‘The Evening on the Roadstead’ song saw light in Leningrad, the city that just in a few months after the war breaking out found itself in the middle of a battle.
Vasily
It was then the composer came up with the famous line ‘Goodbye, my dear city’, destined to become immortal. But soon all the ideas left him and he had to turn to Alexander Churkin, his friend, poet and
Following the reminiscences of Alexander Churkin: “Composer began to play the piano. It was a broad and disturbing melody. „We should begin this way „Goodbye, my dear city“…“, said
Still, there is another story about the creation of the song. According to it, the song was composed right before the war. This version is supported by the fact that the lyrics lack the word ‘war’. It’s a romantic song about love and compelled separation of lovers who will have to go a long way before they meet again.
The song was likely composed in 1941, but in spring and not in August. Vladimir Koralli, Soviet singer, songwriter and husband of the
Nevertheless, during those terrible years of grief and sorrow the song telling us about the compelled separation sounded like a war composition, indeed. The song was so popular that it had gained different versions along the way. Thus, the infantry changed the word ‘sea’ to ‘field’, while units fighting in Crimea — to ‘mountains’.
Even today the song, outliving its creators, is listed in the repertoire of various artists.
Sources: Советская музыка (Soviet Music), Военный альбом (Military Álbum), Победа.екатеринбург.рф websites.