What is a choral miniature definition? Genres of choral music. During this time, he wrote many works that were forever included in the Golden Fund of world literature - these are “Hero of Our Time”, “Mtsyri”, “Demon” and many others

Important stages in the history of Polish music in the 19th and 20th centuries. The life and creative path of K. Prosnak (1898-1976). Figurative content of the choral miniature "The Sea". Analysis of literary text, musical theoretical, vocal and choral analysis, performing difficulties.

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Educational institution

Mogilev State Gymnasium-College of Arts

Course essay

Specialty: "Conducting"

On the topic: “Choral miniature “The Sea” (words by K. Khrustelskaya, music by K. Prosnak, Russian text by N. Mickiewicz)”

Teacher: Galuzo V.V.

Mogilev, 2015

1. The most important stages in the history of Polish music of the 19th-20th centuries

2. Life and creative path of K. Prosnak (1898-1976)

3. The figurative content of the choral miniature “The Sea”

4. Analysis of literary text

5. Music-theoretical analysis

6. Vocal and choral analysis, performance difficulties

7. Conducting tasks

Conclusion

Bibliography

1. The most important stages in the history of Polish music of the 19th-20th centuries

ETapas of the history of Polish musicXIX - XXcenturies were, so to speak, monological in nature. 20-40 years of the 19th century - Chopin's era. In his homeland, Chopin could not conduct an equal creative dialogue with anyone. The years 50-70 are associated with the name Moniuszko. He made a huge contribution to operatic and vocal Polish music. Based on the artistic traditions of Chopin, as well as M.I. Glinka and A.S. Dargomyzhsky, Moniuszko finally established the type of national Polish opera, developing the unique features of folk song and dance music.

In the 1920-30s. The activities of K. Szymanowski were important. Thanks to Szymanowski, a group of young progressive musicians is formed, united under the name “Young Poland”. It included G. Fitelberg, Ludomir Ruzicki, M. Karlovich and K. Szymanovsky. Rubinstein and several other highly gifted artists who made up the performing team of “Young Poland” gravitated towards them.

"Young Poland" declared the struggle for a new Polish music that would not lose its national traditions, but would not lag behind the achievements of European music. This was the slogan and the real platform.

The group was very heterogeneous: Fitelberg was absorbed in conducting activities, so he composed music from time to time; Ruzycki lived more in Germany, was not distinguished by consistency of aesthetic views and aspirations, but together, with such a strong figure as Szymanowski at the center, they formed an impressive avant-garde fighting for the musical progress of Poland. The cultural center of that time was Paris. Many young Polish musicians (Perkowski, Wojtowicz, Maklyakiewicz, Wiechowicz, Szeligovsky) strive to get to Paris in order to study the foundations of neoclassicism (in this style, the use of expressive means was more restrained, in contrast to romanticism).

The Second World War and the 6-year fascist occupation (1939-1945) almost completely paralyzed the country's musical life; a large number of sheet music and manuscripts of works by modern composers were lost during the Warsaw Uprising (1944). After 1945, the restoration of musical culture began in Poland thanks to the activities of composers (Perkowski, Lutosławski, Wiechowicz, Mycelski) and conductors (Skrowaczewski, Wisłocki, Rowicki).

The general rise of culture was reflected in the nature of musical art: many composers turned to using Polish musical folklore and creating mass choral and solo songs. At that time, songs such as “Right Bridge, Left Bridge” by A. Gradshtein were heard in Poland; “Red Bus”, “Rain” by V. Shpilman; “Marys-Marysya” by V. Rudzinski.

Cantata and oratorio have gained great popularity among professional genres. They turned to the cantata genre by B. Wojtowicz (“Cantata for the Glory of Labor”), J. Krenz (“Two Cities - Warsaw - Moscow”), K. Wilkomirski (“Wroclaw Cantata”).

In the post-war years, musical institutions also began to be restored. Their number has doubled. 19 symphony orchestras, 8 opera troupes, 16 operetta theaters, 7 conservatories, and about 120 secondary and primary music schools have been created. Music received a wide scope. amateur performance. From the end 1940s conc. develops intensively life. Numerous vocal ensembles of ancient music were created: in Poznań (choir under the direction of Stuligrosz), in Krakow (Krakowense Chapel). The competition, known in the pre-war years, became even more popular - the piano competition named after. F. Chopin, G. Wieniawski violin competition.

The annual festival of contemporary music is the Warsaw Autumn Festival. The main goal of these events is to introduce Polish audiences to the music of the 20th century. All R. 50s In the works of Polish composers, new diverse trends appeared, such as: dodecaphony (translated from ancient Greek “twelve” (“dodeka”) and “sound” (“phonе”)), aleatorics (from the Latin Alea - dice), sonoristics ( from lat. sono - sound). Long-standing experiments in the musicalization of speech intonation, the introduction of whispers into the musical fabric, imitation of crowd talk, hissing led to interesting works by Penderecki, Tvardovsky, Serotsky, Bird. A particularly important event was the performance of Penderecki's St. Luke Passion. This work was a big blow to the imposition of “small tasks” on music, to the meaninglessness of the very essence of musical art. Despite a number of differences in the direction of creative quests, the common features of the modern Polish school of composition are a tendency towards monumental forms and acute expressiveness. Currently, the works of the above-mentioned Polish composers occupy a worthy place in the repertoire of leading performers around the world, are an integral part of the competitive programs of international competitions and festivals, the object of study by musicologists and have a galaxy of ardent fans, both in Poland and abroad.

2. The life and creative path of K. Prosnak (1898-1976 )

Karol Prosnak is better known at home and abroad as the leader of choral groups - the mixed choir named after. Moniuszko and the male choir “Echo” - than the composer. His compositions include operas for youth, orchestral works, romances, and piano pieces. But he gained popularity and recognition in our country precisely as the author of works for choir.

Prosnak was born on September 14, 1898 in Pabianice. After graduating from high school in Pabianice, he moved to Lodz, where he studied music at music courses. Completes his musical education in Warsaw. For 20 years Prosnak has been a professor of singing in secondary schools in Lodz.

Prosnak was not limited only to teaching activities. He is a conductor and leader of many choral groups, conducts the Lodz Philharmonic Orchestra, and is engaged in composing activities. His work was deservedly noted. So, in 1923 in Warsaw Prsnak was awarded the 1st prize for a prelude for piano, in 1924 - in Poznań - for the poem for an 8-voice choir a cappella “Buzha Morska”, in 1926 in Chicago - 1st prize for piece for mixed choir a cappella “The Return of Spring”. In 1928 in Poznan_ II prize for “Three Songs” for mixed choir a cappella (“Lullaby”, “Blizzard”, “Nocturne”). In 1965, in the USA, Karol Prosnak was awarded the “Gold Medal” for creating magnificent works for Polish choirs. In addition, the a cappella choral work is represented by the following works: “Two Mice”, “The Nightingale and the Rose”, “Saradzin Wedding”. Prosnak wrote two cycles about the sea. The first is “Lullaby”, “Blizzard”, “Nocturne”. The second is “Sea”, “Prelude”, “Barcarolle”. As well as choirs and orchestra - “Prayer of the Trees”, “Wedding”, “Solemn Polonaise”.

Not many works by K. Prosnak have been published in our country, but even from them one can judge the great talent and skill of the composer. Despite the fact that his work has been little studied, his works have become firmly established in the performing composition of many choirs and are studied in conducting classes in higher and secondary specialized educational institutions.

Polish music Prosnak choral

3. Figurative content of the choral miniature “The Sea”

The sea has attracted man since time immemorial. People admired the sea and listened to the sound of the surf. The sea was part of human existence; it both frightened and attracted with its beauty, strength and unpredictability. The image of the sea has always been the object of attention of artists, composers and poets.

The sea became the main theme of the work of Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky, a marine painter who left a great legacy of his work, which one cannot help but admire. He painted about six thousand paintings about the sea. Paintings “The Ninth Wave”, “Sea. Koktebel”, “Rainbow”, “Black Sea” - show the sea in different states. The sea is also represented in the paintings of Claude Monet, Fyodor Alekseev, Van Gogh.

