Classical composers are known all over the world. Each name of a musical genius is a unique individuality in the history of culture.
What is classical music
Classical music is enchanting melodies created by talented authors who are rightly called classical composers. Their works are unique and will always be in demand by performers and listeners. Classical, on the one hand, is usually called strict, deeply meaningful music that is not related to the genres: rock, jazz, folk, pop, chanson, etc. On the other hand, in the historical development of music there is a period of the late XIII - early XX centuries, called classicism.
Classical themes are distinguished by sublime intonation, sophistication, variety of shades and harmony. They have a positive effect on the emotional worldview of adults and children.
Stages of development of classical music. Their brief description and main representatives
In the history of the development of classical music, the following stages can be distinguished:
- Renaissance or Renaissance - early 14th - last quarter of the 16th century. In Spain and England, the Renaissance period lasted until the beginning of the 17th century.
- Baroque - replaced the Renaissance and lasted until the beginning of the 18th century. The center of the style was Spain.
- Classicism is the period of development of European culture from the beginning of the 18th to the beginning of the 19th century.
- Romanticism is a direction opposite to classicism. Lasted until the mid-19th century.
- Classics of the 20th century - modern era.
Brief description and main representatives of cultural periods
1. Renaissance - a long period of development of all areas of culture. - Thomas Tallis, Giovanni da Palestina, T. L. de Victoria composed and left immortal creations for posterity.
2. Baroque - in this era new musical forms appear: polyphony, opera. It was during this period that Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi created their famous works. Bach's fugues are built in accordance with the requirements of classicism: obligatory adherence to the canons.
3. Classicism. who created their immortal creations in the era of classicism: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. The sonata form appears and the composition of the orchestra increases. and Haydn differ from the ponderous works of Bach in the simple construction and elegance of the melodies. It was still a classic, a striving for perfection. Beethoven's works are the edge of contact between the romantic and classic styles. In the music of L. van Beethoven there is more sensuality and ardor than rational canon. Such important genres as symphony, sonata, suite, and opera emerged. Beethoven gave rise to the Romantic period.
4. Romanticism. Musical works are characterized by color and drama. Various song genres are being formed, for example, ballads. Piano works by Liszt and Chopin received recognition. The traditions of romanticism were inherited by Tchaikovsky, Wagner, and Schubert.
5. Classics of the 20th century - characterized by the authors’ desire for innovation in melodies; the terms aleatorics, atonalism arose. Works by Stravinsky, Rachmaninov, Glass are classified in the classical format.
Russian classical composers
Tchaikovsky P.I. - Russian composer, music critic, public figure, teacher, conductor. His compositions are the most performed. They are sincere, easily perceived, reflect the poetic originality of the Russian soul, picturesque pictures of Russian nature. The composer created 6 ballets, 10 operas, more than a hundred romances, 6 symphonies. World famous ballet " Swan Lake", opera "Eugene Onegin", "Children's Album".
Rachmaninov S.V. - the works of the outstanding composer are emotional and cheerful, and some are dramatic in content. Their genres are varied: from small plays to concerts and operas. The author's generally recognized works: operas " Stingy Knight", "Aleko" based on Pushkin's poem "Gypsies", "Francesca da Rimini" based on a plot borrowed from " Divine Comedy» Dante, poem “The Bells”; suite “Symphonic Dances”; piano concerts; vocalise for voice with piano accompaniment.
Borodin A.P. was a composer, teacher, chemist, and doctor. The most significant creation is the opera “Prince Igor” based on the historical work “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, which the author wrote for almost 18 years. During his lifetime, Borodin did not have time to finish it; after his death, the opera was completed by A. Glazunov and N. Rimsky-Korsakov. The great composer is the founder of classical quartets and symphonies in Russia. The “Bogatyr” Symphony is considered the crown of world and Russian national-heroic symphony. The instrumental chamber quartets, the First and Second Quartets, were recognized as outstanding. One of the first to introduce heroic figures from ancient Russian literature.
Great musicians
Mussorgsky M.P., about whom one can say, is a great realist composer, a brave innovator who touches on acute social problems, an excellent pianist and an excellent vocalist. The most significant musical works are the operas "Boris Godunov" by dramatic work A.S. Pushkin and “Khovanshchina” - folk musical drama, the main character of these operas is the rebel people from different social strata; creative cycle “Pictures at an Exhibition”, inspired by the works of Hartmann.
