A composer is called a poet. Explain why Pyotr Tchaikovsky believed that Afanasy Fet was the most talented composer among poets, and which of the Russian poets is the successor of Fet's traditions in the musical structure of poems
What would our life be like without music? For years, people have been asking themselves this question and coming to the conclusion that without the beautiful sounds of music, the world would be a very different place. Music helps us to experience joy more fully, to find our inner self and to cope with difficulties. Composers, working on their works, were inspired by a variety of things: love, nature, war, happiness, sadness and many others. Some of the musical compositions they created will forever remain in the hearts and memory of people. Here is a list of the ten greatest and most talented composers of all time. Under each of the composers you will find a link to one of his most famous works.
10 PHOTOS (VIDEO)
Franz Peter Schubert is an Austrian composer who lived only 32 years, but his music will live on for a very long time. Schubert wrote nine symphonies, about 600 vocal compositions, as well as a large number of chamber and solo piano music.
"Evening Serenade"
German composer and pianist, author of two serenades, four symphonies, and concertos for violin, piano and cello. He performed at concerts from the age of ten, for the first time he performed a solo concert at the age of 14. During his lifetime, he gained popularity primarily thanks to the waltzes and Hungarian dances he wrote.
"Hungarian Dance No. 5".
Georg Friedrich Handel is a German and English composer of the Baroque era, he wrote about 40 operas, many organ concertos, as well as chamber music. Handel's music has been played at the coronation of English kings since 973, it is also heard at royal wedding ceremonies and is even used as the anthem of the UEFA Champions League (with a little arrangement).
"Music on the Water"
Joseph Haydn is a famous and prolific Austrian composer of the classical era, he is called the father of the symphony, as he made a significant contribution to the development of this musical genre. Joseph Haydn is the author of 104 symphonies, 50 piano sonatas, 24 operas and 36 concertos
"Symphony No. 45".
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is the most famous Russian composer, the author of more than 80 works, including 10 operas, 3 ballets and 7 symphonies. He was very popular and known as a composer during his lifetime, performed in Russia and abroad as a conductor.
"Waltz of the Flowers" from the ballet "The Nutcracker".
Frederic Francois Chopin is a Polish composer who is also considered one of the best pianists of all time. He wrote many piano pieces including 3 sonatas and 17 waltzes.
"Rain waltz".
The Venetian composer and virtuoso violinist Antonio Lucio Vivaldi is the author of more than 500 concertos and 90 operas. He had a great influence on the development of Italian and world violin art.
"Elven Song"
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is an Austrian composer who amazed the world with his talent from early childhood. Already at the age of five, Mozart was composing small pieces. In total, he wrote 626 works, including 50 symphonies and 55 concertos. 9.Beethoven 10.Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach - German composer and organist of the Baroque era, known as a master of polyphony. He is the author of more than 1000 works, which include almost all significant genres of that time.
"Musical Joke"
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6th grade
1. On what topics did N.A. write operas? Rimsky-Korsakov
a) fabulous b) historical c) heroic
Key - a
2. What stories did P.I. Tchaikovsky ballets:
a) fabulous b) patriotic c) heroic-dramatic
Key - a
3. As M.I. Glinka romance on verses by N. Kukolnik?
a) Nightingale b) Sparrow c) Lark
The key is in
4. Which of the Russian composers own the words“I wish with all the strength of my soul that my music would bring support and consolation to people”
A) M.I. Glinka b) P.I. Tchaikovsky c) S.V. Rachmaninoff
Key - b
5. Which composer introduced us to the world of polyphonic musicwhere all votes are equal:
A) I.S. Bach b) V.A. Mozart c) N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov
Key - a
6. What is the name of the wind keyboard instrument, translated from Greek meaning "tool", "instrument"?
a) harpsichord b) horn c) organ
The key is in
7. What genre can be attributed to the cycle of M.P. Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition"
A) symphony b) cantata c) suite d) ballet
The key is in
8. Which composer is called the "soul of the piano"?
A) F. Chopin b) I. Strauss c) P.I. Chaikovsky
Key - a
9. Restore proportion:
1. "Alexander Nevsky" a) M.I. Glinka
2. "Sleeping Beauty" b) L. van Beethoven
3. "Ivan Susanin" c) I.S. Bach
4. "Marmot" d) P.I. Chaikovsky
5. Prelude and fugue e) S.S. Prokofiev
Key 1)-e, 2)-d, 3)-a, 4)-b, 5)-c.
10. List the ballets of the famous Russian composer of the 19th century Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky __________________________________________________________________
Key "Swan Lake", "The Nutcracker", "Sleeping Beauty"
11. What is the name of the great Polish composer whose heart, according to his last will, is buried in Warsaw ____________________________________________
Key F. Chopin
12. Remove the excess and explain your choice: button accordion, domra, harp, harp, flute __________
Key Harp, since it does not belong to Russian folk instruments
Key - b
14. The skill of playing the violin of this musician was so perfect and inimitable that there were rumors that evil spirits were helping him.. Who are we talking about?
a) F. Chopin b) N. Paganini c) F. Schubert d) A. Vivaldi e) V.A. Mozart
Key - b
15. Restore proportion:
Key 1-e, 2-a, 3-d, 4-f, 5-b, 6-c
16. Who is depicted on the central part of the triptych by Pavel Korin? __________________
And which of the composers dedicated a piece of music to him? __________________
Key middle part "Alexander Nevsky", music by S.S. Prokofiev
17. What composer are we talking about: "He is the very first, most important sound in the chord of Russian music" ______________________________________________________________
Klyuch M.I. Glinka
18. Complete the crossword
Key horizontally 1. Glinka 2. Mussorgsky 3. Prokofiev 4. Paganini 5. Vocalise
Vertical: 6. Schubert 7. Libretto 8. Romance 9. Barcarolle 10. Aria 11. Polyphony 12. Beethoven
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Tasks for the school Olympiad in "Music"
7th grade
1. The Requiem is the last creation, the "swan song" of the great Austrian composer, in which he embodied the deepest world of human experiences: spiritual confusion, peaceful peace, depth of grief.Name this composer.
Key Mozart
2. What is the name of composing music immediately during its performance?
Key - a
3. What is the Italian word for a summary of the content of an opera or ballet?
Key - b
4. What instrument of the symphony orchestra did Rimsky Korsakov say: "The timbre is senilely mocking in major and painfully sad in minor"
A) flute b) bassoon c) violin d) trumpet
Key - b
5. Restore proportion:
1. Norway a) S.V. Rachmaninov
2. Russia b) F. Chopin
3. Poland c) E. Grieg
4. Germany d) V.A. Mozart
5. Austria e) I.S. Bach
Key - 1) -c, 2) -a, 3) -b, 4) -d, 5) -d.
6. The Austrian composer Franz Schubert is known to have written over 600 songs and ballads.What is the name of the ballad written by him at the age of 18 to the verses of the poet W. Goethe?
Key "Forest King"
7. Fill in the table
Key
8. Choose musical instruments for orchestras:
balalaika, violin, piano, bayan, guitar, cello, harp, organ, horn, domra, trombone, harp, rattle.
