MANZHUR

“MANZHUR”, Bashkir ethnic song, uzun-kuy. A song is lyro-dramatic. The original work of “M.”, named after Manchuria (China), is connected with events which took place during the Russian-Japanese war of 1904-1905. Supposedly the song was composed by the war participant Ramazan Yarmukhametov known as Yapon. The poetic text of the song reflects the soldiers’ hard destiny and their nostalgia. The melody is lightly ornamented, the mode is based on a major pentatonic. The song consists of 2 parts. The verse tempo contrasts with the chorus tempo: the gradual descending melodic move is typical for the calm lingering verse, the vivid chorus ends with slow full cadence, returning the initial tempo to the tune.

G.A. Ishkinina