Lessons of Elvish

Some days it’s hard to pull yourself together. Even a simple thing could be a challenge. But life is not waiting and you are trying to turn this day into an opportunity, work on a task that was not so important for ages, switch place and environment, do something! 

Certain music can support a desired mood. Medieval sailors sang working songs to make it easier while doing hard sea jobs. 

When I need a boost of determination, purposefulness, and belief, I turn on the heroic Russian band Epidemiya! 

I don’t know a lot about the history of this squad, and I cannot say I love their modern music. But I truly love their rock opera - Elvish Manuscript (Эльфийская Рукопись). It appeared in my life when I just started university in 2005. Young and lonely in a big new city, I was lucky to meet a friend from the mathematical faculty, who was also into heavy music. We talked about music between classes, sitting on staircase railings in the university building. He once brought me a CD-RW with Elvish Manuscript rock opera. It turned out to be a fabulous set of songs, connected one to another. Songs about heroes, fights, elves, life and death, love. The main character needed to save the world and his true love. All flavored with rock music, rich solos, and succulent riffs.

I was amazed by the voices, strong and powerful. I felt the will to live, make another step every day, and simply stop whining about shit. I still feel it and play this album when I need a strong shoulder behind me. No matter what happens around us. 

Later I found on YouTube a full recording of a concert - with action, medieval costumes, and sword fights! I know it might look silly, but also I believe that exactly such a thing could help a boy to become a man. This and good adventure book, obviously.

If you don’t understand Russian words in a song, I still think you can get the essence. But here are a couple of lines:

Come through your path!

The way is only one, and no another,

You may not know why, and you may not know where you are going.

Come through your path!

You won't be able to return everything back,

And you don’t know yet what’s at the end of the dead end

You will find!