The absence of our country a full national anthem rightly perceived by people as one of the serious problems, some point sovereign inferiority. Paradoxically, those who should care, it would seem, in the first place - the representatives of government, parliament and executive for many years "did not reach her hands." And at the first meeting of the presidium of the State Council under the Russian President discussed the issue of state symbols. It seems that in this revival of interest in the topic has affected the activity of the press, including the "Labor" (narrated by, in particular, about the difficult fate of the national anthem of beautiful music created by the great our contemporary Georgy Sviridov). After our publications has increased the flow of readers' statements about what should be the anthem of Russia. With us, share their thoughts on this matter, and well-known cultural figures, and "just" readers.

Tikhon Khrennikov, composer:

- Write anthem - an extremely difficult task. It is necessary to combine a lot of qualities - not only melodiousness, but also life-affirming power, decisiveness, determination, latitude. In my eyes there were two of the competition, and nothing of what they offered but received in 1944 to the words of the anthem Aleksandrova Mikhalkov and El-Registan, it was impossible to choose. For example, when writing their versions of Shostakovich and Khachaturian during the war - first separately and then Stalin proposed that they worked together, but still nothing came of it. The second competition was attended Mayboroda brothers, Sviridov, I ... Someone turned too lyrical, someone, on the contrary, too "train".

Today offers a number of projects. And Glinka's "Patriotic Song", and "Broad is my native land" Dunayevsky and work Alexandrova - all this amazing music. But how many years already, we live with the anthem Glinka - and he somehow did not catch on. Melody little bit longish for people to remember it and sing. "Broad is my native land" - brilliant, popular songs. But this song. It is not all that complex of properties that make the product a symbol of the state.

This complex is only in melodies Alexandrov. It and humanity, and the energy and power of the Sovereign. Our people, it is well known, familiar. I think, in our time, when approved by the idea of statehood, patriotism, need just such an anthem.

Of course, it is necessary to write a new word. Why not again take up the pen and Sergei Mikhalkov? If it is difficult - the other poets help ...

Yuri Kublanovsky, poet, essayist:

- Not sure about the hymn of modern Russia should and could have a word. No people in Russia today that are capable of the words "come up." After the National Anthem - a derivative of the spirit of the nation, its author - a "medium" of the national spirit. But under the current general demoralization of what spirit are we talking about? Sounds are now Glinka's music, powerful music - and let the sound of that. A new invention of words for the anthem - it looks like a hassle at times people who want to capitalize on this even. The words, its melody must grow organically in the required time, and, God willing, will sprout. And while there is nothing meaningless fuss: goof inevitably here and once again compromise the current recovery attempt.

Especially the idea scares me the anthem of the USSR, and return the proposal to entrust to write a new text of Sergei Mikhalkov. Larger hard to imagine abuse - abuse of millions of victims of the communist regime! Of course, new words to replace the old Mikhalkov, Soviet, will look symbolic: an excellent demonstration of our penny "decommunisation" largely bluff, imaginary. But do we need such an "illustration" in today's harsh and precarious position?

The resumption of the Soviet anthem with new lyrics Mikhalkov - the same nonsense and blasphemy, as the talk of the restoration of the monument to Dzerzhinsky and the guard at the mausoleum. Such zealots "red project" should be hit on his hands, and beat painfully. For release from the tentacles of the oligarchy in any case should not be accompanied by attempts of Communist revenge in whatever patriotic camouflage coveralls he may ryadilsya.

Yuri Polyakov, novelist, essayist:

- I personally would like to back the music Alexandrov. It is the breadth, feeling the essence of Eurasian Russia. When it sounds, there is a rush to get up. And when the current national anthem sounds, I want to appeal to musicologists, so they explained, what is his greatness, why tracked down, I think, somewhere in the drafts of unfinished work and let the genius composer Glinka had to hastily declare the state emblem. This is - one of the discretionary acts of the Yeltsin era.

Some fear that the music Alexandrov associative "pull" in Stalin's time. But I think it will not happen. I was born in 1954 - in fact, at the turn of epochs. And "Stalin" the text as a whole can not remember. Those individual rows of him that remained in memory - for example about the union of the peoples - because they are relevant in today's multinational Russia. In one form, these ideas could be used in the new text.

Generally, in writing other text on the same music I do not see anything wrong. After all, the most important hymn music. Hymn texts (at least in the European tradition) usually do not differ much from each other: well, except that somewhere is said about God, if the state religion, somewhere - not if it is secular, but all we are talking about the inviolability of power, of devotion to her people, etc. We define it in music, a hymn which country is executed, for example, at the Olympics. Before I knew from the very first sounds, who won a sports victory, now for a long time I can not understand to whom fortune smiled.

It seems to me to settle the question of the hymn, it would be necessary to resort to an online survey, as is done in many TV programs: to put on the televisions tunes - and collect phone calls ...

Alexander Gradsky, composer, poet, singer:

- Soviet symbols do not revive. There is already spawned their country. Russia is not in Lenin's or Stalin era was born, she was more than a thousand years. Let's take the symbols and relevant.

Anthem Alexandrov - beautiful work. Just do not lie to ourselves: it does not become a custom to sing it standing, hand on his heart. For an ordinary person, not a professional musician, can not sing it: difficult. My intuition for such things, I immediately feel: here a "failure", the "hole". Another big "hole" in the book Glinka: it does not vocal by nature. True, I used to sing all (about me even Schnittke said Gradskij and sing the phone book), but a hymn must perform millions.

So two years ago I decided to write a new text to Alexei Lvov anthem "God Save the Tsar." I grind it for three months - to any "gaps" as they say builders - there is no place to stick a razor. Here's what happened (give at least a couple of verses):

God bless us all.
A strong, sovereign
Will Russia ever-mother ...
O Lord, our God,
Give us salvation,
faith, hope, love and peace ...

made an arrangement on two orchestras - the Russian folk and symphonic, choir gathered 300 people. And I played on November 3 last year on his jubilee concert in the hall "Russia".

Since then, who ever I showed this post - the same reaction, and it consists of two parts. First, there is no doubt - this is the anthem of Russia. Second, but it will never be approved. I understand the skeptics: they know that our officials are terribly afraid of accusations of imperial ambitions. Although it is not a revival of the empire and of natural succession. Returned as other posters. And not so changed our polity. The President - the same king, the only elected (which, incidentally, was also already in the XVII century).

No in the text and the unique Orthodox orientation. After all, God is one for all. However, the style of some expressions close to Orthodoxy, but it is, I think, is not shameful for the country - we must not forget - put together the Russian people.

Do not think that I'm using the popular newspaper to "shove" his version. Let someone else write the text better. But for me Anthem Russia was, is and will be the music of the Lvov.