Composer of "The Mighty Handful" N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov

Rimsky-Korsakov- an epoch-making figure in the history of the development of Russian classical music to devote a whole series of articles to him alone. But for now let's try to get by with a short biography within the cycle of Fr. At first it was just a talented young composer, a pupil of Balakirev and his associate, like other composers who were part of the circle.

While he dreamed of the greatness and glory of the famous composer, and was more a military teacher than a composer, Rimsky-Korsakov turned out to be the most prolific as a composer and subsequently as a teacher. After all, he was a member of not only the Balakirevsky circle and the Mighty handful. He was also an honorary member of the Belyaevsky circle, especially when the Balakirevsky circle, in fact, was gone.

But first things first.

Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov was born on March 6, 1844, in the family of an ancient noble family. His father, Andrei Petrovich, for some time served as vice-governor of Novgorod (Nikolai Andreevich was born in the Novgorod region), and then began to occupy the post of governor of Volyn.

The mother of the future composer was an educated and intelligent woman, despite her rather dubious origins. She was the daughter of a wealthy landowner, Skaryatin, and a serf girl. The mother had a great influence on her son. His first music lessons were held at home, and only then - in a boarding house, where they were among the general education subjects.

Nikolai Andreevich's elder brother, Voin Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov, also had a significant influence on the development of the preferences of the future composer. Voin Andreevich himself became a famous reorganizer of the naval education system. So Nikolai, on the one hand, enthusiastically studied music, and on the other, he eventually entered the Naval Cadet Corps. His father brought him there in 1856. And in the following years, until the spring of 1862, Nikolai diligently studied naval affairs.

His efforts were not in vain, and he eventually completed his studies with honors. But his father, Andrei Petrovich, did not live to see that day. He died the year before, in 1861. The whole family then immediately moved to live in St. Petersburg.

In the navy

The year 1861 became for the future composer not only the year of his father's death, but also the year of his acquaintance with. The one, as far as you can remember, was generally quite a characteristic personality. He immediately liked Nikolai, and he decided to take him into his circle. What can you do, Miliy Alekseevich had a passion for educating young composers. he himself to a small extent encouraged, so that Rimsky-Korsakov legally became a member of the Mighty Handful and wrote his first symphony. Under the guidance of the same Balakirev, he made all the arrangements, somehow made the orchestration and went to serve in the navy, where he was assigned. By that time, the Balakirev circle included not only Rimsky-Korsakov, but also Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky, as well as Caesar Cui.

Repin I.E. Portrait of N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. 1893 year

It will be rather difficult to say plainly who was the true creator of the works of those years. No, the creators, of course, were Mussorgsky, Cui and Rimsky-Korsakov. But. Only one big, big BUT: behind them all stood Balakirev.

It was he who was their ideological inspirer, "tormentor" and proofreader. If he didn't like something, he could simply force him to rework the entire work, and as a result, little remained of the original version until the Teacher was satisfied, and therefore the young composers gritted their teeth, but continued to serve as such a brush in the skillful hands of Balakirev ...

But back to the hero of our story. So he went to serve in the navy. At first he served on the Almaz clipper. Through this service, he traveled to many interesting countries of the time, including England, Norway, Poland, France, Italy, the United States, Brazil and Spain. Needless to say, Nikolai absorbed a lot of impressions that, well, it was simply a sin not to embody in the score. He did this, conveying these moods in orchestrations to his works with bright and rich colors.

It is worth noting, however, that the clipper service practically did not leave him the opportunity to improve his composing skills. And in general, there was no time to write, the service of a sailor is complex and eventful. Therefore, over the years, only the second part of his First Symphony has appeared from under his pen. He wrote it at the end of 1862, after which he gave up writing for a long time.

Surrounded by the composers of the Mighty Handful

Rimsky-Korsakov N.A., portrait

This continued until the time when he returned from his journey. Then he again finds himself surrounded by the composers of the Mighty Handful, where he meets a new member of the circle - a young talented chemist, who also gives hope that he will become an excellent composer.

Soon Balakirev introduced Nikolai Andreevich to such outstanding people as Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Alexander Dragomyzhsky and Lyudmila Shestakova.

In the end, Mily Alekseevich simply forced the aspiring composer to completely rewrite the First Symphony. In order to work with him, one had to possess enviable modesty and patience in general, but nevertheless it was necessary to completely rewrite the scherzo, redo the entire orchestration, and only then the teacher approved his work. Moreover, in 1865, Rimsky-Korsakov's First Symphony was performed for the first time. Balakirev himself became the performer of the first edition of the First Symphony. And then it so happened that he became the main performer of all the early works of Rimsky-Korsakov.

