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Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Shostakovich's 'Babi Yar' Symphony to Get World Premiere

If you're planning to be in New York this September, you might want to make note of this:

Dmitri Shostakovich made a two-piano version, never published, of his "Babi Yar" Symphony, No. 13, to verse by the Soviet dissident poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko. Thanks to special permission from the composer's widow, a portion of that arrangement will receive its world premiere next month in New York City.

"Babi Yar Remembered: Yevtushenko and Shostakovich in Word and Song," a special observance of the 65th anniversary of the notorious 1941 massacre of Ukrainian Jews near Kiev, is planned for 7 pm on September 27, 2006 in Safra Hall at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in lower Manhattan.

Yevtushenko himself will be on hand to recite his poem 'Babi Yar,' followed by the first movement (the one which sets that text) of the Symphony No. 13 in Shostakovich's two-piano version. ... Also on the program will be Shostakovich's Concertina for Two Pianos and several songs to texts by Yevtushenko; the poet will also recite several of his other works.

Complete information and tickets are available at the Museum of Jewish Heritage website.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Babi Yar -Would we know where to look for it on the Ukraine Map?
The UKRAINIAN JEWS are acknowledging the site- What are we UKRAINIAN - UKRAINIANS Doing.
No one seems to know we may be waiting -for someone to speakup.

Pawlina said...

You're right, KC. And human nature being what it is, nothing will happen until someone speaks up ... loudly and insistently enough to force someone to act.

I just read a profile on Gail Asper (of the CanWest Global Aspers) and in it she was quoted as saying that the way to get what you want is to be more persistent than those trying to stop you. And that you have to let people know that you're never, ever going to give up.

Which can explain the Asper family's (and anyone else's) success.

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