Domestic composers of the second half of the 20th century. The most famous composers in the world

World classical music is unthinkable without the works of Russian composers. Russia, a great country with talented people and its cultural heritage, has always been among the leading locomotives of world progress and art, including music. The Russian school of composers, whose traditions were continued by the Soviet and today's Russian schools, began in the 19th century with composers who combined European musical art with Russian folk melodies, linking together the European form and the Russian spirit.

A lot can be said about each of these famous people, all of them have not simple, and sometimes tragic fates, but in this review we have tried to give only a brief description of the life and work of composers.

1.Mikhail Ivanovich GLINKA (1804—1857)

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka is the founder of Russian classical music and the first domestic classical composer to achieve world fame. His works, based on the centuries-old traditions of Russian folk music, were a new word in the musical art of our country.
Born in the Smolensk province, educated in St. Petersburg. The formation of the worldview and the main idea of ​​​​Mikhail Glinka's work was facilitated by direct communication with such personalities as A.S. Pushkin, V.A. Zhukovsky, A.S. Griboyedov, A.A. Delvig. The creative impetus to his work was added by a long trip to Europe in the early 1830s and meetings with the leading composers of the time - V. Bellini, G. Donizetti, F. Mendelssohn and later with G. Berlioz, J. Meyerbeer. Success came to M.I. Glinka after the production of the opera "Ivan Susanin" ("Life for the Tsar") (1836), which was enthusiastically received by everyone, for the first time in world music, Russian choral art and European symphonic and operatic practice were organically combined, as well as a hero appeared, similar to Susanin, whose image summarizes the best features of the national character. VF Odoevsky described the opera as "a new element in Art, and a new period begins in its history - the period of Russian music."
The second opera - the epic "Ruslan and Lyudmila" (1842), the work on which was carried out against the backdrop of Pushkin's death and in the difficult living conditions of the composer, due to the deeply innovative nature of the work, was ambiguously received by the audience and the authorities and brought M.I. Glinka hard feelings . After that, he traveled a lot, living alternately in Russia and abroad, without stopping composing. Romances, symphonic and chamber works remained in his legacy. In the 1990s, Mikhail Glinka's "Patriotic Song" was the official anthem of the Russian Federation.

Quote by M.I. Glinka: "In order to create beauty, one must be pure in soul."

Quote about M.I. Glinka: "The entire Russian symphonic school, like the whole oak tree in an acorn, is contained in the symphonic fantasy "Kamarinskaya". P.I. Tchaikovsky

An interesting fact: Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka did not differ in good health, despite this he was very easy-going and knew geography very well, perhaps if he had not become a composer, he would have become a traveler. He knew six foreign languages, including Persian.

2. Alexander Porfiryevich BORODIN (1833—1887)

Alexander Porfirievich Borodin, one of the leading Russian composers of the second half of the 19th century, in addition to his talent as a composer, was a chemist, doctor, teacher, critic and had a literary talent.
Born in St. Petersburg, from childhood, everyone around him noted his unusual activity, enthusiasm and abilities in various directions, primarily in music and chemistry. A.P. Borodin is a Russian nugget composer, he did not have professional musician teachers, all his achievements in music are due to independent work on mastering the technique of composing. The formation of A.P. Borodin was influenced by the work of M.I. Glinka (as well as all Russian composers of the 19th century), and two events gave the impetus to dense occupation of composition in the early 1860s - firstly, the acquaintance and marriage with the talented pianist E.S. Protopopova, and secondly, the meeting with M.A. Balakirev and joining the creative community of Russian composers, known as the "Mighty Handful". In the late 1870s and 1880s, A.P. Borodin traveled and toured extensively in Europe and America, met with the leading composers of his time, his fame grew, he became one of the most famous and popular Russian composers in Europe at the end of the 19th century. th century.
The central place in the work of A.P. Borodin is occupied by the opera "Prince Igor" (1869-1890), which is an example of the national heroic epic in music and which he himself did not have time to finish (it was completed by his friends A.A. Glazunov and N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov). In "Prince Igor", against the backdrop of majestic pictures of historical events, the main idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe entire work of the composer was reflected - courage, calm grandeur, spiritual nobility of the best Russian people and the mighty strength of the entire Russian people, manifested in the defense of the motherland. Despite the fact that A.P. Borodin left a relatively small number of works, his work is very diverse and he is considered one of the fathers of Russian symphonic music, who influenced many generations of Russian and foreign composers.

