Glinka: a short biography of the composer. M

08.12.2021

Hello, curious student!

You are on a page dedicated to the great Russian composer Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka!

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka- Russian composer, founder of Russian classical music. Author of the operas “Life for the Tsar” (“Ivan Susanin”, 1836) and “Ruslan and Lyudmila” (1842), which laid the foundation for two directions of Russian opera -folk musical drama and fairy tale opera, epic opera.

They laid the foundations of Russian symphonism.A classic of Russian romance.

First, you need to get acquainted with the personality of the composer; for this, I suggest you familiarize yourself with the biography of Mikhail Ivanovich.

Born June 1, 1804. in the village of Novospasskoye, Smolensk province, in the family of a landowner. In 1818 he entered the Noble boarding school at the St. Petersburg Pedagogical Institute, which he graduated in 1822. At the boarding school, Glinka began composing music and became popular as the author of wonderful romances. In total, he wrote 80 works for voice and piano, including masterpieces of vocal lyrics: the elegies “Do not tempt”, “Doubt”, the cycle “Farewell to St. Petersburg” and others.

After graduating from the boarding school, Glinka entered the Main Directorate of Communications, but soon left the service to devote himself entirely to music.

In 1830-1834.he undertook a long journey through Italy, Austria and Germany, getting acquainted with European musical traditions and improving his composing skills. Upon his return, he began to realize his cherished dream - to write a Russian opera. The plot was suggested by V. A. Zhukovsky - the feat of Ivan Susanin. Already in 1836 The premiere of the opera took place in St. Petersburg "Life for the Tsar". After success, Glinka began writing a second opera, this time based on Pushkin’s plot. The work continued, albeit intermittently, for about six years. In 1842 took place before miera"Ruslana and Lyudmila", which became the first fairy-tale-epic opera in the history of the Republic

Russian music.

Glinka's work was highly valued by musicians - his contemporaries. Thus, F. Liszt arranged for piano “Chernomor’s March” from “Ruslan and Lyudmila” and very often performed it in his concerts.
in Warsaw, he wrote an orchestral fantasy "Kamarinskaya" (1848) on the theme of two Russian folk songs. About this composition P. I. Tchaikovsky said that in it, “like an oak in an acorn, all Russian symphonic music is contained.”

In 1856, Mikhail Ivanovich went to Berlin to study the polyphony of the old masters in order to resurrect ancient Russian znamenny church chants in his work. It was not possible to realize the plan: on February 15, 1857, Glinka died.

Now it’s time to introduce you to two operas by M. Glinka; for this, watch the presentation.

Two operas by M. Glinka

Listen to Susanin's Aria

YouTube Video

This document presents the main significant works of the composer.

Works by Glinka

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka (1804 – 1857).
The founder of Russian classics, the first composer in the history of the country, who revealed the national character in his music with extraordinary breadth and strength. Mikhail Glinka raised the music of the Russian people to the highest peaks of world art. It is no coincidence that Glinka is compared with the progenitor of new Russian literature, the poet A.S. Pushkin.

In his native village of Novospasskoye, Smolensk province, from childhood the future composer absorbed the bright intonations and spiritual breadth of folk peasant songs. By the age of ten, with his uncle’s orchestra, where he mastered playing various instruments, classical music entered his life.

Glinka began receiving his musical education at the age of fourteen at the St. Petersburg Noble Boarding School, where he first turned to composing. Here he met the future Decembrists (one of Glinka’s teachers was V.K. Kuchelbecker) and communication with them had a great influence on the development of the young musician’s personality.

Gradually, music becomes his life's work. However, at that time there was no systematic composition education in Russia, and in order to improve his skills, the composer went for new impressions to Germany, Austria and Italy, which especially attracted the musician with its nature, historical monuments and the perfection of melodies. The widely known overtures "Jota Aragonese" and "Night in Madrid", written later in the period 1845-1851, became the embodiment of the romantic images of this country.

Returning from a trip, under the influence of the poet V.A. Zhukovsky, Glinka began composing an opera, which became a breakthrough in the history of Russian art and marked the beginning of a new period in the development of Russian music. In 1936, the patriotic opera “Ivan Susanin”, originally called “A Life for the Tsar,” was staged at the Bolshoi Theater in St. Petersburg. For the first time, a folk tune was heard in the “serious” opera genre.

Continuing the Russian theme in his work, Glinka turns to the plot of the poem by his beloved A.S. Pushkin's "Ruslan and Lyudmila", on which he has been working for six years. In 1842, the premiere of the new opera was an ongoing success. Like the poet himself, the composer was able to penetrate into the character and musical intonations of other peoples.
In 1856, Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka again visited Berlin, intending to study more deeply the European school of polyphonic mastery. His plans are to resurrect ancient Russian church melodies. However, these plans were not destined to come true. In February 1857, the composer died, leaving behind a huge legacy of the Russian symphonic school.

