Belarus: persons and events (Adam Rusak)

Adam Rusak was born on May 24, 1904 in the village of Pesochnoye in the Igumen district of the Minsk province (now Kopylsky district of the Minsk region) in a peasant family. His father played the violin well, created a small amateur orchestra in the village, where Mr. Rusak received his first music lessons. In 1922, he entered the Minsk Construction College, but left his studies and in 1925 became a student at the music college in Minsk. During his studies he played in the symphony orchestra of the Belarusian Radio, from 1928 to 1930 he served in the Red Army (musician of the military orchestra).

In 1930 Adam Rusak entered the Leningrad Conservatory (class of Professor M. Buyanovsky). At the same time, he worked in the orchestra of the Leningrad Maly Opera Theater. During the Great Patriotic War, he was evacuated to Orenburg. In 1949, he was invited to join the Symphony Orchestra of the Belarusian State Philharmonic.

Adam Rusak began writing poetry back in Pesochny. On May 27, 1927, his first work «Maya pesnya» was published in the magazine «Chyrvony seibit». He has been regularly published since 1932 (in the magazines «Zaklik», «Polymya revaluatsii», newspapers «Zvyazda», «Litaratura i mastatstva»). In 1940, the collection «Na rodnyh paletkah» (1946) was prepared. Then the books « Pesni I vershy « (1951), «Pesni» (1954), «Pad golas bayana» (1957), «Zvonkiya krynitsy» (1965), «Zakrasyisya, Nyoman» (1978) appeared and others .

The poet also has works for children included in the collections «U Buslautsy» (1967), «Ya vedau urok» (1981), «Druzhbaki» (1987). The appeal of Adam Rusak's poetry lies in its melodiousness, musicality, lyricism, and organic connection with folklore. The poet dedicated many works to his native land, the Motherland and its defenders during the Great Patriotic War («Vesnavya plyni», «Zhniunaya pesnya», « Zakrasyisya, Nyoman «, « Liubliu luhi kvyatsistya», «Na Pripyatsi», «Kupchataya vishnya», «Krai palesky», etc.).

At the beginning of his creative career, Adam Gerasimovich did not set out to write songs, but the composers themselves paid attention to his works – sincere, lyrical or with soft folk humor. According to E. Zaritsky, a melody sounds between the lines in them -it only needs to be recorded. That is why about 300 of the poet's poems became songs, performed by L. Alexandrovskaya, I. Bolotin, L. Utesov, I. Kobzon and others, as well as vocal and instrumental ensembles «Pesnyary», «Verasy», «Charaunitsy».

The music for the songs was created by R. Puxt, A. Turankov, V. Olovnikov, Yu. Semenyaka, I. Luchenok and others. The most famous song was «Byvaitse zdarovya» (music by V. Zakharov and I. Lyuban), which became a folk song. A film of the same name (1983, screenplay by L. Gedryavicius and I. Tishchenko) was staged at the Belarusfilm film studio about the history of its creation. The poet has made a great contribution to the popularization of Belarusian ethnographic and musical creativity. He created the Nemanchi folklore ensemble, which performed throughout Belarus.

In 1964, Adam Rusak received the title of «Honored Worker of Culture of the BSSR». He was awarded the Orders of Friendship of Peoples and the Badge of Honor, medals. Streets in Kopyl and Pesochny are named after the poet.       

Based on the materials of the National Library of Belarus

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