All credit to Martin Anderson’s Toccata Classics
for originality in spinning together this varied and tonally
lyrical Soviet song anthology. Varied it may be but it has
a golden thread in the form of Robert Burns and his poetry.
With his Russian translations the Voronezh-born
writer Samuil Yakovlevich Marshak (1887-1964) helped make
Burns' poetry accessible in Soviet Russia; not that he did
not have predecessors. His translations received wide currency
and Burns' people's poet sentiments and free-thinking reputation
tapped into the Soviet philosophy. Marshak also translated
Shakespeare (sonnets) and William Blake's poetry as well as
tales by Rudyard Kipling – the latter famously set by Lokshin
in his magnificent Third Symphony.
Sviridov’s fine nine-song sequence is
from 1955 and is the single largest items here. It recalls
a sort of intermittent trade-off between Shostakovich and
Finzi in ghoulish, swinging or reflective mood and lugubrious
and sinister Mussorgsky in Songs and Dances of Death.
Starlight glimmers in Findlay but Sviridov time after
time produces clever and indelibly memorable effects such
as the peg-leg jerk in Gorsky paren. Denisov’s
two songs are short. They are in an idiom similar to that
of Sviridov but somehow less adventurous though still deeply
pleasing. Further back in time we go to Shostakovich
and his three songs from op. 62. These are not as angular
or as cordite-fragrant as we might have expected. The first
is melancholy, the second charnel-jolly and the last a charmer
with a wicked seductive wink. The five by Yuri Levitin
are surprisingly troubadour style – ringingly confident
and for the most part cheerful with the occasional grin from
the skull beneath or a moment for desperate lovelorn sadness
as in Had I a Cave. Here Levitin imbues the song with
a musical treatment that suggests a deeper worldly sorrow.
Khrennikov’s three songs date from two years after
those of Shostakovich. They are again in a mildly sentimental
troubadour style – engaging yet with a darker under-belly.
Savenko is an oaken-sturdy coal-toned intelligent
singer with a bit of vibrato but just the right side of objection.
He is truly magnificent in a lustily resounding high note
in the last Khrennikov song. Blok throughout matches Savenko
in sympathy, skill and insight. Each artist is captured in
natural and pleasing sound.
The poems are given in the booklet in their
sung language. The Russian words are printed in Cyrillic rather
than transliteration. Translations into English are given
side by side with the original text. In addition there are
two sturdily rewarding and extensive articles which are smack-bang
on target.
Is there really a dissenting subtext in these
songs? I doubt it and wonder whether such exegesis is rooted
anywhere. It hardly matters. These are fine or at the very
least fascinating songs. Anyone interested in the art-song
in the last century needs to hear them. I hope there will
be more from the Soviet era. If you enjoy songs by Britten,
Poulenc or Finzi you will find reward in these.
Rob Barnett
Full song listing
Georgy SVIRIDOV (1915-1998)
Songs to Verses by Robert Burns
1. 'The Winter of Life [5:19]
2. 'The Soldier's Return [3:12]
3. 'John Anderson, my Jo [4:19]
4. 'Rantin', Rovin [Robin [1:42]
5. 'The Highland Laddie [2:38]
6. 'Wha is that at my bower-door? [3:21]
7. 'Gudewife, count the Lawin [3:52]
8. 'A Red, Red Rose [3:46]
9. 'A man's a man for a [that [3:51]
Edison DENISOV (1929-1996)
Two Songs to Verses by Robert Burns
'Somewhere a lassie lived [2:03]
'Comin thro [the Rye [1:20]
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Three songs from Six Romances
2. 'O, wert thou in the cauld blast [3:13]
3. 'MacPherson's Farewell [2:05]
4. 'Comin thro [the Rye [1:44]
Yuri LEVITIN (1912-1993)
Song-Cycle to Verses by Robert Burns
Song-Cycle, Op. 51:
1. 'A red, red rose [2:00]
2. 'John Anderson, my Jo [2:02
3. 'Sheila O'Neil [1:53]
4. 'Had I a cave [3:17]
5, 'Of a [the airts the wind can blaw [1:43]
Tikhon KHRENNIKOV (1913-2007)
Three songs from Five Songs to Verses by Robert Burns
1. 'Auld Lang Syne [2:45]
2. 'The Highland Laddie [1:58]
3. 'O, wert thou in the cauld blast [1:54
Vassili Savenko (bass-baritone);
Alexander Blok (piano) 