Continuation of the story about life and creativity

Introduction

ON. Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) an outstanding Russian composer, teacher, conductor, public figure, music critic.

In his work, the composer unswervingly followed the traditions of the founder of the Russian classical music school M.I. Glinka, developing and updating them. Nikolai Andreevich was a deeply national artist and the words he expressed: “... music does not exist outside of nationality ...” - confirms this.

Rimsky-Korsakov's worldview and artistic convictions developed in the era of the liberation movement of the 60s, among the advanced Russian intelligentsia, to whose progressive ideas he remained faithful to the end of his life. Democrat-educator, humanist, patriot, Nikolai Andreevich tirelessly fought for the advanced Russian art. Principleship, strong will, high aesthetic consciousness, perseverance in work and the struggle for his convictions characterized his multifaceted activity.

The creative heritage of N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov is extensive. It includes 15 operas, cantatas, romances, works for choir, symphonies, symphonic pictures. The operatic creativity is the most deeply and vividly represented part of his composer heritage.

The aim of the course work is to consider female images in the work of N.A. Rimsky - Korsakov. Based on the specified goal, the tasks set in the course work can be distinguished:

1. To study the work of Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky - Korsakov.

2. Analysis of female images in the works of N.А. Rimsky-Korsakov.

The object of research of the course work is the opera and symphonic works of Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky - Korsakov.

The subject of research in the course work is female images in the works of N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov.

The methodological basis of the research in the course work was the works of outstanding musicologists, textbooks on Russian musical literature.

The creativity of N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov

opera korsakov image female

ON. Rimsky - Korsakov occupies a special place in Russian musical culture. His creative path was long, and he always kept up with the times, always was a leader, a bright, extraordinary figure. His creative activity was multifaceted, and in every field he reached great heights. The author of a huge composer's heritage; member of the "Mighty Handful" and leader of the "Belyaevsky circle"; a prominent teacher, one of the first professors of the St. Petersburg Conservatory; a prominent public figure (BMSh, Singing Capella, brass bands of the Maritime Department); conductor; author of theoretical works ("Textbook of Harmony", "Basics of Orchestration"); editor of works of other authors; folklorist.

The work of Rimsky-Korsakov completed the development of Russian musical classics in the 19th century, the evolution of the genre of opera, symphonic and chamber vocal music. At the same time, it marked the onset of a new historical stage, already at the beginning of the 20th century. Rimsky-Korsakov was one of the bearers and creators of the living, continuously developing tradition of Russian art. Relying on the deep layers of the national musical culture and on the legacy of Glinka and Dargomyzhsky, absorbing the achievements of his contemporaries, he enriched Russian music with the achievements of European advanced art of the 19th century. With his works and all his many-sided musical activities, Rimsky-Korsakov asserted the world significance of Russian musical culture.

The composer's legacy is very large, it covers almost all genres:

Operas (15);

Symphonic works: 3 symphonies, “Overture on Russian Themes”, musical picture “Sadko”, Symphonic Suite “Antar”, Fantasy on Serbian Themes, “Spanish Capriccio”, “Scheherazade”, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, etc.

Chamber instrumental: string quartet, sextet, quintet, pieces for piano;

Vocal and instrumental: 3 cantatas, choirs;

Chamber vocal: 79 romances, duets and trios;

Arrangements of folk songs: 2 collections - "100 Russian folk songs", "40 Russian folk songs".

Neither his talent, nor his energy, nor his boundless benevolence towards his students and comrades have ever weakened. The glorious life and deeply national activity of such a person should be our pride and joy. ... how many such lofty natures, such great artists and such extraordinary people as Rimsky-Korsakov, can be indicated in the entire history of music?
V. Stasov

Almost 10 years after the opening of the first Russian conservatory in St. Petersburg, in the fall of 1871, a new professor in composition and orchestration appeared within its walls. Despite his youth - he was in his twenty-eighth year - he had already gained fame as the author of original compositions for the orchestra: Overtures on Russian themes, Fantasies on themes of Serbian folk songs, a symphonic picture based on a Russian epic "Sadko" and a suite on the plot of an oriental fairy tale "Antar" ... In addition, a lot of romances were written and work on the historical opera "The Woman of Pskov" was in full swing. It never occurred to anyone (least of all to the director of the conservatory, who invited N. Rimsky-Korsakov) that he became a composer with almost no musical training.