Quote about A.P. Borodin: "Borodin's talent is equally powerful and amazing both in symphony and in opera and romance. His main qualities are giant strength and breadth, colossal scope, swiftness and impetuosity, combined with amazing passion, tenderness and beauty." V.V. Stasov

An interesting fact: the chemical reaction of silver salts of carboxylic acids with halogens, resulting in halogen-substituted hydrocarbons, which he first investigated in 1861, is named after Borodin.

3. Modest Petrovich MUSSORGSKY (1839—1881)

Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky - one of the most brilliant Russian composers of the 19th century, a member of the "Mighty Handful". Mussorgsky's innovative work was far ahead of its time.
Born in the Pskov province. Like many talented people, from childhood he showed talent in music, studied in St. Petersburg, was, according to family tradition, a military man. The decisive event that determined that Mussorgsky was born not for military service, but for music, was his meeting with M.A. Balakirev and joining the "Mighty Handful". Mussorgsky is great because in his grandiose works - the operas "Boris Godunov" and "Khovanshchina" - he captured in music the dramatic milestones of Russian history with a radical novelty that Russian music did not know before him, showing in them a combination of mass folk scenes and a diverse richness of types, the unique character of the Russian people. These operas, in numerous editions by both the author and other composers, are among the most popular Russian operas in the world. Another outstanding work of Mussorgsky is the cycle of piano pieces "Pictures at an Exhibition", colorful and inventive miniatures are permeated with the Russian refrain theme and the Orthodox faith.

There was everything in Mussorgsky's life - both greatness and tragedy, but he was always distinguished by genuine spiritual purity and disinterestedness. His last years were difficult - unsettled life, non-recognition of creativity, loneliness, addiction to alcohol, all this determined his early death at 42, he left relatively few compositions, some of which were completed by other composers. The specific melody and innovative harmony of Mussorgsky anticipated some features of the musical development of the 20th century and played an important role in the formation of the styles of many world composers.

Quote by M.P. Mussorgsky: "The sounds of human speech, as external manifestations of thought and feeling, must, without exaggeration and rape, become truthful, accurate music, but artistic, highly artistic."

Quote about M.P. Mussorgsky: "Aboriginally Russian sounds in everything that Mussorgsky did" N.K. Roerich

An interesting fact: at the end of his life, Mussorgsky, under pressure from his “friends” Stasov and Rimsky-Korsakov, renounced copyright on his works and presented them to Tertiy Filippov

4. Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840—1893)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, perhaps the greatest Russian composer of the 19th century, raised Russian musical art to unprecedented heights. He is one of the most important composers of world classical music.
A native of the Vyatka province, although his paternal roots are in Ukraine, Tchaikovsky showed musical abilities from childhood, but his first education and work was in the field of law. Tchaikovsky is one of the first Russian "professional" composers - he studied music theory and composition at the new St. Petersburg Conservatory. Tchaikovsky was considered a "Western" composer, in contrast to the folk figures of the "Mighty Handful", with whom he had good creative and friendly relations, however, his work is no less permeated with the Russian spirit, he managed to uniquely combine the Western symphonic heritage of Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann with Russian traditions inherited from Mikhail Glinka.
The composer led an active life - he was a teacher, conductor, critic, public figure, worked in two capitals, toured Europe and America. Tchaikovsky was a rather emotionally unstable person, enthusiasm, despondency, apathy, irascibility, violent anger - all these moods changed in him quite often, being a very sociable person, he always strove for loneliness.
It is a difficult task to single out something better from Tchaikovsky's work, he has several works of equal size in almost all musical genres - opera, ballet, symphony, chamber music. The content of Tchaikovsky's music is universal: with inimitable melodism, it embraces the images of life and death, love, nature, childhood, it reveals works of Russian and world literature in a new way, and reflects the deep processes of spiritual life.

Composer quote:
"I am an artist who can and must bring honor to his Motherland. I feel a great artistic power in myself, I have not yet done even a tenth of what I can do. And I want to do it with all the strength of my soul."
"Life has charm only when it consists of the alternation of joys and sorrows, of the struggle between good and evil, of light and shadow, in a word, of diversity in unity."
"Great talent requires great hard work."

