Libretto for Knight & Wolf Project
Knight & Wolf libretto for a music album was created by Alexander Denisov. He was working on it simultaneously with the illustrations. Thus, it is an indispensable part of the work.
While the music makes the listener plunge into the realm of abstractions, the libretto combined with the illustrations aim to depict man’s ambitions through a prism of Knight’s journey. This is where the viewer can discover not only the characters but also find commonalities with their own life.
The sonnets are represented in the form of a wreath with fourteen lines, where the last line of each is the beginning of the next sonnet. The fifteenth sonnet consists of two first lines of the previous fourteen sonnets and is a sort of a main idea and an emotional conclusion of the storyline.
“
For such a wide music theme I suggested writing a wreath of sonnets. The tracks in the album represent the shape of a wreath, where the last line of the previous poem is the first line of the next one. Every sonnet is an explanation to both music and illustrations.
After listening to first compositions orchestrated by Alexey, I decided to choose hexameter, as a line of verse. I recalled works of Homer's hymns, Iliads and Odyssey and felt that it would be the best combination taking into consideration the nature of the wide music theme and its epic mood.
After listening to first compositions orchestrated by Alexey, I decided to choose hexameter, as a line of verse. I recalled works of Homer's hymns, Iliads and Odyssey and felt that it would be the best combination taking into consideration the nature of the wide music theme and its epic mood.
“
I was literary fascinated by the project at once, by its music, paintings, and poetry. I strongly share the message, the ideas that Ilya and Alexander put into the heart of the project. The necessity of spreading those vital and topical ideas just struck me as evident. Which is why I was zealous and overjoyed to adapt the poetry for the English-speaking audience. Plain, lackluster translation wouldn't cut it – I had to be creative.
I internalized the text, soaked it into my mind, imbued with it to extract pure essence of its purport and meaning and translate it while preserving original esthetics. It is a time-consuming process since the poetry is so profound and metaphorical. Despite all problems and difficulties of translation, it was a pleasure to make my modest contribution to the project.
We're rarely granted a chance to become part of something special and unique, for this particular reason I'm grateful for having this chance to work on K&W.
I internalized the text, soaked it into my mind, imbued with it to extract pure essence of its purport and meaning and translate it while preserving original esthetics. It is a time-consuming process since the poetry is so profound and metaphorical. Despite all problems and difficulties of translation, it was a pleasure to make my modest contribution to the project.
We're rarely granted a chance to become part of something special and unique, for this particular reason I'm grateful for having this chance to work on K&W.
1 — Cinder
Once more desert ashes smother the trees,
Like oracle barren branches interweave.
And sky is gaping through the cracks of clouds,
Filling the dead silence of night's shroud
With remnants of distant fires of past,
With ancestors' lives put to rest.
One rule of knights' honor code states:
Leave your mark on the summer glades,
And with once sharp edges of the wicked sword
Blunted by vanity's spine and an infinite horde
Of false triumphs and myriads of empty defeats,
Still seek the thing which you surely need.
If we only knew what awaits us: glory or jeer?
Knight and Wolf are shadows in the maze of fear.
Like oracle barren branches interweave.
And sky is gaping through the cracks of clouds,
Filling the dead silence of night's shroud
With remnants of distant fires of past,
With ancestors' lives put to rest.
One rule of knights' honor code states:
Leave your mark on the summer glades,
And with once sharp edges of the wicked sword
Blunted by vanity's spine and an infinite horde
Of false triumphs and myriads of empty defeats,
Still seek the thing which you surely need.
If we only knew what awaits us: glory or jeer?
Knight and Wolf are shadows in the maze of fear.
2 — Knight And Wolf
Knight and Wolf are shadows in the maze of fear.