Glinka M.I. - famous Russian composer, founder of the classical movement in Russian musical culture. He completed the procedure for creating a school of Russian composers, based on the value of folk and professional music. The master’s works are imbued with love for the Fatherland and reflect the ideological orientation of the people of that historical era. World Famous folk drama“Ivan Susanin” and the opera-fairy tale “Ruslan and Lyudmila” became new trends in Russian opera. The symphonic works “Kamarinskaya” and “Spanish Overture” by Glinka are the foundations of Russian symphonism.
Rimsky-Korsakov N.A. is a talented Russian composer, naval officer, teacher, publicist. Two currents can be traced in his work: historical (“ The Tsar's Bride", "Pskovite") and fairy tales ("Sadko", "Snow Maiden", suite "Scheherazade"). Distinctive feature the composer's works: originality based on classical values, homophony in the harmonic structure of early works. His compositions have the author's signature: original orchestral solutions with unusually constructed vocal scores, which are the main ones.
Russian classical composers tried to reflect in their works the cognitive thinking and folklore characteristic of the nation.
European culture
Famous classical composers Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven lived in the capital of musical culture of that time - Vienna. The geniuses are united by masterful performance, excellent compositional solutions, and the use of different musical styles: from folk tunes to polyphonic developments of musical themes. Great classics are characterized by comprehensive creative mental activity, competence, and clarity in the construction of musical forms. In their works, intellect and emotions, tragic and comic components, ease and prudence are organically linked together.
Beethoven and Haydn gravitated towards instrumental compositions, Mozart masterfully succeeded in both operatic and orchestral compositions. Beethoven was an unsurpassed creator heroic works Haydn appreciated and successfully used humor and folk genre types in his work; Mozart was a universal composer.
Mozart is the creator of the sonata instrumental form. Beethoven improved it and brought it to unsurpassed heights. The period of the Viennese classics became a period of quartet heyday. Haydn, followed by Beethoven and Mozart, made a significant contribution to the development of this genre.
Italian masters
Giuseppe Verdi - an outstanding musician of the 19th century, developed traditional Italian opera. He had impeccable skill. The culmination of his composing activities were the operatic works “Il Trovatore”, “La Traviata”, “Othello”, “Aida”.
Niccolo Paganini - born in Nice, one of the most musically gifted personalities of the 18th and 19th centuries. He was a master of the violin. He composed caprices, sonatas, quartets for violin, guitar, viola and cello. He wrote concertos for violin and orchestra.
Gioachino Rossini - worked in the 19th century. Author of sacred and chamber music, composed 39 operas. Outstanding works are “The Barber of Seville”, “Othello”, “Cinderella”, “The Thieving Magpie”, “Semiramis”.
Antonio Vivaldi is one of the greatest representatives of violin art of the 18th century. Gained fame thanks to his most famous work- 4 violin concerts "The Seasons". He lived an amazingly fruitful creative life, composing 90 operas.
Famous Italian classical composers left an eternal musical legacy. Their cantatas, sonatas, serenades, symphonies, operas will bring pleasure to more than one generation.
Peculiarities of a child’s perception of music
Listening to good music has a positive effect on the psycho-emotional development of a child, according to child psychologists. Good music introduces to art and shapes aesthetic taste, teachers think so.
Many famous creations were created by classical composers for children, taking into account their psychology, perception and specifics of age, i.e. for listening, while others composed various plays for little performers that were easily perceived by ear and technically accessible to them.
“Children's Album” by P.I. Tchaikovsky. for little pianists. This album is a dedication to my nephew who loved music and was a very gifted child. The collection contains more than 20 plays, some of them based on folklore material: Neapolitan motifs, Russian dance, Tyrolean and French melodies. Collection “Children's Songs” by P.I. Tchaikovsky. designed for auditory perception by children. Songs of an optimistic mood about spring, birds, a blooming garden (“My Garden”), about compassion for Christ and God (“Christ had a garden as a child”).
Children's classics
Many classical composers worked for children, the list of whose works is very diverse.