Rimsky-Korsakov was born into a family far from artistic interests. Parents, according to family tradition, prepared the boy for service in the navy (the sailors were his uncle and older brother). Although musical talent was revealed very early, there was no one to seriously study in a small provincial town. Piano lessons were given by a neighbor, then a familiar governess and a student of this governess. Musical impressions were complemented by folk songs performed by an amateur mother and uncle and cult singing in the Tikhvin monastery.

In St. Petersburg, where Rimsky-Korsakov came to enter the Marine Corps, he visits the opera house and at concerts, recognizes Glinka's “Ivan Susanin” and “Ruslan and Lyudmila”, Beethoven's symphonies. In St. Petersburg, he finally got a real teacher - an excellent pianist and educated musician F. Canille. He advised the gifted student to compose music himself, introduced him to M. Balakirev, around whom young composers - M. Musorgsky, Ts. Cui - were grouped, and later A. Borodin joined them (the Balakirev circle went down in history under the name "The Mighty Handful").

None of the "Kuchkists" took a course of special musical training. The system by which Balakirev prepared them for independent creative activity was as follows: he immediately proposed a responsible topic, and then under his leadership, in joint discussions, in parallel with the study of the works of major composers, all the difficulties that arose in the process of writing were solved.

Balakirev advised seventeen-year-old Rimsky-Korsakov to start with a symphony. Meanwhile, the young composer, who graduated from the Marine Corps, was to set off on a voyage around the world. He returned to music and art friends only after 3 years. Brilliant talent helped Rimsky-Korsakov quickly master both the musical form, and the bright colorful orchestration, and the methods of composition, bypassing the school foundations. Having created complex symphonic scores, working on an opera, the composer did not know the very basics of musical science and was not familiar with the necessary terminology. And suddenly an offer to teach at the conservatory! the point is that it would be both stupid and dishonest on my part to become a professor, ”Rimsky-Korsakov recalled. But not dishonesty, but the highest responsibility he showed, starting to learn the very foundations that he was supposed to teach.

Rimsky-Korsakov's aesthetic views and worldview were formed in the 1860s. under the influence of the "Mighty Handful" and its ideologist V. Stasov. At the same time, the national basis, democratic orientation, the main themes and images of his work were determined. In the next decade, Rimsky-Korsakov's activities are multifaceted: he teaches at the conservatory, improves his own composing technique (writes canons, fugues), holds the position of inspector of brass bands of the Naval Department (1873-84) and conducts symphony concerts, replaces the director of the Free Music School Balakireva and prepares for publication (together with Balakirev and Lyadov) scores of both of Glinka's operas, records and harmonizes folk songs (the first collection was published in 1876, the second - in 1882).

An appeal to Russian musical folklore, as well as a detailed study of Glinka's opera scores in the process of preparing them for publication, helped the composer to overcome the speculativeness of some of his compositions, which arose as a result of intensive studies in the technique of composition. In two operas written after "The Pskovite Woman" (1872) - "May Night" (1879) and "The Snow Maiden" (1881) - Rimsky-Korsakov's love for folk rituals and folk songs and his pantheistic outlook were embodied.

The work of the composer in the 80s. It is mainly represented by symphonic works: The Tale (1880), Symphonietta (1885) and Piano Concerto (1883), as well as the famous Spanish Capriccio (1887) and Scheherazade (1888). At the same time, Rimsky-Korsakov works in the Court Singing Chapel. But he devotes most of all his time and energy to the preparation for the performance and publication of the operas of his late friends - "Khovanshchina" by Mussorgsky and "Prince Igor" by Borodin. Probably, this intense work on opera scores led to the fact that Rimsky-Korsakov's own work developed during these years in the symphonic sphere.

The composer returned to opera only in 1889, creating the enchanting Mlada (1889-90). Since the mid-90s. One after the other follows "The Night Before Christmas" (1895), "Sadko" (1896), the prologue to "The Pskovite" - the one-act "Boyar Lady Vera Sheloga" and "The Tsar's Bride" (both - 1898). In the 1900s. The Tale of Tsar Saltan (1900), Servilia (1901), Pan Voevoda (1903), The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh (1904) and The Golden Cockerel (1907) were created.

Throughout his creative life, the composer also turned to vocal lyrics. In 79 of his romances the poetry of A. Pushkin, M. Lermontov, A. K. Tolstoy, L. Mei, A. Fet is presented, and from foreign authors J. Byron and G. Heine.

The content of Rimsky-Korsakov's work is diverse: it also revealed the folk-historical theme ("The Pskovite Woman", "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh"), the sphere of lyrics ("The Tsar's Bride", "Servilia") and everyday drama ("Pan Voevoda"), reflected the images of the East ("Antar", "Scheherazade"), embodied the features of other musical cultures ("Serbian fantasy", "Spanish capriccio", etc.). But more characteristic of Rimsky-Korsakov is fiction, fabulousness, and diverse connections with folk art.