Creativity M.I. Glinka

PLAN

1. Glinka’s historical role in music.

2. Researchers of Glinka’s work.

3. Creative path. Characteristics of creativity.

4. Opera dramaturgy.

5. Symphonic music.

6. Chamber instrumental music.

7. Romances.

The historical role of Glinka in music can be compared with the role of Pushkin in Russian literature. In the very nature of the talent of the two contemporaries there is much that is related. According to Belinsky, like Pushkin, Glinka knew how to combine “an elegantly humane feeling with a plastically elegant form.” It is this quality that made the work of the poet and composer an example of truly classical artistic creativity, which is based on the fusion of deep inner truth and breadth of content with harmonious clarity, harmony and completeness of form. Like Pushkin Glinka is universal . In his work, he showed the diverse sides of Russian life and Russian character. He creator of Russian classical opera and Russian classical romance . He laid the foundations of classical Russian symphony . Glinka’s great historical significance was determined by another quality - he was a deeply national artist, he had the gift of comprehending the psychology and way of thinking of other nationalities. His East, Italy, Spain are examples of the creative recreation of authentic living images.

The heyday of Glinka's work coincided with the era of romanticism in Europe. Glinka was close to the Romantics’ concept of national identity and specificity. But Glinka did not become a romantic, even in the fantastically colorful opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila”. It is not characterized by the specific features of romanticism - increased attention to the individual, the subjective, a skeptical attitude towards the environment, pathetic expression of feelings. Alien to national limitations, Glinka’s work, for all its classicism, belongs neither to classicism nor to romanticism. But from romanticism he inherited progressive features - the ability to find beauty in the ordinary. In the history of Russian music, he was the first to achieve perfection in the unity of the truthful and the beautiful, conveying images of the surrounding reality in an elegant, harmonious and perfect artistic form.

With Glinka’s work, musicology in Russia acquired a worthy object of study for posing major musical and aesthetic problems; based on the analysis of his work, professional literature on music arises. Glinka's works are examined in historical, aesthetic, musical and creative aspects. His works are the subject of critical articles devoted to the problems of musical theater and musical performance, problems of operatic drama, the principles of symphonism, and the specifics of musical language. V.F. Odoevsky, A.N. Serov, V.V. Stasov, G.A. Larosh, P.P. Weinmarn, N.F. Findeizen, N.D. Kashkin, A.N. Rimsky-Korsakov, B.V. Asafiev, D.D. Shostakovich, V.V. Protopopov, T.N. Livanova - this is not a complete list of researchers of Glinka’s work.

The creative life of M.I. Glinka is reflected in his “Notes”, in which the composer divides his creative life into four periods:

1. Childhood and youth, the formation of creative principles (before 1830).

2. The path to mastery (1830-1836).

3. Central period (until 1844).

4. Late period (1844-1854). -

His statements speak of the composer’s amazing modesty, strict demands on himself, sincerity and truthfulness.

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka was born in the Smolensk province, in the village of Novospasskoye. Since childhood, he listened to Russian folk songs, fell in love with them, and throughout his life he developed Russian folk music. Glinka's first acquaintance with professional music took place in early childhood. Russian songs, classical plays and dances formed the repertoire of his uncle's small serf orchestra. Learning to play the piano and violin begins in early childhood.

1818-1822 - the years of Glinka's studies in St. Petersburg, where he received a thorough general education. Showing brilliant abilities and interest in literature, theater, poetry, he seriously studies music. A special role was played by the teacher Shch. Mayer, who not only gave a good pianistic school, but also helped in Glinka’s first compositional experiments. Meetings with future participants in the Decembrist uprising and close communication with the Decembrist 8. K. Kuchelbecker had a huge impact on Glinka. The tragic events of December 14, 1825 made an indelible impression on young Glinka; faith in his people and the desire to serve the Motherland strengthened in his heart. After 1825, Glinka’s vocation as a composer was finally determined; he completely devoted himself to creativity. Cycles of piano variations, sketches of overtures, chamber ensembles - these are the first experiments. Then significant works-romances “Do not tempt”, “Poor singer”, “Don’t sing, beauty, in front of me”, variations on the theme of the Russian folk song “Among the flat valley” appear. At the same time, his performing skills as a pianist and singer are growing. By the end of the 20s, Glinka's name became widely known. He greedily absorbs all the best that the environment gives him. He was close to Pushkin, Griboyedov, Zhukovsky, Mitskevich, he plays music with Odoevsky, Varlamov, and performs in the music salon of the Polish pianist Maria Szymanowska.

At the same time, Glinka feels dissatisfied and strives to get acquainted with the musical life of the West. In 1830 his first trip abroad took place. He's going to Italy , where he lives in Milan, visits Naples, Rome, Venice. Then he goes to Austria And Germany ; is interested in Italian opera culture and classical vocal performance, in which he sees a combination of classical harmony, clarity of performance with ease. A number of piano variations on Italian themes that he wrote in Italy indicate his passion for Italian art. During a trip abroad, Glinka gets acquainted with the best achievements of Western European culture. All this broadened the composer’s horizons and gave him new aspirations. A thorough acquaintance with the opera house helped Glinka realize his true calling. He decides to create a Russian opera. In Berlin, Glinka studied under the guidance of the musician-theorist Siegfried Dehn, with whom he put his theoretical knowledge in order and worked on the technique of polyphonic writing.

