Iosif Andriasov composed the “White Lilies-of-the-Valley” for Soprano Solo, Children’s Choir, and Piano in 1969. During the summer of that year, the composer lived and worked at the USSR Composers’ Union Creative Work Home in Ruza, near Moscow, USSR. His daughter, Maria, who was four years old, picked flowers from the field and gathered them in a bouquet. The picked flowers, without water, faded away. Iosif explained to his daughter that she should not pick the flowers, but leave them in the forest glade for others to see and enjoy their beauty. Mr. Andriasov composed a piece and presented the topic of the song to Maya Lapisova, a poetess, who stayed in Ruza during that time, with a request to write a poem to his music. Maya Lapisova wrote the lyrics, and the song was completed.
“Белые ландыши тихо цвели. “White lilies-of-the-valley quietly blossomed.
Мы на поляне в лесу их нашли. We found them on a forest glade.
Снежный букет осторожно сорвём. Carefully we’ll pick a snowy bouquet.
Сказку лесную домой принесём. And will bring this woodland fairy-tale home.
В синюю вазу поставим цветы. Into a blue vase we’ll put the flowers.
Сколько в них свежести и красоты! How much freshness and beauty are in them!
Будто фонарики в листьях горят, As if lanterns shine in the leaves,
И колокольчики нежно звенят. And little bells are gently ringing.
Ландыши наши завяли в пути. Our lilies-of-the-valley faded on the way.
Мы их домой не смогли донести. We could not carry them as far as home.
Ландыши на руки грустно легли. The lilies-of-the-valley lay sadly on our hands.
Лучше б они на поляне росли”. It would have been better if they still blossomed on a glade.”
