Alexander Dargomyzhsky works. Biography Dargomyzhsky Alexander Sergeevich briefly

Alexander Sergeevich Dargomyzhsky was born on February 2, 1813 in a small estate in the Tula province. The early childhood years of the future composer were spent in the estate of his parents in the Smolensk province. In 1817 the family moved to Petersburg. Despite the modest income, the parents gave their children a good home upbringing and education. In addition to general education subjects, children played various musical instruments and learned to sing. In addition, they composed poems and dramatic plays, which they themselves performed in front of the guests.

Well-known writers and musicians often visited this cultural family, and children took an active part in literary and musical evenings. Young Dargomyzhsky began to play the piano at the age of 6. And at the age of 10-11 he already tried to compose music. But his first creative attempts were suppressed by the teacher.

After 1825, the position of his father was shaken and Dargomyzhsky had to start serving in one of the departments of St. Petersburg. But official duties could not interfere with his main passion, music. By this time, his studies with the outstanding musician F. Schoberlechner belong. Since the beginning of the 30s, the young man has been visiting the best literary and artistic salons of St. Petersburg. And everywhere young Dargomyzhsky is a welcome guest. He plays the violin and piano a lot, participates in various ensembles, performs his romances, the number of which is rapidly increasing. He is surrounded by interesting people of that time, he is accepted into their circle as an equal.

In 1834 Dargomyzhsky met Glinka, who was working on his first opera. This acquaintance turned out to be decisive for Dargomyzhsky. If earlier he did not betray serious importance to his musical hobbies, now in the face of Glinka he saw a living example of an artistic feat. Before him was a man not only talented, but also devoted to his work. And the young composer reached out to him with all his heart. With gratitude, he accepted everything that his senior comrade could give him: his knowledge of composition, notes on music theory. Communication of friends also consisted in joint music-making. They lost and took apart the best works musical classics.

In the mid-30s, Dargomyzhsky was already a well-known composer, author of many romances, songs, piano pieces, symphonic work "Bolero". His early romances are still close to the type of salon lyrics or urban song that existed in the democratic strata of Russian society. The influence of Glinka is also noticeable in them. But gradually Dargomyzhsky realizes an ever greater need for a different self-expression. He has a special interest in the obvious contrasts of reality, the clash of its various sides. This was most clearly manifested in the romances "Night Marshmallow" and "I Loved You".

In the late 1930s, Dargomyzhsky planned to write an opera based on the plot of V. Hugo's novel Notre Dame de Paris. Work on the opera lasted 3 years and was completed in 1841. At the same time, the composer composed the cantata "The Triumph of Bacchus" based on Pushkin's poems, which he soon remade into an opera.

Gradually, Dargomyzhsky becomes more and more famous as a major, original musician. In the early 1940s, he headed the St. Petersburg Society of Lovers of Instrumental and Vocal Music.

In 1844, Alexander Sergeevich went abroad, to major musical centers - Berlin, Brussels, Vienna, Paris. The main purpose of the trip was Paris - the recognized center of European culture, where the young composer could satisfy his thirst for new artistic experiences. There he introduces the European public to his compositions. One of the best works of that time is the lyrical confession "Both boring and sad" to the verses of Lermontov. In this romance, a deep sad feeling is conveyed. The trip abroad played a big role in shaping Dargomyzhsky as an artist and citizen. Upon his return from abroad, Dargomyzhsky conceives the opera Rusalka. In the late 40s, the composer's work reached its greatest artistic maturity, especially in the field of romance.

At the end of the 1950s, great social changes were ripe in Russia. And Dargomyzhsky did not remain aloof from public life, which had a noticeable influence on his work. Elements of satire are intensified in his art. They appear in the songs: "Worm", "Old Corporal", "Titular Advisor". Their heroes are humiliated and offended people.

In the mid-60s, the composer undertook a new trip abroad - it brought him great creative satisfaction. There, in European capitals, he heard his works, which were accompanied by great success. In his music, as critics noted, there was "a lot of originality, great energy of thought, melodiousness, sharp harmony ...". Some concertos, composed entirely of works by Dargomyzhsky, caused a real triumph. It was joyful to return to his homeland - now, on the slope of his life, Dargomyzhsky was recognized by a wide mass of music lovers. These were new, democratic strata of the Russian intelligentsia, whose tastes were determined by love for everything Russian, national. Interest in the composer's work instilled new hopes in him, awakened new ideas. The best of these plans was the opera "The Stone Guest". Written to the text of one of Pushkin's "little tragedies", this opera was an unusually bold creative quest. It is all written in recitative, there is not a single aria in it and only two songs - like islands among recitative monologues and ensembles. Dargomyzhsky did not finish the opera The Stone Guest. Anticipating his imminent death, the composer instructed his young friends Ts.A. Cui and N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov to complete it. It was completed by them, and then staged in 1872, after the death of the composer.

The role of Dargomyzhsky in the history of Russian music is very great. Continuing the assertion of the ideas of nationality and realism in Russian music begun by Glinka, with his work he anticipated the achievement of subsequent generations of Russian composers of the 19th century - members of " mighty handful”and P.I. Tchaikovsky.

The main works of A.S. Dargomyzhsky:

Operas:

- "Esmeralda". Opera in four acts to own libretto based on Victor Hugo's The Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris". Written in 1838-1841. First production: Moscow, Bolshoi Theatre, December 5 (17), 1847;

- "The Triumph of Bacchus." Opera-ballet based on the poem of the same name by Pushkin. Written in 1843-1848. First production: Moscow, Bolshoi Theatre, January 11 (23), 1867;

- "Mermaid". Opera in four acts to its own libretto based on the unfinished play of the same name by Pushkin. Written in 1848-1855. First production: St. Petersburg, May 4 (16), 1856;

- Stone Guest. Opera in three acts based on the text of Pushkin's Little Tragedy of the same name. Written in 1866-1869, completed by Ts. A. Cui, orchestrated by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. First production: St. Petersburg, Mariinsky Theatre, February 16 (28), 1872;

- Mazepa. Sketches, 1860;

- "Rogdan". Fragments, 1860-1867.

