Music to get you in the mood for your Trans-Siberian Experience
Listening to music while on the move has become second nature to many of us in the modern world. An MP3 player is the perfect device for zoning out on a busy journey and can help shape your mood. There’s a great collection of Russian music that you can upload to your MP3 player to get you geared up for your classic Trans-Siberian Experience.
Nothing would seem more ideal for this trip than Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto no.2, used as the score for 1945 film Brief Encounter. With trains and train stations being a dominant theme in the film, this surging, romantic music is an intriguing composition to listen to before and during your trip. With its deep tones and passionate melodies, Rachmaninoff’s music can feel very romantic.
There are, of course, many other influential classical composers originating from Russia. In fact much of Rachmaninoff’s work was influenced by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and his concertos, ballets, symphonies, operas and chamber music arrangements. You may find listening to Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet a charming way to take in the journey whilst sitting and taking in the vast range of scenery along your route. Tchaikovsky also composed Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, all of them being great classical ballet tunes to inspire you.
If classical music isn’t quite your cup of tea, there’s a great range of Soviet music born out of the 1920s. The Russian revolution changed music dramatically as it became experimental and more avant garde. The Association for Contemporary Music was enthusiastic about new trends such as synthetic chords. Listening to the likes of Leon Theremin or Arseny Avraamov is sure to rev you up for an exciting trip. The interesting and unique electronic sounds they use can be an unusual style to listen to – but powerful all the same.
There’s a great offering of modern Russian music too, such as that of Dima Bilan who won Eurovision in 2008. Possibly one of the most famous Russian pop acts was t.A.T.u, a female duet who took the UK by storm with their songs All The Things She Said and Not Gonna Get Us both of which reached number one. If you do prefer pop music then other Russian artists include Valery Meladze, Vitas and VIA Gra. Russia also has a solid rock music scene, hosting some brilliant festivals such as Nashestvie – often dubbed the Russian Woodstock. There’s a good range of rock music, from youth pop and alternative rock through to punk rock, ska and grunge. Some good artists to get you in a rocking mood for Russia are Splean, Mumiy, Pilot, Distemper and Mechanical Poet to name just a few.
There’s a vast range of genres and artists originating from Russia that you can fill your iPod or MP3 player with to have an authentic experience whilst travelling. Just for laughs, you can also take along Eduard Khil’s famous Mr. Trololo, a whimsical and amusing yet catchy and well written tune.
[Photo by archer10 (Dennis)]