Wait I've seen you somewhere before

The horn of GOD, rosh hozsanna...

Pulling boats over land (known as "volok" in Russian) was a different phenomenon, not related to this particular song. The "boatmen" of this song were known in Russian as "burlak", and their job was different. Firstly, they worked as any boat crew would, steering the boat as it was going downstream or under sail. If it got stuck, it'd be a hell of a job to get it back into the river. Secondly though, if there was no wind, the common way of getting boats upstream against the river was to pull them, either by draft horses or by a team of burlaks. There's a famous painting by Ilya Repin "Burlaks on the Volga". They borrowed the motif from the song "Dubinushka" (the two are often confused), which is a lumberjack song - they would make cuts in the trees' base and then pull them. The burlaks borrowed this method for situations when the boat got stuck - a tree with a wide canopy would be cut down, chained to the boat, and would act as an underwater sail, catching the river's stream to pull the boat off the shallows. So this song was used for both pulling down the trees, and for pulling the boats themselves upstream.

😅​@@DawidKov

Aww! What a beautiful story.

BUT LIKE have you ever seen the mississippi river?

Fred Nerk That‘s interesting.

@@alexmichael7524 Sure have.

Fred, would you have a link to a version sung in English? I went looking after seeing your comment, but couldn't find anything. All I remember from my childhood is the basic melody being used in some cartoons.

I could not have said it better myself!

sadly masculine beauty is a dying art

@@ihatelaypeople8603 ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Lol full throated 😂

Jeanette... honey, for the love of all things holy just leave out the first part

Phil Hanna Is the bass the one on our right? Their left? At the end he hits an outstanding low note.

The lad on the right, you can clearly see his mouth being wide open during his "Yaaaaaaaa" part in the end. A is always wide open.

Hanfgurkenhasser Now I see who you're talking about! Thank you for telling me.

Thanks. Where is the room?

Phil Hanna I totally agree. They are the best I have ever heard. Perfect balance, tone, timing quality, exquisite.

This is more than just any folk song. It is perhaps THE epic version of Russian folk song. And while such things have died, been murdered, across almost all of Western and Central Europe, this remains from Russia to remain us of the roots deep in rich soil that our ancestors all once thrived in.

Right you are! Vitaliy and conductor are amazing. Baritone and 1 bass make a good basis for Pavel. I think it's the best crew.

elena cara Very true. All the guys are a perfect compliment to each other. I would love to see them live in person, to experience that would be breathtaking!

Yes, the whole ensemble is quite skilled! Their line-up has changed over the years, so I'm not 100% of the names of the current performers. In the summer they perform in at the Epiphany Cathedral in Uglich for tourists. They generally sing on sacred song and one folk song. There is a cruise that goes through Uglich and I think they perform for the tourists on the cruises a lot--that's where many of these videos come from.

i believe that was a high G#

@@jamesha175 that's... literally the same note

@@feeno1188 damnit i was trying to pull one over on everybody but you got me!

Paul Bryson I don’t know their names but I saw them in Uglitch during the summer in 2015.

Correct .

Guitarsthatkill wow that was amazing.

James Lyall here in vancouver my highschool chamber choir has an equal number of boys and girls! and our larger ensemble is pretty similar aswell without 2 boys for every 3 girls i would guess

Our Choir in Münster-germany was mixed with mostly boys. One of my classmates studies classical singing in Wien and Italy and is now Bariton at the opera of flensburg.

Churches are the few last things that keep young men interested in singing or pursuing art forms of different types

Here in Victoria in my school of 1000 we have 2 basses and a bunch of baritones forced to sing tenor (I am one of those baritones)

Same in both of the elementary schools I attended in Ottawa

Glad you enjoyed it, Barbara. You should take a listen to this as well--an F#1 from the same bass: Down the Mother Volga (2014) - Kovcheg

Me, too!

Me too 💪

me too!

אני יהודי ישראלי אימי המנוחה פליטה מגרמניה דיסלדורף ועבורנו זה השיר של משחררי אושווץ אפילו שלמעשה זה שיר של עבדים הם הבורלקים

No Russians allowed, thank Putin

My family was volga germans; took Catherine the Great up on her offer of land and immunity to military conscription. We left when the latter was retracted.

​@@motidiskin2708не рабов, а бурлаков, это были наемные рабочие

​@@user-xm9ed8ej6pнаемные рабочие, которые исполняли рабский труд

Indeed, strong tough men

they also used to lighten their burden by singing this song

The rythm would help them to pull together. Like many worksongs.

Ilya Repin is one of my favorite figurative artists and I always hear this song in my head now when I see that one

Славо!

Stay Aussie

definitely stay aussie

Indeed--sometimes the videos are even more impressive when shot from far away, despite the not-as-good view! Videos of the oktavist voice communicate the unique power of this voice somewhat better than an audio recording.

Kharitonov was one of a kind, a world treasure.

When you think you're Russian, you become Russian.

@@Cookiesurvival Then I am 100% Russian.

I’m Irish but listening to this makes me want to be Russian

I’m Ukrainian and I feel so overwhelmed by this...gorgeous ♥️

Russians drink vodka Americans drink bleach noted

Huh, that's strange all girls speak in a higher pitch when talking to me, however I tend to speak really low when I speak with anyone... I feel like my voice gets down to Pavel level.

That's what I thought

You will be amazed at the transformation of the country.. the beauty. The rise. You will be in awe

Indeed!

Trev Moran The strength and power of the Russians! Mightiest country and people of all time.

Trev Moran russian power

True...and thanx for a good laugh!

Paul Mc Cartney agrees with you, I suppose...

Thanks !

You forgot the line "Эй, эй, тяни канат сильней, Волга, Волга, мать-река!

There's no 'k' in 'uchniem'. It is like 'h' in words like 'hook'.

@@transformatamellina9762 For that sharp "h" sound, as in the German "Ich", is written "kh" in the English phonetic alphabet. Both letters represent one sound, just like "ch" or "th". It's just the best way to show this specific "h" sound.

Thanks

Yes, they are one of my favorite little chamber choirs. All terrific singers, with a fantastic oktavist.

In the morning my voice sits around a c#2 after I get woke up it sits at a D2

I’m a contralto with a low range too! Sing 2nd alto & tenor in classical & gospel choirs. Would love to sing with these guys! Stand next to the oktavist & feel the air in my lungs vibrate & my toenails rattle!