Pushkin, Zhukovsky, Tolstoy, Green, Tolstoy, Tsvetaeva wrote about the sea. F. Tyutchev sang the sea element in his poems:

"How good are you, oh sea at night, -

It's radiant here, It's dark there...

In the moonlight, as if alive,

walks, and breathes, and it shines..."

The image of the sea is also reflected in music. The sea was depicted with particular expressiveness in the works of N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, C. Debussy, B. Britten, A. Borodin. Musical works depicting the sea: the introduction to the opera “Sadko” or the first part of the symphonic suite “Scheherazade. “The Sea and the Ship of Sinbad” - N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov; symphonic sketch “The Sea” by C. Debussy. Fragment “Flight of the Bumblebee” from the opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov.

The sea is shown very figuratively in the choral music of K. Prosnak. The sea in his writings is depicted as sometimes gusty and calm, clear and peaceful. The triptych “Songs of the Sea” was written by Prosnak in 1938. “Songs about the Sea” are small works that require a high level of performance skill from the performers.

To create the triptych, Prosnak chose the soulful poems of Kristina Khrustelskaya.

4. Analysis of literary text

Analysis of the literary text in the generally accepted context in the choral miniature “The Sea” cannot be carried out, because we are dealing with a translation by N. Mickiewicz, which, separately from the musical text, cannot be the object of literary analysis, since there is no usual system of versification. The text is closer to prose, there is practically no rhyme. The poem does not have a specific literary size. It should be noted that the translation is made quite close to the original text. Thanks to a good translation by N. Mickiewicz, the poem retains the sound and visual effects that were used in the original text.

"Sea"

1. The vast expanse of azure waves

A wild wind will howl and come down from behind the clouds.

The chorus of the black abyss will suddenly thunder ominously, Can.

There is confusion in the gray waves, fear…

But again the world is full of light and sun...

The eyes will be enchanted, Oh, sea ​​shine waters,

Darkness of the waters, the depth of the waters and the dawn of the sunrise.

But at least the blue sea is bright,

Thunder will roll around again,

The squall will howl menacingly.

2. There's a path open into the wide world

The sea beckons, calls us into the distance and draws us to itself

Changing colors, depth, then stormy, then clear waters,

Darkness of the waters, the depth of the waters and the dawn of the sunrise.

But at least the blue sea is bright,

Suddenly the winds of storms foam.

Thunder will roll around again,

The squall will howl menacingly.

5. Music-theoretical analysis

Choral work "Sea" written for 6 goals. mixed choir.

Genre- choral miniature.

Form- couplet-strophic.

Texture- predominantly homophonic-harmonic with elements of imitative and subvocal polyphony (bars 1-3, 5-7, 21-23)

Main size- 4/4. 3/4 - in measures 13-25, in measure 26 the main time signature returns.

Choral miniature “The Sea” is part of the second cycle of songs about the sea.

The verses are divided into sections A+B+C+D, where section A is the introduction, B and C are the developing parts, D is the conclusion.

Section A begins with the unison singing of the bass and tenor lines in the key of D major and Largo tempo, which helps introduce the listener to “the vast expanse of the endless sea.” In the second measure, the male choir, sounding on forte, is joined by a female choir, sounding on piano. The opening phrase sounds very expressive (espressivo). The first section ends with a half cadence (T6 - D9-5 -D). The first section is separated from the second rit. and a fermata over the bar line.

The second section (B) begins at a tempo of allegro agitato (fast, alarming), changing the character of the music. There is a transition to the h-moll key. The rhythmic pattern changes, becoming caustic, triplets appear, the rhythm is emphasized by accents. With the words “There is confusion and fear in the gray waves,” the first climax of the verse occurs. The image of the raging sea elements is conveyed by unauthorized chords - II7, IV2. In this section there is not a single resolution in T. This section ends on a pause, which is of great importance; after each section the composer makes a stop so that it is easier for the singers to move to the new section. The end of this part is 3 measures that pass on p in tempo adagio, tranquillo (rather slowly, calmly) The words sound: “But again the world of light and sun is full.” Here there is a bright dynamic contrast between the two sections, p gives the music a different character.

The third section (C) begins with a deviation in h-moll. In this section, the time signature changes from 4/4 to 3/4. The tenor's ostinato "Enchants the Eyes" sounds on pp, and a sustained note appears in the bass. With the words “The sea will be enchanted, ah, the sea will be enchanted by the shine of the waters,” a female choir enters. Due to the sustained sounds, a mystical mood is created “darkness of the waters, depth of the waters.” The section ends with a very light conduction, sounding at a very slow tempo and melodious (molto adagio e cantabile ), and giving some hope. The performance ends with a chord of local tonic.

The third section (C) is separated from the final section (D) by a fermata installed above the bar line.

The climax of the entire work occurs in the fourth section (D). Returns to 4/4 size. The fast and restless tempo (allegro, adagio) helps the listener imagine the reoccurring storm at sea. The rhythm becomes sharp. The male choir uses a triplet rhythm. Then the entire choir sounds on ff in a rather high tessitura. Using a very slow (molto ritenuto) as well as a significant (molto) tempo, the composer masterfully displayed the text “Thunder will roll all around again” with his music. The end of the work on ff “the squall will howl menacingly” increases in crescendo.

6. Vocal and choral analysis, performance difficulties

Type and type of choir. The work “The Sea” was written for a 6-voice mixed choir a sarrella.

Divisi occurs:

· In batch S in volumes 14-16, 30-32

· In batch T in volumes 31-32, 34.

· In batch B in volume 4, 12-13, 16-21

Overall range of the choir:

· S- h-g 2

· A- ais-d 2

· T- H-g 1

· B- H 1 -e 1

Tessitura. If we talk about the tessitura component, then in general it is comfortable. The appearance of high-pitched sounds in parts sounds f And ff, therefore the ensemble remains natural.

Performing difficulties:

Vocal intonation

Moves at wide intervals:

· T t.6-7, 9-10, 23

· In vols. 4-5, 12-13, 16, 28, 34

Long singing on one sound:

· T t. 13-15, 30-31

Singing long sustained sounds:

· In t. 13-15, 16-17

Chromatisms:

· A t.3, 9, 20, 31

· T t. 4, 12, 26-28

· In vol. 10, 24, 26-29, 31

Tempo- metro- rhythmic

In this work, the rhythmic side presents a certain difficulty. There is an alternation of dotted and triplet rhythms at a fast tempo (allegro agitato) in bars 5-7, 11, 26, 28 and 31. The difficulty lies in the introduction of parts after the introduction of individual parts against the background of the sounding texture, as well as the entry of the choir after pauses (7-10). A great difficulty in rhythmic terms is the performance of counterpoint by tenors, against which the rest of the voices sound. (13-15) . With the words “The eyes will enchant,” the size changes from 4/4 to 3/4. The original size is returned in the final section.

Another challenge is the frequent change of pace. Tempo change sequence:

· Largo (1-3t.)

· Ritenuto (4 t.)

· Allegro agitato (26-29 t.)

· Adagietto tranquillo (11-25 t.)

· Allegro agitato (26-29 t.)

· Notevole (30t.)

Molto ritenuto (31-35 t.)

Dynamic

The work uses contrasting dynamics, which helps convey figurative content. The following difficulties should be taken into account:

1. Extreme areas of nuances:

· in 9-10, 30-31, 34-35 bars - ff

· in 13-10, 20-25, 33 bars - pp

2. Contrasting dynamics - comparisons f And p occurs in 1-4 bars.

Diction

To successfully perform this choir, performers must have good diction. Particular attention should be paid to the following difficulties:

· singing short durations at a fast tempo (5, 7 volumes)

· a large number of hissing and whistling sounds. In words such as: ominous, powerful, enchants the eyes, foams, rolls, squall, wide, light, attracts, wanderings of enchantment, meetings, dreams, joys, will return

· difficult to pronounce letter combinations: boundless, howling wind, abyss, suddenly thunder, foam, howl a squall

Fermata

This work uses a couplet-strophic form, so there is a need to differentiate sections. Sections are demarcated using a fermata. They help singers adjust to a new emotional state. Fermats are used over sound: in 12t. - decrescending, combined; in 33 t. - decrescending, removable; in 34 volumes - crescendoing, removable, final. There are fermatas above the pauses at 10, 32, 34 bars and above the bar line at 4, 25 bars.

