RUSSIAN FOLK MUSIC

       

Russian Folk  Song


Russian Folk Music/Song is a traditional cultural music that has been passed down through families and other small social groups and is learned through hearing.  It is a reflection of the people of Russia and their culture. The rich musical heritage of Russian music dates back from the 6th century through the 17th century (the days of the wandering  "Skormorokhis" minstrels to the Folk music of Russia today.

Russian Folk Music is strophic, a stanza consisting of two to eight lines that is repeated several times in the song between successive stanzas of the text. Some songs are composed of lyrics only, while others do not. Most songs are diatonic with occassional use of a penatonic scale. Usually the song  begins by a leader then other singers come in embellishing the original theme in independent parts, then all fits together to create a whole effect. Solo singing is also practice, where the soloist is self-accompanied by folk instruments such as gusli or balakaika. There are dances that are performed with the Folk Music. They are knee dancing, headspinning, split jumps and step dancing. Here are a few popular Russian Folk Songs:



Traditional Russian Folk Musical Instruments



Gusli is the oldest known Russian  Musical Instruments. The Greek historian Theofilact and Theophan were the to mention the Gusli at the end of the 6th century. Now this instument is found in many homes and is used at rehearsals of church choir. The Gusli is often played in an upright fashion with the edges of the long end down on your knee. The Gusli is an trapezoidal box, about 50 mm deep and 850 - 900 mm on the longest side. It is a stringed instrument played by plucking strings.



Kolyosna lira - Russian traditional hurdy- gurdy with a violin body is also known as the Drehlerer, Lerier, vielle arue. This Russian Folk  instrument  came to Russia from Europe. It is a musical instrument with droning sounds, played by turning handles. It has only one melodic string that is shorten by keys, and a few strings which are tuned in definte notes. It sound comes from the friction of wooden wheels by the string.

 

Gudok - Authenic Russian three - string pear- shaped bowed instrument wass played before the 12th century. Some modification was made during the 14th century. It has a pear shaped head with three tuning pegs on a short neck and a hollow body usually made of fir. This instrument is played with a bow. The bow was curved and strung with horse hair; resin was rubbed on the hairs and allowed to stick to produce sound. 

 


Balalaika  is the most well known Russian stringed instrument. It has a triangular body and ressembles the violin. The Balalaika was  mentioned ducument dated back to xvii century (1688). It has a long fretted neck, a trianglular shaped body with small holes in it and three steel strings.



Donsloy Ryley - hurdy gurdy musical instrument with droning sounds, played by turning handles. It has an oval body with a triangular key box attached.


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