Psoy Galaktionovich Korolenko (Russian: Псой Галактионович Короленко; born April 26, 1967) is a pseudonym of a Russian songwriter and performer by the name of Pavel Eduardovich Lion (Russian: Павел Эдуардович Лион). Pavel Lion is also a slavist with a Ph.D. in Russian literature.

Psoy Korolenko
Псой Галактионович Короленко
Born
Павел Эдуардович Лион

(1967-04-26) April 26, 1967 (age 56)
CitizenshipRussia
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, slavist

Musical career edit

His pseudonym comes from Russian writer Vladimir Korolenko (1853–1921), whose works are a subject of Pavel's research. In university, Korolenko studied under Russian literature historian Nikolai Liban [ru], among others.

Psoy performs his own and others' songs, accompanying himself to keyboard instruments, mainly a Casio synthesizer in accordion timbre. Experimenting with quite various song traditions he sings in about six or seven languages, most frequently in Russian, Yiddish, English and French.

For example, one of Psoy's songs, Buratino, is an a capella rhythmic recitation of the same phrase – "Buratino byl tupoy" ("Buratino was dumb") – which after several repetitions starts to morph into other phrases, eventually shifting into Italian through syllable rearrangement. More phrases are then introduced and "mixed" vocally with it. The song is something of a parody of rap and trance music.

Psoy tours extensively beyond Russian borders, particularly in the United States, Europe and Israel. His music is popular both with adults (especially linguists) and teenagers. He rewrites many songs, and also has translated some songs from Russian to Yiddish. He has collaborated with musicians such as Julian Kytasty, Michael Alpert, and Daniel Kahn & The Painted Bird. He has been involved in events celebrating Bundist organisations, such as playing music for the 120th anniversary of the Jewish Labour Bund in Melbourne, Australia.[1]

Discography edit

Original name English name/translation Year Co-producers
Песня про Бога A Song about God 2000
Fioretti Fioretti 2001
Песнь песней Псоя Короленко Psoy Korolenko's Song of Songs 2003
Шлягер века Schlagers of the Century 2003
Гонки Races 2004 Neoangin
C чего начинается Родина (Un Vu Iz Der Onheyb Fun Foterland) From What the Homeland Starts 2006 All Stars Klezmer Band
Русское богатство. Том I. Russian Riches. Volume I. 2007 Alyona Alenkova
The Unternationale The First Unternational 2008 Daniel Kahn and Oy Division
На лестнице дворца On the Steps of the Palace 2008 Olga Chikina, Alyona Arenkova and others
Под покровом нощи Under Cover of Night 2010 Opa!
Shloyme Shloyme 2011 Timofeev Ensemble
Русское богатство. Том II. Russian Riches. Volume II. 2013 Alyona Alenkova
Dicunt Dicunt 2013 Oy Division
Жить не по лжи Live Not by Lies 2013 Opa!
ИМАРМЕНИЯ: Песни о том, что сбывается Imarmenia: Songs About What Comes True 2015
НННН № 2 ПППП NNNN #2 PPPP 2015 Igor Krutogolov
The Brothers Nazaroff: The Happy Prince 2015 Daniel Kahn, Michael Alpert, Jake Shulman-Ment, Bob Cohen, and Hampus Melin
סוּס, כּלבֿ, חייל און אַ זונה Equine, Canine, Soldier, Whore 2017 Israelifts
Yiddish Glory: The Lost Songs of World War II 2018 Anna Shternshis, Sergei Erdenko, Sophie Milman, and others
Ловцы музыки | Pescadores de Música Fishers of Music 2020 Дефеса - Defesa (Alisa Ten, Yuliya Teunikova, Yan Bederman, and others)
The Unternationale: The Third Unternational 2020 Daniel Kahn and others
The Unternationale: The Fourth Unternational 2020 Daniel Kahn and others
Хроники Аналоговой Жизни: Chansons de Guy Béart Chronicles of Analogous Life: Songs of Guy Béart 2020 Fyodor Chistyakov, Olga Chikina, Gary Katz, Andrey Matlin, and others

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ In Zaltsikn Yam - Bund 120 Yoyvl 2017, retrieved 2023-06-21

External links edit