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Great composers of the world. Great Russian composers Foreign musicians of the 19th century

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 quotation of folk melodies, but the intonation Russian basis, the Russian soul, remains.

6. Alexander Nikolaevich SKRYABIN (1872 - 1915)

Alexander Nikolaevich Scriabin is a Russian composer and pianist, one of the brightest personalities of Russian and world musical culture. Scriabin's original and deeply poetic creativity stood out for its innovation even against the backdrop 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 raised by his aunt and grandfather, and showed musical talent from childhood. At first he studied in the cadet corps, took private piano lessons, and after graduating from the corps he entered the Moscow Conservatory, his classmate was S.V. Rachmaninov. After graduating from the conservatory, Scriabin devoted himself entirely to music - as a concert pianist-composer he toured in Europe and Russia, spending most of his time abroad.
The peak of Scriabin's compositional creativity was the years 1903-1908, when the Third Symphony (" Divine Poem"), symphonic "Poem of Ecstasy", "Tragic" and "Satanic" piano poems, 4th and 5th sonatas and other works. "Poem of Ecstasy", consisting of several theme-images, concentrated Sryabin's creative ideas and is his brilliant masterpiece. It harmoniously combined the composer’s love for the power of a large orchestra and the colossal lyrical, airy sound of solo instruments embodied in the “Poem of Ecstasy.” Vital energy, fiery passion, strong-willed power makes an irresistible impression on the listener and retains the power of its impact to this day.
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, was held without lighting effects.
The last unfinished “Mystery” was the plan of Scriabin, a dreamer, romantic, philosopher, to appeal to all of humanity and inspire it to create a new fantastic world order, the union of the Universal Spirit with Matter.

Quote from A.N. Scriabin: “I’m going to tell them (people) - so that they... do not expect anything from life except what they can create for themselves... I’m going to tell them that there is 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 defeated 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 permanent meaning and becomes enduring.” G. V. Plekhanov

A.N. Scriabin "Prometheus"

7. Sergei Vasilyevich Rahmaninov (1873 - 1943)

Quote from S.V. Rachmaninov:
“I feel like a ghost wandering alone in a world that is alien to me.”
“The highest quality of all art is its sincerity.”
"Great composers have always and first of all paid attention to melody as the leading principle in music. Melody is music, main basis of all music... Melodic inventiveness, in the highest sense of the word, is the main life goal of the composer.... 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:
“Rachmaninoff was created from steel and gold: Steel is in his hands, gold is in his heart. I can’t think about him without tears. I not only admired the great artist, But I loved the person in him.” I. Hoffman
"Rachmaninov's music is the Ocean. Its waves - musical - begin so far beyond the horizon, and lift you so high and lower you so slowly... that you feel this Power and Breath." A. Konchalovsky

Interesting fact: during the Great Patriotic War Rachmaninov gave several charity concerts, the proceeds from which he sent to the Red Army Fund to fight the Nazi occupiers.

S.V. Rachmaninov. Piano Concerto No. 2

8. Igor Fedorovich STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)

Igor Fedorovich Stravinsky is one of the most influential world composers of the 20th century, a leader of neoclassicism. Stravinsky became a “mirror” of the musical era; his work reflects a multiplicity of styles, constantly intersecting and difficult to classify. He freely combines genres, forms, styles, choosing them from centuries musical history and subject to your own rules.
Born near St. Petersburg, he 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 composer school, thanks to which he mastered compositional technique to perfection. He began composing professionally relatively late, but his rise was rapid - a series of three ballets: “The Firebird” (1910), “Petrushka” (1911) and “The Rite of Spring” (1913) immediately brought him to the ranks 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 been forced to change several countries - Russia, Switzerland, France, and eventually stayed to live in the USA. His work is divided into three periods - “Russian”, “neoclassical”, American “mass production”, the periods are divided not by the time of his life in different countries, but according to the author's "handwriting".
Stravinsky was a very highly educated, sociable person, with a wonderful sense of humor. His circle of acquaintances and correspondents included musicians, poets, artists, scientists, businessmen, and statesmen.
Stravinsky's last highest achievement - "Requiem" (Funeral Hymns) (1966) absorbed and combined the composer's previous artistic experience, becoming the true apotheosis of the master's work.
One unique feature stands out in Stavinsky’s work - “uniqueness”, it was not for nothing that he was called “the composer of a thousand and one styles”, constant change of genre, style, plot direction - each of his works is unique, but he constantly returned to designs in which one can see Russian origin, Russian roots are heard.

Quote from I.F. Stravinsky: “I have been speaking Russian all my life, I have a Russian syllable. Maybe this is not immediately visible in my music, 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 closely connected with it...” D. Shostakovich

Interesting fact (fable):
Once in New York, Stravinsky took a taxi and was surprised to read his last name on the sign.
-Are you 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 last name is Rossini...

I.F. Stravinsky. Suite "Firebird"

9. Sergei Sergeevich PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)

Sergei Sergeevich Prokofiev is one of the largest Russian composers of the 20th century, pianist, and conductor.
Born in the Donetsk region, he became involved in music from childhood. Prokofiev can be considered one of the few (if not the only) Russian musical “prodigies”, 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 to create), at the age of 13 he passed the exams at St. Petersburg Conservatory, among his teachers was N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. The beginning of his professional career caused a storm of criticism and misunderstanding of his individual, fundamentally anti-romantic and extremely modernist style; the paradox is that, while destroying academic canons, the structure of his compositions remained faithful 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 was forced to give in to the realities of new demands. Prokofiev's talent blossomed with renewed vigor - he wrote operas, ballets, music for films - sharp, strong-willed, extremely precise music with new images and ideas, laid the foundation for Soviet classical music and operas. In 1948, three tragic events occurred almost simultaneously: his first Spanish wife was arrested on suspicion of espionage and exiled to camps; a Resolution 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 harm of their music; There was a sharp deterioration in the composer's health; he retired to his dacha and practically never left it, but continued to compose.
Some of the most striking works of the Soviet period were the operas “War and Peace” and “The Tale of a Real Man”; the ballets “Romeo and Juliet” and “Cinderella”, which have become a new standard of world ballet music; oratorio "Guardian of Peace"; music for the films "Alexander Nevsky" and "Ivan the Terrible"; symphonies No. 5,6,7; piano works.
Prokofiev's work is striking in its versatility and breadth of themes; the originality of his musical thinking, freshness and originality constituted an entire era in the world musical culture of the 20th century and had a powerful influence on many Soviet and foreign composers.