Quote about the composer: "I am ready day and night to stand guard of honor at the porch of the house where Pyotr Ilyich lives - to such an extent I respect him" A.P. Chekhov

An interesting fact: the University of Cambridge in absentia and without defending a dissertation awarded Tchaikovsky the title of Doctor of Music, and the Paris Academy of Fine Arts elected him a corresponding member.

5. Nikolai Andreevich RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844—1908)

Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov is a talented Russian composer, one of the most important figures in the creation of an invaluable domestic musical heritage. His peculiar world and worship of the eternal all-encompassing beauty of the universe, admiration for the miracle of being, unity with nature have no analogues in the history of music.
Born in the Novgorod province, according to family tradition, he became a naval officer, on a warship he traveled around many countries in Europe and two Americas. He received his musical education first from his mother, then taking private lessons from the pianist F. Canille. And again, thanks to M.A. Balakirev, the organizer of The Mighty Handful, who introduced Rimsky-Korsakov into the musical community and influenced his work, the world did not lose the talented composer.
The central place in Rimsky-Korsakov's legacy is occupied by operas - 15 works demonstrating a variety of genre, stylistic, dramatic, compositional decisions of the composer, nevertheless having a special style - with all the richness of the orchestral component, melodic vocal lines are the main ones. Two main directions distinguish the composer's work: the first is Russian history, the second is the world of fairy tales and epic, for which he received the nickname "storyteller".
In addition to direct independent creative activity, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov is known as a publicist, compiler of collections of folk songs, in which he showed great interest, and also as the finalist of the works of his friends - Dargomyzhsky, Mussorgsky and Borodin. Rimsky-Korsakov was the founder of the composer school, as a teacher and head of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, he produced about two hundred composers, conductors, musicologists, among them Prokofiev and Stravinsky.

Quote about the composer: "Rimsky-Korsakov was a very Russian person and a very Russian composer. I believe that this primordially Russian essence of him, his deep folklore-Russian basis, should be especially appreciated today." Mstislav Rostropovich

The work of Russian composers of the late 19th - first half of the 20th century is a holistic continuation of the traditions of the Russian school. At the same time, the concept of an approach to the "national" affiliation of this or that music was named, there is practically no direct citation of folk melodies, but the Russian intonation basis, the Russian soul, remained.

6. Alexander Nikolaevich SKRYABIN (1872 - 1915)

Alexander Nikolaevich Skryabin is a Russian composer and pianist, one of the brightest personalities of Russian and world musical culture. The original and deeply poetic work of Scriabin stood out for its innovation even against the background of the birth of many new trends in art associated with changes in public life at the turn of the 20th century.
Born in Moscow, his mother died early, his father could not pay attention to his son, as he served as ambassador to Persia. Scriabin was brought up by his aunt and grandfather, from childhood he showed musical abilities. At first he studied at the cadet corps, took private piano lessons, after graduating from the corps he entered the Moscow Conservatory, his classmate was S.V. Rakhmaninov. After graduating from the conservatory, Scriabin devoted himself entirely to music - as a concert pianist-composer, he toured Europe and Russia, spending most of his time abroad.
The peak of Scriabin's composing creativity was the years 1903-1908, when the Third Symphony ("Divine Poem"), the symphonic "Poem of Ecstasy", "Tragic" and "Satanic" piano poems, 4th and 5th sonatas and other works were released. "The Poem of Ecstasy", consisting of several themes-images, concentrated Sryabin's creative ideas and is his bright masterpiece. It harmoniously combined the composer's love for the power of a large orchestra and the lyrical, airy sound of solo instruments. The colossal vital energy, fiery passion, strong-willed power embodied in the "Poem of Ecstasy" makes an irresistible impression on the listener and to this day retains the strength of its influence.
Another masterpiece of Scriabin is "Prometheus" ("Poem of Fire"), in which the author completely updated his harmonic language, departing from the traditional tonal system, and for the first time in history this work was supposed to be accompanied by color music, but the premiere, for technical reasons, was held no light effects.
The last unfinished "Mystery" was the idea of ​​Scriabin, a dreamer, romantic, philosopher, to appeal to all mankind and inspire him to create a new fantastic world order, the union of the Universal Spirit with Matter.