Prokofiev S.S. “Peter and the Wolf” is a symphonic fairy tale for children. Thanks to this fairy tale, children get acquainted with musical instruments symphony orchestra. The text of the fairy tale was written by Prokofiev himself.
Schumann R. “Children's Scenes” are short musical stories with a simple plot, written for adult performers, memories of childhood.
Debussy's piano cycle "Children's Corner".
Ravel M. “Mother Goose” based on the fairy tales of C. Perrault.
Bartok B. “First steps at the piano.”
Cycles for children Gavrilova S. “For the little ones”; "Heroes of Fairy Tales"; "Guys about animals."
Shostakovich D. “Album of piano pieces for children.”
Bakh I.S. "The music book of Anna Magdalena Bach." While teaching his children music, he created special pieces and exercises for them to develop technical skills.
Haydn J. is the progenitor of the classical symphony. He created a special symphony called “Children’s”. The instruments used: a clay nightingale, a rattle, a cuckoo - give it an unusual sound, childish and playful.
Saint-Saëns K. came up with a fantasy for orchestra and 2 pianos called “Carnival of Animals”, in which musical means masterfully conveyed the cackling of chickens, the roar of a lion, the complacency of an elephant and its manner of movement, a touchingly graceful swan.
When composing compositions for children and youth, the great classical composers took care of interesting storylines work, the availability of the proposed material, taking into account the age of the performer or listener.
Having originated as an imitation of Western models, Russian opera has made a most valuable contribution to the treasury of the entire world culture.
Having appeared in the era of the classical heyday of French, German and Italian opera, Russian opera in the 19th century not only caught up with the classical national opera schools, but also got ahead of them. It is interesting that Russian composers traditionally chose subjects of a purely folk nature for their works.
"Life for the Tsar" by Glinka
The opera “A Life for the Tsar” or “Ivan Susanin” tells about the events of 1612 - the Polish campaign of the gentry against Moscow. The author of the libretto was Baron Yegor Rosen, however, in Soviet era for ideological reasons, the editing of the libretto was entrusted to Sergei Gorodetsky. The opera premiered at the Bolshoi Theater in St. Petersburg in 1836. For a long time, the role of Susanin was performed by Fyodor Chaliapin. After the revolution, “Life for the Tsar” left the Soviet stage. There were attempts to adapt the plot to the requirements of new times: this is how Susanin was accepted into the Komsomol, and the final lines sounded like “Glory, glory, Soviet system.” Thanks to Gorodetsky, when the opera was staged at the Bolshoi Theater in 1939, the “Soviet system” was replaced by the “Russian people.” Since 1945, the Bolshoi Theater traditionally opens the season with various productions of Glinka's Ivan Susanin. The largest production of the opera abroad was perhaps realized at La Scala in Milan.
"Boris Godunov" by Mussorsky
The opera, in which the Tsar and the people are chosen as two characters, was begun by Mussorgsky in October 1868. To write the libretto, the composer used the text tragedy of the same name Pushkin and materials from Karamzin’s “History of the Russian State”. The theme of the opera was the reign of Boris Godunov just before the “Time of Troubles”. Mussorgsky completed the first edition of the opera Boris Godunov in 1869, which was presented to the theater committee of the Directorate of Imperial Theaters. However, reviewers rejected the opera, refusing to stage it due to the lack of bright female role. Mussorgsky introduced into the opera the “Polish” act of the love affair between Marina Mniszech and False Dmitry. He also added a monumental scene of a popular uprising, which made the ending more spectacular. Despite all the adjustments, the opera was again rejected. It was staged only 2 years later in 1874 on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater. The opera premiered abroad at the Bolshoi Theater in the Paris Grand Opera on May 19, 1908.
"Queen of Spades" by Tchaikovsky
The opera was completed by Tchaikovsky in the early spring of 1890 in Florence, and the first production took place in December of the same year at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. The opera was written by the composer at the request of the Imperial Theater, and for the first time Tchaikovsky refused to take the order, arguing that his refusal was due to the lack of “proper stage presence” in the plot. It’s interesting that in Pushkin’s story main character bears the surname Hermann (with two “n” at the end), and in the opera the main actor becomes a man named Herman - this is not a mistake, but an intentional author’s change. In 1892, the opera was staged for the first time outside of Russia in Prague. Next - the first production in New York in 1910 and the premiere in London in 1915.
