Songs of Antarctic

The audio files included in this section contain the songs created during the 2nd and 5th soviet Antarctic expeditions. The author of music for the songs is Oscar Krichak who was the chief of the meteorological division in the expeditions. His first song written in 1956, just before the beginning of the 2nd expedition, was “Drinking song” and the text for it was borrowed from Robert Burnes (the translation by S. Marshak). For other songs of the 2nd expedition the texts were mostly written by Anatoly Vvedensky (journalist who was also in the group of 2nd expedition in Mirny. The song “Despite the storm is terrible” was created in board the “Cooperation”. The text was written by meteorologist Sergey Smirnov. Usually the songs were accompanied by instrumental ensemble “Icicle” (Sosul’ka) organized by O.Krichak in Mirny.

Solo singing was commonly performed by Vladimir Zagorsky – the chief cook in Mirny.

The text for “Wish me luck” belongs to a Russian poet Konstantin Vanshenkin, it was written before the beginning of the 5th soviet Antarctic expedition. The song “To my sons (lullaby)” was composed in Antarctica and is based on the text of Boris Revnov – geologist of the 5th expedition. Boris is singing it to the accompaniment O.Krichak playing mandolin.

The Antarctic songs of O.G.Krichak were performed by the instrumental trio “Rive Gauche/Left banck” ( Alan Cooper, Julianne Stafford, Larry Schemel) at the historical Presentation of the Antarctic music in the frame of the 50-year celabration of the Antarctic Treaty in the Smitsonian institute, Washington D.C. in December 2009, and by the same trio at the concert in St. Peresburg in Russian Geographical Society, St. Petersburg, May 2012.

List of songs:

Antarctic waltz, performed by Vladimir Zagorskij and instrumental ensemble “Icicle” (Sosul’ka)wma
March of explorers of Antarctica, performed by Vladimir Zagorskij instrumental ensemble “Icicle” (Sosul’ka)wma
White iceberg, performed by Vladimir Zagorskij wma
Song for traveling, performed by Boris Revnov, 5th SAE wma
Drinking song, performed by Vladimir Zagorskij instrumental ensemble “Icicle” (Sosul’ka)wma
Thoughtful mood, perfomed by Shimanovich, 2nd CAEwma
Coming song “Talking at random”, performed by Vladimir Zagorskijwma
To my sons (lullaby), words and performed by Boris Revnov (accompanied by Oscar Krichak)wma
Wish me luck, performed by Boris Revnovwma
Despite the storm is terrible, performed by Vladimir Zagorskijwma