Quote by A.N. Scriabin: “I’m going to tell them (people) that they ... don’t expect anything from life except what they can create for themselves ... I’m going to tell them that there’s nothing to grieve about, that there is no loss "So that they are not afraid of despair, which alone can give rise to real triumph. Strong and powerful is the one who has experienced despair and conquered it."

Quote about A.N. Scriabin: "Scriabin's work was his time, expressed in sounds. But when the temporary, the transient finds its expression in the work of a great artist, it acquires a permanent meaning and becomes enduring." G. V. Plekhanov

7. Sergei Vasilyevich Rahmaninov (1873 - 1943)

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov is the greatest world composer of the early 20th century, a talented pianist and conductor. The creative image of Rachmaninoff as a composer is often defined by the epithet "the most Russian composer", emphasizing in this brief formulation his merits in uniting the musical traditions of the Moscow and St. Petersburg composer schools and in creating his own unique style, which stands out in isolation in world musical culture.
Born in the Novgorod province, from the age of four he began to study music under the guidance of his mother. He studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, after 3 years of study he transferred to the Moscow Conservatory and graduated with a big gold medal. He quickly became known as a conductor and pianist, composing music. The disastrous premiere of the groundbreaking First Symphony (1897) in St. Petersburg sparked a creative composer's crisis, from which Rachmaninoff emerged in the early 1900s with a style that combined Russian church songwriting, waning European romanticism, modern impressionism and neoclassicism, all saturated with complex symbolism. During this creative period, his best works were born, including 2 and 3 piano concertos, the Second Symphony and his favorite work - the poem "The Bells" for choir, soloists and orchestra.
In 1917, Rachmaninov and his family were forced to leave our country and settle in the United States. For almost ten years after his departure, he did not compose anything, but toured extensively in America and Europe and was recognized as one of the greatest pianists of the era and the greatest conductor. For all the stormy activity, Rachmaninoff remained a vulnerable and insecure person, striving for solitude and even loneliness, avoiding the intrusive attention of the public. He sincerely loved and yearned for his homeland, wondering if he had made a mistake by leaving it. He was constantly interested in all the events taking place in Russia, read books, newspapers and magazines, helped financially. His last compositions - Symphony No. 3 (1937) and "Symphonic Dances" (1940) became the result of his creative path, absorbing all the best of his unique style and the mournful feeling of irreparable loss and homesickness.

Quote by S.V. Rachmaninov:
"I feel like a ghost wandering alone in a world that is alien to him."
"The highest quality of any art is its sincerity."
"Great composers have always and above all paid attention to melody as the leading principle in music. Melody is music, the main basis of all music ... Melodic ingenuity, in the highest sense of the word, is the composer's main life goal .... By For this reason, the great composers of the past showed so much interest in the folk melodies of their countries.

Quote about S.V. Rachmaninov:
"Rakhmaninov was made of steel and gold: Steel in his hands, gold in his heart. I can't think of him without tears. I not only bowed before the great artist, But I loved the man in him." I. Hoffman
"Rakhmaninoff's music is the Ocean. Its waves - musical - start so far beyond the horizon, and lift you so high and lower you so slowly ... that you feel this Power and Breath." A. Konchalovsky

An interesting fact: during the Great Patriotic War, Rachmaninov gave several charity concerts, the money collected from which he sent to the Red Army fund to fight the Nazi invaders.

8. Igor Fyodorovich STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky is one of the most influential world composers of the 20th century, the leader of neoclassicism. Stravinsky became a "mirror" of the musical era, his work reflects the multiplicity of styles, constantly intersecting and difficult to classify. He freely combines genres, forms, styles, choosing them from centuries of musical history and subordinating them to his own rules.
Born near St. Petersburg, studied at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University, independently studied musical disciplines, took private lessons from N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, this was Stravinsky's only composing school, thanks to which he mastered the compositional technique to perfection. He began to compose professionally relatively late, but the rise was swift - a series of three ballets: The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911) and The Rite of Spring (1913) immediately brought him to the number of composers of the first magnitude.
In 1914 he left Russia, as it turned out almost forever (in 1962 there were tours in the USSR). Stravinsky is a cosmopolitan, having had to change several countries - Russia, Switzerland, France, and ended up living in the USA. His work is divided into three periods - "Russian", "neoclassical", American "serial production", the periods are divided not by the time of life in different countries, but by the author's "handwriting".
Stravinsky was a very highly educated, sociable person with a great sense of humor. The circle of his acquaintances and correspondents included musicians, poets, artists, scientists, businessmen, statesmen.
The last highest achievement of Stravinsky - "Requiem" (Chants for the Dead) (1966) absorbed and combined the previous artistic experience of the composer, becoming a true apotheosis of the master's work.
In Stavinsky's work, one unique feature stands out - "uniqueness", it was not without reason that he was called "the composer of a thousand and one styles", the constant change of genre, style, plot direction - each of his works is unique, but he constantly returned to designs in which Russian origin is visible, heard Russian roots.

