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RUSSIAN EPIC SONGS (BYLINAS) OF KARELIAN SINGERS IN P. N. RYBNIKOV’S COLLECTION

Folklore Studies

Authors

  • Novikov Yuri D. in Philology, Professor

Annotation

This article analyzes Russian epic songs (bylinas) performed by ethnic Karelians Vasily Lazarev and Dmitrieva. The texts were collected in the 60s of the 19th century by P. N. Rybnikov in the former Olonets government (now the Karelian Republic), but have not received proper attention from researchers. The texts are analyzed in the context of the local tradition of the Onega Lake area. They are compared with the variants from other regions of Northern Russia. The bylina about the bogatyr Mikhail Danilovich is in Lazarev's repertoire. This epic song is rarely found in the Onega region. Many elements characteristic of Onega district bylina can be found in these texts, as well as in other epic songs of Lazarev. Obvious connections are also presented with the epic tradition of the Arkhangelsk-Belomorsky region. Obviously, the singer was connected with narrators from different districts. He managed to remake creative epic motifs and stereotypes he learned from them. Dmitrieva's repertoire is common to the Onega district. Original (individual) or inimitable details and formulas attracted the attention of writers of popular bylinas. The published texts influenced the performers associated with the books of Russian bylinas. Traces of the influence of the Karelian-Finnish epic songs are not found in the content or style of the analyzed versions.
Tags:
epic songs , Karelian singers
References
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