The Russian school of composition, the successor of the traditions of which was the Soviet and today's Russian schools, began in the 19th century with composers who united the European musical art with Russian folk melodies, linking together the European form and the Russian spirit.
You can tell a lot 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 while composing the opera Ruslan and Lyudmila. 1887, artist Ilya Efimovich Repin
"To create beauty, one must be a pure soul."
Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka is the founder of Russian classical music and the first Russian 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, he received his education in St. Petersburg. The formation of the worldview and the main idea of \u200b\u200bMikhail Glinka's work was facilitated by direct communication with such personalities as A.S. Pushkin, V.A. Zhukovsky, A.S. Griboyedov, A.A. Delvig. A creative impulse to his works 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 MI Glinka in 1836, after the staging of the opera "Ivan Susanin" ("Life for the Tsar"), 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, and also a hero appeared, like 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), which was worked on against the background of Pushkin's death and in the difficult living conditions of the composer, due to the profoundly innovative essence of the work, was ambiguously received by the audience and the authorities, and brought M.I. Glinka experiences. After that he traveled a lot, alternately living in Russia and abroad, without stopping to compose. His legacy includes romances, symphonic and chamber works. In the 1990s, Mikhail Glinka's Patriotic Song was the official anthem of the Russian Federation.
Quote about M.I. Glinka:“The entire Russian symphonic school, just like the whole oak in acorns, is contained in the Kamarinskaya symphonic fantasy. P.I. Tchaikovsky
Interesting fact: Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka was not distinguished by 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 Porfirevich Borodin
(1833-1887)
Alexander Porfirevich Borodin, one of the leading Russian composers of the second half of the 19th century, besides his talent as a composer, was a scientist-chemist, doctor, teacher, critic and had a literary talent.
Born in St. Petersburg, from childhood everyone around him noted his unusual activity, fascination and ability in various directions, primarily in music and chemistry.
A.P. Borodin is a Russian composer-nugget, he did not have professional music teachers, all his achievements in music thanks to independent work over mastering the technique of composition.
The formation of A.P. Borodin was influenced by the work of M.I. Glinka (as, by the way, for all Russian composers of the 19th century), and the impulse for a dense occupation with composition in the early 1860s was given by two events - firstly, an acquaintance and marriage with the talented pianist E.S. Protopopova, and secondly, a meeting with MA Balakirev and joining the creative community of Russian composers known as the "Mighty Handful".
In the late 1870s and in the 1880s, A.P. Borodin traveled and toured a lot in Europe and America, met the leading composers of his time, his fame was growing, he became one of the most famous and popular Russian composers in Europe at the end of the 19th 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 manage to finish (it was completed by his friends A.A. Glazunov and N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov). In "Prince Igor", against the background of majestic pictures of historical events, the main idea of \u200b\u200ball the composer's work is reflected - courage, calm greatness, spiritual nobility of the best Russian people and the mighty strength of the entire Russian people, manifested in the defense of the homeland.
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 the Russian symphonic musicwho influenced many generations of Russian and foreign composers.
Quote about A.P. Borodin:“Borodin's talent is equally powerful and striking both in symphony and in opera and romance. Its main qualities are gigantic strength and breadth, colossal scope, swiftness and impetuosity, combined with amazing passion, tenderness and beauty. " V.V. Stasov
Interesting fact: The chemical reaction of silver salts of carboxylic acids with halogens, resulting in halogenated hydrocarbons, which he first investigated in 1861, is named after Borodin.
3. Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky
(1839-1881)
"The sounds of human speech, as external manifestations of thought and feeling, should, without exaggeration and violence, become music true, accurate, but artistic, highly artistic."
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky is one of the most brilliant Russian composers of the 19th century, a member of the "Mighty Handful". Musorgsky's innovative work was far ahead of its time.
Was born in the Pskov province. Like many talented people, he showed aptitude in music since childhood, 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 MA Balakirev and joining the "Mighty Handful".
Mussorgsky is great because in his grandiose works - the operas Boris Godunov and Khovanshchina - he captured dramatic milestones in music russian history with a radical novelty that Russian music did not know before him, showing in them a combination of popular folk scenes and a diverse wealth of types, the unique character of Russian people. These operas, in numerous editions, both by the author and by 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 theme-refrain 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 selflessness.
