Sounds of Russia

Music and poetry from Rus to Soviet. Learn the culture through its music. Музыка и поэзия в России.

[russianculture]

Visit Original Link

“Юная бабушка” — Варвара Визбор

На стихотворение Марины Цветаевой 

Продолговатый и твердый овал, Черного платья раструбы… Юная бабушка! Кто целовал Ваши надменные губы?

Руки, которые в залах дворца Вальсы Шопена играли… По сторонам ледяного лица Локоны, в виде спирали.

Темный, прямой и взыскательный взгляд. Взгляд, к обороне готовый. Юные женщины так не глядят. Юная бабушка, кто вы?

Сколько возможностей вы унесли, И невозможностей — сколько? — В ненасытимую прорву земли, Двадцатилетняя полька!

День был невинен, и ветер был свеж. Темные звезды погасли. — Бабушка! — Этот жестокий мятеж В сердце моем — не от вас ли?..

По материнской линии бабушкой Марины Цветаевой была светская львица и польская аристократка Мария Бернацкая. Видимо, рассматривая ее портрет, в 1914 году Цветаева написала свое знаменитое стихотворение «Бабушке», в котором пыталась постичь тайну этой удивительно красивой женщины.

Мария Бернацкая ушла из жизни в 20-летнем возрасте, поэтому Цветаева, рассматривая ее портрет, обращается к родственнице не иначе, как «юная бабушка». И это действительно так, потому что самой поэтессе недавно исполнилось 18 лет, и она не чувствует сильной разницы в возрасте между собой и своей родственницей. Их разделяют десятки лет, которые вместили в себя целую эпоху, однако Цветаеву это ничуть не смущает. Она видит «руки, которые в залах дворца вальсы Шопена играли», поэтому Цветаева с любопытством вопрошает: «Юная бабушка, кто вы?». У самой поэтессы нет однозначного ответа на этот вопрос, однако она сожалеет, что ранняя смерть этой молодой женщины, успевшей подарить миру дочь, лишила ее множества удивительных открытий.

[russianculture]

Flёur - Мы никогда не умрём / В бой идут одни старики

[soundsofrussia]

Отава Ё - Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся (казачья лезгинка) Otava Yo - (Cossack's lezginka)

Седьмой официальный видеоклип фолк-группы Отава Ё. "Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся". English subtitles available! Поддержать группу Отава Ё: http://otava-yo.spb.ru/ru/...

Не буду пудриться, белиться, Не буду кудри завивать Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся Не буду кудри завивать Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся Не буду кудри завивать Не буду с милым я знакомы Не буду милым называть Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся Не буду милым называть Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся Не буду милым называть Девяносто песен знаю, В один вечер все спою. Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся Ой в один вечер все спою. Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся Ой в один вечер все спою. В каждой песне по три слова Дорогой тебя люблю! Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся Ой дорогой тебя люблю! Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся Ой дорогой тебя люблю! Голосочек хриповат А кто ж в этом виноват Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся А кто ж в этом виноват Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся А кто ж в этом виноват Виноватый милый мой Гулял по холоду со мной. Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся Гулял по холоду со мной. Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся Гулял по холоду со мной. Дорогой мне изменил. А я подрумянилась. Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся А я подрумянилась. Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся А я подрумянилась. Мимо окон прошла боком. И опять понравилась. Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся И опять понравилась. Ой, Дуся, ой, Маруся И опять понравилась.

[russianculture]

The Tale of Igor’s Campaign (Old Slavic: Слово о плъкоу Игоревѣ) is an anonymous epic poem written in the Old East Slavic language. The title is occasionally translated as The Song of Igor’s Campaign, The Lay of Igor’s Campaign, The Lay of the Host of Igor, and The Lay of the Warfare Waged by Igor.

The poem gives an account of a failed raid of Igor Svyatoslavich (d. 1202) against the Polovtsians of the Don River region.

The Tale of Igor’s Campaign was adapted by Alexander Borodin as an opera and became one of the great classics of Russian theatre. Entitled Prince Igor, it was first performed in 1890.

The story describes a failed raid made in year 1185 by Kniaz Igor Svyatoslavich, Prince of Novgorod-Seversk (of the Chernigov principality of ancient Rus’) on the Polovtsians (Cumans) tribe living in the southern part of the Don region. Other Rus’ historical figures are mentioned, including skald Boyan (The Bard), the princes Vseslav of Polotsk, Yaroslav Osmomysl of Halych, and Vsevolod the Big Nest of Suzdal. The author appeals to the warring Rus’ princes and pleads for unity in the face of the constant threat from the Turkic East.

