Why is my soul so full of song | Why is my soul so full of song

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by Osip Emil'evich Mandelstam (1891 - 1938)

Translation © by Richard Shaw

Отчего душа так певуча

Language: Russian (Русский)

Our translations: ENG

Отчего душа так певуча,
И так мало милых имен,
И мгновенный ритм – только случай,
Неожиданный Аквилон?

Он подымет облако пыли,
Зашумит бумажной листвой
И совсем не вернется – или
Он вернется совсем другой.

О, широкий ветер Орфея,
Ты уйдешь в морские края
И, несозданный мир лелея,
Я забыл ненужное «я».

Я блуждал в игрушечной чаще
И открыл лазоревый грот...
Неужели я настоящий
И действительно смерть придёт?

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• E. Firsova

E. Firsova sets stanzas 1-2, 4

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Note on Transliterations

Text Authorship:

by Osip Emil'evich Mandelstam (1891 - 1938) [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Elena Olegovna Firsova (b. 1950), "Отчего душа так певуча", op. 23 no. 1, stanzas 1-2,4 [soprano and piano], from Tri stikhotvorenija Osipa Mandel'shtama, no. 1. [
text verified 1 time
]

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

ENG English (Richard Shaw) , title 1: "Why is my soul so full of song", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Dmitri Smirnov

This text was added to the website: 2008-01-22
Line count: 16
Word count: 67

Why is my soul so full of song

Language: English after the Russian (Русский)

Why is my soul so full of song,
And why are there so few names dear to me,
And instant rhythm -- is it just an accident,
The unexpected wind of Aquila?
 
It will stir up a cloud of dust,
Will rustle in the papery foliage
And never return, or else
Return completely changed.





 
I wandered in a toyland forest
And discovered an azure grotto ...
Is it possible I am real?
And indeed is death coming?

Text Authorship:

Translation from Russian (Русский) to English copyright © 2008 by Richard Shaw, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in Russian (Русский) by Osip Emil'evich Mandelstam (1891 - 1938)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2008-01-22
Line count: 12
Word count: 75