Krasniy Sarafan
Red Sarafan, Красный сарафан
"Red Sarafan", "Красный сарафан", is one of the most famous Russian folk songs. It was composed by A. E. Varlamov (1801-1848), on a poem that was written in 1832 by N. G. Tsyganov (1797-1832). The song got known with the first line of the lyrics "Do not sew me, mother, a red sarafan", as often did happen at that time. The title "Red Sarafan" only appeared after the song had become popular. The first publication of the song appeared in the first A. Varlamov's song collection, "Русские песни Н. Цыганова" (The Russian Songs By N. Tsyganov, Moscow, 1834 г., № 16), that contained nine songs and romances. The "Red Sarafan" itself had been created in 1833, and was very characteristic for that time, as we will explain later.
Before moving to Moscow, Nikolai Tsyganov had been an actor in Saratov, where he used to write poems, while often composing also the music for them. Usually, he was the first performer of his songs, accompanying himself on the guitar. However, many of his texts were not preserved and it might be possible that some songs, with unknown authorship, were written by his hand. |
While staying in Moscow, Tsyganov wrote "Red Sarafan" in the very characteristic style of the Russian folk songs of that time. It was a common tendency that folk motives easily entered the culture all over Europe, and to that moment the Russian national culture had been actively developing, and by the 19th century Russia had firmly entered the European cultural world, developing its own sciences and arts, literature, theater, music, paintings ...
The Moscow Imperial Troupe, (Московская императорская труппа), which Tsyganov had joined when arriving in Moscow, used to pay much attention to the folk colouring in arts, and it was this tendency that inspired Tsyganov to write "Red Sarafan". These new ideas were the first steps of realism in art, and the real, lively folk motives took an increasing place in creativity, concerning the musical culture also.
The work in the Petersburg Imperial Troupe was considered more prestigious, but the Moscow Troupe, staying more distantly from the officialdom, and receiving less state money, became a generator of popular songs. The songs were composed both for the concerts and for the stage productions on the stages of the Bolshoi or the Maly Theater. A lot of those songs were written by the artist Nikolai Tsyganov, with "Red Sarafan" among them. |
Maria Bieshu performs the song
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It corresponded to the soul of that time, that the composer A. Varlamov started to work at the Mocow Imperial Troupe, and put Tsyganov's poems to music. Whether the Red Sarafan was composed for a performance or for a concert, as well as who was the first performer, is unknown. The song is a talk between a young lass and her mother: the girl does not want to be given in another family and become a wife. She prefers her freedom. The mother, in the minor part of the song, answers that she behaved the same way, that the youth does not last forever, and that the best joy for an old person is to look at the own children. The major motive returns, making the song form complete.
Nikolai Varlamov
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The romance "Red Sarafan" has glorified the name of Varlamov in Russia and in the world. Immediately after its publication, it was remembered by the Moscow audience, and already soon its fame went beyond the Moscow borders. It was being sung in villages and cities, in rich and poor homes, and it became one of Russia's most popular songs. As people did sing it the way they remembered, with time some obsolete words were gradually replaced by the more modern ones. "Red Sarafan" was soon considered a folk song, it was inserted in songbooks and many eminent singers began to include it in their repertoire. According to the composer Nikolai Titov, who was called the Grandfather of the Russian Romance by Glinka and Dargomyzhsky , only Alyabyev's romance "Nightingale" could compete with "Red Sarafan" in popularity.
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Yet the great popularity of the song "Red Sarafan" was not only caused by the beauty of the melody. As the lyrics did refer to an old Russian habit of women to wear a plait, people did recognize themselves in the song: the plait and its shape indeed were a significant item in their culture. The women's hair itself was of great importance, as it was believed to contain a certain magical power. Therefore it not only needed to be protected, but it also had to be covered from the prying eyes. For this reason it was not customary to dissolve the hair, as it prevented the scattering of the hair`s energy and power.
The young girls wore their hair in one single plait. They were not obliged to cover the head, and if doing so, it was never covered entirely. Before the marriage, a girl could tie a hoop around her head, made of birch bark or bust, trimmed with brocade or red calico, decorated with beads or embroidery, or to put on a crown. For the girl it was a big shame if somebody cut off her plait, as the plait was the symbol of her innocence. This symbolism came from the remote past, when the abductions of women were wide spread. The kidnappers used to cut off the girl`s plait for claiming their right to the wife they had obtained. Once the girl got married, on her wedding day her plait was beautified with a bandage: a band in the form of a wide strip, with a beaded or pearl mesh sewn to the bottom.