Snakelike lies dormant desert in the rear,
Having poisoned the dreams with knowledge
And now self-delusion is mute omen of downfall
Of child's fantasy and forbidding vanity wall -
Lifeless branches conceal treacherous traps
That sketch bleeding wounds like intricate maps;
To preserve your purpose and your heart,
Without staining it with deceit, filth and blood
Let the beast live, do not adorn with its grin
thy helm or thy armor with totem's skin,
Let it go without passion and jealous doubt …
Knight and Wolf – a union of man and beast,
But covered with cloak of disbelief is the land of mist.
Snakelike lies dormant desert in the rear,
Having poisoned the dreams with knowledge
And now self-delusion is mute omen of downfall
Of child's fantasy and forbidding vanity wall -
Lifeless branches conceal treacherous traps
That sketch bleeding wounds like intricate maps;
To preserve your purpose and your heart,
Without staining it with deceit, filth and blood
Let the beast live, do not adorn with its grin
thy helm or thy armor with totem's skin,
Let it go without passion and jealous doubt …
Knight and Wolf – a union of man and beast,
But covered with cloak of disbelief is the land of mist.
3 — Land Of Mist
But covered with cloak of disbelief is the land of mist,
Where torches barely light woods and plains,
People ramble, craving for battle like beasts
They are robed in pelts of wolves slain,
Their heads are in hoods of wolf's grin –
Blind men's guide, secret's crafty priest,
Lured his victims with stories of thick mists,
Concealing the sword with knowledge within
Only he, who bested in strength and agility,
Who despised his fears and the dreads of Hell,
Shall conquer the castle of glory, which death befell,
Uncrowning the master of the garden of moon.
Their stepmother is life, death – midwife and matchmaker,
And mirror of evil reflects in the lake of ash.
Where torches barely light woods and plains,
People ramble, craving for battle like beasts
They are robed in pelts of wolves slain,
Their heads are in hoods of wolf's grin –
Blind men's guide, secret's crafty priest,
Lured his victims with stories of thick mists,
Concealing the sword with knowledge within
Only he, who bested in strength and agility,
Who despised his fears and the dreads of Hell,
Shall conquer the castle of glory, which death befell,
Uncrowning the master of the garden of moon.
Their stepmother is life, death – midwife and matchmaker,
And mirror of evil reflects in the lake of ash.
4 — Lake Of Ash
And mirror of evil reflects in the lake of ash,
Scattering mist amidst relicts roots and buds,
That gulp down life with clots of blood,
Blood of knights, that for immortality clash;
Swings of steel are crushing bones and armor,
Playing hymn of swords clanking and dying clamor
Whirling and whirling around and filling the space
Only to fade away in the morning embrace …
Sacred sword – is but a blind fortune's test,
He chose the one who bled, but survived the fight,
Who stood his own, kept the vow that night:
Wolf's life weighs more than that of the rest…
His skin is not a part of the heated race
And day dissolves like hope in light's embrace.
Scattering mist amidst relicts roots and buds,
That gulp down life with clots of blood,
Blood of knights, that for immortality clash;
Swings of steel are crushing bones and armor,
Playing hymn of swords clanking and dying clamor
Whirling and whirling around and filling the space
Only to fade away in the morning embrace …
Sacred sword – is but a blind fortune's test,
He chose the one who bled, but survived the fight,
Who stood his own, kept the vow that night:
Wolf's life weighs more than that of the rest…
His skin is not a part of the heated race
And day dissolves like hope in light's embrace.
5 — In The Arms Of Light
And day dissolves like hope in light's embrace,
When but an echo remains of the savage battle,
And the departed, sunk into the oblivion like cattle,
Shall drown afield — no kin's mourning, no grace;
The lake of ash shall devour the bodies once more,
Mass grave for those who knew no penance before,
The skies shall be split from east by sunray
Dividing into future and past the time spend astray;
Clenching your trophy's guard in iron-clad fist,
Fixing your eyes on the blazing fireball of sunrise,
Shall you see the castle – illusion of grand prize,
Or the haven of home shall bring you glee and peace
To fall into joy, by bathing in bliss whole day…
But she is not here – the joy has gone away.
