Folk songs are those legends whose music and words appeared during the development of a certain culture. In most cases, these songs do not have an author, as they were composed by the people. All existing genres of folk songs cannot be listed. But you can learn about the most basic from this article.
At school, children are taught the basics of folklore in the lessons of music and literature. About what genres of folk songs are, the 4th grade learns there. Teachers conduct general education lessons, at each of which children are introduced to a certain type of folk art. Particular emphasis is placed on genres of folk songs, examples of the embodiment of which students are trying to find in reality.
About the motherland
Probably the very first songs that appeared on Earth are songs about the homeland. They head the section "genres of folk songs." Examples of such creativity can be found in the culture of the peoples of France, Germany, England and Scotland.
Songs about the homeland, in turn, are divided into:
- ballads;
- epics;
- historical songs ;
- fables.
The first type of folk songs carries a kind of gloomy character. Their content was clear, concise and consistent. The appearance of the very first ballads is ascribed to the Middle Ages, in Russia this genre appeared only in the 19th century.
The most famous examples of this type of song are: Thunderbolt, Lyudmila, The Sun and the Month, Air Ship, Song of the Thing Oleg.
Epics also appeared in the Middle Ages and mean "the story, according to the facts." A striking example is the "Word about Igor's regiment." The basis of such songs was stories about household items and some facts of history.
The content of historical songs included all kinds of historical events that occurred with the people. But this type of creativity ended in the 19th century, as it was supplanted by new forms of folklore that appeared. These songs reflected events from the second half of the fourteenth century. (âCapture of Kazanâ, âOversight of the Cossacksâ, âPoltavaâ) and until the end of World War II.
Non-fables were a kind of song that combined all the previous ones, only they were written in a comic form and had no real relation to history.
Workers
Work or work songs were created a very, very long time ago to facilitate the work of workers. In the same spirit, people composed some more genres of folk songs. Labor tunes were performed with a certain rhythm and intonation, which encouraged people to work actively. Most often, certain shouts and repetitions were present in them. The song always had jokes that encouraged people.
The most vivid and memorable example of this genre is "Oh, letâs die!". The rhythm of the song itself is made in such a way that it is connected with the uniformity of movements during work.
About love
The type of love songs is included in the special section âgenres of folk songsâ. Lyrical motifs of this type of creativity are most often performed by the female gender, only in the rarest cases it happens to be a chorus of men. The main types of love songs :
- wedding;
- lamentations;
- petals.
Wedding songs were the foundation of every family, because everyone knew them. Such a great holiday was accompanied by various songs, both sad, about the separation of the daughter from her parental home, and funny, which prophesied the young happy life. They started singing love songs at the bachelorette party.
The genre of lamentations is songs that carried a tragic content and were accompanied by a sad melody. This type of folk art combined not only songs about unrequited love or love at a distance, but also it could be story songs about some deplorable event.
Petals can be attributed to the genre of songs about love and to the genre of lullabies, as mothers began to sing to their children in the cradle. These songs praised the child, wished him health and happiness in his life.
Round dance and dance
Round dance and dance work are the most fun and favorite genres of Russian folk song. Examples of this type have been preserved in very large numbers: âMilletâ, âOn the Ivanushka Chapanâ, âDo not thank those, Ihumnu to youâ, âAt the gates, the gates of the priestsâ, âKatya is cheerfulâ.
Round dance and dance songs consist of an invitation to dance (round dance), the action itself and its final part.
These genres of folk songs carried a satirical content that was associated with dancing and poetry. For a while, this type of creativity was a kind of magical ritual ritual. But over the years, these songs have lost their relevance and have become just a way of entertainment at the holidays. Most often dances were conducted in the spring, since it was believed that it was possible to call on warmth, people were much less likely to have fun in the summer, as there was enough work. But winter gatherings ended with very fast dances and songs.
About nature
The nature of Russia is very rich and diverse, respectively, and songs about it simply can not be counted. Farmers and plowmen invented these songs in their free time, because they wanted to take a break from work, and they were always among the living nature.
Many genres of folk songs, calendar and ritual, labor, soldier, attribute this type of songs to a subsection of its main. But this is not a correct judgment at all. There are a lot of songs about nature, they draw a parallel between nature itself and the existence of man, as well as the created world around him. There is no place for work or military showdown, or any kind of celebration. They were created only with the aim of telling about all the beauty around working people.
Therefore, songs about nature are an independent phenomenon and cannot be part of any of the sections âRussian folk song genresâ. Examples of songs about nature simply canât be counted: âSnowballs are white, fluffyâ, âListen, larkâ, âThe sun is going down over the steppesâ, âSpring. Big water "," Evening ringing. "
Ritual
Calendar and ritual songs accompanied the Russian people for a very long time, since they were performed at all seasons of the year and regardless of holidays or weather. Data type of folklore has existed for more than two thousand years. There are a lot of subspecies of this genre:
- winter songs (carols);
- spring (spring);
- summer (songs on Ivan Kupala);
- songs of plowing and sowing, harvesting;
- Ascension songs;
- Pancake week.
This list can be continued for a long time, because these are the most common genres of Russian folk songs. Examples of ritual songs have survived until today, they are taught in music lessons in the 4th grade. This is âKoleda-Moledaâ, âThe girls sowed flaxâ, âI wound the wreathsâ.
Ditties
Russian culture is characterized by various funny motifs and the most diverse genres of folk songs. Grade 4, for example, without fail learns ditties and does it with great pleasure, as these are very light quatrains that have musical accompaniment. In ancient times, these songs were composed by rural youth and performed at various festivities with a balalaika or accordion. Over time, the ditties have become more domestic in nature and are reflected even in today's culture.
It is believed that the first ditties appeared in the XVII century. But they were more like satirical poems, rather than songs.
Ditties include other genres of folk songs:
- lyrical (with a wide variety of contents);
- suffering (about love);
- matanya (appeal to her lover / nom);
- dance (the most common satirical version of the ditties).
Lullabies
The most lyrical genre of folk song is considered to be a lullaby. Since ancient times, it has been customary that they are performed either by mothers or by babysitting for children to lull them to sleep. Musical accompaniment requires all the previous genres of folk songs. Lullabies are performed acapulously.
This genre of song is a kind of amulet for a child from evil forces. It was believed that in a dream you can see scary creatures, ghosts or just unpleasant events, but when the child opened his eyes, all this disappeared. That is why in some lullabies you can hear frightening words, for example, "a gray top will come and bite on a barrel."
Soldiers
Soldier songs are part of a larger genre - absentee songs. These include burlatsky, Chumatsky, workers (if this work is far from home) and Yamshchitsky.
The first soldier songs appeared along with the Cossacks in the XVII century. Since this phenomenon was new (new living conditions and traditions), the songs were able to fully reflect the events of those years. The main themes of such songs are military-historical events that describe everything that is happening in colors, the creation of images of heroes. Soldier folklore spoke truthfully and severely about the hostilities, but this did not mean that the soldiers and Cossacks did not come up with humorous songs.
These genres of folk songs with examples have survived until today in very large numbers. This is âOver the Liaohe River lights lit upâ, âTurks know us and Swedesâ, âBattle of Poltavaâ, âCheers to Tsar - Father of Russiaâ, âBlack horses are tornâ.