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

[Marian Schwartz]

Dear Robert,

You're right, of course. I didn't read it for context.

Might the tone be a little more dismissive of the Russians' attitude?  It
almost seems to me that she thinks the Russians rather pathetic in their
music making.

If that were the case, you might want to use "pluck" instead of "pick out"
and change "gloomily" to something pointing to their feigned melancholy,
something indicating that it's a pose.

"Fared well" isn't bad and certainly isn't wrong, but does it fully convey
the notion of appreciation for the guitar's superior qualities?  For its
beauty?  Хороша seems to me more striking (and kind of wonderful) than
"fared well."

It seems to me that the passage is setting up a strong contrast between
passionate and genuine guitar playing, on the one hand, and playacting with
the guitar, on the other.

All best,
Marian


On Mon, Aug 25, 2014 at 1:00 AM, Robert Chandler <kcf19 at dial.pipex.com>
wrote:

> 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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