How the Russian ‘balalaika’ conquered the world

The world was introduced to the soft sound of the balalaika by Vasily Andreyev, founder of Russia's first folk instrument ensemble. This music required no translation: its sound was instantly recognizable. Gentle, tender, capable of expressing sadness, joy and love. In 1958, American Van Cliburn, winner of the first International Tchaikovsky Competition, was given a Russian balalaika. The gift was meaningful: the musician had already heard ‘balalaika’ player Mikhail Rozhkov perform. "Words cannot express how much I loved your playing. I've fallen in love with the balalaika!" he confessed after a concert by his Russian colleague.

Soon, people abroad began talking about this musical instrument. Following the footsteps of Igor Moiseyev’s dance ensemble and the Pyatnitsky Choir, the Osipov Russian Folk Orchestra introduced foreign audiences to folk music traditions. The world first heard of it in the 1960s, thanks to the unique album ‘Balalaika Favorites’.

This was the first concert recording made by Americans in the Soviet Union. Sound engineers and other recording specialists brought 4.5 metric tons of equipment to Moscow, which they set up in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. ‘Kamarinskaya’, ‘The Moon Shines’, ‘Evening Bells’ and ‘Moscow Nights’ – the melodies flowed one after another. The album was released not only in the United States, but also in Italy, France, Japan, Australia and other countries. It seemed incredible that a folk instrument ensemble could sound as impressive as a symphony orchestra.

Balalaika here & there

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the orchestra performed in America at the invitation of the renowned impresario Sol Hurok, who organized exchange tours between the USSR and the USA. After the concerts, skeptical journalists were stunned to admit that the Soviet ensemble's balalaika and ‘domra’ (another, lesser famous, Russian string instrument) players possessed a technique no worse than, if not better than, that of classical violinists. "The virtuosity of this soloist, playing a folk instrument, begs to be compared to that of the Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia," newspapers wrote about the mastery of balalaika player Anatoly Tikhonov.

During their tour of Australia and New Zealand, ‘Osipov’ became the buzzword you'd hear everywhere. For four months, the Soviet orchestra's performances were packed to capacity. Local critics never tired of raving: "Exciting!" "Fabulous!" “Magnificent!”

Russian music with a new twist

Balalaika ensembles began to emerge not only in the Soviet Union, but also abroad. Some were formed by the descendants of emigrants, while others were created by enthusiasts of the folk instrument. They demonstrated from their own experience that the balalaika is capable of performing not only folk compositions, but also classical and modern melodies.

The Washington Balalaika Society, the largest of its kind in North America, has been operating in Washington since 1988. In Ohio, the St. Nicholas Balalaika Orchestra has been operating at St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral for almost 40 years. The French Orchestre de Saint-Georges has been in existence since 1993: Its original members were former students of the St. George Boarding School. And the Japanese ensemble ‘Pole’ performs music on Russian balalaikas, ‘shamisen’ (string), ‘koto’ (string) and ‘shakuhachi’ (flute).

And the balalaika even won an ‘Oscar’. It was all down to a stroke of luck and the keen ear of composer Alexandre Desplat. It was he who suggested that the Russian ensemble ‘Rossiya’ record the music for the movie ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ (2014). One day during a break, the musicians began playing ‘The Moon Shines’. Desplat was smitten and, at his insistence, the melody was included in the movie along with ‘Kamarinskaya’. A year later, the soundtrack to Wes Anderson's movie won an ‘Oscar’.