“The farewell of Slav woman” It is impossible to speak about the Russian/Soviet military music and to forget about this march. I found the original version of 1914, it has no words, only music, but it is an original march. Firstl of all, I have to say about the author of the march “The farewell of Slav woman”. Vasilii Ivanovich Agapkin made this march in 1912. He dedicated it to the Slav women in the Balkan countries who see off their men on the battle against Turkish enslavers. He couldn’t know about the Great Fate of his march. After the beginning of WWI the march got new words and this version became famous (look it in the bottom). After the revolution of 1917 Agapkin became a functionary of VChK-OGPU-NKVD. But he was not related to the crimes of that time, he was the leader of the orchestra of this secret service. And it was Agapkin who leaded the combined military orchestra during the famous Parade on the Red Square on the November, 7th of 1941. And the march “The farewell of Slav woman” was one of the four marches which were played on that Parade. And about the march “The farewell of Slav woman”. It is the greatest Russian/Soviet march of all times. This march is used for the last 90 years in every Rule – Whites and Reds, Russians and Soviets, Communists and anti-Communists. This march is played in the any place where Russian men go on a war and are saw off by their relatives and friends. And if it was an orchestra in that place in that time so the orchestra played the march “The farewell of Slav woman”. The usual picture which is related to this march is the following: there is the platform of a railroad station, there are the soldiers who have to load on a train for going on a war and who are embracing by women. This picture was usual for 1914, it was so for 1941, it is so and now. And all vents on this picture were (and are) under the same great immortal music. You can hear an orchestra playing the march “The farewell of Slav woman” in the famous Soviet movie "The Cranes Are Flying" and in the modern Russian movie “72 Meters” about modern Russian submariners. There are different versions of text of the march “The farewell of Slav woman”. Here is the most famous and known version of V.Lazarev which was made right after the beginning of WWI. It is considered to be the original text of the march. ******************************************************************************************** “The farewell of Slav woman” (Translated by Andrey) The minute of a farewell is beginning, You look anxiously in my eyes, And I sense the dear breathing But a thunderstorm is beginning far away. Foggy and blue air shook And an alarm touched my temples. And Russia calls us for a feat. I feel the wind from the movement of regiments. Refrain: Farewell, the paternal land, Recall us, Farewell, beloved look, Forgive-farewell, Forgive-farewell . . . Years are passing and are passing, Trains are going in darkness. And soldiers are in the trains And a soldier’s star [1] Is shining in the dark sky. And soldiers are in the trains And a soldier’s star Is shining in the dark sky. Repeat refrain. There are only a forest and a steppe around and stops in a steppe There is the light of evening [2] and new down. So don’t forget the farewell of a Slav woman, Repeat it inmost in your heart! No, a heart will not be apathetic, The tights of truth are shining . . . We were devoting our lives For a love, for a great brotherhood. Farewell, the paternal land, Recall us Farewell, beloved look, Not the every from us will return home. Years are passing and are passing, But you, song, is always together with us. We remember you, And a soldier’s star Is shining in the dark sky. Repeat refrain. Music – 1912, text – 1914 (the beginning of WWI) Remarks of Andrey: [1] - According people's ancient Russian popular belief every person had own star in a sky and if a star is falling (a meteor is flying) in the sky so it means that somebody is dying. [2] - ???? “evening down” - it is in Russian text ******************************************************************************************** The Russian version (translit): "Proshchanie Slavianki" Nastupaet minuta proshchaniia, Ty gliadish' mne trevozhno v glaza, I lovliu ia rodnoe dykhanie, A vdali uzhe dyshit groza. Drognul vozdukh, tumannyi i sinii, I trevoga kosnulas' viskov, I zoviot nas na podvig Rossiia, Veet vetrom ot shaga polkov. Pripev: Proshchai, otchii krai, Ty nas vspominai, Proshchai, milyi vzgliad, Prosti-proshchai, prosti-proshchai... Letiat, letiat goda, Ukhodiat vo mglu poezda, A v nikh soldaty, I v nebe tiomnom Gorit soldatskaia zvezda. A v nikh soldaty, I v nebe tiomnom Gorit soldatskaia zvezda. Pripev. Les da step', da v stepi polustanki. Svet vechernei i novoi zari. Ne zabud' zhe proshchan'e Slavianki, Sokrovenno v dushe povtori! Net, ne budet dusha bezuchastna, Spravedlivosti svetiat ogni... Za liubov', za velikoe bratstvo Otdavali my zhizni svoi. Proshchai, otchii krai, Ty nas vspominai, Proshchai, milyi vzgliad, Ne vse iz nas pridut nazad. Letiat, letiat goda, A pesnia, ty s nami vsegda: Tebia my pomnim, I v nebe tiomnom Gorit soldatskaia zvezda. Pripev. Muzyka - 1912, tekst - 1914 (nachalo Pervoi Mirovoi voiny )