Russian Folk Songs: Musical Genres and History

by Vadim Prokhorov

Overview

"Russian folk songs are a living history of the Russian people, rich, vivid and truthful, revealing their entire life," wrote the great Russian writer Nikolai Gogol.

Russian folk songs have always played an essential part in Russian life, culture, and music. They have played an important part in the work of many great Russian composers including Glinka, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, Tchaikovsky, Prokoviev, and Stravinsky. In this new study, Vadim Prokhorov provides a historical survey and a description of the musical and poetic characteristics of Russian folk song. The songs themselves are classified into several categories: calendar songs, lyric songs, work songs, epic songs, historical songs, and the urban songs that emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Prokhorov provides a basis for understanding the ethnomusicological principles of Russian folk song. In addition to his discussion of the various categories, he includes a generous selection of songs arranged for voice and piano, together with texts and translations of the song texts. Anyone interested in this rich repertory of folk song, whether as teacher, singer, or music lover, will find this a rewarding collection.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781461701828
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	01/08/2002
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	21 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Vadim Prokhorov is a composer, concert pianist and choral conductor. He is the author of twenty-two articles on classical music in the Encyclopedia Americana, for which he works as a contributing editor. He is also an editor for Musica Russica, Inc.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Preface
Chapter 2 Acknowledgments
Chapter 3 Guide to Transliteration and Pronunciation
Chapter 4 Introduction
Chapter 5 1 Calendar Songs
Chapter 6 2 Lyric Songs
Chapter 7 3 Work Songs
Chapter 8 4 Bylinas (Epic Songs)
Chapter 9 5 Historical Songs
Chapter 10 6 Urban Songs
Chapter 11 Glossary of Russian Words
Chapter 12 Selected Bibliography
Chapter 13 Subject and Name Index
Chapter 14 Song Index
Chapter 15 About the Author

Editorial Reviews

This useful resource includes, in addition to the dictionary proper, a general introduction to Turkey, chronology, and very substantial bibliography. Several appendices contain vital statistics, including the names and ruling dates of Ottoman sultans, Turkish presidents and prime ministers; general elections in the Republican period (through 1999); and tables of basic social and economic indicators. Heper (political science, Bilkent U., Ankara) has provided the second edition with expanded and new entries to reflect current political trends and events. There is no index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Russian Folk Songs: Musical Genres and History by composer, concert pianist and choral conductor Vadim Prokhorov...is a scholarly, college-level analysis written to introduce educators in particular to the diversity and rich cultural lore of Russian folk music. The history of Russian folk songs are discussed at length, as well as detailed musical analysis, and sample songs in full musical notation, presented both in the original Russian and translated into English. Russian Folk Songs is a superbly presented study and deftly written academic reference to a grand, ethnic, and enduring musical tradition.

From the Publisher

Prokhorov's attractive and valuable book provides a collection of songs for study and performance along with interesting accompanying text...a thoroughly usable book.

Choice Reviews

Russian Folk Songs is a superbly presented study and deftly written academic reference to a grand, ethnic, and enduring musical tradition.

The Bookwatch - (2002)

Prokhorov's attractive and valuable book provides a collection of songs for study and performance along with interesting accompanying text...a thoroughly usable book.

Choice