in the Small (Maly) Hall of the Petersburg Philharmonic Society on October 1, 1987. The St. Petersburg Chamber Choir (conducted by Nikolai Kornev) was its first performer. The Composition in this exact version entered the repertoire of numerous choruses in Russia, hitting marks all over the world and being recorded at the Petersburg Radio.

Contents:

I. THE PLOUGHMAN. Verses by R. Burns, translated by I. Ivanovsky
II. FOR THE SAKE O'SOMEBODY. Verses by R. Burns, translated by I. Ivanovsky
III. WHEN WE TWO PARTED. Verses by G. Byron, translated by I. Ivanovsky
IV. MY BOAT IS ON THE SHORE. Verses by G. Byron, translated by I. Ivanovsky
V. TE YOUNG MAY MOON. Verses by Th. Moore, translated by I. Ivanovsky
VI. O, WERT THOU IN THE COULD BLAST. Verses by R. Burns, translated by I. Ivanovsky