The descriptions show coexistence Christianity and ancient Slavic religion. Igor’s wife Yaroslavna invokes natural forces from the walls of Putyvl. Christian motifs are presented along with depersonalised pagan gods as among the artistic images.

The Tale has been compared to other national epics, including The Song of Roland and The Song of the Nibelungs. The book however differs from contemporary Western epics on account of its numerous and vivid descriptions of nature and the portrayal of the role which nature plays in human lives.

[russianculture]

The Tsar’s Bride (Ouverture) by Rimsky-Korsakov

[russianculture]

The Symphony Orchestra of the St. Petersburg State Academic Capella

Khachaturian. Masquerade: Waltz

[russianculture]

The Tsar’s Bride (Russian: Царская невеста, Tsarskaya nevesta) is an opera in four acts by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, the composer’s tenth opera.

Synopsis Time: Autumn, 1572 Place: Aleksandrovsky settlement, Moscow, Russia

Act 1: The Feast The oprichnik (bodyguard) Gryaznoi loves Marfa, daughter of the merchant Sobakin, even though Gryaznoi already has a mistress, Lyubasha, whom he has neglected of late. Marfa is already beloved of the boyar Lykov. In a jealous rage against Lykov, Gryaznoi arranges to cast a spell on Marfa with a magic potion from Bomelius, the Tsar’s physician. Lyubasha has overheard Gryaznoi’s request.

Act 2: The Love Philtre Lyubasha in turn obtains from Bomelius another magic potion with which to cancel any feelings of Gryaznoi for Marfa. Bomelius consents, but at the price of an assignation with Lyubasha for himself.

Act 3: The Best Man In the meantime, the Tsar of the title, Ivan IV (known as “Ivan the Terrible”), is looking for a new bride from the best aristocratic maidens in Russia. The Tsar settles upon Marfa. At the celebration of the engagement of Marfa to Lykov, everyone is surprised when the news arrives of the Tsar’s choice of Marfa as his bride. Gryaznoi had slipped what he thought was the love potion from Bomelius into Marfa’s drink at the feast.

Act 4: The Bride At the Tsar’s palace, Marfa has become violently ill. Lykov has been executed, at the instigation of Gryaznoi, on charges of attempting to kill Marfa. When Marfa learns that Lykov is dead, she goes insane. Eventually, Gryaznoi admits that he had slipped a potion into her drink, and after learning that it was poisonous, asks that he himself be executed. Lyubasha then confesses that she had substituted her potion from Bomelius for Gryaznoi’s. In a rage, Gryaznoi murders Lyubasha, and is then taken to prison eventually to be executed. In her madness, Marfa mistakes Gryzanoi for Lykov, inviting him to return the next day to visit her, then dies.

[russianculture]

Boris Godunov is an opera by Modest Mussorgsky (1839–1881). The work was composed between 1868 and 1873 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is Mussorgsky’s only completed opera and is considered his masterpiece.Its subjects are the Russian ruler Boris Godunov, who reigned as Tsar (1598 to 1605) during the Time of Troubles, and his nemesis, the False Dmitriy (reigned 1605 to 1606). The Russian-language libretto was written by the composer, and is based on the drama Boris Godunov by Aleksandr Pushkin, and, in the Revised Version of 1872, on Nikolay Karamzin’s History of the Russian State.

[russianculture]

Kola Beldy - I will take you to the tundra

Kola Beldy (Russian: Кола́ Бельды́) (2 May 1929 – 21 December 1993) was a Soviet pop singer of Nanai ethnicity. He was born in the village of Mukha in Nanai District of the then Far-Eastern Krai in the Soviet Union (Today, the district is part of Khabarovsk Krai). He had a number of Soviet-era hits, most famously “Увезу тебя я в тундру” (I will take you to the tundra). According to musicologist and rock critic Artemy Troitsky he “scored with some tundra-orientated megahits in the seventies and is considered a hallmark of Soviet snow-opera kitsch”

[russianculture]

I’ll Take You Away to Tundra cover by Samotsvety

Samotsvety (Russian: Самоцветы, which means “Semiprecious Stones”) is a Soviet VIA band formed in 1971, in Moscow.

[russianculture]

I will take you to the tundra

I’ll take you away, away to tundra (a region in the north of Russia)

I’ll take you away to the hoary snow, I’ll throw it (snow) to your feet Like a white hide of a polar bear. We’ll hurry away to the end of the world Across the crispy frost And we’ll loose ourselves far away Amongst smoky snow piles.