His last years were difficult - disorder in life, lack of recognition of creativity, loneliness, addiction to alcohol, all this determined his early death at 42, he left relatively few works, 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 formation of the styles of many world composers.
Quote about M.P. Mussorgsky:"Primordially Russian sounds in everything that Musorgsky did" N. Roerich
Interesting fact: At the end of his life, Mussorgsky, under pressure from "friends" Stasov and Rimsky-Korsakov, renounced copyright to his works and presented them to Tertiy Filippov.
4. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
(1840-1893)
“I am an artist who can and should bring honor to my Motherland. I feel a great artistic power in me, I have not yet done a tenth of what I can do. And I want to do it with all my heart. "
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 Vyatka province, although paternal roots in Ukraine, Tchaikovsky showed musical talent from childhood, but his first education and work was in the field of jurisprudence.
Tchaikovsky was 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 the Russians traditions inherited from Mikhail Glinka.
The composer led an active life - he was a teacher, conductor, critic, public figure, worked in two capitals, toured in Europe and America.
Tchaikovsky was a man quite emotionally unstable, enthusiasm, despondency, apathy, hot temper, 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 best from Tchaikovsky's work, he has several works of equal size in almost all musical genres - opera, ballet, symphony, chamber music. And the content of Tchaikovsky's music is universal: with inimitable melodism it embraces the images of life and death, love, nature, childhood, works of Russian and world literature are revealed in a new way, deep processes of spiritual life are reflected in it.
Quote from the composer:"Life has charm only when it consists of alternation of joys and sorrow, from the struggle between good and evil, from light and shadow, in a word - from diversity in unity."
"Great talent requires a lot of 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
Interesting fact: The University of Cambridge awarded Tchaikovsky the title of Doctor of Music in absentia and without defending his thesis, and the Paris Academy of Fine Arts also elected him a corresponding member.
5. Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov
(1844-1908)
N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov and A.K. Glazunov with their students M.M. Chernov and V.A. Senilov. Photo 1906 Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov is a talented Russian composer, one of the most important figures in the creation of an invaluable Russian musical heritage. His peculiar world and worship of the eternal all-embracing beauty of the universe, admiration for the miracle of life, unity with nature have no analogues in the history of music.
Born in the Novgorod province, by family tradition he became a naval officer, on a warship he went around many countries of Europe and the Americas. He received his musical education first from his mother, then taking private lessons from the pianist F. Canille. And again, thanks to MABalakirev, the organizer of The Mighty Handful, who introduced Rimsky-Korsakov to the musical community and influenced his work, the world has not lost a talented composer.
The central place in the legacy of Rimsky-Korsakov is made up of 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 epics, 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, to which he showed great interest, as well as as the finalizer of the works of his friends - Dargomyzhsky, Mussorgsky and Borodin. Rimsky-Korsakov was the creator of the school of composition, as a teacher and head of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, he graduated 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 it, its deep folklore-Russian basis should be especially appreciated today. " Mstislav Rostropovich
Composer Fact: Nikolai Andreevich began his first counterpoint lesson like this:
- Now I will talk a lot, and you will listen very carefully. Then I will speak less, and you will listen and think, and finally, I will not speak at all, and you will think with your own head and work on your own, because my task as a teacher is to become unnecessary to you ...
The disc you are holding in your hands is unique in its own way. For the first time in four centuries, one disc contains the works of Moscow composers of the middle generation, whose works largely define the face of today's Russian music. For all the stylistic difference, these authors are united by the fact that four of them are professors of the Moscow Conservatory, and the fact that all these works were recorded by an ensemble with which they have long and fruitfully collaborated. This is the Studio for New Music under the direction of Igor Dronov. The works of Yuri Vorontsov and Vladimir Tarnopolsky were written especially for this ensemble. All works are published on CD for the first time.
Vladimir Tarnopolsky
Chevengur for voice and ensemble on texts by Andrey Platonov (2001)
Chevengur was commissioned by Westdeutsche Rundfunk and is dedicated to its first performers - Svetlana Savenko, Igor Dronov and the Studio for New Music ensemble. For me, Platonov is one of the greatest Russian writers. He reflected with piercing reliability the spontaneous irrationalism of Russian consciousness and the entire Russian history of the twentieth century. A deep existential breakdown is captured in his novel not only at the plot level, but also in the very structure of the language - each Platonic word is extremely material, it is born through overcoming the colossal resistance of inert linguistic matter.
