Stariy Klen
Old Maple, Старый клён
Старый клен, or "Old Maple", was written by the composer Alexandra Pakhmutova (1929-) on the verses of Mikhail Matusovsky (1915-1990) as one of the songs for the film "The Girls" (Девчата). The movie, that was based on the novel of the same name by Boris Bedniy, was shot in 1961 by the film director Yuri Chulyukin (1929-1987), and was released on the eve of the International Woman's day, March 7th, 1962. "The Girls" tells the story of the orphan Tosya Kislitsyna, who comes to work as a cook to an Ural township forestry enterprise, where she finally finds the love of her life. The main roles were brilliantly performed by Nadezhda Rumyantzeva and Nikolai Rybnikov. The film was cheerful, having good music, being in harmony with the soul of that epoch and became one of the Soviet classic movies, devoted to the young people of labour and their life.
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The high authorities decided that the comedy was too commonplace and too small for the Soviet screen, and awarded it only a third roll category. The people, however, and even the critics, loved the film "Девчата" ("The Girls") and in the premiere years it was watched by almost 35 million people, which made it one of the leaders of the film distribution.
In the film, the song "Old Maple" was sung by the roommate Katya, performed by Lucienna Ovchinnikova, and the accordionist Sashka, performed by Nikolay Pogodin. It was immediately loved by the public, and it became an inseparable item among the true Russian folk songs.
In the film, the song "Old Maple" was sung by the roommate Katya, performed by Lucienna Ovchinnikova, and the accordionist Sashka, performed by Nikolay Pogodin. It was immediately loved by the public, and it became an inseparable item among the true Russian folk songs.
Soon "Old Maple" sounded at official concerts, as well as at national activities, and it was being sung at big and small parties.
According to the composer, Alexandra Pakhmutova, the big success of the song was due to the general circumstances in Russia. The song appeared on a moment when there was an incredible upsurge in the country: large factories and power stations were built, the first man flew into space, virgin lands and Siberian vastnesses were mastered. The spirit of romance was in demand and the state needed enthusiasts. This was the reason why the same song not only sounded on central television and radio channels, but also around camp fires and at parties. The listening to the song gave the young people the feeling that they were living in harmony with their ambitions and expectations. |
Alla Abdalova and Lev Leshchenko perform the song
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The song "Старый клён" was performed by Lucienna Ovchinnikova and Nikolay Pogodin, Maya Kristallinskaya, Ludmila Senchina, Nina Dorda, Alla Abdalova & Lev Leshchenko, Galina Egorova, the vocal trio Meridian, Nadezhda Babkina and her ensemble "Russian Song". It is the song that is often performed occasionally by different famous artists, as very popular, without including it into the regular repertoire. The song is one of the most widely performed by the ordinary people as a drinking song and simply a song for an evening rest of relatives and neighbors in the rural areas.
Russian text:
Старый клен, старый клен, Старый клен стучит в стекло, Приглашая нас с друзьями на прогулку. Отчего, отчего, отчего мне так светло? Оттого, что ты идешь по переулку. Снегопад, снегопад, Снегопад давно прошел, Словно в гости к нам весна опять вернулась. Отчего, отчего, отчего так хорошо? Оттого, что ты мне просто улыбнулась. Погляди, погляди, Погляди на небосвод, Как сияет он безоблачно и чисто! Отчего, отчего, отчего гармонь поет? Оттого, что кто-то любит гармониста… |
Transliteration:
Staryj klen staryj klen Staryj klen stuchit v steklo Priglashaya nas s druzyami na progulku Otchego otchego otchego mne tak svetlo Ottogo chto ty idesh po pereulku Snegopad snegopad Snegopad davno proshel Slovno v gosti k nam vesna opyat vernulas Otchego otchego otchego tak horosho Ottogo chto ty mne prosto ulybnulas Poglyadi poglyadi Poglyadi na nebosvod Kak siyaet on bezoblachno i chisto Otchego otchego otchego garmon poet Ottogo chto kto-to lyubit garmonista |
English text:
The old maple, the old maple, at the window it knocks And invites us for a walk that lets the friends meet. Why do I feel this nice brightness that my heart unlocks? That`s `cause you are going along the side street. And the snowfall passed, it passed so long ago, Like the spring were back again to pay a visit. Why do I feel this sweet pleasantness that warms me so? That`s `cause You have smiled at me, you `ve simply done it. Just you look, just you look at the sky to see it clean, It shines so cloudless with its blue layer! Why does it, why does it, why does the harmonic sing? That`s `cause somebody loves the harmonic player. Translation by Alexander |
Sources:
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Девчата_(фильм) ;
http://melody.su/melody/events/28340/; https://www.samara.kp.ru/daily/26156/3044716/;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Пахмутова,_Александра_Николаевна ;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Матусовский,_Михаил_Львович;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC1wqZzlREE;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Бедный,_Борис_Васильевич ;
http://www.ksp-msk.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2570;
https://kprf.ru/pravda/issues/2015/80/article-52050/; http://www.vokrug.tv/product/show/devchata/;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Чулюкин,_Юрий_Степанович ;
http://www.trud.ru/article/02-08-2005/91405_ty_moja_melodija.html; http://soviet-art.ru/1961-soviet-romantic-comedy-the-girls/;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Девчата_(фильм) ;
http://melody.su/melody/events/28340/; https://www.samara.kp.ru/daily/26156/3044716/;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Пахмутова,_Александра_Николаевна ;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Матусовский,_Михаил_Львович;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC1wqZzlREE;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Бедный,_Борис_Васильевич ;
http://www.ksp-msk.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2570;
https://kprf.ru/pravda/issues/2015/80/article-52050/; http://www.vokrug.tv/product/show/devchata/;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Чулюкин,_Юрий_Степанович ;
http://www.trud.ru/article/02-08-2005/91405_ty_moja_melodija.html; http://soviet-art.ru/1961-soviet-romantic-comedy-the-girls/;