"Prince Igor" Borodin
The basis for the libretto was the monument of ancient Russian literature “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”. The idea for the plot was suggested to Borodin by critic Vladimir Stasov at one of Shostakovich’s musical evenings. The opera was created over the course of 18 years, but was never completed by the composer. After Borodin's death, work on the work was completed by Glazunov and Rimsky-Korsakov. There is an opinion that Glazunov was able to reconstruct from memory the overture of the opera he once heard in the author's performance, however, Glazunov himself denied this opinion. Despite the fact that Glazunov and Rimsky-Korsakov did most of the work, they insisted that Prince Igor was entirely an opera by Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin." The opera premiered at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg in 1890, and 9 years later it was seen by foreign audiences in Prague.
"The Golden Cockerel" by Rimsky-Korsakov
The opera “The Golden Cockerel” was written in 1908 based on the Pushkin fairy tale of the same name. This opera became last job Rimsky-Korsakov. The imperial theaters refused to stage the opera. But as soon as the viewer first saw it in 1909 at the Moscow Opera House of Sergei Zimin, the opera was staged at the Bolshoi Theater a month later, and then it began its triumphal march around the world: London, Paris, New York, Berlin, Wroclaw.
"Lady Macbeth Mtsensk district"Shostakovich
The idea for the opera originated with Alexander Dargomyzhsky in 1863. However, the composer doubted its success and considered the work as creative “intelligence”, “fun with Pushkin’s Don Juan.” He wrote music to Pushkin’s text “The Stone Guest” without changing a single word of it. However, heart problems did not allow the composer to complete the work. He died, asking his friends Cui and Rimsky-Korsakov to complete the work in his will. The opera was first presented to the audience in 1872 on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. The foreign premiere took place only in 1928 in Salzburg. This opera has become one of the “founding stones”; without its knowledge it is impossible to understand not only Russian classical music, but also the general culture of our country.
Every person should know their history, as well as the people who made it. For example, in this article we invite the reader to remember famous Russian composers who are respected and loved not only in our country, but also abroad.
People who have made an unprecedented contribution to Russian and world classical music
In the old days, classical music was very popular. They knew the leading composers very well by sight and even knew how to distinguish the works of one great classic from another. Now times, morals and tastes have changed significantly. And now we more often listen to monotonous melodies or rhythmic recitatives, most of which are forgotten the next day. However, several years ago scientists proved the fact that classics have a beneficial effect on the human body. There is even a confirmed hypothesis that children who listen to classical music from childhood are much ahead of their peers in development. That is why it is necessary to get used to elegant and exciting melodies from an early age.
But if in childhood such a hobby seemed unfashionable to a child or he simply did not think about changing his taste, the situation can be corrected at any time. And the best place to start is to get acquainted with Russian composers, famous and beloved. Such as:
- Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857).
- Alexander Dargomyzhsky (1813-1869).
- Alexander Borodin (1833-1887).
- Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881).
- Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840-1893).
- Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908).
- Sergei Rachmaninov (1872-1915).
- Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978).
- Dmitry Shostakovich (1906-1975).
The stories of their lives are complex, and the fates of many are quite tragic. You can talk about these people endlessly, but we will try to mention only the most important facts biographies to give the reader an idea of what the great Russian composers were like.
Mikhail Glinka
Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka was born on May 20, 1804. His family was large and wealthy, living on the territory of the Smolensk province ever since the Polish nobleman who started the family chose Russia as his country. The parents of the future composers were each other's second cousins. Perhaps that is why the grandmother took upon herself the upbringing of the baby. This continued until her death. The young talent's passion for music arose at the age of ten. Soon he was sent to study in St. Petersburg. There he met Pushkin, Griboyedov, Zhukovsky, Odoevsky and other famous personalities of those times. And I realized that I wanted to make music my destiny.
After this, Mikhail Glinka wrote his first romances, but was not completely satisfied with the results. His own music seemed domestic to him; he sought to expand its boundaries. And then, working on himself, Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka went to Italy, and then to Germany. There he met people like Donizetti and Bellini, as a result of which he completely changed the style of his music.
