ETHNIC RUSSIAN MUSIC

Ethnic Russian music specifically deals with the folk music traditions of the ethnic Russian people. It does
not include the various forms of art music, which in Russia often contains folk melodies and folk
elements.

1. The performance and promulgation of ethnic music in Russia has a long tradition. Initially it was
intertwined with various forms of art music, however, in the late 19th century it began to take on a life
of its own such as the folk choir movement led by Mitrofan Pyatnitsky and the Russian folk instrument
movement pioneered by Vasily Andreyev. In former Soviet Russia, folk music was categorized as being
democratic (of the people) or proletarian (of the working class) as opposed to art music, which was
often regarded as being bourgeois.

After the revolution, along with proletarian “mass music” (music for the proletarian masses) it received
a significant support from the state. In Post World War folkloric music continued to have a widespread
support among the population, inside and outside of Russia. In the 1960’s folk music in Russia continued
to receive a significant state support and was often seen as the antithesis of Western pop music. The
fact that numerous folkloric ensembles, invited for foreign tours, raised the prestige of the folk
performer to that of academic musicians today.

2. This music is closely tied in with the village life and traditions. It was usually not performed by music
professionals. In recent times, with the move to literacy and technology there has been a marked
decline in authentic folk performance practice. Festivals, competitions and the work of
ethnomusicologists have made attempts at preserving what has survived. In recent times there has been
a movement by musicologists to study and reproduce authentic folk music in an authentic performance
style on the concert stage. This movement in Russia is spearheaded by members of the Faculty of folk
music at the Moscow Conservatory under the direction of Dmitri Pokrovsky.

This category includes music by groups led by music professionals who take authentic musical material,
refine it, and perform it in a manner suitable for the musically tastes of educated Western audiences.
The category includes many of the regional folkloric ensembles and dance companies popular in the
Russian Federation such as the Kuban Cossack Choir. Often these folkloric ensembles specialize in
collecting and maintaining the folk music traditions of the area of their origins which they service. They
perform in stylized stage costumes based on the authentic costume designs used in the village but
modified for stage use.

3. It includes music composed by professional composers in a folkloric manner. 60–80% of

contemporary Russian folk music marketed to the West is not “authentic” and can be loosely labeled as
“fakeloric”. Much music of the Russian folk instrument orchestras can also be categorized in this group
as it is based on academic music traditions and playing techniques only taking a folk element.

4. Authentic Russian folk music is primarily vocal. Russian folk song was an integral part of daily life in
the village. It was sung from morning to night and reflected the four seasons and significant events in a
villager’s life. Authentic village singing differs from academic singing styles. It is usually done using just
the chest register and is often called “white sound” or “white” voice. It is often described as controlled
screaming or shouting. Female chest register singers only have a low diapason from an octave to 12
notes. Chest register singing has evolved into a style used by many of the Folk Choirs in Russia and
neighbour countries. It was first pioneered by Pyatnitsky and Ukrainian folk choir directered by
Demutsky in the early 1900’s.
5. Instrumental music for a long period was suppressed in Russia. All musical instruments were banned
in the 17th century under the influence of views in Russian Orthodox Church. As a result instrumental
music traditions disappeared in Russia for many years. In late 19th century Vasily Andreyev took up the
balalaika in his performances for French tourists to St. Petersburg. This music became popular and
Andreyev organized a club of balalaika players. This club grew into an orchestra, which in time grew into
a movement. From a simple unsophisticated three stringed instrument this movement led to the
development and implementation of many other Russian folk instruments. The Russian folk instrument
movement had its resonance in the cultures of other ethnic groups within Russia. Thus, folk instrument
orchestras appeared in Belarussia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Moldavia, and Romania.