9. Fill in the table, correctly distributing the genres:
romance, song without words, serenade, barcarolle, suite, lullaby, symphony, sonata, cant, cantata, opera
Key
10. What cycle of piano pieces P.I. Tchaikovsky wrote for children?
a) "Children's Music" b) "Children's Album"
in) "Album for Youth" d) "Pictures at an Exhibition"
Key - b
11 . Name the composers who turned to the requiem genre ___________
Key V.A. Mozart, D.B. Kabalevsky
12. What musical form can reveal the poetic image of this poem? ______________________________________________________________
I remember a wonderful moment: In the languor of hopeless sadness, And dreamed of cute features. | Years passed. Storms gust rebellious In the wilderness, in the darkness of confinement | The soul has awakened: And the heart beats in rapture |
Key Three-part form
13. Select the characteristic features of the work of composers P.I. Tchaikovsky and L. Beethovento suit their individual style:
A) an appeal to the inner world of a person
B) courage
C) subtle psychology
D) song
D) bright dynamism
E) appeal to humanity
P.I. Chaikovsky_______________________________________________________
L. Beethoven______________________________________________________________
Key Tchaikovsky: A C D Beethoven: B D E
14. Clean up : aria, cavatina, overture, duet, trio, choir.
Key Overture
15. What community of composers was called the "Balakirev Circle"?
Key "Mighty bunch"
16. Which group of instruments is closest to the conductor?
Key bowed string instruments
17. Finish N. Rubinstein's phrase, said about one of the composers of the 18th century: “Eternal sunshine in music, your name is ___________________”
Key Mozart
18. To what heroine of "A Thousand and One Nights" is N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov?
Scheherazade key
19. Indicate the name of the composer and the name of the romance on the verses of E. Beketova:
"In the morning, at dawn,
On the dewy grass
I'll go fresh in the morning to breathe.
And in the fragrant shade
Where the lilac crowds
I'm going to look for my happiness"
Composer_______________________Romance________________________________
Key Rachmaninov "Lilac"
20. Which hero of the opera sings in an aria: "Oh, give me, give me freedom"?
A) Ivan Susanin B) Boris Godunov
B) Sadko D) Prince Igor
Key D) Prince Igor
21. What does the word "operetta" mean in Italian?
A) little opera B) wrong opera
B) bad opera D) new opera
Key A) little opera
22. Which city is the birthplace of jazz?
A) Chicago B) New York
B) New orleans D) Odessa
Key B) New Orleans
23. The name of this Italian violinist and composer was surrounded by legends during his lifetime. He laid the foundations of modern violin playing technique, enriching the music with new coloristic possibilities. Among his works, the Twenty-Four Capriccios are still the most popular. Romantic composers used them in their works. Since 1954, competitions named after this violinist have been organized in Italy.call his name _________________________________
Key Nicolo Paganini
24. Find a pattern and remove the excess: Yu. Vizbor, S. Nikitin, O. Mityaev, B. Okudzhava, V. Vysotsky, A. Rosenbaum, N. Rimsky-Korsakov, O. Gazmanov.
Key N. Rimsky-Korsakov
25. Restore proportion:
Key
"Cats" - musical
"Seasons" - instrumental concert
"Sadko" - opera
"Forest King" - ballad
"Alexander Nevsky" - cantata
"Island" - romance
The Nutcracker - ballet
"Pictures at an Exhibition" - piano cycle
26. Which hero of the opera sings in an aria: "Oh, give me, give me freedom, I will be able to atone for my shame"?
A) Ivan Susanin b) Sadko c) Prince Igor d) Boris Godunov
Key Prince Igor
27. What is the name of composing music immediately during its performance?
A) improvisation b) interpretation c) composition
Key improvisation
28. What is the Italian word for a literary presentation of the content of an opera or ballet?
A) bel canto b) libretto c) overture
Libretto Key
29. In the titles of which musical works these words occur? Complete the table by writing (where necessary) the title of the work in full.
Pathetic, Romeo, Giselle, Swan, Heroic, Peak, Lunar, Carmen, Nutcracker, Aida, Heroic, Sleeping, Susanin.
On whose behalf does the poet speak??_______________
“They called me;
I went out. Man dressed in black
Bowing politely, ordered
Me Requiem and disappeared. I sat down immediately
And he began to write - and from that time on me
My black man didn't come;
And I'm glad: I would be sorry to leave
With my work, though quite ready
Already Requiem"
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Tasks for the school Olympiad in "Music"
8th grade
A) O. Mityaev b) B. Okudzhava c) G. Sviridov d) A. Rosenbaum
The key is in
2. To which city did the composer D.D. dedicate his famous 7th symphony? Shostakovich?
A) Kyiv b) Moscow c) Volgograd d) Leningrad
Key - g
3. What is the name of the musical accompaniment of the solo part of the voice?
A) accompaniment b) libretto c) crescendo
Key - a
4. Restore proportion:
1. "Sadko" a) E.L. Webber
2. "Rhapsody in the style of the blues" b) M.I. Glinka
3. "Ruslan and Lyudmila" c) P.I. Chaikovsky
4. "Sleeping Beauty" d) V.A. Mozart
5. The Magic Flute e) N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov
6. "Cats" f) J. Gershwin
Key 1)-e, 2)-e, 3)-b, 4)-c, 5)-d, 6)-a.
5. Fill in the missing word.
Romantic ……………………. - a plot work built on fantastic, folklore, legendary-historical, everyday material with a gloomy mysterious coloring. It was embodied in music in the form of solo vocal compositions with piano accompaniment by F. Schubert or instrumental compositions by F. Chopin.
Key Ballad
6. The work of the English playwright W. Shakespeare, a representative of the Renaissance, has always aroused great interest among composers. The tragedy "Romeo and Juliet" formed the basis of the opera by V. Bellini, the symphony of G. Berlioz, the opera by Ch. Gounod.Which of the Russian composers turned to this plot? ___________________________
Key P.I. Chaikovsky; S.S. Prokofiev
7. What is the name of the Russian composer who created the national Russian opera, national instrumental music, national classical school__________________________________________________________
Klyuch M.I. Glinka
8. What artwork unites these names:
M.I. Kutuzov - L.N. Tolstoy - S.S. Prokofiev
Key Opera "War and Peace"
9. What is the name of the orchestral introduction to an opera, ballet, dramatic performance, as well as an independent orchestral piece, usually of a program nature? ___________________________________________________________________
Key Overture
10. Having been baptized in 988, Rus' became the heir and continuer of the traditions of Byzantium. Name the features of Russian sacred music ______________
11. What opera M.I. Glinka had a name different from the author's for 70 years?
Key "Life for the king"
12. What instrument was Ludwig van Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata written for??
Piano key
13. Which keyboard wind instrument has a keyboard for the feet?
Key Organ
14. Which of the proposed works correspond to the dramatic, lyrical, heroic musical image? Connect with arrows.
F. Schubert "Forest King" lyric
L. Beethoven "Egmont"
E. Grieg "Morning" dramatic
P.I. Tchaikovsky "The Nutcracker"
S.S. Prokofiev "Alexander Nevsky" heroic
P.I. Tchaikovsky "Romeo and Juliet"
Key lyrical E. Grieg "Morning", P.I. Tchaikovsky "The Nutcracker"
dramatic F. Schubert "Forest King", P.I. Tchaikovsky "Romeo and Juliet"
heroic L. Beethoven "Egmont", S.S. Prokofiev "Alexander Nevsky"
15. What is the name of the musical work of M.P. Mussorgskyinspired by the drawings of the architect Viktor Hartmann? _______________________
Key "Pictures at an Exhibition"
16. Name 4 parts of sonata form _______________________________________
Key Sonata form: exposition, development, reprise, coda.
