Music that binds

[mendeleyev]

The music that binds has been a theme I've experienced in the FSU very often. Whether an open-air concert celebrating Victory Day, riding an electric train or at home gatherings, it is indeed inspiring to see that old songs are kept alive by the youth. Russians may not understand the uniqueness this holds, the cherishing of musical and historical culture beyond the borders of age, but it is rare in the Western world where youth quickly toss aside anything that isn't new.

There is a timeless essence to Russian music and it isn't just the music, it is the spirit of what Russians and Ukrainians have lived and experienced throughout the centuries and how the music manages to capture that essence and preserve it from generation to generation.

We could start with lots of songs but why not this song, tenderness (Нежность):

Maiya Kristalinskaya, 1976



Zara, 2008



X-factor young teen, 2012

[OlgaH]

I think the music that binds is not so unique in the west. For example just look for the song "Over the rainbow"  on youtube

[OlgaH]

My Way Song

Cute little boy 

[mendeleyev]

I agree, it is not unique in the West in the same fashion. Neither of us have discovered legions of youth in America who sing "Over the Rainbow" although it was a popular children's song when I was growing up.

[mendeleyev]

Perhaps no other song unites as does Katusha (Катюша). Katushka was written in 1938 as a song telling the story of young gal missing her fighting man. "Katusha" is a diminutive for the name Yekaterina (Katherine-Katya-Kate-Katusha).

The writer was famous Russian poet Mikhail Isakovsky. WWI had been settled for a time but the clouds of war were again hovering over Europe and when fighting broke out by the Nazi aggression again the CCCP in 1941, "Katusha" quickly became one of the most popular Russian songs.

Katusha wasn't just a Russian song as the war progressed. In 1943 when Italy switched sides and joined the allies, an Italian writer slightly modified the lyrics and soon it was being sung all over Italy too. On of the true national songs of Russian culture, most Westerners are surprised that the song is still relatively young.

We could probably more quickly finish this article by telling readers which singers didn't record Katushka. Heck, even Nat King Cole had his own recording.

Lyrics: http://www.marxists.org/history/ussr/sounds/lyrics/katyusha.htm


Anna German, as you might suspect from the family name, came from the Mennonite religious migrants who moved to Imperial Russia at the invitation from Catherine the Great. Her father was of German descent and born in Lodz, Poland. The family lived in Uzbekistan at the time of Anna's birth in 1936.

Like most Germans living in the Soviet Union during the purges, Anna's father was arrested for supposedly spying (a common charge) and executed. Her mother moved the family to Poland and as a young adult Anna moved to Italy for a time. She returned to Poland and died in Warsaw in 1982.

Anna German



Same song with a more modern feel




Moscow Victory Day celebration




PS, was there a connection between the song Katusha and the rocket launcher by the same name?

Yes. The song was already popular on the front when a new rocket launcher from the Voronezh Komintern Factory was being delivered to troops at the front. Equipment was often coded to hide the city of manufacture from the Germans. With a prominent letter "K" on the side, Red Army troops quickly named the weapon as Katuska.

You might be interested to know that German troops had a name for the weapon too. As the launcher fired it made a brief musical sound almost like keys from an organ. The Germans named it "Stalin's Organ."

[OlgaH]

I agree, it is not unique in the West in the same fashion. Neither of us have discovered legions of youth in America who sing "Over the Rainbow" although it was a popular children's song when I was growing up.

The same in Russia  legions of youth don't thing "Nezhnost"  mostly in the same fashion as in any other country I think. 

about the song http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nezhnost%27
 

[OlgaH]

The music that binds not only generations but countries as well 

Russian theaters stage performances about Edith Piaf




Russian singers perform her songs

Anita Tsoy in the show "One to one"





Dina Garipova

[mendeleyev]

Olga, Anita Tsoy's voice is amazing. Her voice quality and character reminds me of great last generation singers such as Dionne Warwick or the more contemporary Sylvia Brooks.

[SANDRO43]

Katusha wasn't just a Russian song as the war progressed. In 1943 when Italy switched sides and joined the allies, an Italian writer slightly modified the lyrics and soon it was being sung all over Italy too.

Yes, here its name was Fischia il vento (The wind blows) and was one of the 'hymns' of the Garibaldi brigades, the guerrilla formations led by our then clandestine Communist Party.

Perhaps our most popular resistance song is Bella ciao (Good-bye, my pretty one), often sung nowadays, too. The author of the lyrics is unknown; the music  is based on a folk song sung by rice-weeders on the River Po basin in the early part of the 20th century.

A song of the same period, dear to us Milanese because its lyrics were written by Giorgio Strehler (later theatre manager and director) in our dialect, is Ma mi (But I), relating his 40-day incarceration at San Vittore, our city jail. The music is by Fiorenzo Carpi, who was a high school mate of my father's.