In 1834, Glinka returned to his homeland and began to implement the idea of a national opera and write opera "Ivan Susanin". He dreams of a great heroic opera. The plot was proposed by the poet Zhukovsky. The work proceeded with great enthusiasm, but difficulties were due to the fact that there was no libretto. Writing the text was entrusted to G.F. Rosen, a poet close to the court. The original title of the opera “Ivan Susanin” was replaced by “Life for the Tsar”. Through music, Glinka embodied the main idea of the folk tragedy - to show the greatness of the feat of the peasant who gave his life for his homeland.

The opera premiered on November 27, 1836. Pushkin, Gogol, and Odoevsky perceived the opera as a huge historical event. Secular music lovers had the opposite opinion, calling the opera “coachman’s music.” Pushkin predicted a great future for Glinka.

A new period in the composer's creative life began - a period of brilliant creative flourishing. His art is recognized at home and abroad. Glinka begins work on a new opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila" and at the same time on the music for the tragedy of N.K. Kukolnik “Prince Kholmsky”, the cycle of romances “Farewell to Petersburg”. Known romances from this period: “Doubt”, “Night View”, “I Remember a Wonderful Moment”. The opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila” was staged on November 27, 1842. At the premiere, the emperor and his retinue left the hall before the end of the performance, but music critics highly praised the opera. In the 40s, Glinka was a mature artist, with mature aesthetic views and big plans. But external living conditions were unfavorable. Being the composer of the court singing chapel, he was burdened by the role of a court servant. The envy and petty nagging of the choir distracted the composer from his creative work. The marriage to M.P. Ivanova, a secular young lady who was far from the creative interests of her husband, turned out to be unsuccessful. All this forced Glinka to break her previous ties in the aristocratic world.

In 1844, Glinka again went abroad, to France and Spain. In Paris he meets Hector Berlioz. A concert of Glinka's works was held in Paris with great success. The composer was in Spain for two years. Using recordings of folk dances, in 1845 he wrote a concert Overture "Aragonese Jota" in 1848 already in Russia overture "Night in Madrid". It was written then symphonic fantasy "Kamarinskaya".

In recent years, M.I. Glinka lived in St. Petersburg, Warsaw, Paris, and Berlin. Poets, singers, writers, composers, actors, young musicians, Balakirev, music critics Serov and Stasov gathered in the composer’s house. Glinka died in Berlin in 1887. His ashes were transported to St. Petersburg.

Characteristics of creativity.

M.I. Glinka, having absorbed the achievements of Western European musical culture, having perfectly mastered high skill, developed his own system of aesthetic views, to which his style is subordinated. He created the national style and language of Russian classical music, which was the foundation for the entire future development of the Russian classical school.

The defining element of his music is melody. The melody is characterized by melodiousness, smoothness, typical turns: sixth and hexachord (six-note) chants, singing of the fifth (fifth degree of the mode) tone, descending movement from the fifth to the tonic of the mode. Songfulness is characteristic of his vocal and instrumental compositions, where “singing harmony” permeates the entire orchestral fabric.

M.I. Glinka deeply penetrated into the very nature of folk music, understanding the essential features of folk musical thinking, folk melody, mode and rhythm. The language of folk songs became his own, native language.

The smoothness of the voice, the relief of the melodic pattern - all these are the indigenous traditions of folk subvocal polyphony. Freedom of voice, characteristic of Glinka’s harmonic and polyphonic thinking, his technique of stratification of voices, love for transparent two and three voices - all this is associated with the style of folk polyphony. Glinka was fluent in the method of variant development. Glinka's polyphony is both similar and not similar to classical examples. The composer uses classical Western European forms of fugue, canon, imitation, and moving counterpoint, but they are of a national Russian nature. Following Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and many other composers of subsequent generations used the techniques of variant-singing development.

Glinka poetically translated the Russian folk color, using original modal turns, the principle of modal variability, typical modes of Russian folk songs - Mixolydian major, natural minor.

Opera creativity. Glinka created two leading operatic genres of Russian music - the folk historical musical drama “Ivan Susanin” and the fairy-tale-epic opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila”.

"Ivan Susanin" opens the mature period of Glinka's work. The plot of the opera was proposed by Zhukovsky, it is based on a historical fact - the heroic feat of the peasant Ivan Osipovich Susanin in 1612, when Russia was occupied by invaders. Moscow had already been liberated. But one of the remaining Polish detachments entered the village of Domnino. The peasant Ivan Susanin, agreeing to be a guide, led them into a deep forest, thereby killing them and dying himself. Glinka was inspired by the idea of patriotism of the Russian people.

The idea of love for the fatherland is pervasive in the opera. The consistent development of the conflict is fully reflected in the musical composition.

The opera begins overture . The overture is entirely built on themes found in the opera, and embodies the main idea of the opera in a generalized form. It is written in the form of a sonata allegro with an introduction. The main part (G minor) is an alarming, rapid theme of the folk chorus from the finale of Act III, where the people are shown in a patriotic outburst. In the development of the overture, this theme takes on a dramatically intense character. A side theme is Vanya’s theme “How the mother was killed.” Already in the exhibition there is a contrast - the connecting part in three-beat meter with the intonations of a mazurka represents the Poles. The same theme is heard in the opera in the scene of the Poles arriving at Susanin’s hut. Thus, the “arch” is thrown to one of the climactic moments of the opera. In the code, the comparison is even clearer - the disturbing motives of the main part turn into frozen chords that will sound in Susanin’s answers to the Poles in the forest. Then mazur phrases sound like a threat from the Poles. These phrases grow, but the three-part sequence gives way to a two-part sequence, and this results in bell ringings. The theme of the main part in G major sounds victorious. Thus, the overture shows the entire course of the opera.

