Alexander Evstyugov-Babaev
@Schwallex · Piano, violin, guitar, flute, bayan, kalimba · Music theory, composition, improvisation · Saarbrücken
Russian-trained pianist, guitarist and composer. Now learning the violin and arranging a ton of pieces to play in duet with my teacher. Sharing some of them here for the benefit of other beginners and teachers alike.
Another delicate poem by Okudzhava. Simple words, clear images, works fine on a surface level as a lovely melancholic romance, and you could leave it at that.… More…
And so at long last we begin to delve into the vast field of Russian romance. You can't be playing the violin and not have a dozen of those under your belt.… More…
The Children's Album by Tchaikovsky is a staple of piano education pretty much anywhere you look in the world, and of course in Russian schools in particular. Every child taking up piano lessons gets to… More…
Transposed and arranged for two violins. Yada yada. Let's talk about the song, shall we.… More…
When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you. … More…
The world hasn't forgotten Klaus Nomi. It's just that most people haven't happened across him yet. … More…
More from both Bulat Okudzhava and Oleg Pogudin in one fell swoop. Same as the last time around: short, simple, beautiful, and sad. What's not to love.… More…
The story goes, Audrey Hepburn didn't play guitar, so she just went ahead and learned how to play this song to be able to perform the scene convincingly.… More…
Now here's a special treat. The absolute epitome of a music genre endemic to Russia (of which, in turn, there are quite a few).… More…
Georgi Sviridov wrote carols and cantatas, symphonies and concerts, songs, oratorios, marches, you name it. A student of Shostakovich's, he could handle any task thrown at him. But to the public at large… More…
Russia has a long tradition of bards, and Aleksander Gorodnitski is easily among the most popular ones, alongside such titans as Okudzhava, Vyssotski, and Vizbor. All of them great poets first, musicians… More…
A song from a 1981 Soviet musical comedy film that I don't think anyone has ever actually watched, or even heard the title of. Which didn't prevent several of its songs from taking on a life of their own.… More…
A quick sketch for a friend. Tried to keep it both beginner-friendly and close to the original key, got some nasty voice crossings to iron out as a result. Ugh. Really the second voice needs to be a cello… More…
Beyond Good and Evil was a rare gem that shone only ever so briefly, but man did it shine. And the score by Christophe Héral was nothing short of spectacular.… More…
For two decades after the end of World War II, Russia didn't celebrate its victory. No parades, not even a day off. In 1965, twelve years after Stalin's death, the propaganda machine finally woke up and… More…
The Man in Black needs no introduction. He didn't even have to worry about compiling a Thriller. He simply wrote songs, and all of them were good, and none of them were mediocre. Easy, really.… More…
Toto Cutugno. Where to even start. … More…
Transposed and arranged for two violins. Got rid of all sixteenth-note syncopations as unnecessary clutter that made the notation too scary-looking where the tune really is quite simple. Your gut will… More…
The title song from a 1966 Soviet movie about four kids that become heroes in the Russian Civil War. Hugely popular with children, especially with young boys, so much so that it spawned two sequels. The… More…
Nobody sings "Happy Birthday to You" in Russia. Well, these days people try. And oh what do you know, it sucks over there just as much as everywhere else. Nobody likes singing it, nobody likes having it… More…
One of many iconic tunes from the 1998 video game "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" which to this day firmly sits on many Top 10 Best Games of All Time lists. Koji Kondo is the man. Even people who'd… More…
A quick sketch for two violins, transposed up a major second into an easy key for beginners. I might return to write down the intro and the bridge as time allows. The dotted rhythms are swung as triplets… More…
One of many songs from the 1973 Soviet cartoon "On the Trail of the Bremen Town Musicians". Performed by the one and only Muslim Magomayev, The King of Songs. Another great artist you can expect to see… More…
Bulat Okudzhava wrote quite a few war-themed songs, many rather somber, many insufferably dark. And then he wrote a couple that are like this. Deceivingly simple accompaniment to deceitfully simple lyrics,… More…
Another day, another famous artist, another obscure song. Well, kind of. It did used to be one of Alla Pugachova's biggest hits when it first came out. Thirty years down the line, however, nobody even… More…