The article highlights the phenomenon of virtuosity in the context of modern piano culture. This is a relevant but little-researched topic. The main trends in piano culture over the past few decades are outlined. Parallels are drawn with similar phenomena of previous eras related to problems of performance. Using numerous examples, the important issue of the formation of a specific virtuoso repertoire and its influence on concert activities. In the context of the desire for composition, the main original works of pianists of the 20th and 21st centuries are considered. An overview of performing and composing styles is given using examples of outstanding musicians, whose pianistic art is the glory of modern world pianism. With an excellent command of the piano and including in the repertoire highly complex works of the romantics and their own, modern pianists meet the requirements of the time. Characteristics of the pianist's personality reveal the main features of the individual styles of outstanding pianists of our time.
performing arts.
concert activity
virtuoso repertoire
virtuoso pianists
1. Boris Berezovsky. [Electronic resource] // URL: http://www.classic-music.ru/berezovsky_boris.html.
2. Izvestia newspaper, article by E. Biryukova “Pianist Arkady Volodos: “I had the idea of becoming a tuner”” [Electronic resource] // URL: http://izvestia.ru/news/309149.
3. Evgeny Kisin. Evgeny Kissin at the “Arts Square” // [Electronic resource] // URL: http://www.openspace.ru/music_classic/events/details/6631/.
4. “A person of gypsy nationality. György Tsiffra [Electronic resource] // URL: http://gipsylilya.livejournal.com/247807.html.
5. Marc-Andre Hamelin: biography. [Electronic resource] // URL: http://www.people.su/5592.
6. “Our Newspaper”, article by Nadezhda Sikorskaya, Verbier, 07/21/2009 “Tour de France passes, but Verbier remains” [Electronic resource] // URL: http://www.nashagazeta.ch/node/7742.
7. Khitruk A.F. Eleven views on piano art // L. Naumov. Composing and performing are inseparable for me, p.37. – M.: Publishing house “Classics-XXI”, 2007. – 320 p., ill.
In piano culture last decades a new phenomenon arises associated with the cult of virtuosos on the concert stage. It is characterized by artists turning to a specific virtuoso repertoire, which was practically rejected in the second half of the twentieth century, and a revival of interest in the creation and performance of technically complex transcriptions and paraphrases.
Today on the world pianistic stage one can observe large number musicians who master their instrument brilliantly amaze with their virtuosity and endurance. Rationalism and excessive enthusiasm for the technical side to the detriment of content predominates on stage. Critics are increasingly noting the monotony of their performing interpretations, the similarity with each other, the detachment from music performed. The press and online forums persistently write that artists do not strive to bare their feelings, there are fewer manifestations of spiritual openness, experiences, and heartfelt emotions are a thing of the past. Even if the pianist’s performance is distinguished by subtlety and depth, it is still a different feeling than the performances of V. Sofronitsky, S. Richter, E. Gilels evoked in the audience.
Art is constantly changing, including music and performance; it directly reflects new socio-historical conditions. Today, performers are primarily judged by the number of notes played per minute; There is an opinion that if a pianist plays slow pieces, then he is a lyricist, if he plays Liszt or Rachmaninov, then he is certainly a “virtuoso.” And since Liszt today plays almost with music school, then the musicians in the reviews are called nothing less than virtuosos; even on the poster of the ballet troupe you can see the inscription: “ballet virtuosos perform.” According to L. Naumov: “Art, unfortunately, has become too “common,” too intrusive and, most importantly, requiring too little in the sense of a culture of perception.”
Competitions have changed a lot in modern performance. Young musicians enter the conservatory, preparing themselves in advance to participate in competitions. The principle of competition involves the cultivation of generally recognized stage standards and their “compliance” with competitive interpretations. This leaves its mark on the choice of repertoire, which is designed to reveal the talent, virtuosity and originality of the participant. And technical skills alone are not enough, you must be a “virtuoso”, distinguished by a bright and bold performance, effectively flaunting and making the right impression on the jury members and the public.
Of course, winning a competition, and even more so a prestigious one, is a ticket to artistic life. Musicians who have passed serious competitions have technical equipment and culture. Their repertoire gives the impression of inclusiveness, including classics, romance and modernity, both domestic and foreign. But on the concert stage there have always been pianists who have never participated in competitions. At one time they were V. Sofronitsky, O. Boshnyakovich, S. Neuhaus; they still exist today.
