[Geno Prussakov]

CONTEST #1

Explain what you see on our banner at the top of this forum - just above the "Join Now" link, and the most detailed (and correct, of course) explanation will be rewarded with a Russian gift.

Looking forward to your answers.

Geno

[webworker]

That is a balalaika, a stringed instrument that's used to play for both symphonic and Russian folk music. They have three sides and three strings, and can be played using either fingers or a pick.

[lstolze]

The Balalaika ("Belly Scratcher") comes in many sizes, similar to the violin family - piccolo, prima, sekunda, alto, bass and contrabass - to produce a wide range of sounds. The first written record mentioning the Balalaika is an account of peasant walking through town playing one - an act punished by flogging and exiling. Dipping in and out of existence through a checkered history, the Balalaika was finally looked at as a promising instrument, not only for folk music, but for Russian and Western classics adapted for the musical instrument.

The Balalaika is triangular in shape, slightly bowed, and typically has three strings.

[Neil]

Geno.
i am married to a russian woman remember !!!...
but its much easier to google it :applause: :applause: :applause:



Balalaika was first mentioned in a document which dates back to XVII century (1688). From this document we learn that Savka Fedoov, a citizen of the city of Arzamas, and Ivashka Fedorov, a peasant, while passing through the Yauza Gates played the balalaika. For such an imprudent behaviour they were flogged and exiled. It would never occur to a civilized person living nowadays that a severe punishment awaited anybody who gave himself to such an innocent occupation as playing the balalaika. But let us recollect the Russian history.


balalaika
It happened soon after the death of the tsar Alexei Mikhailovich called "The Quietest". This tzar was famous for his hatred towards the popular Russian culture. In 1648 he issued an ukaz where he ordered to collect all musical instruments of the Russian people and to burn them. All those who dared to continue playing them were to be flogged and then exiled to the periphery of the Russian State (Ukraine).

To the end of the XVII century the persecution of Russian musicians and Russian instruments gradually subsided and at the end of the XVIII century balalaika became very popular with the public. Not only peasant boys who wanted to win favors of their sweethearts, but also court musicians played it. (Among them Ivan Khandoshkin, a violinist and a composer and Pavlovski, a bass singer in St.Petersburgh, and many others).


Balalaika teacher and player Yury Ivanets But after a period of popularity balalaika sank into oblivion towards the middle of the next century. Now harmonica was on the top and balalaika was played only by the poor people who did not have enough money to buy harmonica. Nobody knows what would have become of balalaika, if Vasili Andreev, a young Russian landowner had not seen it. On his way from St.Petersburgh to his estate Maryino he overheared his serf Antip play it. Vasili Andreev who considered himself a a connoisseur of the musical instruments of the Russian people was struck with wonder, because he had not heard anything of the kind before. Having thoroughly studied balalaika and having learned to play it, he arrived at the conclusion that balalaikas possibilities are unheard-of! But it needed perfection! With his improved balalaika andreev appeared at the stage in 1886. His performance became a sensation, a household word with every citizen in St.Petersburgh. All the papers and magazines of the city wrote about him. Inspired by his success, Andreev continued to work over his instrument untill finally he produced a whole family of balalaikas of different sizes and created an ensemble which was called "Amateurs of balalaika". The concerts of V.Andreev and his ensemble gained much popularity with the public. But he also pursued another object: having taken balalaika from the people, he wanted to return it to them. So he started to teach the soldiers of the St.Petersburgh garnison which united the Russian citizens from all the country. Going back home each soldier took his balalaika with him. This was the way how balalaika spread all over Russia again. To the end of the XX century only in St.Petersburgh there were as many as 20 000 balalaika players.


But Andreev and his associates: N.Privalov, F.Niman, V.Nasonov, S.Nalimov did not want to stop with their achievements which lead to the renaissance of balalaika. They wanted to improve other musical instruments of the Russian people as well: such as domra, psaltery, zhaleyka, Vladimir clarions etc. The result of their work was the creation of The Great Russian Orchestra, the first performance of which took place under the direction of Andreev 11.01.1897.

The Great Russian Orchestra of Andreev was a great success not only in Russia, but also in France, Germany, England and the USA. The success was really great. Many circles were founded in these countries where people could learn to play balalaika and many orchestras like that of Andreev were created. Especially it refers to England and the USA. Even today there are orchestras of Russian folk instruments and associations of balalaika and domra players in the USA.

