Music In Historic Novels

Russian Music

From folk songs to symphonies, from lullabies to  ballets, Russia's soul is expressed in her music. I used several references to music to immerse the reader in my stories.  During Akulina and Massey's wedding feast described in Ikons: Saint Nicholas the Wonder Worker, the hall was fill with boisterous melodies shouted by the celebrants.  Akulina sat stoically through the vodka infused celebration until Massey requested the manly Cossack tune, "Stefan Razin."  That did it.  Using her newly acquired wifely authority she whispered, "Not that. Sing 'Little Bells.'"  Massey realizing the shift in family dynamics acquiesced and called for the sentimental tune, which today is still considered by many the most beautiful Russian song ever penned.

Little Bells

I used the haunting lyrics of "Little Bells" throughout my three novels whenever one of my characters would leave their homeland.  It continued until the ultimate departure, the death of Boris.

Patriotic Music

Banners: For God, Tsar and Russia begins with the citizens of Hutava sending her sons off to battle accompanied by the stirring notes of a popular patriotic song, "Sing Little Nightingale." The villagers, led by old Telepnev's concertina, made up in volume what they lacked in tone.  The rousing melody and festive atmosphere belied the disaster awaiting Hutava.

 

Sing Little Nightingale

After three years and millions of casualties, Russia's music shifted from patriotic to revolutionary.  By 1917 her citizens paraded with a different song on their lips -- "The International."  This clip from the 1981 movie "Reds" captures the heady optimism of the Russian Revolution when a socialistic future still held great promise.  In my third book, Slogans: Our Children, Our Future, young Stepha learns to play "The International" on his concertina and leads "volunteers" to the planting and harvest.

The International

The new government is not embraced by all thrusting Russia into civil war.  As Reds and White forces clash, another song replaced "The International."

Song of the Red Army

Kataya's childhood friend Igor was conscripted into the Red Army and became an officer in the Konarmia, the feared Red Calvary.  With Igor in the vanguard, the Konarmia cut a swath through enemy forces until its defeat on the banks of Vistula. 

White Army, Black Baron

The military song, "White Army, Black Baron," was sang by the Komarmia during their march and heralded the coming of their 100,000 sabers as a challenge to all who opposed them.

Popular songs are sprinkled throughout my saga as the situation requires.  The strains of the gypsy melody "Dark Eyes" brought memories of home to the Russian immigrants in America, and the Subboniks defiantly sang the "Song of the Volga Boatmen" during their forced labor.  Stepha learned several melodies on his concertina with "My Little Duck" being his signature tune.

The boastful lyrics of George Cohan's "Over There" announced America's entry into the first world war and those of the melancholy "The Long Long Trail" its departure.

Fleshing out your story

The "years ago" stories I heard from my grandfather, father, relatives and their friends provided the framework for my three novels.  But bare-bone facts are not sufficient to hold the readers attention.  What an historical novel requires are the nuances of history that puts flesh on those bones and transports the reader into a culture long past.  They are the details defining characters' clothing, food, housing and speech that brings a novel life.  While a few of these details can be obtained from first hand knowledge, the vast majority requires research.

The Russian's World

Over the course of my writing, I collected a rather extensive research library.  While many of the volumes were obtained through the local library, many more were purchased online or through book stores.  My main source of Russian cultural tidbits was The Russian's World: Life and Language, by Generva Gerhart.  To say this book was invaluable to my research would be an understatement.

My main source of Russian culture

Gerhart's book provided information on housing, food, language and more.  It was especially useful with Russian names; which names implied an aristocrat and which a pheasant.  It walked me through the labyrinth of the differences between the familiar and the proper, and patronymics and endearing Russian nicknames.  Gerhart's information was woven throughout my three novels.

Names (The Russian's World by Genevra Gerhart)

An even subtler requirement were the nasty names and phrases used in everyday conversation.   Every story needs a few expressions of disdain, and again Gerhart's book came through.

Name Calling (The Russian's World by Genevra Gerhart)

Russian to English

While rummaging through a pile of books at a flea market, I came upon a work entitled New Russian - English and English Russian Dictionary.  The work by M.A. O'Brien was published in 1944 and contained many of the outdated words used during my novels' period.  By cross referencing English and Russian, I was able to find just the right connotation to flavor my story.

Russian History

When I began writing my first novel, a book entitled, Picture History of Russia provided the historic information I needed to establish my settings.  Edited by Stuart Martin, the book was published in 1945 and presented images of Russian history from prehistoric to modern times.  Photos and descriptions from the pre-revolutionary Russia to the Soviet Union provided the Slavic background for my saga.  In addition, many of the photos stirred my imagination resulting in the various subplots winding through the saga.