Arkady Volodos, a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory, living in the West, has never participated in performing competitions, winner of several awards (Franco Abbiatti, Chigi Academy and the German ECHO-Klassik Prize as the best pianist of the year). Having started to really study at the age of 15, today he has made a brilliant world piano career. Today Volodos is considered a worthy follower of Rachmaninov and Horowitz. In his programs significant place occupies a specific repertoire - its own transcriptions “on transcription”: versions of Rachmaninov’s Italian polka and his “Flight of the Bumblebee” by Rimsky-Korsakov (“sprint race” for one and a half minutes) are far superior to Rachmaninov’s originals in terms of complexity of texture; Many virtuosos of all ages and countries include the Volodos-Mozart rondo alla turca in their encores.
When asked by a journalist about his preferences in the repertoire performed, Volodos replied: “I don’t divide music into virtuoso and not... If we play Schubert, then we are called musicians. If Liszt's Transcendental Etudes - then immediately virtuosos. And for me, the recording of Rachmaninoff playing the Strauss-Tausig Waltz is one of the most brilliant musical recordings that exist. It seems to me that when a person is an individual, he should be listened to in all styles, and not shoved into some kind of classification.”
Evgeniy Kissin, also a Moscow pianist in the West, who conducts intensive concert activities in Europe, Asia and America, however, the public evaluates him somewhat differently. He plays virtuoso “hits” such as the transcription of Grunfeld - Strauss’s “Die Fledermaus”, participates in a completely unique project - the performance of “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by R. Korsakov - Rachmaninoff on eight pianos (with him are seven world-famous pianists - E. Ax, Lang Lang, J. Levine, M. Pletnev, L. Andsnes, Daniel Barenboim and Stefan Scheya). But, recognizing his crushing virtuosity, critics note his absolute fusion with music, stating: “There is nothing superhuman in Kisin anymore, he has turned into an ordinary sage, whose every phrase is a philosophical maxim.” Schumann-Liszt's "Dedication" admires youthful ardor and spirituality; they wrote about Chopin’s “Nocturne” at the Verbier festival that “he played not only with his hands, but also with his very heart, which is why the hearts of the listeners either froze or began to beat faster, accompanying the music.”
By the way, in the West they prefer that the music of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov be performed by Russian pianists (representatives of the Russian piano school), with its penetration and depth, coming from Russian literary classics.
Boris Berezovsky, a student of E. Virsaladze, winner of the P. I. Tchaikovsky Competition, is called the “new Richter” and is also compared, like Volodos, with Horowitz. Following his London debut at the Wigmore Hall in 1988, The Times described him as an exceptionally promising artist with dazzling virtuoso ability and enormous artistic power. His sound, with its transparent pianissimo and rich spectrum of dynamic shades, is recognized as the most perfect among pianists of his generation. But he, being a profound interpreter of the works of Rachmaninov, Scriabin, and his beloved Medtner, includes in his repertoire extremely complex works: twelve transcendental etudes by Liszt, etudes by Chopin - Godowsky.
Canadian pianist Marc-André Hamelin (HAmelin, Hamelin) is distinguished by the fact that he performs the most virtuoso works ever written for the piano - Liszt, Alkan, Sorabji, Godowsky. Today he is considered the fastest pianist in the world; critics propose to include his discography in this parameter in the Guinness Book of Records. According to the British critic, Amelin's recording of the Concerto by Sh.-V. Alkana is "one of the most stunning displays of pianistic virtuosity ever committed to disc".
Amelin wrote several works for the mechanical piano, including the famous “Circus Gallop,” which cannot be played either with two or four hands, and “Solfeggietto on a Theme by Bach.” The super virtuosic “12 Etudes of His Own Composition” place Hamelin as a composer alongside Godowsky and Liszt. The pianist combines in his performance various styles and genres, for example, in one of his interpretations he combined the popular pop melody “Tico - Tico no fuba” with Chopin’s Second Etude.
