Andrey Voznesensky

Andrey Andreyevich Voznesensky ( _ru. Андре́й Андре́евич Вознесе́нский) (b. 12 May 1933, Moscow) is a Russian poet and writer who has been referred to by Robert Lowell as "one of the greatest living poets in any language." He lives and works in Moscow.

Early in his life, Andrey was fascinated with painting and architecture, in 1957 graduating from the Moscow Architectural Institute. His enthusiasm for poetry, though, proved to be stronger. While still a teenager, he sent his poems to Boris Pasternak; the friendship between the two had a strong influence on the young poet.

His first poems were published in 1958 and immediately reflected his unique style. His lyrics are characterized by his tendency "to measure" the contemporary person by modern categories and images, by the eccentricity of metaphors, by the complex rhythmical system and sound effects. Vladimir Mayakovsky and Pablo Neruda have been cited among the poets who influenced him most.

In 1960s, during the so-called Thaw, Voznesensky frequently traveled abroad: to the U.S., France, Germany, Italy and other countries. Popularity of Voznesensky, Yevgeny Yevtushenko and Bella Akhmadulina were marked by performances in front of the adoring thousands at the stadiums, in the concert halls and universities. One collection of his poems, "Antimiry" ("Anti-worlds") served as the basis for a famous performance at the Taganka Theater in 1965.

Voznesensky's friendship with many contemporary writers, artists and other intellectuals is reflected in his poetry and essays. He is known to wider audiences for the superhit "Million of Scarlet Roses" that he penned for Alla Pugacheva in 1984 and for the hugely successful rock opera "Juno and Avos" (1979), based on the life and death of Nikolay Rezanov.

In 1978 Voznesensky was awarded the USSR State Prize. He is an honorable member of ten academies, including Russian academy of learning (1993), the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Parisian Académie Goncourt and others.

A minor planet 3723 Voznesenskij, discovered by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh in 1976 is named after him. [cite book | last = Schmadel | first = Lutz D. | coauthors = | title = Dictionary of Minor Planet Names | pages = p. 314 | edition = 5th | year = 2003 | publisher = Springer Verlag | location = New York | url = http://books.google.com/books?q=3723+Voznesenskij+1976 | id = ISBN 3540002383]

Modern Nature

"(translated from the Russian by Alec Vagapov)"

Red cows

on the asphalt road have settled.

Lazing on the asphalt pan they lie.

We drive them round

for cows are sacred!

They are loyal to the highway,

we wonder why.

"Old herdsman, we want our question answered: Why have the cows gone mad?" "God forbid!

The point is that flies do not like asphalt."

Those modern cows! The are wise indeed!

They got it, the sly ones! Cattle of genius!

Unlike the poor, unfortunate flies.

"The flies know that asphalt

is carcinogenic."

Those modern flies! They are really wise!

References

External links

* [http://vagalecs.narod.ru/Vozncoll.htm English translations of Voznesensky's poetry]
* [http://vagalecs.narod.ru/Rupoem.htm "Ru" poem by Andrey Voznesensky translated from the Russian by Alec Vagapov]
* http://spintongues.msk.ru/VoznesenskyYevtuh.htm Andrey Voznesensky's article on Yevgeny Yevtushenko]