Russian Women’s Choir December 28, 2010
Posted by joinchoir in Uncategorized.trackback
Seeing a choir in beautiful outfits like these makes me sad that my American culture does not have a similar clothing style that can be identified as “American.” Maybe I will put my kids in baggy pants and Starter jackets with metal grills on their teeth.
Listen to the beautiful harmony!
I believe this was an 80th birthday tribute to Ludmila Zykina. She is even more famous than Eduard Khil and upon her death was called the voice and soul of Russia.
Orenburg Academic Russian Folk Choir
from genrich79 YouTube channel
Aired June 12, 2009 Orenburg Academic Russian Folk Choir. Of V. Bokov, Music by G. Ponomarenko
Choir Directors' Brag Blog 
Just beautiful! Intonation/pitch matching- sustaineid breaths….and the joy in their faces – belief in what they’re singing – and ALL a capella and self directed! perfect timing/synergy among members, they breath and sing as ONE living being – and the face and rapture of the older woman in pink (Zykina?)- singing along, remembering how it was when SHE performed the same song 0- wish I knew what the song was about! Where did you find this? Thanks for posting! always interesting performances on this site!
The song’s title is Orenburg Shawl. An Orenburg shawl is a finely knit shawl of thin goat hair that is woven so tightly that the whole thing can be pulled through a wedding ring. It is a symbol of the Orenburg area and of Russia in general. See more info on WikiPedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orenburg_shawl I found it by sifting through YouTube for treble choirs from various countries that I see as an audience for my choir. Feel free to share the link for this site with other MENC members and forums. I personally just used it myself to choose repertoire for my upcoming concert. The more people submit their own best work, the better this site will be.
The Russian Cultural Advisor for the Gifford Children’s Choir Alexander Kuznetsov of Ufa, Russia translated the text for us and gave a little explanation.
Translation: Orenburg shawl.
In this drifty cool evening, when the snowy darkness along the road, you put on the shoulders this Orenburg shawl, my dear. I was knitting it in the evening for you, my good mother. I am ready to give you not only the shawl, but even the heart. In order for you not be sad that night, I will cast a blizzard from the window. No matter how much I regret you, still I am indebted to you. Let the storm becomes ever stronger, we will not let him on the threshold. And you get warm by Orenburg down shawl, my mom.
“This song was very popular in Russia because it is written in traditional Russian style. Especially it was popular in Soviet period when Zykina was younger. So on this video she is almost crying and whispers lyrics because she remembers singing this song when she was a young girl.”
Thanks Alexander. We choral musicians really like to know what the lyrics mean!