Upon his arrival in Russia, the composer again presented his operas to the country. But some of them were heavily criticized, and Glinka decided to leave the country. And he returned many years later, becoming a singing teacher and actively influencing the formation of classical music.
Mikhail Ivanovich died on February 15, 1857 in Berlin. His ashes were brought to St. Petersburg, where the composer rests to this day.
Alexander Dargomyzhsky
This musical figure, unrecognized during his lifetime and almost forgotten now, was born on February 2, 1813 in the Tula province. Alexander Sergeevich Dargomyzhsky’s passion for music arose at the age of seven. And it was then that he mastered the art of playing the piano to perfection. And at the age of ten he already wrote his first plays and romances. Then the future composer entered the service, and after he met Mikhail Glinka he significantly improved his skills.
Alexander Sergeevich read notes like a book, and tried to make his works so that the music did not overshadow the voices of the performers. At a certain period of his life, he gave singing lessons to non-professional singers completely free of charge, and after that he became one of the consultants of the Russian musical community. His greatest opera, Rusalka, almost burned down in a fire at the St. Petersburg Opera House. But even now it is performed quite infrequently, so only true connoisseurs of classical music know Alexander Sergeevich Dargomyzhsky. This is very sad, because another unusual opera by the composer, “The Stone Guest,” consists of recitatives that fully correspond to the rhythm of Pushkin’s verse, and not the usual drawn-out arias.
This is what sets the composer apart from others. He did not succumb to the influence of Italy and France, did not pander to the tastes of the public, and was not afraid to try something new. He went his own way, based on his own taste. And inextricably linked sound and word.
Alexander Borodin
Alexander Porfirievich was born on November 12, 1933 as a result of an extramarital affair between a Georgian prince and the daughter of a military man. The age difference between the parents was just over forty years. That is why the newborn was registered with the valet's last name. But the mother still paid great attention to her baby and selected the best teachers and tutors for him.
From an early age, the future composer was attracted to music. And after some time he wrote his first plays, the publication of which was taken care of by his mother. It was then that the country learned about a young talent - a sixteen-year-old composer. By the way, Alexander Porfiryevich was also attracted to the young (at that time) chemistry. He carried out various experiments in his own room with special interest, which sometimes drove his mother into indescribable horror. And then Borodin entered the Medical-Surgical Academy. At one time, he met Mendeleev, who believed that Alexander should forget about music. However, the future famous Russian composer did not abandon his second hobby, but brought it to such a level that Borodin’s work was recognized not only in the country, but also abroad.
Alexander Porfiryevich died unexpectedly. After the rhythmic dance, his heart could not stand it and stopped forever. This happened on February 27, 1887.
Modest Mussorgsky
The next greatest composer was born on the territory of the Pskov province on March 9, 1839. All that is known about his early years is that until the age of ten he was educated at home and mastered the piano. Then he went to St. Petersburg, where he became interested in church music and tried his hand at composing. Soon his works began to be performed in St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Russian composer Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky is a true genius, innovator, third most performed in the whole world. His work is familiar to many, especially the music from the opera “Boris Godunov”. However, he was a deeply lonely man, so at a certain moment he plunged into apathy and became addicted to the bottle. As a result, Modest Petrovich began to experience delirium tremens. The first serious attack was stopped, but the composer could not be cured of his illness. And March 16, 1881 greatest genius passed away.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Perhaps the work of this composer is the most recognizable, not only among adults, but also among children. After all, who doesn’t know the famous “Dance of the Little Swans”? And it was Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky who wrote it.
The future genius was born in April 1840 in the city of Votkins (Udmurtia) and by the age of five he was excellent at reading notes and playing the piano. As a youth, he began to visit the St. Petersburg Opera House, where he was especially impressed by the works of Glinka and Mozart. Being an employee of the Department of Justice, he gave up everything for the sake of “the pipe,” as his relatives said. But the contribution that Pyotr Ilyich made to Russian and world classical music is so great that it completely justifies the decision of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
The great genius died suddenly on March 25, 1893. According to the official version, the cause was cholera. But there is also a hypothesis that he was poisoned. Moreover, many believe that the composer did this on his own, deciding to commit suicide. However, this is not known for certain, so the public prefers to stick to the first option.
