Russian romance (russian: рома́нс ''románs'') is a type of sentimental art song with hints of

Gypsy The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...

influence that was developed in Imperial Russia by such composers as

Nikolai Titov Nikolai Alexeyevich Titov (russian: Николай Алексеевич Титов, born St. Petersburg, 10 May 1800 - St. Petersburg, 22 December 1875) was a Russian composer, violinist, and Major General in various regiments during the 19th cen ...

(1800-1875),

Alexander Alyabyev Alexander Aleksandrovich Alyabyev (russian: Алекса́ндр Алекса́ндрович Аля́бьев; ), also rendered as Alabiev or Alabieff, was a Russian composer known as one of the fathers of the Russian art song. He wrote seven ...

(1787–1851), Alexander Varlamov (1801–48), and Alexander Gurilyov (1803–58). By the early 20th century, several types of the Russian romance had emerged. An elite type of the Italianate opera-influenced song known as the "salon romance" is contrasted to the lower-class genre of "cruel romance" which features "sentimental courtship, illicit love, pained rejection, and often suicide". The latter is supposed to have given birth to the

Russian chanson Russian chanson ( rus, русский шансон, r=russkiy shanson}; from French "chanson") is a neologism for a musical genre covering a range of Russian songs, including city romance songs, author song performed by singer-songwriters, an ...

. The Russian romance had its heyday in the 1910s and 1920s when the top performers included

Anastasia Vyaltseva Anastasia Dmitrievna Vyaltseva (russian: Анастаси́я Дми́триевна Вя́льцева, 1871-1913) was a rather renowned Russian mezzo-soprano, specializing in Gypsy art songs. Enjoying the cult following and supported by the pop ...

Varvara Panina Varvara Vasilyevna Panina (Варва′ра Васи′льевна Па′нина; 1872, Moscow, Russian Empire, - May 28, 1911, Moscow, Russian Empire) was a Russian singer of Romani origins, famous for her deep contralto, one of the Russian p ...

Nadezhda Plevitskaya Nadezhda Vasilievna Plevitskaya (russian: Надежда Васильевна Плевицкая; born ''Vinnikova'', russian: Винникова; 17 January 18841 October 1940) was a popular female Russian singer and a Soviet agent. Ea ...

Tamara Tsereteli Tamara Semyonovna Tsereteli ( ka, თამარ წერეთელი, russian: Тама́ра Семёновна Церете́ли, 14 August 1900, in Sveri, Kutais Governorate, Georgia, Russian Empire – 3 April 1968, in Moscow, USSR) ...

, Pyotr Leshchenko, and

Alexander Vertinsky Alexander Nikolayevich Vertinsky (russian: Александр Николаевич Вертинский, — May 21, 1957) was a Russian and Soviet artist, poet, singer, composer, cabaret artist and actor who exerted seminal influence on the Ru ...

. In the early

Soviet era The history of Soviet Russia and the Soviet Union (USSR) reflects a period of change for both Russia and the world. Though the terms "Soviet Russia" and "Soviet Union" often are synonymous in everyday speech (either acknowledging the dominance ...

the genre was less favoured, as it was seen as a vestige of the pre-revolutionary "decadent and bourgeois" sensibility through much of the 20th century. A new generation of singers, such as Valentina Ponomaryova and Nani Bregvadze, emerged in the 1970s. Several vocalists from the pre-WWII era, including

Izabella Yurieva Izabella Yurieva (russian: link=no, Изабелла Юрьева) is the stage name of Izabella Danilovna Livikova (russian: link=no, Изабелла Даниловна Ливикова; 7 September 1899 – 20 January 2000), a Russian singer ni ...

(1902–2000),

Vadim Kozin Vadim Alekseyevich Kozin (russian: Вадим Алексеевич Козин; March 21, 1903 – December 19, 1994) was a Russian tenor, songwriter, and an openly homosexual man until 1934 when male homosexuality became a crime in USSR. Vadim Al ...

(1903–1994) and

Alla Bayanova Alla Nikolayevna Bayanova (russian: Алла Николаевна Баянова; 18 May 1914 – 30 August 2011) was a Russian Romance singer sometimes compared with Édith Piaf for her simple yet dramatic style of performance. Bayanova was bor ...

(1914–2011), also returned to prominence in the late Soviet years.

Alexander Malinin Aleksandr Nikolaevich Malinin (russian: Александр Николаевич Малинин, born Vyguzov, russian: Выгузов; 16 November 1958) is a Russian singer who was named a People's Artist of Russia in 1997. Career Malinin was bo ...

, Sergey Zakharov and

Oleg Pogudin Oleg Evgenevich Pogudin (russian: Оле́г Евге́ньевич Погу́дин; born 22 December 1968) is a Russian singer, TV presenter and actor. He is noted for his vocal and artistic style of interpretation of Russian romances and trad ...

are among the Russian romance singers active in the 21st century. In 1994, .

received the World Music Award as best selling Russian artist. César Cui's 1895 book ''Russian Art Song: A Study of Its Development'' was translated in J.R. Walker’s ''Classical Essays on the Development of Russian Art Songs'' (Northfield, MN, 1993).

Notable songs

* '' Black Eyes'' * ''

Shine, Shine, My Star "Shine, Shine, My Star" (russian: "Гори, гори, моя звезда") is an acclaimed Russian romance. The authorship of the song was uncertain for some time, being ascribed to various people, including Nikolay Gumilyov and Ivan Bunin. A ...

'' * '' Along the Long Road'' * '' Evening Bell'' * '' Les Chrysanthemes''

References

{{reflist

External links

Russian composers and singer-songwriters of 19th century (English)
an educational site
Synthesis of poetry and music (Russian)
a site dedicated to Russian romance Russian styles of music Song forms Art songs Romance (music) Russian songs