Quote from S.S. Prokofiev:
“Can an artist stand aside from life?.. I adhere to the conviction that a composer, like a poet, sculptor, painter, is called upon to serve man and the people... He, first of all, is obliged to be a citizen in his art, to glorify human life and lead people to a bright future..."
"I am a manifestation of life, which gives me the strength to resist everything unspiritual"

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 failures, doubts, just Bad mood. And in such moments, even if I don’t play or listen to Prokofiev, but just think about him, I receive an incredible charge of energy, I feel a great desire to live and act.” E. Kissin

Interesting fact: Prokofiev loved chess very much, 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.

S.S. Prokofiev. Concerto No. 3 for piano and orchestra

10. Dmitry Dmitrievich SHOSTAKOVICH (1906 - 1975)

Dmitry Dmitrievich Shostakovich is one of the most important 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 chronicle of the difficult events of the 20th century, where the deeply personal is intertwined with the tragedy of man and humanity, with the fate of his native country.
Born in St. Petersburg, the first music lessons received from his mother, he graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, upon entering which its rector Alexander Glazunov compared him to Mozart - so he amazed everyone with his excellent musical memory, keen ear and gift for composition. Already in the early 20s, 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 Mtsensk", Shostakovich worked as a free artist - an "avant-garde", experimenting with styles and genres. The severe demolition of this opera, organized in 1936, and the repressions of 1937 marked the beginning of Shostakovich’s subsequent constant internal struggle to express his views through his own means in the conditions of state 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, he and his relatives were awarded and were on the verge of arrest.
A gentle, intelligent, delicate person, he found his form of expressing creative principles in symphonies, where he could speak the truth about time as openly as possible. Of all Shostakovich’s extensive creativity in all genres, it is the symphonies (15 works) that occupy the central place; the most dramatically intense are the 5, 7, 8, 10, 15 symphonies, which became the pinnacle of Soviet symphonic music. A completely different Shostakovich reveals himself in chamber music.
Despite the fact that Shostakovich himself was a “home” composer and practically never traveled abroad, his music, humanistic in essence and truly artistic in form, quickly and widely spread throughout the world and was performed by the best conductors. The magnitude of Shostakovich’s talent is so immense that full comprehension of this unique phenomenon of world art is still ahead.

Quote from D.D. Shostakovich: “True music is capable of expressing only humane feelings, only advanced humane ideas.”

D. Shostakovich. Symphony No. 7 "Leningrad"

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 composition, the successor of whose traditions was 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.

About each of these famous people you can tell a lot, everyone is not simple, and sometimes tragic fates, but in this review we tried to give only brief description life and work of composers.

1.Mikhail Ivanovich GLINKA (1804—1857)

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 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 for his work was added by a many-year 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 the production of 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 like Susanin appeared, whose image summarizes the best features national character. V.F. 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 is the epic “Ruslan and Lyudmila” (1842), 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, it was received ambiguously by the audience and the authorities and brought difficult experiences to M.I. Glinka . After that, he traveled a lot, alternately living in Russia and abroad, without stopping composing. 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 from M.I. Glinka: “To create beauty, you yourself must be pure in soul.”

Quote about M.I. Glinka: “The entire Russian symphonic school, like an entire oak tree in an acorn, is contained in the symphonic fantasy “Kamarinskaya”. P.I.Tchaikovsky

Interesting fact: Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka was not 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 Porfirievich 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 literary talent.
Born in St. Petersburg, from childhood everyone around him noted his unusual activity, passion and abilities in various fields, primarily in music and chemistry. A.P. Borodin is a Russian composer-nugget, he did not have professional musician teachers, all his achievements in music are thanks to independent work on mastering compositing techniques. The formation of A.P. Borodin was influenced by the work of M.I. Glinka (as indeed all Russian composers of the 19th century), and the impetus for intensive study of composition in the early 1860s was given by two events - firstly, his acquaintance and marriage with the talented pianist E.S. Protopopova, and secondly, a 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 a lot in Europe and America, met with 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 national heroic epic in music and which he himself did not have time to complete (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, is reflected the main idea throughout the composer's work - courage, calm greatness, spiritual nobility of the best Russian people and the mighty strength of the entire Russian people, manifested in the defense of their 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 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 in symphony, opera and romance. His 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 was the first to study in 1861, is named after Borodin.

3. Modest Petrovich MUSORGSKY (1839—1881)

Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky is one of the most brilliant Russian composers of the 19th century, a member of the " Mighty bunch". Innovative creativity Mussorgsky was far ahead of his time.
Born in the Pskov province. Like many talented people, from childhood he showed abilities in music, studied in St. Petersburg, was, family tradition, military. The decisive event that determined that Mussorgsky was not born for military service, and for music, it 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 had not known before, showing in them a combination of mass folk scenes and a diverse wealth 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 permeated with a Russian theme-refrain and Orthodox faith.

Mussorgsky's life had everything - both greatness and tragedy, but he was always distinguished by genuine spiritual purity and selflessness. His last years were difficult - unsettled life, lack of recognition of creativity, loneliness, addiction to alcohol, all this determined his early death at the age of 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 important role in the formation of the styles of many world composers.

Quote from M.P. Mussorgsky: “The sounds of human speech, as outward manifestations of thought and feeling, must, without exaggeration and violence, become music that is truthful, accurate, but artistic, highly artistic.”

Quote about M.P. Mussorgsky: “The original Russian sounds in everything that Mussorgsky created” N.K. Roerich

Interesting fact: at the end of his life, Mussorgsky, under pressure from his “friends” Stasov and Rimsky-Korsakov, renounced the copyright to his works and donated them to Tertius 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 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 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, as opposed to the popular 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 rather emotionally unstable person; enthusiasm, despondency, apathy, hot temper, violent anger - all these moods changed in him quite often; being a very sociable person, he always strived for loneliness.
Selecting something best from Tchaikovsky’s work is a difficult task; he has several works of equal magnitude in almost all of them. musical genres- opera, ballet, symphony, chamber music. The content of Tchaikovsky's music is universal: with inimitable melodicism it embraces images of life and death, love, nature, childhood, it reveals works of Russian and world literature in a new way, and reflects the deep processes of spiritual life.