Works for orchestra:

- Bolero. Late 1830s;

- "Baba Yaga" ("From the Volga to Riga"). Finished in 1862, first performed in 1870;

- "Cossack". Fantasy. 1864;

- "Chukhon fantasy". Written in 1863-1867, first performed in 1869.

Chamber vocal works:

Songs and romances for one voice and piano on the verses of Russian and foreign poets: "Old Corporal" (words by V. Kurochkin), "Paladin" (words by L. Uland, translated by V. Zhukovsky), "Worm" (words by P. Beranger in translated by V. Kurochkin), “Titular Advisor” (words by P. Weinberg), “I loved you ...” (words by A. S. Pushkin), “I am sad” (words by M. Yu. Lermontov), ​​“I have passed sixteen years ”(words by A. Delvig) and others to the words of Koltsov, Kurochkin, Pushkin, Lermontov and other poets, including two inserted romances by Laura from the opera The Stone Guest.

Works for piano:

Five Pieces (1820s): March, Counterdance, "Melancholic Waltz", Waltz, "Cossack";

- "Brilliant Waltz". Around 1830;

Variations on a Russian Theme. Early 1830s;

- Esmeralda's Dreams. Fantasy. 1838;

Two mazurkas. Late 1830s;

Polka. 1844;

Scherzo. 1844;

- Tobacco waltz. 1845;

- "Eagerness and composure." Scherzo. 1847;

Fantasy on themes from Glinka's opera A Life for the Tsar (mid-1850s);

Slavic tarantella (four hands, 1865);

Arrangements of symphonic fragments from the opera "Esmeralda", etc.

Opera "Mermaid"

Characters:

Melnik (bass);

Natasha (soprano);

Prince (tenor);

Princess (mezzo-soprano);

Olga (soprano);

Swat (baritone);

Huntsman (baritone);

Sang (tenor);

Little Mermaid (without singing).

History of creation:

The idea of ​​"Mermaid" based on the plot of Pushkin's poem (1829-1832) came from Dargomyzhsky in the late 1840s. The first musical sketches date back to 1848. In the spring of 1855 the opera was finished. A year later, on May 4 (16), 1856, the premiere took place in St. Petersburg on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater.

The Mermaid was staged carelessly, with large banknotes, which reflected the hostile attitude of the theater management towards the new, democratic direction in operatic creativity. Ignored Dargomyzhsky's opera and " elite". Nevertheless, "Mermaid" withstood many performances, gaining recognition from the general public. Advanced music criticism in the person of A. N. Serov and Ts. A. Cui welcomed her appearance. But true recognition came in 1865. When resumed on the St. Petersburg stage, the opera met with an enthusiastic reception from a new audience - the democratically minded intelligentsia.

Dargomyzhsky left intact most of Pushkin's text. They introduced only the final scene of the death of the Prince. The changes also affected the interpretation of images. The composer freed the image of the Prince from the features of hypocrisy, which he is endowed with in the literary source. Developed in opera emotional drama Princess, barely outlined by the poet. The image of Melnik is somewhat ennobled, in which the composer sought to emphasize not only greed, but also the power of love for his daughter. Following Pushkin, Dargomyzhsky shows profound changes in Natasha's character. He consistently displays her feelings: hidden sadness, thoughtfulness, stormy joy, vague anxiety, a premonition of impending disaster, mental shock and, finally, protest, anger, the decision to take revenge. Affectionate, loving girl turns into a formidable and vindictive Mermaid.

Opera features:

The drama underlying the "Mermaid" was recreated by the composer with great truth in life, deep penetration into the spiritual world of the characters. Dargomyzhsky shows the characters in development, conveys the subtlest shades of experiences. The images of the main characters, their relationships are revealed in tense dialogic scenes. Because of this, ensembles, along with arias, occupy a significant place in the opera. The events of the opera unfold against a simple and artless everyday background.

The opera opens with a dramatic overture. The music of the main (fast) section conveys the passion, impetuosity, determination of the heroine and, at the same time, her tenderness, femininity, purity of feelings.

A significant part of the first act consists of extended ensemble scenes. Melnik's comedy aria "Oh, that's it, all you young girls" is warmed by moments of warm feeling of caring love. The tercet's music vividly conveys Natasha's joyful excitement and sadness, the Prince's soft, soothing speech, and Miller's grouchy remarks. In the duet of Natasha and Prince, bright feelings gradually give way to anxiety and growing excitement. The music achieves high drama on Natasha's words "You're getting married!". The next episode of the duet is psychologically subtly resolved: short, as if unfinished melodic phrases in the orchestra, depict the confusion of the heroine. In the duet of Natasha and Melnik, confusion is replaced by bitterness, determination: Natasha's speech becomes more and more abrupt, agitated. The act ends with a dramatic choral finale.

The second act is a colorful domestic scene; choirs and dances occupy a large place here. The first half of the act has a festive flavor; the second is filled with worry and anxiety. The majestic choir sounds solemnly and widely, “Like in an upper room, at an honest feast.” Sadness marked the heartfelt aria of the Princess "Girlfriends of Childhood". The aria turns into a bright, joyful duet of the Prince and Princess. Dances follow: “Slavic”, combining light elegiacity with scope and prowess, and “Gypsy”, mobile and temperamental. Natasha's melancholy and sad song "On Pebbles, On Yellow Sand" is close to peasant lingering songs.

There are two scenes in the third act. In the first one, the Princess's aria "Days of Past Pleasures", which creates the image of a lonely, deeply suffering woman, is imbued with grief and heartache.

The Prince's cavatina “Involuntarily to these sad shores”, which opens the second picture, is distinguished by the beauty and plasticity of the melodious melody. The duet of the Prince and the Miller is one of the most dramatic pages of the opera; sadness and prayer, rage and despair, caustic irony and unreasonable gaiety - in the comparison of these contrasting states, the tragic image of the insane Miller is revealed.

In the fourth act, fantastic and real scenes alternate. The first picture is preceded by a small colorfully pictorial orchestral introduction. Natasha's aria "The long-desired hour has come!" sounds majestic and menacing.

The aria of the Princess in the second picture "For many years already in severe suffering" is full of hot, sincere feelings. An enchantingly magical shade is given to the melody of the call of the Mermaid "My Prince". Tercet is imbued with anxiety, a premonition of an approaching disaster. In the quartet, the voltage reaches its highest limit. The opera ends with the enlightened sound of the Mermaid's call melody.

