Music TheoryPrint

Dmitri Shostakovich

The Execution of Stepan Razin

The Execution of Stepan Razin (Russian «Казнь Степана Разина») (Op. 119) is a cantata composed by Dimitri Shostakovich to a libretto by Yevgeny Yevtushenko in 1964. The subject is the execution of

Lyrics#

The opening section of Yevtushenko’s poem depicts Razin’s fate in front of the uncaring crowd: In the middle section, Razin reflects on his fate: “Fool! Stenka, you die for nothing!” The final section describes the execution itself, in very short, choppy lines: the crowd falls silent, and Razin’s head, still living - laughs his triumph over the watching tsar.

Recordings#

  • Shostakovich: Cantatas — Estonian Concert Choir, ENSO Paavo Järvi Erato 2015.
  • The Execution of Stepan Razin — Seattle Symphony Chorale, Seattle Symphony, Gerard Schwarz: Naxos 2006.
  • Symphony No. 12 and The Execution of Stepan Razin — Rundfunkchor & Sinfonie-orchester Leipzig, Herbert Kegel: Philips 1992.
  • Georgy Sviridov Oratorio Pathetique and Shostakovich The Execution of Stepan Razin — Varna Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, Andrey Andreev (cond.) & Assen Vassilev (bass): Koch International Classics 1990.
  • Symphony No. 9 and The Execution of Stepan Razin — Moscow State Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra & Republican Russian Choir Capella, Kirill Kondrashin (cond.) & Vitali Gromadsky (bass): Melodiya 1965 (reissued as a CD in 2015 by High Definition Tape Transfers).

See also#

*List of compositions by Dmitri Shostakovich

  • Russian libretto to Erato recording of Shostakovich Cantatas
  • lyrics in Russian
  • lyrics in Russian (alternative site)
  • Index to texts of other poems set by Shostakovich
Composer
Dmitri Shostakovich