Performance of Rhyming Thomas & the Faery Queen (in Russian) at Livadia Palace, Yalta, 21 May 2021
Rhyming Thomas & the Faery Queen (video)
Author: Tommy
The Blood of the Bard: Prophecy and Succession in Russia and Scotland (video)
Speech at the Yalta Conference 21st May, 2021
It isnae over until it’s over
I wrote this translation of Vysotsky’s Еще не вечер in the run-up to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. In the original Russian version, Vysotsky has in mind the veteran theatre director Yury Lyubimov, under whose inspired Brechtian leadership the Taganka Read More …
The Return of the Global Village Bard – Interview with Regis Tremblay for Global Conversations
It was a big pleasure to be interviewed by this fine gentleman Regis Tremblay for his show Global Conversations. I talk about my long and seemingly inevitable journey from Scotland to Russia, my childhood background and my Global Village Bard Read More …
Why this new (w)rapping? (Part 3 – the rhythm of language)
In which I try to outline what distinguishes prose (including “free verse) from poetry – or, more properly, song.
Lovely Jubilee 2020
I think everyone will agree that 2020 has been a bit of a difficult year for human beings on planet Earth. Now that it is coming to an end, it becomes possible to think about what it means. There is Read More …
Why this new (w)rapping? (Part 2 – memorable speech)
So, why do I think that rap is the new home of contemporary poetry? The famous 20th-century poet Wystan Hugh Auden memorably defined poetry as “memorable speech”. I think that is a good definition for a number of reasons. Firstly, Read More …
Why this new (w)rapping? (Part 1 – cultural estrangement)
Since you probably know me as a singer-songwriter / translator and this Global Village Bard blog as a song and poetry translation site, I thought I’d try to explain the new direction taken by my alter ego Thomas Riffmatch and Read More …
Telegram channel launched!
We are delighted to announce that we now have a Telegram channel! If you are reading this, please say hi to confirm that it is working! Click here to subscribe!
Translating Lermontov’s 1831-go IYUNYA 11 DNYA
A discussion of some of the problems arising during the course of attempting a ‘musical’ verse translation of Lermontov’s early lyric poem 1831-go IYUNYA 11 DNYA is presented. A metrical analysis of the poem’s prosodic features is carried out in Read More …