Following Platonov, I tried to overcome the cliché nature of the timbre role of the instruments, composing new, non-classical sound spectra. It was important for me to overcome the dividing line between word, voice and instrumental timbre, so that the instruments “speak” and the voice sounds like an instrument, so that the phonemes of words are freely distributed between them.
I wanted to recreate the Platonic idea of \u200b\u200banimating a thing ("living" Platonic steam locomotive) and to reproduce the moments of complete merging of a person with a working mechanism. I was looking for an opportunity to convey by musical means the Platonic feeling of universal loss and longing, similar to that which is heard in the final quasi-soldier's song "... it is both shameful to live and sad to die." These words of Platonov became for me a kind of formula for our entire history.
Vladimir Tarnopolsky
Faraj Karaev
Three bagatelle (2003)
Three bagatelle is nothing more than ... Three bagatelle. Light concert pieces, written in a few hot days in August 2003, have the same number of measures with the same meter change and the same quasi-harmonic "grid". These are original ornamental variations, each of which could be named 1. Normal legati, 2. Strange glissandi and 3. Merry staccati. In the code, movement goes beyond form, taking on more and more indistinct outlines - to the point of complete nonsense.
Faraj Karaev
Yuri Vorontsov
Buffatore (2011)
Buffatore translates from Italian as glassblower. The idea of \u200b\u200bthe composition was born from a fleeting episode that happened during a trip to Italy several years ago. My wife and I were in Venice for only one day. It was autumn. It seems to have been mid-October. It rained all day. There was water everywhere. A small workshop of a Venetian glassblower amazed with the dominance of two other elements - fire and air. The miracle of the birth of fragile glass was accompanied by the rattle of blown bellows, squall gusts of flame, the clang of many metal devices and the Master's hard physical work.
Yuri Vorontsov
Alexander Vustin
Credo (2004)
Credo for instrumental ensemble with a solo piano written in 2004 by order of the French publishing house Le Chant du Monde for a concert dedicated to the 75th birthday of Edison Denisov. However, I did not strive to reproduce the features of the ED style in this composition; rather, it is a kind of conversation with him from “my own positions”. This is a small, within 10 minutes, piece-statement, a kind of symbol of creative faith. At the end, on the crest of development, the tone of an electric bass guitar appears. Credo is dedicated to the first performers - Mikhail Dubov and Alexei Vinogradov in memory of Edison Denisov.
Alexander Vustin
Yuri Kasparov
Dedication to Honegger for 9 performers (2005)
Dedication to Onegger is a rather unusual play for me. Unusual, if only because in it I basically used not my own thematic material. I did something similar when I wrote the play "Devil's Trills". But that was in 1990, and then my main task was to write something that would intrigue and fascinate a Soviet listener unfamiliar with contemporary music. In 2005, of course, I set a completely different task. My appeal to Honegger is not accidental. It's not just because I love his music. His book "I Am a Composer" and his articles, Honegger's pessimism, his intelligence and his caustic humor also made a strong impression on me during my musical development.
Among these melodies there is a motive for any mood: romantic, positive or dreary, in order to relax and not think about anything, or, conversely, collect your thoughts.
twitter.com/ludovicoeinaudThe Italian composer and pianist works in the direction of minimalism, often turns to ambient and skillfully combines the classics with other musical styles. He is known to a wide circle for atmospheric compositions that have become soundtracks for films. For example, you probably recognize the music from the French 1 + 1 tape, written by Einaudi.
themagger.net Glass is one of the most controversial personalities in the world of modern classics, who is sometimes lifted to heaven, then to smithereens. He has been with his own band, the Philip Glass Ensemble, for half a century and has written music for over 50 films, including The Truman Show, The Illusionist, Taste of Life and Fantastic Four. The melodies of the American minimalist composer blur the line between classical and popular music.
latimes.com He is the author of many soundtracks, the best film composer of 2008 according to the European Film Academy and a post-minimalist. Conquered critics from the first album Memoryhouse, in which Richter's music was superimposed on poetry reading, and in subsequent albums, fiction was also used. In addition to writing his own ambient compositions, Max arranges the works of the classics: Vivaldi's Four Seasons topped the iTunes charts in his arrangement.