7. Conducting tasks

The work is challenging both to conduct and to perform.

1. The correct choice of tempo depends on the conductor.

2. A clear outline that anticipates the nature of each section.

3. Accurate display of entries and withdrawals of each game.

4. The conductor must be able to demonstrate all types of sound engineering: staccato, legato, non legato, marcato.

5. The conductor must show all the emotions and images that the composer embodied in this work. In calm parts, the gesture should be soft, but with a sense of will.

Conclusion

Karol Prosnak made a significant contribution to the development of choral performing arts. Due to the fact that Prosnak was the conductor of the mixed choir. Monyushko and the male choir “Echo”; in his creative heritage there are choirs written for various types, types and compositions of the choir.

K. Prosnak is lyrical and romantic in his creative style. The content of his works is predominantly pictorial in nature. In his work, the composer masterfully uses choral timbres. Drawing on the accumulated experience of working in choral groups, the composer skillfully uses the choral sound of a part or the entire choir in a number of works to create an artistic image.

Choral works by K. Prosnak have an important place in the repertoire of various choral groups.

Bibliography

1. http://intoclassics.net/news/2010-11-18-19729

2. http://mirznanii.com/info/polskayamuzykalnayakultur..

3. http://www.vak.org.by/index.php?go=Box&in=view..

4. http://molmk.by/images/Materials/parzhaladze.pdf

5. http://e-notabene.ru/ca/article_80.html

6. Music encyclopedia

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Genres of choral music

Choral singing has the same ancient history as songs. Remember that ancient ritual songs are performed collectively. True, everyone sings the same melody, in unison. For many centuries in a row, choral singing remained monophonic, and the first examples of choral polyphony date back to the 10th century.

In folk music we find polyphony in a drawn-out song. From folk polyphony came the tradition of singing songs in chorus. Sometimes it is simply an arrangement of any song for the choir, and sometimes the songs are written specifically for performance by the choir. But choral song is not an independent genre of choral music, it is one of the varieties of the song genre.

Genres of choral music include:

Choral miniature

Choir concert

Cantata

Oratorio

Choral miniature is a short piece for choir. Unlike choral song, choral miniature has a highly developed polyphony, and polyphonic techniques are often used. Many choral miniatures are written for unaccompanied choir (in which case the Italian term “acappella”).

For example, in V. Shebalin’s choral miniature “Winter Road,” the composer singles out the first soprano part as the main melody. Other voices echo certain phrases. They sing these phrases with chords that act as harmonic accompaniment. At the climax, the texture becomes more complex, the melodic line appears not only in the soprano, but also in other voices.

Choir concert – despite the name, it is not intended for concert performance; it is a concert intended for performance in an Orthodox church during a solemn holiday service. This is a genre of Russian Orthodox sacred music.

A choral concert is not a miniature, but a large multi-part (cyclic) work. This is a choral story in several chapters, each part a continuation of the previous one. Usually there are small pauses between parts, but sometimes parts are performed without interruption and flow into each other. All choral concertos are written for choir “acappella”, since instrumental music is prohibited in the Orthodox Church.

Cantata - a word with the same root as the word “cantilena”, which means “singing”. The name "cantata" (music that is sung) arose in the early 17th century, along with the names "sonata" (music that is played) and "toccata" (music intended to be played on keyboard instruments). Now the meaning of these names has changed somewhat.

Since the 18th century, cantata does not mean any piece that is sung.

A cantata is a multi-movement work for solo singers, choir and orchestra.

The structure of the cantata is similar to a choral concerto. At first, cantatas, like choral concerts, were spiritual works, but not of the Orthodox, but of the Catholic Church. But already in the second half of the 18th century, secular cantatas intended for concert performance appeared. Many spiritual and secular cantatas were written by I.S. Bach.

Oratorio - this word originally meant a completely non-musical genre. An oratory was a room for prayer in churches, as well as prayer meetings that took place in these rooms. The service in the Catholic Church was held in Latin, which no one spoke and few knew. Only educated people understood it - mainly the priests themselves. And so that the parishioners could understand what they were talking about, theatrical performances based on a religious plot were organized - liturgical dramas. They were accompanied by music and singing. It was from them that the oratorio genre arose in the 17th century.

As in the cantata, the oratorio involves solo singers, a choir and an orchestra. An oratorio differs from a cantata in two ways:

Much larger sizes (up to 2 – 2.5 hours)

Coherent narrative plot

Ancient oratorios were created, as a rule, on biblical subjects and were intended for both church and secular performance. In the 18th century, G. F. Handel, a German composer who lived and worked in England for a long time, became especially famous for his oratorios. At the end of the 18th century, interest in oratorios waned. But in England they continued to love Handel's oratorios. And when the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn visited England in 1791, he was captivated by Handel’s oratorios and himself created three oratorios - “The Seven Words of the Savior on the Cross,” “The Seasons” and “The Creation of the World.”

In the 19th century, oratorios were also created, but they were not successful, just like cantatas. In the 20th century, significant works in the oratorio genre appeared again: “Joan of Arc at the stake” by the French composer Arthur Honegger and “Pathetic Oratorio” by the Russian composer Georgy Sviridov based on Mayakovsky’s poems.

Questions for students:

What genres of choral music are there?

Tell us about each of them.

