It is well known that the appearance in the West of such groups as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Scorpions had a tremendous impact on both world and Russian pop music culture. The difference is that Western bands, starting their careers, set out on a free float, choosing the recording studios that suited them the most. In the USSR, the situation was much more complicated. Legendary Russian rock originates in the late 60s and early 70s and becomes almost the dominant direction. Almost every school, both in large and small cities, has its own rock group or vocal and instrumental ensemble (hereinafter VIA). The most talented children receive a good musical education and dream of starting a professional career. This is where the difficulties begin. The fact is that the official VIAs have the opportunity to record discs at the studio - the Melodiya monopoly, to give concerts, to participate in television programs. But they are not allowed to perform their own songs if they are not members of the Composers' Union. Rock bands sing whatever they want, but do not get venues for performances and are forced to release their music as samizdat, give concerts in apartments and in provincial clubs remote from cities. Such famous rock groups as "Time Machine", "Slavs", "Scythians", "Skomorokhi" have passed through this. The censorship was the strictest. One could easily get under the article for unauthorized concerts. Regardless of everything, musical groups in this difficult time for Russian music are growing like mushrooms. Such truly remarkable collectives as "Gems", "Ariel", "Merry Guys", "Flowers", "Earthlings", etc. appear. The lyrical compositions of these groups are amazing: they are simple and at the same time piercingly melodic. It is not surprising that they are loved and remembered to this day. So, in the 70s, VIA and rock bands exist in parallel, whose members often run from one camp to another and back. The 80s are famous for the fact that at this time one rock club appeared in Leningrad and even real rock festivals began to be held. The purpose of these events is some kind of streamlining of the rock movement, which at times really gets out of control. The TV show "Musical Ring" appears, in which some rock bands are allowed to perform. The second powerful wave of Russian rock rolls over: the rock-Olympus groups "Kino", "Alisa" and others are literally blown up. The style of their performance is defined as "New Way". Agatha Christie starts playing her famous psychedelic music. At the peak of popularity - "Nautilus Pompilius" and "Zoo". Time goes by, the order in the country is changing. Rock - musicians even manage to take part in the filming of films, by the way, very good ones that later became cult ones ("Needle", "Assa", "Cracker"). Separate VIA and rock - groups are still performing successfully, gathering large halls. They also perform new compositions, talented and professional. But for some reason, the audience's fierce delight is caused by the songs listened to a million times. One gets the impression that all the best musicians have created precisely in Soviet times.

Vocal and instrumental ensemble, created in 1970 in Chelyabinsk. The first fame came at the end of 1971, after the Silver Strings competition, where he won first place. The first disc at the "Melodia" company was released in 1975. The most famous songs of the ensemble: "I'm sitting on a stone", "Wider circle", "I'll tell you, godfather" and other equally famous songs.

- VIA, and then a pop-rock group of the 70s - 80s. One of the most famous Soviet bands of the 70s. A lot of Soviet pop stars came out of this collective. Explosive popularity in the union appeared after the release of the disc "When We Are Silent Together". The most famous songs of today "People meet", "How beautiful this world is", "Holding hands together" and others sounded in this album.

- Vocal and instrumental ensemble of the 70s from the Byelorussian SSR. Leaders and soloists of the ensemble Yadviga Poplavskaya and Alexander Tikhanovich sang many real Soviet hits. "Robins hearing a voice", "Zavirukha", "I live with my grandmother" are still very popular among the people.

Blue Guitars

Blue Guitars - Moscow vocal and instrumental ensemble of the 70s. The band's exclusive feature was the blue guitars. Almost all members of the ensemble performed solo and their joint singing merged very harmoniously with the music. Their songs "Romantics-Dreamers", "Green Crocodile", "North Wind".

- VIA 70s from Moscow. In addition to keys, guitars and drums, a brass group also participated in the ensemble. The peak of popularity is in the early 70s. Cooperation with Yuri Antonov, Vyacheslav Dobrynin and David Tukhmanov gave rise to a lot of beautiful and famous songs. "I'm going to the sea", "The main thing, guys, is not to grow old in heart", "Who told you", "Alyoshkina Lyubov" and other songs are still very popular and are covered by modern stars.

- Vocal and instrumental ensemble, formed in the mid-70s. Nationwide popularity came in 1978, after the release of a foreign hit in Russian "Blue Frost". After that, the group constantly took part in competitions and festivals, recording many popular songs.

- VIA and pop-rock group from Donetsk. The final creation of the ensemble is celebrated in 1975. After the 2nd place at the Sochi 76 festival, the ensemble was shocked by a change in its line-up, until in 1978 the line-up was completely strengthened. Their albums "If we don't part" and "Discs are spinning" were very popular and more than once led the country's radio parades.
More about the period of the pop group in the 80s on the new website

- Vocal and instrumental ensemble of the 70s - 80s. Fame came in 1976, after Mikhail Shufutinsky joined the ensemble. It was the energy of the future master of chanson that raised the ensemble to the pinnacle of popularity in the country. "Who told you?", "Where have you been?", "Wedding Ring" and other songs are still dearly loved by the people.

