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Play Balalaika Play

The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
Album cover for the release Play Balalaika Play.

The balalaika, a fretted string instrument whose standard form is triangular, has been known and played since the 17th century. Itinerant minstrels or skomorokhi used it to accompany their songs ridiculing local politics and the Russian Orthodox Church; it later became the ubiquitous folk instrument of Russia. The modern balalaika orchestra was introduced by Vasily Andreev in the early 20th century and continued into the height of the popularity of Russian folkloric (“narodniy”) music during the Soviet era. Similar ensembles have been created in the U.S. by the Russian diaspora. Balalaikas of all sizes are accompanied by accordion in this mostly instrumental remastered collection with some vocal accompaniment, originally recorded in 1978. Liner notes include a list of songs and a synopsis in English of the three vocal tracks.

*Content Advisory: While some Roma have and continue to use “Gypsy” as a self-identifier, many consider the term offensive or a racial slur. Romani people are a minoritized ethnic group in Europe who have been persecuted for centuries, and the term “Gypsy” has been used in violent and racist ways. For more information, see these resources from the European Roma Rights Centre, RomArchive, and Amnesty International.
- Anna Kate Cannon, 2021–22 Dumbarton Oaks Fellow at SFR, and Dr. Adriana Helbig, professor of Music at the University of Pittsburgh, contributed to the research and writing for this statement.
For our policy on controversial recordings, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Track Listing

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101
The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
02:46
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102
The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
02:52
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103
The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
03:31
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104
The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
03:45
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105
The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
02:38
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106
The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
03:28
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107
The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
02:30
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108
The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
02:52
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109
The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
05:19
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110
The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
03:24
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111
The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
01:55
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112
The Polyanka Russian Gypsy Orchestra
04:05