Valenki

Russian:
Валенки да валенки ой да неподшиты стареньки
Нельзя валенки носить
Не в чем к миленькой сходить
Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки
Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки
Ой ты Коля Коля Николай сиди дома не гуляй
Не ходи на тот конец ох не носи девкам колец
Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки
Валенки валенки
Чем подарочки носить лучше б валенки подшить
Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки
Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки
Суди люди суди бог как же я любила
По морозу босиком к милому ходила
Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки
Валенки валенки

Romanization:
Valenki valenki ekh nepodshity starenʹki
Nelʹzya valenki nositʹ
Ne v chem k milenʹkoy skhoditʹ
Valenki valenki ekh nepodshity starenʹki
Valenki valenki ekh nepodshity starenʹki
Oy ty Kolya Kolya Nikolay sidi doma ne
gulyay
Ne khodi na tot konets okh ne nosi devkam
kolets
Valenki valenki ekh nepodshity starenʹki
Valenki valenki
Chem podarochki nositʹ luchshe b valenki
podshitʹ
Valenki valenki ekh nepodshity starenʹki
Valenki valenki ekh nepodshity starenʹki
Sudi lyudi sudi bog kak zhe ya lyubila
Po morozu bosikom k milomu khodila
Valenki valenki ekh nepodshity starenʹki
Valenki valenki
English:
Valenki, oh valenki, you're old and worn
You are now unwearable
And so I can't go out to see my sweetheart
Valenki, oh valenki, you're old and worn
Valenki, oh valenki, you're old and worn
Oh, you Kolya, Kolya, Nikolai, sit at home
and don't go out
Don't go to that end of the street, and don't
give rings to the girls
Valenki, oh valenki, you're old and worn
Valenki valenki
Instead of bringing presents, you'd better
patch up your valenki
Valenki, oh valenki, you're old and worn
Valenki, oh valenki, you're old and worn
Both God and people are witnesses to my
love
I went barefoot through the frost to my
sweetheart
Valenki, oh valenki, you're old and worn
Valenki valenki
Easy
• Repeat: https://youtu.be/yyD_1zpHpDw This is a song and dance performance of
Valenki, which is a Russian popular song written in the late 19th century. Here, a rather
simple melody is repeated many times along with dancing consisting of broad gestures
and a lot of ensemble participation. For reference, Valenki are traditional Russian
footwear made from felted wool.
• Respond: Have the video of the dance up so you can see it, but follow along with the
romanization of the text (or if you can read Russian, use the original text!). Develop and
share your own thoughts about the text and what it means.
• Respond: The song is set as numerous repetitions of the same melody. Rather than
getting stale, the song builds energy as it goes along. How do you think it does that?
How do you think the dance helps? Are there any pitch elements that play into this?
• Expand: After you think you have the rhythm in your head, clap along with it. There is a
definite groove as well. See if you can catch that with your foot while you clap with the
melody!

Medium
• Repeat: At the beginning of the song, the melody is rather plain. As it goes on, however,
the instrumentalists (starting especially at the first instrumental break) add faster notes
to the melody that weren’t there in the beginning. These are called embellishments or
ornaments. In Valenki, they start out rather simple, but as the song goes on they
become more complex.
• Respond: What do the various ornaments do to the feeling of the song? How does this
tie back into the previous example, about making the repetitive melody seem fresh and
exciting? Are there any specific ways of ornamentation the instrumentalists (or vocalist)
employ that you can pick out?
• Expand: First, sing along with the vocalist a few times. At 1:14 in this video, there is an
instrumental break where the players begin to ornament the melody. Sing the plain
melody along with their playing using this romanized version of a prominent line:

Valenki valenki ekh nepodshity staren'ki

Russian: Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки

English: Valenki, oh valenki, you're old and worn

After you’re comfortable with the melody is, trying adding some embellishments of your
own. These do not have to be of definite pitch, but should be in the style of what the
instrumentalists (and vocalist) do with theirs.
• Expand (optional): Comment briefly on this romanization of the line, comparing it with
how the vocalist actually sings the line. It’s slightly different every time, and their precise
diction varies with speed, expression, and key area, but try to pick out of few things that
are different from the romanized version
Hard
• Repeat: https://youtu.be/pg8Xby0uTMQ This is a recording of Lidia Ruslanova singing
Valenki. She is credited with the popularity of the song, which gained recognition after
she and Nina Dulkevich began singing it. This video features both Ruslanova and her
accordion-playing accompanist.
• Respond: What kind of interaction is taking place between Ruslanova and the
accordionist, on both a physical and musical level (eye contact, gestures, melodic
shapes, rhythmic and tempo elements, etc.)? How does this interact with your
interpretation of the text?
• Respond: Compare these two videos and interpretations. What do you notice is
different between the vocal styles? Physical performance elements? Rhythmic and
tempo elements?
• Expand: This accompaniment for this song is rather flexible, and a clarinet is sometimes
used in addition to the accordion. Pretend you play clarinet (if you do, hang tight) and
improvise a background accompaniment to Ruslanova. Allow the accordionist to play
their intro and Ruslanova to sing through her first phrase. At the start of her second
phrase (at about 0:55), start improvising along with the accordionist vocally, thinking of
the clarinet timbre as a guide. Make sure to have fun and make your improvisation
interesting, but take care to not cover up or distract from Ruslanova, as hers is the most
important line.
• Expand: Follow the directions of the previous prompt, but this time, use your instrument!
It does not need to be perfect or flashy. Find a way to be comfortable with what you’re
playing and how you fit with Ruslanova and the accordionist, again taking care not to
cover up or distract from Ruslanova. For reference, sticking to a key signature with 4
flats will generally result in a good sound. Most important, keep the character of the song
in your head as you play.