17. TV channel "Culture" created a unique project– International television competition for young musicians _________________________
Nutcracker key
18. Which of the following words does not denote a female voice?
A) soprano B) mezzo-soprano
B) bel canto D) contralto
Key B) bel canto
19. Whose song is called chanson?
A) the Italians B) the French
B) Americans D) Germans
Key B) from the French
20. What answer is given in the opera by P.I. Tchaikovsky "The Queen of Spades" to the question: "What is our life?"
A) fight B) love
B) sleep D) play
Key D) game
"Ivan Susanin"
"Prince Igor" A.P. Borodin
"Ruslan and Lyudmila" P.I. Chaikovsky
"Snow Maiden" M.I. Glinka
"Queen of Spades" N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov
"Sadko"
Key "Ivan Susanin", "Ruslan and Lyudmila" - M.I. Glinka
"Sadko", "Snow Maiden" - N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov
"Prince Igor" - A.P. Borodin
"The Queen of Spades" - P.I. Chaikovsky
22. What is the name of the orchestral introduction to an opera, ballet, drama performance, as well as an independent orchestral piece, usually of a program nature? ________________________________________________________________________
Key Overture
23. To whom did the romance “I remember a wonderful moment” dedicated by M.I. Glinka
Key Ekaterina Ermolaevna Kern
24. “At the Fireside”, “Snowdrop”, “Christmas Time”, “Autumn Song”, “On the Troika” - pieces from the piano cycle by P.I. Tchaikovsky:
Key - b
25. What is the name of the composer who wrote over 600 songs and ballads, including "Trout", "Forest King", "On the Road", "Ave Maria"?
Key Schubert
a) “Fly away on the wings of the wind you are to your native land, our native song” | |||||
b) "Oh give me, give me freedom" | M.I. Glinka |
||||
c) “You will rise, my dawn!” | |||||
d) "With girlfriends to walk on the berry, to respond to their cheerful response"Tasks for the school Olympiad in "Music" Grade 9 1. A.P. Borodin possessed not only an outstanding musical and literary talent, but also a great talent as a scientist. In what field? a) physics b) chemistry c) biology Key - b 2. Which of the Russian composers is the founder of the Russian classical school? Key - b 3. On the verses of which poet M.I. Glinka wrote romances“I remember a wonderful moment”, “Night marshmallow”, “Do not sing, beauty, with me”? a) N. Kukolnik b) V. Zhukovsky c) A. Pushkin The key is in 4. “At the Fireside”, “Shrovetide”, “Song of the Lark”, “Christmas Time”, “On the Troika” are pieces from the piano cycle of P.I. Tchaikovsky: a) "Children's Album" b) "Seasons" Key - b 5. It is known that this composer wrote over 600 songs, among them vocal cycles to the words of the contemporary poet Wilhelm Müller "The Beautiful Miller's Woman" and "The Winter Road". call his name. a) F. Chopin b) F. Schubert c) R. Schumann Key - b 6. The Requiem is the last creation, the “swan song” of the great Mozart, in which the composer embodied the deepest world of human experiences: mental confusion, peaceful peace, depth of grief.Which of the composers of the 20th century turned to this genre? a) G. Sviridov b) D. Kabalevsky c) S. Prokofiev Key - b 7. Over 35 years of his life, this composer created over 600 works. But when he died, his widow did not even have money for a separate place in the cemetery, and they buried him in a common grave for the poor. Who is it about? ______________________ Key V.A. Mozart 8. How many ballerinas participate in the dance of little swans in P.I. Tchaikovsky "Swan Lake"? _______________________________________________ Key Four 9. What is the name of the Russian composer who wrote the music for the tragedy of A.S. Pushkin "Boris Godunov" ________________________________________________ Key M.P. Mussorgsky 10. This Moscow theater has burned to the ground twice in its history.. Maybe that's why there is now a fountain in front of his third building. What is the name of this theatre? Key "Big" 11. What, according to Pushkin's Mozart, is incompatible with genius? _________ Key Villainy 12. What musical instrument made Louis Armstrong famous? ___________ Key Trumpet 13. Finish the sentence: In Rus' in the XI century, they participated in pagan rites. Gradually, the ritual meaning of their art was forgotten, and they became itinerant actors, called ... Buffoon's Key 14. Which of the Russian composers these statements belong to: a) “my music is a confession of the soul, on which there is a lot of M.P. Mussorgsky boiled up and which is poured out by means of sounds " b) “the past in the present is my task” N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov c) “my kind is a fairy tale, an epic and certainly Russians” P.I. Chaikovsky Key a) P.I. Chaikovsky; b) M.P. Mussorgsky; c) N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov 15. The poet Ludwig Relshtab assured that Beethoven captured Lake Lucerne with sounds on a quiet moonlit night. And therefore he took and “christened” someone else’s work _________________________________________________________________ Key "Lunar" 16. What is the name of the musical accompaniment of the solo part of the voice? Key Accompaniment 17. In what compositions of Russian composers are you familiar with a patriotic theme, the theme of defending the Fatherland?? (at least three) _____________________________________________________________________________ Key free answer 18. International competitions are an important means of communication and often become cultural events in the life of countries and peoples. For more than 50 years, the competition named after ______________________________________________________________________ Key named after Tchaikovsky 19. Name the genre of the song of the Grushinsky festival on the Volga? ________________ Give an example of a song ______________________________________________ Key bard song 20. Which of the Russian composers is the founder of the Russian classical school? a) P.I. Tchaikovsky b) M.I. Glinka c) N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov |
1. "Ivan Susanin" a) P.I. Chaikovsky
2. "Sadko" b) M.I. Glinka
3. "Cinderella" c) N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov
4. "Snegurochka" d) A.P. Borodin
5. "Swan Lake" e) S.S. Prokofiev
6. "Ruslan and Lyudmila"
7. "Prince Igor"
8. Nutcracker
9. "The Tale of Tsar Saltan"
Key
"Prince Igor" - Borodin
The Nutcracker, Swan Lake - Tchaikovsky
"The Tale of Tsar Saltan", "Sadko", "The Snow Maiden" - Rimsky-Korsakov
"Ruslan and Lyudmila", "Ivan Susanin" - Glinka
"Cinderella" - Prokofiev
23. In 2012, our country celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of songwriter Lev Ivanovich Oshanin.Underline from the proposed songs those that are written on the verses of this poet:“The Volga Flows”, “Holy War”, “Cranes”, “Roads”, “Let There Always Be Sunshine”, “Katyusha”, “Song of a Friend”, “Yaroslavia”, “Hymn of the Democratic Youth of the World”.