Composer quote:
“I am an artist who can and should bring honor to my Motherland. I feel great artistic strength in myself, I have not yet done even a tenth of what I can do. And I want to do this with all the strength of my soul.”
“Life has beauty only when it consists of 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 to stand as a guard of honor day and night at the porch of the house where Pyotr Ilyich lives - that is how much I respect him.” A.P.Chekhov

Interesting fact: Cambridge University awarded Tchaikovsky the title of Doctor of Music in absentia and without defending a dissertation, 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 Russian musical heritage. His unique world and worship of the eternal all-encompassing beauty of the universe, admiration for the miracle of existence, 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, and traveled around many countries in Europe and the two Americas on a warship. He received his musical education first from his mother, then taking private lessons from 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 has not lost a talented composer.
The central place in Rimsky-Korsakov's legacy is made up of operas - 15 works demonstrating the diversity of genre, stylistic, dramatic, compositional solutions of the composer, nevertheless having a special style - with all the richness of the orchestral component, the main ones are melodic vocal lines. 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, in which he showed great interest, and also as a completer of the works of his friends - Dargomyzhsky, Mussorgsky and Borodin. Rimsky-Korsakov was the creator of a school of composition; as a teacher and director of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, he trained about two hundred composers, conductors, and musicologists, among them Prokofiev and Stravinsky.

Quote about the composer: “Rimsky-Korsakov was a very Russian man and a very Russian composer. I believe that this primordially Russian essence of his, his deep folk-Russian basis should be especially appreciated today.” Mstislav Rostropovich

6. Alexander Nikolaevich SKRYABIN (1872 - 1915)

Alexander Nikolaevich Scriabin is a Russian composer and pianist, one of the brightest personalities of Russian and world musical culture. Scriabin's original and deeply poetic creativity stood out as innovative even against the backdrop 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 raised by his aunt and grandfather, and showed musical talent from childhood. At first he studied in the cadet corps, took private piano lessons, and after graduating from the corps he entered the Moscow Conservatory, his classmate was S.V. Rachmaninov. After graduating from the conservatory, Scriabin devoted himself entirely to music - as a concert pianist-composer he toured in Europe and Russia, spending most of his time abroad.
The peak of Scriabin's compositional creativity 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. "Poem of Ecstasy", consisting of several theme-images, concentrated Sryabin's creative ideas and is his brilliant masterpiece. It harmoniously combines 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, and strong-willed power embodied in the “Poem of Ecstasy” makes an irresistible impression on the listener and retains the power of its impact to this day.
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, was held without lighting effects.
The last unfinished “Mystery” was the plan of Scriabin, a dreamer, romantic, philosopher, to appeal to all of humanity and inspire it to create a new fantastic world order, the union of the Universal Spirit with Matter.

Quote from A.N. Scriabin: “I’m going to tell them (people) - so that they... do not expect anything from life except what they can create for themselves... I’m going to tell them that there is 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 defeated 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 permanent meaning and becomes enduring.” G. V. Plekhanov

7. Sergei Vasilyevich Rahmaninov (1873 - 1943)

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov is the world's largest composer of the early 20th century, a talented pianist and conductor. The creative image of Rachmaninoff the 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 schools of composition and in creating his own unique style, which stands out in the world musical culture.
Born in the Novgorod province, at the age of four he began studying 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 large gold medal. He quickly became known as a conductor and pianist, and composed music. The disastrous premiere of the innovative First Symphony (1897) in St. Petersburg caused a creative composer's crisis, from which Rachmaninov emerged in the early 1900s with a mature style that united Russian church song, outgoing European romanticism, modern impressionism and neoclassicism, all full of complex symbolism. During this creative period, his best works were born, including the 2nd and 3rd piano concertos, the Second Symphony and his most favorite work - the poem "Bells" for choir, soloists and orchestra.
In 1917, Rachmaninov and his family were forced to leave our country and settle in the USA. For almost ten years after leaving, he composed nothing, but toured extensively in America and Europe and was recognized as one of the greatest pianists of the era and a major conductor. For all his hectic activity, Rachmaninov remained a vulnerable and insecure person, striving for solitude and even loneliness, avoiding the annoying attention of the public. He sincerely loved and missed 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, and helped financially. His last works - Symphony No. 3 (1937) and "Symphonic Dances" (1940) were the result of his creative path, incorporating all the best of his unique style and a mournful feeling of irreparable loss and longing for his homeland.

Quote from S.V. Rachmaninov:
“I feel like a ghost wandering alone in a world that is alien to me.”
“The highest quality of all art is its sincerity.”
"Great composers have always and first of all paid attention to melody as the leading principle in music. Melody is music, the main basis of all music... Melodic inventiveness, in the highest sense of the word, is the main life goal of the composer.... By This is the reason why the great composers of the past showed so much interest in the folk melodies of their countries."

Quote about S.V. Rachmaninov:
“Rachmaninoff was created from steel and gold: Steel is in his hands, gold is in his heart. I can’t think about him without tears. I not only admired the great artist, But I loved the person in him.” I. Hoffman
"Rachmaninov's music is the Ocean. Its waves - musical - begin so far beyond the horizon, and lift you so high and lower you so slowly... that you feel this Power and Breath." A. Konchalovsky

Interesting fact: during the Great Patriotic War, Rachmaninov gave several charity concerts, the proceeds from which he sent to the Red Army Fund to fight the Nazi occupiers.

8. Igor Fedorovich STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)

Igor Fedorovich Stravinsky is one of the most influential world composers of the 20th century, a leader of neoclassicism. Stravinsky became a “mirror” of the musical era; his work reflects a multiplicity of styles, constantly intersecting and difficult to classify. He freely combines genres, forms, styles, choosing them from centuries of musical history and subjecting them to his own rules.
Born near St. Petersburg, he 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 composer school, thanks to which he mastered compositional technique to perfection. He began composing professionally relatively late, but his rise was rapid - a series of three ballets: “The Firebird” (1910), “Petrushka” (1911) and “The Rite of Spring” (1913) immediately brought him to the ranks 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 been forced to change several countries - Russia, Switzerland, France, and eventually stayed to live in the USA. His work is divided into three periods - “Russian”, “neoclassical”, American “mass 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. His circle of acquaintances and correspondents included musicians, poets, artists, scientists, businessmen, and statesmen.
Stravinsky's last highest achievement - "Requiem" (Funeral Hymns) (1966) absorbed and combined the composer's previous artistic experience, becoming the true apotheosis of the master's work.
One unique feature stands out in Stavinsky’s work - “unrepeatability”, it was not without reason that he was called “the composer of a thousand and one styles”, 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, audible Russian roots.

