Music question: "The Russian Song"??

[David J. Galloway]

Dear SEELANGers,

 

A music question which hopefully someone can answer. My mother-in-law
remembers her mother playing a piece entitled "The Russian Song" on the
piano years ago, and is trying to relocate it. Apparently there were no
words to the song as it was published in the US. This would have been in the
late 1940's or early 1950's. It may have come from a film. The mother who
played it was born in Russia, but the fact that there was evidently sheet
music in English makes me think this might be an American invention and not
a Russian piece, or at the very least a song modified by Americans. 

 

Her sister recorded what she remembers it sounding like, and I've placed the
mp3 here: 

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7Yhugbv9VDCVFYyVnQ2U0NRT1k
<https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7Yhugbv9VDCVFYyVnQ2U0NRT1k&usp=sha
ring> &usp=sharing

Apologies for the quality: it was recorded on a cassette over the phone and
then digitized, thus making several passes through ancient history. 

 

Any assistance in identifying the piece would be most appreciated. It sounds
vaguely familiar to me, but I can't come up with anything definite. Please
send replies off-list to galloway at hws.edu. 

 

Thanks,

DJG

 

______________________________

 

David J. Galloway

Associate Professor

Russian Area Studies Program

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Geneva, New York 14456-3397

Phone: (315) 781-3790

Fax: (315) 781-3822

Email: galloway at hws.edu

http://www.hws.edu/academics/russian/


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