For soprano or mezzo-soprano and piano
The Sad Birch
for Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano and Piano
A song for soprano or mezzo-soprano and piano on a Russian poem by Afanasy Fet.
Russian Title
Печальная берёза. Text by Afanasy Fet.
Text
Afanasy Fet. Russian poem, 1842.
Structure
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The Sad Birch
Song for soprano or mezzo-soprano and piano.
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Text
Russian poem by Afanasy Fet.
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Duration
Approximately 3 minutes.
Work Information
Listen to Work
Educational listening access to The Sad Birch for soprano or mezzo-soprano and piano.
Text
Печальная берёза
Afanasy Fet · 1842
Печальная берёза У моего окна, И прихотью мороза Разубрана она.
Как гроздья винограда, Ветвей концы висят, И радостен для взгляда Весь траурный наряд.
Люблю игру денницы Я замечать на ней, Но грустно мне, если птицы Стряхнут красу ветвей.
Textual note: The score sets the complete Fet poem, with one variant in the final quatrain: “но грустно мне” appears in place of the commonly printed “И жаль мне”.
The Work
The Sad Birch is a compact song for soprano or mezzo-soprano and piano, composed in 1990. The Russian text is Afanasy Fet’s winter lyric Печальная берёза, written in 1842.
The poem contemplates a birch tree outside the window, transformed by frost into a delicate ceremonial image. Beauty appears as something fragile, luminous, and easily disturbed.
- Form Song.
- Language Russian.
- Forces Soprano or mezzo-soprano and piano.
Online Materials
Public links related to The Sad Birch. Audio is available on this page for educational listening.
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AudioListen to Work leraauerbach.com
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PublisherBoosey & Hawkes / Sikorski Boosey & Hawkes
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ScorePurchase Score Boosey & Hawkes
Publisher and Materials
Published by Boosey & Hawkes / Sikorski. The publisher catalogue page and purchase page are linked below.
