It was a serious step for Alexander Ivanov, the “Rondo” rock band leader, to
leave the group for a while in order to issue a big solo disk “Sinful soul
sorrow”. The musician was a bit afraid for his personal project: as the first
song in album “God, what a trifle!” says, “only the heaven is free to change
something big not fearing of loosing something small…”. And it was a dramatic
change for Alexander: the songs forming the album core were absolutely different
from the ones the hard-rock “Rondo” had been playing for a whole decade.
However, now Sasha has nothing to be afraid of. The disk that
appeared for sale in the beginning of March has gained solid first positions in
various hit-lists, and it was an unquestionable leader of the “SOYUZ” studio
“Russian Chart” for month and a half. Now the cassette and the disk are among
three best sold Russian albums. And after the concerts Ivanov is going to have
in the country’s main concert hall – “Russia” – on March 25 and 26, “Sinful soul
sorrow” will inevitably fly up the chart top again! Without any doubt, Ivanov’s
work has also gained a stunning success all over Russia. It is clear by the
outstanding interest towards Alexander during his latest tours with the new
program in Togliatti, Tula and other cities…
Alexander and his colleagues – the best national musicians –
were preparing the album material for almost two years. The earliest out of its
11 songs “I am calling for rain” with Marina Tsvetaeva’s lyrics had appeared
even before, in 1993, and had been performed by “Rondo”. But when Alexander met
Sergei Trofimov, composer and poet (making solo career under the name of
“Trofim”), he created a series of equally intimate and deep compositions for
Ivanov. The program’s name is a line from the song “Night”.
The “Sorrow” music is a wonderful and easily gained synthesis
of several “mild” genres – romance, pop- and rock-ballads. It sounds very much
alike the best genre samples – both foreign (Sting) and Russian (Vladimir
Presnyakov Junior). And all the compositions are sung with the familiar, a bit
hoarse Ivanov’s voice – mostly in half-whisper, as all the songs are deeply
personal and frank. Texts of the most songs contain controversial, but logical
images of God, heaven, suffering and tired soul and “love, free from the eternal
heaven will”. Ivanov did not include a single weak, “satisfactory” composition
–the confessional “I live here”, the ethereal “She believed in miracle” (the
back party was performed by a young promising singer Irina Klimova), the only
rock-n-roll or, to be exact, rhythm-n-blues composition in the album “I trust
the fire” or a mini-symphony “White snow”… It is a truly sincere and worth the
warmest words work.
1. "God, what a trifle!"
2. "I will lay the sky under your feet"
3. "My unkind Russia"
4. "Night"
5. "Moscow"
6. "She believed in miracle"
7. "I live here"
8. "Sorry"
9. "I trust the fire"
10. "Tenderness"
11. "You are my light (but I don’t trust you)"
12. "Holy lies"
13. "I’m calling for rain "
14. "White snow"
Music and lyrics (1-7, 9-12, 14) – Sergei Trofimov. (8, 13) – music and lyrics
by Alexander Ivanov, (13) – Oleg Avakov, (8) - Igor Kamenskoi, (13) – lyrics by
Marina Tsvetaeva.
Arrangement: Sergei Trofimov, Alexander Kuzmichev, Igor Zhirnov, Alexander
Ivanov, Vadim Golutvin.
Producer – Alexander Ivanov.
Sound producer, sound director, mixing – Alexander Kuzmichev, Yuriy Bogdanov
(13), Pavel Vorotnikov (13), Andrei Kucherenko (3).
Mastering – Svyatoslav Kulikov. Recording by the studios "Мont"
(1, 2, 4-12, 14), "Alla" (13) and "Soyuz" (3).
About the idea
The idea to issue an album like this occurred to me in 1992, when I, together
with the “Rondo” former guitar player Oleg Avakov, who now works and lives in
America, wrote a song with Marina Tsvetaeva’s verses “I am calling for rain”.
The famous arranger Vitaliy Bondarchuk kindly agreed to make the arrangement
(which I find absolutely fantastic) and helped with its recording in Alla
Borisovna Pugacheva’s studio.
