Russian Folk Songs performed by the Great Solo Artists and Choral Ensembles of the U.S.S.R.

00:00 Korobeiniki (The Peddler) (Ivan Kozlowsky, tenor; Orchestra conducted by D. Osipov)
03:06 Kaleenka (The Little Snowball Tree) (Alexandrov Song and Dance Ensemble, conducted by K. Vinogradov; V. Nikitin, soloist)
06:21 Oh Thou Volga (Mark Reizen, bass; Orchestra conducted by N. Nekrassov)
09:37 The Dark-Eyebrowed And Dark-Eyed One (M. P. Maksakova, mezzosoprano; State Folk Orchestra)
11:57 The Evening Bells (Ivan Kozlowsky, tenor; Male Chorus conducted by R. Miloslavsky)
15:08 Before The People In A Dance (Federova Sisters vocal quartet; Bayan accompaniment by V. Yakovlev)
17:47 And Who Knows Him? (Woman´s Group of the Piatnitzky State Folk Chorus; A. Prokoshina and V. Klodina, precentors)
21:25 The Moon Is Shining (Voronezh Folk Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by K. Massalitinov)
24:38 Meadowland (Alexandrov Song and Dance Ensemble, conducted by B. A. Alexandrov)
27:41 Evening On the Roadstead (Alexandrov Song and Dance Ensemble, conducted by B. A. Alexandrov;
V. Nikitin and V. Katerinsky, soloists)
31:30 Down The Volga River (Serge Lemeshev, tenor; Orchestra conducted by V. Osipov)
34:57 I Was In The Garden (State Chorus of Russian Song, conducted by A. Sveshnikov; I. Blagorsklonova, soloist)
38:28 Among The Flat Dales (Maxim Mikhailov, bass; State Folk Orchestra, conducted by D. Osipov)
42:32 Along The Petersky (Boris Gmirya, baritone; State Folk Orchestra, conducted by D. Osipov)
44:51 From Beyond The Island (Alexander Pirogov, bass; Orchestra conducted by D. Osipov)

Many of the songs on this record have made their way over the world. Others will sound like old friends, even though they are new to the hearers, for the typical melodic shapes and patterns of Russian folk music have become the base for a host of vastly popular orchestral and concert works. In no country have the composers so eagerly and creatively explored the mine of folk music as Russia, starting with Glinka, Mussorgsky, Tchaikowsky and Rimsky-Korsakov in the past century. Also a number of popular songs, composed in the folk vein, have become absorbed into the body of folk music, so that today in Russia, the distinction between “folk” and “popular” is a very tenuous one. The performers on this record fall into two groups. On the one hand there are the renowned operatic and concert singers. Ivan Kozlowsky and Serge Lemeshev are two of the leading tenors of the Bolshoi Opera. Maxim Mikhailov, Mark Reizen and Alexander Pirogov are basses who perform Boris Godunov, Prince Igor and other roles in the tradition of the great Feodor Chaliapin. M. P. Maksakova sings leading mezzo-soprano roles, and Boris Gmirya is a first-rank baritone of the Kiev opera. And on the other hand there are the famous choral and instrumental groups who make a specialty of folksong and dance. The Alexandrov Ensemble of Song and Dance is the Red Army group, named after its late director, V. A. Alexandrov, who was also a prolific composer and arranger. Also heard here are the Piatnitzky Chorus, and the Chorus of the Voronezh Region.

KOROBEINIKI (THE PEDDLER)
Also called “The Box,” this song tells of a carved birch box which the singer hopes will be bought by a beautiful dark-haired girl.

KALEENKA (THE LITTLE SNOWBALL TREE)
The “snowball tree” and mistletoe are long associated with a special magic pertaining to love and kisses.

OH THOU VOLGA
As the Mississippi is to American literature and folklore, so the Volga is to Russian song. Volga songs are invariably majestic, and typical is this, the words of which is a series of variations on the theme: Oh Volga, you little. Oh you Volga, you beautiful one.

THE DARK-EYEBROWED AND DARK-EYED ONE
In the folk vein. A Ukranian dance and love song, in it the lass says that she cannot forget the dark-eyed youth, and gesks the are about to tell him about her.

THE EVENING BELLS
This song has its origin in the 19th century, being based on a poem (1828) by Kozlov which found its way into the popular songbooks.

BEFORE THE PEOPLE IN A DANCE
This is a farm song, arranged by L. Shimkov, on an age-old theme.

AND WHO KNOWS HIM?
A popular song in folk style, by V. Zakharov.

THE MOON IS SHINING
This is one of the most widely known of old Russian dancing songs, with Gypsy influence. The rollicking singers invite the listener into their sleigh.

MEADOWLAND
This song won wide popularity, both within and outside of Russia, during the war against the Hitler invasion. It was composed in the 1930’s by Lev Knipper, who was born in Tiflis in 1898, studied with Gliere, became army and navy music instructor, and has composed many large-scale orchestral and vocal works. He has also done extensive research in folklore.

EVENING ON THE ROADSTEAD
Written by V. Soloviev-Sedoy, this army song, also taken up by the navy, likewise attained great popularity during the war against fascism.