The first secular works for a cappella choir appeared in Russia in the 30-40s of the 19th century (choirs by A. Alyabyev, the cycle “St. Petersburg Serenades” by A. Dargomyzhsky to texts by A. Pushkin, M. Lermontov, A. Delvig, etc.) . These were mainly works of a three-voice style, reminiscent of cantes in the Partes style. The secular choral genre a cappella emerged in earnest only in the second half of the 19th century. Such a late turn by Russian composers to the unaccompanied choir genre was associated with the weak development of non-theatrical organizations in the country and the small number of secular choirs. Only in the 50-60s of the 19th century, in connection with the intensification of the activities of choral groups, mainly amateur ones, composers began to actively write music for them. During this period and in the first decade of the 20th century, P. Tchaikovsky, N. Rimsky-Korsakov, Ts. Cui, S. Taneev, S. Rachmaninov, A. Arensky, M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, A. worked in the genre of secular a cappella choir. Grechaninov, Vik. Kalinnikov, P. Chesnokov are mainly composers of the Moscow and St. Petersburg school. The golden age of Russian lyric poetry played an important role in the development of the genre. It was the flourishing of lyric poetry that stimulated composers to turn to musical and poetic genres and, in particular, to the genre of lyrical choral miniature. After the October Revolution of 1917, the choral culture of Russia and the republics that make up the USSR acquired an exclusively secular (not related to the church) direction. The leading church choirs (the Court Singing Chapel of St. Petersburg and the Moscow Synodal Choir with their regency schools) were transformed into Folk Choral Academies. New professional choirs are being organized. The range of themes, images and expressive means of choral music is expanding. At the same time, many achievements of composers of the second half of the 19th century and the traditions of performing their works are deliberately consigned to oblivion. The a cappella choir genre was not popular during this period, because At first it was associated with cult singing, and then was pushed aside by mass song. Until the 50s of the 20th century, the leading choral genres remained choral song, arrangements of folk songs, choral arrangements of vocal and instrumental pieces, and choral suites. Only from the middle of the 20th century did composers begin to turn to the genre of a cappella choir and, in particular, to the genre of lyrical miniature. M. Koval was one of the first to write a cappella choirs. Then V. Shebalin, A. Novikov, A. Lensky, D. Shostakovich, R. Boyko, T. Korganov, B. Kravchenko, A. began to actively work in this genre. Pirumov, S. Slonimsky, V. Salmanov, A. Flyarkovsky, Yu. Falik, R. Shchedrin, G. Sviridov, V. Gavrilin, M. Partskhaladze. The revival of the genre of a cappella choral music was largely associated with the revival of lyrics - one of the leading figurative spheres of Russian classics in the past (Tchaikovsky, Taneyev, Rachmaninov, Kalinnikov, Chesnokov), since it is in it that the expressive possibilities inherent in the genre are optimally realized: the variety of shades of vocal intonation, harmonic and timbre colors, flexibility of the melodic cantilena of wide breathing. It is no coincidence that the attention of authors of choral music for the first time in the post-war years was concentrated mainly on Russian classical poetry. The most important creative achievements of those years are represented mainly by works based on texts by Pushkin, Lermontov, Tyutchev, Koltsov, Yesenin, and Blok. Then, along with the desire to enter new poetic worlds, to enrich the content of choral works with creative contact with original literary styles, choral music increasingly includes poets who were previously almost never involved as co-authors by composers: D. Kedrin, V. Soloukhin, A. Voznesensky, R. Gamzatov. Innovation in the content of choral music and the expansion of the figurative sphere immediately affected the musical language, style, and texture of choral works. It is noteworthy in this regard that in the 60s of the 20th century, Soviet music was generally characterized by an intensive renewal of means of expression, the use of a number of the latest technical techniques - atonal and polytonal thinking, complex chord structures, sonoristic effects, aleatorics, etc. This is due, first of all, to the democratization of the country's public life and greater openness to world contacts. The process of updating traditions and searching for new means of expression continues in the 70s and 80s. The folklore direction received further development, the traditional genre of choral lyrics was completely restored and updated. Composers of different ages, aesthetic beliefs and schools began to actively turn to the choral genre. One of the reasons for this is the creation of a large number of new professional and amateur choirs and the growth of their skills. The well-known market formula - “demand creates supply” is also valid in the field of art. Having made sure that choral groups had appeared in the country capable of performing works written in a rather complex modern language, composers began to write works for them in the genre of a cappella choir. The new, interesting repertoire, in turn, contributed to the intensification of the concert and performing activities of choral groups. A very important factor that positively influenced choral creativity was the emergence and development of chamber choral performance in the country. Our first chamber choirs arose after the tour of the American chamber choir in Russia under the direction of Robert Shaw, the Romanian and Filipino “Madrigals”. These are relatively small vocal groups that have the qualities inherent in chamber performers (soloists, ensembles): special subtlety, detailed performance, dynamic and rhythmic flexibility. In the early and mid-70s, simultaneously with the emergence of many chamber choirs in the country and the growth of their performing skills, there was a revival of new choral music, which had a beneficial effect on composers' creativity. Chamber choirs developed new layers of repertoire, and composers, in turn, dedicated their works to these groups. Thanks to this, a whole series of works appears in Soviet choral literature, designed not so much for the chamber sound of the choir, but for its performing technique. The main genre and stylistic trends of this period can be divided into two groups. The first is associated with the direct continuation of the traditions of Russian and Soviet choral music within the framework of established forms, the second outlines new paths and makes an attempt to carry out a synthesis of old and new genre features. A special stylistic branch from this channel is formed by works that are in one way or another connected with folklore - from arrangements of folk songs to original composer's opuses with borrowing only folklore text. Along with this, in the 70s, trends emerged such as the use of ancient genres and forms - choral concert, madrigal, cant. Another new trend is the desire to enrich choral writing by bringing it closer to instrumental texture and introducing special forms of vocalization. In the samples of textless music representing this line - all kinds of vocalises and choral solfeggios - an attempt is made to achieve a synthesis of instrumental music and modern choral texture, harmony, and vocal-choral techniques. The main line of development of Russian choral music remains the direction associated with the continuation of classical traditions. The most important features of this trend are the authors’ commitment to national themes and the associated focus mainly on Russian poetry, following the established canons of the genre (as opposed to other trends that, on the contrary, reveal a desire to go beyond the stable range of expressive means). Among the works of this group are cycles and separate choruses based on poems by A. Pushkin (cycles by G. Sviridov, R. Boyko), F. Tyutchev (cycles by An. Alexandrov, Y. Solodukho), N. Nekrasov (cycle by T. Khrennikov), S. .Yesenin, A.Blok, I.Severyanin (Yu.Falik’s cycle), A.Tvardovsky (R.Shchedrin’s cycle). Along with the traditional principle of combining poems by one author in a choral cycle, mixed cycles have recently become increasingly widespread - poems by poets whose work sometimes belongs not only to different movements, schools, but also to different countries and eras. These, in general terms, are the main milestones in the formation and development of the genre of secular choral miniature a cappella in Russia. Choral miniature, like any miniature, is a special genre. Its essence lies in the fact that diverse and changeable content is put into a small-scale form; behind the laconicism of statements and means of expression lies a full-fledged dramaturgy. Within this genre one can find works of various orientations - a song, a romance, a poetic statement, a game, love, contemplative and landscape lyrics, philosophical reflection, an etude, a sketch, a portrait. The first thing a conductor needs to know when starting to learn and perform a Russian choral miniature is that almost all Russian composers, regardless of whether they are adherents of the realistic or impressionistic movement, remain romantics. Their work embodies the most characteristic features of romanticism - exaggerated intensity of feelings, poetry, lyricism, transparent picturesqueness, harmonic and timbre brightness, colorfulness. And it is no coincidence that the bulk of the works of Russian composers in the genre of secular choral miniatures are landscape lyrics based on texts by Russian lyric poets. And since in most choral miniatures the composer acts as an interpreter of the poetic text, in the process of comprehending the composition it is important for the performer to carefully study not only the music, but also the poem. It is known that a highly artistic poetic work, as a rule, has figurative and semantic ambiguity, thanks to which each composer can read it in his own way, placing his own semantic accents, highlighting certain aspects of the artistic image. The performer’s task is to comprehend as deeply as possible the interpenetration of music and words, which is of extremely great importance for the realization of the expressive, emotional and dramatic possibilities inherent in a musical and poetic composition. The synthetic nature of choral music influences not only the content and form of the composition, but also its performing intonation. The laws of musical form in the choral genre interact with the laws of poetic speech, which causes specific nuances of form, meter, rhythm, phrasing, and intonation. The conductor's attention to the size of the verse, to the number of stressed and unstressed syllables and their location, to punctuation marks can provide significant assistance in the metrorhythmic organization of the musical text, the placement of pauses and caesuras, and phrasing. In addition, one must keep in mind that at the performing level, music has much in common with speech, with speech intonation. Both the reader and the musician influence the listener by changing the tempo-rhythm-timbro-dynamic and pitch characteristics of sound, i.e. intonation. The art of a musician, and the art of a reader, is the art of storytelling, utterance. Both arts are procedural and temporal in nature and therefore unthinkable without movement and taking into account temporal patterns. Both in literary expression and in musical performance, the fundamental concepts of the time domain are “meter” and “rhythm”. The metrical stress in verse is similar to the “raz” in music (the heavy beat of a bar, metrical stress). The logical semantic emphasis in poetry is similar to the rhythmic semantic emphasis in music. The foot is similar to the beat. Simple and complex poetic meters are similar to simple and complex meters in music. Finally, a common property of musical and poetic speech is phrasing - a way of separating speech and musical flows, combining sounds, merging them into intonation, sentences, phrases, periods. A poetic and musical text, differentiated by its logical and semantic weight, appears in execution in the form of phrasing waves, where the accentuated elements act as “peaks.” Determining the boundaries of a phrase, duration and limits of phrasing breathing in a choral composition is usually associated not only with the meaning of the poetic text, but also with the relationship between musical and verbal stress. I would especially like to dwell on the importance of careful attention to punctuation marks, since in poetic works punctuation performs not only logical and grammatical, but also artistic and expressive functions. Comma, full stop, dash, semicolon, colon, ellipsis - all these signs have an expressive meaning and require special embodiment both in live speech and in musical performance. A word, a poetic image, an intonation tone can suggest to the conductor not only phrasing, but also dynamic nuance, timbre, stroke, articulatory technique. It is the word that makes the performance truly “live”, frees it from the routine shell and cliches. Only with a careful, attentive, respectful attitude towards the word can it be achieved that “music is spoken” as expressive speech, and the word is sung and sounded like music, the light of which plays in the diamond facets of poetry; to achieve that the music of Pushkin, Lermontov, Tyutchev, Blok, etc. the verse merged with the meaning and figurative-sound beauty of Taneev’s, Cheschenkov’s, Sviridov’s (etc.) intonation. The third very important point that the interpreter of Russian choral music must take into account is the specific Slavic vocal style, which is characterized by richness and fullness of the singing tone, decorated with multi-colored dynamics, and emotional brightness. Polarly opposite is the Western European style, typical of the Baltic and northern countries. This manner is usually defined by the term “non vibrato”. The absence of vibrato creates a kind of “average” sound in tone, devoid of individual originality, but ensuring the rapid fusion of many singers into a harmonious ensemble. What is important for us is the fact that, being primarily a timbre feature of sound, vibrato gives the voice a certain emotional coloring, expressing the degree of internal experience. By the way, about timbre. In choral practice, timbre most often means a certain coloring of the voices of choral parts and the entire choir, some constant quality of the voice, a singing style. We would like to remind you that there are also more subtle modifications of timbre depending on the content, mood of the poetic and musical text and, ultimately, on the feeling that needs to be expressed. The same musical intonation can be sung tenderly, affectionately, lightly, sternly, courageously, dramatically in the same rhythm and tempo. But in order to find the necessary paint, you need to understand the meaning of this intonation, the image and character that it embodies. It is naive to believe that the richness of the timbre palette of a choir depends on the strength of its voices. Not always strong voices have a valuable timbre for the choir (many light voices give the ensemble an interesting coloring). The fat, fleshy, loud sound, so revered in some choirs, is usually associated with an underestimation of the spiritual principle, without which the choir loses its most important strength. In addition, and this is important, the gain in loudness is associated with a loss of flexibility, mobility and ensemble compatibility. This does not mean that strong voices are not needed in the choir. Musically gifted singers with strong voices are a godsend for the choir. However, the main expressive capabilities and power of influence of the choir lie in the richness of choral colors, in the charm, beauty and variability of the choral sound. In general, it should be said that in the field of sound classified as forte, exaggeration and excess are very dangerous. This is especially true for the choir, since its participants, alas, very often consider the strength of the voice to be the main advantage of the vocalist, and sometimes they flaunt it, trying to sing louder than their partner. Of course, a powerful, strong sound enriches the dynamic palette of the choir, but at the same time the sound should not lose its expressiveness, beauty, nobility, and spirituality. The main thing in any type of musical performance is not the absolute strength of the sound, but the dynamic range. While dynamic changes give the sound vitality and humanity, holding a constant volume for a long time often creates a feeling of rigidity, static, and mechanicalness. The dynamic range of the choir depends on the breadth of the range of each singer. Practice shows that for inexperienced singers the difference in voice strength between forte and piano is very small. Most often they perform everything at the same dynamic level - approximately in a mezzo-forte nuance. Such singers (and such choirs) resemble an artist using one or two colors. It is clear that the expressiveness of singing suffers from this. Therefore, conductors should develop piano and pianissimo singing skills in choral singers. Then the boundaries of the choir's dynamic range will expand significantly. Choral dynamics are wider and richer than the dynamics of solo performance. The possibilities of various dynamic combinations here are almost limitless, and there is no need to be shy about using them. In Russian choral music, for example, an articulatory technique reminiscent of a bell hum or echo is often used. It is based on mastery of the technique of gradually changing dynamics. Its essence is the smooth decay of sound after an attack. Concluding this brief review, I would like to say that the key to a correct, objective interpretation of a choral work lies in the conductor’s deep penetration into the style of the authors of the work being performed - the composer and the poet.