Women's choir "Svatushka" »

In it, the composer very colorfully conveyed the comic-everyday scene of the wedding ceremony. The girls sing a song that makes fun of the unlucky matchmaker.

Libretto by A. Dargomyzhsky based on the drama by A. Pushkin

Matchmaker, matchmaker, stupid matchmaker;

We went to the bride, we stopped in the garden,

They spilled a barrel of beer, poured all the cabbage.

They bowed to Tyn, prayed to faith;

Faith or faith, show the path,

Indicate the path for the bride to go.

Matchmaker, guess, take on the scrotum

Money moves in the purse, red girls strive,

Money moves in the purse, red girls strive,

Strives, red girls strives, strives, red

girls, strive.

Choir "Matchmaker" is playful. This wedding song sounds in the 2nd act.

Genre of the work: comic wedding song accompanied by accompaniment. The choir "Svatushka" is close to folk songs, as there are chants here.

Musical-theoretical analysis

The piece is performed with accompaniment.

Musical form:

The form of the work is 2-part couplet, the 2nd part is 2 couplets, between which there is a loss. The verses are exactly the same in terms of melodic.

1 part

1 verse - 12 tons. loss 2 verse - 12 tons.

1 week 2 weeks 1 week 2 weeks

4 t. 8 t. 4 t. 8 t.

part 2

12 t. 10 t. 12 t.

The texture of the presentation of the work is homophonic-harmonic. The main theme is in the soprano part, while the altos and accompaniment are the harmonic support.

The main key is B-dur. But in the 2nd part there is a deviation in g-minor, then Es-dur, and then again a return to B-dur.

Harmony in the work is simple

Size in product 2/4. It does not change throughout the entire work.

There are many small durations in the work, which gives a light and playful character.

The "Moderato" tempo is (moderately) constant throughout the piece.

The accompaniment plays an auxiliary role, it also emphasizes the liveliness of the scene, the joke of the girls and the clumsiness of the drunken matchmaker. The dynamics of the accompaniment from p to f is very diverse. Sometimes a visual moment is included in the accompaniment. So, for example, in a loss between verses, the accompaniment resembles the tune of a flute that accompanies folk festivals (wind instruments are performed in the orchestra). Independent accompaniment in the loss recreates the mood, connects the parts, serves as a “thematic bridge”.

Vocal-choral analysis.

The score "The Matchmaker" was written for a female 3-voice choir: soprano I and II and alto.

Chorus type: homogeneous female.

The choir "Svatushka" is performed moderately, the method of sound leading is non legato. The main type of attack is soft, non legato, it implies clear diction, clear, close articulation.

Breathing in a work runs along phrases, and in the middle of phrases it is chain, it is intended to get a continuous sound of a phrase and to achieve development in phrases, and, therefore, to achieve an accurate transfer of the idea of ​​the work, inspiration.

The tempo ensemble will depend on the conductor. He must clearly show, with the conductor's gesture, the removal and aftertastes, especially the aftertactics to the second beat, as well as at the end of the work, where a syncopated rhythm is used. The tempo ensemble is continuously connected with the rhythmic one. Its difficulty is in the movement of the rhythm. The pace is moderate, but small durations visually speed it up, you need to develop accurate intonation, the diction ensemble also depends on this, you need to clearly pronounce and pronounce all the words, you can work on diction with the help of tongue twisters. You can also use the text itself. The dynamics are mainly mf and f. The general climax, which is at the end of the work, is expressed in ff. The work also has some climaxes. In a dynamic ensemble, it is important to show development, despite the fact that it is narrow, there should be a contrast.

The timbre ensemble assumes the performance with a light, light sound. The low sounds of the viola should be sung in a high position, without "loading" the sound. It should be noted that the tessitura of the work is very convenient.

The melodic line of the parties is original. The predominance of jumps introduce their own difficulties in execution. There are jumps on hours 4, hours 5, meters 6, b6, hours 8. And not only in the leading voice, but also in soprano 2 and altos.

In addition to the horizontal melodic system, it is necessary to create, build a vertical harmonic system in the work, which is the correct intonation of consonances, chords in their sequential movement. The parties must listen, "adjust" to each other, align the chords, i.e. create a harmonic ensemble. In order for the parts in the work to be sung with closed mouth or on the syllable "lu", so that all parts are well listened to.

Some difficulty is the creation of a unison ensemble. There are few such places in the work "The Matchmaker", and nevertheless one should not turn a blind eye to this. When all parties sing in unison, it is necessary to try to remove the sound of all parties, because otherwise this sound will stand out from the general sound.

There are others in the parties vocal difficulties other than those discussed above.

So, for example, the performer needs to remember that in the melody the same sound is repeated at the same height, it must be formed positionally higher than the previous one, as if intoned upwards. This helps maintain altitude.

Another vocal difficulty is the chromatisms that occur in the 2nd movement. They need to pay attention. Semitones should be intoned as closely as possible. The difficulty lies in the fact that semitones are intoned next to whole tones, it is necessary to switch your hearing in time.

The jump to ch8 in violas should be sung actively, but in one position. Violas should not “fill up”, sing low low sounds, they need to sing them in a high vocal position, then there will be no gap between the lower sound and the upper one, the jump will be smoothed out.

Diction: Choir "Svatushka" has a light, playful character, in order to emphasize this, clear diction is needed. Good, understandable pronunciation of words, active articulation is required for all parties.

Proper singing involves stretching out vowels and quickly pronouncing consonants. In the work "Svatushka" there are such words as "bowed", "prayed", "accept", "moves", "strives". Instead of the syllable "sya" it is necessary to sing the syllable "sa", and instead of the combination "tsya" - "tsa".

It is also necessary to exaggerate some consonants in the words "accept", "red".

The work is performed moderately, but the text should be pronounced clearly, although in character - softly.

It is necessary to focus the attention of the choir on the intonation of consonants, they are pronounced in a high position, at the height of the vowels to which they adjoin.

Dynamics: the difficulty will be the dynamic development in the work, because the dynamics in the work "The Matchmaker" is very flexible and varied from p to ff. The most striking dynamics is in 2 parts. ffpfpf, this alternation makes the work brighter. The climax of the work sounds in 2 parts on ff after the introduction to the 2nd beat. The conductor needs to lead the choir, clearly show the development in phrases and to the climax, the choir needs to simultaneously cresc and dim, i.e. create a dynamic ensemble.