In comparison with the described trends in the work of today's piano idols, it is worth remembering the Hungarian pianist Gyorgy Cziffra (1921-1994) - a phenomenal virtuoso, one of Liszt's most famous performers.
After his tour in London, the Daily Telegraph noted that “the audience witnessed piano playing so skillful that they would probably never hear the like of it for the rest of their lives... He was the author of spectacular virtuoso transcriptions and paraphrases, including "Flight of the Bumblebee" by Rimsky-Korsakov, Rossini's overture to "William Tell", arrangements of all Hungarian dances by Brahms. He was called a “piano acrobat”, “fanatic of precision”, “pedal virtuoso”, although his work dates back to a time when other ideals prevailed.
Today, listeners' interests are shifting towards preferences for the effectiveness of performance; in the mass listening audience, there is an obvious decrease in the requirements for seriousness, depth and subtlety of interpretation. The highest level of technical equipment of pianists is becoming the norm for the requirements placed on performers at numerous competitions and on the concert stage. The piano repertoire of varying degrees of difficulty reaches and sometimes surpasses human capabilities in the quality of its virtuosity.
Performers and teachers of the older generation (not only in our country), whose work began in the 50-60s. of the last century, are true to the traditions of the high spirituality of their activities. Their ideals are associated with performance as an inspired form of communication between the artist and listeners, the artistic revelation of a specific act of musical expression. But in our time, the role of the teacher in the educational process is also noticeably changing: from aesthetically and ethically developing, spiritual, cultural and educational, it is shifting to a more pragmatic interpretation. What is important is the status of the teacher in the world, in the country, at the university, his opportunity to participate in the development creative career student, a skillful and dexterous teacher is in demand who can prepare for the competition, preferably high level awards. Practice shows that preparation for a competition and preparation for a solo concert life cannot be the same - when preparing for competitive performances, one also has to take into account the opinion of the jury, a certain hypothetical “Princess Marya Aleksevna”. It is not surprising that after competitive victories, the career of an artistic individual does not always develop, and the laureates begin to systematically study in master classes of outstanding performers.
Life has accelerated, it has practically turned into a kaleidoscope of events. Computer technologies and tools mass media overload our perception, and we involuntarily brush aside the ordinary, often repeated, focusing our attention on something special, outstanding - the pianist’s virtuosity becomes such an extraordinary and attractive phenomenon. The desire to excel in musical virtuosity of performance has existed since the times of oral tradition, when musical compositions performed by the author himself and his students. Let us remember I.S. Bach, who was fluent in the continuo bass technique and could easily transform any piece, even a rather mediocre one, with his skillful accompaniment, raising it to unprecedented heights.
Audiences in countries with a deep and rich history of concert events were better able to perceive innovations and unconventional repertoire, were more welcoming of in-depth interpretations and responded more easily to experimental interpretations and transcriptions. Our Russian audience has recently been famous for responding to the depth of interpretation, expression and inspiration of performance. While in general, in the West the audience was more restrained - attentive, but not participating in what was happening, and the artist had to worry about surprising the audience. The new ideal of virtuoso performance, apparently, is coming to our country from the West - in fact, it begins at the very end of the last century, when an active process of emigration and closer contacts with the world process begins.
New “formats” for performing the repertoire of the classical-romantic tradition are characteristic of artistic youth, the generation of the 80-90s. birth. Young pianists strive to win prizes at competitions, contracts for tours, and interpret their careers in openly commercial terms. Although in lately There are separate voices of critics about young pianists who are distinguished by soulful playing and aristocracy along with phenomenal virtuosity - D. Trifonov, A. Lubyantsev, Yu. Favorin. They note the individual style of Daniil Trifonov, his virtuosity without signs of sentimentality. In his repertoire the most complex works, and for an encore he can perform Schubert - Liszt's "Trout", Stravinsky - Agosti's "Filthy Dance" from "Koshcheev's Kingdom" or his own work - Three Pieces from Rachmaninov's Suite.
