Monday, April 14, 2014
Гром победы, раздавайся!
This was the anthem of the Empire at the time when the Russian America colony was active. (This isn't the more familiar God Save the Tsar as heard in the 1812 Overture.)
Polistra loves it. An anthem about the PEOPLE, not about some abstract theory.
Semi-relevant sidenote: One advantage of a BIG classical anthem like this one, or like Uruguay's full-fledged opera, is that you can't screw it up. It takes professionals, or divinely inspired amateurs, to attempt it at all. "Singable" anthems (like Britain and France) invite sloppy or parodic performances. The US anthem is the worst of both worlds because it's simple enough to invite evil rock-n-rollers and crotch-grabbing assholes, but it's not really singable. (The tune Anacreon In Heaven was intended as a sort of 'contest piece' to demonstrate the talents of small singing ensembles. It was NOT meant to be easy!)
Polistra loves it. An anthem about the PEOPLE, not about some abstract theory.
Semi-relevant sidenote: One advantage of a BIG classical anthem like this one, or like Uruguay's full-fledged opera, is that you can't screw it up. It takes professionals, or divinely inspired amateurs, to attempt it at all. "Singable" anthems (like Britain and France) invite sloppy or parodic performances. The US anthem is the worst of both worlds because it's simple enough to invite evil rock-n-rollers and crotch-grabbing assholes, but it's not really singable. (The tune Anacreon In Heaven was intended as a sort of 'contest piece' to demonstrate the talents of small singing ensembles. It was NOT meant to be easy!)Labels: Гром победы
¶ 3:07 AM