Key “The Volga flows”, “Roads”, “Let there always be sunshine”, “Yaroslavia”, “Hymn of the democratic youth of the world”.
It can rightly be called the real pinnacle of Russian vocal lyrics. His romances amaze with expressive images and incredible lyricism. The composer felt poetry very sensitively, paying attention to the melody and rhythm of the verses.
History of creation Romances by Tchaikovsky, content and many interesting facts read on our page.
Features of Tchaikovsky's romances
What is romance ? This is a small vocal work, which is based on a poetic text of lyrical content. Sunny Spain is considered its homeland, hence the name romance (Roman language). In Russia, this genre appeared only in the second half of the 18th century, rapidly gaining great popularity. Since then, many composers have composed romances, sometimes conveying in them the most sincere and even intimate feelings.
P.I. Chaikovsky paid attention to the romance genre throughout his career, touching on various topics in them. In general, researchers of the composer's work call his chamber-vocal heritage a kind of lyrical diary.
Tchaikovsky composed his vocal works primarily for the average listener, which is why they are so close to the urban everyday romance. All feelings in them are shown extremely sincerely, but at the same time easy to understand, and the music sensitively follows the text, revealing to the listeners all the deep meaning.
What guided Tchaikovsky when choosing a poetic text for his romances? This question often worries fans of his work. It is not surprising, because sometimes the composer paid attention to a little-known poet, seemingly ignoring recognized authors. Sometimes in a poem, the maestro could only draw attention to one bright artistic image or a single line. Nevertheless, most of the vocal work was written to the verses of famous authors: A. Fet, F. Tyutchev, N. Nekrasov, G. Heine, G. Goethe, etc. Most often, the composer was attracted by the work of Russian poets because of the musicality of the verses and their elegance of form. Tchaikovsky noted the extraordinary brightness and emotionality of the works of A. Tolstoy and A. Apukhtin. The composer even called A. Fet a poet-musician.
Love for this genre was largely due to the fact that Tchaikovsky, literally from childhood, had a warm attitude towards romances, listening to the works of Alyabyev, Varlamov, Schuman . In addition, he learned a lot in the work M. Glinka and Dargomyzhsky .
Despite this, Pyotr Ilyich's vocal lyrics are different and are distinguished by individual originality. Some researchers note that Tchaikovsky's romances are endowed with "opera". This is not surprising, given that the composer devoted a lot of time to his operatic work.
Tchaikovsky wrote his first works in this genre while still a student at the School of Law. It is noteworthy that one of the composer's last creations was a cycle of romances based on poems by Daniil Ratgauz.
Interesting Facts
- Pyotr Ilyich himself also composed poetry, to which he devoted a lot of time. The vocal trio "Nature and Love" was written by him in his own words.
- It is no coincidence that researchers of Tchaikovsky's creative heritage note the similarity of operatic and chamber vocal works. You can often find in romances the features of future arias or even heroes of operas. In addition, the composer's vocal work is very close to his symphonic works.
- Already in the very first romances, researchers find features of symphonism. This manifests itself in intense melody, developed accompaniment, musical imagery and dramatic power.
- Tchaikovsky wrote more than 100 romances based on poems by various authors.
- He preferred to sign his own poems with the pseudonym N.N.One of the most popular romances, Amidst a Noisy Ball, attracted not only Tchaikovsky, but two musicians at once: B. Sheremetiev and A. Schaefer turned their attention to Tolstoy's composition.Tchaikovsky made his own changes to some texts.
- In total, Tchaikovsky's chamber vocal heritage includes 103 romances and songs, as well as seven ensembles.
History of creation and content
The composer composed his first work in this genre to the poetic text of A. Fet "My angel, my genius". All the early vocal works of Pyotr Ilyich are classified by researchers as lofty love lyrics. Joy and pain, melancholy and fun are closely intertwined here. It is noteworthy that a rather simple vocal part often coexists with complex accompaniment. Tchaikovsky published his first vocal works in 1869, in addition to the very first, they also include "Song of Zemfira", "Midnight", "No, only the one who knew", "From what?". The researchers attribute these works to the lyrical-elegiac line, which reveals sadness associated with regret for the lost happiness.
The 70s are associated with the composer's creative upsurge, it was during this period of time that he wrote about half of all his chamber vocal works. In these samples, the range of images is significantly expanded, and there are much more expressive means.
Noticeably stands out Tchaikovsky's interest in national color. Romances testify to this. "Canary"(lyrics by Mey), "Evening"(word by Shevchenko), "Ali mother gave birth to me", "Pampered"(A. Mitskevich), "Serenade Don Juan"(A. Tolstoy).
The romance "Reconciliation" (lyrics by N. Shcherbina) is considered one of the most dramatic. The vocal part immerses the listeners in heavy thoughts about lost dreams. The melody of the romance has an expressive character.
In 1878 and 1880, Tchaikovsky composed several series of romances, which stood out noticeably from the rest of his works. Most of them are written to the verses of A. Tolstoy. "In the midst of a noisy ball"- one of them. It sensitively and incredibly accurately conveys the atmosphere of the verse. It is noteworthy that the words were written in 1851, and the romance itself in 1878.
Tolstoy composed his creation especially for his future wife Sophia Miller. It is no coincidence that the work shows the atmosphere of the ball, because he met her at the masquerade ball in honor of the New Year. Of course, Sofya Andreevna's face was hidden by a mask, like that of the rest of those present, but nevertheless, the girl was able to impress I. Turgenev and A. Tolstoy. At that time, she was still married, but this did not stop Tolstoy from falling in love with the girl at first sight. After 12 years, the lovers were able to get married.It was not by chance that Tchaikovsky chose the waltz genre for this romance, but despite the atmosphere of the ball, all attention in the musical part is focused on the lovers, on their feelings and experiences.
Among Tchaikovsky's romances there are examples that reveal the beauty of nature. "Bless you forests..."(lyrics by A. Tolstoy) one of them. At the same time, the religious and philosophical searches of the composer are also concentrated, so it would be more appropriate to attribute it to monologues. The first bars convey a serious atmosphere and acquire the features of a choral type. The romance “Does the Day Reign ...” (lyrics by Apukhtin) belongs to the same topic. The whole work seems to be flooded with bright rays of the sun. A large role in this work is given to the accompaniment, saturated with stormy passages. If we compare the romance with Tchaikovsky's operatic works, then it would be more appropriate to equate it with Robert's aria from " Iolanthe ».
The theme of women's fate is widely disclosed in Tchaikovsky's vocal works. The composer wrote a whole series of romances on this subject. "If I knew, if I knew"(lyrics by Tolstoy), “Whether I was in the field and was not a grass”(lyrics by I. Surikov) are one of them. In these works, folk flavor is vividly represented, it is expressed not only in the vocal part, but also in the accompaniment.
