Slonimsky S. Green Years. Cycle of piano pieces

Sergei Mikhailovich Slonimsky (born in 1932) is one of the leading modern Russian composers. His creation embraces actually all the genres. Remember the musical drama “Virineya” (1965–1967) after the novel by L. Seyfullina, chamber opera “Master and Margarite” (1970–1972) after M. Bulgakov, opera-ballad “Mary Stuart” (1978–1980) to Ya. Gordin’s libretto, dramma per musica “Hamlet” (1990–1991) after W. Shakespeare’s tragedy translated to Russian by B. Pasternak, chamber opera (monodic drama) “King Ixion” (1993–1995) after the ancient myth and the tragedy by I. Annensky, the Russian tragedy in 14 visions with three epilogues and overture “The Visions of Ioann Grozny” to Ya. Gordin’s libretto, dramma per musica “King Lear” (2000–2001) after the tragedy by W. Shakespeare translated by B. Pasternak, 32 symphonies, ballets, instrumental concertos, cantatas, among which there is the “Voice From Choir” (1962–1963) to the verses by Alexander Blok, “One Day of the Life” (1998) to the texts from “Chapter of the Thousand” by Dhammapada translated by V. Toporov, Requiem for soloists, choir and symphony orchestra (2003), so as numerous choral, chamber-instrumental and vocal compositions. The spring of 2005 was marked by the ballet premiиre of the “Magic Nut” after the tale by E. Th. A. Hoffmann to the libretto by the artist Mikhail Chemiakine, who staged it in the Mariinsky Theatre. It was in 2008, when Slonimsky’s oratorial opera “Antigone” after Sophokle’s tragedy was firstly staged by A. N. Sokurov at the St. Petersburg Academic Kapelle.

Sergei Slonimsky is the People’s Artist of Russia, laureate of the Russian State Prize, knight of the orders “Merits before Motherland” and of the Commander Cross of the Order “Merits before the Polish Republic”. Slonimsky’s opuses are on roll all over the world.

The cycle “Green Years” is dedicated to this critical age in children’s life. The childhood is about to leave forever, instead new challenges are coming: doubts and questions. bliss and disillusion as never before. This is the scope of the new piano album with the obligatory optimistic final piece (Sport record).Various emotional moods are expressed by different stylistic ‘portraits’: Romantic tune (according to the author own words —unselfish lyrics of youth) is music of XX century, slightly inhibited, Hardcore Disco is quite another story, it is harsh and inimical… The First Disappointment features the first initial theme ‘from the undisturbed past’ but chromatically and in murky music atmosphere, without any diatonic ‘light’.

The same style is characteristic of the Autumn Song — like dark moody shadow of the Romantic Tune. 

But the final piece, Sport record, written almost entirely on white keys, is unambiguously optimistic; it is a portal into healthy reality of a youth, a record for the young performer, his first virtuoso piece.

Contents:

Romantic Songs (Music text example)  
Cool Disco  
My First Washout  
Autumnal Song  
Sport Record