Text & Translation
Ya byl u nei, 'I came to her'
Russian source:
Aleksey Vasil'yevich Kol'tsov
,,Lyublyu tebya, moj mily'j drug!``
No e`tu tajnu ot podrug
xranit` mne strogo zaveshhala.
Ya byl u nei, na prelest` zlata
Klyalas` menya ne promenyat`;
Ko mne lish` strastiyu py'lat`,
Menya lyubit`, lyubit`, kak brata.
Ya byl u nei; ya vechno budu
S eyo dushoj dushoyu zhit`.
Puskaj ona mne izmenit`,
No ya izmennikom ne budu.
Ya byl u nei, 'I came to her'
English translation ©
Philip Ross Bullock
‘I love you, my dear friend!’
But she bad me solemnly
To keep this secret from her girlfriends.
I came to her, and she vowed
Never to forsake me for love of gold;
To burn with passion for me alone,
To love me, love me as a brother.
I came to her, and I will live for ever,
My soul deep in hers.
She may betray me if she will,
But I will never be a traitor.
Ya byl u nei, 'I came to her'
Russian source:
Aleksey Vasil'yevich Kol'tsov
Ya byl u nei, 'I came to her'
English source:
Philip Ross Bullock
Ya byl u nei; ona skazala:
I came to her, and she said:
,,Lyublyu tebya, moj mily'j drug!``
‘I love you, my dear friend!’
No e`tu tajnu ot podrug
But she bad me solemnly
xranit` mne strogo zaveshhala.
To keep this secret from her girlfriends.
Ya byl u nei, na prelest` zlata
I came to her, and she vowed
Klyalas` menya ne promenyat`;
Never to forsake me for love of gold;
Ko mne lish` strastiyu py'lat`,
To burn with passion for me alone,
Menya lyubit`, lyubit`, kak brata.
To love me, love me as a brother.
Ya byl u nei; ya vechno budu
I came to her, and I will live for ever,
S eyo dushoj dushoyu zhit`.
My soul deep in hers.
Puskaj ona mne izmenit`,
She may betray me if she will,
No ya izmennikom ne budu.
But I will never be a traitor.
Composer
Sergei Rachmaninov
Sergei Rachmaninov was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor of the late Romantic period.
Performances
Previously performed at:
- Tell Me The Truth About Love 23 Oct 2023
- Michael Mofidian & Keval Shah - St John's Smith Square 15 Feb 2018
- From Vienna to Moscow: Michael Mofidian & Keval Shah 22 Oct 2017