Boris Grebenshchikov. Early years (1953-1979)[edit] Boris Grebenshchikov was born on 27 November 1953 in Leningrad. He co-founded Aquarium with a childhood friend, Anatoly "George" Gunitsky, in 1972 as a post-modernistic theater-centric effort that involved poetry and music. Gunitsky provided absurdist, highly symbolic lyrics to some of BG's earliest songs. Despite an eventual graduate degree in Applied Mathematics, Grebenshchikov had always been a voracious consumer of culture, especially music. The first six years of Aquarium's history lacked cohesion as Grebenshchikov and his various bandmates followed the Soviet equivalent of the hippie lifestyle: playing apartment jams, drinking the low-quality port wine available from the Soviet stores of the time, and intermittently travelling to remote gigs, even hitchhiking on rail freight cars. Classical years (1980-1988)[edit] Going West (1989-1990)[edit] The name of the album proved self-ironic in the extreme as it hasn't made so much as a dent in the charts.
The Last Day of Pompeii. Soviet Union stamp from 1968 (CPA #3704) with The Last Day of Pompeii. The Last Day of Pompeii is a large canvas painting by Russian artist Karl Briullov in 1830-33. Briullov visited the site of Pompeii in 1828, making numerous sketches depicting the AD 79 Vesuvius eruption. The completed canvas was exhibited in Rome to rapturous reviews of critics and thereafter transported to Paris to be displayed in the Louvre. The first Russian artwork to cause such an interest abroad, it gave birth to an anthologic poem by Alexander Pushkin, and inspired the hugely successful novel The Last Days of Pompeii by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, who saw it in Rome.
Another British author, Sir Walter Scott declared that it was not an ordinary painting but an epic in colours. The commissioner, Prince Anatole Demidov, donated the painting to Nicholas I of Russia who displayed it at the Imperial Academy of Arts for the instruction of young painters. (Russian) Верещагина А.Г. Grigory Kotovsky. Grigory Ivanovich Kotovsky (Russian: Григо́рий Ива́нович Кото́вский, Romanian: Grigore Kotovski;June 24 [O.S. June 12] 1881 – August 6, 1925) was an adventurist, Soviet military and political figure, participant of the Russian Civil War.
He made a career from a Russian gangster and bank robber, to eventually becoming a Red Army general and member of the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union. Biography[edit] Early life[edit] Kotovsky was born in Bessarabia, the son of a mechanical engineer. (Officially Kotovsky claimed to be born in 1887.) He also had five siblings.
While studying in the college Kotovsky became involved with the local political club of Socialist Revolutionaries. Soon he deserted the service and organized its own gang conducting raids, setting estates on fire, robbing and terrorizing the local population. At first he lived undercover working as a loader and heavy-worker, but eventually became a leader of local raiders. Revolutionary days[edit] Literature[edit] Ex Oriente Lux. Cossacks. Italian map of «European Tartaria» (1684). Dnieper Ukraine is marked as «Ukraine or the land of Zaporozhian Cossacks (Vkraina o Paese de Cossachi di Zaporowa)». On the east there is «Ukraine or the land of Don Cossacks, who are dependent from Muscovy (Vkraina ouero Paese de Cossachi Tanaiti Soggetti al Moscouita)» .
The origins of the first Cossacks are disputed, though the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk claimed Khazar origin.[4][5] The traditional post-imperial historiography dates the emergence of Cossacks to the 14th or 15th centuries, when two connected groups emerged, the Zaporozhian Sich of the Dnieper and the Don Cossack Host.[6] The Zaporizhian Sich were a vassal people of Poland–Lithuania during feudal times. Under increasing social and religious pressure from the Commonwealth, in the mid-17th century the Sich declared an independent Cossack Hetmanate, initiated by a rebellion under Bohdan Khmelnytsky.
Etymology[edit] Early history[edit] Ukrainian Cossacks[edit] From the Philosopher. Chuang Tzu, a contemporary of Mencius, is universally regarded as the greatest Taoist after Lao Tzu. His butterfly dream is probably the most celebrated dream ever to be recorded in the history of Chinese Philosophy, which makes it almost impossible to omit in any serious expositions of Chuang Tzu's works. Whether or not the dream actually occurred is not a matter of great importance. What is important is that it has captured the minds of generations of Philosophers. My aim in this essay is to discuss a number of views that I find interesting.
