Andrei Bely Books

Andrei Bely's four Symphonies—"Dramatic Symphony," "Northern Symphony," "The Return," and "Goblet of Blizzards"—showcase fantastical narratives that exemplify modernist innovation. Each work offers a unique exploration of complex themes and vivid imagery, reflecting the author's distinctive style and artistic vision. These stories not only push the boundaries of literary form but also invite readers into a richly imaginative world, making them essential for understanding the evolution of modern literature.

This volume contains a 15-page Introduction on Andrey Bely's work, followed by a the first published translation of The Dramatic Symphony (by Roger and Angela Keys), its hero struggling against philosophical nihilism. To dramatize the split between the world of matter and the world of the spirit, Bely utilizes musical formal structures and motif variation/development. The remainder of the volume consists of Bely's essay The Forms of Art (translated with an introduction and notes by John Elsworth); 183 pages.

St Petersburg, 1905. An impressionable young university student, Nikolai, becomes involved with a revolutionary terror organization, which plans to assassinate a high government official with a time bomb. But the official is Nikolai's cold, unyielding father, Apollon, and in twenty-four hours the bomb will explode.