Beriozka;Березка
The song "Beriozka", or in English "There was a birch tree in the field", was known at least 2.5 centuries ago, when it became part of the collection of Russian folk songs. Most likely it was born even earlier. The reason to believe this, is our knowledge of the role that the birch tree played in ancient Russian culture.
The word "bereza", or birch tree, is very ancient and is connected to the verb "berech", which means "to keep safe, to take care of", since the ancient Russians, the Slavs, considered the birch as a gift from God, given for protection. The birch had to be planted near the house and people tried to surround the village by a protective belt of birches, as they believed that the "birch spirit" could guard against all evil and bad things. A birch was planted near the gate and people could speak with the tree and ask it to give them strength. The birch and things made of it, including the birch bark, were considered as talismans against evil forces. |
In ancient history the birch could well claim to be the emblem of education: when paper was not known, simple Russian people, who didn't have the opportunity to acquire expensive parchment, used birch bark for writing. Archaeological finds suggest a massive use of birch bark manuscripts in Russia. Later on the ancient Slavs used the birch bark for making everything from it: from writing paper to footwear (lapti), and birch bark crafts are one of Russia's biggest traditions. For centuries bereza has been famed for their healing qualities.
In the Slave folk calendar the birch was assigned a most honorable place: the year began on March 1, the first month of spring, when the birch began to produce sap. It bore the name "Berezen". Now the Ukrainian name for March is "Beresen"
In the Slave folk calendar the birch was assigned a most honorable place: the year began on March 1, the first month of spring, when the birch began to produce sap. It bore the name "Berezen". Now the Ukrainian name for March is "Beresen"
So it isn't strange that the birch tree, or bereza, is an important symbol in Russian culture: it is the poetic symbol of the feminine, a lyrical image of spring, light and virginal purity. The slender birch brings in mind the image of a humble girl, beautiful and very Russian.
On semik, a weeklong fertility festival in Russia, houses and yards are decorated with birch trees. Singing, young women go to fields and groves and choose a birch tree. They hang ribbons on it and braid its branches, which they tie to the grass, so that |
the birch can transport its power to the earth, thus helping it to produce a better crop. The participants dance khorovods around the birch and afterwards they eat the food that they have brought. Also on semik, birches are planted around the village and near the houses. The ceremony is accompanied by singing and dancing khorovods.
The khorovod is a very special kind of dance that, amongst others, is performed by the very famous Russian ensemble "Berezka". Every concert they start with the Khorovod, in which they perform a sliding step. What's so special about this step, is that they hardley appear to move at all. They seem to be standing still, while the stage and the floor are moving. Even the skirts worn by the dancers don't seem to move.
Now, the folk song Beriozka itself: a girl, the singer, is compared with a a lonely birch tree, standing in the field. However, there is a difference: the girl goes to the birch and makes the slav semik ritual. After that, she produces several music pipes from the birch branches. She meets her beloved young man and awakes him inviting to go dancing. She offers him a variety of commands in a very loving way, so that he can clean himself and dress, so that they can go to the feast. |
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The text varies in different areas, but the first part is quite stable.
Tchaikovsky included this popular folksong in the last movement of his Symphony no. 4 in F minor, Op 36, written in 1877-1878.
Balakirev used "Beriozka" in his "Ouverture on three Russian songs". The film composer, Dario Marianelli, used the song in his music for the film "Anna Karenina" (2012) Sources: http://www.mfiles.co.uk/scores/the-birch-tree.htm http://kurochkaclothing.com/news/birch-tree/ http://thefolkmusicexperience.weebly.com/the-birch-tree-from-russia.html http://todiscoverrussia.com/top-7-most-popular-russian-folk-songs/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_week |
Russian lyrics
Во поле береза стояла, Во поле кудрявая стояла, Люли, люли, стояла, Люли, люли, стояла. Некому березу заломати, Некому кудряву заломати, Люли, люли, заломати, Люли, люли, заломати. Как пойду я в лес, погуляю, Белую березку заломаю, Люли, люли, заломаю, Люли, люли, заломаю. Срежу я с березы три пруточка, Сделаю себе я три гудочка, Люли, люли три гудочка, Люли, люли три гудочка. Четвертую балалайку, Пойду я на новые сени, Люли, люли на сени, Люли, люли на сени. Стану в балалаечку играти, Стану я милого будити. Люли, люли, будити: Люли, люли, будити: Встань ты, мой милый, проснися, Ты, душа моя, пробудися. Люли, люли пробудися, Люли, люли пробудися. Пойдем в терем веселиться. Пойдем в терем веселиться, Люли, люли, веселиться, Люли, люли, веселиться. |
Transliteration
Vo pole bereza stoyala, Vo pole kudryavaya stoyala, Lyuli, lyuli, stoyala, Lyuli, lyuli, stoyala. Nekomu berezu zalomati, Nekomu kudryavu zalomati, Lyuli, lyuli, zalomati, Lyuli, lyuli, zalomati. Kak poydu ya v les, pogulyayu, Beluyu berezku zalomayu, Lyuli, lyuli, zalomayu, Lyuli, lyuli, zalomayu. Srezhu ya s berezy tri prutochka, Sdelayu sebe ya tri gudochka, Lyuli, lyuli tri gudochka, Lyuli, lyuli tri gudochka. Chetvertuyu balalayku, Poydu ya na novyye seni, Lyuli, lyuli na seni, Lyuli, lyuli na seni. Stanu v balalayechku igrati, Stanu ya milogo buditi. Lyuli, lyuli, buditi: Lyuli, lyuli, buditi: Vstan' ty, moy milyy, prosnisya, Ty, dusha moya, probudisya. Lyuli, lyuli probudisya, Lyuli, lyuli probudisya. Poydem v terem veselit'sya. Poydem v terem veselit'sya, Lyuli, lyuli, veselit'sya, Lyuli, lyuli, veselit'sya. |
English lyrics
In the field stood the birch Tree, In the field stood the curly Birch Tree, Lyu-li, lyu-li, it stood, Lyuli-li, lyu-li, it stood. There is no one here to cut the birch down, There is no one here to cut the birch down, Lyu-li, lyu-li, to cut it down, Lyu-li, lyu-li, to cut it down. I will take a walk in the forest, I will cut down the birch tree, Lyu-li, lyu-li, I`ll cut it down, Lyu-li, lyu-li, I`ll cut it down. I will cut three branches from the birch tree, I will cut three flutes from the birch tree, Lyu-li, lyu-li, the three flutes, Lyu-li, lyu-li, the three flutes. From the fourth I`ll make a balalaika, From the fourth I`ll make a balalaika, Lyu-li, lyu-li, balalaika, Lyu-li, lyu-li, balalaika. I will be my balalaika playing, I will be my dear man awaking, Lyu-li, lyu-li, be awaking: Lyu-li, lyu-li, be awaking: Get my lovely man awake now, You, my soul, please, get awake now, Lyu-li, lyu-li, get awake now, Lyu-li, lyu-li, get awake now. Go together dance to the chamber, Let`s enjoy ourselves in the chamber, Lyu-li, lyu-li, let`s enjoy ourselves, Lyu-li, lyu-li, let`s enjoy ourselves. With special thanks to Alexander |