When but an echo remains of the savage battle,
And the departed, sunk into the oblivion like cattle,
Shall drown afield — no kin's mourning, no grace;
The lake of ash shall devour the bodies once more,
Mass grave for those who knew no penance before,
The skies shall be split from east by sunray
Dividing into future and past the time spend astray;
Clenching your trophy's guard in iron-clad fist,
Fixing your eyes on the blazing fireball of sunrise,
Shall you see the castle – illusion of grand prize,
Or the haven of home shall bring you glee and peace
To fall into joy, by bathing in bliss whole day…
But she is not here – the joy has gone away.
6 — She Is Not Here
But she is not here, the joy has gone away,
Why does the gold sea of wheat ear in breeze,
If there is no one to reap and the windmill doesn't heed
To the cool stream and the is not bursting with yield?
Stables are empty, yard and garden lie in decay,
And no one to meet you by the river or field,
No goods, no chattels in the sun or the shade,
And a wide open door shall not dissuade,
Only a wandering ghost in the twilight of room
Of loving care glimmers, under a veil of faded bloom,
But a reckless touch, a wave of the years of past,
Like symphony into notes, crumbled it into dust,
And with a spindle and a yarn in the midday sun
Only the long journey through summer to summer spun.
Why does the gold sea of wheat ear in breeze,
If there is no one to reap and the windmill doesn't heed
To the cool stream and the is not bursting with yield?
Stables are empty, yard and garden lie in decay,
And no one to meet you by the river or field,
No goods, no chattels in the sun or the shade,
And a wide open door shall not dissuade,
Only a wandering ghost in the twilight of room
Of loving care glimmers, under a veil of faded bloom,
But a reckless touch, a wave of the years of past,
Like symphony into notes, crumbled it into dust,
And with a spindle and a yarn in the midday sun
Only the long journey through summer to summer spun.
7 — Long Journey
Only the long journey through summer to summer spun,
The path's ribbon stretches out often winding its way,
Like feelings and doubts of an ascetic run astray,
In space and time of borderlands inhabited by no one,
The sea is luring with hope and setting sails,
To cast off with a new mate into the raging gale,
And brave the elements, longing like Argo of yore
For a faithful soul and comfort of the sandy shore
But blue abyss cries out for torment and offering,
Raising rollers, ripping and snarling rigging,
With insatiable ardor the blue for death hungers,
To relish weakness, fear and its crushing powers,
Like faith carelessly leaves us at desperate times,
Like evil dream drives the mind into the death's vice.
The path's ribbon stretches out often winding its way,
Like feelings and doubts of an ascetic run astray,
In space and time of borderlands inhabited by no one,
The sea is luring with hope and setting sails,
To cast off with a new mate into the raging gale,
And brave the elements, longing like Argo of yore
For a faithful soul and comfort of the sandy shore
But blue abyss cries out for torment and offering,
Raising rollers, ripping and snarling rigging,
With insatiable ardor the blue for death hungers,
To relish weakness, fear and its crushing powers,
Like faith carelessly leaves us at desperate times,
Like evil dream drives the mind into the death's vice.
8 — Dream
Like evil dream drives the mind into death's vice
And pulling it out of hangman's knot of illusions
Is harder than hunting a bear with blind-folded eyes,
But not as perilous as the tangled knot of delusions,
Of accepted rules created by someone somehow
But once on the track, it's hard to return for thou;
Stare not with blame when your mate goes away,
He chose the rose, that will stay till his dying day,
Having left his shield as hope and belief in triumph,
So as not to forget his temple and hearth in error,
Rather than just giving up his bliss to servilely vie
For others' phantoms, empty passions and desires
But love brings as much hurt as war and villainy,
The covenant enshrined the law of hypocrisy.
