Вянок

Artists

Album Info

Release Date: 2017-12-10

Label: Ковчег

2nd (mass) edition. Compared to 1st edition (test press) has a number of changes in artwork, CDs are the same.

(c) Вершы: Максiм Багдановiч. Музыка: Уладзiмiр Мулявiн i аутары, названыя у буклеце
(p) "Каучэг", Мiнск, 2017

Packaged in jewel case with 28-page booklet.

Taken from rehearsal's, studio and live records (original recordings, 1989-1993)

PESNYARY from Belarus were probably the most important and original group not only in their homeland, but in the whole Soviet Union. Often categorized as a folk-rock band, PESNYARY are more than this – besides folk and rock you can hear in their works pop music (in a good sense of the word), jazz rock and progressive rock. Any band would be lucky to have at least one lead singer with distinctive voice, but PESNYARY always had several unique singers at the same time. The band is also famous for their wonderful multi-vocal harmonies.

In 1991 100th anniversary of great Belarusian poet Maxim Bogdanovich (1891-1917) birth has been celebrated in Belarus and internationally – the event was included in UNESCO’s “Anniversaries of Great Personalities and Historic Events 1990-1991” list. Vladimir Mulyavin, the band’s constant leader from day one, created the cycle of songs «Вянок» (“The Wreath”) based on poems of Maxim Bogdanovich. Within only a couple of months the cycle (or programme, as the band called their concept works) was arranged and rehearsed. PESNYARY existed more than 20 years then, people rarely expect masterpieces from such long-living groups, but “The Wreath” belongs to the band’s strongest works – 70 minutes of music and not a single filler song!

PESNYARY played the whole programme only twice – first time in November 1991 in the United Nations Library, New York and then, in December, in Minsk, Belarus, but it was never released on CD or LP, only 4 of 15 songs were included in different compilations.

Now for the first time “The Wreath” is available in its entirety. This release is based on the record from the band’s rehearsal (actually “live in studio” performance, made in one take, without any overdubs). Studio and live versions of 5 songs which were not played at that rehearsal were added. Recordings were carefully restored by the band’s former musician and professional sound engineer Nikolai Neronski, thus you may hear them in best possible quality.

CD 1 contains the entire “The Wreath” programme.
CD 2 presents alternative versions of some songs, in order to give the listener the possibility to see the evolution of this cycle of songs.

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