Vocal and instrumental ensembles of the 60s. Variety USSR

It is well known that the appearance in the West of such groups as the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Scorpions had a huge impact on both world and domestic pop music culture. The difference is that Western bands, when starting their careers, were free to swim, choosing the recording studios that suited them best. In the USSR the situation was much more complicated. The legendary Russian rock originates in the late 60s and early 70s and becomes almost the dominant direction. Almost every school, both in large and small cities, has its own rock band or vocal and instrumental ensemble (hereinafter referred to as VIA). The most talented of the children receive a good musical education and dream of starting a professional career. This is where the difficulties begin. The fact is that official VIAs have the opportunity to record discs at the monopolist Melodiya studio, give concerts, and participate in television programs. But they do not have the right to perform their own songs if they are not members of the Composers' Union. Rock bands sing whatever they want, but do not receive platforms for performances and are forced to release their music as samizdat, give concerts in apartments and in provincial clubs remote from cities. Such famous rock groups as “Time Machine”, “Slavs”, “Scythians”, “Skomorokhi” went through this. Censorship was strict. You could easily end up under arrest for unauthorized concerts. No matter what, musical groups in this difficult time for domestic music are growing like mushrooms. Such truly wonderful groups appear - such as “Gems”, “Ariel”, “Jolly Guys”, “Flowers”, “Earthlings”, etc. The lyrical compositions of these groups are amazing: they are simple and at the same time piercingly melodic. It is not surprising that they are loved and remembered to this day. So, in the 70s, VIA and rock teams existed in parallel, whose members often ran from one camp to another and back. The 80s are famous for the fact that at this time 1 rock club appeared in Leningrad and even real rock festivals began to be held. The purpose of these events is some kind of ordering of the rock movement, which at times really gets out of control. The TV show “Musical Ring” appears, in which some rock bands are allowed to perform. The second powerful wave of Russian rock is rolling in: the rock Olympus of the groups Kino, Alisa and others is literally exploding. Their performance style is defined as “new way”. Agatha Christie begins playing her famous psychedelic music. At the peak of popularity are “Nautilus Pompilius” and “Zoo”. Time passes, the order in the country is changing. Rock musicians even manage to take part in the filming of films, which, by the way, are very good and later became cult films (Needle, Assa, Burglar). Some VIA and rock groups still perform successfully and attract large audiences. They also perform new compositions, talented and professional. But for some reason, the frantic delight of the audience is caused by songs that have already been listened to a million times. It seems that the musicians created all the best during Soviet times.

Vocal and instrumental ensemble created in 1970 in Chelyabinsk. His first fame came at the end of 1971, after the “Silver Strings” competition, where he took first place. The first record by Melodiya was released in 1975. The most famous songs of the ensemble: “I’m sitting on a pebble”, “Wider the circle”, “I’ll tell you, godfather” and other equally famous songs.

- VIA, and then a pop-rock group of the 70s - 80s. One of the most famous Soviet groups of the 70s. A lot of Soviet pop stars came from this group. Explosive popularity in the union appeared after the release of the album “When we are silent together.” This album featured the most famous songs to date: “People Meet”, “How Beautiful This World”, “Handing Hands Together” and others.

- Vocal and instrumental ensemble of the 70s from the Belarusian SSR. The leaders and soloists of the ensemble, Yadviga Poplavskaya and Alexander Tikhanovich, sang many real Soviet hits. “Robins Hearing a Voice”, “Zaviruha”, “I Live with Grandmother” are still very popular among the people.

Blue Guitars

Blue Guitars - Moscow vocal and instrumental ensemble of the 70s. The band's unique feature was its blue guitars. Almost all members of the ensemble performed solos and their joint singing blended very harmoniously with the music. Their songs are “Romantic Dreamers”, “Green Crocodile”, “Northern Wind”.

- VIA of the 70s from Moscow. In addition to keyboards, guitars and drums, the ensemble also included a brass group. The peak of popularity occurred in the early 70s. Collaboration with Yuri Antonov, Vyacheslav Dobrynin and David Tukhmanov gave rise to many beautiful and famous songs. “I’m going to the sea”, “The main thing, guys, is not to grow old in your heart”, “Who told you”, “Alyoshkina’s Love” and other songs are still very popular and are covered by modern stars.

- Vocal and instrumental ensemble formed in the mid-70s. National popularity came in 1978, after the release of a foreign hit in Russian, “Blue Frost”. After that, the group constantly participated in competitions and festivals, recording many songs beloved by the people.

- VIA and pop-rock group from Donetsk. The final creation of the ensemble marks 1975. After 2nd place at the Sochi 76 festival, the ensemble experienced turmoil with changes in composition, until in 1978 the composition was finally strengthened. Their albums “If We Don’t Part” and “Disks Are Spinning” were very popular and more than once topped the country’s radio parades.
Read more about the pop group's period in the 80s on the new website

- Vocal and instrumental ensemble of the 70s - 80s. Fame came in 1976, after Mikhail Shufutinsky joined the ensemble. It was the energy of the future master of chanson that raised the ensemble to the heights of popularity in the country. “Who told you?”, “Where have you been?”, “Wedding Ring” and other songs are still beloved by the people.