Refrain: We’ll go, we’ll race The deer early in the morning (i.e. in a sled that is carried by the deer) And we’ll recklessly rush right into a snowy dawn! You’ll see that it’s not correct to call the North “the Far North”, you’ll see that it’s boundless (it’s a wordplay: in Russian the Far North is called “The North on the edge” or “The North on the boundary”, and he’s saying that it’s in fact boundless) I’m giving it to you as a present.

I’ll take you away, away to tundra, I’ll take you alone, I’ll wrap your shoulders In the bright arctic lights. Starry hoarfrost will burn On your eyelashes like silver. We’ll collect as many gemstones As you wish!

Refrain: We’ll go, we’ll race The deer early in the morning And we’ll recklessly rush right into a snowy dawn! You’ll see that it’s not correct to call the North “the Far North”, you’ll see that it’s boundless I’m giving it to you as a present.

I’ll take you away, away to tundra, And then you’ll understand all of a sudden Why the Polar circle is luring and beckoning so much (the Polar circle is the frigid zone, where there’s at least one 24-hour period when the sun is continuously above the horizon and at least one 24-hour period when the sun is continuously below the horizon annually) It’s not a problem that there are blizzards here, The cold is not a worry. If you fall in love with the North, You’ll never stop loving it.

(via russianculture)

[soundsofrussia]

Predchuvstviyu Tebya

An inspired song based on a poem (”Anticipating You,” or “Presentiment”) by Alexander Blok, the late 19th century and early 20th century Russian lyric poet. A contemporary of Rachmaninov. If you would like a reading of the poem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_aIsGxIV14

[soundsofrussia]

Pushkin's Poem 'Monument' - Representative of Russian Literature - in Interlinear

Read Pushkin's perhaps most representative poem Monument in Interlinear. It features themes which arguably largely define the rest of Russian literature.

This link has some foot notes and a less literal translation, if you would like some grammar instruction: http://poemsintranslation.blogspot.com/2013/10/pushkin-exegi-monumentum-from-russian.html

Most Russian songs are poetry-- I once even composed a song based off of a poem by Alexander Blok, inspired by Rachmaninov. One of the best ways to learn Russian language and culture is by learning the poetry or the music.

[soundsofrussia]

Отава Ё – Сумецкая (русские частушки под драку) 

Otava Yo - Russian ditties for a fight

Otava Yo was formed by Alexey Belkin, Alexey Skosirev and Dmitry Shikhardin in 2004. For inspiration they turned to Russian folk songs - not to the very old ones, but to recent songs and tunes which were popular when their parents were young. After working on its "Russian beat" concept for three years the band released a new album, "Once Upon a Time."

For fun, Otava Yo bases its image on the stereotype of the real Russian man. Witty song introductions emerged with the music, livening up already energetic performances. The band is very popular in its home city of St. Petersburg, playing some 80 concerts a year at various venues and events. 2010 was specially successful - Otava Yo played at several well known European folk festivals, breaking records in festival CD sales and meeting the president of Estonia, made its first music video, and and produced a play based on Russian Christmas songs, which will soon be released on an album as well.

Otava Yo turns Russian folk songs into powerful dance music, a new Russian Beat. The band "can take great concert halls by storm with their Slavic temperament and fire. . . an authentic example of what will happen if a classical Russian Ivan gets into a groove." (Kiviberg, Viljandi Folk Festival)

Lyrics: 

Sumetckaya

Ой кто там едет? кто там едет? кто там едет посмотри
а? на хромой то на кобыле это наши скобари.

Who is riding? Who is riding? Look, who is riding? These are our skobari riding on a lamemare.

Скобари народ потешный
 Едут с ярмарки домой.
 Кто раздетый, кто разутый,
 Кто с разбитой головой

Skobari are funny people, They come home from the fair - Some are unclothed,some are bare, Some are head broken.

Вы сыграйте мне такого
 Скобаря потешного,
 Чтобы брюхо не болело
 У меня, у грешного.

Do your best and Play me funny "Skobar", Oh make me feel good, so the belly doesn’t ache, Oh have mercy on me, sinner.

Вы сыграйте мне такого,
 Чтобы ноги дрыгали,_
 Чтобы всяки сопленосы
 Перед нам не прыгали.

Do your best and play so good, So that legs are kicking, And so that snotty punks Wouldn’t jump around.

Это чей там паренёк
 Выдаёт коленца
 Не досталось бы ему 
Осинова поленца. I want to prance, I want to hoof it, But frankly speaking, I want to come to blows Who is that lad, Hopping and dancing, He’d better watch out For an aspen log.

На гулянку собирался,
 Батька сунул пятачок.
 Мамка на ухо шепнула:
 "Не напейся, дурачок!"

I was going for a whoopee, My daddy tossed me a nickel, My mommy whispered: “Don’t get wasted, you little fool!”.

