Who wrote the “March of the Slavic Woman”: the history of the creation of the legendary work

The "Farewell of the Slav" march (often erroneously called "March of the Slav") is one of the most recognizable pieces of music in Russia, associated with the army, victory and patriotism. Author of the music is a composer Vasily Ivanovich Agapkin (1884–1964), who created the melody in 1912. The text for the march was written by a poet Vladimir Lazarev (pseudonym of Vladimir Gilyarovsky), but the original version had different words - the modern version appeared later, thanks to the revision of unknown authors during the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars.

The march was originally written as a farewell song for soldiers leaving for the Balkan War, and was called “Farewell of the Slavyanka (Slavyanka)”. Its premiere took place in Tambov, where Agapkin served as conductor of a military orchestra. Today, the march is performed at all Victory parades, has become the unofficial anthem of the Russian army and is heard in films dedicated to military themes.

Despite its popularity, there are many myths surrounding the work: from erroneous authorship to legends about a “forbidden” note that is supposedly impossible to play on the trumpet. In this article we will analyze history of creation, text analysis, controversial points and how the march became a symbol of several eras.

Who actually wrote the music for “Farewell of the Slav”?

Recognized as the official author of the music for “Farewell of the Slavic Woman” Vasily Ivanovich Agapkin - Russian composer, conductor and military bandmaster. He was born in 1884 in the Ryazan province, from his youth he was fond of music and in 1909 he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in trumpet class. Since 1911 he served in 5th Reserve Battalion in Tambov, where he composed the famous march.

According to archival data, Agapkin wrote the melody in one night - according to legend, inspired by a farewell concert for soldiers going to the front of the First Balkan War (1912–1913). The first performance took place November 4, 1912 at the train station in Tambov. The orchestra under the direction of Agapkin played a march while the train with the mobilized was leaving for the war.

Interestingly, the composer himself never claimed authorship of the text - He wrote exclusively music. The first words for the march were written by a poet Vladimir Lazarev (real name is Vladimir Alekseevich Gilyarovsky, son of the famous writer Vladimir Gilyarovsky). However, the original 1912 text was very different from the modern version.

Evolution of the text: from Gilyarovsky to the modern version

The original text of “Farewell of the Slavic Woman,” written by Vladimir Lazarev, had romantic and sad character. He talked about a woman seeing off her lover to war. Here is a fragment of the original:

“The moment of farewell comes,

You look anxiously into my eyes.

And I catch my native breath,

And in the distance there is already the smoke of a train...”

However, during Civil War (1918–1922) and later, in Great Patriotic War (1941–1945), the text has been revised many times. Soldiers and officers adapted the words to current events, adding lines about the fight against the enemy, loyalty to the Motherland and hope for victory. It was during this period that the march became associated with patriotism and military valor.

The modern version of the text we hear today is collective creativity. It was finally consolidated in the post-war years, when the march became an integral part of parades and military ceremonies. For example, the famous lines:

“Slavyanka, goodbye! Our homeland is calling us!

We will achieve glory in the battles for freedom!”

— appeared already in Soviet times and reflected the spirit of the era.

• 📜 1912 — original text by Vladimir Lazarev (romantic plot).
• ⚔️ 1918–1922 — reworking during the Civil War (added calls to fight).
• 🎖️ 1941–1945 — final formation of the patriotic text.
• 🎺 After 1945 — consolidation of the modern version as a symbol of Victory.

Why is the march called “Slavyanka” and not “Farewell”?

The official title of the work is "Farewell of the Slav", but popularly it is often shortened to "March of the Slav" or just "Slavyanka". This is due to several factors:

1. Simplification. The long title “Farewell of the Slav” over time was transformed into a shorter and more memorable one.
2. Association with the female image. In the original text, a “Slav” is a woman seeing off a soldier. Over time, this image became a symbol of loyalty and support.
3. Military tradition. In the army and orchestras the name “Slavyanka” was assigned to the march, especially in oral speech.

It is curious that in some sources there is an option "March of Agapkin", but this is more professional jargon of musicians than a generally accepted name.

Myths and legends around “Slavyanka’s Farewell”

Over more than a century of existence, many myths have arisen around the march. Let's look at the most common ones:

1. “Forbidden note” that cannot be played on the trumpet

One of the most famous legends says that in the march there is a note that cannot be taken on a standard pipe. Allegedly, Agapkin inserted it on purpose to test the musicians’ skills. In fact, this is a myth: all the notes in the score are playable, but some passages require high technique. Perhaps the legend arose due to the difficulty of individual fragments for beginning trumpet players.

2. The authorship is not by Agapkin, but by another composer

Sometimes on the Internet there are statements that the music was written by not Agapkin, but one of the foreign composers (for example, Czech or Polish author). However, archival documents, including recordings of a military orchestra and testimonies of contemporaries, confirm the authorship of Agapkin. In 1912, he officially registered the work.