In the future, the drama in his romances only intensifies. This is noticeable not in the example of works from op. 57 "To the yellow fields"(Tolstoy). It is surprising that in the verbal text there is no such hopeless despair, it is more appropriate to attribute it to melancholy, a thoughtful mood associated with peace and quiet. Tchaikovsky saw the content of the poem somewhat differently. Its nature is painted in gloomy tones; in the introduction, beats resembling a bell are heard. Hopeless suffering permeates the entire romance, leaving behind only melancholy and loneliness.
Genre-characteristic romances
Apart in the work of Tchaikovsky, works endowed with genre-characteristic features stand out. One of them is romance. "Nightingale"(A. Pushkin). It is written on the basis of words from the "Songs of the Western Slavs".
belongs to the same series "Gypsy Song"(Polonsky). In the romance, subtle gloomy tones are heard, which are hidden from strangers by some mystery. The refrain sounds unusual here, in which the composer used the Phrygian mode.
Around the end of the 80s, Tchaikovsky moved away from the romance genre for almost five years and paid attention to his major works. After a short break, he creates 6 magnificent romances to the verses of D. Rathaus. They are considered the latest examples in this genre. Written during the period of work on the Sixth Symphony, they are saturated with sadness and sincerity.
Songs for children by Tchaikovsky
Among the vocal creativity of Pyotr Ilyich, the songs that he composed for children stand out noticeably. This is a cycle that consists of 16 numbers. They are written to the verses of Pleshcheev, Surikov and Aksakov. These works are addressed specifically to children, talk about their interests, and are filled with relevant topics. Among this cycle, one of the most popular are songs "My garden", "Spring", "Cuckoo". Despite the fact that some researchers still note the proximity of this cycle to creativity Mussorgsky However, Tchaikovsky's works for children are perceived somewhat differently. They successfully fulfill their main function - they serve for the musical education of children.
romances P.I. Tchaikovsky , his lyrical diary, convey the depth and sincerity of feelings. Musical images, bright intonations, as well as the richness of the musical language shake and fascinate the listener literally from the first bars. All the poetry of the verse can be felt thanks to the music of P.I. Tchaikovsky, who always felt very sensitively his every smallest feature, sharing his observations with the audience with the help of musical sounds.
Video: listen to Tchaikovsky's Romances
World classical music is unthinkable without the works of Russian composers. Russia, a great country with talented people and its cultural heritage, has always been among the leading locomotives of world progress and art, including music. The Russian school of composers, whose traditions were continued by the Soviet and today's Russian schools, began in the 19th century with composers who combined European musical art with Russian folk melodies, linking together the European form and the Russian spirit.
A lot can be said about each of these famous people, all of them have not simple, and sometimes tragic fates, but in this review we have tried to give only a brief description of the life and work of composers.
1.Mikhail Ivanovich GLINKA (1804—1857)
Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka is the founder of Russian classical music and the first domestic classical composer to achieve world fame. His works, based on the centuries-old traditions of Russian folk music, were a new word in the musical art of our country.
Born in the Smolensk province, educated in St. Petersburg. The formation of the worldview and the main idea of Mikhail Glinka's work was facilitated by direct communication with such personalities as A.S. Pushkin, V.A. Zhukovsky, A.S. Griboyedov, A.A. Delvig. The creative impetus to his work was added by a long-term trip to Europe in the early 1830s and meetings with the leading composers of the time - V. Bellini, G. Donizetti, F. Mendelssohn and later with G. Berlioz, J. Meyerbeer. Success came to M.I. Glinka after staging the opera "Ivan Susanin" ("Life for the Tsar") (1836), which was enthusiastically received by everyone, for the first time in world music, Russian choral art and European symphonic and operatic practice were organically combined, as well as a hero appeared, similar to Susanin, whose image summarizes the best features of the national character. VF Odoevsky described the opera as "a new element in Art, and a new period begins in its history - the period of Russian music."
The second opera - the epic "Ruslan and Lyudmila" (1842), the work on which was carried out against the backdrop of Pushkin's death and in the difficult living conditions of the composer, due to the deeply innovative nature of the work, was ambiguously received by the audience and the authorities and brought M.I. Glinka hard feelings . After that, he traveled a lot, living alternately in Russia and abroad, without stopping composing. Romances, symphonic and chamber works remained in his legacy. In the 1990s, Mikhail Glinka's "Patriotic Song" was the official anthem of the Russian Federation.
Quote by M.I. Glinka: "In order to create beauty, one must be pure in soul."
Quote about M.I. Glinka: "The entire Russian symphonic school, like the whole oak tree in an acorn, is contained in the symphonic fantasy "Kamarinskaya". P.I. Tchaikovsky
An interesting fact: Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka did not differ in good health, despite this he was very easy-going and knew geography very well, perhaps if he had not become a composer, he would have become a traveler. He knew six foreign languages, including Persian.
2. Alexander Porfiryevich BORODIN (1833—1887)
Alexander Porfirievich Borodin, one of the leading Russian composers of the second half of the 19th century, in addition to his talent as a composer, was a chemist, doctor, teacher, critic and had a literary talent.
Born in St. Petersburg, since childhood, everyone around him noted his unusual activity, enthusiasm and abilities in various directions, primarily in music and chemistry. A.P. Borodin is a Russian nugget composer, he did not have professional musician teachers, all his achievements in music are due to independent work on mastering the technique of composing. The formation of A.P. Borodin was influenced by the work of M.I. Glinka (as well as all Russian composers of the 19th century), and two events gave an impetus to the close occupation of composition in the early 1860s - firstly, the acquaintance and marriage with the talented pianist E.S. Protopopova, and secondly, the meeting with M.A. Balakirev and joining the creative community of Russian composers, known as the "Mighty Handful". In the late 1870s and 1880s, A.P. Borodin traveled and toured extensively in Europe and America, met with the leading composers of his time, his fame grew, he became one of the most famous and popular Russian composers in Europe at the end of the 19th century. th century.
The central place in the work of A.P. Borodin is occupied by the opera "Prince Igor" (1869-1890), which is an example of the national heroic epic in music and which he himself did not have time to finish (it was completed by his friends A.A. Glazunov and N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov). In "Prince Igor", against the backdrop of majestic pictures of historical events, the main idea of \u200b\u200bthe entire work of the composer was reflected - courage, calm grandeur, spiritual nobility of the best Russian people and the mighty strength of the entire Russian people, manifested in the defense of the motherland. Despite the fact that A.P. Borodin left a relatively small number of works, his work is very diverse and he is considered one of the fathers of Russian symphonic music, who influenced many generations of Russian and foreign composers.
Quote about A.P. Borodin: "Borodin's talent is equally powerful and amazing both in symphony and in opera and romance. His main qualities are giant strength and breadth, colossal scope, swiftness and impetuosity, combined with amazing passion, tenderness and beauty." V.V. Stasov
An interesting fact: the chemical reaction of silver salts of carboxylic acids with halogens, resulting in halogen-substituted hydrocarbons, which he first investigated in 1861, is named after Borodin.
3. Modest Petrovich MUSSORGSKY (1839—1881)
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky - one of the most brilliant Russian composers of the 19th century, a member of the "Mighty Handful". Mussorgsky's innovative work was far ahead of its time.
