Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 1, No. 6 (1927-03)

272 The Phonograph Monthly Review son ■ — The first version of “Boris” is not the one we know now by any means and his friends were the first to point out certain weaknesses in the score. He, himself, was not willing to admit the justice of the criticism that claimed a great weakness in a lack of feminine interest, but when the opera was refused for production in 1870 he spent the whole of the following year in revision. In 1873 the work was again submitted to the judgment of his friends and with their wholehearted accord it was put in rehearsal and mounted for the first time Jan. 24, 1874. The background of the opera is one of the most in- teresting and curious periods in Russian history. The almost inhuman behavior of Ivan the Terrible had brought all classes in the country to a state of terror and subjec- tion, all classes and all persons except one, that one was Boris Godounov, himself connected to the royal family through the marriage of his sister with the son of Ivan, Feodor. Upon the death of Ivan, Feodor, the rightful heir to the throne, was totally incapable of reigning due to a certain weak mindedness and Boris was made regent until a younger son Dmitri should become of age. It is supposed that Boris was extremely ambitious and obsessed by this lust for power, he saw to the murder of young Dmitri in 1581. History does not make certain upon the point as to whether Boris actually instigated the murder, but for the sake of the story both Pushkin and Mous- sorgski go upon this assumption. Boris was then invited to ascend the throne and while his region was one of re- form, it was also attended by the periodic appearance of pretenders claiming to be the murdered Dmitri. It is assumed that the thought of the crime so prayed upon the not overly strong mind of Boris, that upon the approach of one of the more popular pretenders toward Moscow, he was seized by a paroxism of fear and died in the arms of his son in the great consul hall of the nobles. The first scene in the prologue represents the outside of the Monastery of Novodeivicli where Boris has retired after the death of Dmitri. At once we are introduced to the main character in the peice, the people. They are praying to the Deity to make Boris accept the monarchy and to add realism to the scene some of the nobles have employed the police to use force that the prayers may be louder and more effective. There are no recorded ex- amples from this scene. We are then taken to the Red Square in the Kremlin. Boris has finally decided to give in to the will of the people and we see him passing through the cheering throng on his way to the coronation. This scene is re- corded complete, and I will, then, ask you to notice for the first time the fascinating use of the folk theme in such a way that it appears to be created by Moussorgski. The theme running through the whole first side of the record is of a distinctively folk character. At the beginning of the second side Boris comes in tired from his long self- enforced retirement, and with the thought of the crime already weighing upon his mind. He asks the blessing upon his reign and passes on into the church. H.M.V. DB900) The first scene of the first act shows us the interior of the call of the monk Pimen in the Monastery of the Miracle. Pimen is just finishing a chronicle of the his- tory of the Russian people and has just come to the death of the little Dmitri when a young novice, Gregory, who is in the room wakes from a dream. He questions Pimen concerning the death of the young Czarevich and learning that he was about his own age, is consumed with a pas- sion to right the wrongs that are being done to Russia by the usurper Boris. This scene, too, has been recorded almost complete. (H.M.V. DB765) The next scene shows us an inn on the frontier of Lithuania. The curtain goes up upon a charming folk song by the mistress of the inn and it is most unfortunate that we have no example of this song on record. Gregory has escaped and is making his way toward Poland where they are always ready to help stir up trouble against Russia. He is in the company of two tramp monks, Var- laam and Missail. The drinking of the former leads us to the only record from this scene, a folk song again. (Vic. 558). The police come in with a warrant for the escaped novice. Gregory makes his escape through the window. Again the scene changes and we are permitted a view of the interior of the private apartments of the Czar. Boris’ son, Feodor, is studying a map and his daughter ■ - r |SV Zenia, is mourning the death of her betrothed. The old nurse proposes a singing game in the hope of cheering Zenia, and once again we have the very charming folk material introduced which the recording companies do not provide us. Boris comes in and is in a happy mood at first; he talks to his son about his studies telling him that one day. he will rule. Upon the exit of the children there is a long soliloquy by Boris, measuring what he has gained against the method in gaining his power. Here again we see the thought of the crime weighing upon his mind. This has been recorded in full and you can see so clearly the influence of Dargomijski that I have spoken of before. (Vic. 6489). Prince Shouisky is admitted to tell Boris that there is a pretender passing through the coun- try and fast coming on Moscow. Boris is thrown into a fit of terror and makes the Prince swear the Young Dmitri is really dead. Shouisky’s swearing takes the form of a recitation and a recounting of the actual killing. After dismissing him Boris has a fit of the horrors and sees the ghost of the dead Dmitri come down to torment him. I believe that this scene, too, has been recorded for Poly- dor but I unfortunately have not a copy of the record. I will not take up much of your time with the next act, for in my opinion it is by far the weakest in the whole opera. Let it suffice to say that this is the scene that Moussorgsky added upon the advice of his friends. The whole act, two scenes, gives us an insight into the assistance that the Poles are giving to the rise of Gregory. Through the suductive powers of a Polish princess, Marina, they hope to gain control and have power over Gregory. Their success is very incidental to the story and in particular to the music. The first scene in the last act is, again in my opinion, the finest writing in the whole opera. The scene is near the frontier on the path that Gregory is taking on his way to Moscow. The Russian people are almost the only ones present through the whole scene, although we again meet Varlaam and Missail who have joined their drunken forces to that of the pretender. The whole scene is packed full of choral folk songs, again given to us in such a form that they appear to be the spontaneous creation of Mous- sorgsky. This has been recorded complete on a very fine set of records. The choral work is really very enthusiastic and Coates’ spirited conducting shows a very sympathetic understanding of the work. (H.M.V. D1090-1) We are now taken back to Moscow in the council of the nobles. As they are discussing what they are to do about the pretender and with Boris, the Czar comes in, fresh from his frightful experience of a few moments before in his apartments. He ascends the throne and the monk Pimen is shown in. He tells a story of an old shepherd that had been blind for many years; after trying all man- ner of cures there had appeared to him in a vision an angel that told him to go to the grave of Dmitri. This he did and his sight was restored. Boris is so affected by this story that he is overcome. He calls for his son, and in his arms he dies. The death of Boris has been very well recorded. (Vic. 6455) I am afraid that I have given but a very slight idea of the opera, but it is to me a great pleasure that I am able to present to you as many fine records from such a very important work. “I met Moussorgsky for the first time in the autumn of 1856. I had just been appointed army surgeon. Mous- sorgsky was an officer in the Preobajensky regiment. He was then seventeen. Our meeting took place at the hos- pital in which we were both serving; we met in a common room, which we both found equally dull. Both of us felt the same need for expansion, and we were not long in fraternising. The same evening we had an invitation to the house of the principal medical officer. Monsieur Pop- off had a marriageable daughter and frequently invited the doctors and officers on duty. Moussorgsky was what is popularly termed a smart officer, elegant in dress and in person; small feet, hair well trimmed, nails correct, aristocratic hands, distinguished in carriage and choice in conversation; he spoke with some affectation and sprinkled his discourse with French phrases a trifle pre- tentiously. In all this there was a touch of fatuity, but it was very slight and was tempered by a really superior education. He was a favorite with the ladies, and would sit down to the piano and play with grace and expression fragments from ‘Trovatore’ or ‘Traviata’ enchanted to hear his feminine audience murmer his praises in chorus. I met Moussorgsky three or four times at Popoff’s and