«Weird Music of the Fat Men», or Soviet Interpretations of Lviv Jazz (1944–1953)
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| Title: | «Weird Music of the Fat Men», or Soviet Interpretations of Lviv Jazz (1944–1953) |
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| Source: | History Pages; No. 60 (2025): №60 Страницы истории; № 60 (2025): №60 Сторінки історії; № 60 (2025): №60 |
| Publisher Information: | Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, 2025. |
| Publication Year: | 2025 |
| Subject Terms: | Львів, джаз, теа джаз, музика, саксофон, естрада, оркестр, львів'янин, Lviv, jazz, theater jazz, music, saxophone, stage performance, orchestra, Lviv resident |
| Description: | This study examines the musical — specifically jazz — history of Soviet Lviv during the 1940’s and 1950’s. Throughout this period, the city operated under the influence of Soviet jazz in its Russian interpretation. Regular tours by orchestras led by prominent figures such as Leonid Utyosov, Klavdiya Shulzhenko, Eddie Rosner, Boris Rensky, Shiko Aranov, Vivi Sikht, and the brothers Dmitry and Daniil Pokrass, all performing Russian-language programs, contributed to the emergence of jazz bands in Lviv that functioned within the Russian cultural sphere. Consequently, a significant portion of the repertoire performed by Lviv jazz groups was In Russian, though largely adapted to Western rhythms. The postwar decade in Lviv was characterized by Russian songs such as «Devushka iz malen'koy taverny» («Girl from the Little Tavern»), «V bananovo-lilovom Singapure» («In Banana-Purple Singapore»), «Ochi chernye» («Dark Eyes»), «Chubchik» («Little Curl»), «Tatyana», and others, which effectively formed the city’s musical backdrop. An intriguing feature of Lviv’s postwar musical environment was the German melody «Rosamunde», which gained such popularity on dance floors that it somewhat overshadowed the effects of Russification. With numerous national variations, «Rosamunde» remained a dominant musical symbol of the postwar era for an extended period, not only in Lviv but throughout the USSR. A notable exception amid the dominance of Russian themes was the promotion of Ukrainian music through the works of Anatoliy Kos-Anatolskyi, Yevhen Kozak, and Serhiy Kashtelyan. Their contribution to local jazz development can be characterized as cautious and measured, given the regime’s ambiguous stance toward this genre. Nevertheless, their jazz variations— «V zabutomu sadu» («In the Forgotten Garden»), «V Stryiskim parku» («In Stryi Park»), «Hutsulskyi vals» («Hutsul Waltz»), «Handzya», «Kolhospnyi vals» («Collective Farm Waltz»), «Nevdale zalytsyannya» («Unsuccessful Courtship»), and others — found their audience and became an enduring part of Ukraine’s jazz heritage. The development of jazz music was significantly hindered by government persecution in the late 1940’s, which led to the proliferation of derogatory epithets such as «weird music», «music born of base instincts», «music of the fat men», «harmful surrogate», and «music in the service of reactionary forces», among others. By the early 1950’s, jazz was afforded relative peace, and the saxophone returned to orchestras, although some caution persisted, preventing complete creative freedom. This period represents a crucial chapter in the cultural history of Soviet Lviv, illustrating how local musical traditions navigated between official ideology, foreign influences, and authentic artistic expression. Студії присвячені музичній, чи радше, джазовій історії радянського Львова 1940–1950рр. Простежено вплив радянського джазу, в його російській інтерпретації, на місто в окреслений період, а також причини засилля російських гастролерів. Проаналізовано побутування німецької мелодії «Розамунда». Охарактеризовано популяризацію української музики в творах Анатолія Кос-Анатольського, Євгена Козака та Сергія Каштеляна. Дано оцінку впливу владних переслідувань кінця 1940‑хрр. на розвиток джазової музики, які призвели у тому числі до поширення образливих епітетів на кшталт: «дика музика», «музика народжена ницими інстинктами», «музика товстунів», «шкідливий сурогат», «музика на службі реакції» тощо. Визначено особливості повернення джазу в орекстри початку 1950‑хрр. |