These young musicians are winners of numerous music competitions and festivals. They have phenomenal virtuosity, exceptional endurance and reliable memory. The tastes of the public and one's own artistic aspirations are the two most important factors in solving repertoire puzzles for a virtuoso pianist. And it turns out to be much more difficult to determine the repertoire for a concert than to learn it. Unfortunately, the majority of young pianists do not bother themselves with searching for worthy interpretations, and often “hide behind” external virtuosity, without thinking that the task of quickly and accurately hitting the right key has never been the main one in the performing arts. The presence of these different and sometimes contradictory trends attracts attention to the study cultural processes from this perspective. Transformations in concert life and the concert environment give rise to a desire to analyze the modern picture in comparison with the various historical stages of piano culture. Changing assessments and attitudes in the relationship between the performer and the public, the formation of new idols and ideals are of undoubted interest for theoretical understanding and studying the dynamics historical process development of piano performance.
Reviewers:
Zucker A.M., Doctor of Art History, Professor of the Rostov State Conservatory. Rachmaninov, Rostov-on-Don.
Krylova A.V., Doctor of Cultural Studies, Professor of the Rostov State Conservatory. Rachmaninov, Rostov-on-Don.
Bibliographic link
Muradyan G.V. VIRTUOSITY AS A PHENOMENON IN THE HISTORY OF PIANO CULTURE OF THE LAST DECADES OF THE XX AND THE BEGINNING OF THE XXI CENTURY // Modern problems of science and education. – 2013. – No. 6.;URL: http://science-education.ru/ru/article/view?id=10836 (access date: 02/01/2020). We bring to your attention magazines published by the publishing house "Academy of Natural Sciences"
Great pianists past and present are truly the clearest example for admiration and imitation. Everyone who is interested in playing music on the piano has always tried to copy best features great pianists: how they perform a piece, how they were able to feel the mystery of each note and sometimes it seems that it is incredible and some kind of magic, but everything comes with experience: if yesterday it seemed unrealistic, then today a person himself can perform the most complex sonatas and fugues.
The piano is one of the most famous musical instruments, permeating a variety of genres of music, and with its help, many of the most moving and emotional compositions in history were created. And the people who play it are considered giants of the music world. But who are these greatest pianists? When choosing the best, many questions arise: should it be based on technical ability, reputation, breadth of repertoire, or ability to improvise? There is also the question of whether it is worth considering those pianists who played in past centuries, because then there was no recording equipment, and we cannot hear their performances and compare them with modern ones. But during this period there was huge amount incredible talents and if they became world famous long before the media, then it is quite justifiable to pay respect to them. Taking all these factors into account, here is a list of the 7 best pianists of the past and present.
Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)
The most famous Polish composer Frederic Chopin was one of the greatest virtuosos and pianist of his time.
The vast majority of his works were created for solo piano, and although there are no recordings of his playing, one of his contemporaries wrote: “Chopin is the creator of the piano and composer school. In truth, nothing can compare with the ease and sweetness with which the composer began to play the piano, moreover, nothing can compare with his work full of originality, peculiarity and grace."
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Competing with Chopin for the crown of greatest virtuoso of the 19th century was Franz Liszt, a Hungarian composer, teacher and pianist.
Among his most famous works are the insanely complex piano sonata in B minor Années de pèlerinage and the waltz Mephisto Waltz. In addition, his fame as a performer became a legend, even the word Lisztomania was coined. During an eight-year period of touring Europe in the early 1840s, Liszt gave more than 1,000 performances, although at the relatively young age of 35 he abandoned his career as a pianist and concentrated entirely on composing.
Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)
Rachmaninoff's style was perhaps quite controversial for the time in which he lived, as he sought to maintain the romanticism of the 19th century.
Many people remember him for his ability stretch your hand 13 notes(octave plus five notes) and even by glancing briefly at the etudes and concertos that he wrote, one can verify the authenticity of this fact. Fortunately, recordings of the performances of this brilliant pianist have been preserved, starting with his Prelude in C sharp major, recorded in 1919.
Arthur Rubinstein (1887-1982)
This Polish-American pianist is often cited as the best Chopin performer of all time.
At the age of two he was diagnosed absolute pitch, and when he was 13 he debuted with Berlinsky Philharmonic Orchestra. His teacher was Karl Heinrich Barth, who in turn studied with Liszt, so he can safely be considered part of the great pianistic tradition. Rubinstein's talent, combining elements of romanticism with more modern technical aspects, turned him into one of the best pianists of his time.