The opera has four acts and an epilogue. IN first action the characteristics of the Russian people and the main characters of the opera are given. This is Ivan Susanin, his daughter Antonida, adopted son Vanya, Antonida's fiancé - warrior Sobinin, people. Act 1 opens with a monumental choral introduction scene. During the introduction, two choirs alternate several times - male and female. The theme of the male choir is close to peasant and soldier songs of a heroic-epic nature (“You rise, red sun”). For the first time in Russian art, music of a distinctly folk character conveys high heroic pathos.

The melody of the second choir - the female one - sounds first in the orchestra, and a little later appears in the vocal part. Lively and joyful, it resembles the round dance songs of peasant girls dedicated to the spring awakening of nature.

The main melodic images of the introduction are contrasting with each other. Thus, the introduction shows different aspects of the appearance of the people: their will and cordiality, their courageous fortitude and loving perception; native nature.

After a monumental choral introduction, Glinka gives a musical portrait of one of the characters - Susanin's daughter Antonida.

Antonida's aria consists of two sections: cavatina and rondo. The slow, thoughtful cavatina is in the spirit of Russian lyrical songs. A gentle cavatina gives way to a lively, graceful rondo. Her light, fresh music is also songlike in nature.

Antonida answers Susanin. This is an “exposition” of the main image of the opera. Susanin's recitatives are typical of Glinka's style. They are melodious, they have a lot of smooth moves at wide intervals, chants on individual syllables. Thus, the composer immediately shows the organic unity of Susanin and “the people.”

A new hero of the opera also appears - Bogdan Sobinin. Sobinin's main feature is his “daring character.” It reveals itself with the help of ardent and sweeping song phrases with an elastic, clear rhythm, in the spirit of brave soldier’s songs.

The finale of Act I is set in a marching movement and is full of patriotic inspiration. Susanin, Antonida and Sobinin perform as lead singers and soloists of the choir

Act II presents a striking contrast to the first. Instead of simple peasants on the stage there are lords feasting in the castle of the Polish king. Four dances: polonaise, krakowiak, waltz and mazurka form a large dance suite. The main theme of the Krakowiak, thanks to the syncopated rhythm, is particularly elastic; The waltz in 6/8 is elegant; the presence of syncopation on the second beat makes it similar to the mazurka, giving it a Polish flavor. The waltz is distinguished by its particular subtlety and transparency of orchestration. The polonaise and the final mazurka are of a completely different nature. Polonaise sounds proud, ceremonial and militant. His intonations resemble fanfare calls. The carefree, bravura mazurka with a sweeping melody and sonorous chords is full of daring and brilliance.

With the intonations and rhythms of this dance, Glinka paints a portrait of the Polish invaders, whose external splendor concealed greed, arrogance and reckless vanity.

Before Glinka, dance numbers were introduced into opera, but usually only in the form of an inserted divertissement, but they were not directly related to the action. Glinka was the first to give dancing important dramatic significance. They became a means of figurative characterization of the characters. Russian classical ballet music originates from the “Polish” scenes of Act II.

Act III can be divided into two halves: the first - before the arrival of enemies, the second - from the moment of their appearance. The first half is dominated by a calm and bright mood. The character of Susanin is shown here - a loving father in the family circle.

The action begins with the song of Susanin's adopted son Vanya. The song, in its simplicity and natural melodiousness, is close to Russian folk songs. At the end of the song, Susanin's voice is included in it and the song goes into a scene, and then into a duet. The duet is dominated by march-like intonations and rhythms; the patriotic spirit of father and son finds expression in it.

The dramatic climax of the entire opera is the scene with the Poles in IV action . Here the fate of the main character of the opera is decided.

The picture begins with a choir of Poles wandering in the darkness of the night through a dense forest covered with snow. To characterize the Poles, Glinka uses the rhythm of the mazurka. Here it is devoid of bravura and belligerence, it sounds gloomy, conveying the depressed state of mind of the Poles, their premonition of imminent death. Unstable chords (increased triad, diminished seventh chord) and dull timbres of the orchestra enhance the feeling of darkness and melancholy.

The main features of the hero's appearance at the decisive hour of his life are revealed in his dying aria and subsequent recitative monologue. The introductory short recitative “They sense the truth” is based on Susanin’s usual broad, leisurely and confident intonations of the song structure. This is one of the best examples of Glinka’s melodic recitative (example No. 8). The aria itself (“You will come, my dawn...”) is dominated by a mood of deep mournful reflection. Susanin retains his inherent masculinity, sublimity and fortitude. There is no melodrama in this. Susanin's aria is a striking example of Glinka's innovative approach to folk song. It is here that, based on Russian folk song intonations, music, imbued with genuine tragedy, first appears. This aria includes Odoevsky’s words that Glinka “managed to create a new, hitherto unheard of character, to elevate the folk tune to tragedy.”

The opera ends with a grandiose picture of a national celebration on Red Square in Moscow.

Epilogue consists of three sections: 1) the chorus “Glory” in the first presentation; 2) scenes and trio of Vanya, Antonida and Sobinin “Oh, not for me, poor thing...” with choir; and 3) the finale—a new, final presentation of “Hail.”

