Aleksey Plescheev
Encyclopedia
Aleksey Nikolayevich Pleshcheyev was a radical Russian poet of the 19th century, one of the Petrashevsky Circle
.
Pleshcheyev's first book of poetry, published in 1846, made him famous: «Вперед! без страха и сомненья…» (Step forward! Without fear or doubt...) became widely known as "a Russian La Marseillaise
" (and was sung as such, using French melody), «На зов друзей» (Friends' calling...)and «По чувствам братья мы с тобой» (We're brothers by the way we feel...) were also adopted by the mid-1840s' Russian radical youth as revolutionary hymns.
In 1849, as a member of Petrashevsky Circle, Pleshcheyev was arrested, sent (alongside Fyodor Dostoyevsky among others) to St. Petersburg and spent 8 months in Petropavlovskaya
prison. Having initially been given a death sentence, Pleshcheyev was then deported to Uralsk, near Orenburg
where he spent ten years in exile, serving first as a soldier, later as a junior officer.
In his latter life Pleshcheyev became widely known for his numerous translations (mostly from English
and French
) and also poems for children, some of which are now considered classic. Many of Pleshcheyev's poems have been set to music (by Tchaikovsky
and Rachmaninoff
among others) to become popular Russian romances
.
Petrashevsky Circle
The Petrashevsky Circle was a Russian literary discussion group of progressive-minded commoner-intellectuals in St. Petersburg organized by Mikhail Petrashevsky, a follower of the French utopian socialist Charles Fourier. Among the members were writers, teachers, students, minor government...
.
Pleshcheyev's first book of poetry, published in 1846, made him famous: «Вперед! без страха и сомненья…» (Step forward! Without fear or doubt...) became widely known as "a Russian La Marseillaise
La Marseillaise
"La Marseillaise" is the national anthem of France. The song, originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin" was written and composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in 1792. The French National Convention adopted it as the Republic's anthem in 1795...
" (and was sung as such, using French melody), «На зов друзей» (Friends' calling...)and «По чувствам братья мы с тобой» (We're brothers by the way we feel...) were also adopted by the mid-1840s' Russian radical youth as revolutionary hymns.
In 1849, as a member of Petrashevsky Circle, Pleshcheyev was arrested, sent (alongside Fyodor Dostoyevsky among others) to St. Petersburg and spent 8 months in Petropavlovskaya
Peter and Paul Fortress
The Peter and Paul Fortress is the original citadel of St. Petersburg, Russia, founded by Peter the Great in 1703 and built to Domenico Trezzini's designs from 1706-1740.-History:...
prison. Having initially been given a death sentence, Pleshcheyev was then deported to Uralsk, near Orenburg
Orenburg
Orenburg is a city on the Ural River and the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast, Russia. It lies southeast of Moscow, very close to the border with Kazakhstan. Population: 546,987 ; 549,361 ; Highest point: 154.4 m...
where he spent ten years in exile, serving first as a soldier, later as a junior officer.
In his latter life Pleshcheyev became widely known for his numerous translations (mostly from English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) and also poems for children, some of which are now considered classic. Many of Pleshcheyev's poems have been set to music (by Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
and Rachmaninoff
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music...
among others) to become popular Russian romances
Romance (music)
The term romance has a centuries-long history. Applied to narrative ballads in Spain, it came to be used by the 18th century for simple lyrical pieces not only for voice, but also for instruments alone. During the 18th and 19th centuries Russian composers developed the French variety of the...
.