Shabda : शब्द

The State Vocal-Choreographic ensemble “Russ” from ancient Vladimir, city of the Golden Ring of Russia, is comparatively young. It was 25 years of old in 1999. Since 1986 Mikhail Firsov is at the head of the ensemble. He graduated from the Gnesins State music university, he is an Honoured art worker of Russian Federation, a State prize winner of Russia.

The ensemble “Russ” is unique in its artistic face (what is always marked by the press and audience). Each artist of the group is a high professional dancer or singer. Using the richest traditions of the Russian musical culture “Russ” is an ensemble of a wide range of performance. The music of the ensemble has first of all the folk base with symphonic and rock elements.

Ethnic ensemble “Russ” – Original Russia

Music featured on his CD is a multi-moving creation for choir and folk instruments orchestra. The author, Mikhail Firsov, wrote this poem (as he defined the genre of this composition) for a concrete performing company – “Russ” State Vocal-Choreographic ensemble. His search of new performing forms and actual art conceptions, led him to a theme of Russia’s historical fate since paganism till Orthodoxy.

His attention to the idea of historical Unity of Russian people isn’t chance, it meets the present time. Besides, wide retrospective method of approach let the author cover and reproduce in colors of folk music art the variety of ancient Russian rituals.

Musical pictures are discovered consequently and figuratively in chronological order in the poem, each of them has its own meaning. The composition is opened with “Pagan Russia” showing the listeners pictures of wide steppes of old Russian Land. Unusual timbres of ancient wind instruments – ocarinas together with muffled sounds of kettle drums as background music, bring your mind to old times.

“Winter Road” going after “Whitsunday Round Dance” is a symbol of Russia with its wide, snowy landscape (you can feel it through “lonely” solo of Vladimir horn and jingling bells). In “Buffoons Have Come” the author longs to snow us the atmosphere of medieval Russia. “Bride’s Lamentation” is a poetry of Russian wedding ceremony and image of Russian woman… “Vladimirka” called after the road to penal servitude, begins with bell chimes and old Russian anthem “God, Save the Tsar”, which symbolizes faith of Russian people to their Motherland. But the finale shows us the ruin of the empire. Female choir “Oh, you, road…” recalls ruined fates and all people’s sorrow. That is why the finale “Pledge of Russian Land” on M.Voloshin’s verses sounds so up-to-date. The prophetic poet’s words “Arise, Russia!” are heard as rhythmical counterpoint to the music. The pathetic reciting of Emmanuil Vitorgan inspires faith and hope, calls the contemporaries and makes you think not only of the historical fate of Russia, but of its future, spiritual Rebirth.

The musical group of the ensemble is very original. Eight musicians-virtuosos play skillfully three or four musical instruments. There are some unique among them: Vladimir horns, fifes, zhaleykas (kind of wind instrument), reed-pipes, bagpipes and welled lyre. And there are some traditional instruments: balalaika, domra (Russian stringed folk instrument), bayan (kind of accordion).

Track listing:

1. Pagan Russia.mp3
2. Old Poem.mp3
3. Buffoons Have Come.mp3
4. Whitsunday Round Dance.mp3
5. Winter Road.mp3
6. The Fiancee cry.mp3
7. Vladimirka.mp3
8. Pledge of Russian Land.mp3

Bitrate: 144 kbps, size: 45.6 mb

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Listen track Ethnic ensemble “Russ”  - Winter Road