| Document Type: | Article |
| File Description: | application/pdf |
| Language: | Ukrainian |
| ISSN: | 2307-5244 2411-0647 |
| Access URL: | https://historypages.kpi.ua/article/view/338328 |
| Rights: | CC BY |
| Accession Number: | edsair.scientific.p..0eb7e15e6c8076dda17120d83e2a1d1b |
| Database: | OpenAIRE |
Nájsť tento článok vo Web of Science | Abstract: | This study examines the musical — specifically jazz — history of Soviet Lviv during the 1940’s and 1950’s. Throughout this period, the city operated under the influence of Soviet jazz in its Russian interpretation. Regular tours by orchestras led by prominent figures such as Leonid Utyosov, Klavdiya Shulzhenko, Eddie Rosner, Boris Rensky, Shiko Aranov, Vivi Sikht, and the brothers Dmitry and Daniil Pokrass, all performing Russian-language programs, contributed to the emergence of jazz bands in Lviv that functioned within the Russian cultural sphere. Consequently, a significant portion of the repertoire performed by Lviv jazz groups was In Russian, though largely adapted to Western rhythms. The postwar decade in Lviv was characterized by Russian songs such as «Devushka iz malen'koy taverny» («Girl from the Little Tavern»), «V bananovo-lilovom Singapure» («In Banana-Purple Singapore»), «Ochi chernye» («Dark Eyes»), «Chubchik» («Little Curl»), «Tatyana», and others, which effectively formed the city’s musical backdrop. An intriguing feature of Lviv’s postwar musical environment was the German melody «Rosamunde», which gained such popularity on dance floors that it somewhat overshadowed the effects of Russification. With numerous national variations, «Rosamunde» remained a dominant musical symbol of the postwar era for an extended period, not only in Lviv but throughout the USSR. A notable exception amid the dominance of Russian themes was the promotion of Ukrainian music through the works of Anatoliy Kos-Anatolskyi, Yevhen Kozak, and Serhiy Kashtelyan. Their contribution to local jazz development can be characterized as cautious and measured, given the regime’s ambiguous stance toward this genre. Nevertheless, their jazz variations— «V zabutomu sadu» («In the Forgotten Garden»), «V Stryiskim parku» («In Stryi Park»), «Hutsulskyi vals» («Hutsul Waltz»), «Handzya», «Kolhospnyi vals» («Collective Farm Waltz»), «Nevdale zalytsyannya» («Unsuccessful Courtship»), and others — found their audience and became an enduring part of Ukraine’s jazz heritage. The development of jazz music was significantly hindered by government persecution in the late 1940’s, which led to the proliferation of derogatory epithets such as «weird music», «music born of base instincts», «music of the fat men», «harmful surrogate», and «music in the service of reactionary forces», among others. By the early 1950’s, jazz was afforded relative peace, and the saxophone returned to orchestras, although some caution persisted, preventing complete creative freedom. This period represents a crucial chapter in the cultural history of Soviet Lviv, illustrating how local musical traditions navigated between official ideology, foreign influences, and authentic artistic expression.<br />Студії присвячені музичній, чи радше, джазовій історії радянського Львова 1940–1950рр. Простежено вплив радянського джазу, в його російській інтерпретації, на місто в окреслений період, а також причини засилля російських гастролерів. Проаналізовано побутування німецької мелодії «Розамунда». Охарактеризовано популяризацію української музики в творах Анатолія Кос-Анатольського, Євгена Козака та Сергія Каштеляна. Дано оцінку впливу владних переслідувань кінця 1940‑хрр. на розвиток джазової музики, які призвели у тому числі до поширення образливих епітетів на кшталт: «дика музика», «музика народжена ницими інстинктами», «музика товстунів», «шкідливий сурогат», «музика на службі реакції» тощо. Визначено особливості повернення джазу в орекстри початку 1950‑хрр. |
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| ISSN: | 23075244 24110647 |