Once upon a time, Chuang Tzu dreamed that he was a butterfly, flying about enjoying itself. Discussion: "This shows that, although in ordinary appearance there are differences between things, in delusions or in dreams one thing can also be another. The first piece of work that we are going to look at is the paper by Kuang-Ming Wu: Dream in Nietzsche and Chuang Tzu . Suddenly he awoke, and veritably was Chuang Chou again. Philipp Kirkorov. Philipp Bedrosovich Kirkorov PAR (Russian: Фили́пп Бедро́сович Кирко́ров; Bulgarian: Фи́лип Бедро́сов Кирко́ров) is a Russian pop singer. Biography[edit] Philipp Kirkorov was born on April 30, 1967 in Varna, Bulgaria. His father is a Bulgarian singer of Armenian descent Bedros Kirkorov.[1][2] His mother, Victoria (née Likhacheva), is of Russian Jewish origin.[3] In 1984, he entered the Gnesin State Music School, graduating with honors in 1988. His musical style is mainstream Russian pop music with various Western influences and, like many Russian pop stars of the 1990s and 2000s, he frequently collaborates and records duets with other Russian pop artists.
In 1988, Kirkorov met the Russian mega-star singer Alla Pugacheva for the first time. In 1990, Kirkorov won the Grand Prix in the competition "Shlyager-90" (Hit-90) in Leningrad with the song "Nebo i zemlya" (Sky and earth). He became a father in 2012. In December 2012, he signed an open letter criticizing a St. Honours and awards[edit] Ariwara no Narihira: The Flirtatious Philosopher.
For this post I decided to write about the legendary Ariwara no Narihira. He predates all of the poets I've already mentioned in this blog, he lived 825-880 A.D. Most of what we know about Narihira comes from the Tales of Ise which are supposedly based off his exploits. The Tales of Ise are about a young man (Narihira) who has various romantic excursions with aristocratic women. Like most sources from this time period, the distinction between fact and fiction is hazy. He was also supposedly an inspiration for Murasaki Shikibu's Genji in the Tale of Genji who was also a ladies man in that traditional, aristocratic Japanese way.
Perhaps it's better if we let Narihira exist partially in fact and partially in our imagination. Narihira wrote a lot of poetry and Ki no Tsurayuki chose over thirty of his poems for the Kokinshuu. In this selection the first three poems consist of two from anonymous poets with a Narihira poem in between. Enjoy! のこりなく散るぞめでたき桜花ありて世の中はての憂ければ よみ人知らず Anonymous 在原業平. Ariwara no Narihira. He was the fifth son of Prince Abo, a son of Emperor Heizei. His mother Princess Ito was a daughter of Emperor Kammu, so he was therefore linked to Emperor Kammu by both maternal and paternal lineage. Along with his other brothers, he was relegated to civilian life, receiving a new clan name, Ariwara. Although he belonged to the noblest lineage, his political life was not prominent, especially under the reign of Emperor Montoku. During the thirteen years of the Emperor's reign, Narihira was not raised to a higher rank within the court.
As a waka poet, his thirty waka were included in Kokin Wakashū. He has been traditionally regarded as the epitome of the beau homme in the Japanese culture. Trans. Meister Eckhart. Eckhart came into prominence during the Avignon Papacy, at a time of increased tensions between monastic orders, diocesan clergy, the Franciscan Order, and Eckhart's Dominican Order of Preachers. In later life he was accused of heresy and brought up before the local Franciscan-led Inquisition, and tried as a heretic by Pope John XXII.
[note 2] He seems to have died before his verdict was received. [citation needed][note 3] He was well known for his work with pious lay groups such as the Friends of God and was succeeded by his more circumspect disciples John Tauler and Henry Suso. [citation needed] Since the 19th century, he has received renewed attention. He has acquired a status as a great mystic within contemporary popular spirituality, as well as considerable interest by scholars situating him within the medieval scholastic and philosophical tradition. Biography[edit] Youth[edit] Church career[edit] A passage in a chronicle of the year 1320, extant in manuscript (cf. Influence[edit] Trinity (Andrei Rublev) Trinity (Russian: Троица, also called "Rublev's Trinity") is a Holy Trinity Icon, believed to be created by Russian painter Andrei Rublev in the 15th century.[1] It is his most famous work,[2] as well regarded as one of the highest achievements of Russian art.[3] Trinity depicts the three angels who visited Abraham at the oak of Mamre (see.
Genesis 18,1-15), but the painting is full of symbolism and often interpreted as an icon of the Holy Trinity.[4] Little is known about Trinity's history, scientists can only make suppositions.[5] Even the authorship of Rublev is questioned sometimes. Different sources conjecture the date of creation as 1408-1425, 1422-1423 or 1420-1427. The official version states 1411 or 1425-27. Gabriel Bunge, "The Rublev Trinity: The Icon of the Trinity by the Monk-Painter Andrei Rublev", Crestwood, NY, St.