This creator of instrumental music from Italy is not associated with the sensational cinema, but without that he is known as a composer, virtuoso and an experienced piano teacher. If you describe the work of Marradi in two words, it will be the words "sensual" and "magical". His compositions and covers will appeal to those who love retroclassics: the notes of the last century shine through in the motives.
twitter.com/coslive The renowned film composer has created musical scores for many high-grossing films and cartoons, including Gladiator, Pearl Harbor, Inception, Sherlock Holmes, Interstellar, Madagascar, The Lion King. Its star flaunts on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and on its shelf are Oscars, Grammys and Golden Globes. Zimmer's music is as different as the films listed, but regardless of the key, it takes to the living.
musicaludi.fr Hisaishi is one of the most famous Japanese composers, who has received four Japanese Academy Awards for Best Film Music. Joe became famous for writing the soundtrack for the anime "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind." If you are a fan of Studio Ghibli or Takeshi Kitano's tapes, then you will surely admire Hisaishi's music. It is mostly light and light.
twitter.com/theipaper This Icelandic multi-instrumentalist is just a boy compared to the listed masters, but by his 30 years he managed to become a recognized neoclassicist. He has recorded an accompaniment to the ballet, won a BAFTA for the soundtrack for the British TV series Murder on the Beach, and released 10 studio albums. Arnalds' music is reminiscent of a harsh wind on a deserted seashore.
yiruma.manifo.com Most famous works Lee Ruma - Kiss the Rain and River Flows in You. Korean new age composer and pianist writes popular classicsunderstandable to the listener on any continent, with any musical taste and education. His light and sensual melodies became the beginning of love for piano music for many.
fracturedair.com The American composer is interesting in that, but at the same time writes the most pleasant and quite popular music. O'Halloran's tunes have been featured on Top Gear and several films. Perhaps the most successful soundtrack album was for the melodrama "Like Crazy".
culturaspettacolovenezia.it This composer and pianist knows a lot about the art of conducting and how to create electronic music. But his main field is modern classics. Cacchapaglia has recorded numerous albums, three of them with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. His music flows like water, it will be great to relax under it.
I think it's important to be able to enjoy music that conveys feelings without words. In the age of high technology, we often forget about enduring spiritual values. One of these values \u200b\u200bis (classical) music - the spiritual heritage of our ancestors.
John Towner Williams
American composer, conductor and one of the most successful film composers in history. Williams is a five-time Academy Award winner (for the music for Fiddler on the Roof, Jaws, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Alien, Schindler's List). He also has 49 nominations, making him the second most nominated for this award. Throughout his career, Williams has written music for such famous films as Jaws, Superman, Alien, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, the epic Star Wars "," Harry Potter "and many others.
When you search for his work, you will understand why he comes first. After all, he created melodies from which just goosebumps run on the skin. Each of his works has a completely different meaning and associations. Each work is unique and perfect in its own way.
Top 3 works:
OST Home Alone - End Title
OST Harry Potter - Main Theme
OST Star Wars - The Imperial March
This is a South Korean composer-pianist. He became world famous with the release of his studio album First Love with the title track River Flows In You. There is also a rumor that the composition River flows in you was supposed to sound like Bella's Lullaby in the Twilight movie. But it did not sound due to the fact that it was published before the release of the film. That is why the composition of Carter Burwel was approved.
This composer with his work is more suitable when you need to think about something sad, but at the same time you do not want to feel the emptiness in your soul. His music will perfectly help you to feel the beauty not only on happy, but also on sad days.
Top 3 works:
River flows in you
Ludovíco Eináudi (Ludovico Einaudi)
Italian composer and pianist. His works combine classical traditions with elements of pop, rock, folk music and other contemporary trends. He fills his music with sensual and deeply emotional imagery, and this is the main reason why Einaudi is one of the most respected and sought after composers today.
If you want to feel a powerful surge of inspiration or just sit in silence, then I can provide you with the perfect composer, whose melodies will simply win your heart and soul.
