Ozymandias, Romances For Low Voice: Savenko(B)Blok(P)

The music of the Ukrainian composer Boris Lyatoshynsky (1895-1968) is familiar in his home country but sorely neglected abroad. Lyatoshynsky's songs are neglected even there: this anthology of his best romantsiy for low voice and piano contains many first recordings. The songs meld intense Scriabinesque expressionism with elements of Ukrainian folksong in a language that embraces both the lyrical and the dramatic. His setting of Shelley's Ozymandias, with it's warning of the impermanence of power, was a brave act in the Soviet Union of 1924. The booklet contains full sung texts, with English translations by Russian-music expert Anthony Phillips, who also provides an extensive introduction to Lyatoshynsky, his songs and his artistic milieu.