Oleg Molchan’s Song “Chto Zh, Byvai” Performed by Irina Vidova

In celebration of Oleg Molchan’s jubilee year, Irina Vidova and Ray Records continue to unveil new works by the Maestro. Today’s release is “Chto zh, byvai,” featuring lyrics by Irina Vidova.

It was often the case that several of Oleg Molchan’s compositions from a specific period shared similar techniques and moods. This was true in 1993, which saw the birth of “Chuzhaya,” “Chto zh, byvai,” “Milaya zhenshchina,” and, shortly after, “Proshchanie s yunostyu.” Inspired by the audience’s reaction at the Pesniary concerts, the Maestro crafted one high-energy hit after another. Infused with jazz elements, these songs often drew thunderous applause from the very first notes. Of course, Oleg’s greatest inspiration was his 1993 meeting with the love of his life, Irina Vidova. “I consider my greatest achievement in life to be finding such a wonderful wife and person as Irina Vidova, with whom I share everything. This is my greatest achievement indeed,” the composer once remarked.

“We reconstructed ‘Chto zh, byvai’ from a piano score handwritten by Oleg Molchan himself and from a video recording kindly provided by Dmitry Smolsky, who performed the original version in a duet with Alesya,” says Irina Vidova. “Musicologist Nadezhda Tulinova noted that in this score, Oleg utilized his signature accompaniment style — two eighth notes in a single grouping — a technique he famously employed in ‘Malitva’ just a year later.”

The premiere of this song is intentionally timed for now. As one of Oleg Molchan and Irina Vidova’s songs suggests, life is “not always smooth and steady.” In this magical season, as the Lunar New Year takes hold, it is time to say “byvai” (lit. “farewell”) to everything that troubled us and to let it go. To the good things of the past year, however, we say thank you.

Let us listen to this beautiful music and wish for the coming year to bring us all happiness!

The track is now available for streaming and download on all major digital platforms.