And pulling it out of hangman's knot of illusions
Is harder than hunting a bear with blind-folded eyes,
But not as perilous as the tangled knot of delusions,
Of accepted rules created by someone somehow
But once on the track, it's hard to return for thou;
Stare not with blame when your mate goes away,
He chose the rose, that will stay till his dying day,
Having left his shield as hope and belief in triumph,
So as not to forget his temple and hearth in error,
Rather than just giving up his bliss to servilely vie
For others' phantoms, empty passions and desires
But love brings as much hurt as war and villainy,
The covenant enshrined the law of hypocrisy.
9 — Covenant
The covenant enshrined the law of hypocrisy,
Life is war with your enemies or shadow of thee,
That came out like a werewolf in fullmoon night,
Even a humble coward cannot escape in flight;
The Moon triumphs eclipsing the fading day star
Monsters come to feast, the time of lunacy is nigh,
But duty obliges to guard the treasures palace,
Binding the deal with this world with steel and blood.
Under malice-crimson sky with a shield and sword
By beast's claws, his jaws' bite, his stunning roar
Experience the insane lust and hunger for power,
And yet still defend your creed and do not cower;
By the dust of distant stars, strewing celestial vault,
Seeker enters the garden of moon for a story yet untold.
Life is war with your enemies or shadow of thee,
That came out like a werewolf in fullmoon night,
Even a humble coward cannot escape in flight;
The Moon triumphs eclipsing the fading day star
Monsters come to feast, the time of lunacy is nigh,
But duty obliges to guard the treasures palace,
Binding the deal with this world with steel and blood.
Under malice-crimson sky with a shield and sword
By beast's claws, his jaws' bite, his stunning roar
Experience the insane lust and hunger for power,
And yet still defend your creed and do not cower;
By the dust of distant stars, strewing celestial vault,
Seeker enters the garden of moon for a story yet untold.
10 — Garden Of Moon
Seeker enters the garden of moon for a story yet untold,
The dream, that drew him through tracks and roads,
Into the decrepit castle to see truth prove to be lies,
Where secrets shall lose their sugar-coated disguise;
Deaf time is reluctantly echoed back by blind space,
Gate doors tear the silence of the forlorn place,
The eyes of the truth-seeker witness a sight of dismal:
The hall with roses drooping in a cobweb of calm:
Among tentacles of lianas and interlaced banners,
On a stone throne beset by moss and dampness
Is but a ghost, clad in armor fretted with rust,
A myth of the head of the pack, egregore of past.
You wanted this battle to take his place one day?
To be once more alone amid hypocrisy and decay.
The dream, that drew him through tracks and roads,
Into the decrepit castle to see truth prove to be lies,
Where secrets shall lose their sugar-coated disguise;
Deaf time is reluctantly echoed back by blind space,
Gate doors tear the silence of the forlorn place,
The eyes of the truth-seeker witness a sight of dismal:
The hall with roses drooping in a cobweb of calm:
Among tentacles of lianas and interlaced banners,
On a stone throne beset by moss and dampness
Is but a ghost, clad in armor fretted with rust,
A myth of the head of the pack, egregore of past.
You wanted this battle to take his place one day?
To be once more alone amid hypocrisy and decay.
11 — Alone
To be once more alone amid hypocrisy and decay –
Having taken a sip of the potion of vile joyless pride
You shall search for the cure for the rest of your life –
And its haunting taste shall never be washed away;
When the chimera's acolyte offers the crown,
You shall unveil sacred knowledge and meaning
A step lies between the envier and power and throne
In the dusty garden of overripe, dead cravings;
Pride is only the first gulp of the vanity thirst, alas,
Scorn – shall be the second, but won't be the last,
Thus he who devotes his life to arrogant desires,
Shall spend the rest of it alone in bitter grief fires;
But having chosen the crown and the throne
May one somehow return to the vows of yore?
Having taken a sip of the potion of vile joyless pride
You shall search for the cure for the rest of your life –
And its haunting taste shall never be washed away;
When the chimera's acolyte offers the crown,
You shall unveil sacred knowledge and meaning
A step lies between the envier and power and throne
In the dusty garden of overripe, dead cravings;
Pride is only the first gulp of the vanity thirst, alas,
Scorn – shall be the second, but won't be the last,
Thus he who devotes his life to arrogant desires,
Shall spend the rest of it alone in bitter grief fires;
But having chosen the crown and the throne
May one somehow return to the vows of yore?