At the beginning of the XX century Andreev gives up a career of a balalaika player concentrating all his attention, all his forces on the activity of a band-master and on the realization of his enlightenment projects. At this time he has such talented followers as Boris Troyanski, Alexander Dobrokhotov and Nikolai Osipov. Due to their playing some eminent composers noticed balalaika. In the 30-ies of the XX century S.Vasilenko creates a suite for balalaika and piano and a concerto for balalaika and symphony orchestra. M.M. Ippolitov-Ivanov writes a symphony-fantasia "Young peoples' gathering" also for balalaika and symphony orchestra. These works testified to the maturity of the instrument and showed that balalaika occupied its due place at the stage.

Owing to the improvements introduced by Andreev and owing to the methods of playing which he discovered, balalaika became an instrument with a wide range of possibilities for the players. And as far as its variety of timbres is concerned, no instrument can surpass balalaika. Not only Russian folk-songs can be interpreted on balalaika, but also Russian and Western classics adapted for this musical instrument. Moreover, the composers created a very rich and original repertoire for balalaika, including 100 suites, sonatas, concertos and other big compositions.

[lstolze]

No fair, Neil! I found the same site, but I actually worked to rewrite a short description. ;) Bad Neil! Lol! I guess he didn't say you couldn't plagiarize something though.

[Neil]

LOL.. i noticed straight away that you had done that, after i found the site.
i did laugh..

ok if i have to be band from this compo, so be it.
though i did ask my wife and she said,
its something you hit your husband over the head with
if he asks stupid questions, then glaired at me and walked out the office.
???? did i forget her birthday.. Mmmm...

[Geno Prussakov]

Geno.
i am married to a russian woman remember !!!...
but its much easier to google it :applause: :applause: :applause:

Teach me how to make Google tell you what something is called by image alone, Neil!

Geno

[Geno Prussakov]

i did ask my wife and she said, its something you hit your husband over the head with if he asks stupid questions...

Now this is a much better definition! :applause:

Geno

[Neil]

ok . i will cancel myself from this compo
as geno already gave me a russian gift when he came to cyprus :o

[Geno Prussakov]

ok . i will cancel myself from this compo
as geno already gave me a russian gift when he came to cyprus :o

That's right! You already got your gift! Let others play too! :) :) :)

Geno

[Geno Prussakov]

And the winners are:

webworker :trophy:
and
lstolze :trophy:

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

E-mail or PM me your full maling addresses, girls. :)

We'll get your gifts out a.s.a.p.

Thanks you for participating.

Geno

[Neil]

i put so much hard work into that ....dammm..
i am gonna give myself this :trophy:

[Geno Prussakov]

:) :) :)

[lstolze]

I'll give you one too Neil! :trophy: And a BIG :thumbsup: for being such a sweet, :angelic:, :cheerful:, and :mischievo guy. :clap:

[Ebudae]

From left to right:

Hammer And Sickle clock (represents industry & peasants)
Saint Basil's Cathedral in Red Square - The Kremlin
Dress Military Cap
Carved Swan
Teapot
Balalaika (like a mandolin)
Carved Wooden Heart Shaped Box
CCCP - Russian T-shirt (CCCP = SSSR = USSR)
Samovar - like a tea kettle that can sit on a table or buffet and serves many
Enameled / Lacquered Tray
Nesting Dolls

[Geno Prussakov]

From left to right:

Hammer And Sickle clock (represents industry & peasants)
Saint Basil's Cathedral in Red Square - The Kremlin
Dress Military Cap
Carved Swan
Teapot
Balalaika (like a mandolin)
Carved Wooden Heart Shaped Box
CCCP - Russian T-shirt (CCCP = SSSR = USSR)
Samovar - like a tea kettle that can sit on a table or buffet and serves many
Enameled / Lacquered Tray
Nesting Dolls

Ebudae, if you tell me what rank the military cap belongs to and in what Russian painting style the swan is painted, I promise you a gift too. :)

Geno

[Ebudae]

Well, I had to look at your site to find it and the article was very interesting! The painting on the swan is called Khokhloma Painting. I have 2 wooden spoons like this and always wondered about the artwork.

The cap (I also had to look it up on your site) is a parade cap from a Soviet Army General.

I have several pieces of Russian artwork but I think my favorite is a carving of a little squirrel made of a light honey colored stone - simple but elegant. I purchased him several years ago when the Faberge Eggs came here on tour - along with other Russian treasures.

[Geno Prussakov]

Well, I had to look at your site to find it and the article was very interesting! The painting on the swan is called Khokhloma Painting. I have 2 wooden spoons like this and always wondered about the artwork.

The cap (I also had to look it up on your site) is a parade cap from a Soviet Army General.

You got it all right, Ebudae! And you have certainly deserved a gift too. E-mail or PM me your full mailing address and we'll get one out to you a.s.a.p.

Thank you for your interest in Russian culture and Russian art. It definitely is encouraging!

Geno