Music in The Master and Margarita

music in The Master and Margarita; Berlioz
Hector Berlioz
 music in The Master and Margarita; Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov
music in Master and Margarita; Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokoviev
Question for Discussion: The Role of Music in The Master and Margarita

One of the more obvious, and delightful, elements of this story is the role of music in The Master and Margarita. Notably, many characters bear the names of famous composers: Berlioz, Rimsky, and Stravinsky, to name a few. In addition, a number of scenes feature actual music, either being played, or heard on the radio. Consequently the novel often seems to provide its own soundtrack. So what are among the ways Bulgakov uses music in this novel, and what do these say about his musical tastes?

Some things to consider include:

Continue reading “Music in The Master and Margarita”

Just Published: New Translation of ‘The Master and Margarita’ by Mikhail Bulgakov

I am pleased to announce the initial publication my translation of the 20th century Russian classic, The Master and Margarita, by Mikhail Bulgakov. Translating this novel from Russian to English has been a joy and an obsession; I finally feel that it is translated, edited, proofed and formatted to my satisfaction, and so ready to go out into the world. Currently it is only available as a Kindle e-book, but is days away from release as a trade-paperback. It will also soon be available on Apple’s iBooks store and at Barnes & Noble. Continue reading “Just Published: New Translation of ‘The Master and Margarita’ by Mikhail Bulgakov”

‘The Master and Margarita:’ Cover, for New, English Language Translation of Bulgakov’s Classic Novel.

This is the Master and Margarita cover I made for my translation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s awesome tale of the extraordinary in 1930s Moscow, which will be published before the end of of 2017:

The Master and Margarita
Cover of soon-to-be published new, English translation by John Dougherty of Mikhail Bulgakov’s Master and Margarita ©2017

Continue reading “‘The Master and Margarita:’ Cover, for New, English Language Translation of Bulgakov’s Classic Novel.”