Svyatoslav Richter (1915 - 1997)
In the fight for the title of the best pianist of the 20th century, Richter is part of the powerful Russian performers that appeared in the mid-20th century. He showed great commitment to the composers in his performances, describing his role as a "performer" rather than an interpreter.
Richter was not a big fan of the recording process, but his best live performances survive, including 1986 in Amsterdam, 1960 in New York and 1963 in Leipzig. He held himself to high standards and realized that at the Italian Bach concert, played the wrong note, insisted on the need to refuse to print the work on a CD.
Vladimir Ashkenazy (1937 -)
Ashkenazi is one of the leaders in the world classical music. Born in Russia, in at the moment he holds Icelandic and Swiss citizenship, and continues to perform as a pianist and conductor around the world.
In 1962 he won the International Tchaikovsky Competition, and in 1963 he left the USSR and lived in London. His extensive catalog of recordings includes all the piano works of Rachmaninov and Chopin, Beethoven sonatas, Mozart piano concertos, as well as works by Scriabin, Prokofiev and Brahms.
Martha Argerich (1941-)
Argentine pianist Martha Argerich amazed the whole world with her phenomenal talent when, at the age of 24, she won the International Chopin Competition in 1964.
She is now recognized as one of the greatest pianists of the second half of the 20th century and is famous for her passionate playing and technical abilities, as well as performances of works by Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff.
It's up to you to choose the path! But first -
Richard Clayderman is a French pianist, musician and arranger who gained the greatest popularity thanks to his classical and popular works, which brought him fame as one of greatest musicians modernity. During his career, Richard wrote more than 1,300 compositions that sold more than 150 million copies; 267 of them received gold status in several countries, and another 70 received platinum status. Such incredible success brought Clayderman's name into the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most successful pianist peace.
Richard Clayderman was born Philippe Pagès on December 28, 1953 in Paris, France. From the very early childhood Richard studied music and learned to play the piano under the tutelage of his father, a music teacher and professional musician. By the time he graduated from school, music was for boys
and not just a hobby, but an activity in which he would like to spend his life.
Upon entering the Paris Conservatoire, Richard quickly won the love of the students and the respect of the teachers, who quickly recognized the amazing talent of the young Clayderman. His career and future as a professional musician was on the brink of death when Richard
knew about his father’s illness and the almost complete bankruptcy of the family. So, in order to support himself and pay for his studies, he got a job at a bank, and also began performing with contemporary French musicians as a session musician. Interestingly, Richard very quickly made his way into the groups of the most popular musicians of that time, although other musicians
It took years, but, as he himself recalls, at that time he was ready to play any music for which he was paid, so it was profitable for professional musicians to get a young and promising musician into their group.
In 1976, Clayderman was invited to an interview and audition for the ballad "Ballade pour Adeline"
(or just "Adeline"). Of the 20 applicants for the position of pianist, Richard was chosen, whose playing style amazed the producers with its heterogeneity: it combined lightness and strength, energy and melancholy. In just a few days of recording, the final version of "Ballade pour Adeline" appeared, the number of copies sold to date is
t 34 million records in 38 countries. Despite the fact that this work became the musician’s most striking achievement, he still has several hundred popular works, which are successful not only in Europe and the United States, but also in Asia, which is fairly protected from Western influence. In many Asian countries, the work of Richard
Clayderman is so successful that it sometimes takes up all the shelves in music stores, leaving no room for the masters of classical music - Mozart, Wagner, Beethoven, etc.
Spending most of his time on tour, Richard has established himself as an extremely efficient musician - in 2006, he gave 200 concerts in 250 days, performing
Taking the weekends only to travel and set up sound in new places. During his career, he became the author of 1,300 works, which were released both as solo albums and on television and cinema screens. In total, about 100 Richard discs are available today - from his early works until the very last creativity.
To develop the apparatus, it is not enough to play many hours of exercises. It is necessary to save energy for the rest of the work.
There is a well-known temptation to do what you know and what works best. Be able to resist this, otherwise you will not succeed.
Note that eliminating one technique gap helps eliminate all other gaps. Know yours weaknesses and attack them decisively.
Those who, after playing the exercises in the morning for half an hour or even an hour, think that they are finished with the technique, are mistaken.
