The Symphonies
by Andrei Bely Translated by Jonathan Stone is a pretty particular, singular but interesting book. Released by Columbia University Press, Bely was one of the most important members of the Russian Symbolism and with this work, divided in four parts, Dramatic Symphony, Northern Symphony, The Return and Globet of Blizzards is possible to discover a multiform genre that will space though the little joys of life, love and intimacy, the enchantment of art. This book is also a big experiment in terms of genre and sound written in a style that is prosaic, poetic, musical.
There are also autobiographical touches like when in Dramatic Symphony in some ways Bely incorporates his story with Margarita Morozova although it's in The Return where there will be a dimension of fairy-tale with the arrival of a mystical child, an old man, a bird-man, the King of the Winds, and an evil sea serpent.
Once returned to the reality we are back in Moscow following the adventures of Evgeny Khandrikov. Although at the end he will kill himself he will always be sure that there is a higher plane of being. In A Globet of Blizzard a sad love-story between a married woman, unhappy in her marriage with Adam Petrovich. Also in this love-story there are biographical touches as well.
It's a book that must be discovered. At first it won't be simple but then you'll see that you'll like it a lot.
Highly recommended.
I thank Columbia for the physical copy of the book.
Anna Maria Polidori
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