The composer created a whole gallery of unique in its charm, pure, gentle lyrical female images - both real and fantastic (Pannochka in May Night, Snow Maiden, Martha in The Tsar's Bride, Fevronia in The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh) , images of folk singers (Lel in "Snow Maiden", Nezhata in "Sadko").

Formed in the 1860s. the composer remained faithful to progressive social ideals throughout his life. On the eve of the first Russian revolution of 1905 and the period of reaction that followed, Rimsky-Korsakov wrote the operas Kashchei the Immortal (1902) and The Golden Cockerel, which were perceived as an exposure of the political stagnation that reigned in Russia.

The composer's career lasted for more than 40 years. Having entered on it as the successor of the traditions of Glinka, he and in the XX century. represents Russian art in the world musical culture with dignity. Rimsky-Korsakov's creative and musical-social activities are multifaceted: the composer and conductor, the author of theoretical works and reviews, the editor of works by Dargomyzhsky, Mussorgsky and Borodin, he had a strong influence on the development of Russian music.

For 37 years of teaching at the Conservatory, more than 200 composers studied with him: A. Glazunov, A. Lyadov, A. Arensky, M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, I. Stravinsky, N. Cherepnin, A. Grechaninov, N. Myaskovsky, S. Prokofiev et al. The development of oriental themes by Rimsky-Korsakov (Antar, Scheherazade, Golden Cockerel) was invaluable for the development of the national musical cultures of the Caucasus and Central Asia, and diverse seascapes (Sadko, Sheherazade, "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", the cycle of romances "By the Sea", etc.) determined a lot in the plein-air sound painting of the Frenchman K. Debussy and the Italian O. Respighi.

E. Gordeeva

The work of Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov is a unique phenomenon in the history of Russian musical culture. The point is not only in the enormous artistic significance, colossal volume, and rare versatility of his work, but also in the fact that the composer's work covers almost entirely a very dynamic era in Russian history - from the peasant reform to the period between revolutions. One of the first works of the young musician was the instrumentation of Dargomyzhsky's just finished The Stone Guest, the master's last great work, The Golden Cockerel, dates back to 1906–1907: the opera was composed simultaneously with Scriabin's Poem of Ecstasy, Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony; only four years separate the premiere of The Golden Cockerel (1909) from the premiere of Stravinsky's Sacred Spring, two years from Prokofiev's debut as a composer.

Thus, the work of Rimsky-Korsakov, already purely in chronological terms, constitutes, as it were, the core of Russian classical music, connecting the link between the era of Glinka-Dargomyzhsky and the 20th century. Synthesizing the achievements of the St. Petersburg school from Glinka to Lyadov and Glazunov, absorbing much from the experience of Muscovites - Tchaikovsky, Taneyev, composers who performed at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, it was always open to new artistic trends, domestic and foreign.

A comprehensive, systematizing character is inherent in any direction of the work of Rimsky-Korsakov - a composer, teacher, theorist, conductor, editor. His life activity as a whole is a complex world, which I would like to call "the space of Rimsky-Korsakov". The purpose of this activity is to collect, focus the main features of the national musical and, more broadly, artistic consciousness, and ultimately - to recreate an integral image of the Russian worldview (of course, in its personal, "Korsakov's" interpretation). This gathering is inextricably linked with personal, author's evolution, as well as the process of teaching and education - not only of direct students, but of the entire musical environment - with self-education, self-education.

A. N. Rimsky-Korsakov, the composer’s son, speaking about the constantly renewing variety of tasks solved by Rimsky-Korsakov, successfully described the artist’s life as “a fugue-like interweaving of threads”. He, reflecting on what made the genius musician devote an unreasonably large part of his time and energy to "side" types of educational work, pointed to "a clear awareness of his duty to Russian music and musicians." " Service"Is the key word in the life of Rimsky-Korsakov, as well as" confession "- in the life of Mussorgsky.

It is believed that Russian music of the second half of the 19th century clearly gravitates towards the assimilation of contemporary achievements of other arts, especially literature: hence the preference for "verbal" genres (from romance, song to opera, the crown of creative aspirations of all composers of the generation of the 1860s), and instrumental - broad development of the programmatic principle. However, now it is becoming more and more obvious that the picture of the world created by Russian classical music is not at all identical with those in literature, painting or architecture. The features of the growth of the Russian school of composition are associated with the specifics of music as an art form and with the special position of music in the domestic culture of the 20th century, with its special tasks in comprehending life.

