Interpretation of Texts in Other Languages in Dmitri Smirnov’s Vocal Cycles

The author of the article examines twelve chamber-vocal cycles written by Dmitri Smirnov from 1973 to 2017 to texts by William Shakespeare, William Blake, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, James Joyce, Kathleen Raine, Matsuo Basho, Kobayashi Issy, Friederich Holderlin. A large portion of text in other languages in music by Smirnov by the fact that the problem of intersemiotic translation, which is most significant for the composer, is realized in it by various means. The article analyzes the lexical and semantical peculiarities of the poetical texts of the vocals cycles, which are performed in English, Japanese and German, and the influence of these peculiarities on the choice of certain musically expressive means and compositional techniques. Thus the parallel between verbal and musical poly-linguity is found, the impact of the lexical-semantic field of “nature” on broad usage of sound-depictive, sonar and aleatory techniques, the reflection of the aspiration of the poets towards myth-creation and symbolism in the usage of visual signs and elements of instrumental theater. An important role in the formation of the special fascination on the part of Smirnov to the serial technique was played by his lessons with Philip Herschkowitz, the continuer of the traditions of the composers of the Second Viennese School. The methodology, means of work with the twelve-tone series, the contrapuntal qualities, and the miniature forms demonstrate the manifestation of the influence of the music of Anton Webern. Keywords: composer Dmitri Smirnov, song cycle, poly-lingual text setting, serialism, modality, sonorism, soundpictorial quality, instrumental theater, William Blake, Matsuo Basho.