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
The most popular Russian composer, who could write music without an instrument, was born on March 18, 1844 in Tikhvin (near St. Petersburg). The child began to study music very early, but it did not attract him much. Nikolai Andreevich was attracted by the sea, so at the age of twelve he entered the Naval Cadet Corps to study, but did not give up studying music. A little later, he meets such great people as Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky and Alexander Porfirievich Borodin on his life’s path. Then he sails on a ship and serves in the navy, continuing to compose music and drawing inspiration from the nature of the Russian lands, Russian fairy tales, epics, songs and sayings. And then he became a teacher at the conservatory in St. Petersburg, which now bears his name.
However, despite his merits, Nikolai Andreevich is very critical of himself, highlighting only two of his operas - “The Tsar’s Bride” and “The Snow Maiden”.
The great Russian composer Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov died on June 8, 1908 due to an exacerbation of heart disease.
Sergei Rachmaninov
The great musical figure was born in the Novgorod province on March 20, 1873. He was interested in music almost from infancy, at the age of five he was already playing the piano, and at nine he entered the conservatory. At thirteen he met Tchaikovsky, who became the mentor of the young Rachmaninov. The young genius writes his works, which are a huge success. But one work is still assessed negatively by Rimsky-Korsakov. This becomes the reason for the protracted depression of Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov, as a result of which he did not write works for three years. Soon after the start of the October Revolution, the composer left his homeland, going on a tour of European cities.
The last years of the Russian genius’s life pass in America. On March 28, 1943, Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov dies, living at that time in the city of Beverly Hills.
Aram Khachaturyan
A musical genius from a simple Armenian family was born on May 24, 1903. In his early years, Aram Ilyich’s future is determined by his father, who sees the boy as a biologist. But everything changes when in 1921 the future composer goes to study in the capital and lives with his brother, a famous director. He introduces him to the creative world. This turns the consciousness of Aram Ilyich Khachaturian upside down. He enters the Gnessin Technical School, and then gives up biology for the sake of music. The composer writes many works, which are received with great delight by domestic and foreign audiences.
The last years of the life of the Russian genius are very difficult. He is fighting a difficult battle with cancer. He undergoes many operations, but the sudden death of his wife greatly weakens him. And on May 1, 1978, Aram Ilyich Khachaturian dies.
Dmitry Shostakovich
The last great Russian composer about whom we would like to tell the reader was born in St. Petersburg on September 25, 1906 into a musical family. Therefore, it is not surprising that the fate of Dmitry Dmitrievich was to some extent predetermined. He wrote his first creation at the age of nine, and at thirteen he entered the conservatory.
It will not be an exaggeration that Dmitry Dmitrievich Shostakovich lived by music. Constantly improving his skills, he was able to envelop the listener with sounds and feelings. In addition, he was an improviser and came up with musical masterpieces literally on the go.
The musical genius died due to a tumor that doctors could not diagnose for a very long time. And when they finally succeeded, it was too late. On August 9, 1975, Dmitry Dmitrievich Shostakovich passed away.
Famous works of mentioned composers
We mentioned earlier that classical music has beneficial influence on the human body, improving brain activity, increasing sensitivity to science, calming and giving a feeling of peace. That is why further we will present to the reader the best and most popular musical works of Russian composers whom we described above.
Let's start in order:
- Mikhail Glinka - “Pathetique Trio”, “Waltz-Fantasia”, operas “Ivan Susanin”, “Ruslan and Lyudmila”, “Kamarinskaya”.
- Alexander Dargomyzhsky - operas “Esmeralda”, “The Triumph of Bacchus”, “Rusalka”, “The Stone Guest”.
- Alexander Borodin - operas “Heroes”, “Mlada”, libretto “Prince Igor”.
- Modest Mussorgsky - operas “Marriage”, “Boris Godunov”, “Khovanshchina”, “Sorochinskaya Fair”.
- Pyotr Tchaikovsky, a Russian composer, whose most famous works everyone knows: “Slavic March”, “Swan Lake”, “Eugene Onegin”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “The Queen of Spades”, “The Nutcracker”.
- Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov - operas “The Golden Cockerel”, “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, “The Snow Maiden”, “Scheherazade”, “Sadko”, “The Tsar’s Bride”, “Mozart and Salieri”.
