Song of the Week: "Dawn," Op. 24, No. 7 (Medtner)

Song of the Week

Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951)
Dawn | Opus 24, no. 7

The Music

One of Medtner's sunniest songs, "Dawn" is an all-around joy to listen to. The eight songs of Opus 24 are, in general, some of Medtner's most melodically appealing and Romantic songs.

The Performance



The Text

Poem by Afanasy Fet (1820-1892)

Russian

Шёпот, робкое дыханье.
Трели соловья,
Серебро и колыханье,
Сонного ручья,

Свет ночной, ночные тени,
Тени без конца,
Ряд волшебных изменений
Милого лица,

В дымных тучках пурпур розы,
Отблеск янтаря,
И лобзания, и слёзы,
И заря, заря!...

English (translation © Henry Drinker)

Whisp'ring, timid, softly breathing,
trills the nightingale.
Silver brooklet, lazy weaving,
ripples thru the vale;

flick'ring visions, gleams of beauty,
fantasies of grace;
magic changes, gone, returning,
in a loving face ;

purple shadows, smoothly stealing,
creep across the lawn,
tears and laughter, sighs and kisses,
and the dawn, the dawn!  

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