The historical and cultural situation in Russia predetermined a colossal gap between the people who, according to Glinka, “create music”, and those who wanted to “arrange” it. The gap was deep, tragically irreversible, and its consequences continue to this day. But, on the other hand, the multi-layered overall auditory experience of Russian people contained inexhaustible opportunities for the movement and growth of art. Perhaps in music the “discovery of Russia” was expressed with the greatest force, since the basis of its language - intonation - is the most organic manifestation of the individual-human and ethnic, a concentrated expression of the spiritual experience of the people. The “multi-structure” nature of the national intonation environment in Russia in the middle of the last century is one of the prerequisites for the innovation of the Russian professional music school. The collection of multidirectional trends in a single focus - relatively speaking, from pagan, Proto-Slavic roots to the latest ideas of Western European musical romanticism, the most advanced techniques of musical technology - is a characteristic feature of Russian music of the second half of the 19th century. During this period, it finally leaves the power of applied functions and becomes a world outlook in sounds.

Often discussing the sixties of Mussorgsky, Balakirev, Borodin, we seem to forget about belonging to the same era of Rimsky-Korsakov. Meanwhile, it is difficult to find an artist more faithful to the highest and purest ideals of his time.

Those who knew Rimsky-Korsakov later - in the 80s, 90s, 1900s - did not get tired of being surprised at how harshly he proseized himself and his work. Hence the frequent judgments about the "dryness" of his nature, his "academicism", "rationalism", etc. In fact, this is a typical sixties period combined with the typical Russian artist avoidance of excessive pathos in relation to his own personality. One of Rimsky-Korsakov's students, M.F. Gnesin, expressed the idea that the artist, in a constant struggle with himself and with others, with the tastes of his era, at times seemed to become bitter, in some of his statements, even lower than himself. This must be borne in mind when interpreting the composer's statements. Even more attention deserves, apparently, the remark of another student of Rimsky-Korsakov, A. V. Ossovsky: the severity, captiousness of introspection, self-control, invariably accompanying the artist's path, were such that a person of less giftedness simply could not stand those "breakdowns" those experiments that he constantly set on himself: the author of "Pskovityanka", like a schoolboy, sits down for harmony problems, the author of "Snow Maiden" does not miss a single performance of Wagner's operas, the author of "Sadko" writes "Mozart and Salieri", professor the academician creates "Kashchei", etc. And this also came from Rimsky-Korsakov not only from nature, but also from the era.

His social activity has always been very high, and his activities were distinguished by complete disinterestedness and undivided devotion to the idea of ​​public duty. But, unlike Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov is not a “populist” in the specific, historical meaning of this term. In the problem of the people, he always, starting with "The Pskovite Woman" and the poem "Sadko", saw not so much the historical and social as the indivisible and eternal. Compared to the documents of Tchaikovsky or Mussorgsky in the letters of Rimsky-Korsakov, in his "Chronicle" there are few declarations of love for the people and for Russia, but as an artist he had a tremendous sense of national dignity, and in the messianism of Russian art, in particular music, he was no less confident than Mussorgsky.

All Kuchkists were characterized by such a feature of the sixties as endless inquisitiveness to the phenomena of life, eternal anxiety of thought. In Rimsky-Korsakov's work, she concentrated to the greatest extent on nature, understood as the unity of elements and man, and on art as the highest embodiment of such a unity. Like Mussorgsky and Borodin, he steadily strove for "positive", "positive" knowledge of the world. In his desire to thoroughly study all areas of musical science, he proceeded from the position - in which (like Mussorgsky) believed very firmly, sometimes to the point of naivety - that in art there are laws (norms) that are just as objective, universal as in science. and not just taste preferences.

As a result, the aesthetic and theoretical activity of Rimsky-Korsakov embraced almost all areas of knowledge about music and developed into a complete system. Its components: the doctrine of harmony, the doctrine of instrumentation (both in the form of large theoretical works), aesthetics and form (notes from the 1890s, critical articles), folklore (collections of arrangements of folk songs and examples of creative interpretation of folk motives in compositions), doctrine about the fret (a large theoretical work on ancient modes was destroyed by the author, but a short version of it has survived, as well as examples of the interpretation of old modes in the arrangements of church chants), polyphony (considerations expressed in letters, in conversations with Yastrebtsev, etc., and also creative examples), musical education and the organization of musical life (articles, and mainly educational and pedagogical activities). In all these areas, Rimsky-Korsakov expressed bold ideas, the novelty of which is often obscured by a strict, laconic form of presentation.

