Otzveli Khrizantemy
(Chrisanthemums faded, Отцвели Хризантемы)
The words as well as the music for this famous Russian romance were written in the fall of 1910, as the first creation of the young composer Nikolai Har ̀ito (1886-1918).
Nikolai's father, Ivan Petrovich Ivanisov, was a mining engineer from a family of the rich Russian nobility with Armenian roots. In 1884 he was sent to Yalta for the construction of the roads on the South Coast, and also for the construction of the road to the future palace of the last Russian Emperor, Nikolai II, the Livadiya Palace. For this task Ivanisov was forced to leave his family in Saint-Petersburg for a long time, and in Yalta he met the Greek girl Nadezhda Harito. Together they had five children, but as they both were living in an illegitimate marriage, the children were given the surname of their mother "Harito". Nadezhda Gegorgievna Harito was well educated in arts, and her musical inclinations went to the children, who played the piano from an early age. |
Nikolai was the most talented of all the children. He did not play by the notes though, but by his musical memory, and he performed the works of Bach, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff in a virtuous way, which was marked by the high-school officials with laudable letters. At the gymnasium of Yalta, Harito had the musical instructors such as Fedor Shalyapin and Sergei Rachmaninoff.
In 1907 the family Ivanisov-Harito had to move to Kiev, where Nikolai became a student at the Kiev University, where he became a student in the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, till he decided to move to a Law school. The events that followed the Russo-Japanese War and the first Russian Revolution (1905-1907) do explain this sudden change. It was the situation in the society, the inertia in the transformations and the bitterness of defeats in the fields of Manchuria, that prompted the youth to strive for political struggle. Harito inherited the spirit of struggle for truth from his mother, and could not stay aside from those events. He participated in political strikes and anti-government demonstrations, together with other students. He took part in the disturbances connected with the death of Leo Tolstoy, and fell into the "black list". In the intelligence reports it was said that the student Harito stretched along the corridor a canopy with the inscription "Eternal memory to Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy!". Harito's punishment was postponed only by the intercession of the famous scientist and professor of the International Law Department, Otto Eichelman.
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Alla Bayanova performs Chrisanthemums faded
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Nikolai Harito
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Though Nikolai Harito was politically engaged, he was always present at the musical and poetic evenings, which took place at the University, and where he played the piano, and read the most favourite poems of that time. On these occasions he was often asked to write songs himself, and in 1910 he wrote his first song, which would also appear to become his most famous creation, "Chrysanthemums". Later, in the collections "Russian romances at the beginning of the century", by B. Morderer and M. Peter (ed. "Оранта-Пресс" (Oranta-Press) Kiev 1997), and "Russian Romances" (ed. Pravda, Moscow 1987) the song was called "Faded Chrysanthemums".
At that time he wrote "Chrysanthemums", Nikolai did work sometimes at a cinema located on Fundukleevskaya Street (Фундуклеевская улица), in the building of the Bergonie Theater (театр Бергонье). The romance enjoyed great acclaim, and the fame of this young artist did reach the well-known Kiev editor Vladislav Leontievich Idzikovsky, who wanted to publish the new song. The young and unknown writer was inexperienced in these matters though, and this gave the interested people the opportunity to take advantage of him. |
As there were no written lyrics of the song "Chrysanthemums", it was necessary to edit a text before publication. It was the very popular performer of the Russian and Gypsy romances, Vasily Shumsky, who was asked for it, a task which he gladly accepted. The romance was edited, and next to the composer's name, Shumsky was mentioned as the author of the text.
Soon after the publication, Harito received 15 rubles for his "Chrysanthemums", which was a lot of money. The success of his first romance encouraged the young composer to write new songs, that were all highly appreciated: "Tears", on the poems of F. Tyutchev, "Go And Forget Forever" on the poems of A. Frenkel, "Minutes Of Happiness" on the verses of A. Apukhtin, and many other songs more.
In 1913 a movie came out, based on the romance, as it happened in that time. It was titled "Chrysanthemums", starring Anna Karabaeva and Ivan Mozzhukhin. The movie made a big input in the popularity of the romance. In those years, the verses and scores were printed on the colourful leaflets and vignettes, which were distributed by the ordinary bearers, and it became fashionable to have scores of Harito's romances in the house. But this was not only because of the music: Nikolai Harito was a very handsome man, and while also being a highly talented musician, the young ladies were not indifferent to him, and he was adored by the regulars of the fashionable aristocratic salons and the dining tables. |
For his political engagement, Kharito was sent to a prison camp in 1911, that was situated near Arkhangelsk, in the North Russia. The police regarded him as a friend of D. Bogrov, the killer of the Russian prime-minister Peter Stolypin. Working at the tree felling caused a heavy lung disease, as the climate was too severe for him. Due to the efforts of his friends, he was allowed to go abroad for healing. Living in Switzerland for about two years gave him the possibility to attend conservatory classes as an auditor. To that time he was married to Maria Fedorovich, who followed him into the exile, like the wives of the Decembrists did. After returning to Kiev, Harito could not reinstate his position at the University, and had to look for a work. He started to work as a piano accompanist in the same theater, where his romance was firstly performed. A close friendship with the family of the theater owner started and Nikolai fell in love with the younger daughter - Tatiana. To that time he started to receive the author`s money for the numerous publications of his romances, that made him financially independent. But he could not marry Tatiana as Maria did not give him a divorce. They lived in a separate flat together, and the farther, Matvey Stroev, regarded Nikolai as the successor of his theater business.
