Rendering № 13

The editorial published January, 24 is headlined “Commemorating Vladimir Vysotsky - Russia's best-loved bard poet”. The article carries a lot of comment on the son of Soviet prominent artist Vladimir Vysotsky and several other Russian performers as well as their memories of this timeless icon and his legacy. It must be mentioned that his records used to be swapped under the counter in the days of the Soviet Union. 

The author takes a critical view that today, more than 30 years since his death in 1980, Vladimir Vysotsky continues to draw crowds in Moscow. The writer proves his point of view as he mentions about the meeting of Russia Beynd the Headlines met his son and several other Russian performers  which commemorated what would have been his 75th birthday. They talk about their memories of this timeless icon and the legacy he left. Then, the reporter quotes Vladimir Vysotsky’s son : “When people ask my father what he wanted most, he would always reply: ‘I want people to remember me”. 

Giving appraisal to the situation, the author points out that Vladimir Vysotsky made an appearance, speaking on a huge screen that dominated the Hall. It is interesting here to take notice of his statement “When I recited poetry at the age of six, my parents’ friends said that I had the voice of a real drunkard. That’s how it has always been, I never forced it. My imitators had quite a difficult task...” There is every likelihood that Vysotsky’s songs were never officially permitted in the Soviet Union; he was only recognized officially as a theatre and cinema actor. Then, we see Vladimir Shakhrin’s quotation who is  leader of the group Chaif, did not discover Vysotsky through the secretly made cassettes; his father used Vysotsky’s songs to help teach him how to play guitar. ““Each of his songs is like a whole drama: a piece of theatre that can be read, again and again; and each time you find new emotions, a new meaning”. By way of summing up, Shakhrin makes an interesting comparison: “Europe had its Beatlemania. We didn’t have the Beatles at that time – but we did have Vysotsky.” Analyzing other people’s opinions towards this legend, it’s interesting to point out Ilja “Chjort” (a devil) Knabengof’s statement who is leader of the group Pilot, was not around when Vysotsky was alive. “Through his attitude and his deep, intellectual lyrics, he created Russian rock in the way it exists today. Vysotsky was the first Russian rocker,” says Knabengof. The author of the editorial comes to conclusion that Vysotsky’s legacy is so profound that some see him as untouchable in terms of the heights he reached. “There is a big gap in Russian song. People are wasting their time trying to say yet again something that Vysotsky shouted out loud long ago,” says singer Elena Kamburova, founder of the Moscow Theatre of Music and Poetry.

The correspondent concludes the article with his conclusion that the audience is also enchanted by this legacy. The greying heads of those who were the singer’s contemporaries can be counted on the fingers of one hand among his fans. This jubilee was attended by thousands of Muscovites, offering Vysotsky that which he desired above all else during his lifetime – immortality.

As for me, I completely agree with the author’s opinion and I like the way he describes his view of this legend of twenties. There is no doubt, Vysotsky is pride of our country and love he had earned is really deserved…the fact makes me happy is that his songs are in my native language and as a result I have wonderful opportunities to listen them without translation and thus understand their direct and indirect meanings…