In the brilliant “Glory” the heroic image of the victorious people is embodied with extreme convexity and clarity.

“Ivan Susanin” is the first Russian opera based on continuous musical development; it does not have a single spoken dialogue. Glinka implements the principle of symphonism in the opera and lays the foundations of the leitmotif method, later developed with such skill by Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. Together with Ivan Susanin, Russian music embarked on the path of symphonic development . The pinnacle of Russian dramatic symphonism is the scene in the forest, an example of a deep symphonic revelation of the psychological subtext of the drama.

In characterizing her heroes, Glinka uses a variety of forms - from ariosous recitative to a complex multi-part aria of the classical type. A specific feature of the opera is the presence of Polish scenes of cross-cutting development, which actively promote the action of the drama. But the aria is an important center of the operatic composition; in the aria, it is a characteristic of the character.

Glinka's high skill was manifested in the ensembles, which combined the principles of classical polyphony with the nature of the Russian folk polyphonic style. In the finale of Act I in the trio “Don’t be tormented, my dear,” Glinka uses the form of polyphonic variations in a new way, with a gradual layering of voices. In the funeral trio from the epilogue, techniques of Russian folk subvocal polyphony are used. The monumental quartet from Act III approaches a symphonic cycle - introduction, anedgeio, slow movement and fast finale,

The opera “Ivan Susanin” has a truly symphonic method of end-to-end development. The meaning of Glinka’s dramatic comparison of two opposing forces is not only in national-genre contrast - Russian and Polish, song and dance, vocal and instrumental, symphonic beginning as the main means of characterization. The meaning of the contrast lies elsewhere - the image of the people is interpreted as the main character of the tragic story - the defender of the Motherland. Hence the different approach and different scales in the interpretation of both groups. Polish nobles are shown in general. And the Russian people are shown in a variety of ways; That is why the folk song language of the opera is so rich. The choral scenes of the opera determine the national style of Glinka's opera. The basis is Russian song in all its genre varieties. For the first time only in Glinka, the finest features of the intonation and modal structure of Russian folk songs were fully embodied, which was expressed, for example, in the five-beat rhythm of the girls’ choir, in the flexible modal variability in the rowers’ choir. Folk intonations are freely developed, reinterpreted in the classically harmonious forms of Glinka’s music. The variation form, corresponding to the nature of Russian folk themes, is widely used by the composer.

The main role belongs to two choral scenes. The people in them appear as a “great personality”, united by one feeling, one will. These folk choirs, with their oratorio style, were an unprecedented phenomenon at that time.

The final scene of the opera - the epilogue - expresses a scene of popular rejoicing. Glinka’s contemporary Serov wrote: “In its Russian originality, in its faithful transmission of the historical moment, this choir is a page of Russian history.”

The theme of the choir combines the features of chanting and movement. Its entire figurative structure conveys the leisurely pace of a popular procession.

The choir's origins are varied. Here is a folk song, a style of choral partes singing, and a solemn cant of the 18th century. In the overall composition of the choral scene, Glinka uses his favorite form of variations and subvocal-polyphonic development techniques.

To achieve a general impression of joy and celebration, Glinka also uses coloristic techniques - the finale involves a full symphony orchestra and a brass band on stage, the main choir is joined by a group of basses and bells, the diatonic scale (C major) is enriched with harmonic colors (E major, B major). All means are used with a sense of proportion, harmony and beauty of form.

IN opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila" Glinka used a traditional fairy-tale plot with exploits, fantasy, and magical transformations to show a variety of characters and complex relationships between people, creating a whole gallery of human types. Among them are the chivalrously noble and courageous Ruslan, the gentle Lyudmila, the inspired Bayan, the ardent Ratmir, the faithful Gorislava, the cowardly Farlaf, the kind Finn, the treacherous Naina, and the cruel Chernomor.

The overall composition of the opera is subject to the strict principle of symmetry. The typical Glinka techniques of reprise and completeness of form determine the individual elements of the opera and its entire composition as a whole. A prologue and epilogue frame the work, which corresponds to the epic structure of the opera. The harmony of the operatic form is created through a musical frame: the thematic material of the overture is repeated again in the finale of Act V, in the solemn final chorus in the same key of D major. Extreme acts paint majestic pictures of Kievan Rus. Between them, contrasting scenes of the hero’s magical adventures in the kingdom of Naina and Chernomor unfold, a three-part sequence is formed. This principle will become typical for fairy-tale and epic operas of Russian lyric poetry. At the same time, the opera is symphonic; conflictual, intensely dramatic development is replaced by the principle of contrast.

The new genre of fairy-tale-epic opera determines the features of the musical dramaturgy of “Ruslan and Lyudmila”. Based on the classical tradition of closed, completed numbers, Glinka creates his own type of narrative operatic dramaturgy of an epic plan. The unhurried narrative course of development with broad thematic arcs over long distances, the slowness of stage action, and the abundance of themes made it difficult to perceive the work.

The music critic Stasov, possessing an exceptional breadth of artistic views, was able to see in Glinka’s music an entire direction of Russian art - an interest in folk epic, in folk poetry. The epic style of Glinka's opera gave rise to a system of images and dramatic techniques that retain their significance in Russian lyric poetry of subsequent times.

