Composers

John Tavener

Born: 1944
Died: 2013
Six Russian Folk Songs (1978)
Work Notes
written as a present to the Nash Ensemble for their 15th anniversary
Publisher
Chester Music Ltd
Category
Soloist(s) and Large Ensemble (7 or more players)
Year Composed
1978
Duration
18 Minutes
Soloist
soprano
Orchestration
1(pic)001/0100/pf.domra/2vn.vc


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Programme Note
John Tavener Six Russian Folk Songs (1978)
Six Russian Folksongs were written late in 1978 and they represent 'a musical sigh of relief' (to borrow Stravinsky's phrase) after a long spell of intensive writing dating from my opera Therese (1975-77, receiving its Premiere at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1979) up to my monodrama The Immurement of Antigone (1978). They also belong to a group of 'Russian inspired' works including my opera A Gentle Spirit and Liturgy of St John Chrysostom.

I have made basically simple settings of Russian Folksongs to make this wonderful folk-art available to concert performance. This instrumentation of the songs includes an ancient Russian instrument called a domra which bears a family resemblance to the balalaika.

The songs are an anniversary present to the Nash Ensemble and are dedicated with my love to Amelia Freedman. The Nash Ensemble with Elise Ross (soprano) conducted by myself gave the first performance on 15 January 1979 at the Wigmore Hall, London


John Tavener

Discography - Six Russian Folk Songs
  • Ensemble
    BBC Symphony Orchestra / Nash Ensemble
    Soloist(s)
    Phyllis Bryn-Julson, soprano John Shirley Quirk, bass Elise Ross
    Conductor
    Gennadi Roshdenstvensky
    BBC Radio Classics:
    15656 9197-2
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Performances
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