April 23 - birthday of Russian composer Sergey Prokofiev (born in 1891). Here’s one of my favourite pieces, Dance Of The Knights from “Romeo and Juliet” (1935).
(This theme was sampled in Robbie William’s “Party Like a Russian”.)
This blog is about old postcards, book illustration, history and culture of Russia and the Soviet Union. I'm a long time collector, and this blog is 10 years old.
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Sergei Prokofiev - Peter and the Wolf (1936)
We’re being snowed in this wonderful Saturday morning, so it’s the perfect time for some classical music!
The first one is the music of Peter and the Wolf (no narrative). Ignore the video, it’s the only way I could find this version on youtube.
Vancouver Orchestra’s version for kids - with the original narrative
Serving as cherry on top - Benny Goodman’s swing version!
Have a wonderful Saturday guys!
stevetomjohn:
The tumblr classical music fandom always seems to have a problem with how various people spell Tchaikovsky, and for that reason I present to you the Library of Congress’s list of recognized spelling variants:
More vintage records I have for sale (all used). Most of it is classical music, a few non-classical on the third photo. The last two photos are boxed sets of Rakhmaninov and Prokofiev.
DM me with any questions/inquiries.
“Music on the Bone” (музыка на костях) was one of the many ways the man fought the system. While a lot of music (especially Western music) was banned in the Soviet Union, bootleggers made illegal records using x-ray film.
These pictures are from the exhibition I visited in St Petersburg. I loved the recreated bootlegger’s room!
Exhibition curated by X-Ray Audio
Get into the Russian mood — here’s some awesome folk music for ya
Over the River Wonder
In the Damp Forest
Порушка-параня (I have no clue what the title means, but it’s the famous one about the Curly Ivan that a girl named Praskovya fancies)
Barynya (Madame)
Kurevushka (Kureva means blizzard in a Siberian dialect). A different mood in this one, but I really really love it.
Music from Pyotr Chaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Sheet music (Russia, c. 1879)
Soviet sheet music covers from 1924-1929
The Fox’s Song, sheet music cover (USSR, 1938)
“Songs of little Octobrists and preschoolers”, sheet music cover (USSR, 1932)
Illustration by Kirill Ovchinnikov