Farewell of Slavianka
"Farewell of Slavianka" (Russian: Прощание славянки – Proshchaniye slavyanki) is a Russian patriotic march, written by the composer Vasily Agapkin in honour of the Slavic women accompanying their husbands in the First Balkan War.[1] The march was written and premiered in Tambov in the end of 1912. In summer of 1915 it was released as a gramophone single in Kiev. Slavyanka means "Slavic woman".
| English: Farewell of Slavianka | |
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 The cover of one of the first editions of the Farewell of Slavianka notes | |
Regional anthem of Tambov Oblast | |
| Also known as | Гимн Тамбовской области (English: Anthem of Tambov Oblast) |
| Lyrics | Vasily Agapkin, 1912 |
| Music | Vasily Agapkin |
| Adopted | 1937 |
| Audio sample | |
(Instrumental) Farewell of Slavianka performed by the United States Coast Guard Band
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History
The melody gained popularity in Russia and adjoining countries during World War I, when the Russian soldiers left their homes accompanied by this music. This march was performed also during parade of 7 November 1941 on the Red Square, after which soldiers went straight to fight in Battle of Moscow.[2] This march was also used as an unofficial anthem of Admiral Kolchak's White Army.
It was commonly believed that prior to its use in the award-winning 1957 film The Cranes Are Flying, the song was banned in the Soviet Union due to lyrics about banned subjects. Due to its popularity and quality, the Communist authorities adopted the song; however, only after significant changes were made to its lyrics. The original text, which sings about Russian patriotism, religion, nationalism and culture was not acceptable under the Soviet Union. It was originally published by Zimmerman Production Association around 1912.[3] This march was published in an official collection of music for Red Army orchestras,[4] and it was recorded in the early 1940s by a military orchestra under Ivan Petrov (1906–1975), though different lyrics were used during that time. There are lyrics which are usually sung by the Red Army choir today.
Subsequently, several Russian and Polish composers have written lyrics for this music. During World War II in German occupied Poland an adapted "underground" version of the song, Rozszumiały się wierzby płaczące ("Weeping willows began to hum") became popular, among anti Nazi partisans, based on lyrics by Roman Ślęzak.
During the 1990s, the Yabloko party lobbied for the march to be adopted as the National Anthem of Russia, but without success.[5]
"Farewell of Slavyanka" was first used in movies in The Cranes Are Flying. It has also featured in the film Charlie Wilson's War which is set around the Soviet–Afghan War and in the Russian movies 72 Meters (72 метра) and Prisoner of the Mountains. An instrumental version of the song was featured in the 1990 Ukrainian film, "Raspad" (Decay), during the Pripyat evacuation scene.
A Hebrew version was written in 1945 by singer/songwriter Haim Hefer for the Palmach. In his version of the song, called בין גבולות (Between borders), Hefer coined the phrase אָנוּ פֹּה חוֹמַת מָגֵן (We are here a defensive wall) used by Israel Defense Forces when naming Operation Defensive Shield (literally "Operation Defensive Wall") in 2002.[6]
Lyrics
1967
The Farewell of Slavianka first received official lyrics under the Soviet leadership, which were appropriate for the political climate at the time. The part about Russian culture, religion, and patriotism was changed. It was made by A. Fedotov. The first version made under the Soviet Union (1941), didn't mention the Battle of Berlin. The later version (1967), mentioned it.
| Lyrics for the 1970 version | ||
|---|---|---|
| Russian | Transliteration (BGN/PCGN) | Literal Translation |
| Этот марш не смолкал на перронах
Когда враг заслонял горизонт. С ним отцов наших в дымных вагонах Поезда увозили на фронт. |
Etot marsh nye smolkal na perronakh
Kogda vrag zaslonyal gorizont. S nim otsov nashikh v dymnykh vagonakh Poezda uvozili na front. |
This march was not silent on the platforms
When the foe clouded the horizon With it, our fathers, in smoking railcars Were brought to the front by trains. |
| Он Москву отстоял в сорок первом,
В сорок пятом шагал на Берлин, Он c солдатом прошёл до Победы По дорогам нелёгких годин. |
On Moskvu otstoyal v sorok pervom
V sorok pyatom shagal na Berlin On s soldatom proshol do Pobedy Po dorogam nelyogkikh godin. |
He preserved Moscow in '41,
In '45, he marched on Berlin He accompanied the soldier to victory Along the roads of tough years. |
| И если в поход
Страна позовёт, За край наш родной Мы все пойдём в священный бой! |
I yesli v pokhod
strana pozovyot za kray nash rodnoy My vse poydyom v svyashchenny boy |
And if the country
Calls us to war For our motherland We all shall march to sacred war! |
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Шумят в полях хлеба. Шагает Отчизна моя К высотам счастья, Сквозь все ненастья, Дорогой мира и труда. |
Shumyat v polyakh khleba Shagaet Otchizna moya K vysotam schast'ya Skvoz' vse nenast'ya Dorogoy mira i truda |
Wheat rustles in the fields My Motherland marches, To the heights of joy Through all misfortunes On the path of peace and labour |
1984
This version of lyrics is written by Vladimir Lazarev in 1984 and it has gained the popularity since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 because of the slower tempo and the added human fragility factor ("Farewell, fatherland, remember us, ... ... not all of us will come back. ...").