Quote by I.F. Stravinsky: "I have been speaking Russian all my life, I have a Russian style. Maybe in my music this is not immediately visible, but it is inherent in it, it is in its hidden nature"

Quote about I.F. Stravinsky: "Stravinsky is a truly Russian composer ... The Russian spirit is indestructible in the heart of this truly great, multifaceted talent, born of the Russian land and vitally connected with it ... " D. Shostakovich

Interesting fact (bike):
Once in New York, Stravinsky took a taxi and was surprised to read his name on the sign.
- You are not a relative of the composer? he asked the driver.
- Is there a composer with such a surname? - the driver was surprised. - Hear it for the first time. However, Stravinsky is the name of the taxi owner. I have nothing to do with music - my name is Rossini ...

9. Sergei Sergeevich PROKOFIEV (1891—1953)

Sergei Sergeevich Prokofiev - one of the greatest Russian composers of the 20th century, pianist, conductor.
Born in the Donetsk region, from childhood joined the music. Prokofiev can be considered one of the few (if not the only) Russian musical "wunderkinds", from the age of 5 he was engaged in composing, at the age of 9 he wrote two operas (of course, these works are still immature, but show a desire for creation), at the age of 13 he passed exams in St. Petersburg Conservatory, among his teachers was N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. The beginning of his professional career caused a storm of criticism and a misunderstanding of his individual fundamentally anti-romantic and extremely modernist style, the paradox is that, despite destroying academic canons, the structure of his compositions remained true to classical principles and subsequently became a restraining force of modernist all-denying skepticism. From the very beginning of his career, Prokofiev performed and toured a lot. In 1918, he went on an international tour, including visiting the USSR, and finally returned to his homeland in 1936.
The country has changed and Prokofiev's "free" creativity has been forced to give way to the realities of the new demands. Prokofiev's talent flourished with renewed vigor - he writes operas, ballets, music for films - sharp, strong-willed, extremely accurate music with new images and ideas, laid the foundation for Soviet classical music and opera. In 1948, three tragic events occurred almost simultaneously: on suspicion of espionage, his first Spanish wife was arrested and exiled to camps; the Decree of the Poliburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks was issued in which Prokofiev, Shostakovich and others were attacked and accused of "formalism" and the dangers of their music; there was a sharp deterioration in the composer's health, he retired to the country and practically did not leave it, but continued to compose.
Some of the brightest works of the Soviet period were the operas "War and Peace", "The Tale of a Real Man"; the ballets "Romeo and Juliet", "Cinderella", which have become a new standard of world ballet music; oratorio "On guard of the world"; music for the films "Alexander Nevsky" and "Ivan the Terrible"; symphonies No. 5,6,7; piano work.
Prokofiev's work is striking in its versatility and breadth of themes, the originality of his musical thinking, freshness and originality made up an entire era in the world musical culture of the 20th century and had a powerful impact on many Soviet and foreign composers.

Quote by S.S. Prokofiev:
"Can an artist stand apart from life?.. I am of the conviction that a composer, like a poet, sculptor, painter, is called upon to serve man and the people... He, first of all, must be a citizen in his art, sing of human life and lead man to a brighter future...
"I am a manifestation of life, which gives me the strength to resist all non-spiritual"

Quote about S.S. Prokofiev: "... all facets of his music are beautiful. But there is one completely unusual thing here. Apparently, we all have some kind of failures, doubts, just a bad mood. And in such moments , even if I don’t play and don’t listen to Prokofiev, but just think about him, I get an incredible boost of energy, I feel a great desire to live, act” E. Kissin

An interesting fact: Prokofiev was very fond of chess, and enriched the game with his ideas and achievements, including the "nine" chess he invented - a 24x24 board with nine sets of pieces placed on it.