I was selecting songs for a long time, but I was always lack of time to pay more
attention to the process, as I worked with my band “Rondo”. And once, two years
ago I was recording something in the Moscow Youth Palace studio, when a young
man came up to me and asked to listen to some of his compositions made, as he
said, especially for me. I was quite skeptical about this at first, as I used to
have 5-10 offers like this per day. But the approach was different – these songs
had been written just for me. I listened to the songs and liked them.
Finally I took 12 songs by Sergei Trofimov – he was that young man. I was
studying them for a year, thinking how to make the project best. Because the
arrangements Trofimov offered were not quite suitable for me, though he had some
really curious ideas too.
The most distinguishing thing about the
songs was the lyrics. It was the very concept I had thought of. Trofimov had
heard an old song “I am calling for rain” and my other songs of the same
character – and hit the target. The material he gave me was a whole harmonious
body, and I left my own songs, but for Tsvetaeva’s, for the future.
About the studio work
We were working for the whole next year in the “Mont” studio with Alexander
Kuzmichev who was directing everything – sound, vocal etc. I invited 24 Russian
musicians to take part in the recording. As for the “Rondo” musicians, I tried
not to engage them in this project as performers, as I had another goal. I
wanted the album to be totally different from the “Rondo” concept and to reflect
personal styles of such outstanding persons as Vladimir Petrovich Presnyakov,
Nikolai Devlet-Kildeev, Yuriy Kistenev, Anatoly Abramov…
I tried to realize my view on the material offered, and I did not want anybody
to affect the outcome. I made public the idea I had inside of me.
In “Rondo” I used to listen to my colleagues’ opinion, as
“Rondo” is a team, creative alliance of professional musicians. And I strived to
make this album my own, personal work. Although Trofimov did a great part of job
who had showed me high-class material.
The “minor” spirit of the album came itself – it is my own state of mind for
today. And I think, not only for me, but for many other people as well. Which is
proved by the sales ratings and popularity of the songs on radio stations.
Maybe, I have felt the time atmosphere. It seems people now lack such an
attitude…
About the album commercial success
It has not been planned. It has not been foreseen. We had no target to make a
commercially profitable album. I was working for its spirit for a year,
recording each song for a long time in the studio. I came on Monday – it did not
work out, on Tuesday – again, on Wednesday and Thursday – all the same…
Kuzmichev used to tell me: “It’s a wrong day, Sasha. We’ll try later.” And we
were looking for such days. For example, I sometimes walked out of the studio in
the large field nearby, lay down and stared into the sky, or went for a walk to
the forest. We were “hunting for” the mood, that is we worked like Western
“stars” of the level of Sting, Phil Collins, Brian Adams…
And when I brought the finished album to many recording studios nobody really
paid attention. I heard that now they needed something modern, electronic,
dancing, and my work is an old style being in no demand…
Now I am very glad that it is like this. I am glad that my work that was not
supposed to be a commercial one and was made just for myself and my friends –
like building of a small church – has found a response. So many people now buy
the cassettes, disks and say that the Russian culture is not dead. Many people
are ready for good music now.
About “Souyz”
” Souyz” was one of the few studios deeply interested in the album. That’s why
we signed a 5-year contract about issue of my three solo works of the similar
character. I think that so far no one has offered or made something better than
“Soyuz”. While preparing the release I took into account professional opinion of
the “Soyuz” managers, their knowledge and their view of the situation. I
believe that “Souyz” has done a lot for the album. It is very pleasant to know
that the album holds top positions in hit parades. It is a serious success for a
non-commercial conceptual album.
About the listeners’ response
I am glad that people listen to these songs and sing them with us during the
concerts. “Rondo” has always been lucky with the audience, but now it looks like
hysterics! The concert lasts for two hours, and for 40-50 minutes everybody is
standing and singing all the songs – both old and new…
About future relations with “Rondo”
Success of the my album does not mean that I will give up “Rondo” or move it
backward. It is just a new project that has brought us – I mean “Rondo” –
additional profit, additional audience. Why shall I stop now?
Besides, “Rondo”
has always had beautiful ballads too…
At the same time, there is difference between the “Rondo’
team and the people who have participated in my album recording. This difference
is in the approach, individuality of play and individuality as such, the
musicians’ character and style. We cannot say that someone is better or worse –
it is just a bit different, that’s it.
