Anna Marly
Encyclopedia
Anna Marly (30 October 1917 – 15 February 2006), was a Russian
born French singer-songwriter. She is best remembered as the composer of the Chant des Partisans
, a protest song
that was used as the ersatz
anthem of the Free French Forces
during World War II; the popularity of the Chant des Partisans was such that it was proposed as a new national anthem
after the conclusion of the war.
during the October Revolution
. Her father belonged to an aristocratic family connected by family ties to poet Mikhail Lermontov
, philosopher Nicholas Berdyaev and Pyotr Stolypin
. Her mother (née Maria Mikhailovna Alferaki) was a descendant of the Greek-Russian noble family of Alferaki
who lived in Taganrog
in the Alferaki Palace
before moving to Saint Petersburg
. Yuriy Betulinski was arrested and executed before Marly's first birthday. The rest of the family, along with a number of other White Russian
refugees, fled across the Finnish
border shortly after this, eventually settling in the French town of Menton
.
In her youth Marly had worked as a ballet dancer in Monte Carlo
, and been taught by the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev
. By the age of 17 she was performing her own compositions in the cabaret
clubs of Paris, it was at this time that she adopted the name "Marly", supposedly selecting it from a telephone directory
, her original name, "Betoulinsky", being too difficult for French speakers to pronounce.
husband. It was while she was in London that she made contact with the Free French rebels. Emmanuel d'Astier, a prominent figure in the resistance, heard Marly sing the Chant des Partisans in Russian when he visited London in 1943. He asked the writers Joseph Kessel
and Maurice Druon
, both of whom had travelled with him, to translate the song into French. D'Astier asked for the translation with the intention of using the song as a replacement for La Marseillaise
, which had been banned by the Nazi party. Following this translation, the song quickly established itself as the surrogate anthem of the supporters of the French resistance both in France and Britain. Kessel and Druon, however, took the credit for writing the song; it was not until some years later that she gained the recognition she deserved for writing the original song.
Towards the end of the war Marly joined the Entertainments National Service Association
, performing her songs to the Allied forces across Europe. She divorced her husband after the war, shortly afterwards marrying a fellow Russian refugee. They originally moved to South America before finally settling in Lazy Mountain, Alaska
, she and her husband eventually becoming US citizens.
and "La complainte du partisan" (known as "The Partisan"). In the United States, "The Partisan" gained popularity when Leonard Cohen
released it in 1969 and Joan Baez
in 1972.
Many French singers have recorded "Chant des partisans", including Yves Montand
in 1955.
In recognition of the importance of "Le chant des partisans" Marly was named a chevalier de La Légion d'Honneur
by François Mitterrand
in 1985, the fortieth anniversary of the liberation of France.
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
born French singer-songwriter. She is best remembered as the composer of the Chant des Partisans
Chant des Partisans
The Chant des Partisans was the most popular song of the Free French during World War II.The piece was written and put to melody in London in 1943 after Anna Marly heard a Russian song that provided her with inspiration. Joseph Kessel and Maurice Druon wrote the French lyrics. It was performed by...
, a protest song
Protest song
A protest song is a song which is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of topical songs . It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre...
that was used as the ersatz
Ersatz
Ersatz means 'substituting for, and typically inferior in quality to', e.g. 'chicory is ersatz coffee'. It is a German word literally meaning substitute or replacement...
anthem of the Free French Forces
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
during World War II; the popularity of the Chant des Partisans was such that it was proposed as a new national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
after the conclusion of the war.
Early life
Marly (née Anna Yurievna Betulinskaya) was born into a Russian noble family living in Saint PetersburgSaint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
during the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
. Her father belonged to an aristocratic family connected by family ties to poet Mikhail Lermontov
Mikhail Lermontov
Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov , a Russian Romantic writer, poet and painter, sometimes called "the poet of the Caucasus", became the most important Russian poet after Alexander Pushkin's death in 1837. Lermontov is considered the supreme poet of Russian literature alongside Pushkin and the greatest...
, philosopher Nicholas Berdyaev and Pyotr Stolypin
Pyotr Stolypin
Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin served as the leader of the 3rd DUMA—from 1906 to 1911. His tenure was marked by efforts to repress revolutionary groups, as well as for the institution of noteworthy agrarian reforms. Stolypin hoped, through his reforms, to stem peasant unrest by creating a class of...