I’m not even entirely sure whether I should start my daily routine with exercise. The “treatment” of the device becomes more effective when the exercises are intelligently distributed throughout the working day.
Stop learning from time to time work of art and return to overcoming certain technical difficulties - you will achieve success faster and with less effort.
When learning technical exercises, keep the following tips in mind:
1. The seating height should ensure horizontal position hands.
2. Exercises are played without a pedal.
3. Don't strain your hand. When tired, rest or change the type of exercise.
4. When working at a slow forte or piano tempo, place your finger deep into the key.
5. Think not only about the finger strike, but also about the lift. Knowing how to take your hand off the keyboard is just as important as how to put it down. The first skill is a condition for the second.
In order to achieve ease of performance, it is useful to exaggerate the clarity of articulation at the beginning of the work. The intensity of the sound decreases as the tempo gradually increases.
6. Control your thumb and second fingers and do not tilt your hand towards your little finger so that the latter retains the ability to strike on its own.
7. Continuously control the flexibility of your hand. It should be free from shoulder to wrist. Don't play with raised, stiff shoulders.
8. Work by gradually speeding up the movement, but often returning to a slow pace.
9. Count! In exercises, strong beats are fulcrum points and starting points for the fingers to run up. Emphasize! The clarity of the rhythm contributes to the clarity of the fingers.
10. Play the exercises expressively! Listen to yourself!
Reflecting the essence of our work, these instructions will give the conscientious musician something to think about and, without a doubt, will help him master the secret of great pianists - the ability to work!
In conclusion, I would like to once again appeal to all pianists of good will who wish to benefit from this work. There is no single and comprehensive method to learn the art of pianism.
They often say: technology is the work of imagination. There is some truth in this. You can, for example, compose wonderful technical formulas yourself, based on the works you study. These countless little finds have their own meaning. But they are dangerous if the pianist thinks of replacing exercises or traditional etudes with them.
The study of a work is not limited only to technical tasks. Sonority, style, beauty of phrases, fullness of sound, chords, nobility of rhythm, balance of parts - these are the goals that a pianist should set for himself, wanting to reproduce the author's intention. To do this, the performer must be freed from technical worries.
He will achieve this freedom by continuous study of the formulas contained in the studies. great masters piano. No matter how necessary Bach’s “Well-Tempered Clavier” or Chopin’s etudes are for the formation of a virtuoso and musician - these are the pinnacles of piano literature - they will not replace Czerny’s “School of Finger Fluency” and “School of the Virtuoso”.
In order to achieve mastery, you need to work hard, you need a lot of patience. Do not forget also about modesty and respect for traditions.
I obeyed these simple truths, I put them into practice.
Marguerite Long, from the preface to “The School of Exercise”
The transition period to new times is due to the urgent need of society for art that reflects friendly communication and freedom from falsehood. The need for household art is increasing. The democratization of art, on the one hand, revived musical life. But against the backdrop of this revival, the phenomenon of transitional culture is clearly expressed - the acceptance of pop culture as a unique phenomenon, and the unique works of classics being accepted as stereotype art. The educational function of music and its highly artistic purpose were replaced by an entertainment function and an orientation towards the tastes of the listener. The Philharmonic system has also completely lost the need for educational activities. The focus on box office and profit, which are proportional to success among the sometimes undeveloped listener, gives rise to the development of the tastes of the population in the wrong direction. The media, which have an educational function, completely alienate us from the traditions of academic music. It’s becoming less and less common to find TV programs promoting propaganda in the general stream. historical portraits composers, announcements of performances or simply the broadcast of a film-opera. Performances of the best pianists are broadcast on some channels from 1.00-3.00 am. What audience are these broadcasts intended for? Of the 47 analogue television channels, 1 is dedicated to promoting culture to the masses. The avant-garde reflection of reality is very far from the ideological content of the academic repertoire, and the artistic height of the classical repertoire sets too high a bar for modern everyday life. In this regard, there is a very large gap in the understanding of art, in the trends of its development and meaning. Mira Evtich said best about the situation in modern performance: “Excellent pianists play all over the world very quickly and very loudly, they are all titled and deserved, but they have no personal charisma, no original personal quality.” Also noteworthy are the words of M. Pletnev: “I haven’t heard representatives of the old Russian school for a long time. I hear a school that can be called “post-Russian” or “post-Soviet”. It arose from the need to obtain first places in various competitions. Athletic game. I'm not a fan of this game. But to get it, you need to take it with just such a game. I see that people who play more meaningfully get nothing. Careers are made by those who play loudly and quickly...” The time of sports and competition led to the emergence of performers similar to each other. The professional level of the performer does not go beyond correct and clean playing. Performers are increasingly less likely to invest their interpretive “I” into their performance. The path of a pianist to the concert stage lies through competitive competition. Only sports-oriented pianists win. Because of this artistic culture follows the path of spiritual decline. Statistics show a drop in occupancy concert halls. Professionally oriented artists in Russia generally do not have the financial opportunity to attend concert performances. They are increasingly turning to recordings, Radio Orpheus or the Internet. Issues of performance and interpretation gradually remain in the 20th century. The concept of “virtuoso” changes its noble meaning of “a musician, a master of his craft, stunning the hall.” Increasingly, a master of technique is called a virtuoso, distinguished by brilliant fluency and ease of execution of difficult passages, octaves and other technically difficult places.
