Glinka Museum of Musical Culture has opened an exposition devoted to the history of the Russian anthem. This seems strange, given that the anthem genre implies the sound which is incompatible with the traditional quietude of museums. However the sound is accessible for high museum technologies and a special hall is dedicated to each of Russia's historic anthems. The history of museums has known nothing of the kind.
Ode to gods and liberty
The history of any anthem is sometimes akin to a plot in the novel of suspense. The story of an old English melody growing into the US anthem Stars and Stripes and the popular Russian folk song Dashing Khasbulat — is that not a worthy plot? In the emblematic triad of any state — coat of arms, flag, anthem — it is the latter that has the deepest historic roots. The very word is of ancient Greek origin, meaning naked or nude. Ancient Greeks sang praise to their deities standing naked, the lack of clothes symbolizing the lack of bad thoughts and covert evil motives.
Now a few words about singing the praise to deities, first celestial and then earthly. The most outstanding example is the British anthem on the lyrics of Henry Carey “God Save the Queen” that had a strong influence on many European anthems and is still the official anthem in some countries of the British Commonwealth. Growing from the same root is “The Song of Praise to Keiser” composed by Joseph Haydn in the beginning of the XIX century. One of the stanzas, after all tribulations of the original (including in “Deutschland, Deutschland uber Alles”), is part of Germany's contemporary anthem.
You can't win them all. La Marseillaise of France, together with the French Revolution, washed away a huge amount of monarchial glare and gilt. Starting in 1793 (with some breaks) it became the French anthem, having begotten another matrix of anthems singing the praise of liberty rather than monarchies. For example, the anthem of Italy, so-called Mameli march, is an offspring of La Marseillaise in the first generation while The International — in the next generation.
In the Slavic world the fantastic in its richness song “Hey, Slavs!” (with original roots coming from Slovakia) became similar to the British anthem in terms of destiny and contrary in terms of content. Such things do happen. For example, a relatively a short time ago the audience at football stadiums were bewildered whenever Poland played against Yugoslavia and some people even smiled at the tune of national anthems of the two countries, since the melody was almost identical. It was the music of the Polish march composed by Dombrowski (the current anthem of Ukraine being its late remake, by the way). Only the lyrics were different! Some nations may have two anthems. Thus Denmark, Russia's relative in terms of the royal blood, officially has two anthems, while Italy has another semi-official anthem thanks to the efforts of Luciano Pavarotti who sang so inspirationally Verdi's Va, pensiero, sull' ali dorate.
“The Motherland hears, the Motherland knows”
All these European plots unfolded in Russia as well. Throughout the post-Peter age the Preobrazhensky march was the symbol of Russia. Incidentally, it is much older than the British anthem. The name of the music author has not come down to us, but the music is known to all. The famous words of Suvorov that the army having a military band doubles its numbers were uttered exactly about the march of Preobrazhensky regiment. It's a pity, though, that only one later version of its text is represented at the exposition, not the one to which the Russian Army was entering Paris.
The actual successor of Preobrazhensky march — a polonaise by Osip Kozlovsky to the lyrics of Derzhavin “The Thunder of Victory Arising” — seems to catch up the military theme, but was better known because of its refrain “Glory to Catherine, our tender mother!” It's a pity that the this plot lacks the finale of “The Queen of Spades”, where this very refrain could be heard in Tchaikovsky's interpretation. From this reference point the way of Russian anthem creation led directly to the borrowing of the English prototype (according to Zhukovsky), but with the notable deviation: “The Motherland Hears, the Motherland Knows...”
Under Emperor Pavel I the anthem composed by Bortnyansky to the lyrics of Kheraskov “So Glorious Is Our Lord in Zion”. It is one of the best in the history of Russia. Not in vain were the Kremlin chimes once ringing its tune! And is it accidental that the famous song “The Motherland Hears, the Motherland Knows” made famous by Yuri Gagarin is actually a paraphrase of Bortnyansky's hymn? In fact “So Glorious...” was rehabilitated in summer of 1998 at the royal family's burial ceremony while the official rehabilitation took place in 2008 at the funeral of Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
“God, Save the Tsar” and fireworks
In the hall devoted to “God, Save the Tsar” people are eager to listen to the neatly composed old Russian anthem. I do not know what inspired Mr. Lvov, a little known and not particularly gifted composer, but he managed to breathe a tremendous idea of power and grandeur into the austere and calm harmonies of this small chant!
The anthem of Lvov — Zhukovsky was destined to have the longest age in the Russian history — more than 80 years. In February 1917 the pendulum swung in another direction: “reign, be strong and sovereign” was replaced by “sound out people’s vengeance”. The February Revolution gave the strongest impulse to the diversity of anthems. These fireworks of weak texts is little reflected in the exposition. One of the most attractive ones was “The Hymn to Free Russia” composed by Grechaninoff to the lyrics of Balmont: “Long live Russia, a free nation! The great one is destined for grandeur! Powerful elements, boundless ocean! Glory to fighters for freedom who dispelled the mist!”
The Spring thaw did not last long, however, and the “Workers' Marseillaise” was replaced by the Internationale. We should also make a solely musical point: the French always wondered at the ability of our compatriots to turn cheerful and boisterous French marches (like International and Le Marseillaise) into rather slow, almost plaintive songs. This is exactly what the host of Kremlin elders did to the hymn composed by De Geyter to the words of Pottier. Incidentally, it was sung at the Party gatherings of the 1970s and early 1980s!
“Russia, our sacred power”
In the halls devoted to the history of Soviet anthem there is an apophasis, or rather semi-apophasis if you please. You can hear the tunes of “The Sacred War” that has never been a state anthem — an indisputable masterpiece of Alexander Alexandrov, former psalmist of Cathedral of Christ the Savior, who knew what anthems are all about. It is not mentioned, however, that Alexandrov composed the music of the current Russian anthem not to the lyrics of Sergey Mikhalkov, but rather to the verses of Vasily Lebedev-Kumach. The official name was The Anthem of Bolsheviks Party or The Song about Stalin. It's rarest record is available in the CD appendix to the exposition's catalogue. Incidentally, one of the main hits of the exposition creators is that each visitor may record his or her own sound track of the Russian anthem and automatically add it to the choir of previous amateur singers. Perhaps the bottom line is that the exposition does not impose any ideological patterns on anybody. Tastes differ. Some like “Dear freedom, inspire us again and again!” while others prefer “Russia, our sacred power”. As the great poet put it, each makes their own choice.
Georgy Osipov
