Need help: Russian Lullabies

Subject: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: Fdov91
Date: 09 Jan 97 - 10:01 AM

Pleas help: Looking for traditional Russian Lullabies Titles,sources, and info...Thanks...

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 02:05 PM

In Volgograd there is an ensemble which specialises in them!!! I'll see what I can find.

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: Joe_F
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 09:17 PM

Not sure what counts as traditional, but Lermontov's "Kazakch'ya kolybel'naya pesnya" ("Spi, mladenets moy prekrasnyy,...") has been around for a while.

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 04 Feb 08 - 09:54 PM

I'll get around to posting lyrics and translation for the Lermontov one soon, but here are the notes:
http://a-pesni.golosa.info/popular20/kazkolyb.htm

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: GUEST,Monique
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 10:19 AM

We have 5 of them (oringinal lyrics and English translation) Mama Lisa's Russia page but only two have a midi music; Lermontov's lullaby has a nice recording that someone allowed us to post. It's all we have to offer.

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: Newport Boy
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 12:12 PM

I've now seen 3 different versions of the Russian words of Lermontov's Cossack Lullaby ("Spi mladenets..."). The version on Mama Lisa's page, above, has a couple of verses new to me, and omits a couple from the original poem.

I posted a prose translation of what I understand to be the original poem on 20 October 07 (click here).

I have the Obolensky book with the Russian text, and I'll try and scan it - it will be an interesting learning curve with the OCR software.

Phil

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 04:25 PM

There are literally dozens of versions of the Lermontov poem, plus imitations. The link I provided shows quite a few.

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: Newport Boy
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 04:46 PM

Thanks, Volgadon. I should have looked more closely further down the page of your link. The main text is as I have it, which is a good thing, as my scanning of Cyrillic is not going well.

I should also correct my comment on the Mama Lisa version - careless reading on my part. It is only missing one verse of the poem (2 verses of the song).

Phil

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: GUEST,Monique
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 08:38 PM

We didn't post it and it was a deliberate decision. We had a few email exchanges with Kai Kracht's site webmaster and here is what he told us:

"Well, the verse you mention is not a part of the original words of Lermontov's poem.it was added a long time ago, because the Caucasian Cossacks lived in direct neighbourhood to Tchetchenia, separated by a wild river named Terek, and they both were grim enemies to each other.
Considering the facts ...
- first, that this verse is no part of the original words, and
- second, that it was added later in order to teach hostility against the Tchetchenians already to the little children, and
- third, that there is a cruel war between Russia and Tchetchenia still raging nowadays, and this verse takes the part of the Russian occupants whose terroristic warfare is none the better than that one of the Tchetchenian rebels,
... i am inclined to ask you to avoid the hidden political indoctrination in these words and not to publish this verse in your collection."

We respected his wish.

BTW, Kai Kracht has some Russian songs -lyrics, English translations, sheet music, instructions to play the balalaika and the music played

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 05 Feb 08 - 09:14 PM

I'd love to know how Kai Kracht has concluded that the verse about the Chechen was not part of Lermontov's poem?
In my copy of Mikhail Lermnotov's poems and the novel "A Hero of Our Time" (biblioteka vsemirnoj literatury; EKSMO, Moscow, 2002), the poem has that line.
"Po kamnyam struitsa Terek,
Pleshet mutny val;
Zloy chechen polzet na bereg,
Tochit svoy kinzhal;
No otetz tvoy stary voin,
zakalen v boyu:
Spi, malyutka, bud spokoen,
bayushki-bayu."
This is, after all, the Cossack Lullaby. WITHOUT debating the rights or wrongs of the Caucasian Wars, the Chechens were a very real danger to the Terek Cossacks. This bit has the mother comforting her son that although he is facing the dangerous Chechen, the father is an experienced warrior. So unless someone can show that the verse really wasn't part of Lermontov's poem, this iis nothing more than a PC clean-up.

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: Newport Boy
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 09:26 AM

I tend to agree, Volgadon, that this is a recent attempt at revisionism. The version of the poem I referred to was published in 1962 in the Penguin Book of Russian Verse, edited by Dmitri Obolensky. Obolensky was a respected scholar and historian, and made no comment on the validity of the text.

The verse quoted - "The wicked Chechen creeps up the river bank, sharpening his dagger" - fits well with other writings of Lermontov. There are many commentaries on Lermontov's writings from the Caucasus - for example look at page 3 of this paper by Harsha Ram.

Phil

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 04:21 PM

Ooh, thanks for the article. I think it is interesting to note that Lermontov's biggest fans are the Chechens themselves. Those I've met don't see his poetry as demonising and recite verses with great relish. They are proud of their struggle in the 19th century and Lermontov reflects their heroic qualities very well.

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: Mr Happy
Date: 19 Aug 09 - 08:49 AM

Here's Gorby!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCVht4ZExv4

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Nov 10 - 06:13 PM

I'm looking for the song these lyrics belong too:

"soon night will come swallowing the sun,
sounds of the night,
of the night coming through.

Hear the wind, whispering to you,
sleep, sleep, sleep
good night my dear one.
Goodnight my sweet one."

any help finding this song would be greatly appreciated.

Subject: RE: Otets ushol za ryboju/Father went to fish
From: Artful Codger
Date: 12 Nov 10 - 12:08 AM

Here's a nice one: Отец ушел за рыбою (YouTube clip)


ОТЕЦ УШЁЛ ЗА РЫБОЮ
Father went to fish
Russian folk lullaby

Зыбаю, колыбаю,
отец ушёл за рыбою,
Мать ушла коров доить,
Сестра ушла пелёнки мыть.
        I'm rocking-rocking [the cradle],
        Father went for fish,
        Mother went to milk the cows,
        Sister went to wash diapers.

Зыбаю, колыбаю,
Отец ушел за рыбою,
Мать ушла коров доить
А дедушка дрова рубить.
Дедушка дрова рубить,
Да бабушка уху варить,
Бабушка - уху варить
Да свою внученьку кормить.
        I'm rocking-rocking,
        Father went for fish,
        Mother went to milk the cows
        And grandfather to chop wood,
        Grandfather to chop wood
        And grandmother to cook fish soup,
        Grandmother to cook fish soup
        And to feed her granddaughter.

Зыбаю, колыбаю,
Отец ушел за рыбою,
Мать ушла коров доить,
А дедушка дрова рубить.
Бабушка по ягодки,
по ягодки, по сладеньки.
        I'm rocking-rocking,
        Father went for fish,
        Mother went to milk the cows
        And grandfather to chop wood,
        Grandmother - for berries,
        For berries, for sweet ones.

Будем оленьку кормить
да будем рыбоньку варить.
Детка спи, да ты усни
да Угомон тебя возьми;
детка спи, да ты усни
да Угомон тебя возьми.
        We'll feed [the little dear]*
        And we'll cook the fish.
        Sleep, baby, yes, you go to sleep
        And let Ugomon [the Quietman] take you.

* In the video comments, lakaranta says that оленька (little deer) is here the name of the child, but I think it more likely to be a pet name like "lambkin", and perhaps that is what lakaranta meant, as his/her translation was "our dear". Ugomon would appear to be like our Sandman, but it also translates directly as calm, peace of mind.

There are, of course, many variants. The above lyrics are as sung in the clip.

Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Feb 11 - 07:04 PM

It's Good Night: A Russian Song. I'm singing this for choir class. q3