Quote from I.F. Stravinsky: “I have been speaking Russian all my life, I have a Russian syllable. Maybe this is not immediately visible in my music, 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 closely connected with it...” D. Shostakovich

Interesting fact (fable):
Once in New York, Stravinsky took a taxi and was surprised to read his last name on the sign.
-Are you 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 last name is Rossini...

9. Sergei Sergeevich PROKOFIEV (1891—1953)

Sergei Sergeevich Prokofiev is one of the largest Russian composers of the 20th century, pianist, and conductor.
Born in the Donetsk region, he became involved in music from childhood. Prokofiev can be considered one of the few (if not the only) Russian musical “prodigies”, 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 to create), at the age of 13 he passed the exams at St. Petersburg Conservatory, among his teachers was N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. The beginning of his professional career caused a storm of criticism and misunderstanding of his individual, fundamentally anti-romantic and extremely modernist style; the paradox is that, while destroying academic canons, the structure of his compositions remained faithful 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 was forced to give in to the realities of new demands. Prokofiev's talent blossomed with renewed vigor - he wrote operas, ballets, music for films - sharp, strong-willed, extremely precise music with new images and ideas, laid the foundation for Soviet classical music and opera. In 1948, three tragic events occurred almost simultaneously: his first Spanish wife was arrested on suspicion of espionage and exiled to camps; a Resolution 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 harm of their music; There was a sharp deterioration in the composer's health; he retired to his dacha and practically never left it, but continued to compose.
Some of the most striking works of the Soviet period were the operas “War and Peace” and “The Tale of a Real Man”; the ballets “Romeo and Juliet” and “Cinderella”, which have become a new standard of world ballet music; oratorio "Guardian of Peace"; music for the films "Alexander Nevsky" and "Ivan the Terrible"; symphonies No. 5,6,7; piano works.
Prokofiev's work is striking in its versatility and breadth of themes; the originality of his musical thinking, freshness and originality constituted an entire era in the world musical culture of the 20th century and had a powerful influence on many Soviet and foreign composers.

Quote from S.S. Prokofiev:
“Can an artist stand aside from life?.. I adhere to the conviction that a composer, like a poet, sculptor, painter, is called upon to serve man and the people... He, first of all, is obliged to be a citizen in his art, to glorify human life and lead people to a bright future..."
"I am a manifestation of life, which gives me the strength to resist everything unspiritual"

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 failures, doubts, just a bad mood. And in such moments “Even if I don’t play or listen to Prokofiev, but just think about him, I get an incredible charge of energy, I feel a great desire to live and act.” E. Kissin

Interesting fact: Prokofiev loved chess very much, 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)

Dmitry Dmitrievich Shostakovich is one of the most important 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 chronicle of the difficult events of the 20th century, where the deeply personal is intertwined with the tragedy of man and humanity, with the fate of his native country.
Born in St. Petersburg, he received his first music lessons from his mother, graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, upon entering which its rector Alexander Glazunov compared him to Mozart - so he amazed everyone with his excellent musical memory, keen ear and gift for composition. Already in the early 20s, 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 Mtsensk", Shostakovich worked as a free artist - an "avant-garde", experimenting with styles and genres. The severe demolition of this opera, organized in 1936, and the repressions of 1937 marked the beginning of Shostakovich’s subsequent constant internal struggle to express his views through his own means in the conditions of state 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, he and his relatives were awarded and were on the verge of arrest.
A gentle, intelligent, delicate person, he found his form of expressing creative principles in symphonies, where he could speak the truth about time as openly as possible. Of all Shostakovich’s extensive creativity in all genres, it is the symphonies (15 works) that occupy the central place; the most dramatically intense are the 5, 7, 8, 10, 15 symphonies, which became the pinnacle of Soviet symphonic music. A completely different Shostakovich reveals himself in chamber music.
Despite the fact that Shostakovich himself was a “home” composer and practically never traveled abroad, his music, humanistic in essence and truly artistic in form, quickly and widely spread throughout the world and was performed by the best conductors. The magnitude of Shostakovich’s talent is so immense that full comprehension of this unique phenomenon of world art is still ahead.

Quote from D.D. Shostakovich: “True music is capable of expressing only humane feelings, only advanced humane ideas.”

Among these melodies there is a tune for any mood: romantic, positive or sad, to relax and not think about anything or, conversely, to collect your thoughts.

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The Italian composer and pianist works in the direction of minimalism, often turns to ambient music and skillfully combines classical music with other musical styles. He is known to a wide circle for his atmospheric compositions that have become soundtracks for films. For example, you probably recognize the music from the French film “1 + 1”, written by Einaudi.

themagger.net

Glass is one of the most controversial personalities in the world of modern classics, who is sometimes praised to the skies, sometimes to the nines. He has been playing in his own band, the Philip Glass Ensemble, for half a century and has written music for more than 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

Author of numerous soundtracks, best film composer of 2008 according to the European Film Academy and post-minimalist. Won over critics with the first Memoryhouse album, in which Richter's music was superimposed on poetry readings, and subsequent albums used fiction. In addition to writing his own ambient compositions, Max arranges works of classics: Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” topped the iTunes charts in his arrangement.

This creator of instrumental music from Italy is not associated with the acclaimed cinema, but is already known as a composer, virtuoso and experienced piano teacher. If we describe Marradi’s work in two words, they would be “sensual” and “magical”. His compositions and covers will appeal to those who love retro classics: the notes of the last century are evident in the motifs.

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The famous film composer created musical accompaniment for many box office films and cartoons, including “Gladiator”, “Pearl Harbor”, “Inception”, “Sherlock Holmes”, “Interstellar”, “Madagascar”, “The Lion King”. His star is on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and on his shelf are the Oscars, Grammys and Golden Globes. Zimmer's music is as varied as the films listed, but regardless of the tone, it touches the heartstrings.

musicaludi.fr

Hisaishi is one of the most famous Japanese composers, having received four Japanese Academy Film Awards for Best Film Score. Joe became famous for writing the soundtrack for the anime Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. If you are a fan of the creations of Studio Ghibli or the films of Takeshi Kitano, then you probably admire Hisaishi's music. It is mostly light and light.

