Natasha's Dance (167 page)

Read Natasha's Dance Online

Authors: Orlando Figes

Tags: #Non Fiction

BOOK: Natasha's Dance
3.92Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
satire of the old-world gentry and the cult of rural Russia which grew up around it. What are we
The Cherry Orchard
119
120
121
The Moscow Arts’ production of The Cherry Orchard, which became the standard view, has tak
The Moscow Arts’ production of The Cherry Orchard, which became the standard view, has tak
The Moscow Arts’ production of The Cherry Orchard, which became the standard view, has tak
The Cherry Orchard,
Chekhov’s father was a merchant who had risen from the enserfed peasantry. He taught himself
Chekhov’s father was a merchant who had risen from the enserfed peasantry. He taught himself
Chekhov’s father was a merchant who had risen from the enserfed peasantry. He taught himself
9
9
9
9
9
On a trip to the city in the 1900s Diaghilev remarked that in the visual arts Moscow produ
On a trip to the city in the 1900s Diaghilev remarked that in the visual arts Moscow produ
On a trip to the city in the 1900s Diaghilev remarked that in the visual arts Moscow produ
122
… the loud Moscow accent, the peculiar words, the way they clicked their heels as they wal
… the loud Moscow accent, the peculiar words, the way they clicked their heels as they wal
… the loud Moscow accent, the peculiar words, the way they clicked their heels as they wal
123
Moscow’s younger generation of merchant patrons embraced and collected modern art. They
Moscow’s younger generation of merchant patrons embraced and collected modern art. They
Moscow’s younger generation of merchant patrons embraced and collected modern art. They
avant-garde. The poet Andrei Bely recalled sardonically that the Society of Free Aesthet
avant-garde. The poet Andrei Bely recalled sardonically that the Society of Free Aesthet
avant-garde. The poet Andrei Bely recalled sardonically that the Society of Free Aesthet
The husbands would give subsidies to societies that tried to obtain something from us
The husbands would give subsidies to societies that tried to obtain something from us
The husbands would give subsidies to societies that tried to obtain something from us
124
The most colourful of these younger merchant patrons was Nikolai Riabushinsky, who was f
The most colourful of these younger merchant patrons was Nikolai Riabushinsky, who was f
The most colourful of these younger merchant patrons was Nikolai Riabushinsky, who was f
Golden Fleece
The critics fumed with rage. Sergei Yablonovsky said that none of it was art - whereupon L
The critics fumed with rage. Sergei Yablonovsky said that none of it was art - whereupon L
The critics fumed with rage. Sergei Yablonovsky said that none of it was art - whereupon L
125
bin (and mortified to learn that Scriabin did not know his music when he went to visit him in
bin (and mortified to learn that Scriabin did not know his music when he went to visit him in
bin (and mortified to learn that Scriabin did not know his music when he went to visit him in
126
A juggler
A juggler
A juggler
pulls rails
pulls rails
pulls rails
from the mouth of a tram,
from the mouth of a tram,
from the mouth of a tram,
hidden by clock-faces of a tower.
hidden by clock-faces of a tower.
hidden by clock-faces of a tower.
We are conquered!
We are conquered!
We are conquered!
Bathtubs.
Bathtubs.
Bathtubs.
Showers.
Showers.
Showers.
An elevator.
An elevator.
An elevator.
The bodice of a soul is unfastened.
The bodice of a soul is unfastened.
The bodice of a soul is unfastened.
Hands burn the body.
Hands burn the body.
Hands burn the body.
Scream, or don’t scream:
Scream, or don’t scream:
Scream, or don’t scream:
’I didn’t mean…’ -
’I didn’t mean…’ -
’I didn’t mean…’ -
torments
torments
torments
burn
burn
burn
sharp.
sharp.
sharp.
The prickly wind
The prickly wind
The prickly wind
tears out
tears out
tears out
a shred of smoky wool
a shred of smoky wool
a shred of smoky wool
* The poet’s father, Leonid Pasternak, was a fashionable painter in Moscow and his
* The poet’s father, Leonid Pasternak, was a fashionable painter in Moscow and his
* The poet’s father, Leonid Pasternak, was a fashionable painter in Moscow and his
mother, Rozalia Kaufman, a well-known pianist. Scriabin was a close friend of the
mother, Rozalia Kaufman, a well-known pianist. Scriabin was a close friend of the
mother, Rozalia Kaufman, a well-known pianist. Scriabin was a close friend of the
family. Under his impact the teenage Boris studied music composition for six years. ‘I
family. Under his impact the teenage Boris studied music composition for six years. ‘I
family. Under his impact the teenage Boris studied music composition for six years. ‘I
Scriabin,
1969), vol. 1, p. 321).
1969), vol. 1, p. 321).
1969), vol. 1, p. 321).
from a chimney.
from a chimney.
from a chimney.
A bald-head streetlamp
A bald-head streetlamp
A bald-head streetlamp
seductively
seductively
seductively
peels off
peels off
peels off
a black stocking
a black stocking
a black stocking
from the street.127
from the street.127
from the street.127
127
Malevich called Maytovsky’s ‘From Street into Street’ (1913) the finest illustration of ‘v
Malevich called Maytovsky’s ‘From Street into Street’ (1913) the finest illustration of ‘v
Malevich called Maytovsky’s ‘From Street into Street’ (1913) the finest illustration of ‘v
128
Marina Tsvetaeva was equally a poet of Moscow. Her father was Ivan Tsvetaev, sometime pr
Marina Tsvetaeva was equally a poet of Moscow. Her father was Ivan Tsvetaev, sometime pr
Marina Tsvetaeva was equally a poet of Moscow. Her father was Ivan Tsvetaev, sometime pr
Cupolas blaze in my singing city,
Cupolas blaze in my singing city,
Cupolas blaze in my singing city,
And a wandering blind man praises the Holy Saviour,
And a wandering blind man praises the Holy Saviour,
And a wandering blind man praises the Holy Saviour,
