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Pesnyary
Not less than nine piece band, they combined rock and folk music in a way no one did before.
The first Pesnyary recordings date back to 1969 (now some are available on compilation CD's issued in 1996). These were the cover versions of the Beatles with Russian lyrics. (Think that every Soviet Union band passed such "Beatles cover versions" period in the beginning of the career).
But it didn't take long for Pesnyary to develop their own, absolutely unique sound. Not less than nine piece band, they combined rock and folk music in a way no one did before. Bjelorussian folk is a specific music, very tender and melodical, filled with sorrow rather than with joy. Pesnyary didn't just make rock arrangements of folk songs, they developed and enriched these songs at the same time taking great care of the original passion and soul. One can find many elements of psychedelia in their earlier works and progressive moves in the later albums. All their LP's are highly recommended.
Sadly, the Soviet music officials were not sleeping... All the bands of the seventies had to include in their repertoire the songs by "official" writers and composers. But these tracks, moving to pop in style, in Pesnyary's versions became massive hits and are popular even nowadays.
All the band members were the top class players and the vocal group was exceptional. Using traditional folk instruments - horns, strings and others (don't know how are they called in English) combined with organ and electric guitar sometimes produced very psychedelic effect. The first, self titled LP saw the light of day in 1971 (by the way the second and third albums were as well self-titled, don't be confused!). I'm not sure what was the public's impression (I was two years old then :). But still I have heard nothing like that any more although I have explored a lot of 1970-ies Russian music.
/History of Rock in Russia >> /
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PESNYARY |
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ALBUMS (and singles)
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N.B.
1. there were many sleeve artwork variations for the first 3 albums depending on the record plant at which they were pressed - more pictures to be added. For the second album at least 5 (!) sleeve version are known to exist! Also there were variations of picture sleeves without group's photo but with group's name, album title and track listing. And last - each of the first 3 albums can be found in "standard" Melodiya factory sleeves.
2. Included in the discography are three "various artists" compilation albums. To each of them Pesnyary contributed tracks UNAVAILABLE on their own LP's thus making these compilations significant part of Pesnyary discography.
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"PESNYARY" (1st album), Pesnyary
1971 LP
Melodiya, 029279-80 (mono) or CM-02651-52 (stereo) or 031617-18 (mono 1972 pressing)
Very first run copies can be determined by "roct 5289-68" writing on the label to the left of the spindle hole AND the way MELODIYA is written on the label - it should be written in "outline" style. Slightly later copies from 1972-early 1973 (still may be considered "first" pressing) have same "roct 5289-68" on label but MELODIYA is printed on label in "solid" style.
Re-issues from 1973 and later have "roct 5289-73" on label.
(*) - Leningrad plant mono/stereo
(**) - Leningrad plant stereo (there are copies of the 2nd album with the same artwork!!!)
(***) - Aprelevsky plant
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"PESNYARY" (2nd album), Pesnyary
1974 LP
Melodiya, C60-04655-56
The first pressing can be determined by the sleeve artwork, also the label colour should be dark blue. Pink label copies may be either first pressing or re-issues, white label copies are definitely later pressing. Many later pressing copies have pressing date on the rear sleeve.
