Orenburgskiy Pukhoviy Platok
Orenburg Downy Shawl, Оренбургский пуховый платок
The Orenburg downy shawl is a hand-knitted shawl of the goat's down and the thread warp (cotton, silk, ...), and which is so fine that it can pass through a wedding ring, while the complete shawl does fit into a goose egg. In earlier times, the contents of an egg were removed, and the shell was washed, so that it could be tried to hide a shawl in it. This was the way for controlling the quality of the shawls.
The knitting itself was born in the Orenburg region about 250 years ago, and according to some sources, the tradition started even before the formation of the Orenburg Province. A legend says that in the winter the Russian steppe was frozen and started complaining of the cold. Her cry was heard by a big stone woman who was filled with pity, and wove a warm and fluffy handkerchief from the clouds for covering the sufferer with it. The historians believe that the Orenburg downy shawl symbolizes a snow cover in the steppe. Others think that the shawl is a symbol of the steppe feather grass with its cotton wool. |
It is a clear and proven fact that the Orenburg downy shawl can be made only in Orenburg, as in those places a special breed of goat is brought out: they have a short and very thin undercoat, from which the yarn is made. From that yarn, the same cobweb of cloth is being obtained. It was tried to bring the goats to France, and to other parts of Russia, for making it possible to produce the shawls also in other regions, but these goats degenerated to ordinary goats: the special climate is needed for the goats having their special undercoat, and it is only in the Orenburg region that the temperatures vary from up to + 40°C in summer, to less than -40°C in winters.
The poet Viktor Bokov
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In 1958 a Russian folk choir was created in Orenburg. On this occasion the songwriter Viktor Bokov and the composer Grigory Ponomarenko were invited by the philharmonic staff to write the songs for the first program of the choir. They both came to Orenburg, wrote several songs, but could not get real satisfaction from their creativity, as they did not succeed in writing a song, that would become the heart of the program.
They intended to leave Orenburg, but first they went to the local market, in search for the souvenirs. Viktor Bokov chose for his mother a warm and beautiful Orenburg shawl, which he would send on the same day to Zagorsk, where she lived. At the mail office, he imagined how, on a frosty evening, the fluffy shawl would fall on her shoulders, how it would warm them, and how it would remind her of him. |
One by one the words for the desired song came, and, still at the mail office, Bokov wrote the whole text down on the letterhead of the telegram. Ponomarenko was delighted with the newborn text, and while returning to their hotel, the melody was already ripe. The first rehearsel however, was not successful, as the singers who came from other places to Orenburg, after their graduation studies, were torn from their native places, and the song "Orenburg shawl" reminded them of their homes. The girls wept, but as after the crying the voices sit down, their singing was ruined at that moment. But when the choir went on stage for the performance in public, and began to sing, wearing the Orenburg shawls, the tears shone in the eyes of the audience, which stood up and began to sing together with the singers of the choir. And for many times in a row the singing of "The Orenburg downy Shawl" was forced.
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Lyudmila Zikina performs "Orenburg Downy Shawl"
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With Lyudmila Zykina`s performing , the popularity of the song became wide spread, and hundreds of letters were written with the request to transfer her performance on the air, or asking for the text and the notes of that beautiful song.
Also after the authors Ponomarenko and Bokov, the interpretation and performance of the Orenburg Downy Shawl by Lyudmila Zykyna was considered to be a reference one.
The song "The Orenburg Downy Shawl" was performed by Lyudmila Zykyna, Taisiya Povaliy, The Choir Of Turezkiy, Olga Chirkova, The Orenburg State Academic Russian Folk Choir, Svetlana Dyatel , Irina Krutova and the State Academic Russian Folk Ensemble "Russia" named after L. Zykina
There is a sculpture named after the song. The Orenburg sculptor Nadezhda Petina developed the theme of the Orenburg needlework in her creation, having devoted several works to it.
The composer G. Ponomarenko has been the famous bayan player also, and his composition fits accordion very much, is often accompanied with accordion or with an ensemble, containing it.
SCORE FOR ACCORDION SCORE FOR ACCORDION WITH VOICE SCORE ARR. BY A. SHALAEV
Also after the authors Ponomarenko and Bokov, the interpretation and performance of the Orenburg Downy Shawl by Lyudmila Zykyna was considered to be a reference one.