Conducting difficulties: The successful performance of this work depends mainly on the conductor, on how clear his gesture will be to the choir.

The gesture should be light, nonlegato, correspond to the character, mood of the work. Particular attention should be paid to backtaks and withdrawals. Auftacts and withdrawals are given in the character softly, calmly, at the climax with a more elastic gesture.

Conclusion:

The final result of the work on this work is the disclosure of the ideological concept to the audience, the reflection of the mood of the work and the scene in the opera.

In addition to being performed in the opera, the work "The Matchmaker" can be performed at creative evenings, at theme evenings dedicated to opera or the work of composers. The performance of the choir "Svatushka" is within the power of both a highly professional choir and an amateur, amateur one.

Many of those who have not smiled at creative luck consider themselves unrecognized geniuses. But only time knows the true meaning of talent - it covers someone with oblivion, and someone it bestows with immortality. The unusual talent of Alexander Sergeevich Dargomyzhsky was not appreciated by his contemporaries, but it was his contribution to Russian music that turned out to be the most significant for several next generations Russian composers.

A short biography of Alexander Dargomyzhsky and many interesting facts read about the composer on our page.

Brief biography of Dargomyzhsky

On February 2, 1813 Alexander Dargomyzhsky was born. It is known for certain about the place of his birth that it was a village in the Tula province, but historians argue about its exact name to this day. However, it was not she who played a significant role in the fate of the composer, but the Tverdunovo estate, owned by his mother, to which little Sasha was brought a few months old. The estate was located in the Smolensk province, not far from the village of Novospasskoye, the family nest of the first Russian classical composer M.I. Glinka with whom Dargomyzhsky will be very friendly. As a child, Sasha did not spend much time on the estate - in 1817 the family moved to St. Petersburg. But later he repeatedly came there for inspiration and the study of folk art.

According to Dargomyzhsky's biography, in the capital, a seven-year-old boy began to learn to play the piano, which he mastered filigree. But real passion his writing became, at the age of 10 he was already the author of several plays and romances. Neither Sasha's teachers nor his parents took this hobby seriously. And already at the age of 14, he entered the service of the newly created Control of the Ministry of the Imperial Court. He was diligent in his work and quickly moved up the ranks. Without ceasing, at the same time, to write music. Romances composed at that time began to conquer St. Petersburg salons and were soon performed in literally every living room. Acquainted with M.I. Glinka, Dargomyzhsky independently studied the basics of composition and counterpoint using the manuscripts of Professor Z. Dehn he brought from Germany.

In 1843, Alexander Sergeevich resigned and spent the next two years abroad, communicating with prominent composers and musical figures of his era. Upon his return, he began to study Russian folklore, especially on the example of the songs of the Smolensk province. One of the results of this was the creation of the opera " Mermaid". In the late 1950s, Dargomyzhsky approached the circle of novice composers, who would later be called " mighty bunch". In 1859 he became a member of the consultants of the Russian Musical Society.

In 1861, after the abolition of serfdom, Alexander Sergeevich became one of the first landowners who liberated the peasants, leaving them the land without collecting cash payment. Alas, human generosity did not make him creative destiny any more successful. Against this background, his health began to steadily deteriorate, and on January 5, 1869, the composer died.

Interesting facts about Dargomyzhsky

• Dargomyzhsky was vertically challenged, thin, with high forehead and small features. His contemporary wits dubbed him the "sleepy kitten." From an illness he suffered in childhood, he spoke late and his voice remained unusually high for a man all his life. At the same time, he sang superbly, performing his own romances with such feeling that once, listening to him, even L.N. Tolstoy. He impressed women with his charm, sense of humor and impeccable manners.
• The composer's father, Sergei Nikolaevich, was the illegitimate son of the landowner A.P. Ladyzhensky, and received his surname from the name of the estate of his stepfather Dargomyzh. The composer's mother, Maria Borisovna Kozlovskaya, came from a noble family, originating from the Rurik dynasty. Her parents refused a minor official in the hand of their daughter, so they got married in secret. 6 children were born in the marriage, Alexander was the third. Sergei Nikolaevich happened to bury his beloved wife, and four of his children, and even two granddaughters. Of the entire large family of Alexander Sergeevich, the only sister, Sofya Sergeevna Stepanova, survived. She also raised two daughters of her younger sister Erminia, who died in 1860. Her son, Sergei Nikolaevich Stepanov, and two nieces became the only descendants of the Dargomyzhskys.

• Sergei Nikolaevich Dargomyzhsky highly valued a sense of humor in people and encouraged the development of this quality in his children, rewarding them with 20 kopecks for a successful witticism or a clever phrase.
• The biography of Dargomyzhsky says that Alexander Sergeevich was never married. There were rumors about his romantic relationship with Lyubov Miller, whom he taught singing. For many years he had a tender friendship with his student Lyubov Belenitsyna (married Karmalina), which is evidenced by the extensive correspondence that has been preserved. Several of his romances were dedicated to the latter.
• All his life the composer lived with his parents. After the death of his father, he lived for several years in the family of his sister Sofya Sergeevna, and then rented an apartment in the same house.
• In 1827, a book of children's poems and plays by M.B. Dargomyzhskaya "Gift to my daughter". Poetry was dedicated to the younger sister of the composer Lyudmila.

