Black Raven

[alexandral]

Russian folk music: Black Raven

This is a very traditional Russian folk song - I found a beautiful clip of it on Youtube by a group I haven't known before, Hi-Fi. This is one of the songs that reflect the past and present of Russia so well so it is not surprising that the clip uses the theme of World War 2. It is sad and beautiful. It is may be one of the most referenced and frequently sang Russian folk songs.

One of the facts: This song influenced Russian language, it is one of the reasons why black NKVD cars of Stalinist era were nick-named "black ravens".

My very poor translation:

Black raven,
why are you circling
Above my head?

In vain you are waiting
for your pray,
I am not yours.

Please pass a word
To my dear
beloved.

Tell her that
I am already married,
I have married someone else.

I was married by a bullet
Under a broom** bush,
A Sharp sabre was my matchmaker
And a dun horse was my father-in-law.

Black raven
Black raven
Why are you circling
above my head?

In vain you are waiting
for your pray,
I am not yours.

Note: ** - broom bush is a direct translation of Rassian "rakita" but I am not sure if this is a correct word!!

I know - this is a very sad song but it is so much in my genetic memory that is always with me, I love it. It makes me cry. Many Russian folk singers sing this song but I realliy liked the lead vocal and the interesting anti-war, WW2-themed clip by Hi-Fi.

Black raven

Sang by Jeanna Bichevskaya, she plays the gitar herself

Hmm, I am getting to obsessed with all things wolf and raven..

Comments

[chalicushu.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's a very interesting clip. I've never seen it. Still, the performance is slightly unusual - it's not exactly the right motive they're singing. Then again, that's what folk-singers are good at.. ;)
And yes, I agree, it's very russian. My dad's favorite.

YouTube has got so many different clips now, and russian too. I've found "Juno and Avos". Have you seen it? How would you explain to non-russian people what "Avos" is? The name of the ship in the opera? Some way of life?
I like every song in this rock-opera but best of all I love "Hallelujah to Love". The union of actors and audience and the band... Excellent!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd-s-gmHsrE

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

the performance is slightly unusual - it's not exactly the right motive they're singing.

It is quite unusual, I agree. I rather like it very much but it is definitely a very different interpretation!

And EEEEE! "Juno and Avos"!!! I am spending today listening to it! Thank you very much! I adore it. My favourite is "Wild Prairie Rose" song.

[chalicushu.livejournal.com]

I love "Juno and Avos" with all my heart. Such a great opera!
It was a real tragedy, when actor Karachentsov crashed his car...
I've never been to a real performance "Juno and Avos" in Lenkom, and now I thing, I'll never go. Pevtsov (who now plays Resanov) doesn't seem right to me. I don't like him.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Oh, I didn't know Karachentsov died. How sad - he was one of my favourite actors! I used to have a vinyl disk with this opera and listen to it at night with the lights switched off..

[chalicushu.livejournal.com]

It seems I've led you to a misunderstanding.. sorry.
Karachentsov didn't die, but some people think it would have been best if he did.
He's like a baby now, a man without mind. He almost can't speak and follows his wife around like a lost puppy. He's not able of going anywhere without help and even doesn't realize himself. He became a child without thoughts and emotions instead of a strong and brilliant man that he was.

In some newspapers we can find information, that one day, and maybe very soon he will come back to a real life and become actor again but I don't believe that. It takes only one look at him now to see his brains were damaged in that crash. He was in come for a long time.
I've found you one article (you can find more if you want - there are lots of them in the net). There are 3 videos in there. http://www.aif.ru/articles/article_prmid_dta52304.html
He's always silent. It's not just in this video he doesn't utter a word but he can't speak in public at all. And look at the way he's moving...

He's my favorite actor. Now I feel so sorry for him.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is so sad I can't even express it enough! Let's believe that a miracle can happen!

[lage-nom-ai.livejournal.com]

Oh, these were lovely. Thank you for translating!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I was wondering what you guys would think of it - I am glad you liked!

[savepureness.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for sharing these, they're awesome!

Actually, I'm quite aware of the fact that Russian tradition has a whole lot of amazing songs, all of the same bittersweet nature - my favourite when it comes of folk/folk tales/folk songs. We've got some of those in Romainian, too, most of them are called doine - this word has no equivalent in any language.

Beatiful. I mean it ... I've always loved your folk songs and stories, I used to know Katyusha, though my pronunciation was a disaster, haha.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am so glad you like!!

Oh, if you ever feel you'd like doing it - I would have
loved to hear some of Romanian songs. They must be beautiful!

[savepureness.livejournal.com]

Good idea. I'll think of something, and will either place some links at my LJ, or comment somewhere with them, for you. Thanks so much for suggesting this, after all, it's nice to promote your country's values :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

This will be great!

[endlessdeep.livejournal.com]

That first video made me cry. The wind at the beginning sounded like an air raid siren. The second video, the singing and guitar is beautiful.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am so glad you like! I used to love Jeanna'a voice. She has really "got" that traditional Russian folk sound but at the same time she is an excellent guitarist.

[baleanoptera.livejournal.com]

This is excellent! You now I love folklore and music - so this was a perfect combo. I must admit I found the first video very haunting.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am so glad you like!! Second singer, Jeanna Bichevskaya has got a traditional Russian folk voice. I used to like her very much when I was younger and I still do. But this new video hit a chord with me - it really conveys the meaning of the song so well. It also seems to be very much a "guy" song and I feel strange when a lady sings it..