- The most famous ensemble of the Byelorussian SSR. In the 70s, the popularity of Pesnyars was very high. Shlyager ensemble "Vologda", "Belovezhskaya Pushcha", "Birch sap", "My youth, Belarus" are still very popular.

- Moscow vocal and instrumental ensemble. It was founded by former members of "Gems". In the late 70s and early 80s, the ensemble's songs were very popular. 5 albums have been released on vinyl discs. The most famous songs of VIA "Flame": "A soldier is walking through the city", "I will get off at a distant station", "No need to be sad."

- Leningrad vocal and instrumental ensemble of the late 60s and all 70s. The leader among VIAs from 1966 to 1973. The founder of the style of Soviet pop-rock. A lot of popular VIAs were formed by immigrants from "Singing Guitars". The songs "Blue Bird", "Cyclist's Song", "Roads" and others are widely known and loved.

- Moscow VIA 70s - 80s. He gained fame after winning the 1974 All-Union Pop Performers Competition. In 1975, after the release of the vinyl giant, the group gained all-Union fame. Their hits "Leaves Will Spin" and "Trickster" are still very popular.

- The famous Moscow vocal and instrumental ensemble, which gained all-Union fame in the mid-70s. It is considered the most popular ensemble of the 70s. A lot of the ensemble's songs are very popular in Russia. They perform throughout the country with concerts to this day. Their songs "My address is the Soviet Union", "Everything that I have in life", "The snow is spinning ...", "Don't be sad" and others speak for themselves.

- Belarusian ensemble of the 70s. Popularity came in 1974, after the release of the disc at the "Melodiya" company and the hit "Where the maple makes noise". An active participant in the propaganda of BAM. Released 10 large vinyl records. The songs "From Heart to Heart", "Hello and Goodbye", "White Ship", "Plantain" and others are still very much loved by the people.

- The second most popular Belarusian ensemble after the songwriters. The beginning of his creative career was marked by 1974. The first fame came in 1977 after winning the All-Union stage competition. Their famous hits "Olesya", "You make noise, birches make noise over me", "Anthem to the Earth" and others are very popular and famous.

The common thing for the groups (as a rule, in those days they were called VIA - vocal and instrumental ensembles), about which the story will go, is the use of elements of folk art in their work.
And, of course, the still undying love of numerous connoisseurs of their art.
Pesnyary
For me, of course, Pesnyary is in first place in this unofficial rating, which is reflected in the title.
The beginning of the chronology of the "Pesnyars" can be considered September 1, 1969, when by the decision of the artistic council of the Minsk Philharmonic, the Lyavony group received the right to be called a vocal and instrumental ensemble, although back in 1968 the Lyavons were an accompanying group of the singer Nelly Boguslavskaya, and also performed with their own program.
With this name, the group existed for about a year, until the IV International Variety Artist Competition, held in October 1970, when the group was advised to change its name. VIA (now performing under the name "Pesnyary") shared the second place in the competition with the singer Lev Leshchenko and the Georgian ensemble "Dielo". In 1970, Pesnyary also won the All-Union Political Song Competition held in Moscow.


At the end of 1970, the former soloist of the Golden Apples group Leonid Bortkevich joined the collective, and in the spring of 1971 the first giant vinyl disc of the group was released.
In 1971 the first foreign trips of the ensemble began - in August Pesnyary performed at the International Song Festival in Sopot (Poland) in a competition of recording companies.
In 1976 Pesnyary became the first Soviet VIA to tour the United States. In the same year, the ensemble performs at the MIDEM international recording competition in Cannes, in which only the groups that have released the maximum number of records in their country in a year are allowed.
In 1976, Pesnyary presented a rock opera based on the poems of Yanka Kupala - Song of the Share. The premiere took place at the Rossiya Concert Hall. In 1978 the conceptual series was continued with the opera Guslyar. Musically, this album differs in the direction of more serious art-rock in comparison with radio hits for which Pesnyary is better known.
In 1979, the entire classical composition of the Pesnyars received the titles of honored artists: Alexander Demeshko (drums), Leonid Tyshko (bass guitar), Anatoly Kasheparov (vocals), Leonid Bortkevich (vocals) and Vladislav Misevich (wind instruments); and the head of the collective, Vladimir Mulyavin - the title of People's Artist].

The first serious split of the group happened in 1998, when Vladislav Misevich was appointed to the post of director of Pesnyarov. Valery Daineko returned to the team. Another guitarist, Alexander Solovyov, came. So "Pesnyary" worked for almost a year. But then Mulyavin turned to the President of Belarus A. G. Lukashenko, after which, under his leadership, a new composition of the Pesnyars was formed from young musicians. The old line-up wrote a letter of resignation and began to tour as "Belarusian Pesnyary".