• In the Dargomyzhsky family, music sounded constantly. In addition to Maria Borisovna and Alexander, who played the piano, brother Erast owned violin, and sister Erminia - harp.
• The opera Esmeralda was written to a libretto by V. Hugo, translated into Russian by Dargomyzhsky himself.
• The composer taught singing to amateur singers for several years without charging tuition fees. One of his students was A.N. Purgold, wife's sister ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov.
• Dargomyzhsky was an excellent and sensitive concertmaster, reading notes like a book. He learned parts from his own operas with the singers. As a composer, he always made sure that the piano accompaniment of arias or romances was extremely simple to perform and did not overshadow the performer's voice.
• Petersburg burned down in 1859 Opera theatre, which kept the claviers of operas by Russian composers. " Mermaid' was one of them. And it was only by chance that the score was not irretrievably lost - two weeks before the fire it was copied before being sent to Moscow to be performed at the benefit performance of the singer Semyonova.
• The party of Melnik was one of F.I. Chaliapin, he often performed arias from "Mermaid" at concerts. In 1910, at one of the performances, the conductor tightened the pace, because of which the singer himself had to beat them with his foot so as not to suffocate in the arias. During the intermission, seeing the director's approval of the conductor's actions, he left home in anger. He was returned to the theater, and he finished the performance, but a big scandal erupted in the press, and the director of the imperial theaters had to urgently leave for Moscow to correct the situation. As a solution to the conflict, Chaliapin was allowed to direct those performances in which he participated. So "Mermaid" gave the art of Chaliapin the director.
• Some Pushkinists believe that the poet originally conceived The Mermaid as an operatic libretto.

• Money for the production of "The Stone Guest" was collected by all of St. Petersburg. The composer set the price of his opera at 3,000 rubles. Imperial theaters did not pay such money to Russian authors, the limit was limited to 1143 rubles. Ts.A. Cui and V.V. Stasov appeared in the press with coverage of this fact. Readers of the Sankt-Peterburgskie Vedomosti began to send money to buy the opera. Thus it was staged in 1872.
• Today, the composer is occasionally performed in his homeland and is almost unknown in the world. The West has its own "Mermaid" A. Dvorak, which has popular arias. "The Stone Guest" is difficult to perceive, moreover, the connection between music and Pushkin's verse is largely lost during translation, and hence the very idea of ​​​​an unusual opera. Every year, Dargomyzhsky's operas are performed only about 30 times in the world.

Creativity of Alexander Dargomyzhsky

The first works by Sasha Dargomyzhsky date back to the 1820s - these are five diverse piano pieces. From the biography of Dargomyzhsky, we learn that by the age of 19 the composer already had several editions chamber works and romances, and was popular in salon circles. A chance intervened in his creative destiny - rapprochement with M.I. Glinka. Assistance in preparing for the production of " Life for the king kindled in Dargomyzhsky the desire to write an opera himself. But his focus was not on epic or heroic themes, but on personal drama. At first, he turned to the story of Lucrezia Borgia, drawing up the plan for the opera and writing several numbers. However, on the advice of his inner circle, he parted with this plan. Another plot was given to him by the most popular novel of that time, Notre Dame Cathedral by V. Hugo. The composer called his opera " Esmeralda”, she was completed by 1839, but saw the stage only in 1847. For 8 years, the opera lay in the Directorate of the Imperial Theaters without movement, receiving neither approval nor refusal. The premiere in Moscow was very successful. In 1851, Esmeralda was also shown at the Alexandrinsky Theater in the capital, with only 3 performances. Musical circles received the opera favorably, but critics and the public received it coolly. This in to a large extent both careless staging and poor performance contributed.

Dargomyzhsky writes romances, including unique works of the comic genre, and the cantata " Triumph of Bacchus on Pushkin's poems. It was performed only once, then reworked into an opera-ballet, but in this form it lay in notes for about 20 years without receiving approval for staging. Dejected by such a fate of their great writings, the composer with difficulty set about writing a new opera, also on Pushkin's plot. « Mermaid"was created over 7 years. Alexander Sergeevich received a creative impulse from a concert in 1853, at which the public grandiosely accepted his works, and he himself was awarded a silver bandmaster's baton, decorated with precious stones. "Mermaid" was staged rather soon - in 1856, a year after graduation. But just as quickly, she left the stage - after only 11 performances, although in general the audience liked it. The staging was again very bad, with old costumes and sets from the selection. Mariinskii Opera House turned to it again in 1865, a very successful renewal was led by E.F. Guide.

The 1860s brought to the composer's work new round. Several symphonic works with whom he traveled to Europe. The overture from The Mermaid and the symphonic fantasy performed in Belgium were warmly received. Cossack". Returning to St. Petersburg, Dargomyzhsky again turns to the plot of his great namesake - Pushkin. AT " stone guest» there is no own libretto, the music is written directly to the text of the poet. Additionally, two songs by Laura have been added, one of which is also based on Pushkin's poems. The composer did not have time to finish this work, bequeathing to finish his last work C. Cui, and to orchestrate - N. Rimsky-Korsakov. The premiere of "The Stone Guest" took place three years after the death of Alexander Sergeevich. As has been the case on many occasions, opinions differed about this groundbreaking work. First of all, because few people could see behind the unusual form of recitatives that replaced arias and ensembles, the exact correspondence of music to the rhythm of Pushkin's verse and the drama of his characters.

Cinema turned to the work of Alexander Sergeevich only twice. In 1966, Vladimir Gorikker filmed the film of the same name based on the opera The Stone Guest. Starring V. Atlantov, I. Pechernikova (singing T. Milashkina), E. Lebedev (singing A. Vedernikov), L. Trembovelskaya (singing T. Sinyavskaya). In 1971, the film-opera "Mermaid" was released with E. Suponev (I. Kozlovsky sings), O. Novak, A. Krivchenya, G. Koroleva.

Not the first, like Glinka, not brilliant, like Mussorgsky, not prolific like Rimsky-Korsakov... Distressed and frustrated by the difficulties he encountered in trying to present his operas to the judgment of the audience. What is the main significance of Dargomyzhsky for national music? The fact that, having distanced himself from the powerful influence of the Italian and French composer schools, he went in art in a unique way, following only his own aesthetic tastes, without indulging the public. By making sound and word inextricably linked. Very little time will pass, and both Mussorgsky and Richard Wagner. He was honest and did not betray his ideals, and time showed the significance of his work, putting the name of Dargomyzhsky among the best Russian composers.

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(1813-1869) Russian composer

A contemporary of Pushkin and Lermontov, a friend of Glinka and Varlamov, a senior colleague of Mussorgsky, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov, Alexander Dargomyzhsky was a brilliant pianist and violinist, in Hard times worked as a singing teacher, collaborated with the Iskra magazine, and was chairman of the St. Petersburg branch of the Russian Musical Society. But for us, he is primarily a composer, one of the founders of classical Russian music.

