Songs

Zhil Aleksandr Gertsevich,
There lived one Alexander Herzovich,
Evreyskiy muzykant, –
A Jewish musician:
On Shuberta navechival,
He polished his Schubert night and day
Kak chistyy brilliant.
To the brilliance of a diamond.

I vlast’, s utra do vechera,
From morning to night, morning to night,
Zauchennuyu vskruz’,
He practised endlessly, again and again,
Odnu sonatu vechnuyu
One single, eternal sonata
Igral do naizust’...
And played it by heart...

Chto, Aleksandr Gertsevich,
Look, Alexander Herzovich,
Na ulitse temno?
It's already dark outside, no?
Bros’, Aleksandr Serdtsevich, –
Give it up, Alexander Herzovich,
Chego tam? Vse ravno!
What you're on about - it doesn't matter.

Puskay tam italyanochka,
Let some Italian wench,
Pokuda sneg kruchit,
While the snow still crackles,
Na uzen’kikh na sanochkakh
Fly along after Schubert
Za Shubertom letit:
On her narrow little sleigh-

Nam s muzykoy-goluboy
With this dove-blue music
Ne strashno umeret’,
It's not so hard to die,
Tam khot’ voronoy shuboy
Just let it hang there a while
Na veshalku vesit’...
Like a raven-black coat.

Vse, Aleksandr Gertsevich,
That's all, Alexander Herzovich,
Zaversheno davno.
Everything is over long ago:
Bros’, Aleksandr Skrebtsevich.
Give it up, Alexander Scherzovich,
Chego tam! Vse ravno!
It's pointless! Nothing matters!