“The creator of Pskovityanka and Golden Cockerel was not a retrograde. He was an innovator, but one with which he strove for the classical completeness and proportionality of musical elements ”(V. A. Zukkerman). According to Rimsky-Korsakov, anything new is possible in any field under conditions of genetic connection with the past, consistency, semantic conditioning, and architectonic organization. This is his doctrine of the functionality of harmony, in which logical functions can be represented by consonances of various structures; such is his teaching on instrumentation, which opens with the phrase: "There are no bad sonorities in the orchestra." The system of musical education proposed by him is unusually progressive, in which the mode of instruction is primarily associated with the nature of the student's giftedness and the availability of certain methods of live music-making.

As an epigraph to his book about the teacher, MF Gnesin put a phrase from a letter from Rimsky-Korsakov to his mother: "Look at the stars, but do not look and do not fall." This seemingly random phrase of a young cadet of the Marine Corps remarkably characterizes the position of Rimsky-Korsakov as an artist in the future. Perhaps the Gospel parable about the two messengers fits his personality, one of whom immediately said “I will go” - and did not go, and the other first said “I will not go” - and went (Matt. XXI, 28-31).

Indeed, throughout the creative path of Rimsky-Korsakov, there are many contradictions between "words" and "deeds." For example, no one so vehemently scolded Kuchkism and its shortcomings (suffice it to recall the exclamation from a letter to Krutikov: “Oh, Russian composite O ry - Stasov's emphasis, - owing to themselves for their lack of education! " of all his creative achievements: in 1907, a few months before his death, Rimsky-Korsakov called himself "a convinced Kuchkist." Few people were so critical of the "new times" in general and the fundamentally new phenomena of musical culture at the turn of the century and at the beginning of the 20th century - and at the same time so deeply and fully answered the spiritual needs of the new era ("Kashchei", "Kitezh", " The Golden Cockerel "and others in the composer's later work). Rimsky-Korsakov in the 80s - early 90s sometimes spoke very harshly about Tchaikovsky and his direction - and he constantly studied from his antipode: the work of Rimsky-Korsakov, his pedagogical activity, undoubtedly, were the main connecting link between St. Moscow schools. Even more devastating is Korsakov's criticism of Wagner and his opera reform, and yet among Russian musicians he most deeply perceived Wagner's ideas and responded to them creatively. Finally, none of the Russian musicians with such constancy emphasized in words their religious agnosticism, and few were able to create such deep images of popular faith in their work.

The dominants of Rimsky-Korsakov's artistic worldview were "universal feeling" (his own expression) and the widely understood mythologism of thinking. In the chapter from the Chronicle, dedicated to The Snow Maiden, he formulated his creative process as follows: “I listened to the voices of nature and folk art and nature and took what they sang and suggested as the basis of my creativity.” The artist's attention was mostly focused on the great phenomena of space - the sky, sea, sun, stars and on the great phenomena in the life of people - birth, love, death. All the aesthetic terminology of Rimsky-Korsakov, in particular his favorite word - “ contemplation". His notes on aesthetics open with the affirmation of art as a “sphere of contemplative activity”, where the object of contemplation is “ the life of the human spirit and nature, expressed in their mutual relations". Together with the unity of the human spirit and nature, the artist affirms the unity of the content of all types of art (in this sense, his own work is undoubtedly syncretic, although on other grounds than, for example, the work of Mussorgsky, who also argued that the arts differ from each other only in material, but not in tasks and purposes). The motto for all of Rimsky-Korsakov's work could have been his own words: "The presentation of the beautiful is the presentation of infinite complexity." At the same time, he was not alien to the favorite term of early Kuchkism - "artistic truth", he protested only against a narrowed, dogmatic understanding of it.

The peculiarities of Rimsky-Korsakov's aesthetics determined the divergence of his work with public tastes. In relation to him, it is just as legitimate to speak of incomprehensibility, as in relation to Mussorgsky. Mussorgsky, more than Rimsky-Korsakov, corresponded to his era in the type of talent, in the direction of interests (generally speaking, the history of the people and the psychology of the individual), but the radicalism of his decisions was not up to his contemporaries. For Rimsky-Korsakov, the incomprehensibility was not so acute, but no less profound.

His life seemed to be very happy: a wonderful family, excellent upbringing, a fascinating trip around the world, the brilliant success of his first compositions, an unusually successful personal life, the opportunity to devote himself entirely to music, subsequently universal respect and joy to see the growth of talented students around him. Nevertheless, starting with the second opera and up to the end of the 90s, Rimsky-Korsakov was constantly confronted with a lack of understanding of both “friends” and “foes”. The Kuchkists considered him not an operatic composer, not mastering drama and vocal writing. For a long time, there was an opinion that he had no distinctive melody. Rimsky-Korsakov was recognized as a mastery, especially in the field of the orchestra, but nothing more. This lingering misunderstanding was in fact the main reason for the difficult crisis experienced by the composer in the period after Borodin's death and the final disintegration of the Mighty Handful as a creative direction. And only since the end of the 90s, the art of Rimsky-Korsakov has become more and more in tune with the era and meets with recognition and understanding among the new Russian intelligentsia.

