Ivan the Terrible, directed by Eisenstein, score by Prokofiev

Still from Ivan the Terrible (Ivan Grozniy / Иван Грозный)


Our next singer's choice comes from Andy, one of our basses, who recommends Prokofiev's soundtrack for Eisenstein's final masterpiece, Ivan the Terrible. 

As Andy says, 'There is something for everyone on here.'  This excerpt, The Swan / Wedding Song, is one of the loveliest moments in the entire score.  Regretably Blogger isn't permitting film footage to be embedded this afternoon, however if the link above should take you straight to the piece on YouTube.

If you haven't seen the film already, you're in for a treat. It was made in two parts (although Eisenstein intended it to have three); Stalin was delighted with the first part, released in 1944.  However he was less impressed by part two's portrayal of Ivan, a historical figure he apparently admired. Part two wasn't released until 1958, five years after Stalin and Prokofiev's deaths; by pure coincidence they both died on 5 March 1953.

As an added bonus, below is Prokofiev's Mnogaya Leta (Many Years) from the same film. Russkaya Cappella has sung this several times.


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