10. Dmitry Dmitrievich SHOSTAKOVICH (1906 - 1975)

Dmitri Dmitrievich Shostakovich is one of the most significant and performed composers in the world, his influence on modern classical music is immeasurable. His creations are true expressions of the inner human drama and the annals of the difficult events of the 20th century, where the deeply personal is intertwined with the tragedy of man and mankind, with the fate of his native country.
Born in St. Petersburg, he received his first musical lessons from his mother, graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, upon entering which its rector Alexander Glazunov compared him with Mozart - so he impressed everyone with his excellent musical memory, keen ear and composer's gift. Already in the early 1920s, by the end of the conservatory, Shostakovich had a baggage of his own works and became one of the best composers in the country. World fame came to Shostakovich after winning the 1st International Chopin Competition in 1927.
Until a certain period, namely before the production of the opera "Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District", Shostakovich worked as a freelance artist - "avant-garde", experimenting with styles and genres. The harsh denunciation of this opera in 1936 and the repressions of 1937 marked the beginning of Shostakovich's subsequent internal struggle for the desire to express his views by his own means in the face of the state's imposition of trends in art. In his life, politics and creativity are very closely intertwined, he was praised by the authorities and persecuted by them, held high positions and was removed from them, was awarded and was on the verge of arrest himself and his relatives.
A soft, intelligent, delicate person, he found his form of expression of creative principles in symphonies, where he could tell the truth about time as openly as possible. Of all the vast works of Shostakovich in all genres, it is the symphonies (15 works) that occupy a central place, the most dramatic are symphonies 5,7,8,10,15, which became the pinnacle of Soviet symphonic music. A completely different Shostakovich opens up in chamber music.
Despite the fact that Shostakovich himself was a "home" composer and practically did not travel abroad, his music, humanistic in essence and truly artistic in form, quickly and widely spread throughout the world, performed by the best conductors. The magnitude of Shostakovich's talent is so immense that the full comprehension of this unique phenomenon of world art is yet to come.

Quote by D. D. Shostakovich: "Real music is capable of expressing only humane feelings, only advanced humane ideas."

Contemporary composers. See a directory of contemporary composers at musikaneo.com Classical music has stood the test of time and we agree that if a piece is less than 100 years old it cannot be classical music. But what do conservatory graduates do, where are their works and how can they relate to classical music?

Classical music. In a narrow sense, the term refers to the period of classicism that dominated from 1750 to 1830. In a broad sense, classical is any serious music that makes you think, implies the presence of attention for listening and some emotional effort.

musical periods. Musical eras and authors creating music in different periods are beautifully represented on musikaneo.com

Great Russian composers of the 20th century. All these personalities are the brightest representatives of their century, they can be safely called the great modern composers of the 20th century. Listed are not just composers born at the turn of the 20th century. Their works during this period of time were already known, or their heyday of creativity fell on the 20th century.

• Pakhmutova Alexandra Nikolaevna Prokofiev Sergei Sergeevich. Rachmaninov Sergei Vasilievich. Sviridov Georgy Vasilievich. Skryabin Alexander Nikolaevich. Slonimsky Sergey Mikhailovich. Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich.

• Khachaturian Aram Ilyich. Shostakovich Dmitry Dmitrievich. Schnittke Alfred Garrievich. Shchedrin Rodion Konstantinovich.

Foreign composers of the 20th century.

• Alban Breg. Anton Webern. Arnold Schoenberg. Bela Bartok. Villa Lobos Heitor. Vitold Lutoslavsky. György Ligeti. John Cage. George Gershwin.

• Leonard Bernstein. Luigi Nono. Mikalojus Ciurlionis. Nadia Boulanger. Olivier Messiaen

• Paul Hindemith. Charles Ives. Edward Benjamin Britten. Edgar Varese. Janis Xenakis.

Russian composers of the 21st century It is impossible to attribute some music creators to a particular century. After all, many works by contemporary composers were published and deserved worthy attention both in the 20th century and in the 21st. This is especially true for living composers who managed to become famous for their highly artistic creations in the last century and continue to compose music in the present. We are talking about Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin, Sofia Asgatovna Gubaidulina and others.

