Must to learn Russian songs on accordion?

[Jaime_Dergut]

Hello everybody.

today, I will like to ask your opinion about an interesting topic.

Which Russian songs do you think are a must to know for every accordionists?

So far, I have Kalinka (malinka) and Katyusha into my repertoire, and I wondered if there were more folk (non gypsy) songs out there that I should learn.

Recently, I found this book of Russian folks songs on Thoman music:

Schott Russian Folk Tunes Accordion

Songbook for Accordion 27 Russian traditional songs arranged for accordion, Arranged by Julian Rowlands, with chords, Intermediate level of difficulty, ISBN 9783795725464, ISMN 9790001212526, publisher's no. ED 23376, Format: 23 x 30.5 cm, 60...

www.thomannmusic.com

I heard the audio online and it sounds good (I am not sure if I like his arrangement of Kalinka, however) and, interestingly, it has some songs arranged to be used with a free bass. It would be nice to have more books like that.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

 

[vivdunstan]

I've actually got that Schott Russian book coming on Friday. Will report back!

However I'd also like to recommend Russische Melodien (ISBN 9783940474216) which I have found has a good mix.

Here's what the cover looks like:



It has a nice mix of fast stuff and slower like waltzes. And is available through Amazon, including in the US.

I can't check it right now (too ill) but at the very least you should ideally know the Tetris theme, because people will ask you to play that one! It's in there. Korobeiniki aka Korobushka. It sounds great played from here.

 

[vivdunstan]

Oh and @Jaime_Dergut if you want to see a fuller preview of the Schott book you mentioned, have a look at the Schott website, which includes a very lengthy PDF preview option (click the link below the cover image).

Russian Folk Tunes for Accordion

Julian Rowlands, Julian Rowlands: Russian Folk Tunes for Accordion | Buying sheet music and downloads from Schott Music

www.schott-music.com

 

[tcabot]

"Must know" is a bit of a vague term. You have a wild mix of trad, gypsy, soviet pop and highly technical soviet bayan repertoire.

From HIP perspective, if you look at "true" folk & trad accordion stuff from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, then most of it would have been played in 1800s/early 1900s on diatonic accordions. Different regions would have had different tunes for dances, parties and even for fighting ( when some neighbours had a dispute to resolve, they'd invite an accordionist to play along while they beat up each other ). Accordionists would come up with their own variations on traditional songs & tunes. A lot of that music has been forgotten during the soviet era unfortunately (some time around 1960s, the diatonic accordion has been declared obsolete by some bean counters who figured that making diatonic reeds was a waste of resources and the Party made a unilateral decision to switch everyone to chromatic instruments The more popular pieces got re-arranged for bayan or "hromka" - Russian unisonoric harmonika, but HIP wise, that's not the same thing).

The vast majority of bayan repertoire would have been formed in the soviet era. On the one hand you had the big push to showcase the bayan as the true musical instrument of the proletariat with very technically complex compositions, on the other you had bayan arrangements of soviet tunes & songs. Many would call it "folk music" today, but it really is just Soviet-era pop.

During the bayan boom there were some exceptional arrangements of trad songs for the bayan, but does an academic, mid 20th century arrangement classify as "folk"?

There's been a huge amount of gypsy influence on Russian music in general, so excluding it would absolutely not be the right thing to do in my opinion.

Can ping you some soviet-era arrangements of "trad" stuff that I believe is decades out of any copyright - just drop me a message.

 

[tcabot]

PS If you do freebass, then I'd say this one's a "Must learn".



And bayan arrangement of Glinka's "Lark" is another must if you have the skill.

 

[vivdunstan]

Likewise there's a preview of quite a few of the pages of the Russische Melodien book at

Russische Melodien für Akkordeon im Alle Noten Shop kaufen

Russische Melodien für Akkordeon. Noten für Akkordeon. Verlag: Schell Music. Bestellnummer: SM6340. Schnelle Lieferung, jetzt bestellen.

www.alle-noten.de

That preview includes its version of the Tetris tune, which I think is a nicer arrangement than the Schott version.

 

[vivdunstan]

There's been a huge amount of gypsy influence on Russian music in general, so excluding it would absolutely not be the right thing to do in my opinion.

Very strong agree with this. By all means decide not to play certain tunes that don't appeal, or feel too "gypsy" for the player's preference. But I don't think it's possible to make a clean division here.

 

[Jaime_Dergut]

I've actually got that Schott Russian book coming on Friday. Will report back!

Let me know how that goes! I like the arrangements for some of their initial songs

However I'd also like to recommend Russische Melodien (ISBN 9783940474216) which I have found has a good mix.

Here's what the cover looks like:



It has a nice mix of fast stuff and slower like waltzes. And is available through Amazon, including in the US.

I can't check it right now (too ill) but at the very least you should ideally know the Tetris theme, because people will ask you to play that one! It's in there. Korobeiniki aka Korobushka. It sounds great played from here.

Hey, I like the arrangement they have for Kalinka. That's a good sign! I truly envy those German websites, they are kind enough to let you see a sample of the book. Most sellers here won't let you take that peek on their books.

 

[Jaime_Dergut]

There's been a huge amount of gypsy influence on Russian music in general, so excluding it would absolutely not be the right thing to do in my opinion.

I just don't want any association with them. Gypsies often give a bad reputation to musicians, and especially accordionists.

