''Songs of Our Days'', Op. 76 (russian: Песни наших дней), is a rarely performed
cantata for
mezzo-soprano and
baritone soloists, chorus and orchestra composed by
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''., group=n (27 April .S. 15 April1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, ...
in
1937, during the height of
Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secretar ...
's power. With rousing marches and text extolling (somewhat unrealistically) Russian virtues and Stalin's magnanimity, the work is composed in a much more approachable style than one would expect of Prokofiev's music during this period.
The total work contains eight songs:
# ''March'' – a Russian march for the full orchestra only
# ''Over the Bridge, Cavalry Song'' – for the male chorus
# ''Goodbye!'' – solo baritone and chorus
# ''Golden Ukraine, Folksong'' – full chorus
# ''Brother for Brother'' – solo baritone and chorus
# ''Girls'' – solo baritone and chorus
# ''A Twenty-year old'' – solo baritone and chorus
# ''Lullaby'' – mezzo-soprano and chorus
# ''October Flame'' – full orchestra and chorus
The text contains many references to Stalin. These were subsequently removed during the
Khrushchev Thaw.
The work was premiered on January 5, 1938 in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...
, conducted by
Aleksandr Gauk
Alexander Vassilievich Gauk (russian: Алекса́ндр Васи́льевич Га́ук; 30 March 1963) was a Russian/Soviet conductor and composer.
Biography
Alexander Gauk was born in Odessa in 1893. He recalled his first experience as h ...
.
[Booklet for CD, Prokofiev: On the Dnieper / Songs of our days, Chandos Records, CHAN10044.]
The work was first premiered in Western Europe with the original text by the Goldsmiths Sinfonia and Chorus in London, conducted by
Alexander Ivashkin
Alexander Ivashkin (russian: link=no, Александр Васильевич Ивашкин), (17 August 1948 – 31 January 2014) was a Russian cellist, writer, academic and conductor.
Ivashkin studied at the Gnessin Institute, where his teache ...
.
References
{{Sergei Prokofiev
Cantatas by Sergei Prokofiev
1937 cantatas