3. The march was banned in the USSR

Another myth is that “Farewell of a Slav” was allegedly banned in Soviet times because of the “tsarist” past. Actually march was actively performed since 1941, and after the war it became one of the symbols of Victory. Perhaps the confusion arose due to the fact that in the 1920s and 1930s some pre-revolutionary works were actually removed from the repertoire.

Details about the "forbidden note"

It's actually about the note up to the third octave in the pipe batch. It requires good preparation from the musician, but is not impossible. This note is not in Agapkin's original score - it appeared in later arrangements for brass bands.

How did “Farewell of the Slav” become a symbol of Victory?

The march found a second life during Great Patriotic War (1941–1945). It was performed at the fronts, in hospitals and train stations, seeing off soldiers to battle. After the war "Slavyanka" became unofficial anthem of the Soviet army and a mandatory number in parades.

Here are the key moments that cemented the march in history:

Year	Event	The role of the march
1912	Premiere in Tambov	Farewell to soldiers for the Balkan War
1941–1945	Great Patriotic War	Performed at the front, in the rear, in hospitals
1945	Victory Parade	Included in the repertoire of the military orchestra
1990s	Collapse of the USSR	Became a symbol of the continuity of the Russian army
2010s	Revival of patriotic traditions	Performed at all state parades

Today “Farewell of the Slav” sounds:

• 🎖️ On Victory Parade on May 9 in Moscow.
• 🎬 In films about war (“Officers», «Brest Fortress», «T-34»).
• 🎵 At concerts of military bands (for example, Central Orchestra of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation).
• 📚 In school and university events dedicated to Defender of the Fatherland Day.

Where can you hear “Farewell of the Slav” today?

If you would like to hear a live performance of the march, here are some places and events:

1. Victory Parade on Red Square (May 9). The orchestra performs "Slavyanka" during the passage of troops.
2. Concerts of military bands. For example, in Central Park of Culture and Leisure named after Gorky (Moscow) or on Revolution Square (St. Petersburg).
3. Military history festivals, such as "Battlefield"or reconstruction of the battles of the Great Patriotic War.
4. Award ceremonies in military units.
5. Online broadcasts. Channels of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and music platforms (YouTube, Zvooq) often publish recordings of performances.

The march also sounds in computer games (for example, in War Thunder or World of Tanks as a soundtrack to Soviet technology) and in documentaries about the Russian army.

Interesting facts about “Farewell of the Slav”

1. First recording on a gramophone record was made in 1913 by an orchestra led by Agapkin himself. Today these records are a rarity that can only be found in specialized collections.

2. B 1995 the march was officially approved as one of the symbols of the Russian Armed Forces along with the anthem and flag.

3. Exists instrumental version for piano, arranged in the 1920s. It is less known, but is sometimes performed at classical concerts.

4. B 2012, for the 100th anniversary of the march, was installed in Tambov monument to Vasily Agapkin - a bronze figure of the composer with a conductor's baton.

5. The march sounded in space: in 2011, the ISS crew performed it with wind instruments in honor of Cosmonautics Day.

6. B Japan "Farewell of the Slav" is known as "Matrosovsky March" (in honor of the hero Alexander Matrosov) and is sometimes performed at military ceremonies.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about “Farewell of the Slav”

🔍 Who wrote the words to “Farewell of the Slav”?

The original text of 1912 belongs to the poet Vladimir Lazarev (pseudonym of Vladimir Gilyarovsky Jr.). The modern patriotic version is the result of collective creativity that emerged in the 1940s.

🎼 Is it possible to freely use the march in your projects?

The music of "Farewell of the Slav" as a work created before 1945 is in public domain in Russia. However, for commercial use (such as in films or advertising), approval may be required from the copyright holders of the arrangements.

🎺 Why is the march so difficult to play on the trumpet?

The main difficulty is in high notes and fast tempo. For example, at the climax of a melody, the trumpeter must play the note up to the third octave, which requires good breathing technique. In addition, the march is written in the key B flat major, which is inconvenient for some wind instruments.

📜 Where is Agapkin’s original score stored?

The original manuscript of Vasily Agapkin is kept in State Central Museum of Musical Culture named after M.I. Glinka (Moscow). There are also copies of the score in the archives of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

🎬 In which films does “Farewell of the Slav” sound?

The march is used in dozens of Soviet and Russian films, including:

• «Officers"(1971) - sounds in the final scene;
• «Brest Fortress"(2010) - during the scenes of seeing off the soldiers;
• «T-34"(2018) - as a soundtrack to combat episodes;
• «Belorussky railway station"(1970) - in episodes dedicated to the memory of the fallen.

⚠️ Attention! If you are looking for “Farewell of a Slav” sheet music for home music playing, be sure to use the arrangement for your instrument. Scores for brass bands may contain parts that are inaccessible to beginners.

⚠️ Attention! On the Internet there are fakes of “original recordings from 1912”. Official archival records are kept in Russian State Archive of Phonological Documents (RGAFD).