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This Icelandic multi-instrumentalist is just a boy compared to the listed masters, but by the age of 30 he had become a recognized neoclassicist. He recorded accompaniment for a ballet, won a BAFTA award for the soundtrack to 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

Lee Rum's most famous works are Kiss the Rain and River Flows in You. The Korean New Age composer and pianist writes popular classics that are understandable to listeners on any continent, with any musical taste and education. His light and sensual melodies became the beginning of a love for piano music for many.

fracturedair.com

The American composer is interesting because, at the same time, he writes the most pleasant and quite popular music. O'Halloran's tunes have been used in Top Gear and several films. Perhaps the most successful soundtrack album was for the melodrama “Like Crazy.”

culturaspettacolovenesia.it

This composer and pianist knows a lot about both the art of conducting and how to create electronic music. But his main field is modern classic. Cacciapaglia has recorded numerous albums, three of them with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. His music flows like water, it’s a great way to relax with it.

Famous musicians

Adan Adolph Charles(1803–1856) - French composer, romanticist, author of the ballets “Giselle” and “Corsair”.

Aznavour Charles (Aznauryan Varenag)(b. 1924) - French chansonnier, composer, film actor, author and performer of many songs; had a huge influence on the mass musical culture of France and throughout Europe.

Alyabyev Alexander Alexandrovich(1787–1851) - Russian composer, author of many songs and romances (“The Nightingale”, “Beggar Woman”, etc.), as well as operas, ballets, chamber and instrumental works.

Armstrong Louis(1901–1971) - trumpeter, vocalist, often called the "Father of Jazz". Louis Armstrong is one of the most popular personalities in the musical art of the 20th century, with whom the public identifies traditional jazz.

Balakirev Miliy Alekseevich(1836 (1837)-1910) - Russian composer, pianist, conductor, head and one of the founders of the “Mighty Handful” - a creative community of Russian composers that formed in the late 1850s - early 1860s.

Balanchine George (Balanchivadze Georgy Melitonovich)(1904–1963) - American choreographer, founder of the famous ballet troupe New York City Ballet.

Bartok Bela(1881–1945) - Hungarian composer, pianist and musicologist-folklorist. Combining elements of folklore with techniques of the musical avant-garde (expressionism, etc.), he became one of the most profound and influential innovators in the music of the 20th century.

Bach Johann Sebastian(1685–1750) - German composer, author of about 1000 works of various genres, master of polyphony (preludes and fugues, St. Matthew Passion, etc.).

Bashmet Yuri Abramovich(b. 1953) - Russian violist, teacher. The first performer of many works for viola by modern composers.

Berlioz Hector Louis(1803–1869) - French innovative composer, conductor, author of the Symphony Fantastique, creator new school conducting.

Bernstein Leonard(1918–1990) - American composer and conductor, author of music for many famous musicals (West Side Story, etc.).

Berry Chuck(R. 1926) - famous American singer, composer, one of the founders of rock and roll.

Beethoven Ludwig van(1770–1827) - German composer, major symphonist. Most of Beethoven's works are considered masterpieces of world music (" Moonlight Sonata", IX Symphony, etc.).

Bizet Georges (1838–1875) - French composer, author of operas (Carmen, etc.).

Borodin Alexander Porfirievich(1833–1887) - Russian composer and chemist, one of the creators of Russian classical symphonies and quartets.

Bortnyansky Dmitry Stepanovich(1751–1825) - Russian and Ukrainian composer, author of sacred music, works for choir, etc.

Brahms Johannes(1833–1897) - German composer and conductor, representative of romanticism.

Wagner Richard(1813–1883) - German composer, conductor, opera reformer. The tetralogy “The Ring of the Nibelung” is written on its own libretto, based on German national mythology. Wagner is also the author of the operas Tristan and Isolde, Parsifal, and others.

Verdi Giuseppe(1813–1901) - Italian composer, whose work is the pinnacle of the development of Italian opera and the art of opera around the world (operas Aida, Rigoletto, La Traviata, etc.).

Vertinsky Alexander Nikolaevich(1889–1957) - Russian poet and composer, performer of his own songs, one of the founders of the art song genre.

Vivaldi Antonio(1678–1741) - Italian composer, violinist, conductor; created the genre of solo instrumental concert.

Vysotsky Vladimir Semenovich(1938–1980) - Soviet poet, musician, actor, author of hundreds of songs based on his own poems. As an author and performer of his own songs with guitar, he gained wide popularity.

Haydn Franz Joseph(1732–1809) - Austrian composer, teacher of Beethoven. His works are characterized by harmony and proportionality of proportions.

Handel Georg Friedrich(1685–1759) - German composer, author of many operas and oratorios that combine powerful choruses and strict architecture.

Gershwin George(1898–1937) - American composer and pianist. Together with his brother Ira, George Gershwin composed more than three dozen musicals for theater and film. To the number best works George Gershwin's works include "Rhapsody in Blue" for piano and jazz orchestra and the opera "Porgy and Bess", which many critics consider the peak of the composer's work and one of the best (if not the best) American opera.

Gillespie John "Dizzy" Burks(1917–1993) - American jazz trumpeter virtuoso, organizer of one of the most famous jazz orchestras in the history of music, author of many jazz compositions.

Glinka Mikhail Ivanovich(1804–1857) - Russian composer, creator of Russian national epic operas and many popular romances.

Glier Reingold Moritsevich(1874–1956) - Russian Soviet composer, conductor, teacher (ballet “Don Quixote”).

Gluck Christoph Willibald(1714–1787) - German composer, representative of classicism, opera reformer.

Grig Edward(1843–1907) - Norwegian composer, pianist, musical figure, conductor.

Gounod Charles(1818–1893) - French composer, one of the largest representatives of French opera of the 19th century. The pinnacle of creativity is the opera "Faust".

Dankevich Konstantin Fedorovich(1905–1984) - Ukrainian composer and musicologist, author of the opera “Bogdan Khmelnytsky”, ballet “Liley”, etc.

Dargomyzhsky Alexander Sergeevich(1813–1869) - Russian composer (opera “Rusalka”, etc.). Along with M.I. Glinka, he was the founder of the Russian classical school of music.

Dassin Joe(1938–1980) - French singer, composer, whose songs were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s.

Dvorak Antonin(1841–1904) - Czech composer, conductor, one of the founders of the Czech musical school of classical music.

Debussy Claude Achille(1862–1918) - French composer, considered the founder of the so-called musical impressionism.