However, there are also little-known Russian composers of the 21st century who created wonderful compositions, but their names did not have time to become popular.

• Batagov Anton. Bakshi Alexander. Ekimovskiy Victor. Karmanov Pavel. Korovitsyn Vladimir. Markelov Pavel. Martynov Vladimir. Pavlova Alla. Baker Mark. Savalov Yuri. Saveliev Yuri. Sergeeva Tatiana.

Great composers, whose names are widely known all over the world, have created a huge number of valuable works. Their creations are truly unique. Each of them has an individual and unique style.

Great composers of the world (foreign). List

Below are foreign composers of different centuries, whose names are known throughout the world. It:

• A. Vivaldi.
• J. S. Bach.
• W. A. ​​Mozart.
• I. Brahms.
• J. Haydn.
• R. Schuman.
• F. Schubert.
• L. Beethoven.
• I. Strauss.
• R. Wagner.
• G. Verdi.
• A. Berg.
• A. Schoenberg.
• J. Gershwin.
• O. Messiaen.
• C. Ives.
• B. Britten.

Great composers of the world (Russians). List

He created a large number of operettas, worked with light musical forms of a dance character, in which he was very successful. Thanks to Strauss, the waltz became an extremely popular dance in Vienna. By the way, balls are still held there. The composer's legacy includes polkas, ballets and quadrilles.

And G. Verdi - the great ones who created a huge number of operas that won the sincere love of the audience.

The German Richard Wagner was the most prominent representative of modernism in the music of this century. His opera heritage is rich. Tannhäuser, Lohengrin, The Flying Dutchman and other operas are still relevant, popular and staged.

The Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi is a very majestic figure. He gave Italian opera a new breath, while he remained true to operatic traditions.

Russian composers of the 19th century

M. I. Glinka, A. P. Borodin, M. P. Mussorgsky, P. I. Tchaikovsky are the great composers of classical music of the 19th century who lived and created their works in Russia.

The works of Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka determined national and world significance in the history of Russian music. His work, which grew up on Russian folk songs, is deeply national. He is rightfully considered an innovator, the ancestor of Russian musical classics. Glinka worked fruitfully in all his operas Ivan Susanin (A Life for the Tsar) and Ruslan and Lyudmila opened the way for two leading directions. Of great importance in the development of musical art were his symphonic works: "Kamarinskaya", "Waltz-Fantasy" and many others.

Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin is a great Russian composer. His work is small in scope, but significant in content. The central place is occupied by heroic historical images. He closely intertwines deep lyricism with epic breadth. The opera "Prince Igor" combines the features of folk-musical drama and epic opera. His first and second symphonies mark a new direction in Russian symphony - heroic-epic. In the field of chamber-vocal lyrics, he became a real innovator. His romances: "Sea", "For the Shores of the Far Homeland", "Song of the Dark Forest" and many others. Borodin had a significant impact on his followers.

Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky is another great Russian composer of the 19th century. He was a member of the Balakirev circle, which was called the "Mighty Handful". He worked fruitfully in a variety of genres. His operas are beautiful: "Khovanshchina", "Boris Godunov", "Sorochinsky Fair". In his works, the features of creative individuality were manifested. He owns a number of romances: "Kalistrat", "Seminarian", "Lullaby to Eremushka", "Orphan", "Svetik Savishna". They capture the unique national characters.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - composer, conductor, teacher.

Opera and symphonic genres were leading in his work. The content of his music is universal. His operas The Queen of Spades and Eugene Onegin are masterpieces of Russian classical music. The symphony also occupies a central place in his work. His works became known throughout the world during his lifetime.

Representatives of the new Viennese school

A. Berg, A. Webern, A. Schoenberg are great composers who lived and created their works throughout the 20th century.

Alban Berg became world famous thanks to his amazing opera Wozzeck, which made a strong impression on the listeners. He wrote it for several years. Its premiere took place on December 14, 1925. Today, Wozzeck is a classic example of 20th-century opera.

Anton Webern is an Austrian composer, one of the brightest representatives of the new Viennese school. In his works he used serial and dodecaphone technique. Conciseness and conciseness of thought, concentration of musical and expressive means are inherent in it. His work had a strong influence on Stravinsky, Boulez, Gubaidulina and many other Russian and foreign composers.

