The Nursery (, Detskaya, literally Children's [Room]) is a song cycle by Modest Mussorgsky set to his own lyrics, composed between 1868 and 1872. The cycle was published in two series. Only the first two songs survive of the second series.
Synopses Series 1: The Nursery 1. With Nanny (B-flat major)
A child begs the nurse to tell a story, first about the awful bogey-man who carries naughty children into the forest and devours them, and later about a fairy-tale Tsar and Tsaritsa who live in a rich palace by the sea.
2. In the Corner (F major)
The nurse berates Mishenka for spoiling her knitting and sends him to the corner.
3. The Beetle (F major)
A child relates to the nurse an encounter with a large beetle.
4. With the Doll (A-flat major)
A child sings a lullaby to her doll.
5. At Bedtime (A-flat major)
A child recites his prayers.
Series 2: At the Dacha The two surviving songs of Series 2 (, Na Dache, At the Dacha) along with a new edition of the five songs of Series 1, were published by V. Bessel and Co. in 1908.
1. Ride on a Hobby Horse (D-flat major)
A child relating his imaginary journey to Yukki on a stick (hobby horse) falls, injures himself, and resumes his journey.
2. The Cat 'Sailor' (A major)
A child foils the attempt by Matros ("Sailor") the cat to catch the family canary.
3. Dream
A child's fantastic dream
4. [Unknown title]
A quarrel between two children
Publication history
SeriesTitleTranslationDateDedicationPub. DatePublisher Детская 1 С няней With Nanny 1868-04-26 Aleksandr Dargomyzhsky 1872 Bessel Детская 2 В углу In the Corner 1870-09-30 Viktor Gartman 1872 Bessel Детская 3 Жук The Beetle 1870-10-18 Vladimir Stasov 1872 Bessel Детская 4 С куклой With the Doll 1870-12-18 Tanyushka and Goga Musorgsky 1872 Bessel Детская 5 На сон грядущий At Bedtime 1870-12-18 Sasha Cui 1872 Bessel На Даче 1 Поехал на палочке Ride on a Hobby Horse 1872-09-14 1882 Bessel На Даче 2 Кот Матрос The Cat 'Sailor' 1872-08-15 1882 Bessel На Даче 3 Сон Dream Projected – – – На Даче 4 [Unknown] [Unknown] Projected – – –
Notes The song cycle was arranged for soprano and orchestra by Edison Denisov in 1976 and premiered in 1979. An orchestral (no voice) version was arranged by Peter Breiner and recorded in 2012 by him with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra on Naxos. A version with orchestral accompaniment was arranged by the Israeli composer Noam Sheriff.
References
Sources Calvocoressi, M.D., Abraham, G., Mussorgsky, 'Master Musicians' Series, London: J.M.Dent & Sons, Ltd., 1974 Calvocoressi, M.D., Modest Mussorgsky: His Life and Works, London: Rockliff, 1956 Orlova, A., Mussorgsky Remembered, translated by Zaytsev, V. and Morrison, F., Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1991 Unknown compiler, notes to Moussorgsky: Integrale des Melodies CD recording by Boris Christoff, EMI Records Ltd, 1989
External links