Dylan Bob (Robert Allen Zimmerman)(b. 1941) - American rock musician, according to most critics, who influenced the development of popular music (and not just rock) more than anyone else in the post-war period, and his work became a role model for several generations of rock musicians. musicians.

Domingo Placido(b. 1941) - Spanish singer (tenor) and conductor, one of the most outstanding singers in the history of opera.

Donizetti Gaetano(1797–1848) - Italian composer (operas “Lucia di Lammermoor”, “Don Pasquale”, etc.), master of the art of bel canto.

Dunaevsky Isaac Osipovich(1900–1955) - Soviet composer, the greatest master of Soviet mass song and operetta.

Caballe Montserrat(b. 1933) - Spanish singer (soprano). One of the outstanding contemporary bel canto singers.

Callas Maria (Maria Kalogeropoulos)(1923–1977) - Greek singer, had a voice of a wide range, one of the greatest singers in the history of music, was a soloist of the largest theaters in the world.

Kalman Imre(1882–1953) - Hungarian composer, master of classical Viennese operetta (“Silva”, etc.).

Carreras Jose(b. 1947) - Spanish Opera singer, tenor, has a deep, beautiful voice, along with P. Domingo and L. Pavarotti, for a long time he was one of the three best tenors of our time.

Caruso Enrico(1873–1921) - Italian singer, one of the greatest tenors in the history of opera, master of bel canto.

Clyburn Van (Clyburn Harvey Laban)(b. 1934) - American pianist, winner of the 1st International competition them. P.I. Tchaikovsky in Moscow (1958).

Kozlovsky Ivan Semenovich(1900–1995) - Russian Soviet singer, lyric tenor, soloist Bolshoi Theater(1926–1954), one of the best performers of his time.

Leghar Ferenc (Franz)(1870–1948) - composer, outstanding master of Viennese operetta (“The Merry Widow”).

Lemeshev Sergey Yakovlevich(1902–1977) - an outstanding Russian opera singer, lyric tenor. The owner of the most delicate timbre, an inimitable performer of songs and romances.

Lennon John(1940–1980) - British rock musician, singer, poet, composer, artist, writer. Founder and member of The Beatles, one of the most popular musicians of the 20th century.

Leoncavallo Ruggiero(1857–1919) - Italian opera composer, whose works were and are very successful (the operas “Pagliacci”, “La Bohème”, etc.).

Leontovich Nikolai Dmitrievich(1877–1921) - Ukrainian composer, author of many arrangements of folk melodies. Founder of the first Ukrainian symphony orchestra.

Liszt Ferenc(1811–1886) - an outstanding Hungarian composer, conductor and pianist. He created a school of concert piano performance.

Lloyd-Webber Andrew(b. 1948) - famous British composer, author of musicals and rock operas (“Jesus Christ Superstar”; “Phantom of the Opera”, etc.).

Lysenko Nikolay Vitalievich(1842–1912) - composer, conductor, founder of the Ukrainian national music school, contributed to the formation of Ukrainian opera.

Lyudkevich Stanislav Filippovich (Pilipovich)(1879–1979) - Ukrainian composer and musicologist, one of the largest Ukrainian symphonists.

Miles Davis(1926–1991) - American jazz trumpeter, one of the most prominent jazzmen in the history of music. Since the late 1960s he has performed in the jazz-rock style.

McCartney James Paul(b. 1942) - British rock musician, singer and composer, one of the founders of The Beatles.

Mahler Gustav(1860–1911) - Austrian composer and conductor, one of the largest symphonists of the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1908–1909 he was conductor of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and in 1909–1911 he directed the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Jacob Ludwig Felix(1809–1847) - German composer, organist, conductor and public figure, founder of the first German conservatory. Author of the “Italian”, “Scottish” symphonies, etc.

Mercury Freddie(1956–1991) - British singer and musician, vocalist of the legendary rock band Queen. Until now, many years after death, he is one of the most popular singers in the world.

Miller Glenn(1904–1944) - American trombonist, arranger, leader of one of the best swing orchestras of the late 1930s - early 1940s.

Morricone Ennio(b. 1928) - Italian composer, arranger, conductor, one of the most famous composers composing music for films.

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus(1756–1791) - Austrian composer, one of the greatest in the history of music. He had an outstanding melodic gift (the operas “The Magic Flute” and others, “Little Night Serenade”, created about 600 works of various genres). He composed music from the age of five and performed as a performer from the age of six.

Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich(1839–1881) - Russian composer. He created monumental folk musical dramas (“Boris Godunov”, “Khovanshchina”), dramatic scenes (“Pictures at an Exhibition”), etc.

Oistrakh David Fedorovich(1908–1974) - Soviet virtuoso violinist, teacher, one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century.

Offenbach Jacques(1819–1880) - French composer, one of the founders of classical French operetta (“Beautiful Helen”, “Pericola”, etc.).

Pavarotti Luciano(1935–2007) - an outstanding Italian singer, one of the most outstanding tenors in the history of music.

Paganini Niccolo(1782–1840) - Italian virtuoso violinist and composer. One of the most prominent personalities in the musical history of the 18th–19th centuries. Recognized genius of world musical art.

Pauls Raymond(b. 1936) - Latvian composer, pianist, author of many songs, musicals, film scores, etc.

Petrusenko Oksana Andreevna(1900–1940) - Ukrainian Soviet singer (lyric-dramatic soprano), who had a voice of a unique timbre.

Piaf Edith (Gacion)(1915–1963) - French singer and actress, one of the world's greatest pop singers.

Presley Elvis(1935–1977) - legendary American rock singer and film actor, “King of Rock and Roll.”

Prokofiev Sergey Sergeevich(1891–1953) - Russian innovative composer, one of the largest composers of the 20th century.

Puccini Giacomo (1858-1924) - Italian composer who combined lyricism with heroism and tragedy in his operas (Tosca, La Bohème, etc.).

Ravel Maurice(1875–1937) - French composer and performing pianist. The most famous work is “Bolero”.

Rachmaninov Sergei Vasilievich(1873–1943) - Russian composer, pianist and conductor. He played the piano from the age of four. Operas, romances, concerts, etc. combine stormy, passionate impulses and poetic contemplation in music. One of the greatest pianists in the history of music.

Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolai Andreevich(1844–1908) - Russian composer, teacher, conductor, public figure, music critic; member of the “Mighty Handful”, author of 15 operas, 3 symphonies, symphonic works, instrumental concerts, cantatas, chamber instrumental, vocal and sacred music.