This process of assimilation by public consciousness of the artist's ideas was interrupted by subsequent events in the history of Russia. For decades, the art of Rimsky-Korsakov was interpreted (and embodied, if we are talking about stage realizations of his operas) in a very simplistic way. The most valuable thing in it - the philosophy of the unity of man and the cosmos, the idea of ​​worshiping the beauty and mystery of the world remained buried under the falsely interpreted categories of "nationality" and "realism". The fate of Rimsky-Korsakov's legacy in this sense, of course, is not unique: for example, Musorgsky's operas were subjected to even greater distortions. However, if in recent years there have been controversies around the figure and work of Mussorgsky, the legacy of Rimsky-Korsakov has been in honorable oblivion in recent decades. He was recognized for all the virtues of the academic order, but it seemed to drop out of public consciousness. Rimsky-Korsakov's music sounds infrequent; in the cases when his operas appear on the stage, most of the performances - purely decorative, leafy or popular prints - testify to a decisive misunderstanding of the composer's ideas.

1844 - June 21, 1908) - Russian composer, member of the "Mighty Handful". He was a true master of orchestration. The most famous symphonic works of Rimsky-Korsakov - "Spanish Capriccio", an overture on themes of three Russian songs and a symphonic suite "Scheherazade" are examples of the classical musical repertoire, along with suites and excerpts from some of his 15 operas. In Scheherazade, the composer turns to the theme of fairy tales and folk beliefs. Rimsky-Korsakov often used these techniques in his work. He believed, like his predecessor Balakirev, in the development of a national style of classical music. Rimsky-Korsakov's music combined Russian folklore with elements of exotic harmonic, melodic and rhythmic patterns (known as Orientalism), with a departure from traditional Western compositional techniques. For most of his life, Nikolai Andreevich combined composing music and teaching with a career in the troops of the Russian army - first as an officer, then as a civilian inspector in the navy. Rimsky-Korsakov (whose biography is well covered in "The Chronicle of My Musical Life") wrote that as a child, reading books and listening to his older brother's stories about exploits in the navy, he developed a love for the sea. It must have been she who pushed the composer to create two famous symphonic works. These are Sadko (Rimsky-Korsakov also wrote an opera of the same name, they should not be confused) and Scheherazade. Thanks to the naval service, his knowledge of performing on brass and wood instruments is expanding - this opened up new possibilities for him in orchestration. Later he passed on this knowledge to his students. Also after his death, a textbook on orchestration was published, which was completed by the composer's adopted son Maximilian Steinbregh.

Rimsky-Korsakov - biography of the composer

Nikolai Andreevich was born in the city of Tikhvin (200 km east of St. Petersburg) into an intelligent family. His brother Warrior, who was 22 years older than the composer, became a famous naval officer and rear admiral. Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov recalled that his mother played the piano a little, and his father could perform several pieces by ear. At the age of 6, the future composer began taking piano lessons. According to the teachers, he showed a good ear for music, but lacked interest. As Nikolai Andreevich himself later wrote, he played "carelessly, carelessly ... poorly keeping the rhythm." Although Rimsky-Korsakov began composing his first works at the age of 10, he preferred literature to music. Later, the composer wrote that it was thanks to the books and stories of his brother that a great love for the sea arose in him, despite the fact that the composer "had never even seen him." Nikolai Andreevich graduated from the Marine Corps of St. Petersburg at the age of 18. In parallel with his studies, Rimsky-Korsakov took piano lessons. The composer recalled that, being indifferent to his studies, he developed a love for music, which was facilitated by attending operas and symphony concerts. In the fall of 1859, Nikolai Andreevich began to take lessons from Fyodor Andreevich Canille, who, according to him, inspired him to study music, prompted him to devote his whole life to it. In addition to Canille, Mikhail Glinka, Robert Schumann and many others had a huge influence on the future composer. In November 1861, 18-year-old Rimsky-Korsakov was introduced to Balakirev. Balakirev, in turn, introduces him to Caesar Cui and Modest Mussorgsky - all three were already famous composers, despite their young age.