Born in the Pskov province. Like many talented people, from childhood he showed talent in music, studied in St. Petersburg, was, according to family tradition, a military man. The decisive event that determined that Mussorgsky was born not for military service, but for music, was his meeting with M.A. Balakirev and joining the "Mighty Handful". Mussorgsky is great because in his grandiose works - the operas "Boris Godunov" and "Khovanshchina" - he captured in music the dramatic milestones of Russian history with a radical novelty that Russian music did not know before him, showing in them a combination of mass folk scenes and a diverse richness of types, the unique character of the Russian people. These operas, in numerous editions by both the author and other composers, are among the most popular Russian operas in the world. Another outstanding work of Mussorgsky is the cycle of piano pieces "Pictures at an Exhibition", colorful and inventive miniatures are permeated with the Russian refrain theme and the Orthodox faith.
There was everything in Mussorgsky's life - both greatness and tragedy, but he was always distinguished by genuine spiritual purity and disinterestedness. His last years were difficult - unsettled life, non-recognition of creativity, loneliness, addiction to alcohol, all this determined his early death at 42, he left relatively few compositions, some of which were completed by other composers. The specific melody and innovative harmony of Mussorgsky anticipated some features of the musical development of the 20th century and played an important role in the development of the styles of many world composers.
Quote by MP Mussorgsky: "The sounds of human speech, as external manifestations of thought and feeling, must, without exaggeration and rape, become truthful, accurate music, but artistic, highly artistic."
Quote about M.P. Mussorgsky: "Aboriginally Russian sounds in everything that Mussorgsky did" N.K. Roerich
An interesting fact: at the end of his life, Mussorgsky, under pressure from "friends" Stasov and Rimsky-Korsakov, renounced the copyright to his works and presented them to Tertiy Filippov
4. Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840—1893)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, perhaps the greatest Russian composer of the 19th century, raised Russian musical art to unprecedented heights. He is one of the most important composers of world classical music.
A native of the Vyatka province, although his paternal roots are in Ukraine, Tchaikovsky showed musical abilities from childhood, but his first education and work was in the field of law. Tchaikovsky is one of the first Russian "professional" composers - he studied music theory and composition at the new St. Petersburg Conservatory. Tchaikovsky was considered a "Western" composer, in contrast to the folk figures of the "Mighty Handful", with whom he had good creative and friendly relations, but his work is no less permeated with the Russian spirit, he managed to uniquely combine the Western symphonic heritage of Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann with Russian traditions inherited from Mikhail Glinka.
The composer led an active life - he was a teacher, conductor, critic, public figure, worked in two capitals, toured Europe and America. Tchaikovsky was a rather emotionally unstable person, enthusiasm, despondency, apathy, irascibility, violent anger - all these moods changed in him quite often, being a very sociable person, he always strove for loneliness.
It is a difficult task to single out something the best from Tchaikovsky's work, he has several works of equal size in almost all musical genres - opera, ballet, symphony, chamber music. The content of Tchaikovsky's music is universal: with inimitable melodism, it embraces images of life and death, love, nature, childhood, works of Russian and world literature are revealed in it in a new way, deep processes of spiritual life are reflected.
Composer quote:
"I am an artist who can and must bring honor to his Motherland. I feel a great artistic power in myself, I have not yet done even a tenth of what I can do. And I want to do it with all the strength of my soul."
"Life has charm only when it consists of the alternation of joys and sorrows, of the struggle between good and evil, of light and shadow, in a word, of diversity in unity."
"Great talent requires great hard work."
Quote about the composer: "I am ready day and night to stand guard of honor at the porch of the house where Pyotr Ilyich lives - to such an extent I respect him" A.P. Chekhov
An interesting fact: the University of Cambridge in absentia and without defending a dissertation awarded Tchaikovsky the title of Doctor of Music, and the Paris Academy of Fine Arts elected him a corresponding member.
5. Nikolai Andreevich RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844—1908)
Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov is a talented Russian composer, one of the most important figures in the creation of an invaluable domestic musical heritage. His peculiar world and worship of the eternal all-encompassing beauty of the universe, admiration for the miracle of being, unity with nature have no analogues in the history of music.
Born in the Novgorod province, according to family tradition, he became a naval officer, on a warship he traveled around many countries in Europe and two Americas. He received his musical education first from his mother, then taking private lessons from the pianist F. Canille. And again, thanks to M.A. Balakirev, the organizer of the "Mighty Handful", who introduced Rimsky-Korsakov into the musical community and influenced his work, the world did not lose a talented composer.
The central place in Rimsky-Korsakov's heritage is occupied by operas - 15 works demonstrating a variety of genre, stylistic, dramatic, compositional decisions of the composer, nevertheless having a special style - with all the richness of the orchestral component, melodic vocal lines are the main ones. Two main directions distinguish the composer's work: the first is Russian history, the second is the world of fairy tales and epic, for which he received the nickname "storyteller".
In addition to direct independent creative activity, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov is known as a publicist, compiler of collections of folk songs, in which he showed great interest, and also as the finalist of the works of his friends - Dargomyzhsky, Mussorgsky and Borodin. Rimsky-Korsakov was the founder of the composer school, as a teacher and head of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, he produced about two hundred composers, conductors, musicologists, among them Prokofiev and Stravinsky.
Quote about the composer: "Rimsky-Korsakov was a very Russian person and a very Russian composer. I believe that this primordially Russian essence of him, his deep folklore-Russian basis, should be especially appreciated today." Mstislav Rostropovich
The work of Russian composers of the late 19th - first half of the 20th century is a holistic continuation of the traditions of the Russian school. At the same time, the concept of an approach to the "national" affiliation of this or that music was named, there is practically no direct citation of folk melodies, but the Russian intonation basis, the Russian soul, remained.
6. Alexander Nikolaevich SKRYABIN (1872 - 1915)
Alexander Nikolaevich Skryabin is a Russian composer and pianist, one of the brightest personalities of Russian and world musical culture. The original and deeply poetic work of Scriabin stood out for its innovation even against the background of the birth of many new trends in art associated with changes in public life at the turn of the 20th century.
Born in Moscow, his mother died early, his father could not pay attention to his son, as he served as ambassador to Persia. Scriabin was brought up by his aunt and grandfather, from childhood he showed musical abilities. At first he studied at the cadet corps, took private piano lessons, after graduating from the corps he entered the Moscow Conservatory, his classmate was S.V. Rakhmaninov. After graduating from the conservatory, Scriabin devoted himself entirely to music - as a concert pianist-composer, he toured Europe and Russia, spending most of his time abroad.
The peak of Scriabin's composing work was the years 1903-1908, when the Third Symphony ("Divine Poem"), the symphonic "Poem of Ecstasy", "Tragic" and "Satanic" piano poems, 4th and 5th sonatas and other works were released. "The Poem of Ecstasy", consisting of several themes-images, concentrated Sryabin's creative ideas and is his bright masterpiece. It harmoniously combined the composer's love for the power of a large orchestra and the lyrical, airy sound of solo instruments. The colossal vital energy, fiery passion, strong-willed power embodied in the "Poem of Ecstasy" makes an irresistible impression on the listener and to this day retains the strength of its influence.
