Moscow Nights

For other uses, see Moscow Nights (disambiguation).

Подмосковные вечера / Moscow Nights Choir and orchestra of the Red Army

Memorial on the wall of building in Moscow, where the song "Moscow Nights" was created

"Moscow Nights" or "Midnight in Moscow" is a Russian song, and one of those best known outside its homeland.

The song was originally created as "Leningradskie Vechera" ("Leningrad Nights") by composer Vasily Solovyov-Sedoi and poet Mikhail Matusovsky in 1955 (when both had well-established careers), but at the request of the Soviet Ministry of Culture, the version "Подмосковные вечера" (transliterated as "Podmoskovnye Vechera"; more or less "Evenings in Moscow Oblast") was prepared,^[when?] with corresponding changes to the lyrics.

Podmoskovnye Vechera was recorded by Vladimir Troshin,^[when?] a young actor of the Moscow Art Theatre, for a documentary about the athletic competition Spartakiad of the Peoples of the RSFSR, for a scene where the participants rest in the Podmoskovye, or the Moscow suburbs. It found little notice in the context of the film, but gained a significant popularity thanks to radio broadcasts.

In 1957, the song won both the international song contest and the first prize at the World Festival of Youth and Students held in Moscow, quite to the surprise of its creators. The song spread around the world, achieving particular popularity in mainland China; Van Cliburn's 1958 piano performance of the tune contributed to this international spread.

In the Soviet Union, the tune has been the time signal sounded every 30 minutes on the Mayak music and news radio station since 1964. The shortwave radio station Radio Moscow's English-language service has played an instrumental version of "Moscow Nights", between informing listeners of frequency changes and the hourly newscast since the start of the 24 hour English Service in 1978.

The British jazz group, Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen, had a hit with the song in 1961 under the title "Midnight in Moscow"^[1], and film exists which shows them playing it^[when?] at a concert in Moscow. This version peaked at number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1962; in March of that year, it spent three weeks at number one on the American Easy Listening chart.

The Russian pop singer Vitas recorded a version of the song with his countertenor voice. He performed it on several Chinese festivals before its release on Masterpieces of Three Centuries, released on November 25, 2010.^[2]

Text

Russian

English

Не слышны в саду даже шорохи, Всё здесь замерло до утра. Eсли б знали вы, как мне дороги Подмосковные вечера. Речка движется и не движется, Вся из лунного серебра. Песня слышится и не слышится В эти тихие вечера. Что ж ты, милая, смотришь искоса, Низко голову наклоня? Трудно высказать и не высказать Всё, что на сердце у меня. А рассвет уже всё заметнее. Так, пожалуйста, будь добра. Не забудь и ты эти летние Подмосковные вечера.

Whispers are not heard in the flowerbed, Everything has died down till dawn. If you only knew, how dear to me Are these tranquil Moscow nights. As the river moves, and yet unmoving, All in silver moonlight so bright. 'Tis where a song is heard, and yet unheard, In these silent tranquil nights. Why do you, dear, look askance, with your head lowered so? Why do you not speak so, my sweetheart? It is hard to express, and hard to hold back, Everything that my heart holds. But dawn's becoming ever brighter. So please, just be good dear sweetheart. Don't you, too, forget, these Moscow nights These summer, Moscow nights.

References

1. ^ Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen
2. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sReXMW3VLAU

• Yevgeniy Dolmatovsky, "Tales about Your Songs", Moscow, Detskaya Literatura, 1973. Долматовский Е. Рассказы о твоих песнях.- М.: Детская литература, 1973.
• The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition, 1996

External links

	Russia portal
	Soviet Union portal
	Music portal

• Article about composer, with photograph and links (Russian)
• Translation taken from this site
• About the song, with two English translations^{[dead link]}
• Chinese President Hu Jintao singing Moscow Nights
• Vitas performing Moscow Nights