12 — Return
May one somehow return to the vows of yore?
Stranger's destiny of dead wolfskin has no allure,
There shall be no one to condemn nor to forbid,
The everlasting circle and its cycle to repeat,
Through the breach or the frail gates, just retreat
To ramble freely through fields of unripe wheat,
Where predators hunt in the dampness of woods,
In gullies of flowers and bushes full of mushrooms,
The lot of weak-spirited is to fear frost and heat,
Or to go door-to-door searching for a soothing
Refuge of blinding peace and calm confusing
Flattery for goodness and for reward for a feat.
It is safer to find your pack, albeit it being tough,
But wolves are not people at all - wolves can love
Stranger's destiny of dead wolfskin has no allure,
There shall be no one to condemn nor to forbid,
The everlasting circle and its cycle to repeat,
Through the breach or the frail gates, just retreat
To ramble freely through fields of unripe wheat,
Where predators hunt in the dampness of woods,
In gullies of flowers and bushes full of mushrooms,
The lot of weak-spirited is to fear frost and heat,
Or to go door-to-door searching for a soothing
Refuge of blinding peace and calm confusing
Flattery for goodness and for reward for a feat.
It is safer to find your pack, albeit it being tough,
But wolves are not people at all - wolves can love
13 — Wolves Can Love
But wolves are not people at all — wolves can love,
And they have no churches, no judges or fools,
Their harsh, cruel lives are led by one simple rule:
Wolves do not betray brothers by pack or blood;
Wolf is a beast, he has no illusions of guile or sin,
Believe, if you wish, and enter his unknown kingdom,
Test, if you wish, and see that his loyalty is in no lack,
Kill, if you wish, but ask not for quarter from his pack,
Betray, if you wish, but never again seek his friendship,
Feed, if you wish, but he shall not be a dog on a leash
Leave, if you wish, he won't whimper, he'll understand
Forget him, if you wish, but he shall not forget your scent;
Wolves' code is plain and simple, their laws are brief,
And swathes a glorious dream, dream of infinite glee.
And they have no churches, no judges or fools,
Their harsh, cruel lives are led by one simple rule:
Wolves do not betray brothers by pack or blood;
Wolf is a beast, he has no illusions of guile or sin,
Believe, if you wish, and enter his unknown kingdom,
Test, if you wish, and see that his loyalty is in no lack,
Kill, if you wish, but ask not for quarter from his pack,
Betray, if you wish, but never again seek his friendship,
Feed, if you wish, but he shall not be a dog on a leash
Leave, if you wish, he won't whimper, he'll understand
Forget him, if you wish, but he shall not forget your scent;
Wolves' code is plain and simple, their laws are brief,
And swathes a glorious dream, dream of infinite glee.
14 — Glorious Dream
And swathes a glorious dream, dream of infinite glee,
Now in the shade of chestnuts you can breathe deep,
You have drained the cup of envy, sorrow and spite,
Accept the dreary adage: world is eternal, you - finite
Be that as it may, it is only partly reminiscent of elegy
Yet, full of life and energy, flowers reach for the sun
Honey bees collect sweet pollen, they buzz and hum,
And we only partially know happiness and misery;
In the moments of satiety of life and foolish believes
You can furrow the skies for a new song and tune,
And watch birds in their nests cleaning their plumes
Or dream, that once again while observing the land
Wandering knight shall deem this world is too small – and!
Once more desert ashes smother the trees.
Now in the shade of chestnuts you can breathe deep,
You have drained the cup of envy, sorrow and spite,
Accept the dreary adage: world is eternal, you - finite
Be that as it may, it is only partly reminiscent of elegy
Yet, full of life and energy, flowers reach for the sun
Honey bees collect sweet pollen, they buzz and hum,
And we only partially know happiness and misery;
In the moments of satiety of life and foolish believes
You can furrow the skies for a new song and tune,
And watch birds in their nests cleaning their plumes
Or dream, that once again while observing the land
Wandering knight shall deem this world is too small – and!