With the outbreak of World War I, Nikolai Harito did not pass the medical commission, due to a lung disease. He was reinstated at the University, but, in 1915, however, despite the conclusion of the medical commission, he was drafted to the army. He became a cadet of the Nikolaevsky Kiev Infantry Military School, and when in 1917 the Denikin Volunteer Army was formed, Nikolai left for Ekaterinodar, where he served at the headquarters of Denikin. One day, in the early November 1918, in the farmstead of Tikhorezky, one of his classmates invited him to his marriage, and he was introduced to the future bride and her sister Vera. Of course, the presence of this eminent author, and his performances of his own romances, including "Chrysanthemums", turned Harito into the soul of society. All women gathered around him, and especially Vera showed special attention to him. Her friend, a brilliant officer, Baron Bongardin, noticed the cooling of the relation from her side, and concluded that the reason for that was the acquaintance with Harito.
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At the wedding table, while having drunk too much, he started a quarrel with Nikolai, but Vera, who had noticed, invited Nikolai to accompany her to the garden. The drunk Bongardin followed them, and in the alley he shot Nikolai with one shot from a short distance. The bullet hit the area of the right lung, and then ricocheted into the heart. There had been no fight, no duel, just a brutal murder. And "Chrysanthemums", Harito performed them even on the last day of his life. According to a legend, somebody sang "Chrysanthemums" lowly, in a restaurant nearby, when the author was laying on the ground and dying, with a smile on his face. He stood in history ever young, sharing the fate with Pushkin and Lermontov. He was buried in Tikhorezky, and after a while his rest was moved to Kiev by his mother and sister.
Later, a court of the Denikin army justified the baron on the reason that Harito used to be a revolutionist. However, during the early Soviet years the heritage of Harito was avoided and petty-bourgeois. The new authorities could not forget his service in the White Guard. But the romance stood very popular among the emigrants, outside the USSR. But there were enthusiasts within the USSR, who promoted the Harito`s creativity. They restored his old grave in Kiev also. In the late Soviet years, the romance was widely sang and published, regaining its popularity.
Later, a court of the Denikin army justified the baron on the reason that Harito used to be a revolutionist. However, during the early Soviet years the heritage of Harito was avoided and petty-bourgeois. The new authorities could not forget his service in the White Guard. But the romance stood very popular among the emigrants, outside the USSR. But there were enthusiasts within the USSR, who promoted the Harito`s creativity. They restored his old grave in Kiev also. In the late Soviet years, the romance was widely sang and published, regaining its popularity.
The romance was performed by Fedor Shalyapin, Senya Sadovnikov, Peter Leszenko, Valery Agafonov, Alla Bajanova Boris Shtokolov, Vadim Kozin, Ivan Kozlovsky, Vladimir Troshin, Konstantin Pluzhnikov, Yuri Bogatikov, Sergei Zakharov, Nicholai Nikitskiy, George Vinogradov, Vive Gromov, Valentina Ponomareva, Nikolay Kopylov, Kapitalina Lazarenko Yuriy Morfessi, Yuri Gulyaev, Svetlana Rezanov Mihail Kotlyar, Leonid Haritonov, Anna Litvinenko, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Eduard Khil, Anna Shirochenko, Eugenia Smolyaninova, Oleg Pogidin ...
It is one of the most commonly known romances in Russia, widely cited on appropriate occasions, regarded to belong to the standard of the love lyrics. The actors do often perform the romance being in public. The song sounds in several movies. The romance is also popular among ordinary people.
SCORE FOR ACCORDION
It is one of the most commonly known romances in Russia, widely cited on appropriate occasions, regarded to belong to the standard of the love lyrics. The actors do often perform the romance being in public. The song sounds in several movies. The romance is also popular among ordinary people.
SCORE FOR ACCORDION
Russian text
В том саду, где мы с вами встретились, Ваш любимый куст хризантем расцвел, И в моей груди расцвело тогда Чувство яркое нежной любви... Отцвели уж давно Хризантемы в саду, Но любовь все живет В моем сердце больном... Опустел наш сад, вас давно уж нет, Я брожу один, весь измученный, И невольные слезы катятся Пред увядшим кустом хризантем... Отцвели уж давно Хризантемы в саду, Но любовь все живет В моем сердце больном... |
Transliteration
V tom sadu, gde my s vami vstretilis', Vash lyubimyy kust khrizantem rastsvel, I v moyey grudi rastsvelo togda Chuvstvo yarkoye nezhnoy lyubvi... Ottsveli uzh davno Khrizantemy v sadu, No lyubov' vse zhivet V moyem serdtse bol'nom... Opustel nash sad, vas davno uzh net, YA brozhu odin, ves' izmuchennyy, I nevol'nyye slezy katyatsya Pred uvyadshim kustom khrizantem... Ottsveli uzh davno Khrizantemy v sadu, No lyubov' vse zhivet V moyem serdtse bol'nom... |
English text
In the garden, where you and I met, The chrysanthemums, that You loved, did bloom, Then my chest felt happy as I did get The bright feeling of love very soon... The chrysanthemums bloom No more in the garth, But, in my heartfelt gloom, The love still has its hearth... The garth empty stays, you`ve not been long since, Wholly tired out I lonely walk, The unconscious tears my eyes evince At the faded chrysanthemum`s stalk... The chrysanthemums bloom No more in the garth, But, in my heartfelt gloom, The love still has its hearth... Translation by accordeonworld.weebly.com |
http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/5227673/post296076502/ ;
http://orpheusmusic.ru/publ/158-1-0-177 ; https://www.obzor.lt/news/n10586.html; https://otvet.mail.ru/question/15977328;
https://vk.com/topic-68125171_29781504; http://www.velykoross.ru/1756;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Харито,_Николай_Иванович
http://orpheusmusic.ru/publ/158-1-0-177 ; https://www.obzor.lt/news/n10586.html; https://otvet.mail.ru/question/15977328;
https://vk.com/topic-68125171_29781504; http://www.velykoross.ru/1756;
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Харито,_Николай_Иванович