- The most famous ensemble of the Belarusian SSR. In the 70s, the popularity of Pesnyary was very great. The ensemble's hits "Vologda", "Belovezhskaya Pushcha", "Birch Sap", "My Youth, Belarus" are still very popular.

- Moscow vocal and instrumental ensemble. It was founded by former members of "Gems". In the late 70s and early 80s, the ensemble's songs were very popular. 5 albums were released on vinyl discs. The most famous songs of VIA “Plamya”: “A soldier is walking through the city”, “I’ll get off at a distant station”, “No need to be sad”.

- Leningrad vocal and instrumental ensemble of the late 60s and all 70s. Leader among VIA from 1966 to 1973. The founder of the Soviet pop-rock style. A lot of popular VIAs were formed by people from the Singing Guitars. The songs “Blue Bird”, “Cyclist’s Song”, “Roads” and others are widely known and loved.

- Moscow VIA 70s - 80s. He gained fame after winning the All-Union competition of pop singers in 1974. In 1975, after the release of the vinyl giant, the group gained all-Union fame. Their hits “The Leaves Will Spin” and “The Deceiver” are still very popular.

- The famous Moscow vocal and instrumental ensemble, which gained all-Union fame in the mid-70s. Considered the most popular ensemble of the 70s. A lot of the ensemble's songs are very popular in Russia. They still perform concerts around the country to this day. Their songs “My address is the Soviet Union”, “Everything I have in life”, “The snow is spinning...”, “Don’t be sad” and others speak for themselves.

- Belarusian ensemble of the 70s. Popularity came in 1974, after the release of a record by the Melodiya company and the hit “Where the Maple Noises.” Active participant in BAM propaganda. Released 10 large vinyl discs. The songs “From Heart to Heart”, “Hello and Farewell”, “White Ship”, “Plantain” and others are still very loved by the people.

- The second most popular Belarusian ensemble after the singers. The beginning of his creative career was marked in 1974. The first fame came in 1977 after winning the All-Union pop competition. Their famous hits “Olesya”, “You make noise, the birches make noise above me”, “Hymn to the Earth” and others are very popular and well-known.

What is common to the groups (as a rule, in those days they were called VIA - vocal-instrumental ensembles) that will be discussed in this story is the use of elements of folk art in their work.
Well, and of course, the still undying love of numerous connoisseurs of their art.
Pesnyary
For me, of course, Pesnyary is in first place in this unofficial ranking, which is reflected in the title.
The beginning of the chronology of “Pesnyary” can be considered September 1, 1969, when by the decision of the artistic council of the Minsk Philharmonic the group “Lyavony” received the right to be called a vocal and instrumental ensemble, although back in 1968 “Lyavony” were the accompanying group of the singer Nellie Boguslavskaya, and also performed with their own program.
With this name, the group existed for about a year, until the IV International Competition of Pop Artists, held in October 1970, when the group was advised to change its name. VIA (now performing under the name “Pesnyary”) shared second place in the competition with singer Lev Leshchenko and the Georgian ensemble “Dielo”. In 1970, “Pesnyary” also won the All-Union Political Song Contest, held in Moscow.


At the end of 1970, the former lead singer of the group “Golden Apples” Leonid Bortkevich joined the team, and in the spring of 1971 the group’s first giant vinyl disc was released.
In 1971, the ensemble's first foreign trips began - in August, "Pesnyary" performed at the International Song Festival in Sopot (Poland) in a competition for recording companies.
In 1976, Pesnyary became the first Soviet VIA to tour the United States. In the same year, the ensemble performs at the international recording competition MIDEM in Cannes, in which only groups that have released the maximum number of records in their country in a year are allowed to participate.
In 1976, “Pesnyary” presented a rock opera based on the poems of Yanka Kupala - “Song of Share”. The premiere took place at the Rossiya concert hall. In 1978, the conceptual series continued with the opera Guslyar. This album's music differs in the direction of more serious art rock compared to the radio hits for which Pesnyary are better known.
In 1979, the entire classical composition of “Pesnyary” received the titles of Honored Artists: Alexander Demeshko (drums), Leonid Tyshko (bass guitar), Anatoly Kasheparov (vocals), Leonid Bortkevich (vocals) and Vladislav Misevich (winds); and the leader of the group, Vladimir Mulyavin, received the title of People's Artist].

The first serious split of the group occurred in 1998, when Vladislav Misevich was appointed to the position of director of Pesnyary. Valery Daineko returned to the team. Another guitarist Alexander Solovyov came. “Pesnyary” worked like this for almost a year. But then Mulyavin turned to the President of Belarus A.G. Lukashenko, after which, under his leadership, a new composition of “Pesnyary” was formed from young musicians. The old lineup wrote letters of resignation and began touring as “Belarusian Songwriters”.