A. Dargomyzhsky was born in a difficult time for Russia: Patriotic War 1812. Their family then lived in the Tula province with relatives. Returning home, Dargomyzhsky's father threw himself into business. In May 1816, a commission was set up to investigate abuses in the distribution of government benefits for the devastated Smolensk province. Participation in this commission brought S. Dargomyzhsky not only the respect and gratitude of fellow countrymen, but also the rank of collegiate secretary and the Order of St. Anna of the third degree. This was followed by an invitation to serve in St. Petersburg - in the State Commercial Bank. In a new place, Sergei Nikolayevich advanced to the rank of court adviser, but in 1826 he was fired without any explanation. After a long red tape, he received a position as an official for special assignments at the Ministry of the Imperial Court.

A modest salary, of course, was not enough to support a large family and educate children, but income from the estates of his wife and her brother helped. Dargomyzhsky's mother came from a family of princes Kozlovsky. She was an intelligent woman, endowed with a lively and cheerful character, kind and loving heart. She received the usual home education for that time, had a penchant for literature, composed poems that were even published in magazines and almanacs (one of them was placed in A. Delvig's almanac "Northern Flowers" in 1825).

Parents zealously cared about the fate of their children and sought to give them a versatile education. On the recommendation of acquaintances, the best teachers were invited to the house, and the father never spared money for this. Much attention was paid to music in the Dargomyzhsky family. My brother played the violin, my sister played the harp. In 1819 Sasha was taught to play the piano. Noticing the child's inclination towards music, the parents invited a more experienced teacher.

In addition to the fact that the children of the Dargomyzhskys studied literature, history, and foreign languages, their parents encouraged them to compose poetry and translate from French. Children's literary albums were full of fables, parables, epigrams. Mother wrote small plays, which were played by the whole family.

For three years, from 1828 to 1831, Sasha studied with the Austrian musician Schoberlechner. Already in the thirties, Dargomyzhsky was considered a very strong pianist in St. Petersburg. Although the father, not without reason, feared that music lessons son, even the most successful, will not be able to provide him financially. Therefore, he began to worry early about his service career.

When Alexander was fourteen years old, he was assigned to public service. In September 1827, the young official began his duties in the office, at first without a monetary reward - they began to pay him only two years later. True, this service was not too burdensome for Dargomyzhsky. He served under the command of his father's good friends, besides, they were great music lovers and did not interfere with Alexander's art. AT track records the zeal of the young clerk was noted, and he was regularly promoted: in 1829 Dargomyzhsky became a collegiate registrar, three years later - a provincial secretary, and then - a junior assistant controller. After that, he moved to the department of the Ministry of Finance - a clerical officer of the State Treasury. He finished his service in 1843, having retired with the rank of titular adviser.

In the thirties, disaster struck in the Dargomyzhsky family: two sons and a son-in-law died, a few years later a daughter and her child died. Because of these sad events, the Dargomyzhskys almost did not accept anyone, and therefore the grown-up Alexander, accustomed to home concerts from childhood, often visited literary and musical salons of his acquaintances. Watching with interest metropolitan life, the young Dargomyzhsky became more and more close to the circle of the creative intelligentsia of St. Petersburg. He visited the houses of the poet I. Kozlov, V. Odoevsky, visited the literary salon of the writer and historian N.M. Karamzin, where his widow and daughters led brilliant meetings. Here he played the piano and sang his romances with Karamzin's daughter, accompanied. It is believed that here he could also meet Lermontov, whose poems he loved very much. huge role in creative life Dargomyzhsky played a long-term friendship with M.I. Glinka.

Long conversations with Glinka and other composers strengthened Dargomyzhsky in his decision to write onera, and he set to work. He wrote his first opera Esmeralda for about four years and completed work on it in 1842, but it was staged in Moscow in Bolshoi Theater only five years later. I must say that the composer himself was not very pleased with his music.

In 1844 Dargomyzhsky went abroad for the first time. He visited Berlin, then went to Brussels, to Paris, played excerpts from his opera, romances, piano works. Returning to his homeland, the musician again plunged into work. At this time, he wrote many romances, gave charity concerts in memory of his friend composer A. Varlamov, in order to support his family. But the main thing for him was work on the new opera "Mermaid". In 1855, Dargomyzhsky finished writing the opera, and on May 4, 1856, it premiered. However, this time the composer was dissatisfied with the staging of his work, the sound of the orchestra.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he began to contribute to the democratic magazine Iskra. He showed the gift of a satirist, and he mostly wrote feuilletons in collaboration with one of the journalists. During these years, Dargomyzhsky decided to write a satirical novel, Confessions of a Liberal. However, this work remained unfinished, known only start page novel.

In 1864, another misfortune happened: Dargomyzhsky's father, his support and chief adviser, died. Having no family of his own, the composer lived all his life side by side with his father, whom he loved and respected very much. The father conducted the economic and financial affairs of his son, he was also responsible for managing the estate of his late wife, from where the family received the main means of subsistence.

In the last years of his life, the composer worked hard on the opera The Stone Guest, completely preserving the text of A.S. Pushkin. But he already felt unwell and more than once told his friends that he would like to transfer The Stone Guest for completion and staging to Caesar Antonovich Cui. He asked Rimsky-Korsakov to instrument the opera.

Soberly assessing the patient's condition, the friends still did not lose hope that Dargomyzhsky would have time to complete the work. At some moments he felt better, and then in the composer's apartment they again played and sang, and not only the works of the owner of the house. So, in November 1868, Mussorgsky introduced his friends to fragments from the new opera Boris Godunov, which Dargomyzhsky accepted with keen interest and said that Mussorgsky in this opera goes much further than him. He especially liked the scenes at the Novodevichy Convent and in the tavern.

Temporary improvement, however, was soon replaced by a new onset of illness, which eventually bedridden the composer. Now he wrote lying down, barely holding a naughty pencil with weak hands, suffering from unbearable pain in his chest: as he himself said, every breath "cut with a knife." And yet he continued to write, in a hurry to finish his last work.