Balakirev's mentoring. "The Mighty Bunch"

Upon his arrival in St. Petersburg, in May 1865, Rimsky-Korsakov assumed the duties of a daily service for several hours a day. His first performance took place in December of the same year at the suggestion of Balakirev. The second appearance on the stage took place in March 1866 under the direction of Konstantin Lyadov (father of the composer Anatoly Lyadov). Rimsky-Korsakov recalled that it was easy for him to cooperate with Balakirev. On his advice, the composer rewrote and corrected some passages and brought them to perfection. Under his patronage, the composer completed an Overture on themes of three Russian songs, based on Balakirev's folk overtures. Nikolai Andreevich also created the initial versions of the symphonic works "Sadko" and "Antar", which brought the composer fame as a master of symphonic creativity. Rimsky-Korsakov conducted discussions with other members of the "Mighty Handful", they criticized each other's works and collaborated on the creation of new works. Nikolai Andreevich made friends with Alexander Borodin, whose music "amazed" him, spent a lot of time with Mussorgsky. Balakirev and Mussorgsky played the piano in four hands, sang, discussed the works of other composers, sharing an interest in the works of Glinka, Schumann and Beethoven's later compositions.

Professorship

In 1871, at the age of 27, Rimsky-Korsakov became a professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he taught practical composition, instrumentation and orchestral classes. Nikolai Andreevich writes in his memoirs that teaching at the conservatory made him "perhaps her best student, judging by the quality and amount of information she gave me." To improve his knowledge and always stay one step ahead of his students, he took a three-year break from composing and studied diligently at home, lecturing at the conservatory. The professorship provided the composer with financial stability and prompted the creation of a family.

Marriage

In December 1871, Rimsky-Korsakov proposed to Nadezhda Nikolaevna Purgold, whom he met during the weekly meetings of the "Mighty Handful" at the bride's house. In July 1872, a wedding took place, at which Mussorgsky was present as best man. One of the sons of Nikolai Andreevich, Andrei, became a musicologist, married the composer Yulia Lazarevna Veisberg and wrote a multivolume work about the life and work of his father.

Revolution of 1905

In 1905, demonstrations were held at the St. Petersburg Conservatory - revolutionary-minded students demanded political changes and the creation of a constitutional order in Russia. Rimsky-Korsakov felt the need to defend the right of students to demonstrate, especially when the authorities began to be violent towards its participants. In an open letter, the composer takes the side of the students demanding the resignation of the director of the conservatory. Partly because of this letter, 100 students were expelled from the educational institution, and Rimsky-Korsakov lost his position as professor. However, Nikolai Andreevich continued to give lessons at home.

Trip to Paris

In April 1907, the composer gave several concerts in Paris, organized by the impresario Sergei Diaghilev. Nikolai Andreevich presented the music of the Russian national school. These performances were a great success. The following year, there was a show of operas composed by Rimsky-Korsakov: "The Snow Maiden" and "Sadko". The trip gave the composer an opportunity to get acquainted with contemporary European music.

Works by Rimsky-Korsakov

Rimsky-Korsakov developed the ideals and traditions of the Mighty Handful. In his work, he used Orthodox liturgical themes, folk songs (for example, in the "Spanish Capriccio") and orientalism (in "Scheherazade"). Nikolai Andreevich proved to be a very productive and self-critical composer. He revised and edited almost every work of his, and some of them, for example the Third Symphony, Antar and Sadko, were corrected by Rimsky-Korsakov several times. The composer remained dissatisfied with many of his works.

Rimsky-Korsakov - operas

Despite the fact that Nikolai Andreevich is better known as a master of symphonic creativity, his operas are even more complex and rich in special orchestral techniques than instrumental and vocal works. Excerpts from them are sometimes as popular as the whole work. For example "Flight of the Bumblebee" from "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" - by Rimsky-Korsakov. The composer's operas can be divided into 3 categories:

1. Historical drama. These include: "The Pskovite Woman", "Mozart and Salieri", "Pan Voevoda", "The Tsar's Bride".
2. Folk operas: "May Night", "The Night Before Christmas".
3. Fairy tales and legends. These include such works that Rimsky-Korsakov wrote: "The Snow Maiden", "Mlada", "Sadko", "Koschey the Immortal", "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia", "The Golden Cockerel ".

Symphonic creativity

Rimsky-Korsakov's symphonic works can be divided into 2 types. The most famous in the West, and perhaps the best of it, is software. This type of symphonic creativity of Nikolai Andreevich presupposes the presence of a plot, characters, actions borrowed from other, non-musical sources. The second category is academic works such as the First and Third Symphonies (by Rimsky-Korsakov). Ballets to his music can be seen not only in our country, but also abroad, as well as many operas and other musical works of the composer.