''The Execution of Stepan Razin'' (Russian «Казнь Степана Разина») (Op. 119) is a cantata composed by
Dimitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, , group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his First Symphony in 1926 and was regarded throughout his life as a major compo ...
to a libretto by
Yevgeny Yevtushenko
Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Yevtushenko ( rus, links=no, 1=Евге́ний Алекса́ндрович Евтуше́нко; 18 July 1933 – 1 April 2017) was a Soviet and Russian poet. He was also a novelist, essayist, dramatist, screenwriter, ...
in 1964. The subject is the execution of
Stepan Razin
Stepan Timofeyevich Razin (russian: Степа́н Тимофе́евич Ра́зин, ; 1630 – ), known as Stenka Razin ( ), was a Cossack leader who led a major uprising against the nobility and tsarist bureaucracy in southern Russia in 16 ...
, a Cossack leader who headed a major uprising (1670–71) against the nobility and
tsarist bureaucracy in southern Russia.
Lyrics
The opening section of Yevtushenko's poem depicts Razin's fate in front of the uncaring crowd:
In the middle section, Razin reflects on his fate: "Fool! Stenka, you die for nothing!" The final section describes the execution itself, in very short, choppy lines: the crowd falls silent, and Razin's head - still living - laughs his triumph over the watching tsar.
Recordings
* ''Shostakovich: Cantatas'' — Estonian Concert Choir, ENSO
Paavo Järvi
Paavo Järvi (; born 30 December 1962) is an Estonian-American conductor.
Early life
Järvi was born in Tallinn, Estonia, to Liilia Järvi and the Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi. His siblings, Kristjan Järvi and Maarika Järvi, are also mu ...
Erato 2015.
Wall Street Journal - May 12 2015 New Shostakovich Recordings Highlight Composer’s Ambiguity
"Estonian conductor Paavo Järvi on why he was eager to perform Shostakovich works criticized for their apparent support for Stalin "
* ''The Execution of Stepan Razin'' — Seattle Symphony Chorale, Seattle Symphony
The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra also serves as the accompanying orchestra for the Seattle Opera.
History
Beginnings
The orchestra ...
, Gerard Schwarz
Gerard Schwarz (born August 19, 1947), also known as Gerry Schwarz or Jerry Schwarz, is an American symphony conductor and trumpeter. As of 2019, Schwarz serves as the Artistic and Music Director of Palm Beach Symphony and the Director of Orche ...
: Naxos
Naxos (; el, Νάξος, ) is a Greek island and the largest of the Cyclades. It was the centre of archaic Cycladic culture. The island is famous as a source of emery, a rock rich in corundum, which until modern times was one of the best abr ...
2006.
* ''Symphony No. 12'' and ''The Execution of Stepan Razin'' — Rundfunkchor & Sinfonie-orchester Leipzig, Herbert Kegel: Philips 1992.
* Georgy Sviridov
Georgy Vasilyevich Sviridov (Russian: Гео́ргий Васи́льевич Свири́дов ; 16 December 1915 – 6 January 1998) was a Soviet and Russian neoromantic composer. He is most widely known for his choral music, strongly influe ...
''Oratorio Pathetique'' and Shostakovich ''The Execution of Stepan Razin'' — Varna Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, Andrey Andreev (cond.) & Assen Vassilev (bass): Koch International Classics 1990.
* ''Symphony No. 9'' and ''The Execution of Stepan Razin'' — Moscow State Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra & Republican Russian Choir Capella, Kirill Kondrashin
Kirill Petrovich Kondrashin (, ''Kirill Petrovič Kondrašin''; – 7 March 1981) was a Soviet Union, Soviet and Russian Conducting, conductor. People's Artist of the USSR (1972).
Early life
Kondrashin was born in Moscow to a family of orchestra ...
(cond.) & Vitali Gromadsky (bass): Melodiya 1965 (reissued as a CD in 2015 by High Definition Tape Transfers).
See also
* List of compositions by Dmitri Shostakovich
References
External links
Russian libretto to Erato recording of Shostakovich Cantatas
lyrics in Russian (alternative site)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Execution of Stepan Razin
1964 compositions
Compositions by Dmitri Shostakovich