Teffi - digression about the guitar - "on unylo podbiral lady"

[Robert Chandler]

Dear Marian,

Thanks - this is vey helpful.  “picking out the harmonies” is almost certainly the phrase I need.

But it is in fact the Russian who is strumming or picking out the harmonies.  Teffi’s point is that the gypsy is doing something more interesting.  I ought to have included more of the original quote, which would have made this clearer. Here it is.

В России гитара была хороша только у цыган. Русский человек относился к ней, как к балалайке: уныло подбирал лады и тренькал:
Выйду ль я на реченьку…
Цыгане «мотивчика» не тренькают. Они умеют перебирать струны говорком, давать вспышки, вскрики и сразу гасить бурный аккорд ласковой, но властной ладонью.

Does the following now seem OK to you?

In Russia, the guitar fared well only among the gypsies.  The Russians themselves treated her as if she were a balalaika, gloomily picking out the harmonies and strumming:
“I shall go to the banks of the strea-ea-eam…”
Gypsies don't strum tunes.   They know how to make the strings talk, how to make them burst out in cries of emotion, then straightaway damp down a stormy chord with an affectionate yet commanding hand.

All the best,

Robert
> 
> As a lifelong amateur guitarist, this makes sense to me.
> 
> Yes, I do believe she means that only the gypsies prize the guitar. 
> 
> As to the подбирал лады, I would say they were picking out harmonies, with "picking out" meaning not selecting but actually picking them out, as guitarists are wont to do.  
> 
> So the gypsy is picking out the harmonies, note by note, in a melancholy sort of way, and interspersing that picking with strumming.
> 
> I'm not going to swear on my first-born about this, but that is how I read it.
> 
> You're a brave man.
> 
> Best,
> Marian
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Sun, Aug 24, 2014 at 4:20 PM, Robert Chandler <kcf19 at dial.pipex.com> wrote:
> Dear all,
> 
> A chapter about ¾ way through Vospominanii contains a lyrical digression about the beauties of the guitar. There are several bits I find difficult.
> 
> В России гитара была хороша только у цыган. Русский человек относился к ней, как к балалайке: уныло подбирал лады и тренькал...
> Цыгане «мотивчика» не тренькают. Они умеют перебирать струны говорком,
> 
> In Russia, the guitar fared well only among the gypsies.  The Russians themselves treated her as if she were a balalaika, gloomily fingering (????) her frets (??) and strumming...
> Gypsies don't strum tunes.   They know how to make the strings talk,
> 
> What does “podbiral lady” mean?  I don’t even know which is the relevant meaning of “lad” here.
> 1. “mode” or “key”
> 2. “fret” of stringed instrument
> 
> I’m also unsure about “strum tunes” and about "гитара была хороша”.  Is the latter more like “the guitar was valued”?
> 
> Thanks, as always!
> 
> Robert
> 
> Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD
> 
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Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD





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