9. Genres of choral music

Choral singing has the same ancient history as single-voice singing. Let us remember that ancient ritual songs are sung collectively. True, everyone sings the same melody, sings in unison. For many centuries in a row, choral singing remained unison, that is, in fact monophonic. The first examples of choral polyphony in European music date back to X century.

IN folk music have you encountered polyphony in lingering songs. From folk polyphony came the tradition of singing songs in chorus. Sometimes these are simply transcriptions of single-voice songs for choir, and sometimes songs specifically intended for choral performance. But choral song this is not an independent genre, but one of varieties genre songs.

Choral miniature

Choral miniature is a small piece for choir. Unlike a song, in a choral miniature the polyphonic choral texture is more developed, and polyphony is often used. Many choral miniatures were written for unaccompanied choir (the Italian term is used to refer to unaccompanied choir a cappella“a cappella”).

This is how the Russian composer uses choral texture in the choral miniature “Winter Road” based on poems by A. S. Pushkin (original in B-flat minor):

Allegro moderato. Leggiero [Moderately fast. Easily]

Here the composer singles out the soprano part as the main melody, and the other voices “echo” their phrases. They sing these phrases with chords that support the first soprano part like an instrumental accompaniment. In the future, the texture becomes more complex, and at times the leading melodic line will appear in other voices.

Choir concert

Despite such a “concert” name, this genre not intended for concert performance. Choral concerts were performed in Orthodox Church during a solemn, festive service. This is a genre Russian Orthodox sacred music.

A choral concert is no longer a miniature, but a large multi-part work. But not a series of miniatures either. It can be called a musical “story” in several “chapters”; each new part of the choral concert is a continuation of the previous one. There are usually short pauses between parts, but sometimes parts flow into each other without interruption. All choral concertos are written for choir a cappella, since musical instruments are prohibited in the Orthodox Church.

The great masters of choral concert of the 18th century were.

In our time, secular choral concerts have also appeared. For example, in the works of G.V. Sviridov.

Cantata

You probably already felt that this word has the same root as the word “cantilena”. “Cantata” also comes from the Italian “canto” (“singing”) and means “a piece that is sung.” This name arose in the early 17th century, along with the names “sonata” (a piece that is played) and “toccata” (a piece that is played on keyboard instruments). Now the meaning of these names has changed a little.

WITH 18th century under cantata They don’t understand every piece they sing.

In its structure, the cantata is similar to a choral concert. Like choral concerts, the first cantatas were spiritual works, but not in the Orthodox, but in Catholic Western European Church. But already in XVIII century appear and secular cantatas intended for concert performance. J. S. Bach wrote many spiritual and secular cantatas.

In the 19th century, the cantata genre became less popular, although many composers continued to write cantatas.

In the twentieth century, this genre is being revived again. Wonderful cantatas were created by S. S. Prokofiev, G. V. Sviridov, an outstanding German composer, a modern St. Petersburg composer.

Oratorio

The word “oratorio” originally did not mean a musical genre at all. Oratories were rooms for prayer in churches, as well as prayer meetings that took place in these rooms.

The service in the Catholic Church was held in Latin, which no one spoke anymore. Only educated people understood him, mainly the priests themselves. And so that the parishioners also understood what was being said in the prayers, theatrical performances on religious subjects were organized liturgical dramas. They were accompanied by music and singing. It was from them that arose in XVII century genre oratorios.

As in the cantata, the oratorio is attended by solo singers, choir And orchestra. An oratorio differs from a cantata in two ways: much larger size(up to two, two and a half hours) and a coherent narrative plot. Ancient oratorios were created, as a rule, on biblical the plots were intended both for church, and for secular execution. In the first half, #null became especially famous for his oratorios #null a German composer who lived in England for many years. At the end of the 18th century, interest in oratorio waned, but in England Handel’s oratorios are still remembered and loved. When the Austrian composer Haydn visited London in 1791, he was captivated by these oratorios and soon wrote three huge works in this genre himself: "Seven Words of the Savior on the Cross", "Seasons" And "World creation".

In the 19th century, composers created oratorios, but they were not successful, just like cantatas. They were supplanted by opera. In the twentieth century, significant works of this genre appeared again, such as "Joan of Arc at the stake" French composer, Pathetic oratorio Sviridov based on the poem “Good”. In 1988, a significant event in the musical life of St. Petersburg was the performance of the oratorio "The Life of Prince Vladimir" on an ancient Russian plot.

480 rub. | 150 UAH | $7.5 ", MOUSEOFF, FGCOLOR, "#FFFFCC",BGCOLOR, "#393939");" onMouseOut="return nd();"> Dissertation - 480 RUR, delivery 10 minutes, around the clock, seven days a week and holidays

Grinchenko Inna Viktorovna. Choral miniature in Russian musical culture: history and theory: dissertation... candidate: 17.00.02 / Grinchenko Inna Viktorovna; [Place of defense: Rostov State Conservatory named after S.V. Rachmaninov]. - Rostov-on-Don, 2015. - 178 p.

