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Maria Yudina (Baba Yaga)

from Stalin's Piano by Sonya Lifschitz & Robert Davidson

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Pianist Maria Yudina introduces Mussorgsky's composition about the Russian folk tale Baba Yaga, a frightening persecutor and dictator who confuses, obstructs and harms everything. Her defiant letter to Stalin, praying for forgiveness for what she called his great sins before the Russian people and country, was her response to him sending reward money for her performance of Mozart.

Yudina's voice is doubled by Sonya on the piano, and then Yudina's performance of Mussorgsky's "Hut on Fowl's Legs" accompanies this speech melody, with surprising matching. Sonya reads from Shostakovich Testimony while continuing her piano performance based on Yudina's.

lyrics

Избушка на курьих ножках - баба яга.
The Hut on Fowl's Legs - Baba Yaga.

Всегда и во всех сказках, баба яга появляется как носительница зла.
Always, in all the fairy tales, Baba Yaga appears as a carrier of evil.

И если не всегда преследуемые ею люди или добрые духи погибают,
And if it is not always that the good people or good spirits she pursues perish,

то есть, если им удаётся выйти из её ужасающих, цепких преследованний,
in other words, if they succeed in escaping her horrid clutches of persecution,

так или иначе баба яга неуклонно всё путает, всему мешает, всему вредит,
one way or another Baba Yaga inevitably confuses everything, obstructs everything, harms everything,

и не приведи Господь повстречаться с ней.
And God forbid to cross path with her.

From Shostakovich, Testimony
Yudina received an envelope with twenty thousand rubles. She was told it came on the express orders of Stalin. Then she wrote him a letter. I know about this letter from her, and I know that the story seems improbable; Yudina had many quirks, but I can say this—she never lied. I’m certain that her story is true. Yudina wrote something like this in her letter: “I thank you Iosif Vissarionovich, for your aid. I will pray for you day and night and ask the Lord to forgive your great sins before the people and the country. The Lord is merciful and He’ll forgive you. I gave the money to the church that I attend.”

credits

from Stalin's Piano, released May 17, 2019
Robert Davidson, composer, engineer, editor
Sonya Lifschitz, pianist

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Sonya Lifschitz & Robert Davidson Brisbane, Australia

Sonya Lifschitz' bold adventurousness & unparalleled musicianship, described as “a life force of extraordinary density and capacity” see her active as soloist, collaborator, artistic director, educator, radio personality and arts advocate.

Robert Davidson has been making music from language since childhood. With his ensemble Topology he explores a wide range of cross-genre collaboration. ... more

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