Symphonic creativity. Glinka wrote a small number of works for symphony orchestra. Almost all of them belong to the genre of one-part overtures or fantasies. The main ones are “Kamarinskaya”, the Spanish overtures “Aragonese Jota” and “Night in Madrid”, “Waltz Fantasy”, music for the tragedy “Prince Kholmsky”. However, their historical role turned out to be so significant that they can be considered the basis of Russian classical symphonism. Significant, new principles of symphonic development are embedded in the general principles of Glinka’s aesthetics. Accessibility and genuine nationality of the musical language, the principle of generalized programming are the features of his symphonic overtures. Glinka developed a condensed, laconic form of the overture. In each individual case, the form is uniquely new; it is always determined by the general artistic concept. “Kamarinskaya” begins in the form of double variations, “Aragonese Jota” has a sonata structure, “Waltz - Fantasy” in the form of a rondo. All compositional features were suggested by the very nature of the material.

Romances and songs. Glinka turned to the romance genre throughout his entire career. He wrote over 70 romances. They express various feelings: love, disappointment, delight, emotional impulse. Some romances depict pictures of nature and everyday life. Glinka covers all types of contemporary everyday romance: “Russian song”, elegy, serenade, ballad, everyday dances - waltz, mazurka, polka. He turns to genres characteristic of the music of other nations: the Spanish bolero, the Italian barcarolle. The forms of romances are also diverse - a simple couplet form, a three-part form, a rondo, a complex form, where there is a change of different episodes connected by a single line of continuous dramatic development.

On May 20, 1804, the great Russian composer, creator of the national school of composition, Mikhail Glinka, was born. The works of this great musical genius had a huge influence on the work of P. Tchaikovsky, A. Dragomyzhsky and the musical association “The Mighty Handful”.

Glinka came from an ancient Polish family; his great-grandfather, having accepted Russian citizenship in 1654, also changed his faith, becoming an Orthodox Christian. Mikhail grew up as a very sick and suspicious boy; he was raised by his grandmother, his father’s mother, who did not trust her daughter-in-law. The composer, recalling his childhood, called himself a mimosa.

The great composer became interested in music 10 years of age, he simultaneously studied piano and piano.
Glinka studied at the Noble boarding school at the Main Pedagogical Institute. His first teachers were such music teachers as John Field and Karl Zeiner.
While studying at the boarding school, Glinka met Alexander Pushkin, with whom he was friends until the poet’s death.
In search of constant inspiration, Glinka becomes close to V. Zhukovsky, A. Griboedov, V. Odoevsky. For a long time, the composer felt unsatisfied and considered his works unsuccessful.
In 1830, Glinka's European tour began: he visited Italy, Germany and other European countries.
The idea for writing a Russian national opera in the form of a legend about the Russian hero Ivan Susanin was suggested to Mikhail Glinka by the poet V. Zhukovsky.
Glinka's wife Maria Ivanova, whom he married in 1835, was a distant relative of the composer.
The premiere of the opera “A Life for the Tsar” brought great success to the composer during his lifetime.
The composer's personal life was very unhappy. In 1840, Glinka found love - Ekaterina Kern. In 1841, the girl became pregnant by the composer, but was forced to have an abortion, for which Glinka reproached himself all his life, because it was he who insisted on it. Ultimately, the romance did not end in anything; the composer chose to break off relations with his mistress.
In 1825, the great Russian poet wrote a beautiful poem “I remember a wonderful moment...” and dedicated it to his beloved, Anna Kern. Years later, Glinka reworked the poem into a romance and dedicated it to Anna’s daughter, his beloved Katenka Kern.
Glinka was also unlucky with his wife. She became interested in the cornet N. Vasilchikov, with whom she secretly got married. After the divorce, Glinka lived the rest of his life alone, as he was afraid to remarry.
Glinka's work was often criticized. It was she who became the motivator for completing the second European musical tour, which the composer began in France, then he went to conquer Spain.
In 1848, in Warsaw, the genius of Russian classical music created the symphonic fantasy Kamarinskaya, the basis of this work was based on the motives of Russian folk songs. P. Tchaikovsky would later write that the entire Russian symphony school was concentrated in Glinka, like an oak tree in just one acorn.
In Paris, Glinka begins to work on the symphony "Taras Bulba", which is an unfinished work.
Mikhail Glinka was fond of church melodies and tried to arrange them in the Russian style.
Until the end of the composer’s life, his elder sister Lyudmila was his faithful companion.
Glinka is the author of a musical opera written based on the work of his comrade A. Pushkin “Ruslan and Lyudmila”.
Many of Glinka's contemporaries recalled that in his youth the composer had a wonderful voice. His tenor delighted the audience. One day, Glinka’s singing so charmed Prince Castrioto Skandeberk that the young man was already close to fainting. When the servants brought him to his senses, he said that he heard an angel singing and thought that the Last Judgment was beginning.
Glinka’s mother-in-law always called him “my little Mozart” in front of strangers. When friends once asked the composer whether his mother-in-law was a fan of Mozart, he replied that she didn’t even know about this man. Glinka's mother-in-law, having heard that Mozart became a rich man thanks to music, believed that her son-in-law must certainly face a similar fate.
From the entire list of famous composers, Glinka recognized only Chopin, Gluck and himself; along with his own works, he played the works of these composers. He simply couldn't stand the brilliant pianists of that time. Once he spoke negatively about the playing of F. Liszt. Glinka said that Liszt’s appearance was unremarkable, and his playing caused miscarriages in pregnant women.