About favorite songs
I appreciate the serious sense of the songs more than anything. First of all it
is “I will lay the sky under your feet”. I even plan to film it in Lebanon, at
the grape festival. I love “I live here” – it is a very deep song, the one that
started our cooperation with Trofimov.
In general, I like less “popular”
songs more. For example, “White
snow”. “She believed in miracle”
is one of my favorites...
About videos “God, what a trifle!” and “She believed in
miracle”
The scenario ideas of the two videos we have made for the songs “God, what a
trifle!” and “She believed in miracle” belong to me, director Oleg Fisenko and
the Lebanon cameraman and director Milad Tauk. They invited a very good Mosfilm
movie group: some of the members – technicians, light specialists – even worked
with Tarkovskiy filming the “Stalker”…
Tauk is a very famous man. He is one of the most popular cameramen in Liven;
he’s got a bunch of various prizes. He is also well known in the advertisement
business: for instance, his ad for the “Venice” perfume has recently won one of
the contests. European cinema society knows him well too.
When Milad heard “She believed in miracle”, he offered me the
video concept and showed what he had previously filmed in Liven for the movie
“Green moon, or the First lady”. The movie was not finished because of the
financial problems. One company (I don’t want to name it) has made a big scandal
out of it now – it has issued an invoice for the use of the material that it
says has been stolen. It is all lies, we used the material with the permission
of the movie director. I hope that these problems will eventually vanish and
everything will be settled. We have not had a chance to show this fine video, as
I think, because this very company has sent letters with its claims to the
TV-channels. But I still want this video to be shown and make the song as
popular as it deserves.
Oleg and Milad suggested that my family – daughter and wife –
acted in the “God, what a trifle!” video and I believe everything was done
perfectly.
About the album presentation
We did not plan to make a large presentation of the album. We rather wanted to
invite friends to a club and show them our work “alive”, with an orchestra or a
string quartette. But then it turned out that we had neither technical nor
financial opportunity for this. We have given up the idea, but now, seeing the
album success, decided to combine our big concerts in “Russia” with the public
presentation. We want people to come, see and listen to the songs “live”.
I do not agree that such chamber programs are not for mass audience – look at
Erick Clapton, Sting and many other performers who often hold unplugged concerts
with their best ballads.
About the tour across the country
I think we will have a big tour across the country with this program, as we are
receiving really nice data from the regions now. The sales rating is very good
there, so it is just the matter of time.
”SINFUL SOUL SORROW”: SONG AFTER SONG
WITH THE EYES OF ALEXANDER IVANOV AND SERGEI TROFIMOV
1. "God, what a trifle!"
А. Ivanov: I think it is one of the album main hits. Although
I do not treat it as seriously as the other songs, as it is “popular”, we may
say. I like the lyrics very much – it is about the most important things, I
believe. It tells that we all sometimes miss something and we have to do
something about it. The words “throw away junk out of the house and call the old
friends” is the life principle of the people who understand that it makes no
sense to live your life being a hostage of your own things. We all will leave
everything here anyway and go just with something that weights no more than
several grams – the soul. Something we need to develop and enrich… I did not
want to sing this song loudly and powerfully, just with a normal human voice,
that’s why I have found this quiet peaceful state.
S. Trofimov: The song was written in 1989. It appeared thanks to a very good
friend of mine. I just depicted his feelings and emotions at the moment.
Emotions of a person who has got into the situation when he feels that he has
not realized himself to the full extent and searches for a way out, but at the
same time scares to change something himself.
2. "I will lay the sky under your feet "
А.Ivanov: I figure that the song lines “You have given
me time, and I have hurt you” make sense for many people today. So many broken
families around… People are thinking of material values. It is a frequent
situation when a person engaged in his business, his work, does not care for his
family relationships, his nearest people. And this phrase, if to believe what I
have been told, has become a “winged” one...
S. Trofimov: The song was
written in 1995. It is about love.
It has no special story or something. I just composed it when
I was in the metro.
4. "Night"
А.Ivanov: One of my favorite songs. This song is about
everything. About the state of a loss. About something good that has gone. The
line “…sinful soul sorrow” is a core basis for the whole album atmosphere.
