Authentic Russian folk music is primarily vocal. Russian folk song was an integral part of daily village life. It was sung from morning to night, and reflected the four seasons and significant events in villagers' lives. Its roots are in the Orthodox church services where significant parts are sung. Most of the population was also illiterate and poverty-stricken, so musical instruments were rare, and notation (which is more relevant for instrumentals than vocals) could not be read.
Authentic village singing differs from academic singing styles. It is usually done using just the chest register and is often called "white sound" or "white" voice. It is often described as controlled screaming or shouting. Female chest register singers have only a low diapason of one octave to 12 notes.
Chest register singing has evolved into a style used by many of Russia's folk choirs and neighbouring countries. It was pioneered by Pyatnitsky and Ukrainian folk choir director Demutsky in the early 1900s.
Instrumental music for a long period was suppressed in Russia. In 1648, Tsar Alexis I of Russia banned the use of certain musical instruments.[6] Some historians believe that skomorokhs singing disrespectful songs about the Tsar to instrumental accompaniment could have been the reason.[7] As a result of the ban, instrumental music traditions disappeared and did not have a fertile ground for development in Russia for many years. No musical instruments are used in Orthodox churches (in Russia).
In the late 19th century, Vasily Andreyev, a salon violinist, took up the balalaika in his performances for French tourists to Petersburg. The music became popular and soon Andreyev had organized a club of balalaika players. This club grew into an orchestra, which in time grew into a movement.
Alexey Arhipovsky is considered the modern-day Russian Paganini of the balalaika, but with a Pat Metheny approach.[8] During his tours he has gained many admiring fans who compared him with Paganini and Jimi Hendrix: "One would [sic] think that a three string instrument tuned E-E-A would have much potential, but you then haven't heard Alexei Arkhipovskiy yet... [who] shows that he is the Russian Paganini."[9][10] "[He] became a sensation immediately after the first appearance in front of the general public. He practically wrecked the Guitar festival ... showing incredible musical mastery. It was a real Theatre of inexpressible play and giddy performing numbers, MIME and gesture. Many hearers compared [him] no less than with great Jimi Hendrix" [11]
From a simple unsophisticated three-stringed instrument, combined with an awakening 'Russianness' in the last phases of the Tsarist Empire, the movement led to the development and implementation of many other Russian folk instruments. The Russian folk instrument movement had its resonance in the cultures of other ethnic groups within Russia, the Soviet Union, and the Soviet Bloc countries. Folk instrument orchestras appeared in Belarus, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Moldavia, and Romania.
a three-stringed, triangular sound-board, played with the fingers. It comes in many different sizes, prima being the most common. Two of the strings are tuned alike in descant, prima, secunda, and alto balalaikas.
a small three- or four-stringed Russian variant of the mandolin with a rounded soundboard, plucked or strummed with a plectrum. It is also made in various orchestral sizes. Originally they were all three-stringed (E-A-D). The four-string variety was developed by in the early 20th century and became popular in Ukraine.
Domra
(also hudok), a three-stringed, pear-shaped Russian bowed instrument tuned in fifths which is usually held vertically.
one of the oldest known Eastern Slav musical instruments, described by the Greeks as early as the 6th century AD. Many different varieties of this plucked string instrument exist.
The "Ahy luli luli lui” or "Ohy loli loli loi" phrase is characteristic for Russian folk songs and is sung by women.
Whistling is very common in Russian folk songs.
The exclamation "Opa", also "Op op" and sometimes "Ota" is also a common characteristic of Russian folk music and is used by female and male singers.
Also, various exclamations of the Cossacks are represented in many Russian folk songs.
Sergey Nikolaevich Starostin
Ivan Kupala (band)
Pelageya
Zhanna Bichevskaya
Olga Glazova
Oleg Gazmanov
Music of Russia
Maes, Francis, translated by Arnold and Erica Pomerans (2001). . University of California Press. ISBN0-520-21815-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
A History of Russian Music: From Kamarinskaya to Babi Yar
Abraham, Gerald E. (1988). Studies in Russian Music. Reprint Services Corp. 0-317-90761-1.
ISBN
Ralston, W. R. (1970). Songs of the Russian People: As Illustrative of Slavonic Mythology and Russian Social Life (Studies in Music, No 42). Haskell House Pub Ltd. 0-8383-1224-1.
ISBN
Veryat, I. (1994). Russian Songs: Text in Romanized Russian, English, and Music. Aspasia. 1-882427-23-8.
ISBN
Abraham, Gerald E. (1976). On Russian Music. Scholarly PR. 0-403-03757-3.
ISBN
Ho, Allan and Dmitry Feofanov (eds.) (1989). Biographical Dictionary of Russian/Soviet Composers. Greenwood Press. 0-313-24485-5. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