Richter Svyatoslav Teofilovich(1915–1997) - Soviet pianist, outstanding performer.

Rossini Gioacchino(1792–1868) - Italian composer. The pinnacle of his work was the opera “The Barber of Seville”. He also created numerous vocal and piano miniatures.

Rostropovich Mstislav Leopoldovich(1927–2007) - an outstanding cellist, conductor and public figure.

Rota Nino(1911–1979) - Italian composer, author of music for many films by Federico Fellini, as well as for the film “The Godfather” by Francis Ford Coppola.

Sviridov Georgy (Yuri) Vasilievich(1915–1998) - Russian Soviet composer and pianist. Author of music for works by A. S. Pushkin, S. A. Yesenin and others, as well as sacred music.

Saint-Saens Charles Camille(1835–1921) - French composer, pianist, conductor, music critic and public figure. Author of numerous works of various musical genres, the most famous of which are the opera “Samson and Delilah”, the 3rd symphony (with organ), the symphonic poem “Dance of Death”, the 3rd concert and “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso” (1863) for violin and orchestra.

Sibelius Jan(1865–1957) - Finnish composer, founder of the national Finnish romantic style. In his work he used the rhythmic and harmonic features of Finnish folklore.

Sinatra Francis Albert(1915–1998) - American singer, one of the most popular in the history of American pop music.

Skryabin Alexander Nikolaevich(1872–1915) - Russian composer and pianist. Scriabin's mystical philosophy was reflected in his musical language, especially in innovative harmony, far beyond the boundaries of traditional tonality. The score of his symphonic “Poem of Fire” (“Prometheus”) includes a light keyboard: rays of searchlights different colors should change on the screen synchronously with changes in themes, keys, chords.

Smetana Bedřich(1824–1884) - Czech composer, conductor, pianist, author of the operas “The Bartered Bride”, “Libushe” (based on the Zelenogorsk manuscript and genuine Czech legends), a cycle of symphonic poems “My Country” (the second one is especially famous - “Vltava”) .

Spivakov Vladimir Teodorovich(b. 1944) - Russian violinist, conductor. Since 1979, he has been the director of the Moscow Virtuosi orchestra, which quickly won recognition and love from the public. Laureate of many international competitions.

Stravinsky Igor Fedorovich(1882–1971) - Russian and later American composer and conductor. Stravinsky's ballets (The Rite of Spring, etc.) were successfully demonstrated by S. P. Diaghilev at the Russian Seasons in Paris. He turned to ancient and biblical subjects.

Utesov Leonid Osipovich(1895–1982) - Russian and Soviet pop artist, singer and film actor, National artist THE USSR. One of the founders of Soviet jazz and Russian chanson.

Fitzgerald Ella Jane(1917–1996) - American jazz singer, recognized as one of the greatest vocalists in jazz history.

Khachaturyan Aram Ilyich(1903–1978) - Armenian composer, conductor, teacher. His work uniquely combined the traditions of world and national musical art (ballets “Gayane”, “Spartacus”, etc.).

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich(1840–1893) - Russian composer, one of the best melodists, conductor, teacher, musical and public figure.

Shalyapin Fedor Ivanovich(1873–1938) - great Russian opera singer, bass, one of the most famous singers in the world.

Schnittke Alfred Garrievich(1934–1998) - Russian composer, pianist, music theorist and teacher (author of articles on Russian and Soviet composers), one of the most significant musical figures of the late 20th century.

Chopin Frederic(1810–1849) - Polish composer (études, nocturnes, waltzes, polonaises, piano concertos, etc.), virtuoso pianist. Author of numerous works for piano.

Shostakovich Dmitry Dmitrievich(1906–1975) - Russian Soviet composer, pianist, teacher and public figure, one of the most significant composers of the 20th century, who had and continues to have a creative influence on composers.

Strauss Johann(1825–1899) - Austrian composer, the greatest master of the Viennese waltz and Viennese operetta, “The Waltz King”. He created a huge number of works: 168 waltzes, 117 polkas, 73 quadrilles, 43 marches, 31 mazurkas, 16 operettas, comic opera and ballet.

Strauss Richard(1864–1949) - German composer and conductor, author of many symphonic poems and operas.

Schubert Franz(1797–1828) - Austrian composer. Waltzes, fantasies, impromptu, symphonies, etc. Created over 600 songs. The first major representative of musical romanticism, one of the largest melodists.

Schumann Robert(1810–1856) - German composer, romanticist. His work fostered high musical culture, beauty and strength of human feelings (symphonies, oratorio “Paradise and Peri”, etc.).

This text is an introductory fragment. From the book 100 great secrets of the Third Reich author Vedeneev Vasily Vladimirovich

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From the book Big Soviet Encyclopedia(BA) of the author TSB

Bach (German musicians, sons of J. S. Bach) Bach (Bach), German musicians, sons of J. S. Bach.

Wilhelm Friedemann B. (11/22/1710, Weimar, - 7/1/1784, Berlin), composer and organist. Eldest son of J. S. Bach. Of all the sons of the famous composer, the one closest to him in character is author From the book Disasters of the Body [The influence of stars, deformation of the skull, giants, dwarfs, fat men, hairy men, freaks...]

Kudryashov Viktor Evgenievich

Armless musicians Among the famous armless artists there were those who were no less famous as musicians. Among them is Jean de Ono from Brussels, who was a skilled mandolin player and had excellent control of the brush, holding it in the toes: And Gottfried Dietze, good From the book I Explore the World. Insects

author Lyakhov Peter

author Tireless musicians – grasshoppers Who is not familiar with grasshoppers! They can be found everywhere: in the forest, in the field or in the meadow. They are known as tireless musicians, enlivening nature all summer with their cheerful chirping, and also as excellent jumpers. Grasshoppers are able to jump

Serov Vadim Vasilievich

From book And you, friends, no matter how you sit down, / You are still not fit to be musicians. From the fable “Quartet” (1811) by I. A. Krylov (1769-1844). Contemporaries believed; that this fable was written as a satirical response to the reform of the State Council, which was divided by the will of Emperor Alexander I in 1810. encyclopedic Dictionary author Tireless musicians – grasshoppers Who is not familiar with grasshoppers! They can be found everywhere: in the forest, in the field or in the meadow. They are known as tireless musicians, enlivening nature all summer with their cheerful chirping, and also as excellent jumpers. Grasshoppers are able to jump

catch words and expressions

author No matter how you sit down, / You’re still not fit to be musicians. And you, friends, no matter how you sit down / You’re still not fit to be musicians