S. Trofimov: "Night" was written in 1994. It was meant for
another performer and was transferred to him after I had composed it. But my
producer Stepan Razin managed to buy it back for Sasha, because Sasha wanted to
sing it very much.
13. "I am calling for rain"
А.Ivanov: This is Marina Tsvetaeva. And I think this
name is enough.
6. "She believed in miracle"
А.Ivanov: A favorite song of all the women I know. A
song about any woman. There are wonderful words in it: “Because somewhere behind
the sins the sky was high and clear and the lips were tender as flowers”. I do
not think, like many others, that this is a typically women’s attitude: the text
may refer to a man, a boy as well, any person who used to be clear, but, gaining
experience and moving forward has lost much, much human. This song is for the
people who even sometimes think of what they have lost.
S. Trofimov: The song is from 1988. It was written on the basis of a Bible story
about Christ telling the people who were going to beat a woman with stones: “Let
a sinless one throw the first stone at her”.
7. "I live here"
А.Ivanov: It tells how we live here.
S. Trofimov: The song was composed in 1990. It is my personal experience. Let’s
say, my state of mind at the time.
10. "Tenderness"
А.Ivanov: It is my attitude towards the woman I love.
Of course, it is Trofimov who wrote the song, but I devote it to a certain
woman. If you have a look at the CD leaflet you can easily understand to which.
S. Trofimov: "Tenderness" is a recent song. “Don’t make an idol on Earth” – this
Bible commandment is the song basis. I’ve got a whole song cycle where various
Bible truths are seen through the relations between a man and a woman. It is my
road to God. I wanted to show that the Bible is not plain words. I have told the
Bible truths in a simple, common modern language. I gave Sasha only a few songs
out of this cycle, not all.
11. "You are my light (but I don’t trust you)"
А.Ivanov: Unlike the previous song, this one is
devoted to my former women, who made me “cut the veins with a crooked cross”.
S. Trofimov: This is a song from my solo album “Garbage aristocracy”. Sasha
asked my permission to sing it too – to see who can do it better. I gave it to
him. It is from the “Bible”
cycle again.
9. "I trust the fire"
А.Ivanov: It is a very complicated composition, I
cannot say exactly what it is about. It has the lines that precisely
characterize this song from the point of view of a person putting his “ego” in
it: “For them life is a full pocket, and I trust the fire”.
S. Trofimov: It is
1987. A song from my concert program.
It was all rock-n-roll, very meaningful. It was the time when
I first read Joann’ Revelation “Apocalypses”. And it impressed so much that I
suddenly wrote this song.
12. "Holy lies"
А.Ivanov: A romance I specially asked Vadim Golutvin
to arrange. Trofimov’s arrangement was more traditional, and I thought that a
common tradition would not do here, as the romance is about very sacred things,
about the lies being sometimes holy. Lies out for love, lies to do no harm, to
keep and save something. Sometimes in my life people spared me and told me lies
and when I learnt about this I was really upset. But later I understood that
they had done it with holy intentions.
S. Trofimov: Yes, it is a romance. It was written to illustrate another Bible
commandment: “Don’t lie”.
14. "White snow"
А.Ivanov: The song is unique for the verses by
Trofimov. It has a genuine, let’s say, Christian mood of a person who has been
living according to the certain laws – the Christian ones. It tells that we all
will go back home. That we will all return to where we
have come from. It is about what a person acquires after he has lived his life
and where he is going. About eternal human values.
S. Trofimov:
The song was born in 1987-88. I
wrote it but never sang. It was hard to be a success
with such songs at that time. The song was not appropriate for the time.
5. "Moscow"
А.Ivanov: The composition has a social meaning. It is
about what we can see in Moscow today. About the injustice that is common for
our city now. By the appearance everything is very beautiful: advertisements,
expensive restaurants, - but there is also another life, another side of the
coin – it is the way our people live. And they live, to be exact, still live in
lies and poverty.
S. Trofimov: 1993. The song
was written after the putsch. It is my response to it.
So you can see that it was written long before the many songs
that have appeared lately to commemorate Moscow’s 850th anniversary.