Top 3 works:
In un "altra vita
Alizbar (Elizbar)
Russian-Hungarian musician, multi-instrumentalist and composer. He founded the "Ann" Sannat "ensemble. He also flawlessly plays several dozen instruments, including folk (among them bouzouki, citern, charango, mandolin, boiran, kobza, many varieties of percussion and hang flutes). passion for the Celtic harp, to which for some time he devoted himself almost entirely.
If you are too tired and want to rest. This composer has already provided you with the opportunity to rest your soul and body, you just have to turn on his work. Including his melodies, you just want to lie and dream of taking a break from reality, just closing your eyes for a couple of minutes.
Top 3 works:
Last fallen leaf
Whisper of the stars
Vanessa-Mae (Vanessa-Mae)
She is a British violinist and composer. She became famous mainly for the techno-adaptations of classical compositions. Her style of performance: "violin techno-acoustic fusion" or pop violin.
If you love listening to the violin playing, but at the same time love not only calm, but also groovy funny songs or melodies, then this is the perfect option for you. She has melodies and absolute songs for everyone.
3 best works.
"COMPOSER OF THE XXI CENTURY"
One day was devoted to listening to the jury of audio recordings of composers' works, sent by participants from the far corners of Russia and abroad, and three days of competitive performances were held in the presence of listeners. I had a chance to observe an amazing community and co-creation of the participants, jury members and the public, which, I must admit, are still not numerous, but definitely interested. It seems that the question of the number of listeners at such events is not removed from the agenda, and life itself is the “customer” of the new competition - precisely because there is no total awakening of interest in contemporary music. And I would like to think that the rumor about the competition will attract a wider audience to it in the future, because this competition is not invented because, among the abundance of different competitions, this is precisely what Russia clearly lacked, and the "Composer of the XXI Century" managed.
Organizing committee and jury
The founder and organizer of the competition is the International Academy of Music Innovations, an autonomous non-profit organization, which this year celebrates its tenth anniversary. The president of the competition and the head of the organizing committee Igor Yevard, around the idea of \u200b\u200breviving interest in contemporary composing art, united highly professional honored musicians: People's Artist of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Union of Composers of Russia Vladislav Kazenin, who honorably headed the jury of the competition, professor at the State Museum of Fine Arts M.M. Ippolitov-Ivanov Efrem Podgaits, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, Professor of the Russian Academy of Music Gnessin Ruzanna Lisitsian, People's Artist of the Russian Federation, Director of the Kaliningrad Regional Philharmonic Society Viktor Bobkov, as well as soloists of the Moscow State Academic Philharmonic Society, laureates of international competitions Ekaterina Mechetina and Kirill Rodina.
Concept
The Competition "Composer of the XXI Century", of course, provided an opportunity for both composers and performers to express themselves, for it is well known that composers cannot exist separately from performers, and performers need to find their own modern repertoire. And in this case, we are dealing with a competition in a competition that very elegantly tied together the two components of the birth of new music.
Essays submitted to the organizing committee in the form of the corresponding musical material and, which is especially important for remote participants, in the form of audio or video recordings, were accepted to participate in the competition as composers' works. The outlined genre of compositions was limited to their intended purpose either for vocalists or ensembles of various compositions with the number of participants not exceeding five. Competitors with a special musical education, students and graduates of music universities and colleges (not only in Russia) were allowed to participate as performers and composers. The work was assessed by a single jury in three independent nominations. In the composer nomination "Premiere of the Year" and the performing nomination "Ensembles" (duet, trio, quartet, quintet), contestants aged 17 and over could participate without setting an upper limit. In the nomination "Academic Vocal" there were two age categories: group A (from 17 to 21 years old) and group B (from 22 to 40 years old).
In the nomination "Academic Vocal" in groups A and B, one piece by a contemporary composer of any country, written after 1980, was performed of his choice, and another one from the list recommended on the official website of the competition www.muzkult.ru. In the Ensembles nomination, although the recommended compositions could also be found on this site, the authors themselves were invited to choose the competitive compositions: in whole or in part, they had to perform one or two works by composers of any country, written after 2000.
In accordance with the Regulations of the competition, the winners in the composer nomination “Premiere of the Year” were identified by audio listening (January 23), and then at the competitive performances of the semifinals (January 24 and 25) in the Organ Hall “Na Kislovka”. On January 26, the competition continued only for performers: on the stage of the Great Hall of the Moscow House of Composers, the finalists performed at the choice of the jury one of the previously presented compositions, that is, the winners in the Ensembles and Academic Vocal nominations were determined by the results of two rounds.