(*) - Aprelevsky plant first pressing
(**) - Leningrad plant first pressing
(***) - Aprelevsky plant mega rare export pressing
(****) - Leningrad plant later pressing
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"PESNYARY" (3rd album), Pesnyary
1978 LP
Melodiya, C60-10271-72
(*) - Aprelevsky plant first pressing
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"SONGS", Igor Luchenok (author) - performed by various artists incl. Pesnyary
1978 LP, issued in STANDARD MELODIYA sleeve only
(4 tracks by Pesnyary on side B, not uvailable on other LP's, 4 tracks: Moi Rodnoi Krai (My Home Land), Ballada O Materi (A Ballad About Mother), Veronika, Dobry Vecher Devchonochka (Good Evening Girl)
Melodiya, C60-10599-600
N.B. on side A track 2 is performed by Leonid Bortkevich, former Pesnyary vocalist : Beriozka (Birch Tree)
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"BYELORUSSIAN FOLK SONGS", Pesnyary
1978 LP
Melodiya, C60-11287-88
(*) - Aprelevsky plant
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"MINSK SOUVENIR" various artists incl. Pesnyary
1979 LP
(4 tracks by Pesnyary on side A: Belorussia, Kazhdy Chetverty (Every Fourth), Ty Mne Vesnoiu Prisnilas' (I Saw You In Dreams), Dobry Vecher Devchonochka (Good Evening Girl))
Melodiya, C 60-13321-22
(*) - Moscow Test plant pressing
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"GUSLYAR", Pesnyary
1980 LP
Melodiya, C60-12727-78
N.B. reissued on CD in late 1990-ies
(*) - Aprelevsky Plant
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"THE ENCHANTED ONE", Pesnyary
1984 2LP
Melodiya, C60-19915-6 & C60-19917-8
Recorded live in 1982, very first run was a double set in gatefold sleeve, then was pressed as two separate records
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"SONGS AND INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC", Igor Luchenok (author) - performed by various artists incl. Pesnyary
1983 LP
Melodiya, C60-20279-007
Pesnyary on side A, tracks 3 and 5: Zacharovannaya Moya (The Enchanted One) studio version, Zakosi Moi Vesny.
N.B. track 4 side A by Leonid Bortkevich, former Pesnyary vocalist: Ya Ne Mogu O Vas Zabyt' (I Cant forget About You)
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"FOR THE WHOLE OF THE WAR", Pesnyary
1986 2LP
Melodiya, C60-22471-72 & C60-22473-74
(recorded in 1984)
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N.B.
1) some EP's were issued only in Melodiya company sleeves while others can be found both in company and picture sleeves (much rarer)
2) Some of the records below were also issued as FLEXI disks in picture sleeves, under different cat. numbers
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SINGLES (all - 33RPM) |
Pesnyary
1971 7"
Melodiya, 00030273-4
Ty Mne Vesnoju Prisnilas' (I Saw You In Spring)/ Rushniki (Towels)/ Skripyat Moi Lapti (Creaking Are My Bast Shoes)
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Pesnyary
1972 7"
Melodiya, 00033383-4
Na Chto Babe Ogorod (Does An Old Lady Needs A Kitchen Garden?)/ Lubov' (Love)/ Stoit Verba (A Willow Tree Stands)
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Pesnyary
1973 7"
Melodiya, 00033905-6
Berezovyi Sok (Birch Drink)/ I Zdes' Gora, I Tam Gora (Mountain Here, Mountain There)/ Olesya
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Pesnyary
1974 7"
Melodiya, M62-35875-6
Pesnya Pamyati Victora Hary (To The Memory Of Victor Jara)/ V Voskresenye Ranen'ko (Early On Sunday)/ Paren' Pashnu Pashet (A Boy Ploughing)
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Pesnyary
1977 7"
Melodiya, C62-08221-22
Vologda/ I Zdes' Gora, I Tam Gora (Mountain Here, Mountain There)/ Za Polchasa Do Vesny (Half An Hour Before Spring)
(*) - same title on blue flexi
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Pesnyary
1979 7"
Melodiya, C62-12181-90
Kazhdy Chetverty (Every Fourth)/Oy, Rechen'ka (Oh, River)/Komsomol'skij Bilet (Komsomol Ticket)
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MORE EP'S TO BE ADDED!
Also to be added are several KRUGOZOR Magazine issues containing flexi disks with Pesnyary's songs unavailable elsewhere.
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N.B.
Each one of these 8 CD's pressed by MOROZ RECORDS in 1996 contains unreleased tracks along
with well known songs. This 8 CD's set seems to be the most complete Pesnyary collection
although it doesn't include the famous "Guslyar".
There also exist several compilations on CD's a la "The Best Of..." but they contain the common
versions of their well known songs and are of no interest for true collectors.
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