Seven Romances on Poems by Alexander Blok explained

Seven Romances on Poems by Alexander Blok (Op. 127) is a vocal-instrumental song cycle by Dmitri Shostakovich, based on verses by Alexander Blok.

It was written in 1967 for Galina Vishnevskaya. The composition is written for soprano, violoncello, violin, and piano. The first performance took place on October 25, 1967 at the Moscow Conservatoire Hall with Mstislav Rostropovich on cello, Mieczysław Weinberg on piano, David Oistrakh on violin and with Vishnevskaya.

Structure

The cycle consists of seven parts:

• 1) Song of Ophelia
• 2) Gamayun, the Bird of Prophecy
• 3) We Were Together
• 4) Gloom Enwraps the Sleeping City
• 5) The Storm
• 6) Secret Signs
• 7) Music

Recordings

ArteMiss Trio. (Alžběta Poláčková-soprano) ArcoDiva CD. UP 0069-2131

Galina Vishnevskaya (soprano), Mstislav Rostropovich (cello), Ulf Hoelscher (violin) and Vasso Devetzi (piano) for EMI^[1]

External links

• Info on Boosey and Hawkes page

Notes and References

1. Web site: Mstislav Rostropovich, Galina Vishnevskaya, The London Philharmonic Orchestra – The Rostropovich Edition: Songs And Opera Arias (1995, CD) - Discogs. Discogs.