And I present to you my city of church bells
And I present to you my city of church bells
And I present to you my city of church bells
- Akhmatova! - and also my heart.129
- Akhmatova! - and also my heart.129
- Akhmatova! - and also my heart.129
129
Through their friendship in these years, Tsvetaeva gave Moscow to fellow poet Mandelsta
Through their friendship in these years, Tsvetaeva gave Moscow to fellow poet Mandelsta
Through their friendship in these years, Tsvetaeva gave Moscow to fellow poet Mandelsta
130
After 1917 Moscow superseded Petersburg. It became the Soviet capital, the cultural ce
After 1917 Moscow superseded Petersburg. It became the Soviet capital, the cultural ce
After 1917 Moscow superseded Petersburg. It became the Soviet capital, the cultural ce
believed, if only for a few years in the 1920s, that they saw their ideal city taking shape in
believed, if only for a few years in the 1920s, that they saw their ideal city taking shape in
believed, if only for a few years in the 1920s, that they saw their ideal city taking shape in
Soviet Moscow was supremely confident, its confidence reflected in the huge building pr
Soviet Moscow was supremely confident, its confidence reflected in the huge building pr
Soviet Moscow was supremely confident, its confidence reflected in the huge building pr
Stalin’s Moscow was thus recast as an imperial city - a Soviet Petersburg - and, like that
Stalin’s Moscow was thus recast as an imperial city - a Soviet Petersburg - and, like that
Stalin’s Moscow was thus recast as an imperial city - a Soviet Petersburg - and, like that
The Master and Margarita
a suppressed manuscript about Pontius Pilate and the trial of Christ. As their horses le
a suppressed manuscript about Pontius Pilate and the trial of Christ. As their horses le
a suppressed manuscript about Pontius Pilate and the trial of Christ. As their horses le
131
And yet throughout the twentieth century Moscow was still ‘home’. It was still the mother c
And yet throughout the twentieth century Moscow was still ‘home’. It was still the mother c
And yet throughout the twentieth century Moscow was still ‘home’. It was still the mother c
A haze of legend will be cast Over all, like scroll and spiral Bedecking gilded boyar chamb
A haze of legend will be cast Over all, like scroll and spiral Bedecking gilded boyar chamb
A haze of legend will be cast Over all, like scroll and spiral Bedecking gilded boyar chamb
By midnight denizens and dreamers Moscow most of all is cherished. Here is their home, the
By midnight denizens and dreamers Moscow most of all is cherished. Here is their home, the
By midnight denizens and dreamers Moscow most of all is cherished. Here is their home, the
132
4
4
4
4
4
overleaf: A typical one-street village in central Russia, c. 1910
overleaf: A typical one-street village in central Russia, c. 1910
overleaf: A typical one-street village in central Russia, c. 1910
A typical one-street village in central Russia,
1
1
1
1
In the summer of 1874 thousands of students left their lecture halls in Moscow and St Peters
In the summer of 1874 thousands of students left their lecture halls in Moscow and St Peters
In the summer of 1874 thousands of students left their lecture halls in Moscow and St Peters
(narodniki),
narod),
1
Yet this was no ordinary political movement. The ‘going to the people’ was a form of pilg
Yet this was no ordinary political movement. The ‘going to the people’ was a form of pilg
Yet this was no ordinary political movement. The ‘going to the people’ was a form of pilg
born into privilege. ‘We have come to realize’, the prominent Populist theoretician
born into privilege. ‘We have come to realize’, the prominent Populist theoretician
born into privilege. ‘We have come to realize’, the prominent Populist theoretician
2
What had given rise to these idealistic hopes was the emancipation of the serfs. Writers
What had given rise to these idealistic hopes was the emancipation of the serfs. Writers
What had given rise to these idealistic hopes was the emancipation of the serfs. Writers
3
It was such a vision that inspired the students to go to the people. Brought up as they wer
It was such a vision that inspired the students to go to the people. Brought up as they wer
It was such a vision that inspired the students to go to the people. Brought up as they wer
4
Some of the Populists who left their parents’ homes to live in labouring communes’ where
Some of the Populists who left their parents’ homes to live in labouring communes’ where
Some of the Populists who left their parents’ homes to live in labouring communes’ where
What Is to Be Done
continued to inspire their rejection of the old society. This generation gap was the su
continued to inspire their rejection of the old society. This generation gap was the su
continued to inspire their rejection of the old society. This generation gap was the su
Fathers and Children
Fathers and Sons).
’The peasants have completely overwhelmed us in our literature’, wrote Turgenev to Pav
’The peasants have completely overwhelmed us in our literature’, wrote Turgenev to Pav
’The peasants have completely overwhelmed us in our literature’, wrote Turgenev to Pav
5
Russia is contained in the rural depths Where eternal silence reigns.6
Russia is contained in the rural depths Where eternal silence reigns.6
Russia is contained in the rural depths Where eternal silence reigns.6
6
Armies of folklorists set out to explore these rural depths. ‘The study of the people is the
Armies of folklorists set out to explore these rural depths. ‘The study of the people is the
Armies of folklorists set out to explore these rural depths. ‘The study of the people is the

Other books

The Bluffing Game by Verona Vale
WitchofArundaleHall by Jennifer Leeland
Lovely, Dark, and Deep by Julia Buckley
Kicked Out by Beth Goobie
The Stone Wife by Peter Lovesey
City of the Fallen by Bocco, Diana