Don Cossacs Choir - Vdol' po Piterskoy, 1927

On the Road To St. Petersburg (Vdol po Piterskoy) - The Don Cossacks Choir conducted by Serge Jaroff, Columbia ca 1927 (UK)

NOTE: The Don Cossacks Choir was a men's chorus of exiled Russian Cossacks founded in 1921 by Serge Jaroff and conducted almost sixty years by him. With World War II looming, the choir found a new home in the U.S.A. and Sol Hurok became manager of the choir. After the War in 1953, Konzertdirektion Collien from Hamburg took over the choir and in 1960 the choir was taken over by Otto Hofner from Cologne. Hofner and Jaroff would eventually become good friends and in 1981 Jaroff transferred all the rights of his choir to Hofner.

The Don Cossack Choir was renowned for both the quality of the tenors and especially for the depth and resonance of the low basses, particularly Pyotr Mihailik. It was reported that he could reach the bottom E of the piano. This unique blend of voices provided a different experience for most western audiences, increasing the popularity of the choir greatly.

Attention: The English title on the label should be: Down The Road Of St. Petersburg (not: To St.Petersburg)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Russia
• old
• folk
• song
• male
• choir
• Serge
• Jaroff
• Sankt
• Petersburg
• Putin
• 78rpm
• shellac
• pieśń
• rosyjska
• Chór
• Kozaków
• Dońskich
• lata
• dwudzieste
• 1920
• Twenties

[barbcard]

Vigorous, to say the least. I actually remember when this sort of music was popular in America, the Soviets viewed as a strong ally vs.the Nazis. Putin's face is scary...

[240252]

Oh yes B., he IS VERY scary... And not only on this photo... :-(( By the way: there's a Yussupov's Palace at 1:43, isn't it?

[ecler2004]

prejudice and hatred aren't helping when you want to reach harmony and declaring democracy in your countries - look inside yourself first and your own history and governments

[240252]

I am sorry to read your comment. It was not my intent to offend any nation! I am surprised you found "prejudice and hatred" in my clip, praising beauty of one the most fascinating cities in the world and the beauty of Russian folk songs. Unless you consider "hatred and prejudice" mentioning historical facts of the execution of Tzar's Family, of Rasputin's sisnister role in Russian history or that St. Petersburg was the birthplace of Vladimir Putin. Isn't your reaction somewhat oversensitive?

[ecler2004]

I am sorry myself, if I misunderstood barbcard comments on "this sort of music". Perception Russian as barbarians by Europeans, and especially by Americans, seems to me very overrated.

[240252]

Hello, I think B. - whose intellectual sense of humour - sardonic and ironic - is well known and appreciated by all her friends - saying this was not inclined to offend any notion either! She - as I guess - referred to that "detente" propaganda line from 1970s, when tv programs both in USSR and US praised "international friendship and everlasting peace between nations" showing Gerald Ford and Brezhnev signing one more meaningless paper and being often illustrated with such kind of music.

[SlavicMaleChorus]

I was given the hand writen arrangement of this piece.

I was told it is Jaroff`s own hand writing style.

[seancoxen]

@ecler2004 Americans don't actually see Russians as barbarians. Years of Cold War propaganda have sadly misdirected American and Russian people alike.

[dudemantwo]

The Tzar got what he deserved...

[vladdrac88]

If you consider what has happened to the Russians for the last couple of centuries you would understand the expression on President Putins face. Perhaps 'we' are a little tired of people coming from the east and the west and turning Russia into Hell. Mongols Tuetonic Knights Poles French Germans. See the humour: We have decided "Never Again" or 'this time you burn to'. Scarry thaught indeed.

[jrakg]

What a miracle that this 78 has been preserved for more than 80 years! All copies that came my way were hopelessly worn out. - John Austin, Australia

[ecler2004]

Thank you, cossack207! You just saved me - why not just listen to the song, that actually, has very deep people roots and demonstrates freedom of an individual, and love actually...

[cossack207]

too bad no one here can just listen to this song-

Jaroff's group was the most amazing choir ever-

[barbcard]

Actually my comment was not ironic, just factual. I was referring to the WW2 period, mainly to the song "Meadow Land."