The song "The Orenburg Downy Shawl" was performed by Lyudmila Zykyna, Taisiya Povaliy, The Choir Of Turezkiy, Olga Chirkova, The Orenburg State Academic Russian Folk Choir, Svetlana Dyatel , Irina Krutova and the State Academic Russian Folk Ensemble "Russia" named after L. Zykina
There is a sculpture named after the song. The Orenburg sculptor Nadezhda Petina developed the theme of the Orenburg needlework in her creation, having devoted several works to it.
The composer G. Ponomarenko has been the famous bayan player also, and his composition fits accordion very much, is often accompanied with accordion or with an ensemble, containing it.
SCORE FOR ACCORDION SCORE FOR ACCORDION WITH VOICE SCORE ARR. BY A. SHALAEV
Russian text
В этот вьюжный неласковый вечер Когда снежная мгла вдоль дорог Ты накинь, дорогая, на плечи Оренбургский пуховый платок Я его вечерами вязала Для тебя, моя добрая мать Я готова тебе, дорогая Не платок, даже сердце отдать Ветер шарит, как странник, по ставням За окном завывает метель Для тебя самовар я поставлю Для тебя отогрею постель В этот час одинокий вечерний Мне с тобой хорошо говорить Как мне хочется лаской дочерней Все морщины твои удалить Чтобы ты в эту ночь не скорбела Прогоню от окошка пургу Сколько б я тебя, мать, ни жалела Все равно пред тобой я в долгу Пусть буран все сильней свирепеет Мы не пустим его на порог И тебя, моя мама, согреет Оренбургский пуховый платок |
Transliteration
V etot v'yuzhnyy nelaskoviy vecher Kogda snezhnaya mgla vdol' dorog Ty nakin', dorogaya, na plechi Orenburgskiy pukhoviy platok YA yego vecherami vyazala Dlya tebya, moya dobraya mat' YA gotova tebe, dorogaya Ne platok, dazhe serdtse otdat' Veter sharit, kak strannik, po stavnyam Za oknom zavyvayet metel' Dlya tebya samovar ya postavlyu Dlya tebya otogreyu postel' V etot chas odinokiy vecherniy Mne s toboy khorosho govorit' Kak mne khochetsya laskoy docherney Vse morshchiny tvoi udalit' Chtoby ty v etu noch' ne skorbela Progonyu ot okoshka purgu Skol'ko b ya tebya, mat', ni zhalela Vse ravno pred toboy ya v dolgut Pust' buran vse sil'ney svirepeyet My ne pustim yego na porog I tebya, moya mama, sogreyet Orenburgskiy pukhoviy platok |
English text
In this evening, cold, dark and severe, When the wind makes the snowdrifts tall, Please, slip over your shoulders, my dear, The warm Orenburg downy shawl. I`ve been knitting the shawl in the evenings For you, mother, my tender and kind. I`m presenting this modest thanksgiving With all my heart, please, keep that in mind. The wind gropingly strolls in the shutters, And the blizzard wails hard outside. I start the samovar and it mutters, To warm the bed for you I decide. At this hour, lonely and evening, I feel nice to be speaking with you. I am strong in my filial willing To make you free from wrinkles anew! For the night gives you no more scare, I will chase the cold blizzard away! However much for you I`d care To you I am obliged anyway! Let the wind waste its rage more intensely, We will not let it enter at all. And, my mother, enjoy it immensely, - The warm Orenburg downy shawl ! Translation by Alexander |
Sources:
http://metelica-online.ru/история-создания-песни-оренбургский ;
http://hm-info.ru/orenburgskij-platok-istoriya-i-tradicii/; http://ulpravda.ru/rubrics/kultpokhod/-orenburgskii-pukhovyi-platok;
http://kviter.ru/orenplatok/index.php/khudozhniki
http://metelica-online.ru/история-создания-песни-оренбургский ;
http://hm-info.ru/orenburgskij-platok-istoriya-i-tradicii/; http://ulpravda.ru/rubrics/kultpokhod/-orenburgskii-pukhovyi-platok;
http://kviter.ru/orenplatok/index.php/khudozhniki