Once more desert ashes smother the trees.
Volta
Once more desert ashes smother the trees,
Knight and Wolf are shadows in the maze of fear,
But covered with cloak of disbelief is the land of mist,
And mirror of evil reflects in the lake of ash;
And day dissolves like hope in light's embrace,
But she is not here, the joy has gone away,
Only the long road through summer to summer spun -
Like evil dream drives the mind into death's vice;
The covenant enshrined the law of hypocrisy,
Seeker enters the garden of moon for a story yet untold,
To be once more alone amid hypocrisy and decay –
May one somehow return to the vows of yore?
But wolves are not people at all - wolves can love,
And swathes a glorious dream, dream of infinite glee.
Knight and Wolf are shadows in the maze of fear,
But covered with cloak of disbelief is the land of mist,
And mirror of evil reflects in the lake of ash;
And day dissolves like hope in light's embrace,
But she is not here, the joy has gone away,
Only the long road through summer to summer spun -
Like evil dream drives the mind into death's vice;
The covenant enshrined the law of hypocrisy,
Seeker enters the garden of moon for a story yet untold,
To be once more alone amid hypocrisy and decay –
May one somehow return to the vows of yore?
But wolves are not people at all - wolves can love,
And swathes a glorious dream, dream of infinite glee.
Knight & Wolf English Sonnets (2021)
This album is a collection of sonnets that accompany Knight & Wolf music album. The sonnets were created by the project’s artist Alexander Denisov and interpreted into English by Artem Vanteev. English sonnets were voiced by Kate Vekova.
The protagonist of the album's poetry is a lonely bannerless knight who has lost his destiny. The story of the wanderings of the protagonist is presented in sonnets that accompany the illustrations and music.
The protagonist of the album's poetry is a lonely bannerless knight who has lost his destiny. The story of the wanderings of the protagonist is presented in sonnets that accompany the illustrations and music.
CC Attribution — Noncommercial — No Derivative Works
“
The Knight is looking for genuine feelings — fresh flowers. The flowers that will brighten up his path and give hopes to win. Unfortunately his thoughts and principles are poisoned by a dream of perfection and there is nothing else but this wish. Every time he encounters something far from his expectations. He gets completely disappointment at the place where the dream should have come true - a garden. Thus a throne room and a cherished garden turn out to be ruins left a long time ago by his predecessor.
Tirelessly searching for something real and sincere among his and other people's dreams, getting disappointed in love and friendship, wishing to be renowned and successful, the character discovers that he has turned into someone whom he used to despise.
But we are hoping that the knight won't fall asleep on the throne, hiding himself from the world under a wolf skin. He will understand that a long path is important and necessary but only if there some way to get back. Returning to the place where the wolf is waiting for him. The wolf that he had abandoned once, got stronger and mature and its purpose is to protect the true self.
And here comes the question...What is our true self in this case? A wish to have a better life? Escaping from other people's will? Being lead by your own selfishness and isolating yourself from others? Or maybe it's time to accept the fact that a person is not a center of the universe but only a part of it?
Tirelessly searching for something real and sincere among his and other people's dreams, getting disappointed in love and friendship, wishing to be renowned and successful, the character discovers that he has turned into someone whom he used to despise.
But we are hoping that the knight won't fall asleep on the throne, hiding himself from the world under a wolf skin. He will understand that a long path is important and necessary but only if there some way to get back. Returning to the place where the wolf is waiting for him. The wolf that he had abandoned once, got stronger and mature and its purpose is to protect the true self.
And here comes the question...What is our true self in this case? A wish to have a better life? Escaping from other people's will? Being lead by your own selfishness and isolating yourself from others? Or maybe it's time to accept the fact that a person is not a center of the universe but only a part of it?