Introduction

Chapter 1. Choral miniature in historical and cultural context 10

1.1. Miniaturization in musical and choral art: philosophical foundations 11

1.2. Choral miniature in the context of Russian art traditions 19

1.3. Research approaches to the study of choral miniatures 28

1.3.1. A textual approach to the study of the choral miniature genre 28

1.3.2. Choral miniature: a structural approach to the analysis of poetic and musical texts 32

Chapter 2. Choral miniature in the works of composers of the Russian school: historical and cultural background, formation and development of the genre 44

2.1. Musical and poetic mutual influence and its role in the formation of the choral miniature genre 44

2.2. Choral miniature as a theoretical definition 52

2.3. Crystallization of the features of the choral miniature genre in the works of Russian composers of the 19th century 68

Chapter 3. Choral miniature in the musical culture of the 20th century 91

3.1. Genre situation of the 20th century:

sociocultural context of the genre 93

3.2. The evolution of the choral miniature genre in the second half of the 20th century 106

3.3 Main vectors of development of the genre 118

3.3.1. Choral miniature cultivating classical reference points 118

3.3.2. Choral miniature, focused on Russian national traditions 126

3.3.3. Choral miniature under the influence of new stylistic trends of the 60s 133

Conclusion 149

Bibliography

Research approaches to the study of choral miniatures

Why is the philosophical aspect of the problem significant? Philosophical reflection gives an understanding of art as a whole, as well as its individual work, from the point of view of fixing in it the deep meanings associated with the nature of the universe, the purpose and meaning of human life. It is no coincidence that the beginning of the 21st century is marked by the special attention of music science to philosophical thought, which helps to comprehend a number of categories that are significant for the art of music. This is largely due to the fact that, in the light of changes in the modern concept of the picture of the world, in which Man and the Universe are mutually determined and interdependent, anthropological ideas have acquired new significance for art, and the most important directions of philosophical thought have turned out to be closely related to axiological problems.

It is significant in this regard that even in the work “The Value of Music” B.V. Asafiev, philosophically comprehending music, gave it a broader meaning, interpreted it as a phenomenon that unites “the deep structures of existence with the human psyche, which naturally exceeds the boundaries of the type of art or artistic activity.” The scientist saw in music not a reflection of the reality of our lives and experiences, but a reflection of the “picture of the world.” He believed that through knowledge one becomes 1 The term “miniaturization” is not the author’s own, but is generally accepted in modern art history literature. tion of the musical process, one can come closer to understanding the formalized world order, since “the process of sound formation in itself is a reflection of the “picture of the world”, and he placed music itself as an activity “in a series of world positions” (constructions of the world), giving rise to a microcosm - a system, synthesizing maximum into minimum.

The last remark is especially significant for the topic under study, since it contains a focus on the analysis of arguments that reveal the relevance of trends in modern culture, focused on miniatures in art. The foundations of these processes were primarily comprehended in the field of philosophical knowledge, within the framework of which the problem of the relationship between the big and the small - the macro and micro worlds - runs through it. Let's look at this in more detail.

At the end of the 20th century, in world philosophy and science, there was an active revival of traditional philosophical concepts and categories that reflect the integrity of the world and man. Using the analogy of macrocosm - microcosm allows us to consider and explain the relationships “nature - culture”, “culture - man”. This reflection of the structure of life led to the emergence of a new methodological position, where Man comprehends the laws of the surrounding world and recognizes himself as the crown of nature’s creation. He begins to penetrate into the depths of his own psychological essence, “breaks” the sensory world into a spectrum of different shades, grades emotional states, and operates with subtle psychological experiences. He tries to reflect the variability of the world in himself in the sign system of language, to stop and capture its fluidity in perception.

Reflection, from the point of view of philosophy, is “the interaction of material systems, where the systems mutually imprint each other’s properties, the “transfer” of the characteristics of one phenomenon to another, and, first of all, the “transfer” of structural characteristics.” Therefore, the reflection of life meaning in a literary text can be interpreted as “the structural correspondence of these systems established in the process of interaction.”

In the light of these provisions, we will determine that miniaturization is a reflection of the complex, fleeting properties of living matter, “folding,” or a fragmentarily captured process of interaction between systems, conveyed in the formation of the meaning of an artistic text. Its essence is the compactness of the sign system, where the sign acquires the meaning of an image-symbol. Thanks to semantic coding, the possibility of operating with entire “semantic complexes”, their comparison and generalization is created.

Having outlined the problem of the relationship between the macro and microworlds, which is fundamentally important for understanding the essence of miniatures, which took shape in an independent concept by the 20th century, we will point out that philosophy has accumulated a lot of valuable information that allows us to deeply imagine the essence of the genre of choral miniatures. Let's look at them in historical retrospect.

The meaning of the concept of macro and microcosm dates back to ancient times. In the philosophy of Democritus, the combination mikroskosmos (“man is a small world”) first appears. A detailed doctrine of the micro- and macrocosm was already presented by Pythagoras. In an ideological sense, the principle of knowledge put forward by Empedocles turned out to be related - “like is known by like.” Socrates argued that knowledge of the cosmos could be gained "from within man." Assumptions about the commonality of existing man and the universe about Penetrating into the essence of the phenomenon of text miniaturization, let us compare it with a similar phenomenon in internal human speech. Modern science has obtained experimental data that specifies the mechanism of interaction between words and thoughts, language and thinking. It has been established that internal speech, which, in turn, arises from external speech, accompanies all processes of mental activity. The degree of its significance increases with abstract logical thinking, which requires detailed pronunciation of words. Verbal signs not only record thoughts, but also operate on the thinking process. These functions are common to both natural and artificial languages. A.M. Korshunov writes: “As a generalized logical scheme of the material is created, inner speech collapses. This is explained by the fact that generalization occurs by highlighting key words in which the meaning of the entire phrase, and sometimes the entire text, is concentrated. Inner speech turns into a language of semantic support points." can be traced in the works of Plato. Aristotle also talks about the small and large cosmos. This concept developed in the philosophy of Seneca, Origen, Gregory the Theologian, Boethius, Thomas Aquinas and others.

The idea of ​​macrocosm and microcosm became especially flourishing during the Renaissance. Great thinkers - Giordano Bruno, Paracelsus, Nikolai Cusansky - were united by the idea that nature, in the person of man, contains mental and sensory nature and “contracts” the entire Universe within itself.

Based on the historically developing postulate about the correspondence of the macro and microworlds, we conclude that the macrocosm of culture is similar to the microcosm of art, and the macrocosm of art is similar to the microcosm of miniatures. It, reflecting the world of the individual in contemporary art, is a semblance of the macrosystem into which it is inscribed (art, culture, nature).

The dominance of the ideas of macro and micro worlds in Russian philosophy determined the significant guidelines under the sign of which choral art evolved. Thus, to develop the problem of miniaturization in art, the idea of ​​conciliarity is essential, introducing an element of philosophical creativity into Russian music. This concept is initially associated with the choral principle, which is confirmed by its use in this perspective by Russian philosophers. In particular, “K.S. Aksakov identifies the concept of “conciliarity” with a community where “the individual is free as in a choir.” ON THE. Berdyaev defines conciliarity as an Orthodox virtue, Vyach. Ivanov - as an ideal value. P. Florensky reveals the idea of ​​conciliarity through a Russian plangent song. B.C. Solovyov transforms the idea of ​​conciliarity into the doctrine of unity."

Choral miniature: a structural approach to the analysis of poetic and musical texts

Among the historical and artistic processes that influenced the formation of the genre of choral miniatures, we should especially highlight the trends that determined the mutual influence and mutual enrichment of music and poetry. The coordinates of these relationships are different in different layers of Russian musical culture. In folk art, this relationship grew and developed on the parity of the two arts, their synthesis. In cult music the word dominated. In secular professional culture, this relationship was based on the uneven development of poetry and music, where the innovations of one art served as an impetus for the achievements of the other. This process had deep historical roots. “It seems a reliable assumption,” writes T. Cherednichenko, that ancient Russian secular poetry, which arose earlier than prose, was initially associated with melody, “designed for reading, (it) had for each genre a certain, unique manner of intonation.”

