Let Word Be Turned to Music. Vocal compositions to the verses by the Russian poets of the 19th century

The golden age of the Russian art is first of all connected with the poetical heritage of Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. The traditions laid by the Russian genius defined the ways of cultural evolution, feeding meanwhile the sphere of music.

The collection “Let Word Be Turned to Music” compiled by Sergei Poddubny continues his previous collection “Petersburgian Pushkiniana”, revealing new aspects of the elaborated subject. Modern romances are neighbouring here with yet unknown masterpieces of the past, having been less popular, than the creams by the same authors.

Pushkin’s line “Let Word Be Turned to Music” is the maxima for the Russian composers of the 19th–21st centuries, ever inspired by the creation of Pushkin, his contemporaries and the poets of nowadays. These pearls were scattered during a century and a half. Diversity of styles and just tastes concealed in them reconstruct evolution in musical-poetical genre.

The collection’s educational aims are undoubted indeed. Studying of the Russian vocal traditions and their expressive evolution is useful for to comprehend aesthetic methods worked out by composers while treating poetical treasures.

Singers — teachers and students — would be really attracted by this repertoire, distinct for fascinating clear texture and vocal ingenuity.

Contents:

M. Glinka. CONSOLATION. Verses by V. Zhukovsky (Music text example)
A. Dargomyzhsky. I’VE JUST GOT IN TOUCH WITH YOU. Verses by A. Delvig
M. Balakirev. OH, LET ME STEALTHILY, THE NIGHT… Verses by A. Maikov
M. Musorgsky. DISPELLING, GIVING WAY. Verses by A. Tolstoy
N. Rimsky-Korsakov. YOUR EYES ARE GLOWING LIKE HEAVENS… Verses by M. Lermontov
A. Glazunov. NIGHTINGALE. Verses by A. Koltsov
S. Rakhmaninov. CHILD! YOU ARE AS FINE AS A FLOWER… Verses by A. Pleshcheyev (from Heine)
N. Metner. WHY ARE YOU BENDING OVER THE WATERS… Verses by F. Tyutchev
I. Admoni. VLAKH IN VENICE. From the cycle «Three Ballads from the “Western Slavs’ Songs” by A. S. Pushkin»
Yu. Kochurov. AUTUMN. Verses by F. Tyutchev (Music text example)
S. Slonimsky. ELEGY. Verses by A. Pushkin
S. Slonimsky. THE LAST CLOUD. Verses by A. Pushkin
V. Gavrilin. OH, YOU, MEMORY OF HEART. From the play “My Genius”. Verses by K. Batyushkov
L. Balai. WHERE IS THE SWEET WHISPER OF MY FORESTS? Verses by Ye. Baratynsky
V. Pleshak. HOW WONDERFUL IT IS… Verses by A. Fet
S. Poddubny. LAND AND SEA. Romance for female voice and piano. Verses by A. Pushkin
S. Poddubny. SUMMER’S WITHERING («To Natasha»). Verses by A. Pushkin
V. Rimsha. OH, THE TIME, DO NOT RUN… Verses by I. Kozlov (Music text example)
L. Rezetdinov. TO ADELLE. Romance for male voice and piano. Verses by A. Pushkin
G. Korchmar. PUSHKIN’S EPIGRAMS. Overture and six endless canons for vocal trio
     Overture
     I. Lion Is Recognized by Claws
     II. To Vorontsov
     III. To Köchelbecker
     IV. To Countess Orlova-Chesmenskaya
     V. In the French Manner
     VI. To Arakcheyev
I. Dzerzhinsky. FAIRY-TALE. Verses by A. Pushkin (Music text example)