Recognition after death

The great Russian composer found his death in 1857 in Germany, in Berlin. It was decided to bury Glinka in the Lutheran cemetery. However, through the efforts of his older sister Lyudmila, the ashes of the great musical genius were transported to their homeland.

It was thanks to Lyudmila that Glinka’s works began to enjoy success after his death.

When Glinka's ashes were transported from Germany to Russia, his coffin was carefully packed in a cardboard box on which it was written that porcelain was being transported in it.

In the Russian Orthodox cemetery located in Berlin, there is a tombstone dedicated to Mikhail Glinka, on which tourists can see a bust of the great composer, which was built in 1947 by order of the Military Commandant's Office of the Soviet sector of the German capital.

RUSSIAN MAESTRO MIKHAIL GLINKA

He entered the history of world music as the founder of the Russian national opera. His talent as a composer was not always approved, and was sometimes criticized and ridiculed, but the composer passed all the tests with honor and took a well-deserved place in the galaxy of great musicians.

Polish nobleman

Homeland Mikhail Glinka there was the Smolensk province, where his family lived in the village of Novospasskoye since the time of his great-grandfather, a Polish nobleman who swore allegiance to the Tsar and continued his military service in Russia.

Mikhail's parents were each other's second cousins. Therefore, Glinka’s father, Ivan Nikolaevich, needed to obtain the bishop’s permission to marry his second cousin. The young couple got married and lived for many years in happiness and harmony, raising nine children.

Hereditary Polish nobleman Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka born on his parents' estate in 1804. My father, who was a retired captain, spared no money on the improvement of his village, for which the peasants loved him immensely. Over the course of several years, the settlement was literally transformed, streets with bridges, an English-style park appeared, peasant houses were whitewashed with chalk, and the mansion itself was two-story and had 27 luxuriously furnished rooms.

However, no rich decoration of the house prevented Mikhail from feeling simple rural life, communicate with peasants on equal terms, understand their problems, honor traditions and gravitate toward simple folk art. According to critics of that time, the impressions of childhood years spent in the village were reflected in the best works Mikhail Glinka. The composer kept autobiographical notes, in which he himself confirmed that the songs he heard in childhood became the reason for his deep love for Russian music. Since childhood, he learned to play the violin and piano, even then he tried to compose music, sang wonderfully and drew just as well.

Soon after the Patriotic War of 1812, Mikhail's parents sent him to study in St. Petersburg. In the capital, the young man had the honor of meeting famous people of his time. First of all, these were Evgeny Baratynsky, Alexander Pushkin and Vasily Zhukovsky. And at the institute, the curator of Glinka’s course was Pushkin’s friend from the Lyceum days, Wilhelm Kuchelbecker. A strong friendship then began between Mikhail Glinka and the writer and composer Vladimir Odoevsky.

Temptation by music

In those years I realized that the craving for music is not a simple hobby. He began to take private lessons from famous teachers of that period - John Field and Karl Zeiner. Glinka studied European classical music, played music in famous salons, and began to try his hand at composing. Soon his efforts were crowned with success, and he produced works in various genres. Even then, his romances to the words of Baratynsky “Don’t tempt me unnecessarily” and Pushkin’s “Don’t sing, beauty, in front of me” were known in musical circles. But the composer himself was dissatisfied with what he was doing.

In 1823, Mikhail Ivanovich went to the Caucasus, became acquainted with the music of different peoples, then worked for several years in the communications department, and at the age of 26 he decided to finally devote himself to creativity and went to the cradle of musical culture - Milan.

First opera

Imbued with the Italian spirit, the composer composes plays based on famous operas and writes music for instrumental ensembles. In 1833 he moved to Germany, where, under the guidance of Siegfried Dehn, he began to study pages of music theory unknown to him. In Germany, he was caught by the news of his father’s death, and Glinka urgently left for his homeland, already planning to create a national opera.

When he shared his thoughts and idea with Vasily Zhukovsky, he suggested that he take the story about Ivan Susanin as a basis. At the same time, he proposed to 17-year-old Marya Ivanova (to whom he dedicated the romance “I Just Recognized You”), in April 1835 they got married and left for the composer’s native village, where he began writing his future opera “A Life for the Tsar.”

A year later the work was ready, but putting it on stage turned out to be a very difficult task. The director of the imperial theaters, Alexander Gedeonov, prevented this. He submitted the score to the conductor Kavos, who had his own opera on a similar theme. But he acted nobly, wrote a flattering review of Glinka’s work and removed his opera from the repertoire. But Gedeonov refused to pay a fee to Mikhail Ivanovich for his opera.

The national epic of Mikhail Glinka

The premiere was a great success in November 1836. Glinka I couldn't believe my luck. The emperor himself expressed gratitude to him for a long time, and critics called “A Life for the Tsar” a national heroic and patriotic epic.