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After the wedding an initiation rite was held: the girlfriends unweaved the plait, and braided two plaits instead, laying them around her head like a crown. This ceremony was meant to show that the previously single girl had found a soul mate, with whom she united for the further life. At the same time it meant the circumcision of the plait and the loss of freedom. According to the Russian customs, a married woman could no longer leave the house with her head uncovered. As the female hair had a powerful attractive force, it always had to be covered, and only her husband was allowed to see it.
To this very tradition the poet Tsyganov refers in the first lines of the lyrics of "Red Sarafan".
To this very tradition the poet Tsyganov refers in the first lines of the lyrics of "Red Sarafan".
Subsequently the melody of "Red Sarafan" was used by other musicians. H. Wieniawski used it in "Souvenir de Moscou" variations for violin and orchestra, S. Tallberg in "Fantasy On Russian Themes For Piano", and C. Davydov in an arrangement for cello.
The song was performed by Alexander Ivanov-Kramskoy, Nadezhda Obukhova, Elisaveta Shumskaya, Galina Pisarenko, Maria Biyeshu, Irina Arkhipova, Lamara Chkonia, Svetlana Dyatel, Tatiana Baleta.
Among the foreign performers: Nikolai Gedda , James Last (instrumental), Ivan Rebroff
The song was performed by Alexander Ivanov-Kramskoy, Nadezhda Obukhova, Elisaveta Shumskaya, Galina Pisarenko, Maria Biyeshu, Irina Arkhipova, Lamara Chkonia, Svetlana Dyatel, Tatiana Baleta.
Among the foreign performers: Nikolai Gedda , James Last (instrumental), Ivan Rebroff
Russian lyrics
Не шей ты мне, матушка, красный сарафан, Не входи, родимая, попусту в изъян. Рано мою косыньку на две расплетать, Прикажи мне русую в ленту убирать! Пускай непокрытая шёлковой фатой, Очи молодецкие веселит собой! То ли житьё девичье, чтоб его менять, Торопиться замужем охать да вздыхать! Золотая волюшка мне милей всего! Не хочу я с волюшкой в свете ничего! Дитя моё, дитятко, дочка милая! Головка победная, неразумная! Не век тебе пташечкой звонко распевать, Легкокрылой бабочкой по цветам порхать. Заблекнут на щёченьках маковы цветы, Прискучат забавушки, стоскуешься ты! А мы и при старости себя веселим, Младость вспоминаючи, на детей глядим! И я молодешенька была такова, И мне те же в девушках пелися слова. |
Transliteration
Ne shej ty mne matushka krasnyj sarafan Ne vhodi rodimaya popustu v izyan Rano moyu kosynku na dve raspletat Prikazhi mne rusuyu v lentu ubirat Puskaj nepokrytaya shyolkovoj fatoj Ochi molodeckie veselit soboj To li zhityo devichje chtob ego menyat Toropitsya zamuzhem ohat da vzdyhat Zolotaya volyushka mne milej vsego Ne hochu ya s volyushkoj v svete nichego Ditya moyo dityatko dochka milaya Golovka pobednaya nerazumnaya Ne vek tebe ptashechkoj zvonko raspevat Legkokryloj babochkoj po cvetam porhat Zableknut na shchyochenkah makovy cvety Priskuchat zabavushki stoskueshsya ty A my i pri starosti sebya veselim Mladost vspominayuchi na detej glyadim I ya molodeshenka byla takova I mne te zhe v devushkah pelisya slova |
English text
Do not sew me, mother, a red sarafan, Do not make this vain spending, dear, if you can. Two ones would be early made from my dark blond plait. Into a band my hair order me to braid Let it stay not covered with a silk bridal veil, And amuse the young men`s eyes with its longish scale! Is the girlish life such that it is to be changed? To get married hastily and to sigh estranged! The gold free life is nicer most of all for me Nothing in the world I need more than to be free! Daughter, you my dear child, you my lovely child! Your small girlish head is still very young and wild! Not a hundred years long you will birdlike sing, Like a light-winged butterfly feast eternal spring. Your nice cheeks will no more be such poppy-red, The amusements will bore you and you will feel sad! And, ourselves even being old aged, we soothe, We look at the children and recollect the youth! When I was a youthful lass, I was just the same. And the very cognate words I used to declaim. Translation by Accordeonworld |
Sources:
http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/4995290/post403226988; http://cyclowiki.org/wiki/Красный_сарафан_(романс) ;
http://a-pesni.org/popular20/nechej.htm ; http://открытыйурок.рф/статьи/598826/ ; https://mylitta.ru/2106-russian-braid.html;
http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/4995290/post403226988; http://cyclowiki.org/wiki/Красный_сарафан_(романс) ;
http://a-pesni.org/popular20/nechej.htm ; http://открытыйурок.рф/статьи/598826/ ; https://mylitta.ru/2106-russian-braid.html;