The total number of applications was large, only laureates of regional and international competitions were automatically included in the number of semi-finalists. A competitor wishing to participate in several nominations had additional opportunities, and the accompanist (vocalist's accompanist) could, if desired, act as a member of the ensemble. For four days, the jury got acquainted with the compositional works of 39 contestants, listened to 22 vocalists and 19 mixed ensembles.
In terms of the richness and repertoire variety of the program, the competition turned out to be almost a pioneer of its kind. And although not all of the compositions I heard impressed me to the full, three days of “work” as a listener are remembered with a pleasant “aftertaste”.
Impressions against the results
Three days of public auditions - is that a lot or a little in absolute terms? It seems that it is not enough, but even in three days the competition was able to prove that contemporary music is far from a "horror story." The new music appeared as a substance materialized in sounds, clearly with a human face. I formed the opinion that for the most part the composers-contestants began to write - and the performers-contestants just chose - not works with a "stringy rattle of strings" or pronounced sonoristics (although, of course, there were such examples among what was heard), but music, unusually melodic for the stable cliche of modern sonorities, opuses were chosen that definitely make a curtsey towards the classical tradition, but are unambiguously experimental, and therefore certainly modern. This suggests that a new generation of musicians has formed, clearly tired of the "avant-garde" and primacy in piece of music as an end in itself, it is the form - the form, as a rule, complex, sophisticatedly "twisted", but absolutely useless when there is no melody, when the heart of the music does not beat, and its soul is silent. Formally, any scale can be passed off as music, but after all, not every sequence and not every combination of sounds creates exactly the music that resonates in the listener's soul. Sometimes it seems to me that only the lack of a melodic gift among other composers and nothing else provokes them into very dubious, irrational experiments, leading nowhere and clearly alienating the audience. At the same competition, the simplicity and naturalness of musical expressiveness unambiguously prevailed over laboratory hybrids of the compositional form. It is important to note that “simple” does not mean “primitive” at all, and “difficult” does not mean “good” at all. So, amid the collapse that led to the most radical directions of today's composition, we missed something, did not notice something very important - the fact that the usual listening indifference in relation to modern opuses literally stirred up at this competition and made, finally, listen music with genuine interest. That is why it is extremely difficult to overestimate the entire relevance of the event under discussion. And now, at the awards ceremony, which took place immediately after the final concert, the names of the laureates and diploma winners are announced.
In the Premiere of the Year nomination, the awards were distributed as follows:
1st Prize - Tatiana Shatkovskaya-Aizenberg (Moscow)
II Prize - Alexey Pavlyuchuk (Saratov), \u200b\u200bAlexander Tipakov (Kaluga)
III Prize - Elmir Nizamov (Kazan)
Vyacheslav Semenov (Moscow), Nikolay Mikheev (Yakutsk), Selbi Niyazova (Ashgabat, Turkmenistan), Nodirbek Makharov (Tashkent, Uzbekistan), Maria Egorova (Moscow)
In the category "Ensembles" the laureates are:
1st prize - Fandango quintet (Moscow): Maxim Fedorov (button accordion), Semyon Denisov (first violin), Ivan Muratidi (second violin), Artem Valentinov (viola), Vasily Ratkin (cello);
II Prize - duet “Una sinistra” (Moscow): Alexander Selivanov (button accordion), Yulia Amerikova (accordion);
III Prize - Tatiana Shatkovskaya-Aizenberg Ensemble (Moscow): Elizaveta Koshkina (violin), Maria Vlasova (accordion), Natalia Semenova (soprano), Nikita Morozov (guitar), Ramon Aizenberg (melodeclamation).
The titles of diploma winners were awarded to the quintet directed by Irina Krasotina (Moscow) consisting of Maria Nefedova (cello), Tatyana Fedorova (violin), Margarita Bryndina (piano), Alexei Zavodov (clarinet) and Varvara Mistyukova (flute), as well as a duet (Moscow) with Maxim Zolotarenko (cello) and Elena Zolotova (soprano).
