{{Short description|1917 proposed anthem of the Russian Republic}} {{Infobox anthem | title = {{lang|ru|Гимн Свободной России}} | english_title = "Anthem of Free Russia" | image = Anthem of Free Russia.jpg | image_size = | caption = Sheet music by the Russian Music Publishing | alt_title = {{lang|ru|«Да здравствует Россия, свободная страна!»}} | en_alt_title = "Long Live Russia, A Free Country!" | prefix = Proposed national | country = [[Russian Republic|Russia]] | composer = [[Alexander Gretchaninov]] | author = [[Konstantin Balmont]] | lyrics_date = 1917 | music_date = 1917 | adopted = | sound = The hymn of free Russia (Oreshkevich, 1917).opus | sound_title = 1917 vocal recording by Fyodor Oreshkevich in Kyiv}} The '''Anthem of Free Russia''',{{efn|{{lang-rus|Гимн Свободной России|r=Gimn Svobodnoy Rossii|p=ɡʲimn svɐˈbodnəj rɐˈsʲi(j)ɪ}}}} sometimes known by its [[incipit]] "'''Long Live Russia'''",{{efn|{{lang-rus|Да здравствует Россия|r=Da zdravstvuyet Rossiya|p=dɐ‿ˈzdrastvʊ(j)ɪt rɐˈsʲijə}}}} was a proposed anthem of the [[Russian Republic]] after the [[February Revolution]]. The music was composed by Russian composer [[Alexander Gretchaninov]] and the lyrics were written by [[Constantine Balmont]]. However, unlike the "[[Worker's Marseillaise]]", the Hymn of Free Russia was not adopted by the [[Russian Provisional Government]] of 1917, nor was it approved during several [[special meeting]]s of artists.<ref>[http://www.hymn.ru/soboleva-russian-national-symbols/ Славься, Отечество…<!-- The title was added by a bot -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060421030333/http://www.hymn.ru/soboleva-russian-national-symbols/ |date=2006-04-21 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vidod.edu.ru/kidsart/dosug/697.php |title=Дополнительное образование детей |access-date=2018-05-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050109003627/http://vidod.edu.ru/kidsart/dosug/697.php |archive-date=2005-01-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Development== When Gretchaninov found out the music of the song was finalized along with unfinished lyrics, he became dissatisfied with the lyrics, so he contacted Balmont. After Gretchaninov contacted Balmont, the lyrics were complete. The anthem was eventually published and was first performed at [[Bolshoi Theatre, Saint Petersburg|Bolshoi Theatre]], directed by [[Emil Cooper]]. Originally, the plot was taken from ''My Life'' («Моя жизнь»), a book written by Gretchaninov. It was published in [[New York City]] in 1954.
After Gretchaninov's arrival in the [[United States]], his friend [[Kurt Schindler]] and his wife translated the text into English, which was published by [[G. Schirmer, Inc.]]
== Historical significance == The song was widely popular between February and the [[Bolshevik Revolution]] in November.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arzamas.academy/materials/1247|title=Soundtrack of the Revolution|website=Arzamas|language=ru-ru|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> According to the historians Boris Kolonitskii and [[Orlando Figes]], songs were an important form of revolutionary expression:<blockquote>"Singing was the signal for a demonstration. It gave the protesters a sense of purpose and confidence and, perhaps most importantly, lifted their spirits. The leaders of the singing were the focus of the crowd in the February Days. The sound of the crowd drew other people on to the streets and hence into 'the revolution'. By joining in with the singing, spectators turned into participants in a matter of moments. Songs united the demonstrators, giving cohesion and a collective identity to diverse groups and classes."<ref>{{Cite book|title=Interpreting the Russian Revolution : the language and symbols of 1917|last=Figes, Orlando|date=1999|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=0300081065|oclc=473559149}}</ref></blockquote>
==Popularity== Shortly after the release of [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|Radio Liberty]] on air, a musical screen saver was needed, through which listeners could listen to Russian broadcasts better. The Hymn of Free Russia was then chosen.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite web |url=http://realaudio.rferl.org/ru/sosin.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008090844/http://realaudio.rferl.org/ru/sosin.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-10-08 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-05-12 }}</ref>
As radio veteran Gene Sosin recalled in the book ''Sparks of Freedom'', the anthem began with the line "Long live Russia, a free country!" and the music was performed on a celestial, although the tempo and instrumentation was later changed to an orchestra. For 38 consecutive years, millions of listeners in the [[Soviet Union]] actively heard the tune, regardless of the song's origin. The song was well-known to be "connected with a 'free voice' from the outside world." This made people forget about their [[Cold War|cold pasts]].<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite web |url=http://realaudio.rferl.org/ru/sosin.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008090844/http://realaudio.rferl.org/ru/sosin.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-10-08 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-05-12 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.radio.hobby.ru/sosin.html DX-библиотека: Искры свободы<!-- The title was added by a bot -->]</ref>
The song became the unofficial anthem of the [[Opposition to Vladimir Putin in Russia|Russian opposition]]. During the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]], it also became a popular [[Protests against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|anti-war]] symbol.