The 18th century turned out to be quite fruitful and interesting in the development of musical and poetic interaction in professional creativity. The main poetic and musical genre of this period is Russian cant, which “should be considered as a chamber variety of partes singing.” With its intonation origins, it was rooted in the traditions of Russian folk song, fused with the intonations of everyday singing. As T.N. writes Livanov, “the cant of the 18th century remained the immediate tangible basis of Russian professional art, since it came into contact with all areas of musical culture and at the same time went far into everyday life.”

Russian cant and chamber song, in their heyday, which later gave life to lyrical song, from our point of view, are one of the forerunners of Russian choral miniature, since they revealed the fundamental feature of the genre we are considering, namely the unity of the musical and poetic nature of the musical stanza, developing in the interaction of poetic and musical factors. The poetic word has always strived for imagery, truthfulness, finding it in the depths of the intoned meaning, and the musical tone “looked for truth” in the expression of the figuratively intoned word. After all, as noted by B.V. Asafiev, “in the person himself, in the “organic” of his sound manifestations - both the word and the tone - are equally determined by intonation.” Thus, the cohesion of the two arts was determined by their rooting in one source - intonation. The persistent creative search for artistic truth (especially important for the Russian tradition), based on the organic intonational unity of word and tone, both in music and poetry, determined their further exchange of their means of expression. For the musical type, this led objectively to the approval of new, classical patterns of form, for the poetic - to the strengthening of a new, syllabic-tonic system of versification. Let us consider some stages of the formation of this phenomenon that are significant for us.

Since ancient times, music and poetry have revealed a single principle of organization of musical and poetic structures. Emerging back in the 16th century, verse poetry in its early examples did not organize the syllable positions in the stanza. The verse was asymmetrical, with a poetic cadence - a rhymed “edge agreement”. The structure of the melodies of the Znamenny chant was similar. Melodic phrases corresponded to each other only by endings - unison cadences, which were the organizing element of the form. The monotonous meter in music and poetry was complemented by intonation restraint. The structural unit of a poem of that time is the couplet. The poetic stanza did not have clear boundaries, consisting of couplets; it could be endless, quite amorphous. We see a different situation in music. In musical form, the unit is a melodic phrase. Musical forms of this period reach the level of mastering reprise closed structures. In the process of correlation, they exert their influence on the poetic line, forcing poets to look for semantic capacity in the presentation of the plot of the poem.

But by the middle of the 18th century, at the peak of the popularity of Virsch poetry, changes were brewing. They consist in the appearance of another organizing factor in versification - the equality of the number of syllables in a stanza. This kind of versification came to be called syllabic. It is worth emphasizing that “the transition to equisyllabic syllabic verse was carried out within the framework of song poetry. The poets’ poems were intended to be sung, not read, and were created to a certain type of melody, and sometimes, perhaps, both at the same time.” Among the famous poets of that time who wrote poetry for cants and song poetry, one can highlight S. Polotsky, V.K. Trediakovsky, A.P. Sumarokova, Yu.A. Neledinsky-Miletsky. The composition corps was represented by V.P. Titov, G.N. Teplov, F.M. Dubyansky, O.A. Kozlovsky. It was through the ascetic efforts of these musicians and poets that such active honing of the norms of the Russian poetic language and experimental work on the interaction of the means of expressiveness of music and poetry took place. For example, A.P. Sumarokov, a talented writer of his time, demands from a poet writing songs, first of all, simplicity and clarity:

Choral miniature as a theoretical definition

So, from our point of view, it is the creativity of SI. Taneyev was a milestone in the development of the genre of secular choral miniature. Modern understanding of the great heritage has brought a new, deep understanding of his aesthetic concept, which is still not fully recognized: “the high merits of his music are generally recognized, but the purity of the ideals that determine the long life of Taneyev’s best works has not yet been sufficiently appreciated.” Let us consider some aspects of the musician’s creativity related to secular choral miniatures. To do this, we will outline the creative aspirations of the great artist, emphasizing the angles that are significant for the author’s approach to the genre under study.

As is known, in the field of interests of SI. Taneyev, as a composer and as a scientist, had the creative arsenal of the great musicians of the Renaissance, which was subject to deep analysis, study and artistic re-intonation. The resource of Renaissance polyphony turned out to be relevant for choral miniatures. The combination of several melodies in the simultaneous sound, each of which is equal and artistically significant, has become fundamental in the creation of the choral fabric of secular works. The character and features of thematicism were determined by its vocal nature and inherited a deep root connection with the word. At the same time, the synthesis of polyphonic and homophonic-harmonic textures opened up a new potential for structuring the musical fabric, reflecting “the desire of artists for the uniqueness of the expressed state, for the individuality of expression, and, therefore, the originality of a specific design.”

Taneyev is close to the principle of continuous thematic development; he creates choral music based on a method that “antinomically combines the potential for fluidity, continuity with the potential for clear structuring.” This concept allowed the musician to combine the patterns of fugue and strophic compositions in one form. “The most harmonious choral works are those,” writes Taneyev, “in which contrapuntal forms are combined with free forms, that is, in which imitative forms are divided into parts of sentences and periods.” What has been said is especially significant if we point out that the interest in the multifaceted inner world of a person, which formed the essence of the content of SI music. Taneyev, was actualized in the rich sphere of polyphonic imagery, organically embodied by the artist in the genre of choral miniature.

In order to reveal the essence of the artistic achievements of SI. Taneyev in the field of the genre that interests us, we will carry out a comparative analysis of a number of works, having previously outlined some important, from our point of view, positions outlined in the theoretical research of E.V. Nazai-kinsky, devoted to the genesis of the miniature genre. Let us note the following: the scientist determines the conceptual essence of the miniature by examining “the totality and diversity of phenomena with which the word in question may, in one way or another, be associated.” Among them, he identifies the main, most “reliable criteria that allow one to navigate in this area.” The first in their series, creating a “miniature effect” in a small form, is adherence to the principle of “big in small”. This criterion “is not only large-scale and quantitative, but also poetic, aesthetic, artistic.”

Sharing the opinion of E.V. Nazaikinsky about the fundamental role of this criterion, we will project onto it the analysis of several choirs of SI. Taneyev, in order to identify to what extent the features of the miniature genre are manifested in them. Let us start from the hypothesis that the basic means and techniques of replacing the big with the small cover all levels of the artistic whole, forming the genre specificity of the choral miniature. One of these techniques, method 76

contributing to the artistic compression of semantic energy is generalization through genre. It realizes itself through an associative “connection with primary genres, with the life context.” It is based on the mechanism of borrowing meanings: the genre prototype of the miniature “gives” it generic characteristics and specific features that perform specific semantic functions in the artistic whole. Connection with genre prototypes in SI works. Taneyev is visible, first of all, at the level of thematic material. Its artistic development and processing is carried out through the resources of polyphony. In addition to the primary genres, S.I. Taneyev’s themes often have their origins in ancient Russian singing and are close to the original style of church music, but in any case are based on Russian melodic music.

The clearly expressed national nature of thematicism predisposes to a special capacity of its presentation, the ability for continuous intonational development, as well as variational and variant transformations. For S.I. Taneyev, this wealth of ways to develop thematic material, as noted, has one fundamental basis. We are talking about the composer's polyphonic thinking, which opens up the possibilities of various contrapuntal methods of presentation and development, carried out in the best artistic traditions of polyphonic writing.

To confirm what has been said, let us refer to a number of examples. Thus, in the miniature landscape “Evening” the main theme is in the barcarolle genre. It undergoes active transformation, during which related thematic elements are formed. They “compact” the sound, coloring it with new shades, thanks to intonation and rhythmic changes in the “profile” of the theme in the counterpoints enveloping it. Their gradual switching off towards the end of the piece creates the effect of the sound fading, materializing the transition of nature to the peace of the night. Another example: the dance character of the fiery tarantella, which is inherent in the side theme of the chorus “The Ruin of the Tower,” depicts the “brilliant” past of the old tower. The main theme, which paints a bleak picture of the present, is in deep contrast to it. In the development part, the genre theme that interests us is transformed in an elegiac key; it is thanks to the contrapuntal development that it acquires a shade of sadness and bitterness.

