1938

1938

1 ADAMOVICH, GEORGII. “Dve stat’i: II” [Two essays: II]. Poslednie novosti (Paris), no. 6137, 13 January, 3.

In Russian. The second of two newspaper articles; the first deals with Shestov’s essay on Dostoevskii (no. 6130, 6 January 1938, p. 3), the second considers Ivanov’s two essays on Pushkin, “O Pushkine” [On Pushkin] (1937). The first of Ivanov’s essays, “Roman v stikhakh” [A novel in verse], relates to Evgenii Onegin; the second one, “Dva maiaka” [Two guiding lights], deals with Pushkin’s idea of beauty and good. Adamovich expresses his disappointment that a writer of Ivanov’s stature has not given a more general insight into his feelings about Pushkin. Relates an anecdote about Gumilev’s indignation over Ivanov’s unbalanced evaluation of the verse of Piast and Mandel’shtam. Gumilev considered Ivanov’s essay “Manera, litso i stil’” [Manner, personality and style] (1912) to be “the most remarkable piece of writing on poetry in Russian.” Senses a certain “weariness” in Ivanov’s writing on Pushkin, which comes to life more when dealing with Byron. Comments on Ivanov’s view of Pushkin’s attitude to beauty, religion, and the poem “Prorok” [Prophet].

2 ADAMOVICH, GEORGII. “Sovremennye zapiski, kniga 65: Chast’ literaturnaia” [Sovremennye zapiski, no. 65: Literary section]. Poslednie novosti (Paris), no. 6144, 20 January, 3.

In Russian. Reviews the literary contributions to Sovremennye zapiski, no. 65, beginning with the six poems by Ivanov included in the issue (pp. 164—67). Singles out “Palinodiia” [Palinode] as an example of Ivanov’s tendency to overload his poems with images that are not always justified. This

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distracts from the “pure gold” in his art. Modern poets would do well to learn from his view of poetry as a form of “spiritual toil.”

3 GIPPIUS, Z. N. “Poet i Tarpeiskaia skala: O Viach. Iv. Ivanove)” [The poet and the Tarpeian rock: On Viach. I. Ivanov]. Illiustrirovannaia Rossiia (Paris), no. 2 (660) (1 January): 2—3.

In Russian. Memoirs of a visit that Gippius and Merezhkovskii paid to Ivanov at his home in Rome in October 1937. Quotes Ivanov’s poem “Zhurchlivyi sadik, i za nim…” [A murmuring garden, and beyond…], published here for the first time. Contrasts Ivanov’s present home and lifestyle with the tower, but finds that he himself has not changed substantially. Reports their detailed discussion of volumes of modern poets brought by Gippius from Paris. Envies Ivanov’s continued adherence to aesthetic, literary values and his quiet life in his “earthly paradise.” Reprinted: 1990.25. See also Makovskii, 1952.8; Ivanova, 1990.28 (pp. 234—35, 241—44).

4 KREITNER, G. “Vokal’noe tvorchestvo N. Miaskovskogo” [The vocal art of N. Miaskovskii]. Sovetskaia muzyka (Moscow), no. 1 (January): 18—24.

In Russian. Reviews Miaskovskii’s musical settings of verse by several poets including Bal’mont, Gippius, and Ivanov. Op. 8, composed in 1910, includes three poems from Prozrachnost’ [Transparency], “Dolina-khram” [The valley church], “Groza” [Storm], and “Pan i psikheia” [Pan and Psyche]. Although the work reflects the composer’s return to the shadowy world of symbolism, the last poem’s setting is distinguished by a new simplicity and inventive orchestration (pp. 19—20).