Piano performance itself has ceased to solely carry out an educational and educational function, and is no longer a reflection of the spiritual mood of the people. The piano ceases to be the central instrument, and the Klaviraband is replaced by prefabricated concerts or recordings. Sound recording, which appeared at the end of the 19th century, on the one hand gave a massive impetus to the development of piano art, supplanted the genre of home music playing, limiting the listener to the low quality of transmission of piano works. Royal in beginning of XXI century is being replaced by electronic small-sized synthesizers, and the public is attending solo piano concerts less and less, preferring bright symphony concerts or festivals, where you can hear a large amount of different music in different performances in one evening. Is it possible that in the future the grand piano will become a museum exhibit and piano performance will disappear completely?
To preserve the performing arts and revive it is necessary to work closely with bold, large-scale ideas and the desire to implement them. Original, original thinking determines the movement and new ways of developing art. You need to educate your audience and force them to rise above their artistic level. In educating students, it is important to instill the skill of cognition and independent expansion of their horizons. Contemporary performance is represented by many pianists. We most often learn their names after the Tchaikovsky competition. This competition brought fame to such pianists as
Van Cliburn, Vladimir Ashkenazi, Eliso Virsaladze, Vladimir Krainev, Mikhail Pletnev, Grigory Sokolov, Boris Berezovsky, Denis Matsuev and many others. International competitions, festivals contribute to the globalization of piano art. Piano schools gradually cease to have the same identified features as in the 20th century. Asian pianists come to study in Russia, Russians go to train and advance to the West, and then return to give concerts in Russia. The style of contemporary performance reflects the philosophy of pluralism. The multiplicity of interpretations, performing directions, and construction of programs today are equivalent and acceptable. On the one hand, this provides a way for tasteless and illiterate amateurs, but at the same time it is a chance for professionals to preserve the performing arts and look for new ways of development. This path was seen by Glen Gould in the 20th century. Experimenting with recording sometimes even opposite interpretations on the same day (for example, Beethoven's Sonata op.57 "Appasionata"), he proves his reform about the correctness of any interpretation, provided it is justified and convincing. Modern directions piano art can be defined as expressive And fine art. Thus, in piano works, performers of the “expressive direction” express the composer’s idea through the prism of their own spiritual world, relationship to the work, searching for it in the historical and philosophical panorama. And pianists of the “fine direction” show us the idea of the work, its meaning in the context of their personal professional capabilities, drawing an image with sounds. Contemporary performance can usually be characterized by pianists creative principles which have already been established, and the future consists of young pianists who are still on the threshold of great achievements.