Another masterpiece of Scriabin is "Prometheus" ("Poem of Fire"), in which the author completely updated his harmonic language, departing from the traditional tonal system, and for the first time in history, this work was supposed to be accompanied by color music, but the premiere, for technical reasons, passed no light effects.
The last unfinished "Mystery" was the idea of Scriabin, a dreamer, romantic, philosopher, to appeal to all mankind and inspire him to create a new fantastic world order, the union of the Universal Spirit with Matter.
Quote by A.N. Scriabin: “I’m going to tell them (people) that they ... don’t expect anything from life except what they can create for themselves ... I’m going to tell them that there’s nothing to grieve about, that there is no loss "So that they are not afraid of despair, which alone can give rise to real triumph. Strong and powerful is the one who has experienced despair and conquered it."
Quote about A.N. Scriabin: "Scriabin's work was his time, expressed in sounds. But when the temporary, transient finds its expression in the work of a great artist, it acquires a permanent meaning and becomes enduring." G. V. Plekhanov
7. Sergei Vasilyevich Rahmaninov (1873 - 1943)
Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov is the greatest world composer of the early 20th century, a talented pianist and conductor. The creative image of Rachmaninoff as a composer is often defined by the epithet "the most Russian composer", emphasizing in this brief formulation his merits in uniting the musical traditions of the Moscow and St. Petersburg composer schools and in creating his own unique style, which stands out in isolation in world musical culture.
Born in the Novgorod province, from the age of four he began to study music under the guidance of his mother. He studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, after 3 years of study he transferred to the Moscow Conservatory and graduated with a big gold medal. He quickly became known as a conductor and pianist, composing music. The disastrous premiere of the groundbreaking First Symphony (1897) in St. Petersburg sparked a creative composer's crisis, from which Rachmaninoff emerged in the early 1900s with a mature style that combined Russian church songwriting, outgoing European romanticism, modern impressionism and neoclassicism, all saturated with complex symbolism. During this creative period, his best works were born, including 2 and 3 piano concertos, the Second Symphony and his favorite work - the poem "The Bells" for choir, soloists and orchestra.
In 1917, Rachmaninov and his family were forced to leave our country and settle in the United States. For almost ten years after his departure, he did not compose anything, but toured extensively in America and Europe and was recognized as one of the greatest pianists of the era and the greatest conductor. For all the stormy activity, Rachmaninoff remained a vulnerable and insecure person, striving for solitude and even loneliness, avoiding the intrusive attention of the public. He sincerely loved and yearned for his homeland, wondering if he had made a mistake by leaving it. He was constantly interested in all the events taking place in Russia, read books, newspapers and magazines, helped financially. His last compositions - Symphony No. 3 (1937) and "Symphonic Dances" (1940) became the result of his creative path, absorbing all the best of his unique style and the mournful feeling of irreparable loss and homesickness.
Quote by S.V. Rachmaninov:
"I feel like a ghost wandering alone in a world that is alien to him."
"The highest quality of any art is its sincerity."
"Great composers have always and above all paid attention to melody as the leading principle in music. Melody is music, the main basis of all music ... Melodic ingenuity, in the highest sense of the word, is the composer's main life goal .... By For this reason, the great composers of the past showed so much interest in the folk melodies of their countries.
Quote about S.V. Rachmaninov:
"Rakhmaninov was made of steel and gold: Steel in his hands, gold in his heart. I can't think of him without tears. I not only bowed before the great artist, But I loved the man in him." I. Hoffman
"Rakhmaninov's music is the Ocean. Its waves - musical - start so far beyond the horizon, and lift you so high and lower you so slowly ... that you feel this Power and Breath." A. Konchalovsky
An interesting fact: during the Great Patriotic War, Rachmaninov gave several charity concerts, the money collected from which he sent to the Red Army fund to fight the Nazi invaders.
8. Igor Fyodorovich STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky is one of the most influential world composers of the 20th century, the leader of neoclassicism. Stravinsky became a "mirror" of the musical era, his work reflects the multiplicity of styles, constantly intersecting and difficult to classify. He freely combines genres, forms, styles, choosing them from centuries of musical history and subordinating them to his own rules.
Born near St. Petersburg, studied at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University, independently studied musical disciplines, took private lessons from N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, this was Stravinsky's only composing school, thanks to which he mastered the compositional technique to perfection. He began to compose professionally relatively late, but the rise was swift - a series of three ballets: The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911) and The Rite of Spring (1913) immediately brought him to the number of composers of the first magnitude.
In 1914 he left Russia, as it turned out almost forever (in 1962 there were tours in the USSR). Stravinsky is a cosmopolitan, having had to change several countries - Russia, Switzerland, France, and ended up living in the USA. His work is divided into three periods - "Russian", "neoclassical", American "serial production", the periods are divided not by the time of life in different countries, but by the author's "handwriting".
Stravinsky was a very highly educated, sociable person with a wonderful sense of humor. The circle of his acquaintances and correspondents included musicians, poets, artists, scientists, businessmen, statesmen.
The last highest achievement of Stravinsky - "Requiem" (Chants for the Dead) (1966) absorbed and combined the composer's previous artistic experience, becoming a true apotheosis of the master's work.
In Stavinsky's work, one unique feature stands out - "uniqueness", it was not for nothing that he was called "the composer of a thousand and one styles", the constant change of genre, style, plot direction - each of his works is unique, but he constantly returned to designs in which Russian origin is visible, heard Russian roots.
Quote by I.F. Stravinsky: "I have been speaking Russian all my life, I have a Russian style. Maybe in my music this is not immediately visible, but it is inherent in it, it is in its hidden nature"
Quote about I.F. Stravinsky: "Stravinsky is a truly Russian composer ... The Russian spirit is indestructible in the heart of this truly great, multifaceted talent, born of the Russian land and vitally connected with it ... " D. Shostakovich
Interesting fact (bike):
Once in New York, Stravinsky took a taxi and was surprised to read his name on the sign.
- You are not a relative of the composer? he asked the driver.
- Is there a composer with such a surname? - the driver was surprised. - Hear it for the first time. However, Stravinsky is the name of the taxi owner. I have nothing to do with music - my name is Rossini ...
9. Sergei Sergeevich PROKOFIEV (1891—1953)
Sergei Sergeevich Prokofiev - one of the greatest Russian composers of the 20th century, pianist, conductor.
Born in the Donetsk region, from childhood joined the music. Prokofiev can be considered one of the few (if not the only) Russian musical "wunderkinds", from the age of 5 he was engaged in composing, at the age of 9 he wrote two operas (of course, these works are still immature, but they show a desire for creation), at the age of 13 he passed exams in St. Petersburg Conservatory, among his teachers was N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. The beginning of his professional career caused a storm of criticism and a misunderstanding of his individual fundamentally anti-romantic and extremely modernist style, the paradox is that, breaking the academic canons, the structure of his compositions remained true to classical principles and subsequently became a restraining force of modernist all-denying skepticism. From the very beginning of his career, Prokofiev performed and toured a lot. In 1918, he went on an international tour, including visiting the USSR, and finally returned to his homeland in 1936.