The composer died at the very beginning of 1869. On January 9, a memorial service was held at the Semyonovskaya Church on Mokhovaya Street, which brought together the entire musical Petersburg: composers, colleagues of Dargomyzhsky in Russian musical society, his students are students of the conservatory, friends, artists and simply admirers of the composer's talent. Dargomyzhsky was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Fulfilling his will, the composers C. Cui and N. Rimsky-Korsakov completed his opera The Stone Guest in September 1869. Then Cui proposed to the directorate of the Mariinsky Theater that the opera be staged with the line-up of performers that the author himself wanted to see. This opera has become the pinnacle of creativity of the talented composer, it clearly shows the author's desire to create a strong fusion of music and text, to look for new operatic forms, and above all a special, melodic recitative.

Evaluating all the work of the last year of Dargomyzhsky's life, the Russian musical critic Stasov wrote: “This victory of the spirit over the body, this triumph of the spirit over the most unbearable suffering, this boundless devotion to the cause, with which the soul alone is full, is this not greatness! Indeed, such colossal creations as the “Stone Guest” can only come from the head of someone for whom the creation of his creative spirit is everything, all life, all love, all his existence.

Since then, the music of Dargomyzhsky, whom Mussorgsky called "the great teacher of musical truth", has been one of the best pages of Russian classical culture.

Alexander Sergeevich Dargomyzhsky was born on February 2, 1813 in the village of Troitskoye, Tula province. For the first four years of his life, he was away from St. Petersburg, but it was this city that left the deepest imprint on his mind.

The Dargomyzhsky family had six children. Parents made sure that they all received a broad humanitarian education. Alexander Sergeevich received a home education, he never studied in any educational institution. His only source of knowledge was his parents, large family and home teachers. They were the environment that shaped his character, tastes and interests.

Alexander Sergeevich Dargomyzhsky

Music occupied a special place in the upbringing of children in the Dargomyzhsky family. Her parents gave her great importance, believing that it is the beginning, softening morals, acting on feelings and educating hearts. Children learned to play various musical instruments.

Little Sasha at the age of 6 began to learn to play the piano from Louise Wolgeborn. Three years later, the then-famous musician Andrian Trofimovich Danilevsky became his teacher. In 1822, the boy began to learn to play the violin. Music became his passion. Despite the fact that he had to learn a lot of lessons, Sasha at about 11 or 12 years old already began to compose small piano pieces and romances himself. An interesting fact is that the boy's teacher, Danilevsky, was categorically against his writing, and there were even cases when he tore up manuscripts. Subsequently, for Dargomyzhsky was hired famous musician Schoberlechner, who completed his education in piano playing. In addition, Sasha took vocal lessons from a singing teacher named Zeibich.

In the late 1820s, it became finally clear that Alexander had a great passion for composing music.

In September 1827, Alexander Sergeevich was enrolled in the control of the Ministry of the Court for the position of clerk, but without salary. By 1830, all of St. Petersburg knew Dargomyzhsky as a strong pianist. No wonder Schoberlechner considered him his best student. Since that time, the young man, despite departmental duties and music lessons, began to pay more and more attention to social entertainment. It is not known how the fate of Dargomyzhsky the musician would have developed if Providence had not brought him together with Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka. This composer managed to guess the real vocation of Alexander.

They met in 1834 at Glinka's apartment, and all evening they talked animatedly and played the piano. Dargomyzhsky was amazed, fascinated and stunned by Glinka's playing: he had never heard such softness, smoothness and passion in sounds. After this evening, Alexander becomes a frequent visitor to Glinka's apartment. Despite the difference in age, close relationships were established between the two musicians. friendly relations that lasted 22 years.

Glinka tried to help Dargomyzhsky master the art of composing as best as possible. For this, he gave him his notes on music theory, which he was taught by Siegfried Den. Alexander Sergeevich and Mikhail Ivanovich met just at the time when Glinka was working on the opera Ivan Susanin. Dargomyzhsky helped his older friend a lot: he got the instruments needed for the orchestra, learned the parts with the singers and rehearsed with the orchestra.

In the 1830s, Dargomyzhsky wrote many romances, songs, duets, etc. Pushkin's poetry became a fundamental moment in artistic formation composer. Such romances as “I loved you”, “Young man and maiden”, “Vertograd”, “Night marshmallow”, “The fire of desire burns in the blood” were written to the poems of the brilliant poet. In addition, Alexander Sergeevich also wrote in civilian, social topics. A prime example this can be the fantasy song "Wedding", which has become one of the favorite songs of student youth.

Dargomyzhsky was a frequenter of various literary salons, often appeared on secular parties and in art circles. There he played the piano a lot, accompanied singers, and sometimes sang new vocal pieces himself. In addition, he sometimes participated in quartets as a violinist.

At the same time, the composer decided to write an opera. He wanted to find a plot with strong human passions and experiences. That is why he chose the novel by V. Hugo "Notre Dame Cathedral". By the end of 1841, work on the opera was completed, as reported in the newspaper "Various News". In a short note, the author wrote that Dargomyzhsky had completed the opera Esmeralda, which was accepted by the directorate of St. Petersburg theaters. It was also reported about the imminent production of the opera on the stage of one of the theaters. But one year passed, then another, a third, and the score of the opera lay somewhere in the archive. No longer hoping for a production of his work, Alexander Sergeevich in 1844 decided to go abroad.

In December 1844 Dargomyzhsky arrived in Paris. The purpose of his trip was to get acquainted with the city, its inhabitants, way of life, culture. From France, the composer wrote many letters to his relatives and friends. Alexander Sergeevich regularly visited theaters, where he most often listened to French operas. In a letter to his father, he wrote: “French opera can be compared to the ruins of an excellent Greek temple ... but meanwhile the temple no longer exists. I can be fully convinced that the French opera could compare and surpass any Italian, but still I judge by one fragment.

Six months later, Dargomyzhsky returned to Russia. During these years, socio-political contradictions intensified in the homeland. One of the main tasks of art has become the truthful disclosure of irreconcilable differences between the world of the rich and ordinary people. Now the hero of many works of literature, painting and music is a person who came out of the middle and lower strata of society: an artisan, a peasant, a petty official, a poor tradesman.

Alexander Sergeevich also devoted his work to showing the life and way of life of ordinary people, to a realistic disclosure of their spiritual world, and to exposing social injustice.

