RUS 102: Preparing Our Singing Debut of "Москва Златоглавая"

Since roughly the beginning of February, our RUS 102 class has been preparing to sing the Russian folk song “москва златоглавая” (Golden-domed Moscow). We will be singing the song at a campus-wide event that the Russian Department is hosting on March 6. (Lyrics and translation to song posted below) It is a song about the joyous occasion of winter and the traditions surrounding it, especially when you are a child- and the sorrow of no longer feeling such bliss as an adult.

An image of "dashing through the snow" on a troika as referenced in the song

Step-by-step, we have been learning the song. First, we merely repeated each line of the song after our teacher said it. Next, we concentrated on the chorus- saying it repeatedly to our partners in class. Then we started singing the refrain over and over, sitting at our desks. Once we had the refrain down, we moved on to the rest of the lyrics. Mind you, we had been singing while being able to read the lyrics at the same time.

The next steps were singing the whole song while standing by our desks. Then, we graduated to singing in a group formation in the middle of the room, with some hand-gestures and dancing added. It was just last class that we sang everything without any words in front of us. I’d say that we definitely have the first verse and refrain down. We are still a tad shaky on the second verse. And, man, this one word (безвозвратную) is realllly tripping us up. I’m still trying to pronounce it correctly! We have about a week or so to iron out any remaining issues and then we perform the song in public on March 6. Little by little, I think we have accomplished a lot. Of course, I will post pictures (perhaps a video) after our big performance! Wish us luck! =)

Here are the lyrics:

Москва златоглавая, звон колоколов,

Царь-пушка державная, аромат пирогов.

Конфетки-бараночки, словно лебеди саночки,

Эй, вы, кони залётные, слышен крик с облучка.

Гимназистки румяные от мороза чуть пьяные

Грациозно сбивают рыхлый снег с каблучка.

Помню тройку удалую, вспышки дальних зарниц,

Твою позу усталую, трепет длинных ресниц.

Всё прошло, всё умчалося в невозвратную даль,

Ничего не осталося лишь тоска да печаль.

Москва златоглавая, звон колоколов,

Царь-пушка державная, аромат пирогов.

Конфетки-бараночки, словно лебеди саночки,

Эй, вы, кони залётные, слышен крик с облучка.

Гимназистки румяные от мороза чуть пьяные

Грациозно сбивают рыхлый снег с каблучка.

.

And the translation:

Golden-domed Moscow, the ring of bells, the mighty Tsar Cannon, the aroma of pies.

(CHORUS) Candy and sweet rolls, sleighs graceful as swans. "Oh, you disobedient horses!" Cries the coachman from his seat. Pink-cheeked young schoolgirls, a little drunk from the frost, gracefully kick the loose snow off their heels.

I recall a dashing troika (Russian carriage pulled by 3 horses), sparks of distant lightning, your tired pose, the quiver of your long lashes. All of this has passed, it's all gone away, irrevocably into a distant time, nothing remains except pain and sorrow.

(Translation source: https://lyricstranslate.com/en/moskva-zlatoglavaya-golden-domed-moscow.html )