Song Cycle by Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)

1. Vesnoj

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by Count Aleksei Konstantinovich Tolstoy (1817-1875) , title unknown, published 1858

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Zvonche zhavoronka pen'je,
Jarche veshnije cvety,
Serdce polno vdokhnoven'ja,
Nebo polno krasoty.

Razorvav toski okovy,
Cepi poshlyje razbiv,
Nabegajet zhizni novoj
Torzhestvujushchij priliv,

I zvuchit svezho i juno
Novykh sil moguchij stroj,
Kak natjanutyje struny
Mezhdu nebom i zemlej.

2. Ne veter veja s vysoty

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by Count Aleksei Konstantinovich Tolstoy (1817-1875) , no title, published 1851/2

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Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

FRE French (Guy Laffaille) , "Ce n'est pas le vent qui souffle des hauteurs", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "It was not the wind", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Ne veter, veja s vysoty,
Listov kosnulsja noch'ju lunnoj.
Mojej dushi kosnulas' ty.
Ona trevozhna, kak listy,
Ona, kak gusli, mnogostrunna.

Zhitejskij vikhr' jejo terzal
I sokrushitel'nym nabegom,
Svistja i voja, struny rval
I zanosil kholodnym snegom.

Tvoja zhe rech' laskajet slukh,
Tvojo legko prikosnoven'je,
Kak ot cvetov letjashchij pukh,
Kak majskoj nochi dunoven'je.

3. Svezh i dushist tvoj roskoshnyj venok

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by Afanasy Afanas'yevich Fet (1820-1892) , title unknown, published 1847

Svezh i dushist tvoj roskoshnyj venok,
vsekh v njom cvetov blagovonija slyshny,
kudri tvoji tak obil'ny i pyshny, -
svezh i dushist tvoj roskoshnyj venok.

Svezh i dushist tvoj roskoshnyj venok,
jasnogo vzora [gubitel'na]1 sila, - 
net, ja ne verju, chtob ty ne ljubila:
svezh i dushist tvoj roskoshnyj venok

Svezh i dushist tvoj roskoshnyj venok.
Schastiju serdce legko predajotsja:
mne bliz tebja khorosho i pojotsja.
Svezh i dushist tvoj roskoshnyj venok.

4. To bylo ranneju vesnoj

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by Count Aleksei Konstantinovich Tolstoy (1817-1875) , no title, published 1871

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Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (unknown or anonymous translator) , "It was in the early spring"
FRE French (Guy Laffaille) , "C'était au début du printemps", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

To bylo ranneju vesnoj,
trava jedva vskhodila,
ruch'ji tekli, ne paril znoj,
i zelen' roshch skvozila;

[ Truba pastush'ja poutru
jeshchjo ne pela zvonko,
i v zavitkakh jeshchjo v boru,
byl paporotnik tonkij; ]1

To bylo ranneju vesnoj,
v teni berjoz to bylo,
kogda s ulybkoj predo mnoj
ty ochi opustila...

To na ljubov' moju v otvet
ty opustila vezhdy!
O zhizn'! o, les! o, solnca svet!
O, junost'! o, nadezhdy!

I plakal ja pered toboj,
na lik tvoj gljadja milyj;
to bylo ranneju vesnoj,
v teni berjoz to bylo!

To bylo v utro nashikh let!
O, schast'je! o sljozy!
o, les! o, zhizn'! o, solnca svet!
O, svezhij dukh berjozy!

Browse imslp.org (Petrucci Music Library) for art songs or choral works