==Lyrics== {{Listen | type = music | filename = Anthem of Free Russia Instrumental.ogg | title = Anthem of Free Russia Instrumental | description = Instrumental rendition | format = [[Ogg]]}} {|class="wikitable ![[Russian language|Russian]] original ![[Romanization of Russian|Latin transliteration]] ![[English language|English]] version<br>{{small|(by [[Kurt Schindler]])}} |- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;" |<poem lang=ru>'''{{small|Припев:}}''' Да здравствует Россия, свободная страна! Свободная стихия великой суждена!
'''I''' Могучая держава, безбрежный океан! Борцам за волю слава, развеявшим туман!
'''{{small|''Припев''}}'''
'''II''' Леса, поля, и нивы, и степи, и моря, Мы вольны и счастливы, нам всем горит заря!
'''{{small|''Припев''}}'''</poem> |<poem lang=ru>'''{{small|Pripev:}}''' Da zdravstvuyet Rossiya, svobodnaya strana! Svobodnaya stikhiya vyelikoy suzhdyena!
'''I''' Moguchaya dyerzhava, byezbryezhnyy okyean! Bortsam za volyu slava, razvyeyavshym tuman!
'''{{small|''Pripev''}}'''
'''II''' Lesa, polya, i nivy, i stepi, i morya, My volny i schastlivy, nam vsem gorit zarya!
'''{{small|''Pripev''}}'''</poem> |<poem>'''{{small|Chorus:}}''' Young Russia, hail, victorious! All praise we chant to thee! Amid the nations, glorious, thou standest, proud and free!
'''I''' No tyrant shall enslave thee, thy sun arises bright; All hail to those who gave thee New Freedom's sacred light!
'''{{small|''Chorus''}}'''
'''II''' A song of countless voices resounds from shore to shore, The Russian folk rejoices with Freedom evermore.
'''{{small|''Chorus''}}'''</poem> |}
===1926 version=== {{Listen | type = music | filename = The hymn of free Russia - Гимн свободной России (text and music - 1917).ogg | title = 1926 recording | description = Alternative lyrics version performed by David Medoff, 1926 | format = [[Ogg]]}}
{|class="wikitable ![[Russian language|Russian]] original ![[Romanization of Russian|Latin transliteration]] ![[English language|English]] translation |- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;" |<poem lang=ru>'''{{small|Припев:}}''' Да здравствует Россия, свободная страна! Свободная стихия великой суждена!
'''I''' Могучая держава, безбрежный океан! Борцам за волю слава, развеявшим туман!
'''{{small|''Припев''}}'''
'''II''' Добились теперь мы лучшей доли, Свергнули мы царский гнёт!
'''{{small|''Припев''}}'''
'''III''' Всем дали довольно земли и воли, Смелей, брат, вступай вперёд!
'''{{small|''Припев''}}'''</poem> |<poem lang=ru>'''{{small|Pripev:}}''' Da zdravstvuyet Rossiya, svobodnaya strana! Svobodnaya stikhiya vyelikoy suzhdyena!
'''I''' Moguchaya dyerzhava, byezbryezhnyy okyean! Bortsam za volyu slava, razvyeyavshym tuman!
'''{{small|''Pripev''}}'''
'''II''' Dobilis' tyeper' my luchshey doli, Svyergnuli my tsarskiy gnyot!
'''{{small|''Pripev''}}'''
'''III''' Vsyem dali dovol'no zyemli i voli, Smeley, brat, vstupay vpyeryod!
'''{{small|''Pripev''}}'''</poem> |<poem>'''{{small|Chorus:}}''' Long live Russia, a free country! A free nature's the destiny of the great country!
'''I''' A mighty power, a boundless ocean! Glory to freedom fighters, dispelling the fog!
'''{{small|''Chorus''}}'''
'''II''' We have now earned a better fate for us, We have demolished the despotism of the Tsar!
'''{{small|''Chorus''}}'''
'''III''' Everyone has been given enough land and will, Be bold, brother, step on forward!
'''{{small|''Chorus''}}'''</poem> |}
==See also== *"[[Auld Lang Syne]]", sung in a similar tune *"[[Aegukga]]", sung in a similar tune
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Commonscat-inline}}
{{National anthems of Russia}}
[[Category:Historical national anthems]] [[Category:Russian anthems]] [[Category:Regional songs]] [[Category:February Revolution]] [[Category:Musical settings of poems by Konstantin Balmont]]