I recently came across a few Russian White Army military marches from the Russian Civil War. They sound wildly different from any other military march I've ever heard. Most marches I'm familiar with are brisk, uplifting or triumphant, and fairly heavily orchestrated. These are entirely a capella and sound more like dirges than marches. I've linked a few examples, if you want to listen for yourself.
So my question is, what were these for and where did they come from? I'll be honest, I think these are marches from the Russian Civil War, but I can't read any Russian, so I got that solely from the fact that these songs are named after major White Army generals. So, it's very possible these are not what I think they are.
Were they intended for use as marching songs, or would they have been used in a performance setting, or for entertainment? If they were used for marching, would they have been performed by the soldiers as a group? Why do they sound like that? Do Russian marches come from a different tradition than other European marches? Do they derive from Russian folk music?
Any answer or insight into any one or all of these questions would be helpful. I'm just hungry for any info about these songs.
This is Valaam monks modern rendition of the original marches. They apply their own style, based on Orthodox Christian chants. Of cause authentic performance by the frontsoldiers was completely different. Unfortunately, it is the only version I have ever heard. Nevertheless, lyrics really focus on the tragedy and unprecedented devastation of the Russian civil war. March of Kornilov’s regiment is based on Serbian march (“Who loves his Fatherland..”). Lyrics by a warrant officer of Kornilov shock regiment Aleksandr Parfir’evich Krivosheev. Created in January 1918 in Rostov. This melody was chosen because many Balkan slavs served in the regiment and had been familiar with it.
Rough translation:
Even though it is only profanation, slender and oppression everywhere around us
We Kornilov’s troops
Won’t die from the contempt of the rabble
Russia will realize who is a traitor to her
What her disease is
And that the one held as prisoner in Bykhov
Was actually her loyal friend
For Russia and Freedom
If we are called into battle
Kornilov’s troops will march through fire and water
We believe
The end to the enemy spell is close
Then a blindfold will fall from Russia’s eyes
Forwards in Battle
Bloody Battle
Old Moscow will ring its bells
And columnsof Russian troops will enter her
March of Alexeev’s regiment march is based on the Song of Russian draftee 1914 popular among Russian youth. Lyrics are believed to be composed by colonel Ivan Ivanovich Novgorod-Seversky. Rough translation:
Let the bullets whistle, let the blood flow
Let the grenades bring death
We will bravely march forward
We are Russian soldiers
We have our fathers’ blood – blood of epic heroes
And our cause is just
We will defend our honor
Or die with glory
Don’t morn us Sacred Rus
We don’t need tears
Pray for the dead and the living
Your prayer is our reward
Take courage mothers and fathers,
Bear it wives and children
For the good of our Homeland
We will forget anything in this world
So let’s march forward against the enemy
Forward, the daring regiments
The Lord is on our side
Long live Russia!
Markov’s regiment march: Bravely forwards – for the Sacred Fatherland
We will march together as brothers
We know no fear
And we will sing a bold battle song in fighting
Song about generals-fighters
Markov, Kornilov – the hero
Left us direction to die singing songs
We swore with our lives
How boldly we fought under Medvedovka
Markov was a commander there
Led by him we stormed an armored train
And Bolsheviks fled
Under Novo-Dmitrovka deep in the snow
Soaked and fettered with ice
We marched without complaint and fought with joy
Warmed ourselves with a cold bayonet
Let the enemy know that the generals-fighters
Are all still alive in our hearts
And they will lead us again to new victories
Like they did it before
And we will march again for the Sacred Homeland
Together as brothers