A setting of the poem Insomnia 8, by Marina Tsvetayeva. This recording is of the premiere by EXAUDI on Monday 16th May 2022 in Milton Court Concert Hall.

Marina Tsvetayeva’s Insomnia 8 is a “hymn” to the Night, that home of contradictory associations, ranging from fear, skittish paranoia and tired hallucination, to stillness, peace and rest. Elaine Feinstein’s translation is used here with the kind permission of Carcanet Press. It is not a faithful translation in a traditional sense. Feinstein has translated many of Tsvetayeva’s poems, and these translations include a huge amount of her own character as a poet, often leaning towards prose whereas the Russian originals use more lyrical rhyming structures. My setting explores the wonderful sounds and phrasing of these words while playing with the quasi-religious nature of the poem.

© Sam Greening 2023

a shell where the ocean is still sounding

Sam Greening