Talk:The Song of the Volga Boatmen

[Untitled]
Dubinushka redirects here, but there needs to be a stub instead. While "Dubinushka" can refer to "The Song of the Volga Boatmen" it is also the name of a notable revolutionary song lacking an English name. I don't have the knowledge of Russian or Wikipedia editing to do a decent job, but please see Talk:Dubinushka. 76.93.191.164 (talk) 15:46, 4 July 2012 (UTC) Straits (talk) 08:29, 8 July 2012 (UTC)

I'd like to point out the metal band Dark Lunacy used this tune in their song Aurora (track n.1 from their 2006 The Diarist album. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.58.106.38 (talk) 00:45, 19 June 2011 (UTC)

There needs to be given credit to the composer Mily Balakirev. In addition, there was a motion picture made in the 1920's with the title "Song of the Volga Boatman."

What about Igor Stravinsky? he made an arrangement of this song.

Anyone have information on when Balakirev composed the song? A date or some more historical information would be nice. Thanks! 66.17.105.226 02:54, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

Would it be appropriate to mention Eduard Napravnik's (Эдуард Направник) Fantaisie russe in B minor, Op.39 in the article on this song? Or perhaps several famous works that include it? It also used to appear in cartoons fairly often, if I recall correctly. I think that is where I first heard the main theme, in fact! Not sure if either of these mentions is appropriate or not.

Is Mily Balakirev definately the composer? The only online reference I have right now lists the composer as Traditional. Also, Niels Bentzon wrote a piece titled "Variations on 'The Volga Boatmen'" Pnorman 08:14, 15 September 2007 (UTC)

It is a well-known traditional Russian song collected by Mily Balakirev, and published in his book of folk songs in 1866. It is a genuine shanty sung by burlaks, or barge-haulers, on the Volga River. Balakirev published it with only one verse (the first). The other two verses were added at a later date. The song was inspired by Ilya Repin's famous painting, (This unsigned paragraph was added by user 86.61.47.177 and credited by --Storye book (talk) 11:11, 16 December 2010 (UTC))

Why is there a box that says this song is a single? first of all, the box is horribly incomplete, and second, I'm pretty sure they didn't have singles in the early 1800's! —Preceding unsigned comment added by DiRoccodoodeleedoo (talk • contribs) 16:14, 1 September 2008 (UTC)

Regarding the second and following verses: my father knew Maria Karinska, who fled to Canada after the Russian Revolution; he reports that she claimed to have composed the song. My guess is that she simply wrote those added verses and that the first verse and melody are traditional. We're checking the literature for more info. Roddy Erickson (talk) 23:01, 6 October 2009 (UTC)

The sentence "which depicts the suffering of the burlaks in the depth of misery in Tsarist Russia" is POV and rather obvious Communist rhetoric. I suggest its removal. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.197.15.138 (talk) 22:54, 3 January 2011 (UTC)
 * No, I don't think so - Tsarist Russia could be a very harsh place, and certainly these burlaks had a harsh existence; one can see that from the painting, which in my opinion supports the statement well. And one can make statements about life at that time without it being pro-communist. --Snow (talk) 01:44, 8 June 2011 (UTC)

Removal of lyrics
Is there any reason that the lyrics have been removed? 74.215.69.230 (talk) 05:51, 10 August 2010 (UTC)
 * I have reverted the edit which removed the lyrics. However that edit was also attempting to tidy up the article, and that tidyup still needs to be done - properly this time.  Editors please kindly discuss on this talk page before removing large chunks of text without explanation.  Thank you. -Storye book (talk) 09:16, 10 August 2010 (UTC)

Illogical account of origins
Here's what the article says about its origins:

"well-known traditional Russian song collected by Mily Balakirev, and published in his book of folk songs in 1866. It is a genuine shanty sung by burlaks, or barge-haulers, on the Volga River. Balakirev published it with only one verse (the first). The other two verses were added at a later date. The song was inspired by Ilya Repin's famous painting, Barge Haulers on the Volga, which depicts the suffering of the burlaks in the depth of misery".

This is non-sense. How could a "traditional" song be inspired by a painting (a late 19th century painting, to boot)?

It is either not "traditional", i.e. it was either authored by a contemporary composer, who for some reason decided to remain anonymous, or - much more likely - the painting itself has very little to do with the song (the burlaks having been a very familiar sight in old Russia. Indeed, the painting itself may have been inspired by the song, not vice versa. (It's easy to find out.)

Whatever the case is, an encyclopaedic article should be more careful with semantics... (This unsigned section headed "Illogical account of origins" was added by user 86.61.47.177 and credited by --Storye book (talk) 11:11, 16 December 2010 (UTC))


 * That, and the obvious inconsistency: the song was apparently published in 1866, while the painting was finished in 1873. I'm placing a dubious tag on that statement until at least one of those claims has a reference. Neither do at the moment. TaintedMustard (talk) 12:28, 31 January 2011 (UTC)
 * I agree with TaintedMustard. Perhaps I should also make clear that I was only crediting the above editor for the comment and that did not necessarily imply agreement. However the information about the two dates now makes a strong case that we cannot yet associate the song with a particular event or artefact.--Storye book (talk) 12:41, 31 January 2011 (UTC)

(outdent) Book citations are either unclear or claim the painting was inspired by the song (e.g. ). Also on Leonid Kharitonov's blog (he's the lead singer in the Red Army version on YouTube) he also states that the song inspired the painting. I've altered the text but haven't put in the citations yet so that people can take a look at them. Mangoe (talk) 15:24, 31 January 2011 (UTC)

Comment
I just wanted to add, that the song is not translated correctly. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.4.189.112 (talk) 23:25, 10 December 2012 (UTC)


 * Then translate it correctly. 70.172.214.70 (talk) 17:21, 29 June 2013 (UTC)

Lyric Translation
"мать-река" translates to "mother-river", not "you're our pride." 74.96.157.216 (talk) 01:57, 8 June 2013 (UTC)

Definitive recording
I have included the USSR period recording "Leonid Kharitonov & The Red Army Choir - Song of the Volga Boatmen" as better representative of a definitive rendition of a Russian folk song by widely acclaimed Leonid Kharitonov.Mister Linker (talk) 19:50, 26 September 2013 (UTC)

Usage Query
"very few use the original lyrics (i.e. its use as the introductory theme of the Soviet boxer" · I'm puzzled by the use of "i.e." here. If there were only one use of the original lyrics, it would have said "only one" rather than "very few".  If "its use..." cited one example among the very few, it should have been "e.g.". 98.206.86.187 (talk) 14:21, 8 February 2016 (UTC)
 * Agree. Changed to "for example".  Continuous formal prose should eschew abbreviations. Martin of Sheffield (talk) 15:14, 8 February 2016 (UTC)