Anna Akhmatova

Anna Akhmatova is the literary pseudonym of Anna Andreevna Gorenko. Her first husband was Gumilev, and she too became one of the leading Acmeist poets. Her second book of poems, Beads (1914), brought her fame. Her earlier manner, intimate and colloquial, gradually gave way to a more classical severity, apparent in her volumes The Whte Flock (1917) and Anno Domini MCMXXI (1922). The growing distaste which the personal and religious elements in her poetry aroused in Soviet officialdom forced her thereafter into long periiods of silence; and the poetic masterpieces of her later years, A Poem without a Hero and Requiem, were published abroad.  
A recital of Russian songs. Philips [1969] 5 poems by Anna Akhmatova, by Profofiev. Galina Vishnevskaya, soprano; Mstislav Rostropovich, piano;  sung in Russian.
1.

Sunshine has filled the room 
with clear golden specks of dust.
I woke up and remembered,
dear, it was your birthday.

But far beyond my windows 
snow has covered the ground, 
And made me forget, so now to atone, 
I sleep without dreams.

2.

True tenderness is silent 
and can't be mistaken for anything else.
In vain with earnest desire 
you cover my shoulders with fur;
In vain you try to persuade me 
of the merits of first love.
But I know too well the meaning 
of your persistent burning glances.

3.
Pamjat' o solnce v serdce slabejet,
Zheltej trava.
Veter snezhinkami rannimi vejet
Jedva-jedva.

Iva na nebe pustom rasplastala
Vejer skvoznoj.
Mozhet byt', luchshe, chto ja ne stala
Vashej zhenoj.

Pamjat' o solnce v serdce slabejet.
Chto `eto? T'ma? 
Mozhet byt'! Za noch' prijti uspejet
Zima.

4.

Greetings! Do you hear the soft rustle 
beside your table?
Don't bother to write 
for I'll come to you.

Is it possible you are angry
with me like the last time?
You say that you don't want to see my hands,
my hands or my eyes.

I am with you in your bright, simple room.
Don't chase me away 
to where the cold, murky water 
flows under the bridge.

5.

Slava tebe, bezyskhodnaja bol'!
Umer vchera seroglazyj korol'.
Vecher osennij byl dushen i al.
Muzh moj, vernuvshis', spokojno skazal:
,,Znajesh', s okhoty jego prinesli,
Telo u starogo duba nashli.
Zhal' korolevu. Takoj molodoj!
Za noch' odnu ona stala sedoj.``

Trubku svoju na kamine nashjol
I na rabotu nochnuju ushjol.
Dochku moju ja sejchas razbuzhu,
V seryje glazki jejo pogljazhu.
A za oknom shelestjat topolja:
,,Net na zemle tvojego korolja.` 

Akhmatova reciting the poem “To the Muse,” from the video the Akhmatova File.

Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750 Notenbuch der Anna Magdalena Bach (1725) Pages from the Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach Decca, [1966]   Charles Bressler, tenor ; New York Chamber Soloists.
Moffo, Anna.  Arias from Faust, La Bohème, Dinorah, Carmen, Semiramide, Turandot, Lakmé RCA Victor, [c1961]  Sung in Italian and French.  Anna Moffo, soprano; Rome Opera House Orchestra; Tullio Serafin, conductor.
Prokofiev, Sergey,| 1891-1953. Alexander Nevsky (Cantata) op. 78. [Based on music for the Eisenstein film, with words by Lugovskoi & Prokofiev.]  Angel, 1972.  Anna Reynolds, mezzo-soprano; London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus; André Previn, conductor.
Montemezzi, Italo, 1875-1952  L'amore dei tre re opera in three acts. Libretto by Sem Benelli, based on his play of the same name] RCA,  1977  Anna Moffo, soprano; Placido Domingo, Ryland Davies, tenors; Pablo Elvira, baritone; Cesare Siepi, bass; supporting soloists; Ambrosian Opera Chorus;
London Symphony Orchestra; Nello Santi, conductor.
Mad scenes from Anna Bolena, Hamlet [and] Il pirata. Angel [1959]   Donizetti, G. Anna Bolena: Plangete voi? Al dolce guidami castel natio. Maria Meneghini Callas, soprano; supporting soloists; Philharmonia Chorus; Philharmonia Orchestra; Nicola Rescigno, conductor.
Shchedrin, Rodion Konstantinovich,1932-  Anna Karenina. complete ballet. Melodiya / Angel [1973]  Bolshoi Theater Orchestra; Yuri Simonov, conductor.