In the full version there are also verses where the guy asks the raven to pass some words to his mother as well..

[ambergold.livejournal.com]

alexandral, I'm afraid I couldn't find that disc so would you mind sending it to me, pretty please? :) Thanks - if you need my address again let me know.
and that song is gorgeous - haunting, but beautiful.
and I am contemplating reading Twilight. I've heard too many raves about it to not - as soon as I am finished the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and Charlotte Bronte's The Secret.
*waits impatiently for it to be Friday/Saturday(how long DOES it take for them to come online?) so I can saturate myself in Mick's loveliness again. :)

[ambergold.livejournal.com]

also, I was reading over one of your old posts and - my dear! you do not/did not appreciate David Boreanaz?? blasphemy, blasphemy. Are you not watching Bones? I admit the 1st 3 episodes I watched I did not perhaps appreciate him to his fullest extent. But I learned the error of my ways quite rapidly. In fact, he is currently in a raging battle with Mick St. John aka Alex O'Loughlin over the title of Sexiest Man on Television(now that Jason Dohring no longer has much of a role...:( ...who will win? I'll let you know in a few weeks!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Oh, i am not a fan of "Bones", mostly because I am not a fan of the actress who is playing Bones. I watched about 12-14 of episodes from the season 1 hoping she'll improve on me but she didn't. I am sorry. I guess a part of it is that I am not a huge fan of procedural shows. But agent Booth is rather lovely, I agree.

D.Boreanaz doesn't have features that I find immediately appealing but I am liking him v.v.much in "Angel" at the moment. Alex O'Loughlin's looks were immediately "striking" for me. I guess it is all in his puppy eyes. :D

[ambergold.livejournal.com]

Well, it's nice to see that someone agrees with me. Frankly, it's taken me pretty much an entire season to get reconciled to Emily Deschanel as Bones. When I first began watching Bones, all I could think about was what a horrible actress she was and how much I disliked her character. However, I have been gradually getting more and more reconciled to her, partially due to such people as koalathebear's ravings about her, until finally, I actually do like her now. however, I do sympathize. :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about my dislike of Bones - I don't think I dislike the character as it is written ( I usually like quirky brainy heroines) so it must be my "not clicking" with Emily Deschanel's performance.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry - I have found the disk at work ( I was checking it for readability). I have sent it to you already and I apologize very very much!!!!

I wonder what you'll think about "Twilight" - I haven't been obsessed with non-canon pairing that much ever since Christina and the Phantom.

waits impatiently for it to be Friday/Saturday(how long DOES it take for them to come online?) so I can saturate myself in Mick's loveliness again. :)

I usually can get dls on Saturday morning..

[ambergold.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's okay - *laughs* Actually, this works out really well because it will probably arrive just AFTER my midterms instead of CONSUMING MY INTEREST during midterms. and oh, really? Because in point of fact I LOVE Christine & the Phantom, I too was madly obsessed with them at a point in time...

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am so glad you are not too disappointed!

Because in point of fact I LOVE Christine & the Phantom, I too was madly obsessed with them at a point in time...

I actually went to the movie theatre (luckily we have one almost around the corner from where I live) to see "The Phantom of the Opera" 5 times in 2 weeks. This was unprecedented. :D

Not to give you wrong expectations - Jacob/Bella is a totally different pairing to Phantom/Christine, not at all similar. Just my obsession levels.. :D

[ambergold.livejournal.com]

Isn't there some character named Edward too...?
and have been studiously avoiding writing an essay for one of the first times in my life and I'm afraid did go ahead and watch a few more episodes of Goong - but only a few. :) The thing is - I'm totally in love with YUL right now - not the Prince. Oh, I love his El Magnifico - but Yul is just so unbearably SWEET to her all the time. Is this bad? and why for once can't the secondary pairing get together? He deserves her so much more than the Prince...of course I will probably change my mind before the ending.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Isn't there some character named Edward too...?

Yep, the main pairing is Edward(vampire guy)/Bella but I am all about Jacob.

I liked Yul too - especially at the end but he could have been much better off without his evil mother. Usually in kdramas they make "third wheel" charcters really unlikable but he is quite a darling. I myself was in love with the Prince but I totally understand. I think I like Western approach where they usually find a new pairing for "third wheel" characters much more..

[earlgrayhot.livejournal.com]

I came over here for the Moonlight picspam ...which btw is excellent and amusing :) And what a surprise to see one of my all time fave songs here .. Bichevskayas Cherniy Voron always makes me tear up!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Oh, this song is so special to me - I had a record with Jeanna's best songs when I was younger. She is amazing and really has a fabulous voice and so very traditional one too.

[earlgrayhot.livejournal.com]

I heard Bichevskaya only after I came over to the states but back in Russia I used to love Novella Matveeva .. Have you heard any of her stuff? Her style is completely different ... she has a very child-like voice but her lyrics are like something from another world.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I used to like Bichevskaya long time ago, may be the first time I heard her when I was still in the University. I even went to her concert once and she is excellent "live".

I haven't heard of Novella Matveeva - thank you very much for the rec, I'll sure to check her!