The year of death of the permanent leader Vladimir Mulyavin - 2003 - can probably be considered the year of completion of the history of the famous collective. Of course, the colossal popularity of his works could not be unclaimed. In 2009, several different musical groups had the word "Pesnyary" in their name and used the old repertoire of the legendary ensemble.
At present, the Belarusian state ensemble "Pesnyary" is considered the official successor, but this group consists of young musicians who did not participate in the "old" Pesnyary.
"Kasin Yas Kanyushynu", "Belovezhskaya Pushcha", "Belorussia", "Vologda", "Half an hour before spring" and many, many others.
Remember ...

Yalla
In the late 1960s, being students of the Tashkent Theater and Art Institute (TTKhI), Sergei Avanesov and his friend Bakhodir Dzhuraev, on the wave of Beatlemania, decided to create a vocal and instrumental ensemble. Soon they were joined by Shahboz Nizamutdinov and Dmitry Tsirin, Ali-Askar Fatkhullin was invited to play keyboards. In this composition, the ensemble under the leadership of German Rozhkov - the head of the educational theater TTKHI - and the young composer Evgeny Shiryaev was called "VIA TTKHI".
In 1969, after winning the republican competition, the brothers Farrukh and Ravshan Zakirov joined the ensemble. From this, according to Sergei Avanesov, the Yalla group began.


One of the foundations of Yalla's success was the use, along with electric guitars and an electric organ, of Uzbek folk instruments - rubab, doira, etc., oriental song motifs in modern (1970s) processing. The ensemble's repertoire consisted mainly of songs in the Uzbek language, and were also performed in Russian and English.
The compositions of the "Yalla" ensemble, based on Uzbek folk songs, gained fame. The group and its leader Farrukh Zakirov developed their own approach to the intonational and rhythmic beginning of Uzbek folklore and created such famous songs as "Majnuntol" ("Weeping Willow"), "Boychechak" ("Snowdrop"), "Yallama Yorim" and others.


But, in fairness, it should be noted that the all-Union fame of the ensemble was brought nevertheless by songs in Russian.

The core of the group has survived to this day and, although not as often as before, the collective can be seen both on television and on stage.
"Uchkuduk - three wells", "Shakhrisabz", "This is love", "Shine, Tashkent" ...
Good songs, a glorious story that continues.

Ariel
The vocal and instrumental ensemble "Ariel" was created by Lev Fidelman, a student of the Chelyabinsk Music College, in 1968. At the beginning of 1968, at the New Year's holiday, the first performance of the ensemble took place (there was no name yet). It did not last long, since the director of the music school demanded to stop it (they managed to sing only three songs). In 1968, a line-up appeared that could give concerts. The name also appeared. They sang mostly songs of their own composition to the music of The Beatles, The Monkees, The Tremeloes, The Turtles.
In 1970, at the initiative of the regional committee of the Komsomol of the Central District of Chelyabinsk, three leading vocal and instrumental ensembles of that time were invited to the creative meeting: "Ariel", "Allegro" and "Pilgrims". The "Pilgrims" refused to meet, but among the ensembles "Ariel" and "Allegro" a kind of creative competition took place, as a result of which from two Chelyabinsk ensembles "Ariel" and "Allegro" (directed by Valery Yarushin) one was created - "Ariel "Headed by Valery Yarushin. The members decided to consider November 7, 1970 as the date of formation of the ensemble.


The ensemble has won a number of awards, performing at various festivals. In December 1971, Ariel shared the first place with the Skomorokhi trio led by Alexander Gradsky at the Silver Strings competition, dedicated to the 750th anniversary of the city of Gorky.
On account of Ariel - a number of conceptual stage performances, "rock operas", including: "For the Russian Land", "Masters", "The Tale of Emelyan Pugachev".
Distinctive features of the performing manner of VIA "Ariel" were the wide use of Russian folklore, colorful vocal polyphony and humor in the presentation of traditional song material.


The head of the ensemble, Valery Yarushin, left the ensemble in 1989. Currently he is a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Center for the Arts of Margarita Maiskaya "Art-Iso-Center", and also an honorary member of the jury of the International Festival of Arts "Art-Iso-Fest". Sometimes he gives recitals.

After Yarushin's departure, Rostislav Gepp leads the ensemble.
Songs on hearing: "Baba-Yaga", "On the Buyan Island", "Gave the Young", "Porushka-Paranya", "Alyonushka" and others.
Last album: 2014 - The reeds rustled (LP) PCRGLP002.


Of course, the list of famous Soviet groups that widely use folklore in their work is by no means limited to these three wonderful groups. But, unfortunately, the size of the material and the patience of those who read it are not limitless.
If you want, expand the list.
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