- Sergei Rachmaninov - “Aleko”, “The Miserly Knight”, “Francesca da Rimini”.
- Aram Khachaturian - ballets “Happiness”, “Gayane”, “Spartacus”.
- Dmitry Shostakovich - “The Nose”, “Big Lightning”, “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk”, “Katerina Izmailova”, “Players”, “Moscow, Cheryomushki”.
Here are the famous Russian composers you should pay attention to special attention every citizen.
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 continuation of whose traditions were 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 we can tell a lot, everyone has difficult and sometimes tragic fates, but in this review we tried to give only a brief description of the life and work of composers.
1.Mikhail Ivanovich GLINKA (1804—1857)
Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka is the founder of Russian classical music and the first 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. Griboedov, 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 of the 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 no different 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 directions, 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 were due to independent work on mastering the technique of composition. 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 paintings historical events, reflected the main idea of the composer’s entire 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: named after Borodin chemical reaction silver salts of carboxylic acids with halogens, resulting in halogenated hydrocarbons, which he first investigated in 1861.
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". Mussorgsky's innovative creativity was far ahead of its 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 born not for military service, but for music, was his meeting with M.A. Balakirev and joining the “Mighty Handful”. Mussorgsky is great because in his grandiose works - the operas "Boris Godunov" and "Khovanshchina" - he captured dramatic milestones in music Russian history with a radical novelty that Russian music had not known before him, 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 him early death at 42, he left relatively few works, some of which were completed by other composers. Mussorgsky's specific melody and innovative harmony anticipated some features of the musical development of the 20th century and played an important role in the formation of the styles of many world composers.
Quote from M.P. Mussorgsky: “The sounds of human speech, as external 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. Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840—1893)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, perhaps the greatest Russian composer of the 19th century, raised Russian musical art to unprecedented heights. He is one of the most important composers of world classical music.
A native of the Vyatka province, although his paternal roots are in Ukraine, Tchaikovsky showed from childhood musical abilities, however, my 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 active life- 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.
To highlight something best from Tchaikovsky's work - difficult task, he has several equal works in almost all 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 power, I haven't done even a tenth of what I can do yet. 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, as did the Paris Academy 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 visited many countries in Europe and the two Americas on a warship. Music education received 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 his direct independent creative activity, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov is known as a publicist and compiler of collections 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
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 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. today retains the power of its impact.
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 creativity great artist, it acquires permanent meaning and becomes enduring." G. V. Plekhanov
7. Sergei Vasilievich RACHMANINOV (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 formed style that united Russian church song, outgoing European romanticism, modern impressionism and neoclassicism - and all this is full of complex symbolism. 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 activities, 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 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 composer.... For this reason, the great composers of the past showed so much interest in folk melodies 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 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 composition 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 - “uniqueness”, 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 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. - It’s the first time I’ve heard it. 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 creativity amazes with its versatility and breadth of themes, its originality musical thinking, freshness and originality constituted an entire era in the world musical culture of the 20th century and had a powerful impact on many Soviet and foreign composers.
Quote from S.S. Prokofiev:
“Can an artist stand aloof 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 sing human life and lead a person 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.
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 countries. World fame came to Shostakovich after winning the 1st International competition Chopin 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 the subsequent constant internal struggle Shostakovich for his desire 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 soft, intelligent, delicate person, he found his own form of expression 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 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.”
Here is a list of 10 composers you should know. Of each of them it can be said with certainty that he is the greatest composer who ever lived, although in fact it is impossible, and indeed impossible, to compare music written over several centuries. However, all of these composers stand out among their contemporaries as composers who composed music of the highest caliber and sought to push the boundaries of classical music to new limits. The list does not contain any order, such as importance or personal preference. Just 10 great composers you should know.
Each composer is accompanied by a quotable fact of his life, remembering which you will look like an expert. And by clicking on the link to the last name, you will find out his full biography. And of course, you can listen to one of the significant works of each master.
The most important figure in world classical music. One of the most performed and respected composers in the world. He created in all genres that existed in his time, including opera, ballet, music for dramatic performances, and choral works. The most significant in his legacy are considered to be instrumental works: piano, violin and cello sonatas, concertos for piano, violin, quartets, overtures, symphonies. The founder of the romantic period in classical music.