The year of death of the permanent leader Vladimir Mulyavin - 2003 - can probably be considered the year the history of the illustrious team ended. Of course, the colossal popularity of his works could not but be in demand. In 2009, several different musical groups had the word “Pesnyary” in their names and used the old repertoire of the legendary ensemble.
Currently, the Belarusian State Ensemble “Pesnyary” is considered the official successor, but this group consists of young musicians who did not participate in the “old” Pesnyary.
“Kasіў Yas Kanyushynu”, “Belovezhskaya Pushcha”, “Belarus”, “Vologda”, “Half an hour before spring” and many, many others.
We remember...

Yalla
In the late 1960s, while students at the Tashkent Theater and Art Institute (TTHI), Sergei Avanesov and his friend Bakhodir Juraev, in the wake of Beatlemania, decided to create a vocal and instrumental ensemble. Soon Shakhboz Nizamutdinov and Dmitry Tsirin joined them, and Ali-Askar Fatkhullin was invited to play keyboards. In this composition, the ensemble under the leadership of German Rozhkov - the head of the educational theater of the TTHI - and the young composer Evgeny Shiryaev was called “VIA TTHI”.
In 1969, after winning the republican competition, brothers Farrukh and Ravshan Zakirov joined the ensemble. This, according to Sergei Avanesov, is where the Yalla group began.


One of the foundations of the success of “Yalla” was the use, along with electric guitars and an electric organ, of Uzbek folk instruments - rubab, doira, etc., and oriental song motifs in modern (1970s) processing. The ensemble's repertoire consisted mainly of songs in the Uzbek language; they were also performed in Russian and English.
The compositions of the ensemble “Yalla”, created based on Uzbek folk songs, became famous. The group and its leader Farrukh Zakirov developed their own approach to the intonation and rhythmic beginning of Uzbek folklore and created such famous songs as “Majnuntol” (“Weeping Willow”), “Boychechak” (“Snowdrop”), “Yallama Yorim” and others.


But, in fairness, it should be noted that the all-Union fame of the ensemble was brought by songs in Russian.

The core of the group has still been preserved and, although not as often as before, the group can be seen both on television and on stage.
“Uchkuduk - three wells”, “Shakhrisabz”, “This is love”, “Shine, Tashkent”...
Good songs, a glorious story that continues.

Ariel
The vocal and instrumental ensemble "Ariel" was created by Lev Fidelman, a student at the Chelyabinsk Music College, in 1968. At the beginning of 1968, at the New Year's holiday, the first performance of the ensemble took place (then there was no name yet). It did not last long, as the director of the music school demanded that it be stopped (they only managed to sing three songs). In 1968, a lineup appeared that could give concerts. The name also appeared. They sang mostly songs of their own composition to the music of The Beatles, The Monkees, The Tremeloes, The Turtles.
In 1970, on the initiative of the district committee of the Komsomol of the Central District of Chelyabinsk, three leading vocal and instrumental ensembles at that time were invited to a creative meeting: “Ariel”, “Allegro” and “Pilgrims”. The “Pilgrims” refused the meeting, but among the ensembles “Ariel” and “Allegro” a kind of creative competition took place, as a result of which, from the two Chelyabinsk ensembles “Ariel” and “Allegro” (led by Valery Yarushin), one was created - “Ariel” ", the head of which was Valery Yarushin. Its members decided to consider November 7, 1970 as the date of formation of the ensemble.


The ensemble has won a number of awards, performing at various festivals. In December 1971, “Ariel” shared first place with the Skomorokhi trio led by Alexander Gradsky at the “Silver Strings” competition dedicated to the 750th anniversary of the city of Gorky.
Ariel has a number of conceptual stage productions and “rock operas” to his credit, including: “For the Russian Land”, “The Masters”, “The Tale of Emelyan Pugachev”.
The distinctive features of the performing style of VIA "Ariel" were the widespread use of Russian folklore, colorful vocal polyphony and humor in the presentation of traditional song material.


The director of the ensemble, Valery Yarushin, left the group in 1989. Currently she is a member of the board of trustees of the Margarita Maiskaya International Arts Center “Art-Iso-Center”, as well as an honorary member of the jury of the International Arts Festival “Art-Iso-Fest”. Sometimes he gives solo concerts.

After Yarushin left, Rostislav Gepp led the ensemble.
The songs are well-known: “Baba Yaga”, “On Buyan Island”, “They Gave It to the Young”, “Porushka-Paranya”, “Alyonushka” and others.
Latest album: 2014 - The reeds rustled (LP) PCRGLP002.


Of course, the list of famous Soviet groups that widely use folklore in their work is in no way limited to these three wonderful groups. But, unfortunately, the size of the material and the patience of those who read it are not unlimited.
If you wish, expand the list.
Thank you.