Student Song in the Era of Social Confrontation: Topic Transformation

Folkloristics 9/2 (2024): 73–108
Author: Vasilij A. Vorobjov
Text:

In the 19th century, the student song began its existence in the universities of the Russian Empire, first at the University of Dorpat, and subsequently spread to most universities. The texts were based on the already existing content models of Anacreontic poetry and German student songs (Studentenlieder). Students translated German songs, composed their own based on well-known examples of anacreontics. The topic of the songs was drunkenness, love for women, masculinity, awareness of the community identity, fear of withering and death. In the second half of the nineteenth century, as well as at the turn of the XIX–XX centuries students got involved in the political struggle. At the turn of the century there was the highest concentration of student unrest and protests, at the same time, the maximum consolidation of the community took place. Historical events directly affected the song repertoire of students, songs of struggle were included in it, and new texts with political topics were created. New song practices were emerging – singing outside the prison, singing in the streets, and distributing of songs and poems printed on a hectograph. In the article I will consider the change in the topic of student songs in the era of social confrontations at the turn of the XIX–XX centuries, as well as the contexts of their existence.

Keywords: student song, topic, songs of struggle, historical events, song practices, epics, student protests.