Я покинул родимый дом // by Georgy Sviridov

Я покинул родимый дом / from Oтчалившая Русь (1977) ◽ music by Georgy Sviridov (1915-98) ◽ text by Sergei Yesenin (1895-1925) ❯ PERFORMED BY ❮ ◽ Olivier Gagnon, tenor ◽ Rami Sarieddine, piano // ❯ ABOUT THE PIECE ❮ Oтчалившая Русь (Russia Cast Adrift) The work's title is taken from a line Sergei Yesenin's poem "The Dove of Jordan" which says "Is it not you weeping in the sky, Russia cast adrift?". For Sviridov to choose this as the cycle's title was considered a bit subversive in 1970s Russia. Its 1980 premiere as a tenor cycle was such a failure that the composer refused to acknowledge this as its actual premiere. He reworked it and "re-premiered" it in 1983 with mezzo-soprano Elena Obraztsova, playing the piano part himself. The excerpts sung today are from the original 1977 tenor version but with all the edits of the 1983 version. You will hear the two first and the two last songs of the cycle, the entire cycle consisting of 12 song. In his diary, Georgy Sviridov wrote some short notes for each songs. Of the first two songs, he describes them as "landscape and lyric poetry"; of the two last, he says they express "an endless faith in the Motherland, in its best spiritual powers; a solemn hymn, faith in finding a homeland". During the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Tsarist autocracy was toppled by Lenin's Bolsheviks (also known as the "reds"), which layed the foundations for the Soviet Union that was to come. Artists including Yesenin, initially rejoiced at the idea of having more freedom of expression and turned their focus to making political art supporting the new regime. But soon they were put to work on propaganda and the thing they hoped for the most was strictly managed and restricted through censorship. The poetry Sviridov chose is from Yesenin's earlier works; they are dated between 1914-20. Thus, they reflect the more hopeful part of this transition period. ❯ ABOUT THE COMPOSER ❮ Georgy Sviridov (born in Fatezh, Kursk Province in 1915; died in Moscow in 1998) was a Russian composer and pianist. He studied composition and piano at the Leningrad Conservatory with Ryazanov and Shostakovich. Exceptionally, at age 19 he was accepted into the Composer's Union for his first song cycle 6 романсов на слова А. С. Пушкина (6 Romance on Poems by A. S. Pushkin, 1935). He mainly wrote vocal music, but has also written orchestral, chamber and film music. Notable works of his include the oratorio Декабристы (The Decembrists, 1955), his chamber cantata Деревянная Русь (Wooden Russia, 1965), his cantata Поэма Памяти Сергея Есенина (Poem in Memory of Sergei Yesenin, 1956), his cantata Курские Песни (Kursk Songs, 1964) and his song cycle Петербург (Petersburg, 1995). Throughout his entire career, he enjoyed widespread acclaim in the USSR, praised for writing patriotic Russian music in a lyrical Neo-Romantic style. He was awarded the Stalin Prize, the Lenin Prize, twice the USSR State Prize, was named People's Artist of the USSR, was named a Hero of Socialist Labor and twice received the Order of Lenin. ❯ ABOUT THE POET ❮ Sergei Yesenin (born in Konstantinovo, Ryazan Governorate in 1895; died in Leningrad [later renamed St. Petersburg] in 1925) was a Russian poet. He wrote extensively throughout his short life, notable works include Радуница (Ritual for the Dead, 1916), Исповедь хулигана (Confessions of a Hooligan, 1921), Москва кабацкая (Moscow in the Taverns, 1924), Неуютная жидкая лунность (Desolate and Pale Moonlight, 1925). Born into a peasant family, he had very little formal education but quickly became a leading literary and public figure in revolutionary Russia. In 1919, he signed the literary manifesto of the group of Russian poets called the Imaginists and quickly became their leading exponent. He led a boisterous life while abusing alcohol and cocaine. He was married and divorced to three different women between 1922-25, one being the famed American choreographer Isadora Duncan, another being Leon Tolstoy's granddaughter. His quarrels and public scenes with his wives were often featured in the international newspapers. Before hanging himself in a Leningrad hotel, Yesenin slit his wrists, and, using his own blood, wrote a farewell poem. This said, many conspiracy theorists say this was all an elaborate murder, possibly orchestrated by the government to silence his subversive poetic voice. ❯ ABOUT THE PERFORMERS ❮ Olivier Gagnon was born in Bermuda and raised in Ireland by Québécois parents. He earned a bachelor's in music with First Class Honours and concert recital diploma at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and recently graduated from Bard College Conservatory's Vocal Arts Program, directed by Dawn Upshaw, studying voice with Sanford Sylvan An active performer throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and the Arabian Peninsula, Rami Sarieddine currently maintains an active schedule as a collaborative pianist, chamber musician, soloist, and music educator.