Kolosova Svetlana

Great classical musicians and composers 3 Ars, Nikolai Andreevich - Russian composer of the late 19th - early 20th centuries. Bach, Johann Sebastian - German composer of the 18th century. 4 Bizet, Georges - French composer of the 19th century, pianist. Liszt, Ferenc - Hungarian composer of the 19th century , author No matter how you sit down, / You’re still not fit to be musicians. And you, friends, no matter how you sit down / You’re still not fit to be musicians

From the book Crossword Guide

Popular Russian musicians of the 20th century and performers 3 Mon, AlisaTsoi, Victor5 Apina, AlenaVarum, AnzhelikaGubin, AndreyLindaMetov, KaySerov, AlexanderChaika, VictorShturm, Natalya6 Agutin, LeonidGlyzin, AlexeyDolina, LarisaKinchev, KonstantinKobzon, IosifOtieva,

From the book When Can You Applaud? A Guide for Classical Music Lovers by Hope Daniel

WOMEN MUSICIANS The worst situation, from the point of view of women, is in the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, which until 1997 was purely male team, but in the end, with a heavy heart, he submitted to public opinion. Since then, women have been present there, but still in

From the book Muse and Grace. Aphorisms author Dushenko Konstantin Vasilievich

MUSICIANS Musicians want us to be mute just when we most want to be deaf. Oscar Wilde (1854–1900), English writer* * *Are you asking how this virtuoso played? There was something human in his play: he was wrong. Stanisław Jerzy Lec (1909–1966), Polish poet and

The 20th century is considered to be a time of great inventions that made people's lives much better and in some respects easier. However, there is an opinion that nothing new was created in the world of music at that time, but only used the works of previous generations. This list is intended to refute such an unfair conclusion and to honor the many musical works created after 1900, as well as their authors.

Edgar Varèse - Ionization (1933)

Varèse is a French composer of electronic music who used new sounds in his work, created on the basis of the popularization of electricity. He explored timbres, rhythms and dynamics, often using rather rough percussive sounds. No composition can so fully form an idea of Varèse’s work as “Ionization,” created for 13 percussion. The instruments include the usual orchestral bass drums, snare drums, and in this piece you can also hear the roar of a lion and the howl of a siren.

Karlheinz Stockhausen - Zyklus (1959)

Stockhausen, like Varèse, sometimes created extreme works. For example, Zyklus is a piece written for drums. Translated it means “Circle”. This composition received this name not by chance. It can be read from anywhere in any direction, and even upside down.

George Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue (1924)

George Gershwin is a truly American composer. He often uses blues and jazz scales in his compositions, rather than the diatonic scales typically used by most musicians in the classical Western tradition. Gershwin's work "Rhapsody" in the blues style, his greatest work, the one thanks to which you will definitely remember him forever. Often it serves as a reminder of the 1920s, the Jazz Age, a time of wealth and luxurious life. This is a longing for a wonderful time gone by.

Philip Glass - Einstein on the Beach (1976)

Philip Glass is a contemporary composer who continues to create in abundance today. The composer's style is considered to be minimalism, gradually developing ostinato in his music.
Glass's most famous opera, Einstein on the Beach, lasted 5 hours without intermission. It was so long that spectators came and went as they pleased. It is interesting because it has absolutely no plot, but only shows various scenes describing Einstein’s theories and, in general, his life.

Krzysztof Penderecki - Polish Requiem (1984)

Penderecki is a composer who was passionate about expanding techniques and unique styles of playing conventional instruments. He is perhaps better known for his other work, “Lament for the Victims of Hiroshima,” but this list includes his largest, “Polish Requiem,” which combines one of the oldest forms of musical work (the author of the very first Requiem was Ockeghem, who lived during the Renaissance ) and unconventional performance style. Here Penderecki uses screams, short sharp cries of the choir and voice, and the addition of Polish text at the end completes the image of a truly unique musical art.

Alban Berg - Wozzeck (1922)

Berg is the composer who brought serialism to popular culture. His opera Wozzeck, based on a surprisingly unheroic plot, became the first opera in the characteristically bold style of the 20th century, and thereby marked the beginning of the development of the avant-garde on the opera stage.

Aaron Copland - Fanfare for the Common Man (1942)

Copland composed music in a style different from that of his American colleague George Gershwin. While many of Gershwin's works are suitable for cities and clubs, Copland uses rural motifs, including truly American themes such as the cowboy theme.
The most famous work Copland's "Fanfare for common man" When asked who exactly it was dedicated to, Aaron replied that to an ordinary person, since it was ordinary people who significantly influenced the victory of the United States in World War II.

John Cage - 4’33″ (1952)

Cage was a revolutionary - he pioneered the use of non-traditional instruments in music, such as keys and paper. His most striking innovation was modifying the piano by inserting washers and nails into the instrument, resulting in dry percussive sounds.
4’33″ is essentially 4 minutes and 33 seconds of music. However, the music you hear is not played by the artist. Do you hear random sounds in concert hall, air conditioning noise or the hum of cars outside. What was considered silence is not silence - this is what the Zen school teaches, which became Cage's source of inspiration.

Witold Lutoslawski - Concerto for orchestra (1954)

Lutoslawski is one of greatest composers Poland, specializing in aleatoric music. He became the first musician to receive Poland's highest state award - the Order of the White Eagle.
"Concerto for Orchestra" is the result of the composer's inspiration from the work "Concerto for Orchestra" by Bel Bartok. It includes an imitation of the baroque genre of Concerto Grosso, intertwined with Polish melodies. The most striking thing is that this work is atonal, it does not correspond to a major or minor key.

Igor Stravinsky - The Rite of Spring (1913)

Stravinsky is one of the greatest composers who ever lived. He seems to have taken a little bit from a large number of composers. He composed in the styles of serialism, neoclassicism and neo-baroque.
Most famous composition Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" was considered a scandalous success. At the premiere, Camille Saint-Saëns ran out of the hall at the very beginning, cursing the excessively high register of the bassoon; in his opinion, the instrument was used incorrectly. The audience booed the performance, indignant at the primitive rhythms and vulgar costumes. The crowd literally attacked the performers. True, the ballet soon gained popularity and won the love of the audience, becoming one of the most influential works of the great composer.

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