| Lyrics for the 1984 version | ||
|---|---|---|
| Russian | Transliteration (BGN/PCGN) | Literal Translation |
| Наступает минута прощания,
Ты глядишь мне тревожно в глаза, И ловлю я родное дыхание, А вдали уже дышит гроза. |
Nastupayet minuta proshchaniya,
Ty glyadish' mne trevozhno v glaza, I lovlyu ya rodnoye dykhaniye, A vdali uzhe dyshit groza. |
The minute of farewell begins
You look into my eyes with anxiety. I catch your dear breath, And a storm is forming far away already. |
| Дрогнул воздух туманный и синий,
И тревога коснулась висков, И зовёт нас на подвиг Россия, Веет ветром от шага полков. |
Drognul vozdukh tumannyy i siniy,
I trevoga kosnulas' viskov, I zovyot nas na podvig Rossiya, Veyet vetrom ot shaga polkov. |
The blue, misty air is trembling,
And anxiety touches my temples, And Russia calls us for heroic deeds, One can feel the wind of the marching regiments. |
| Прощай, отчий край,
Ты нас вспоминай, Прощай, милый взгляд, Прости-прощай, прости-прощай |
Proshchay, otchiy kray,
Ty nas vspominay, Proshchay, milyy vzglyad, Prosti-proshchay, prosti-proshchay |
Farewell, homeland,
remember us. Farewell, familiar faces, forgiving farewell, forgiving farewell |
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Прощай, отчий край, Ты нас вспоминай, Прощай, милый взгляд, Не все из нас придут назад. |
Proshchay, otchiy kray, Ty nas vspominay, Proshchay, milyy vzglyad, Ne vse iz nas pridut nazad. |
Farewell, homeland, remember us. Farewell, o dear gaze, not all of us will come back. |
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Летят, летят года, Уходят во мглу поезда, А в них ? солдаты. И в небе тёмном Горит солдатская звезда. |
Letyat, letyat goda, Ukhodyat vo mglu poyezda, A v nikh ? soldaty. I v nebe tyomnom Gorit soldatskaya zvezda. |
Fly, fly the years And trains disappear in the darkness, And soldiers are in them, And in the dark sky Shines the soldier's star. |
1997
A more patriotic version of the march, written by Andrei Mingalyov, was created after the fall of the Soviet Union.
| Lyrics for the 1997 version | ||
|---|---|---|
| Russian | Transliteration (BGN/PCGN) | Literal Translation |
| Встань за Веру, Русская Земля!
Много песен мы в сердце сложили, Воспевая родные края Беззаветно тебя мы любили, Святорусская наша земля. Высоко ты главу поднимала – Словно солнце твой лик воссиял. Но ты жертвою подлости стала – Тех, кто предал тебя и продал! |
Vstan' za Veru, Russkaya Zemlya!
Mnogo pesen my v serdtse slozhili, Vospevaya rodnyye kraya Bezzavetno tebya my lyubili, Svyatorusskaya nasha zemlya. Vysoko ty glavu podnimala – Slovno solntse tvoy lik vossiyal. No ty zhertvoyu podlosti stala – Tekh, kto predal tebya i prodal! |
Arise for faith, o Russian land!
We composed many a song in our heart, Glorifying the native land. We loved you no matter what, You, our holy Russian land. You raised your head high, Your face was shining like the sun. But you've become a victim of betrayal – by those who have cheated and sold you! |
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| Встань за Веру, Русская земля!
Ждут победы России святые. Отзовись, православная рать! Где Илья твой и где твой Добрыня? Сыновей кличет Родина-мать. Под хоругви мы встанем все смело Крестным ходом с молитвой пойдём, За Российское правое дело Кровь мы русскую честно прольём. |
Vstan' za Veru, Russkaya zemlya!
Zhdut pobedy Rossii svyatyye. Otzovis', pravoslavnaya rat'! Gde Il'ya tvoy i gde tvoy Dobrynya? Synovey klichet Rodina-mat'. Pod khorugvi my vstanem vse smelo Krestnym khodom s molitvoy poydyom, Za Rossiyskoye pravoye delo Krov' my russkuyu chestno prol'yom. |
Arise for faith, o Russian land!
The saints awaits Russia's victory. Respond, o Orthodox host! Where is your Ilya, where is your Dobrynya? Mother Homeland is summoning her sons. We will stand all together under the gonfalons. And go, praying, as a procession, For the right cause of Russia We will shed Russian blood honestly. |
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| Встань за Веру, Русская Земля!
Все мы – дети великой Державы, Все мы помним заветы отцов Ради Родины, Чести и Славы Не жалей ни себя, ни врагов. Встань, Россия, из рабского плена, Дух победы зовёт: в бой, пора! Подними боевые знамена Ради Веры, Любви и Добра! |
Vstan' za Veru, Russkaya zemlya!