Awards in the nomination "Academic Vocal" (group B):
I Prize - Maria Patrusheva (mezzo-soprano, Moscow), Vladislav Dorozhkin (bass, Moscow)
II Prize - Daniil Vilpert (baritone, Saratov)
III Prize - Elena Zolotova (soprano, Moscow)
Diploma titles were awarded to Gulbanu Yerzhanova (soprano, Astana, Kazakhstan), Olga Vishnevskaya (soprano, Engels, Saratov region), Dmitry Sivakov (baritone, Minsk, Belarus), Nadezhda Orlova (soprano, Moscow), as well as (in group A) - Dinara Taubekova (soprano, Aktobe, Kazakhstan).
All laureates and diploma winners were presented with valuable gifts - sets of scores from the music publishing house "P. Yurgenson". In addition, a special prize by the unanimous decision of the jury was awarded to the best accompanist of the competition - Mikhail Turpanov. Those participants who did not become either laureates or diploma winners were awarded diplomas for participation. Finally, absolutely all participants received badges with the emblem of the competition.
In live performance in the "Premiere of the Year" nomination, we had the opportunity to hear the compositions of only two laureates and two diploma winners. Spanish scenes to words by G. Lorca for soprano, reciter, violin, guitar and accordion "El y Ella" ("He and She") by T. Shatkovskaya-Eisenberg were performed by her ensemble, and this opus amazed with its subtle musical and dramatic syncretism , became a real hit of the competition program. The reason, as if taken for granted by itself, is its refined stylized Spanish flavor. But this work with a pronounced gradual movement from darkness to light in the relationship between two individuals captivates, first of all, with the bewitching depth of its vocal and verbal psychologism, and its success is largely due to the soprano performer N. Semenova. In my opinion, this singer also belongs to the most meaningful, the most subtle interpretation of the lyric romance by I. Evard “Guitar” on the verses of G. Lorka, translated by M. Tsvetaeva. In this intoxicatingly sensual vocal miniature, which was incredibly popular among the contestants-performers (in the semifinals it was performed 6 times), the mezzo-soprano M. Patrusheva was also good, but her manner was distinguished by a certain "constriction", "overexposure" of the vocal-dramatic send (however, did not lead out of the sphere of professionally built performance). This singer also presented the composition of the competition winner M. Egorova - Faina's aria (to the verses of A. Blok) from the opera "Breget" (after A. Kuprin). But this, as far as can be judged, the inserted operatic number did not make a particularly vivid impression, although in form it reminded quite a "classical" recitative aria.
Fantasy for bass and piano "Three fellows" on words from the collection of folk songs by P. Kireevsky, written by A.Tipakov and fervently slyly performed by Vadim Prikladovsky, who did not participate in the competition, was perceived as a very effective "energy antidepressant". Through the starting folklore basis, the jubilation of a simple and artless, but very bright, sunny life suddenly emerged. By the way, I. Evard's music, which sounded splendidly brightly at the competition, was also filled with inner light and expression of freedom: Quintet No. 3 was performed by Quintet directed by I. Krasotina, and Quartet No. 3 was performed by Moscow quartet directed by Anna Yanchishina. These ensembles were a real pleasure for their professional play form. But still, the Fandango quintet became a convincing leader in this nomination, performing the "cosmic-experimental" piece "Ex Animo" by E. Podgaits for button accordion and string quartet. This opus, undoubtedly interesting for its sound findings, has become a kind of ode to the button accordion, the sound of which has been comprehended in the context of modern academic music relatively recently.
Nevertheless, V. Semenov presented a genuine harvest of composers' works that pay a well-deserved tribute not only to the button accordion, but also to the accordion. The phenomenally virtuoso duo "Una sinistra" performed two of his delightful pieces - "Holiday in the Mountains" from "Balkan Rhapsody" and "Waltz-Caprice". "Waltz-Caprice", but in a different arrangement, as well as "Musical Offering" sounded very nice and graceful in the performance of a Moscow instrumental duet consisting of bayanist Lev Lavrov and house player Alexandra Voronova. Although the use of the button accordion as a solo instrument in the genre of a concert aroused a certain interest, I personally remained indifferent. In the Concerto for button accordion and orchestra "Frescoes" by V. Semenov (arranged for button accordion and piano in three parts), who performed an instrumental duet from Moscow consisting of pianist Denis Chefanov and bayan player Yekaterina Utkina, I was more impressed by the part of "orchestra-piano", and not a solo instrument. But this, I repeat, is a purely personal opinion.