Я отчаянным родился
 И ничем не дорожу.
 Если голову отрубят –
 Я полено привяжу.

I was born reckless, I don’t cherish anything, If my head is chopped off, I will tie a log instead.

Ломаюся, сгибаюся
 Скажу, что не здоров.
 Принесите мне пол-литру
 И не надо дохторов.

I am braking, I am bending. I will say I’m feeling sick, You’d bring me half-a-litter, I need no doctors anymore.

Мы в гробу того видали,
 Кто нас пьяницей назвал.
 На свои мы деньги пили,
 Нам никто не подавал

If you tell us we are drunkards, You can go and bite me, We’ve been drinking on our own money, We got no alms from anyone.

Меня били-колотили, Два кола четыре гири 
А угадали по плечу - я стою и хохочу

They’ve been beating me, Trying to punch me in the eye, Instead they hit me in the shoulder, So I am standing laughing out loud.

ой не всё же с горя плакать ой не всё же мне тужить 
дайте маленькое времечко весёлому побыть

I can’t be upset anymore, I can’t weep any longer, Give me some time to be joyful and have fun.

У подружки русы косы ниже пояса вились 
ох за эти русы косы мы с товарищем дрались

My girlfriend has braids down to her waist, We’ve been fighting with my friend for these very braids.

Ой товарищ мой орёл, 
 ты до чего же меня довёл
 Довёл до леса тёмного,
 до домику казённого

You my friend, you proud eagle, See what you’ve done to me, You have brought me to the dark forest, You have brought me to the prison.

Поигралися, подралися – 
 Придётся посидеть. 
 За железной, за решеточкой 
 На волю поглядеть.

We’ve been playing, We’ve been fighting, Now we have to sit behind iron bars, And see the freedom far away.

Петроградская тюрьма 
 С поворотом лесенки. 
 Мы с товарищем сидели – 
 Распевали песенки

The prison of Petrograd, The one with curvy stairs, We’ve been locked up with my friend, We’ve been singing songs with him.

Ты играй, я буду петь – 
 - Не так живот будет болеть.
 Пускай люди про нас судят – 
Веселей будет сидеть.

Play, my friend, and I will be singing, So that my belly wouldn’t ache, Let the people judge us, Let’s get merry behind bars.

[dailyclassicalmusic]

Visit Original Link

Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893)

Work: Finale. Allegro con fuoco from Symphony No. 4 (1878)

Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker; conducted by Herbert von Karajan

As requested by ricekrispyjoints

[soundsofrussia]

Song of Stenka Razin (Iz-za ostrova na strezhen’- From the island to the midstream) was written in 1870s by a Russian poet and folklorist Dmitry Sadovnikov. It’s based on Russian folk musical motives and a legend about Cossack ataman Razin, who made revolt in 1670-1671. According to Holland traveller, Razin captured the daughter of a Persian commander and made her his wife. But once he suddenly threw the Persian princess (knyazhna) in the Volga-river as a sacrifice for all gold and jewelry he got “from it”.

The song stresses the motive of the solidarity with his men. Persiyanka was drowned because Razin’s command resented that after a night with his new wife the ataman became a molly.

The song was very popular.

Warning: The translator wanted to keep the rhyme, and thus distorted some of the text for the sake of rhyme. Do not rely on the English translation to learn certain words. Try to look at both translations and learn from the context!

Russian: 

Из-за острова на стрежень, На простор речной волны, Выплывают расписные, Острогрудые челны.

На переднем Стенька Разин, Обнявшись, сидит с княжной, Свадьбу новую справляет, Сам весёлый и хмельной.

Позади их слышен ропот: Нас на бабу променял! Только ночь с ней провозился Сам наутро бабой стал . . . .

Этот ропот и насмешки Слышит грозный атаман, И могучею рукою Обнял персиянки стан.

Брови чёрные сошлися, Надвигается гроза. Буйной кровью налилися Атамановы глаза.

"Ничего не пожалею, Буйну голову отдам!" — Раздаётся голос властный По окрестным берегам.

"Волга, Волга, мать родная, Волга, русская река, Не видала ты подарка От донского казака!

"Чтобы не было раздора Между вольными людьми, Волга, Волга, мать родная, На, красавицу возьми!"

Мощным взмахом поднимает Он красавицу княжну И за борт её бросает В набежавшую волну.

"Что ж вы, братцы, приуныли? Эй, ты, Филька, черт, пляши! Грянем песню удалую На помин её души!.."

Из-за острова на стрежень, На простор речной волны, Выплывают расписные Острогрудые челны.