Grigory Sokolov, Mikhail Pletnev, Boris Berezovsky, Evgeny Kissin, Ivo Pogorelich, Marta Agrerich, Alfred Brendel, Eliso Virsaladze are pianists whose names are at the top of our time. Their performing principles have already developed during their creative careers and basically they continue the best traditions of pianism that developed in the 20th century. The instructions of the best teachers and live performances of pianists such as S. Richter, E. Gilels, Vl. Horowitz, Ar. Rubinstein are still fresh in their memory... Our century provides us with amazing opportunity also listen to their recordings. We can evaluate their technical capabilities, compare interpretations, and trace the evolution of the performers’ creativity at any time convenient for us. But we will never have access to that magical world of creation, that sacred aura of colorful sound, that power of influence on the listener, that message of energy that can once and for all shape the performer’s worldview, cultivate his taste and direct his creativity in a direction that will maintain the artistic standard at height. Alas. Forecasts of these figures for piano performance are not always comforting, but through their activities they are trying to preserve and convey what has been collected grain by grain throughout the history of piano performance. Holding festivals, inviting world stars of piano art, affordable prices when purchasing concert tickets, grants to support young talents - these are the first steps towards stopping the irreversible process of disappearance of piano performance. We are given hope for the future by young talents, the search for which is continuous. One of the pianists who recently conquered the whole world is Daniil Trifonov. A brilliant young pianist with an established musical position. His musical talent is combined with a fiery heart and attitude towards music. “First of all, music must enter my heart, only then do I start working on a piece.” - says Daniel. His performing style can be considered a worthy continuation of the Russian piano school. His desire, which can be heard in any interpretation, is to get closer to the composer’s idea, correlating it with the era and time. For example, the First Piano Concerto of P.I. Tchaikovsky's performance is full of breath and very melodic. And the performance of the concerto for F. Chopin No. 1 is in the best traditions of the first winners of the Chopin Competition - L. Oborin and J. Zack. filled with male sentimentality and sincerity. Captures the hearts of listeners from the first sound - Alexander Lubyantsev. The pianist, who has also passed a large number of competitions, amazes with his interpretations. Despite not always positive reviews of his performance, we can say that he is following the right way– does not copy existing interpretations, but pushes the boundaries in search of its own individual style and in constructing new readings of works. For him, works are an inexhaustible source for search, and his motto is “he who walks will master the road.” His performance cannot leave anyone indifferent. There are no empty spaces on Lubyantsev's keyboards. Interpretation is the second life of music and such a great performer for it will definitely inspire new life in performing arts. An unforgettable experience leave concerts
Miroslava Kultysheva. The performing style of this pianist is very romantic, touching, and delicate, just like the image of the pianist himself. The lack of bright expressiveness and a touch of sadness gives his performance an ethereal quality and does not impose his opinion and interpretation on the listener. There is room for the listener's imagination and imagination. This leaves some understatement, which leaves the impression that the pianist will “open up” and “show” something else. But it's such an exotic, fancy style. His performances of works by M. Ravel “Reflections” or “Gaspard at Night” are especially successful. The performance of S. Rachmaninov's Concerto No. 2 is filled with sincerity, and its sound fills the entire hall with the aura of a sacred performance. His repertoire includes less classical works. The pianist speaks about this in one of his interviews:
“Viennese classics caused me significant difficulties precisely because of their greater organization and classicism, when compared with the music of romanticism. Since childhood, I have gravitated towards the romantic repertoire, playing a lot of romantic music. I can’t judge how I played, but in any case, my inner inclination and need manifested itself in this choice.” His approach to the work, the search for the author’s intention, the study of the musical theoretical basis, teaching activity influences performing evolution. His perfect execution acquires depth and philosophy. Perhaps in the future this trait will be reflected in the repertoire of this pianist, and we will hear in his performance wonderful interpretations of classical examples of academic music. The above pianists, as well as Nikita Mdoyants, Vadim Kholodenko, Andrey Gugnin, Arseny Tarasevich-Nikolaev, are our future. These are pianists with a bright personality and their own vision of the performing arts. Many of these pianists represent the “composing virtuoso” type of performer so popular in the second half of the 19th century. The versatility of their talent expands their reading of works and adds a creative dimension to their activities. For encores they perform their own compositions, compose their own cadenzas for concerts, write reviews of the performances of their colleagues, promote rarely performed repertoire, and perform academic music on a par with modern music. The method of expanding musical specialization with the restoration of performing traditions and an objective awareness of modernity gives hope that the art of pianism is, as in the time of A. Rubinstein, at dawn and it has another century and a half of brilliant history before the next renewal.