Mussorgsky/Shostakovich - Songs and Dances of Death

Song cycle for voice (usually bass or bass-baritone) and piano by Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky. Dmitri Shostakovich orchestrated the whole cycle in 1962 for the dedicatee, soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. Seven years later, noting that he wanted to continue Mussorgsky's "too short" set of songs, he wrote his Fourteenth Symphony for soprano, bass and chamber orchestra, adding to the musical gallery of death's appearances. Shostakovich's orchestration had a substantial influence on many of his later works, and has since been adapted for bass and baritone voices.
1. Lullaby (00:00)
2. Serenade (05:26)
3. Trepak (10:03)
4. The Field Marshal (14:57)
Recorded by London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sung by Galina Vishnevskaya
Conducted by Mstislav Rostropovich (1977)

[@heatherferreira4225]

This explains my disillusion with fellow goths I used to hang out with. While they wanted to listen to The Cure and Ministry - both great groups, no disputing that - I tried to get them to listen to Mussorgsky, Shostakovich, Faure and Stravinsky, etc., and they declined. I think I'm the far richer former goth for it.

[@beataeschlimann205]

And you are so right to think so and you renter a paradise in the world of sound by doing so

[@cristinaradu2279]

Fabulous Mussorgsky! Inspiring artists like Shostakovich, Vishnevsakya & Rostropovich! Thank you for sharing this masterpiece !

[@Almamah]

TERRIBLERMENTE HERMOSA INTERPRETACION!!!!

[@LaurentJames]

Chants lyriques pour spectres gémissants.

[@gertruud1960]

Yes she is it..really very beautifull!

[@aguador67]

Tengo entendido que Galina Vishnevskaya perdió un hijo (de su primer marido, Mark Rubin), por lo que supongo que la interpretación de la "Canción de cuna" le salió de lo más profundo del alma :S

[@ve1na1]

No doubt, the composer was V.Mussorgsky, but the arranger - D.Shostakovich

[@gertruud1960]

I think the artist is Ludmilla Samcek, I find her the best " translater" , so beautifull in the heights and depths

[@Almamah]

UREGEWALT!!!

[@FerhadMehmet]

I don't know somebody noticed or not but this is not Dmitri Shostakovich but is Modest Mussoursky. ..

[@mckavitt]

Ferhad M - no, this is Shostakovich's orchestral arrangement of these songs by Mussorgsky.

[@FerhadMehmet]

mckavitt thank you for the info then. Title should be written according to that...

[@m3bmuadib]

"Mussorgsky is little short of an idiot." Sure Balakirev, sure...

[@kura83janko]

An idiot has an other meaning in russian language than in other languages - "idiot" in Russia means "somebody, who is very naive, trusting or see in human being only good things". Sorry for english, hope, you understood. Greetings from Slovakia

[@m3bmuadib]

Ján .Kurinec Seriously? That would be quite interesting, and a nice example of the problems of translation. But are you sure? Because it would also mean that the translator I read was unaware of that...

[@kura83janko]

Muad 'Dib Muad' Dib Yes. For example a book "Idiot" from F.M. Dostojevskij. Story is not about "sick man" or "psychopath" or "sociopath", but is about young man, who is...I don´t know explain it...who is "simple minded" - is that correct? Idiot from Dostojevskij is good example of the word "idiot". Young man is naive, he doesn´t understand the evil in people and so on......

[@dongjunh]

Ján .Kurinec Could it be the translation of Yurodivy, the Simpleton? The Eastern Orthodox Chuch has a tradition of venerating those Holy Fools. See examples of these in Boris Godunov as well.

[@kura83janko]

dongjunh Yes, yes...In my opinion, "the Simpleton" is very good synonym for "idiot". I am not ethnograf, but "Jurodivý" (Yurodivy, God´s fool) is something different in russian culture.

[@brithanyxigot7]

Terrible y hermosa a la vez

[@hohuba]

These songs do not really fit for a female voice.

[@heatherferreira4225]

Disagree

[@hohuba]

+Heather Ferreira Well, it's ok to listen, and this is a great recording, however in the context of text and Mussorgsky's original intention, it just does not really fit. It's like Montserrat Caballe would sing "I want to break free..." from Queen. Nice, but...

[@TwelveFrames]

+hohuba I agree. When I sang Kabelnaya, I treated it as a contest between the mother and Death. Death is trying to lure this child to him and the mother is countering everything he does. And again in Trepak, Death is luring away the old drunkard, parts of it are deviously sweet...and here she is belting out like trying to swat a butterfly with a two by four with a nail in it.

[@TwelveFrames]

+hohuba A female voice for these pieces...ok, That isn't what I'm objecting to...but how she's treating the content is where I object.

[@mckavitt]

Disagree too.