. Her mother (née Maria Mikhailovna Alferaki) was a descendant of the Greek-Russian noble family of Alferaki
Achilles Alferaki
Alferaki, Achilles Nikolayevich ; , was a Russian composer and statesman of Greek descent, brother to Sergei Alphéraky. He was born in Kharkov . He spent all of his childhood in the city of Taganrog in the magnificent palace on Catholic Street...
who lived in Taganrog
Taganrog
Taganrog is a seaport city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the north shore of Taganrog Bay , several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River. Population: -History of Taganrog:...
in the Alferaki Palace
Alferaki Palace
Alferaki Palace is a museum in Taganrog, Russia, originally the home of rich merchant Nikolay Alferaki. It was built in 1848 by the architect Andrei Stackenschneider in the downtown Taganrog on Frunze Street ....
before moving to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. Yuriy Betulinski was arrested and executed before Marly's first birthday. The rest of the family, along with a number of other White Russian
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
refugees, fled across the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
border shortly after this, eventually settling in the French town of Menton
Menton
Menton is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed la perle de la France ....
.
In her youth Marly had worked as a ballet dancer in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, and been taught by the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
. By the age of 17 she was performing her own compositions in the cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
clubs of Paris, it was at this time that she adopted the name "Marly", supposedly selecting it from a telephone directory
Telephone directory
A telephone directory is a listing of telephone subscribers in a geographical area or subscribers to services provided by the organization that publishes the directory...
, her original name, "Betoulinsky", being too difficult for French speakers to pronounce.
War years
After the fall of France in 1940 Marly fled to London with her DutchNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
husband. It was while she was in London that she made contact with the Free French rebels. Emmanuel d'Astier, a prominent figure in the resistance, heard Marly sing the Chant des Partisans in Russian when he visited London in 1943. He asked the writers Joseph Kessel
Joseph Kessel
Joseph Kessel was a French journalist and novelist.He was born in Villa Clara, Entre Ríos, Argentina, because of the constant journeys of his father, a Lithuanian doctor of Jewish origin. Joseph Kessel lived the first years of his childhood in Orenburg, Russia, before the family moved to France...
and Maurice Druon
Maurice Druon
Maurice Druon was a French novelist and a member of the Académie française.Born in Paris, France, Druon was the nephew of the writer Joseph Kessel, with whom he translated the Chant des Partisans, a French Resistance anthem of World War II, with music and words originally by Anna Marly.In 1948...
, both of whom had travelled with him, to translate the song into French. D'Astier asked for the translation with the intention of using the song as a replacement for La Marseillaise
La Marseillaise
"La Marseillaise" is the national anthem of France. The song, originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin" was written and composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in 1792. The French National Convention adopted it as the Republic's anthem in 1795...
, which had been banned by the Nazi party. Following this translation, the song quickly established itself as the surrogate anthem of the supporters of the French resistance both in France and Britain. Kessel and Druon, however, took the credit for writing the song; it was not until some years later that she gained the recognition she deserved for writing the original song.
Towards the end of the war Marly joined the Entertainments National Service Association
Entertainments National Service Association
The Entertainments National Service Association or ENSA was an organisation set up in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British armed forces personnel during World War II. ENSA operated as part of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes...
, performing her songs to the Allied forces across Europe. She divorced her husband after the war, shortly afterwards marrying a fellow Russian refugee. They originally moved to South America before finally settling in Lazy Mountain, Alaska
Lazy Mountain, Alaska
Lazy Mountain is a census-designated place in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, she and her husband eventually becoming US citizens.
Later life
Anna Marly also wrote "A Song in Triple Time" ("Une chanson à trois temps") for Édith PiafÉdith Piaf
Édith Piaf , born Édith Giovanna Gassion, was a French singer and cultural icon who became widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer. Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being ballads...
and "La complainte du partisan" (known as "The Partisan"). In the United States, "The Partisan" gained popularity when Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
released it in 1969 and Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
in 1972.
Many French singers have recorded "Chant des partisans", including Yves Montand
Yves Montand
-Early life:Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy, the son of poor peasants Giuseppina and Giovanni Livi, a broommaker. Montand's mother was a devout Catholic, while his father held strong Communist beliefs. Because of the Fascist regime in Italy, Montand's family left for France in...
in 1955.
In recognition of the importance of "Le chant des partisans" Marly was named a chevalier de La Légion d'Honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
by François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
in 1985, the fortieth anniversary of the liberation of France.
External links
- Anna Marly photos
- Anna Marly on Find A Grave
- Anna Marly – Le chant des partisans sings in Russian
- Anna Marly – Le chant des partisans sings in French