Interesting fact.
Beethoven first wanted to dedicate his third symphony (1804) to Napoleon; the composer was captivated by the personality of this man, who seemed to many at the beginning of his reign a real hero. But when Napoleon proclaimed himself emperor, Beethoven crossed out his dedication to title page and wrote only one word - “Heroic”.
"Moonlight Sonata" by L. Beethoven, listen:
2. (1685-1750)
German composer and organist, representative of the Baroque era. One of greatest composers in the history of music. During his life, Bach wrote more than 1000 works. His work represents all the significant genres of that time, except opera; he summarized the achievements musical art Baroque period. The founder of the most famous musical dynasty.
Interesting fact.
During his lifetime, Bach was so underrated that less than a dozen of his works were published.
Toccata and Fugue in D minor by J. S. Bach, listen:
3. (1756-1791)
The great Austrian composer, instrumentalist and conductor, representative of the Vienna classical school, virtuoso violinist, harpsichordist, organist, conductor, he had a phenomenal musical ear, memory and ability to improvise. As a composer who excelled in any genre, he is rightfully considered one of the greatest composers in the history of classical music.
Interesting fact.
While still a child, Mozart memorized and recorded the Miserere (cat. chant on the text of the 50th Psalm of David) by the Italian Gregorio Allegri, having listened to it only once.
"Little Night Serenade" by W.A. Mozart, listen:
4. (1813-1883)
German composer, conductor, playwright, philosopher. Provided significant influence on European culture turn of XIX-XX centuries, especially modernism. Wagner's operas are stunning in their grandiose scale and eternal human values.
Interesting fact.
Wagner took part in the failed revolution of 1848-1849 in Germany and was forced to hide from arrest by Franz Liszt.
"Ride of the Valkyries" from R. Wagner's opera "Walkyrie", listen
5. (1840-1893)
Italian composer, central figure of the Italian opera school. Verdi had a sense of the stage, temperament and impeccable skill. He did not deny operatic traditions (unlike Wagner), but on the contrary developed them (the traditions of Italian opera), he transformed Italian opera, filled it with realism, and gave it the unity of the whole.
Interesting fact.
Verdi was an Italian nationalist and was elected to the first Italian parliament in 1860, following the declaration of Italian independence from Austria.
Overture to D. Verdi's opera "La Traviata", listen:
7. Igor Fedorovich Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Russian (American - after emigration) composer, conductor, pianist. One of the most significant composers of the twentieth century. Stravinsky's work is consistent throughout his entire career, although in different periods The style of his works was different, but the core and Russian roots remained, which were evident in all his works; he is considered one of the leading innovators of the twentieth century. His innovative use of rhythm and harmony has inspired and continues to inspire many musicians, not just in classical music.
Interesting fact.
During World War I, Roman customs officers confiscated Pablo Picasso's portrait of Stravinsky as the composer was leaving Italy. The portrait was painted in a futuristic manner, and customs officers mistook these circles and lines for some kind of encrypted secret materials.
Suite from I.F. Stravinsky's ballet "Firebird", listen:
8. Johann Strauss (1825-1899)
Austrian composer of light music, conductor and violinist. "King of Waltzes", he created in the genre of dance music and operetta. His musical heritage includes more than 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas and ballets. Thanks to him, the waltz became extremely popular in Vienna in the 19th century.
Interesting fact.
Johann Strauss's father is also Johann and also famous musician, which is why the “Waltz King” is called the youngest or son; his brothers Joseph and Eduard were also famous composers.
Waltz by J. Strauss "On the Beautiful Blue Danube", listen:
9. Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninov (1873-1943)
Austrian composer, one of the outstanding representatives of the Viennese classical music school and one of the founders of romanticism in music. For my short life Schubert made significant contributions to orchestral, chamber and piano music that influenced an entire generation of composers. However, his most striking contribution was to the development of German romances, of which he created more than 600.
Interesting fact.
Schubert's friends and fellow musicians would get together and perform Schubert's music. These meetings were called "Schubertiads". Some first fan club!
"Ave Maria" by F.P.Schubert, listen:
Continuing the theme of great composers you should know, new material.