"Trinity by Andrei Rublev" (in Russian). Seven Samurai. Seven Samurai[1] (七人の侍, Shichinin no Samurai?) Is a 1954 Japanese period adventure drama film co-written, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The film takes place in 1587 during the Warring States Period of Japan. It follows the story of a village of farmers that hire seven masterless samurai (ronin) to combat bandits who will return after the harvest to steal their crops. Seven Samurai has been described as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made,[2] and is one of a select few Japanese films to become widely known in the West for an extended period of time.
It is the subject of both popular and critical acclaim; it was voted onto the top three of the Sight & Sound critics' list of greatest films of all time in 1982, and onto the directors' top ten films lists in the 1992 and 2002 polls.[3] Plot[edit] Marauding bandits approach a mountain farming village, but having attacked it before, their chief decides to spare it until the harvest.
Cast[edit] Seven Samurai[edit] David Burliuk. Biography[edit] Early life[edit] David Burliuk was born in 1882 in Semyrotivka near the village of Riabushky (now Lebedyn District, Sumy Oblast) in Ukraine, brother of fellow artist Volodymyr (Wladimir) Burliuk in a family partly descended from Ukrainian Cossacks who held premier positions in the Hetmanate.
His mother, Ludmila Mikhnevich, was of ethnic Belarussian descent. Because of his given name of "David," Burliuk was frequently mistaken for being Jewish.[1] Education, career[edit] From 1898 to 1904 he studied at the art schools in Kazan and in Odessa, as well as at the Royal Academy in Munich. Burliuk in the 1910s In 1908 an exhibition with the group Zveno ("The Link") in Kiev was organized by David Burliuk together with Wladimir Baranoff-Rossine, Alexander Bogomazov, his brother Volodymyr (Wladimir) Burliuk and Aleksandra Ekster. In 1913 he was expelled from the Academy. David Burliuk Revolution, 1917 Later years[edit] Heritage[edit] Trivia[edit] Gallery[edit] Publishing history[edit] Leo Tolstoy. Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (/ˈtoʊlstɔɪ, ˈtɒl-/;[1] Russian: Лев Никола́евич Толсто́й, pronounced [lʲɛf nʲɪkɐˈlaɪvʲɪtɕ tɐlˈstoj]; 9 September [O.S. 28 August] 1828 – 20 November [O.S. 7 November] 1910), usually referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian novelist today regarded as one of the greatest of all time.
In the 1870s Tolstoy experienced a profound moral crisis, followed by what he regarded as an equally profound spiritual awakening. His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on the Mount, caused him to become a fervent Christian anarchist and pacifist. His new-found asceticism and determination to renounce his considerable wealth tipped his marriage into bitter turmoil, which continued right up to his death at the age of 82 in the waiting room of an, until then, obscure Russian railway station. Life and career Death Tolstoy's grave with flowers at Yasnaya Polyana.
Tolstoy died in 1910, at the age of 82. Personal life In films. Fyodor Dostoyevsky. A Taste of Marmelodov: Crime and Punishment Essay | A Taste of Marmelodov: Crime and Punishment. Summary: In Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel, Crime and Punishment, Marmeladov is a minor character whose story is told in only a few short chapters of the first two books, and yet, Marmeladov plays an important role in the novel. A Taste of Marmeladov In Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel, Crime and Punishment, Marmeladov is a minor character whose story is told in only a few short chapters of the first two books, and yet, Marmeladov plays an important role in the novel. Both Marmeladov and Raskolnikov are desperate men trying to function in a bleak world. Both men feel alienated in a world which has no meaning.
Despite his miserable existence, Marmeladov hopes to find salvation through his anguish. Raskolnikov first meets Marmeladov at a dirty tavern. Crimeandp.jpg (460×392) Vladimir Nabokov. Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov (Russian: Влади́мир Влади́мирович Набо́ков, pronounced [vlɐˈdʲimʲɪr nɐˈbokəf] ( ), also known by the pen name Vladimir Sirin; 22 April [O.S. 10 April] 1899c – 2 July 1977) was a Russian-American novelist.[1] Nabokov's first nine novels were in Russian. He then rose to international prominence as a writer of English prose. He also made serious contributions as a lepidopterist and chess composer. Nabokov's Lolita (1955) is his most famous novel, and often considered his finest work in English. Life and career[edit] Russia[edit] Nabokov was born on 22 April 1899 (10 April 1899 Old Style), in Saint Petersburg,b to a wealthy and prominent family of minor nobility.
The Rozhdestveno mansion, inherited from his uncle in 1916: Nabokov possessed it for less than a year before the October Revolution Emigration[edit] In 1920, Nabokov's family moved to Berlin, where his father set up the émigré newspaper Rul' ("Rudder"). Berlin years (1922–37)[edit] United States[edit] Vasily Chapayev. Grigori Rasputin. Alexander II of Russia. Roman von Ungern-Sternberg. Monadology. Mikhail Lermontov.