Vse my – deti velikoy Derzhavy, Vse my pomnim zavety ottsov Radi Rodiny, Chesti i Slavy Ne zhaley ni sebya, ni vragov. Vstan', Rossiya, iz rabskogo plena, Dukh pobedy zovyot: v boy, pora! Podnimi boyevyye znamena Radi Very, Lyubvi i Dobra! |
Arise for faith, o Russian land!
We are all children of a great empire, We all remember the commandments of our fathers: For the Homeland, Honor, Glory, Pity neither yourself nor the enemy. Arise, Russia, from your prison of slavery, Victory's spirit is called: time to do battle! Rise your battle flags For Faith, Love, and Good. |
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Tambov Oblast Anthem
The Farewell of Slavianka melody was used for the Tambov Oblast anthem. The lyrics for the anthem were made on 22 May 2002, by A. Mitrofanov.
| Lyrics for the Tambov Oblast Anthem version (2002) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Russian | Transliteration (BGN/PCGN) | Literal Translation |
| На просторах бескрайних и синих,
Где берёзы любуются Цной, В самом сердце великой России Ты раскинулся, край наш родной. Полыхали зловеще зарницы, Но в историю грозных веков Ты вписал своей славы страницы, Честь, свободу храня от оков. |
Na prostorakh beskraynikh i sinikh,
Gde beryozy lyubuyutsya Tsnoy, V samom serdtse velikoy Rossii Ty raskinulsya, kray nash rodnoy. Polykhali zloveshche zarnitsy, No v istoriyu groznykh vekov Ty vpisal svoyey slavy stranitsy, Chest', svobodu khranya ot okov. |
In the expanse of endless and blue,
Where birches are admired by Tsna, In the heart of the great Russia You're spread; our home region. Heat-lightnings are blaze ominously, But in history of the terrible centuries You're wrote the pages of your glory, Keep out of the shackles honor and freedom. |
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| И пусть летят года,
Ты с нами, наш край, навсегда. Здесь родились мы, И с этим краем У нас на всех одна судьба. Здесь родились мы, И с этим краем У нас на всех одна судьба. |
I pust' letyat goda,
Ty s nami, nash kray, navsegda. Zdes' rodilis' my, I s etim krayem U nas na vsekh odna sud'ba. Zdes' rodilis' my, I s etim krayem U nas na vsekh odna sud'ba. |
And let the years are fly,
You're with us, our region, forever. We're born there, And with this region We have one destiny. We're born there, And with this region We have one destiny. |
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| С пульсом Родины шаг свой сверяя,
Край любимый наш смотрит вперёд, Славу верных сынов умножая, Твёрдой поступью к счастью идёт. Пусть заметнее будут успехи, Хорошеет любимый наш край, На земле благодатной во веки Цветом яблонь своих расцветай. |
S pul'som Rodiny shag svoy sveryaya,
Kray lyubimyy nash smotrit vperyod, Slavu vernykh synov unnozhaya, Tvyordoy postup'yu k schast'yu idyot. Pust' zametneye budut uspekhi, Khorosheyet lyubimyy nash kray, Na zemle blagodatnoy vo veki Tsvetom yablon' svoikh rastsvetay. |
You're checked your pulse with our Motherland,
Our lovely region are looks forward, Multiply glory of your sons, Goes to fortunately by a solid gait. Let the success be the noticeable, Our region getting prettier, On the fertile ground, forever Were bloom by your flowers of apples. |
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"My Comrade in Death Throes"
The melody of the song is also used for the poem "My Comrade in Death Throes". A sample verse is:
- Ты не плачь, не стони, ты не маленький,
- Ты не ранен, ты просто убит.
- Дай на память сниму с тебя валенки,
- Нам еще наступать предстоит.
- Don't cry and don't moan, you are not a baby
- You are not wounded, you are simply killed.
- Let me take off you your valenki,
- We are yet to go into an attack.
It was written in December 44 by Ion Degen, World War II tank ace.[7][8]
"Vapaa Venäjä"
Another version of this song is Vapaa Venäjä. Vapaa Venäjä was composed by the Finnish Red Guards. Its purpose was to serve as a marching song for the Finnish Red Guards.
References
- Василий Агапкин и его марш «Прощание славянки».
- Владимир Соколов. "Прощание славянки", Москва, изд. "Советский композитор", 1987
- "Василий Агапкин и его марш "Прощание славянки". Публикации. Литературный журнал Москва". Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- Official ceremonial repertoire for orchestras of the Red Army (Russian: Служебно-строевой репертуар для оркестров Красной Армии – Sluzhebno-stroevoy repertuar dlya orkestrov Krasnoy Armii), Moscow, Voenizdat, 1945. The editor of this collection was the great Soviet march composer Semyon Aleksandrovich Chernetskiy (1881–1950), in 1925–1949 – Head of Military Music Service of People's Commissariat of Defense, later Ministry of Armed Forces of the Soviet Union.
- "Прощание Славянки". www.stanford.edu. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- (Hebrew)
- "Ты не ранен, ты просто убит". Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- "У ПОБЕДЫ ЛИЦО НАСТРАДАВШЕЕСЯ". 2005.novayagazeta.ru. Retrieved 9 January 2018.