Glyadya na Luch (Zabily Vy)
The sunset purple ray... (You have forgotten), Глядя на луч
The Russian composer and pianist, director of the Saint-Petersburg Music Society, Andrey Oppel, wrote the music for this beautiful Russian romance to the words of a verse, written by the poet Pavel Kozlov, in the second half of the 19th century.
Andrey Oppel was the grandson of the famous Russian surgeon Christopher Oppel, who had been knighted during the war of 1812 for the refusal to join Napoleon and to leave Russia, because he did not want to break his oath as a surgeon, to his country and his people. While Moscow was burning, he had stayed to provide the medical assistance to the wounded soldiers. Pavel Kozlov (1841-1891), on his turn, was the son of a noble family. After his education at the School of Guards sub-ensigns and cavalry Cadets, he was hired by the Special Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During his service, he met the Polish countess and pianist Maria Kalergis, and fell madly in love with her. |
Though he was not her only admirer, Kozlov left his job and followed the love of his life through Europe: he lived in Italy, France, Germany and Spain, where he met prominent figures of science and culture. Kozlov was much younger than Maria Kalergis, and the countess teased and mocked him, while being not interested in the young man at all.
In 1867, after returning from overseas, Kozlov served to the Warsaw Governor-General, but after having fought a duel with one of his rivals in love, he was seriously wounded at the chest. The bullet could never be removed, which would cause his premature death in 1891. In 1868 Kozlov went abroad again, where he met Turgeniev and prominent French writers, and in that way he got interested in literature. Firstly he tried to publish the poems he wrote in 1850, and later on he implied himself to the translation of the works of Shakespeare, Byron (Manfred, Don Giovanni, ...) and some famous Polish writers, which made him famous. In the years 1870 Kozlov's work was edited in periodicals, such as "Dawn", and "Journal of Europe". His own poems were not very special, but some of them, such as "Gladya Na Luch (Zabily Vy)", and "If I had known", to which Kozlov himself wrote the music in 1880, became well-known romances. The most important red threads in Kozlov's poetry were love, death and beauty.
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Boris Shtokolov performs "Gladya na Luch"
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The romance has been performed by the famous Russian singers, such as, Boris Shtokolov, Valeriy Agafonov, Valentina Ponomareva, Oleg Pogudin, Nataliya Murav'eva, Vadim Kozin, Evgeniy Dyatlov.
SCORES
SCORES
Russian text
Глядя на луч пурпурного заката, Стояли мы на берегу Невы. Вы руку жали мне; промчался без возврата Тот сладкий миг, его забыли вы. До гроба вы клялись любить поэта; Боясь людей, стыдясь пустой молвы, Вы не исполнили священного обета, Свою любовь – и ту забыли вы. Но смерть близка, близка моя могила; Когда умру, под тихий шум травы Мой голос прозвучит и скажет вам уныло: Он вами жил, его забыли вы. |
Transliteration
Glyadya na luch purpurnogo zakata, Stoyali my na beregu Nevy, Vy ruku zhali mne; promchalsya bez vozvrata Tot sladkiy mig, yego zabyli vy. Do groba vy klyalis' lyubit' poeta; Boyas' lyudey, stydyas' pustoy molvy, vy ne ispolnili svyashchennogo obeta, Svoyu lyubov' - i tu zabyli vy. No smert' blizka, blizka moya mogila; Kogda umru, pod tikhiy shum travy Moy golos prozvuchit i skazhet vam unylo: On vami zhil, yego zabyli vy. |
English text
The sunset purple ray we watched with pleasure, While standing on the Neva`s evening shore. You shook my hand so strong; we were unable to measure That sweet time blink, that you now ignore. You swore that you would love the poet ever; But of the people`s rumors being afraid, The sacred oath you have carried out never, To keep your own love you even failed. My near death and near grave get closer; And when I die, through that calm grassy hymn My voice will sound strong and say a dismal poser: He lived for you, you have forgotten him. Translated by Alexander |
http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/4237063/post228008551; http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/komrik/post392211532/page1.html;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Козлов,_Павел_Алексеевич
http://dnevnik.bigmir.net/groups/article/50248;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Kalergis
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Козлов,_Павел_Алексеевич
http://dnevnik.bigmir.net/groups/article/50248;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Kalergis