Not only the lyrics sound in Dargomyzhsky's romances to the words of Lermontov "Both boring and sad" and "I'm sad." In order to fully understand and comprehend the meaning of the first of the above-mentioned romances, one must remember how these verses of Lermontov sounded during these years. The composer, however, sought to emphasize in the work the significance and weight of not only every phrase, but almost every word. This romance is an elegy that resembles an oratorical speech set to music. There were no such romances in Russian music. It would be more correct to say that this is a monologue of one of the lyrical Lermontov's heroes.

Another lyrical monologue of Lermontov - "I'm sad" - is built on the same principle of combining song and recitation as the first romance. These are not reflections of the hero alone with himself, but an appeal to another person, filled with sincere warmth and affection.

One of the most important places in the works of Dargomyzhsky are songs written to the words of the songwriter A. V. Koltsov. These are sketch songs showing life ordinary people their feelings and experiences. For example, the lyrical song-complaint "Without Mind, Without Mind" tells about the fate of a peasant girl who was forcibly married to an unloved one. The song "Fever" is almost the same in character. In general, most of the songs and romances of Dargomyzhsky are devoted to the story of a difficult female lot.

In 1845, the composer began work on the opera Mermaid. He worked on it for 10 years. The work was uneven: in the first years the author was busy studying folk life and folklore, then he moved on to compiling the script and libretto. The writing of the work progressed well in 1853 - 1855, but at the end of the 1850s, work almost stopped. There were many reasons for this: the novelty of the task, creative difficulties, the tense socio-political situation of that era, as well as the indifference to the composer's work on the part of the directorate of theaters and society.

An excerpt from the romance "I'm sad" by A. S. Dargomyzhsky

In 1853, Alexander Sergeevich wrote to V. F. Odoevsky: “To the best of my ability and ability, in my Mermaid I am working on the development of our dramatic elements. I will be happy if I manage to do this at least half against Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka ... "

On May 4, 1856, the first performance of The Mermaid was given. The performance was attended by the then young Leo Tolstoy. He sat in the same box with the composer. The opera aroused wide interest and attracted the attention of not only musicians, but also a diverse listener. However, the performance did not receive a special visit. royal family and high Petersburg society, in connection with which, since 1857, it began to be given less and less, and then completely removed from the stage.

An article devoted to Dargomyzhsky's opera "Mermaid" appeared in the journal "Russian Musical Culture". Here is what the author said in it: “The Rusalka is the first significant Russian opera that appeared after Glinka’s Ruslan and Lyudmila. At the same time, this is an opera of a new type - a psychological everyday musical drama ... By revealing the complex chain of relationships between the actors, Dargomyzhsky achieves special completeness and versatility in depicting human characters ... "

Alexander Sergeevich, according to his contemporaries, for the first time in Russian opera embodied not only the social conflicts of that time, but also internal contradictions human personality, that is, the ability of a person to be different in certain circumstances. P. I. Tchaikovsky highly appreciated this work, saying that in a number of Russian operas it occupies the first place after the brilliant operas of Glinka.

1855 was a turning point in life Russian people. Has just been lost Crimean War, despite the 11-month defense of Sevastopol. This defeat of tsarist Russia revealed the weakness of the serf system and became the last straw that overflowed the cup of people's patience. A wave of peasant riots passed through Russia.

During these years, journalism flourished. A special position among all publications was occupied by the satirical magazine Iskra. Almost from the moment the journal was created, Dargomyzhsky was a member of the editorial board. Many in St. Petersburg knew about his satirical talent, as well as about his socially accusatory orientation in his work. Many notes and feuilletons about theater and music were written by Alexander Sergeevich. In 1858, he composed the dramatic song "Old Corporal", which was both a monologue and a dramatic scene. It sounded an angry denunciation of the social system, which allows violence of man against man.

The Russian public also paid much attention to Dargomyzhsky's comic song "Chervyak", which tells about a petty official who grovels in front of a illustrious count. The composer also achieved vivid figurativeness in "Titular Counselor". This work is nothing more than a small vocal picture showing the unfortunate love of a modest official for an arrogant general's daughter.

In the early 60s, Alexander Sergeevich created a number of compositions for symphony orchestra. Among them we can name the "Ukrainian Cossack", which echoes Glinka's "Kamarinskaya", as well as "Baba Yaga", which is the first program orchestral composition in Russian music, containing sharp, ornate, sometimes simply comical episodes.

At the end of the 60s, Dargomyzhsky took up composing the opera The Stone Guest based on the verses of A. S. Pushkin, which, in his opinion, became a “swan song”. Having opted for this work, the composer set himself a huge, complex and new task- to keep intact the full text of Pushkin and, without composing the usual operatic forms (arias, ensembles, choirs), write music to it, which would consist of only recitatives. Such work was up to the musician who perfectly mastered the abilities of the musical transformation of a living word into music. Dargomyzhsky coped with this. He not only presented a work that has an individual musical language for each character, but also managed to depict the habits of the characters, their temperament, manner of speech, mood swings, etc., with the help of recitative.

Dargomyzhsky repeatedly told his friends that if he died before completing the opera, then Cui would complete it, and Rimsky-Korsakov would instrument it. On January 4, 1869, Borodin's First Symphony was performed for the first time. Alexander Sergeevich at that time was already seriously ill and did not go anywhere. But he was keenly interested in the success of the new generation of Russian musicians, he wanted to hear about their work. While the rehearsals of the First Symphony were going on, Dargomyzhsky asked everyone who came to visit him about the preparations for the performance of the work. He wanted to be the first to hear about how it was received by the general public.

Fate did not give him this chance, because on January 5, 1869, Alexander Sergeevich died. On November 15, 1869, the opera The Stone Guest was shown in full at a regular evening with his friends. According to the author's will, Cui and Rimsky-Korsakov took away the manuscript of the opera immediately after his death.

Dargomyzhsky was a bold innovator in music. He was the first of all composers to capture the theme of great social acuteness in his compositions. Since Alexander Sergeevich was a subtle psychologist, distinguished by remarkable powers of observation, he was able to create a wide and varied gallery of human images in his works.

Menshikov Alexander Sergeevich Menshikov (Alexander Sergeevich, 1787 - 1869) - Admiral, Adjutant General, His Grace Prince. First he joined the diplomatic corps, then he entered the military service and was the adjutant of Count Kamensky. In 1813 he was in the retinue of Emperor Alexander I and