Zhivyot Moya Otrada
My Joy Alone Lives; Живёт моя отрада
The origin of this famous Russian romance was the poem "Удалец" (Slashing Fellow), published in 1882 in the daily newspaper "Московский листок" ("The Moscow Leaf"), which was issued between 1881 and 1918. The author of this poem was Sergei Ryskin (1859-1895), a Russian writer and journalist.
A capable student, Sergei had been studying in Vladimir and Shuya. His studies, however, took a completely different turn after the boy did heavily recover from a nervous shock caused by the sudden death of his father. This prevented him from following a course in science, which had been his dream. Instead he went to a railway school in Moscow, and after having worked as a machinist assistant on the Moscow - Nizhniy Novgorod railway, he decided to go to Kovrov, where he graduated as a journalist. |
While studying in Kovrov, Ryskin was told the story of the local Romeo and Juliette, or the love story which took place with a merchant and a noblewoman. The Kovrov merchant's son, Nikolai Shaganov, fell in love with Nadenka Lokteva, the daughter of an impoverished nobleman. Without hesitation the groom wooed to the sweetheart, but he met the refusal from Nadenka's parents. The nobles were offended by such a "low" matchmaking, and despite Nikolai's father was a rich merchant, and moreover the mayor of the city, they did not bless the young couple to marry as they were frightened by the problems of the class strife.
In the meantime the groom was so afraid to loose his beloved girl, that he decided to kidnap her with the help of a friend, and to marry her.
In the meantime the groom was so afraid to loose his beloved girl, that he decided to kidnap her with the help of a friend, and to marry her.
The verses of the poem "Удалец" do refer to this very event:
At night a troika rolled up to the Loktevs` house. Nadenka, who knew about the planned kidnapping, had collected some of the dowry, but as the signal was applied, the girl started to hesitate. Shaganov's friend, however, pulled her out of the window and rushed with her to the nearest village, where, in the Dmitrovskiy temple, her beloved had been waiting.
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Leonid Kharitonov performs the song
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Sergei Ryskin
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After the wedding the newlyweds left for the relatives of the groom in Vyazniki. Nadenka's parents were enraged by the arrogance of the merchant, and immediately went to court, where they started a case that got the official name: "On the daughter of an official, Nadezhda Petrovna Lokteva, tried for her marriage without the consent of her parents for the merchant Nikolai Shaganov". Passions were raging in Kovrov: the kidnapped daughter of a nobleman was a scandal! But the time passed, the passions subsided, and the trial ended in nothing. Only one year later the Loktevs forgave their daughter, blessing her and her husband for a happy life. Despite all fears, the marriage turned out to be a happy one: the couple lived together for almost 40 years, having given birth to three sons.
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In the 19th century, the marriages between representatives of the different social classes were considered to be a misalliance, and in case it was a question of kidnapping, the fact became a scandal of the highest degree. The scandalous kidnapping of Nadezhda Lokteva was remembered for a long time by the inhabitants of Kovrov as a "dashing story", and it was not surprising that Ryskin heard all the details of it. The young poet was so impressed by this "Romeo And Juliet"-alike story, that he created the beautiful lines: "My joy alone lives".
Mikail Dmitrevich Shishkin
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Ryskin himself, who died only 35 years old from the flying tuberculosis, published the poem "Slashing Fellow" only once, and this was in his only lifetime book "Первый шаг" ("The First Step"), of 1888. However, the co-author Sergei Klychov (1889-1937), a talented Russian poet who was shot on October 8, 1937 during Stalin's time repressions, and who made literary processing of Ryskin's poems, appeared with these poems many years later. According to this we can conclude that Klychov's work was based on the song that appeared in 1910, in the collection for romances "Мой костёр" ("My Bonfire"), that was published under the editorship of the singer and composer Krasovskiy.
Yet, it is believed that the music to the poem was created by the Gypsy guitarist and composer of the late 19th, early 20th century Mikhail Shishkin. However, there is no information about whether he was the creator or just processed the music already created by someone else. |
The song was included in the repertoire of many singers. In 1939 it was recorded by Tamara Tsereteli. On the released version the song was listed by the name "Otrada", with the comment "An old Tabor song in the arrangement of M. Shishkin". This gave the researchers the reason to conclude that Shishkin only processed the song, but did not compose the music for it.
With the name "Живёт моя отрада" the song was performed by Varya Panina, Lydia Ruslanova, Claudia Shulzhenko, Vadim Kozin, Olga Voronets, and many others. There are many variations on the song, as it appeared with many folk songs, which means that each performer sings it as it fits, with a complete disregard of copyright, that has been lost over time. However, in the meantime "Zhivet Moya Otrada" has become one of Russia's most famous folk songs.
With the name "Живёт моя отрада" the song was performed by Varya Panina, Lydia Ruslanova, Claudia Shulzhenko, Vadim Kozin, Olga Voronets, and many others. There are many variations on the song, as it appeared with many folk songs, which means that each performer sings it as it fits, with a complete disregard of copyright, that has been lost over time. However, in the meantime "Zhivet Moya Otrada" has become one of Russia's most famous folk songs.
Among the performers: Lidia Ruslanova, Alexander Malinin, Renat Ibragimov, Nina Shatskaya, Sergei Zakharov, Iosif Kobzon, Nadezhda Kadysheva and The Golden Ring Ensemble, Leonid Smetannikov, Eugeny Dyatlov, Vasiliy Gerello, Arkadiy Severniy.
SCORE FOR ACCORDION
SCORE FOR ACCORDION
Russian text
Живёт моя отрада В высоком терему, А в терем тот высокий Нет хода никому. Я знаю, у красотки Есть сторож у крыльца, Никто не загородит Дорогу молодца. Войду я к милой в терем И брошусь в ноги к ней. Была бы только ночка, Да ночка потемней. Была бы только ночка, Да ночка потемней. Была бы только тройка, Да тройка порезвей. Second verson
Живёт моя красотка Слова: М. Шишкин Музыка: народная Исп.: Лидия Русланова Живёт моя красотка В высоком терему, А в тот высокий терем Нет входа никому. Я знаю, у красотки Есть сторож у крыльца, Но он не загородит Дороги молодца. И вот нежданным гостем Войду я в терем к ней. Была бы только ночка Сегодня потемней. Здорова будь, красотка, Сбежим, моя краса, Из терема на волю В дремучие леса. Пойдём там пир горою В большом густом лесу, И атаман женою Возьмёт себе красу. Давно готова тройка Лихих, серых коней. Была бы только ночка Сегодня потемней. |
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Sources:
http://www.vlad.aif.ru/culture/person/ne_narodnaya_pesnyu_zhivyot_moya_otrada_napisal_vladimirskiy_poet ;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Московский_листок ; http://cyclowiki.org/wiki/Живёт_моя_отрада_(песня) ;
http://www.vlad.aif.ru/culture/person/ne_narodnaya_pesnyu_zhivyot_moya_otrada_napisal_vladimirskiy_poet ;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Московский_листок ; http://cyclowiki.org/wiki/Живёт_моя_отрада_(песня) ;