San Vittore

[OlgaH]

Olga, Anita Tsoy's voice is amazing. Her voice quality and character reminds me of great last generation singers such as Dionne Warwick or the more contemporary Sylvia Brooks.

I agree, she is very talented.

Anita performing Tina Turner in the show "One to One"



Are you familiar with Victor Tsoi and the band Kino?

Anita performing Viktor Tsoi's song "Changes" written in 1986 and in 1987 performed in the cult film ASSA

 Full Translation of the song

Our hearts are longing for changes
 Our eyes are longing for changes
 It's in our laugh and in our tears
 And in the pulsation of our veins
 Changes, we are longing for changes



Anita as Anita ("Broken Love")

[Ranetka]

This one is definitely generation-binding. Being sung by all ages. (Even I happen to sing it when drinking in Russian company)

[Ranetka]

Interesting by searching for a clip on you tube there seem to be more amature records than professional singers. It is really a popular old song.

[OlgaH]

This one is definitely generation-binding. Being sung by all ages. (Even I happen to sing it when drinking in Russian company)

Here is the song's short history. I remember my granny sang the original old pre-revolution song of the miners that called "Young Horsedriver"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Tankmen%27s_Song







a monument to a "horsedriver" (konogon) in Siberia

[Ranetka]

Thanks Olga. Really interesting to know.


Different circumstances - same cr@p - a young guy will not return home.

[Ranetka]

Wow. ~That was quick. Thank you Youtube for deleting my video. Or is it admin?

[Lily]

Thank you Olga, I also did not know about the Young Horsedriver's song history!

[OlgaH]

Thanks Olga. Really interesting to know.
Different circumstances - same cr@p - a young guy will not return home.

Thank you Olga, I also did not know about the Young Horsedriver's song history!

Ranetka and Lily, you are very welcome.

The words of a pre-revolution song "Взветейсь соколы орлами"  also were rewritten in 1943.

До революции Взвейтесь, соколы, орлами. Полно горе горевать! То ли дело под шатрами В поле лагерем стоять. Лагерь - город полотнянный, Морем улицы шумят, Позолотою румяной церкви маковки горят. Взвейтесь, соколы, орлами... припев Там, едва заря настанет, Строй пехотный закипит, Барабаном в небо грянет И штыками заблестит. припев Закипит тогда войною Богатырская игра, Строй на строй пойдет стеною И прокатится „Ура!" припев. Слава матушке - России Слава русскому царю, Слава вере православной И солдату молодцу.

1943 Музыка: обр. А. Александров Слова: А. Шилов Песню русского народа Про дела былых времен В дни священного похода С новой силой запоем. Припев: Взвейтесь, соколы, орлами, Бейте смело по врагам! Вся страна поёт за нами Славу сталинским орлам! Наши лётчики-герои Грозной мести счёт ведут, В каждой битве, гнев утроив, Беспощадно немцев бьют! Припев. В дни суровых испытаний Тверды будем, как всегда, Нам сказал товарищ Сталин Без пощады бить врага! Припев. Ты живешь, товарищ Сталин, В сердце каждого бойца. Мы бороться не устанем До победного конца! припев

The soviet version

http://sovmusic.ru/download.php?fname=orlami

[Lily]

There is a documentary called "Normandie-Niemen" with this totally lovely song written by a well known Soviet composer Rybnikov.
 

 
A comment stated that "Tatiana" was recorded by Svetlana de Loutchek in her 1990 CD "Svetlana: Chansons Russes", and it was entitled, "Песня авиатора" (Song of the Aviator). Her interpretation of this song is hauntingly beautiful."

[OlgaH]

There is a documentary called "Normandie-Niemen" with this totally lovely song written by a well known Soviet composer Rybnikov.
 

 
A comment stated that "Tatiana" was recorded by Svetlana de Loutchek in her 1990 CD "Svetlana: Chansons Russes", and it was entitled, "Песня авиатора" (Song of the Aviator). Her interpretation of this song is hauntingly beautiful."

Lily, "Normandie-Niemen" is not a documentary  it is a movie (joint production by  Franco-London-Film, Alkam Films and Mosfilm)

The song Tatiana was written by Konstantin Simonov (lyrics) and Rodion Shchedrin (composer).
Nikolai Rybnikov was a famous and beloved Soviet actor who played and sang the song in the movie. 

Svetlana de Loutchek has a very lovely voice and accent  ))

[Lily]

Sorry for my mistakes. Thank you for the corrections, Olga!

[OlgaH]

Sorry for my mistakes. Thank you for the corrections, Olga!

You are welcome lily  not a big deal, time to time we all get confused and make some mistakes  as my granny always said: the most important is everybody is healthy and alive 

[mendeleyev]

Wow. ~That was quick. Thank you Youtube for deleting my video. Or is it admin?

Ranetka, I have found that this software deletes YouTube videos anytime you make a change or edit/modify. I try to remember to copy my video links because any change to the post deletes them.

[mendeleyev]

Cool stuff, ladies!