Let's go back to the vocalists. In the person of V. Dorozhkin, two very curious opuses by E. Podgaits found their ideal interpreter: a thoroughly elaborated Bes' aria from the opera “Angel and Psychoterapist” and, in particular, a subtly satirical vocal sketch “Nose” to the words of I. Irteniev. If V. Dorozhkin is the owner of a luxurious noble bass, then D. Wilpert's vocal abilities are much more modest. However, despite the resonating power of his voice, it was absolutely impossible to deny the singer an artistic courage. He presented Mephisto's aria from V. Kobekin's opera “Margarita” and was the only male voice who performed “Guitar” by I. Evard. In contrast, it was very interesting, but the sounding of a female voice in this composition seems more preferable.
Another example of a clearly attracting artistry with very modest vocal and technical data is the interpretation of, perhaps, the most “shock” of the competition number, which, I think, could not leave anyone indifferent. We are talking about a rather large fragment, seemingly endless due to numerous repetitions, "Clouds in the sky smolder" from I. Sokolov's opera "The miracle loves to warm the heels." This quite poetic text by A. Vvedensky in the “desperately stormy” musical accompaniment by accompanist M. Turpanov and vocal, on the verge of grotesque, interpretation by E. Zolotova unexpectedly appeared as a “explosive mixture” of musical surrealism and socialist realism. In a pandanus to this, the duet of M. Zolotarenko and E. Zolotova performed "Diptych" for voice and cello by T. Smirnova with the names of the parts "Silentium" and "Scherzo pizzicato", in which in each part, in fact, they sang the very names of these parts.
Vocalists - representatives of Kazakhstan G. Erzhanova and D. Taubekova, as well as representative of Belarus D. Sivakov - most confidently declared themselves in their national repertoire. But, speaking about the diploma winners, I would like to especially mention N. Orlova, the singer, who, due to her bright, full of life and artistic freedom, performing in the semifinals, in my opinion, undoubtedly, should have claimed the title of laureate. But there is no reason to despair: the singer is still young, and she needs to move on, because she has all the necessary inclinations - a sensual voice and meaningful intonation, vocal drama and plastic-soft sound science. N. Orlova was the only one who applied at the competition to the romance of I. Evard "Wind" based on the works of G. Lorca translated by B. Dubin and A. Geleskul, and the musical and poetic parable about the girl-waterwoman once captivated with her sad and cold romanticism ... But the real revelation was the performance by the singer of a fragment from M. Tariverdiev's mono-opera "Waiting".
So many impressions have accumulated over the three full-fledged days of the competition that at least write a whole book, but my goal is much more modest. And therefore, concluding the conversation about the vocalists and the most vivid personal impressions of this musical competition in general, I will again turn to the singer N. Semenova. In one of the numbers in the nomination "Vocalists" she was the soloist in Anna Shatkovskaya's work "Great Stream" for voice, string quartet and piano on the text of the Sufi prayer Khatum: the singer was helped by the Ensemble "XX century" (Moscow), which did not participate in the competition, but the part the piano was performed by the composer. This composition caused a lot of controversy, but personally I was really captivated by its lively and bright eclecticism. “Great Stream” carried me into the ocean of meditation, into the element of an unusual but very organic community of vocals and sound searches, in which much was incredibly fresh and organically whole.
And the last thing I would like to say. Before the final of the competition, the Union of Composers of Russia had an interesting conversation within the framework of a round table on the topic "Contemporary music - an eternal dispute? ..", and everyone could be present: participants of the competition, musicians and listeners. The topic of the round table was initially suggested by its host - associate professor of the Russian Academy of Music Gnessin Walida Kelle. Starting the conversation and leading to the situation at the competition, V. Kelle noticed that, apparently, someone deliberately put a question mark at the end of the topic, which was absent in its original wording, casts doubt on this eternity of dispute. Of course, there is a dispute, but at the same time we are once again convinced that the desire to reconcile the new and the old in the field of academic music latently lives inside each of us. However, this, as they say, is already the beginning of a new chapter.
Igor Koryabin28.02.2013