Russia of the 20th century through the prism of musical art: the 1950s – Georgy Sviridov
Abstract
This publication continues the contextual overview of Russian musical art of the 20th century. In this essay, the author turns to the compositional work of Georgy Sviridov in the 1950s. Particular attention is paid to the outstanding vocal cycle “Songs to Words by Robert Burns”, in which the theme of the man of the people occupies a central place. Sviridov comprehensively reveals such a person’s outlook on life, resorting to the democratic nature of his musical language and the simplicity of expressive means. A significant place in Sviridov’s oeuvre is also occupied by the “Poem in Memory of Sergei Yesenin”. The presence of several deep layers of meaning in this work is highlighted. In the 1950s, Sviridov also addressed the historical-revolutionary theme. This theme was vividly reflected in the “Pathetic Oratorio”, which offers a poetic and philosophical interpretation of the final stage of the Revolution and the first years of Soviet power. In conclusion, the cantata “No! We Do Not Believe!” is discussed, which expresses a tragic sense of the end of a great power.
References
- Свиридов Г. Музыка как судьба. М.: Молодая гвардия, 2002.
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About this article
Publication history
- Received: July 4, 2026.
- Published: July 27, 2026.
Keywords
- музыкальное искусство XX века
- Георгий Свиридов
- историко-революционная тема в музыке
- вокальный цикл
- 20th-century musical art
- Georgy Sviridov
- historical-revolutionary theme in music
- vocal cycle
Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
© 2026 Gramota Publishing, LLC