I don't believe their bad influence in Russian music has been that significant, since it was mostly musicians of foreign countries in Russia who created that "gypsy" style by seeing what they thought were Russian folks living on the streets. Bad habits tend to be stickier than good ones.

 

[LibraryJoe]

In the States, one can buy Andreas Win's "Russian Melodies for Accordion" via Mel Bay. A bit less money than buying the Schell Music / European edition. Same book. No CD or online samples, which are included in the Schott book.

 

[Tom]

I just don't want any association with them. Gypsies are an awful group that often give a bad reputation to musicians, and especially accordionists.

I don't believe their bad influence in Russian music has been that significant, since it was mostly musicians of foreign countries in Russia who created that "gypsy" style by seeing what they thought were Russian folks living on the streets. Bad habits tend to be stickier than good ones.

Gypsies bad? Russians good? I’m confused….

 

[tcabot]

Well, let's not get into the trap of linking music & culture with politics & stereotypes, or you'll talk me into never listening to klezmer, throwing away my Hank Williams records and never playing Scarborough Fair again (most certainly not on a German-built Hohner).

Factually you are incorrect: gypsy musicians were held in very high regard in 19th century Russian Empire by the audiences and by the musicians who very often collaborated with them when writing new material. Hence the strong musical influence that has survived in the Russian music culture for centuries.

 

[Jaime_Dergut]

Gypsies bad? Russians good? I’m confused….

Indeed, gypsies are, honestly, a group nobody wants to be associated with.

Russians are very famous for their arts, literature and of course, music. It seems silly to me trying to associate gypsies with them out of pitty.

 

[Jaime_Dergut]

Well, let's not get into the trap of linking music & culture with politics & stereotypes,

But there is no trap. Gypsies have no government nor state, and have always lived as a minority everywhere. There can't be no politics when they have no leader to look up to.

Factually you are incorrect: gypsy musicians were held in very high regard in 19th century Russian Empire by the audiences and by the musicians who very often collaborated with them when writing new material. Hence the strong musical influence that has survived in the Russian music culture for centuries.

For what I have seeing, there is not a single composer of famous folk songs that was a gypsy. Most of them were Italian, Frenchmen and such who went to Russia for their studies, so I really fail to see how Gypsies contributed to anything, really.

 

[Ffingers]

"Gypsies are an awful group that often give a bad reputation to musicians, and especially accordionists."

You horizons and perspectives are very limited if that is your opinion.

Just one example of Gypsy music popular universally - Manouche - has very many original works to its credit.

...and, from a well travelled and aged person's perspective, there are many more evil and damaging cohorts to be found both within and outside of musical spheres of activity.

I could go on at length, but I will leave you to study the history of your own country in depth and the current shennaneghans created by religions, financial interests and politics around the planet.

Oxycodone mean anything to you?

 

[Vladimir M.]

Hi,

Which ... songs do you think are a must to know for every accordionists?

As a person who grew up in a totalitarian communist regime in his youth, I answer: None. It is entirely up to my free will what I play and what not, and there is no consensus that would be justified in using the word "must" against me in this context. And it has nothing to do with Russia or France or Argentina. It is a matter of principle. No offence. After all, music is a free decision of every single person.

Best regards,

Vladimir

 

[Dingo40]

Jaime,
Please take the well meant hints from members here and drop the subject: you're on a hiding to nothing !
Let's all press the reset button and move on.

 

[brna]

Which Russian songs do you think are a must to know for every accordionists?

I like Polyushko-polye (Cossack Patrol) because of the rhythm and harmony.

 

[Ventura]

As a person who grew up in a totalitarian communist regime in his youth, I answer: None.

Vladimir

well said

 

[Xiane]

"Must know" is a bit of a vague term. You have a wild mix of trad, gypsy, soviet pop and highly technical soviet bayan repertoire.

From HIP perspective, if you look at "true" folk & trad accordion stuff from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, then most of it would have been played in 1800s/early 1900s on diatonic accordions. Different regions would have had different tunes for dances, parties and even for fighting ( when some neighbours had a dispute to resolve, they'd invite an accordionist to play along while they beat up each other ). Accordionists would come up with their own variations on traditional songs & tunes. A lot of that music has been forgotten during the soviet era unfortunately (some time around 1960s, the diatonic accordion has been declared obsolete by some bean counters who figured that making diatonic reeds was a waste of resources and the Party made a unilateral decision to switch everyone to chromatic instruments The more popular pieces got re-arranged for bayan or "hromka" - Russian unisonoric harmonika, but HIP wise, that's not the same thing).

The vast majority of bayan repertoire would have been formed in the soviet era. On the one hand you had the big push to showcase the bayan as the true musical instrument of the proletariat with very technically complex compositions, on the other you had bayan arrangements of soviet tunes & songs. Many would call it "folk music" today, but it really is just Soviet-era pop.

During the bayan boom there were some exceptional arrangements of trad songs for the bayan, but does an academic, mid 20th century arrangement classify as "folk"?

There's been a huge amount of gypsy influence on Russian music in general, so excluding it would absolutely not be the right thing to do in my opinion.

Can ping you some soviet-era arrangements of "trad" stuff that I believe is decades out of any copyright - just drop me a message.

Ok, now I REALLY want to know what is in the "Accordionist playing for a brawl." songbook. Yakety Sax? Love Me Tender?