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Russian to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Music
Russian term or phrase:suite
Подскажите, пожалуйста, как лучше перевести название, и как лучше выделить названия на английском - курсивом или жирным шрифтом. Ян Сибелиус «Возвращение Лемминкяйнена» из симфонической сюиты "Четыре легенды о Лемминкяйнене"
Lemminkäinen's Return From Symphonic Suite: Four Legends from the Kalevala или Four Lemminkäinen Legends?
Explanation: There are several version, but looking at a list of recordings on CD (at www.prestomusic.com) It seems that the most commen is 'Lemminkäinen Suite', but I first met them (many, many years ago) as the 'Four Legends'. The expression 'Symphonic Suite' does not usually seem to be used in the title, especially when talking about the 'Lemminkäinen Suite'. I suggest you get a better picture by looking at Prestomusic. On your second point, usage varies, but in the UK the title is normally given in Italics, but never in Bold.
Different parts of the English-speaking world certainly have different traditions, so the Chicago style is perfectly OK; for me the general UK style is the one that I am used to (but even here you will still find variations).
"Movement titles are generally capitalized; individual movements from larger works take quotation marks". (c) So it seems like it has to be written like this: "Lemminkäinen's Return" (in quotation marks) from the Orchestral Suite (normal text) Four Lemminkäinen Legends (in italics).
"Titles consisting of generic terms are capitalized but not italicized or put in quotation marks" (c) So I suppose Orchestral Suite No. 3, Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra,or Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto - all don't have to be italicized since these titles consist of generic terms.
Re: italics. Usage varies, but it is usually only the title that is italicised, so taking 'Triptych for Symphony Orchestra', if that was the composer's title everything would be in italics, but if the composer called it just 'Triptych', and 'for Symphony Orchestra' is an addition to explain who it was for (i.e. not a string quartet, for instance), then only 'Triptych' would be italicised.
Thanks, John. Do Triptych for Symphony Orchestra, Fantasy for Violin, or Capriccio for Piano also have to be italicized? I thought only such works as, for instance, Nutcracker Suite or Sleeping Beauty are in italics.
On my recording (Philadelphia Orchestra / Eugene Ormandy, EMI, 1979) the sleeve note by Hugh Ottaway refers to 'the Four Legends, sometimes known as the Lemminkäinen Suite', but 'the' is not in italics in either case (the works are in italics). I would suggest either 'Lemminkäinen's Return from the orchestral suite the Four Legends, Op. 22' or just 'Lemminkäinen's Return from the Four Legends, Op. 22', with only 'Lemminkäinen's Return' and 'Four Legends' in italics. You could use 'Lemminkäinen Suite' instead of 'Four Legends', but, as Rachel points out, that means repeating 'Lemminkäinen'.
On the website you mentioned, it's written: Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Suite, Op. 22: Lemminkäinen's Return (No. 4). In the original I'm translating, it's written (translated literally): Lemminkäinen's Return From Symphonic Suite Four Lemminkäinen Legends
So, is it Four Lemminkäinen Legends or Four Legends from the Kalevala? And do I need "From" in a concert programme, or can I omit it?
Thanks, Rachel. The definite article before the Lemminkäinen Suite? I'm translating a concert programme.
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Lemminkäinen Suite
Explanation: There are several version, but looking at a list of recordings on CD (at www.prestomusic.com) It seems that the most commen is 'Lemminkäinen Suite', but I first met them (many, many years ago) as the 'Four Legends'. The expression 'Symphonic Suite' does not usually seem to be used in the title, especially when talking about the 'Lemminkäinen Suite'. I suggest you get a better picture by looking at Prestomusic. On your second point, usage varies, but in the UK the title is normally given in Italics, but never in Bold.