The country has changed and Prokofiev's "free" creativity has been forced to give way to the realities of the new demands. Prokofiev's talent flourished with renewed vigor - he writes operas, ballets, music for films - sharp, strong-willed, extremely accurate music with new images and ideas, laid the foundation for Soviet classical music and opera. In 1948, three tragic events occurred almost simultaneously: on suspicion of espionage, his first Spanish wife was arrested and exiled to camps; the Decree of the Poliburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks was issued in which Prokofiev, Shostakovich and others were attacked and accused of "formalism" and the dangers of their music; there was a sharp deterioration in the composer's health, he retired to the country and practically did not leave it, but continued to compose.
Some of the brightest works of the Soviet period were the operas "War and Peace", "The Tale of a Real Man"; the ballets "Romeo and Juliet", "Cinderella", which have become a new standard of world ballet music; oratorio "On guard of the world"; music for the films "Alexander Nevsky" and "Ivan the Terrible"; symphonies No. 5,6,7; piano work.
Prokofiev's work is striking in its versatility and breadth of themes, the originality of his musical thinking, freshness and originality made up an entire era in the world musical culture of the 20th century and had a powerful impact on many Soviet and foreign composers.
Quote by S.S. Prokofiev:
"Can an artist stand aloof from life?.. I am of the conviction that a composer, like a poet, sculptor, painter, is called upon to serve man and the people... First of all, he must be a citizen in his art, sing of human life and lead man to a brighter future...
"I am a manifestation of life, which gives me the strength to resist all non-spiritual"
Quote about S.S. Prokofiev: "... all facets of his music are beautiful. But there is one completely unusual thing here. Apparently, we all have some kind of failures, doubts, just a bad mood. And in such moments , even if I don’t play and don’t listen to Prokofiev, but just think about him, I get an incredible boost of energy, I feel a great desire to live, act” E. Kissin
An interesting fact: Prokofiev was very fond of chess, and enriched the game with his ideas and achievements, including the "nine" chess he invented - a 24x24 board with nine sets of pieces placed on it.
10. Dmitry Dmitrievich SHOSTAKOVICH (1906 - 1975)
Dmitri Dmitrievich Shostakovich is one of the most significant and performed composers in the world, his influence on modern classical music is immeasurable. His creations are true expressions of the inner human drama and the annals of the difficult events of the 20th century, where the deeply personal is intertwined with the tragedy of man and mankind, with the fate of his native country.
Born in St. Petersburg, he received his first musical lessons from his mother, graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, upon entering which its rector Alexander Glazunov compared him with Mozart - he impressed everyone with his excellent musical memory, keen ear and composer's gift. Already in the early 1920s, by the end of the conservatory, Shostakovich had a baggage of his own works and became one of the best composers in the country. World fame came to Shostakovich after winning the 1st International Chopin Competition in 1927.
Until a certain period, namely before the production of the opera "Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District", Shostakovich worked as a freelance artist - "avant-garde", experimenting with styles and genres. The harsh denunciation of this opera in 1936 and the repressions of 1937 laid the foundation for the subsequent constant internal struggle of Shostakovich for the desire to express his views by his own means in the face of the state's imposition of trends in art. In his life, politics and creativity are very closely intertwined, he was praised by the authorities and persecuted by them, held high positions and was removed from them, was awarded and was on the verge of arrest himself and his relatives.
A soft, intelligent, delicate person, he found his form of expression of creative principles in symphonies, where he could tell the truth about time as openly as possible. Of all the vast works of Shostakovich in all genres, it is the symphonies (15 works) that occupy the central place, the most dramatic are symphonies 5,7,8,10,15, which became the pinnacle of Soviet symphonic music. A completely different Shostakovich opens up in chamber music.
Despite the fact that Shostakovich himself was a "home" composer and practically did not travel abroad, his music, humanistic in essence and truly artistic in form, quickly and widely spread throughout the world, performed by the best conductors. The magnitude of Shostakovich's talent is so immense that the full comprehension of this unique phenomenon of world art is yet to come.
Quote by D.D. Shostakovich: "Real music is capable of expressing only humane feelings, only advanced humane ideas."
They had an extraordinary literary gift. In their literary heritage: musical journalism and criticism, musicological, musical and aesthetic works, reviews, articles and much more.
Very often, literary works were for the creators of musical masterpieces an additional means of explaining the musical language in order to give the listener the key to an adequate perception of music. Moreover, the musicians created the verbal text with the same passion and dedication as the musical one.
The writing arsenal of romantic composers
Fine connoisseurs of artistic literature were representatives of musical romanticism. R. Schumann wrote articles about music in the genre of a diary, in the form of letters to a friend. They are characterized by a beautiful style, free flight of fantasy, juicy humor, vivid imagery. Having created a kind of spiritual union of fighters against musical philistinism (“David's Brotherhood”), Schumann addresses the public on behalf of his literary characters - the frantic Florestan and the poetic Eusebius, the beautiful Kiara (the prototype is the composer's wife), Chopin and Paganini. The connection between literature and music in the work of this musician is so great that his characters live both in the literary and musical lines of his compositions (the piano cycle "Carnival").
The inspired romantic G. Berlioz composed musical short stories and feuilletons, reviews and articles. Pushed to writing and material need. The most famous of the literary works of Berlioz are his brilliantly written Memoirs, which captured the ebullient spiritual quest of art innovators in the mid-19th century.
The elegant literary style of F. Liszt was especially clearly reflected in his “Letters of the Bachelor of Music”, in which the composer expresses the idea of a synthesis of the arts, with an emphasis on the interpenetration of music and painting. In confirmation of the possibility of such a merger, Liszt creates piano pieces inspired by the paintings of Michelangelo (the play The Thinker), Raphael (the play The Betrothal), Kaulbach (the symphonic work The Battle of the Huns).
The colossal literary heritage of R. Wagner, in addition to numerous critical articles, contains voluminous works on the theory of art. One of the composer's most interesting works, Art and Revolution, was written in the spirit of utopian ideas about the future world harmony that will come when the world changes through art. Wagner assigned the main role in this process to opera, a genre in which the synthesis of the arts was embodied (the study “Opera and Drama”).
Samples of literary genres among Russian composers
The past two centuries have left a huge literary heritage of Russian and Soviet composers to world culture - from the “Notes” by M.I. Glinka, to "Autobiography" by S.S. Prokofiev and the notes of G.V. Sviridov and others. Practically, all famous Russian composers tried their hand at literary genres.
Articles by A.P. Borodin about F. Liszt has been read for many generations of musicians and music lovers. In them, the author tells about his visit to the great romantic in Weimar, reveals interesting details about the everyday life and work of the composer - abbot, the features of Liszt's piano lessons.
ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov, whose autobiographical work has become an outstanding musical and literary phenomenon (The Chronicle of My Musical Life), is also interesting as the author of a unique analytical article about his own opera The Snow Maiden. The composer reveals in detail the leitmotif dramaturgy of this charming musical fairy tale.
Sviridov's notes about music and musicians, about the composer's creative process, about sacred and secular music are still waiting for their design and publication.
The study of the literary heritage of outstanding composers will make a lot more amazing discoveries in the art of music.