There were some intrigues at the opera's premiere. One of the spectators loudly shouted that this work was worthy only of coachmen. In response to this, in his autobiographical notes, Glinka noted that he agreed with this assessment, since the coachman was more efficient than many gentlemen.

Against the backdrop of creative success, Mikhail’s family relationship with Marya deteriorated. He realized that he had fallen in love with an invented, idealized image and quickly became disillusioned with his wife, who was more interested in balls and dresses than in her husband’s creative plans. The official divorce dragged on for six years. During this time, Marya managed to have an affair with a certain cornet, and Glinka’s heart was healed of emotional wounds by Ekaterina Kern, the daughter of Pushkin’s muse Anna Kern.

Inspired by Pushkin

Thanks to the successful production of A Life for the Tsar, he became a bandmaster at court, and two years later he went to Ukraine to select the most talented choristers for the chapel. Among those who went back with the composer was Semyon Gulak-Artemovsky, who later became the famous composer and author of the first Ukrainian opera “Cossack beyond the Danube”.

Mikhail Ivanovich conceived a new opera based on the plot of Pushkin’s “Ruslan and Lyudmila”. He dreamed of working with the great poet, but Pushkin’s sudden death ruined everything. Glinka worked on the opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila” for six years, constantly rehearsed with the artists, improved his creation, and in November 1842 released it to the public. Critics and the elite were completely unfavorable to the work Mikhail Glinka, and Prince Mikhail Pavlovich even said that he sent offending soldiers to listen to Glinka’s opera as punishment.

European recognition of Mikhail Glinka

Vladimir Odoevsky stood up in defense of his friend, calling the opera a luxurious flower on the soil of Russian music. He also helped Mikhail Ivanovich in creating the scenery, especially for the Chernomor stage. Glinka thought for a long time about what should be in a fairy garden, until Odoevsky brought him a book by a German naturalist, in which microorganisms were depicted in a greatly enlarged form. This idea amazed the composer, and the audience was delighted with the scenery they saw.

with sister

While on tour in St. Petersburg in 1843, he went to the theater for an opera Glinka“Ruslan and Lyudmila” a special visit was made by the Hungarian virtuoso pianist and composer. He had long shown a keen interest in Russian music, so he came to penetrate it and understand it even more deeply. Liszt was so impressed by what he saw and heard that he arranged “Chernomor’s March” for piano and brilliantly performed it at one of his performances. Such recognition of the European composer played a significant role in his career Mikhail Glinka. Soon the composers met in person and often met in musical circles. Ferenc often asked Mikhail Ivanovich to sing romances, and he himself accompanied or played his works.

Glinka's sister asked Liszt for permission to write a dedication to him when publishing her brother's works, to which Ferenc responded with sincere gratitude.

Faded wonderful moment

Glinka’s life was filled not only with creativity, but also with personal tragedies and experiences. While the divorce proceedings were going on, he built a relationship with Catherine Kern. The romance “I Remember a Wonderful Moment” based on Pushkin’s poems, which was written for her mother, was dedicated to her. The girl was waiting for them to start a family. In 1841, Catherine became pregnant, the divorce was still not registered, the girl suffered and demanded Glinka decisive action. Then the composer could not allow her to give birth to an illegitimate child and gave a lot of money for an abortion, which he later very much regretted. To prevent the whole situation from becoming public knowledge, the girl left for almost a year in the city of Lubny, Poltava province. During this time, the composer's ardent feeling for Catherine faded, and they were never able to renew their relationship, although Kern retained her love for Glinka until the end of her days.

Russian classic

Mikhail Ivanovich fell into despair. The opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila” almost failed, the relationship with Kern was a fiasco, there were no orders for new works, it seemed that the homeland simply turned its back on its composer. Then he decided to leave for Europe again. Traveling through France and Spain, he wrote the Aragonese Jota and the overture A Night in Madrid. At the same time, the famous orchestral fantasy “Kamarinskaya” was created, which, according to the apt expression of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, contained the entire Russian symphonic school.

In February 1857, his opera “A Life for the Tsar” was successfully performed in Berlin. Coming out of the premiere into the cold winter wind, Mikhail Ivanovich caught a cold and got pneumonia. He died painfully, and no one at home even knew about it. The composer died in 1857. They found out about his death in Russia only three months later and transported his ashes to the St. Petersburg Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

And only after the death of the composer did he gain universal recognition. Two of his operas began to be staged on all stages of the empire, and Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka was recognized as a classic of Russian music. For the first time, a Russian author appeared on the world musical Olympus, who formed the composing school of his country and became a big name in European culture.

DATA

At the rehearsals of “Ruslan and Lyudmila,” the performer of the role of Gorislava, Emilia Lileeva, was unable to exclaim "ABOUT!" before the phrase “my Ratmir”. One day Mikhail Ivanovich he quietly crept up to the singer and at the right moment strongly pinched her hand, from which the girl uttered a completely genuine “Oh!” Glinka asked her to continue singing like this in the future.

Once he “secretly” accompanied the young singer Nikolaev. He learned that the maestro himself was in front of him only after he had performed almost all of his romances. Having learned that he sang to the author himself, he was embarrassed, but he heard wonderful advice from the composer: never sing in the company of amateurs, because they can spoil you with praise and bombard you with useless criticism, but real musicians can only give useful instructions.

Updated: April 8, 2019 by: Elena