English: 

From beyond the wooded island To the river wide and free Proudly sail the arrow-breasted Ships of Cossack yeomanry.

On the first is Stenka Razin With his princess by his side. Drunk, he holds a marriage revel, Clasping close his fair young bride

From behind there comes a murmur: "He has left his sword to woo; One short night and Stenka Razin Has become a woman, too."

Stenka Razin hears the murmur Of his discontented band And the lovely Persian princess He has circled with his hand.

His dark brows are drawn together As the waves of anger rise, And the blood comes rushing swiftly To his piercing jet-black eyes.

"I will give you all you ask for, Head and heart and life and hand!" And his voice rolls out like thunder Out across the distant land.

"Volga, Volga, Mother Volga, Wide and deep beneath the sun, You have ne'er seen such a present From the Cossacks of the Don!

"So that peace may reign for ever In this band so free and brave, Volga, Volga, Mother Volga, Make this lovely girl a grave!"

Now, with one swift mighty motion He has raised his bride on high And has cast her where the waters Of the Volga roll and sigh.

"Dance, you fools, and let's be merry. What is this that's in your eyes? Let us thunder out a chanty To the place where beauty lies!"

From beyond the wooded island To the river wide and free Proudly sail the arrow-breasted Ships of Cossack yeomanry.

[soundsofrussia]

The Warsawian Вихри враждебные веют над нами,

The enemy whirlwinds are flying over our heads

Vikhri vrazhdebnye veiut nad nami,

Темные силы нас злобно гнетут.

Dark forces are oppressing us

Temnye sily nas zlobno gnetut.

В бой роковой мы вступили с врагами,

In the battle that we were destined for

V boj rokovoj my vstupili s vragami,

Нас еще судьбы безвестные ждут.

Unknown fates are awaiting us.

Nas eshche sudby bezvestnye zhdut.

Но мы подымем гордо и смело

But we will proudly and boldly raise

No my podymem gordo i smelo

Знамя борьбы за рабочее дело,

The banner of the workers' struggle

Znamia borby za rabochee delo

Знамя великой борьбы всех народов

The banner of the great battle of all the peoples

Znamia velikoj borby vsekh narodov

За лучший мир, за святую свободу.

For a better world and the holy freedom.

Za luchshij mir, za sviatuiu svobodu.

Припев / Pripev:

Refrain:

На бой кровавый,

To a battle bloody

Na boj krovavy,

Святой и правый

Holy and just

Sviatoj i pravy

Марш, марш вперед,

March, march forward

Marsh, marsh vpered,

Рабочий народ.

Working people.

Rabochij narod.

Мрёт в наши дни с голодухи рабочий,

Must the worker still starve nowadays ?

Mriot v nashi dni s golodukhi rabochij,

Станем ли, братья, мы дольше молчать?

Brothers, shall we keep silent ?

Stanem li, bratia, my dolshe molchat?

Наших сподвижников юные очи

Can the sight of the gallows

Nashikh spodvizhnikov iunye ochi

Может ли вид эшафота пугать?

Frighten the young eyes of our brothers at arms ?

Mozhet li vid ehshafota pugat?

В битве великой не сгинут бесследно

In the great battle don't let us die without leaving a trace behind

V bitve velikoj ne sginut bessledno

Павшие с честью во имя идей.

Those who have fallen in honor for an idea

Pavshie s chestiu vo imia idej.

Их имена с нашей песней победной

Their names in our victory songs

Ikh imena s nashej pesnej pobednoj

Станут священны мильонам людей.

Shall become sacred to millions of people.

Stanut sviashchenny milonam liudej.

Припев

Refrain

Нам ненавистны тиранов короны,

We loathe the tyrants' crowns

Nam nenavistny tiranov korony,

Цепи народа-страдальца мы чтим.

We deem that chains turn the people into a martyr

Tsepi naroda-stradaltsa my chtim.

Кровью народной залитые троны

The thrones are covered with the blood of the peoples

Kroviu narodnoj zalitye trony

Кровью мы наших врагов обагрим!

In their own blown we shall redden our enemies.

Kroviu my nashikh vragov obagrim!

Смерть беспощадная всем супостатам!

A ferocious death is awaiting all the enemies

Smert besposhchadnaia vsem supostatam!

Всем паразитам трудящихся масс!

All the parasites of the working classes

Vsem parazitam trudiashchikhsia mass!

Мщенье и смерть всем царям-плутократам!

Vengeance and death for all the plutocratic tsars

Mshchene i smert vsem tsariam-plutokratam!

Близок победы торжественный час.

The solemn hour of victory is near.

Blizok pobedy torzhestvennyj chas.