# Music by Genre > Celtic, U.K., Nordic, Quebecois, European Folk >  Kalinka (Russian folk tune).Looking for tabs or arranged notation

## Ge23ev

Hey guys.
Im looking for mandolin tabs or mandolin adjusted notation for russian folk song Kalinka. 
Also any info about the key the tune is in and tips would help.(beginner here)
Here's the version im looking for played on the balalaika 

https://youtu.be/hH5znHQ9QRY

Thanks a lot

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## HonketyHank

I can't help you. But I can't resist providing a link to my favorite version of Kalinka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XxK2JJisEc . (Sung by Yevgeny Balyaev).

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## James Rankine

A tune everyone knows without realising they know it. Great link Hank to the Red Army Choir -what a gem. Very operatic. I'd love to hear this on the mandolin.

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## Ge23ev

If i manage to learn it i will post a tutorial on youtube and a link here for others to learn

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## crisscross

There's a version of Kalinka in a- minor in Deborah Greenblatt's book "Russian Fidlle tunes for two mandolins". I don't think it includes tabs though.

Here's the simple melody from a German website. 
It shouldn't be too hard to figure out the right notes, even if you don't read stanard notation. Just the C-Major scale from g on the d-String to high g on the e-string.
Starts with the open e-string, then 2,3, 5 on the a-sting...
http://www.free-notes.net/cgi-bin/no...e&song=Kalinka

It seems to be a song about a berry in the garden. 
Калинка, калинка, калинка моя!
В саду ягода малинка, малинка моя!

And don't forget to increase the tempo the way the balalaika player does. :Wink:

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## Bren

We play this as part of an Orcadian Strip the Willow set. As James Rankin said, a lot of people will know it without realising.

 I knew the tune and instinctively played along for a long time before I found out what it was.

I've never seen sheet music but we play it in Em and it was easy enough to work out on mandolin. The notes are few but the ornamentations are many.

Another reason why it's best to learn it by ear.

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## Matt Vuksinich

Silver Strings Mandolin Ensemble in SF backs up Nikolai Massenkoff and his choir at a couple Russian festivals every year--here's the version of "Kalinka" we work from.

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DavidKOS

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## HonketyHank

I have been told that the lyrics are all but untranslatable due to multiple puns. The lyrics that I do see in English are simple enough but the multiple laughs, smiles, and knowing looks from Yevgeny in the Red Army version leads me to believe what I have been told.

Any corroboration on that?

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## fplucker

The version I have has an English translation. Of course that does not mean that we get the true meaning. I don't have it with me but will scan it tomorrow and post.

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## fplucker

Here is the version I have with tab and an English translation. Sorry the last line is cut off. This is the only copy I have and I wish I remembered the name of the library book I copied it from to give credit.

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DavidKOS

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## DavidKOS

from a balalaika website:

http://www.barynya.com/balalaika/images/kalinka.pdf

also in this collection, page 177:

http://www.penn-balalaika.com/Websit...heet_Music.pdf

version w/ harmony part:

http://www.rmda.us/music/kalinka.jpg

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derbex, 

DougC, 

fplucker, 

Hany Hayek

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## Mandophile

Here's the score I use: straight vodka!

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DavidKOS

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## DavidKOS

> from a balalaika website:
> 
> version w/ harmony part:
> 
> http://www.rmda.us/music/kalinka.jpg





> Here's the score I use: straight vodka!


Same one! Alex Simiavski's arrangement.

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