Songs

1. Ekha, 'Echo'

by Benjamin Britten From Ekho poeta, 'The poet's echo' (1965) Op. 76

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Text & Translation

1. Ekha, 'Echo'
Russian source: Alexander Pushkin

Revetli zver´ v lesu glukhom,
Trubit lirog, gremit li grom,
Poyot li deva za kholmom—
Na vsyakiy zvuk, na vsyakiy zvuk
Svoy otklik v vozdukhe pustom
Rodish´ tï vdrug, rodish´ tï vdrug.

Tï vnemlesh´ grokhotu gromov,
I glasu buri i valov,
I kriku sel´skikh pastukhov—
I shlyosh´ otvet, i shlyosh´ otvet, i shlyosh´ otvet,
Tebe zh net otzïva,—tebe zh net otzïva—
Takov I tï, poet! poet!

Echo
English translation © Philip Ross Bullock

A roaring beast in woodland deep,
A sounding horn, a roll of thunder,
A maiden singing beyond the hill –
To each sound,
Through the empty air,
You send your reply without delay.

You hearken to the peal of thunder,
To the voice of the storm and of the waves,
To the cries of country shepherds –
To each you send your answer;
But no response comes back to you… Such,
Oh poet, are you!

1. Ekha, 'Echo'
Russian source: Alexander Pushkin

Echo
English source: Philip Ross Bullock

Revetli zver´ v lesu glukhom,
A roaring beast in woodland deep,
Trubit lirog, gremit li grom,
A sounding horn, a roll of thunder,
Poyot li deva za kholmom—
A maiden singing beyond the hill –
Na vsyakiy zvuk, na vsyakiy zvuk
To each sound,
Svoy otklik v vozdukhe pustom
Through the empty air,
Rodish´ tï vdrug, rodish´ tï vdrug.
You send your reply without delay.

Tï vnemlesh´ grokhotu gromov,
I glasu buri i valov,
I kriku sel´skikh pastukhov—
I shlyosh´ otvet, i shlyosh´ otvet, i shlyosh´ otvet,
Tebe zh net otzïva,—tebe zh net otzïva—
Takov I tï, poet! poet!

Composer

Benjamin Britten

Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British classical music, with a range of works including opera, other vocal music,…

Poet

Alexander Pushkin

Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (6 June 1799 – 10 February 1837) was a Russian poet, playwright, and novelist of the Romantic era who is considered by many to be the greatest Russian poet and the founder of modern Russian literature. Pushkin was born…

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