These three books provided gave me an overview of Russia, her people, and culture.  There were many other reference books used for specific periods.  They warrent posts of their own.

American Elections

None of my principle characters were American citizens during the period my three novels spanned.  However, they were able to witness the election process without the blinders of emotional involvement.  In Slogans: Our Children, Our Future, during his Americanization class, Massey reflects on the difference between Russia's and America's method of changing government in 1920.

* * *

Miss Smith's next words faded as Massey thought of what happened during the last month.  In Russia, a bloody war was needed to decide which political organization would lead the country.  By contrast America’s change in government happened with ballots, not bullets.  Massey had just witnessed his third national election and was still amazed.  For the last six months he had watched the followers of Harding and Cox battling for the right to govern America.  But in spite of all the heated debates, not a shot was fired and only one nose was bloodied, and that happened outside Winnies’s and was more the result of illegal spirits than political zeal

* * * 

I wonder what those Americans in 1920 would think of our American election today?

Characters With Extreme Passion

On a sunny January morning in 1905, thousands of Russian citizens marched toward the Tsar's Winter Palace.  The unarmed marchers were there to present a petition asking their Little Father to right the wrongs of his people.  As the marchers neared the palace, they were met with hundreds of sword-wielding Cossack bent on preserving order.  In the ensuing attack, hundreds of marchers were killed and hundreds more wounded.  The event became etched in Russia's soul as Bloody Sunday.

Bloody Sunday

Eleven years later, the populous of Petrograd, pushed beyond tolerance and filled with courage spawned by desperation, again marched against the Tsar's government.  Their demand was simple - food.  In my novel, Banners: For God, Tsar and Russia, the story of this event is told through the actions of Valentina Kondakova.

* * *

When twenty-year-old Valentina Kondakova left her tenement in the Vyborg district of Petrograd, she did not intend to bring down a government.  All she wanted was to participate in the International Woman’s Day and demonstrate for bread and justice.

* *  *

Women's Day Protest for Bread and Justice

I created Valentina to represent those caught up in historic events.  Valentia was not a fiery radical, but a simple worker who found courage in necessity and numbers.  She and the other women from the Neva Thread Mills Workers' Soviet were among those who unfurled their banners and began a determined march toward the Winter Place and destiny.  What lay before them could have become another Bloody Sunday.

* * *   

Valentina could not stop now if she wanted.  The crush of the women behind her forced her forward and even the fierce sound emanating from the soldiers could not stem their advance.  Valentina had resigned herself to die, but then understood the soldiers weren’t taunting―they were cheering.   

“Keep coming, sisters,” one shouted.  “Press harder,” yelled another.  Soon all the shouts blended into one single, irresistible chant, “Freedom!  Freedom!  Freedom!”  The powder keg had exploded.

* * *

While I never participated in a demonstration, as did Valentina, I vicariously experienced the anti-war marches of the sixties and the outpour of hatred against George Bush in the early part of this century.  I found it easy to write from Valentia's desperate resolve, but I hesitated to attempt the vitriolic attacks exhibited by individual activists and such organizations as Code Pink.  I simply could not find the words to convey my characters raw hatred.

A century later, demonstrations continue

Early in Banners, I introduced a Cossack named Alexander Dukov, who progressively became an ardent and passionate Communist.  I was never comfortable with Sasha, for his single-minded dedication to a cause was foreign to me.  I always see two sides to a story and cannot embrace the concept of total righteousness.  Writing from Sasha's point of view stretched my imagination.

Cossack

* * *

“No!”  Sasha hammered his fist into the table.  “We can’t allow any of them to escape.  We must crush them like the bugs they are.  We should level the palace and kill them all.  It will be a lesson to anyone who stands before the will of the people.”

Cossacks.  Can’t anyone tame them?

* * *

My other character in the demonstration scene was modeled after a military friend of mine.  The young officer I penned faced a dilemma.  Does he fire one women who could well be his sisters or does he follow his orders?

* * *

“Tell the men to lower their weapons and stand down,” commanded Shatbs-kapitan Guddenov.  It took a moment for the noncoms to realize his meaning before they passed it on.  At first the company greeted the command with stunned silence, then suddenly a spontaneous cheer rose from the ranks."

* * *

When I presented the scene to friend, he disagreed with my character's action.  He claimed he would have followed orders to halt the marchers by any means necessary.  I hope he was joking.