Poem by Afanasy Fet used in Sofia Gubaidulina's Concerto for Orchestra
May 21, 2020 1:44 PM   Subscribe

Earlier this year I attended a wonderful concert that included this music. What is the name of this poem? (Full name of work is Concerto for Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Band).
posted by WantOyster to Media & Arts (2 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: From the text at 7m16, it looks like:

50

Как нежишь ты, серебряная ночь
В душе расцвет немой и тайной силы!
О! окрыли – и дай мне превозмочь
Весь этот тлен, бездушный и унылый.

Какая ночь! Алмазная роса
Живым огнём с огнями неба в споре.
Как океан, разверзлись небеса,
И спит земля – и теплится, как море.

Мой дух, о ночь! как падший серафим,
Признал родство с нетленной жизнью звёздной
И, окрылён дыханием твоим,
Готов лететь над этой тайной бездной.
(1865?)

Silvery night, how languorous you are,
A secret force now in my soul is blooming!
O! give me wings – and help me fly afar
To overcome the soulless dust and gloomy.

O, what a night! The diamond dew so bright
Rivals in liveliness the starry shimmer.
The heaven like an ocean opens wide,
And sleeps the Earth – and like a sea it glimmers.

My spirit, like a seraph fallen, о night!
Feels kinship with the stars’ eternal spheres,
And wingèd by your breath, a daring flight
It longs to make over th’abyss mysterious.

trans. Alexander Pokidov (from http://pokidov-poetry.ru/А.Fet_Gentle_Call.pdf)
posted by notquitemaryann at 6:22 PM on May 21, 2020 [2 favorites]


Also I had never heard this work before, and it is marvelous, so thank you for the introduction!
posted by notquitemaryann at 6:24 PM on May 21, 2020


« Older How to accept good advice given badly   |   What is the best way to meet my needs over the... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.