The chorus “Look at the darkness” is based on a song theme. Set out initially in a homophonic-harmonic texture, already in the second performance it is developed through an endless canon. The simulation technique here, as in the previous example, is subordinated to software. The image of nature - the “flickering” of its shades - is conveyed by the play of timbres, thanks to the change of voices, alternately picking up thematic themes and forming “clusters” of imitations. Polyphonic technique is involved in the structuring of the artistic image. Mastery of the complex resource of polyphonic variation techniques capable of conveying the finest expressive shades contributes to “the creation of an airy musical image that perfectly conveys the mood.”

So, let us emphasize that at the thematic level, the principle of “big in small” is implemented through a radical transformation of the primary genre basis of themes in the process of their development based on polyphonic means and techniques, not least of which are the resources of the highest polyphonic genre of fugue.

We will continue the evidential argumentation of the operation of the principle we are studying at the content-semantic level, the disclosure of which is possible through the analysis of the mutual influence of literary and musical texts that reveal a certain commonality of properties. The basis of their content is the “point” fixation of contrasting images, excluding the development phase. Meanings are transmitted to the listener as a sequence of integral images, compared according to the principle of antithesis or identity. E.V. Nazaikinsky presents this as “a confrontation between the poles, which, even without fixing the transitional stages and extensions that usually separate them, can give an idea of ​​the volume of the world contained between the poles.”

The specificity of the implementation of this technique in choral miniature is directly related to the semantic weight of the literary text and consists of the following. The meaningful outline of S.I. Taneyev’s miniatures represents “special” poetic texts that have significant content, dramatic potential, emotionality, and the possibility of rethinking and deepening. A typical example of this approach to the choice of the poetic basis of works is the choirs op. 27 to the poems of Yakov Polonsky, in whose poetry S.I. Taneev saw the necessary “plastic” material for sculpting the image of “clear psychological musicality.” It's no coincidence that B.C. Solovyov emphasized: “Polonsky’s poetry has the properties of musicality and picturesqueness to a strong and equal extent.” Let us analyze the poem “On the Grave” by Ya. Polonsky, which formed the basis for the choir of the same name. Let's give an example of a poetic text.

Main vectors of development of the genre

Taking into account these promises of researchers, consideration of the choral miniature in this section of the work will be aimed at identifying genre transformations at the level of information content of the text. This question seems to be the most important, since it allows us to understand how the content volume of a miniature is formed in the relationship between verbal and musical texts at the background-pitch, lexical, syntactic, compositional levels of their interaction. Let us make the assumption that in the process of modernization of the genre, certain structural features acquired a dominant significance in its development. To accomplish this task, we will use the following analytical operations: we will consider the choral miniature in the aspect of inter-genre interaction, and we will identify the influence of assimilated features of other arts on the internal structural and linguistic system of the work.

So, the gigantic spread of mass communications has introduced an unprecedented audience to cultural values. The colossal expansion of the scope of the sound world was associated with the presentation of music not only as an independent subject of perception, but also with its use as a component of other arts, and not only arts. At times the musical component was a bizarre, incredibly colorful alternation of works and fragments belonging to various styles and genres. This series includes various combinations of music, images and words offered by radio and television: from musical screensavers of radio sections to feature films and documentaries, ballet and opera productions.

The genre of choral miniature also found itself in the orbit of creative searches associated with the birth of various forms of genre synthesis, often carried out at the intersection of different types of arts. Quests related to the achievement of figurative depth, which were sometimes “groped” in distant spheres of art, became a characteristic feature of the era. Let us consider the process of genre interactions, so important for the period of life of the genre under study, using the example of choral miniatures by G.V. Sviridov from the cycle “Five Choirs to the Words of Russian Poets” for mixed choir a cappella. Our attention will be directed to new features of the genre type under study in the individual creative decision of the composer.

So, the choral miniature by G.V. Sviridova, in accordance with the trends of the time, was at the epicenter of inter-genre mutual influences of a dynamically developing new culture, experiencing the influence of other types of arts. The formation of the structural-semantic model of Sviridov’s choirs was associated with the characteristic features of mass song, the source of intonational ideas of which, as is known, was folk music. The refraction of folk melodies in the intonations of Soviet mass and lyrical songs, according to K.N. Dmitrevskaya, makes “the folk basis, on the one hand, more generalized, on the other, more accessible to the general public, since it puts already mastered milestones in the way of their perception of music.” The above allows us to say that Sviridov’s choral works carried an expansion of the social purpose of choral art and stimulated the processes of education and acquisition of a new listener who understands and perceives personal and value meanings in the artistic realities of music. Obviously, these processes prepared the emergence of a choral composition of the lyrical type.

Another important source of renewal of the choral miniature genre was the active inclusion of the choir in a wide variety of genre contexts. Thus, choral episodes are variously inlaid into symphonic music (D.D. Shostakovich, B.I. Tishchenko, A.G. Schnittke, A.R. Terteryan, A.L. Lokshin), into theatrical productions (G.V. Sviridov to the play “Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich”, A.G. Schnittke for the drama “Don Carlos” by F. Schiller, E.V. Denisov for the play “Crime and Punishment”). Such interaction of the choral genre with the symphony and theater could not but leave a mark on the artistic transformations of the choral miniature.

Symphonicism manifested itself in the choirs of G.V. Sviridov as a principle of musical thinking, as dramaturgy, representing the interaction of various figurative spheres and their qualitative transformation as a result of this process. This is confirmed by the composer’s use of the sonata allegro form in the secondary structures (chorus “In the Blue Evening”), the introduction of a system of leitthemes and intonation arches (choruses “In the Blue Evening”, “How the Song Was Born”).

Elements of symphonic thinking also manifested themselves in the peculiarities of textural presentation. In the “Tabun” choir, the figurative contrast of the parts of the work is achieved thanks to a radical change in the texture of the musical fabric. The choral instrumentation of each textured layer is used as a means of musical expressiveness. In the choral miniature “On Lost Youth” we can observe a homophonic type of polyphony, the use of a choral pedal in the “Tabun” choir, and a combination of solo and tutti in the miniature “How the Song Was Born.” The versatility of the textured design is manifested in the combination in the musical fabric of the main thematic structures and the accompanying subvocal elements (the chorus “How the Song Was Born”). In some choirs, the supporting voice acting seems to be quite developed and forms fragments - vocalises (“How the song was born”).

Instrumental art also influenced the field of sound and visual art in choral music. This was manifested in the bright differentiation of timbres, their approach to instrumental coloring (“How the song was born”), in contrasting comparisons of strokes and nuances, in speech and declamatory agogy, in the special role of pauses.

From theatrical art, which so energetically asserted itself in the activities of many theaters of different directions, the choral play adopted dramatic methods of developing musical material: personification of images, their conflictual interaction (the chorus “The son met his father”), the desire for emotional presentation of the word, declamation, speech agogy, the special role of pauses. Oratorio creativity brought an epic element to miniature, which is expressed in the use of a narrative, coupled with figurative comprehension, way of presenting the main events, in the introduction of the main character-reader (chorus “On Lost Youth”).

The development of cinematography was of particular importance for choral miniatures. The specifics of cinematography had a powerful impact on the creation of a dramatic outline in the works of G.K. Sviridova. The concept of building an image in cinema was to use the technique of “montage of frames”. Montage theory was discovered and developed by SM. Eisenstein. Its essence was as follows: “the comparison of two montage pieces is more like not the sum of them, but like a work (italics by the author). It resembles a product - as opposed to a sum - in that the result of the composition is qualitatively always different from each component element taken separately." The great director insisted that the culture of editing is necessary, first of all, because a film is not only a logically connected story, but also the most excited, emotional reflection of life - a work of art. And he considered one of the important means in creating a cinematic image to be the composition of frames, the comparison of which was determined by the artistic whole.