Songs
Gamajun ptica veshchaja
by Dmitri Shostakovich From Seven Romances on Poems of Alexander Blok (1967) Op. 127
Text & Translation
Gamajun ptica veshchaja
Russian source:
Aleksandr Blok
Zakatom v purpur oblechjonnykh,
Ona veshchajet i pojot,
Ne v silakh kryl podnjat' smjatjonnykh...
Veshchajet igo zlykh tatar,
Veshchajet kaznej rjad krovavykh,
I trus, i golod, i pozhar,
Zlodejev silu, gibel' pravykh...
Predvechnym uzhasom ob"jat,
Prekrasnyj lik gorit ljubov'ju,
No veshchej pravdoju zvuchat
Usta, zapekshijesja krov'ju!
Gamayun, the bird of prophecy
English translation ©
Julie Curtis
Which the sunset has turned to purple,
She utters prophecies and sings,
Too weak to raise her uncertain pinions...
She prophesies the cruel Tartars’ yoke,
A succession of bloody executions,
Earthquake, and famine, and flames,
The power of tyrants, the death of the righteous...
Seized by primоrdial terror,
Her beautiful face burns with love,
But with prophetic truth resound
Those lips stained with blood!
Gamajun ptica veshchaja
Russian source:
Aleksandr Blok
Gamayun, the bird of prophecy
English source:
Julie Curtis
Na gladjakh beskonechnykh vod,
Over the smooth and endless waters
Zakatom v purpur oblechjonnykh,
Which the sunset has turned to purple,
Ona veshchajet i pojot,
She utters prophecies and sings,
Ne v silakh kryl podnjat' smjatjonnykh...
Too weak to raise her uncertain pinions...
Veshchajet igo zlykh tatar,
She prophesies the cruel Tartars’ yoke,
Veshchajet kaznej rjad krovavykh,
A succession of bloody executions,
I trus, i golod, i pozhar,
Earthquake, and famine, and flames,
Zlodejev silu, gibel' pravykh...
The power of tyrants, the death of the righteous...
Predvechnym uzhasom ob"jat,
Seized by primоrdial terror,
Prekrasnyj lik gorit ljubov'ju,
Her beautiful face burns with love,
No veshchej pravdoju zvuchat
But with prophetic truth resound
Usta, zapekshijesja krov'ju!
Those lips stained with blood!
Composer
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich was a Russian composer and pianist. He achieved fame in the Soviet Union, although later developed a more complex and difficult relationship with the government. As a composer, he combined a variety of different musical…
Poet
Aleksandr Blok
Alexander Alexandrovich Blok was a Russian lyrical poet, writer, publicist, playwright, translator, literary critic.