Arnold Schoenberg is a prominent representative of such a musical style as expressionism. Author of serial and dodecaphone technique. His compositions: the Second String Quartet (F-sharp minor), "Drama with music for choir and orchestra", the opera "Moses and Aaron" and many others.

J. Gershwin, O. Messiaen, C. Ives

These are the great composers of the 20th century who are known all over the world.

George Gershwin is an American composer and pianist. He became extremely popular thanks to his large-scale work Porgy and Bess. This is a "folklore" opera. It is based on the novel by Dubos Hayward. No less famous are his instrumental works: "Rhapsody in the Blues Style for Piano and Orchestra", "An American in Paris", "Second Rhapsody" and many others.

Olivier Messiaen - French composer, organist, teacher, music theorist. In his remarkable theoretical works, he outlined new and rather complex principles of musical composition. Theological ideas were reflected in his works. He was very fascinated by the voices of birds. Therefore, he created the "Catalogue of Birds" for piano.

Charles Ives is an American composer. His work was influenced by folk music. Therefore, his style is extremely unique. He created five symphonies, five violin sonatas, two piano sonatas, the cantata "Heavenly Country" and many other works.

Russian composers of the 20th century

S. S. Prokofiev, I. F. Stravinsky, D. D. Shostakovich are the great composers of the 20th century.

Sergei Sergeevich Prokofiev - composer, conductor, pianist.

His music is varied in content. It contains lyrics and epic, humor and drama, psychologism and characterization. Opera and ballet creativity laid down new principles and techniques of musical dramaturgy. His operas are The Gambler, The Love for Three Oranges, War and Peace. Prokofiev worked in the genre of film music. His cantata "Alexander Nevsky", created in collaboration with director S. Eisenstein, is widely known.

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky - émigré composer, conductor.

His work is divided into Russian and foreign periods. His brightest ballets: "Petrushka", "The Rite of Spring", "The Firebird". Stravinsky also made a great contribution to the symphonic genre.

Dmitry Dmitrievich Shostakovich - composer, teacher, pianist. His work is multifaceted in genres and figurative content. Especially his importance as a composer-symphonist. His fifteen symphonies reflect the complex world of human feelings with experiences, struggles, tragic conflicts. His opera "Katerina Izmailova" is an excellent work of this genre.

Conclusion

The music of great composers is written in different genres, contains multifaceted plots, constantly updated techniques that correspond to a particular era. Some composers have excelled in a few genres, while others have successfully covered almost all areas. Of the entire galaxy of great composers, it is difficult to single out the best. All of them have made a significant contribution to the history of world musical culture.

The work of Russian composers of the late 19th - first half of the 20th century is a holistic continuation of the traditions of the Russian school. At the same time, the concept of the approach to the “national” affiliation of this or that music has changed, there is practically no direct quotation of folk melodies, but the Russian intonation basis, the Russian soul, has remained.

(1872 — 1915)

- Russian composer and pianist, one of the brightest personalities of Russian and world musical culture. The original and deeply poetic work of Scriabin stood out for its innovation even against the background of the birth of many new trends in art associated with changes in public life at the turn of the 20th century.

Born in Moscow, his mother died early, his father could not pay attention to his son, as he served as ambassador to Persia. Scriabin was brought up by his aunt and grandfather, from childhood he showed musical abilities. At first he studied at the cadet corps, took private piano lessons, after graduating from the corps he entered the Moscow Conservatory, his classmate was S.V. Rakhmaninov. After graduating from the conservatory, Scriabin devoted himself entirely to music - as a concert pianist-composer, he toured Europe and Russia, spending most of his time abroad.

The peak of Scriabin's composing work was 1903-1908, when the Third Symphony ("Divine Poem"), the symphonic "Poem of Ecstasy", "Tragic" and "Satanic" piano poems, 4th and 5th sonatas and other works were released.

"Poem of Ecstasy" , consisting of several themes-images, concentrated the creative ideas of Sryabin and is his bright masterpiece. It harmoniously combined the composer's love for the power of a large orchestra and the lyrical, airy sound of solo instruments. The colossal vital energy, fiery passion, strong-willed power embodied in the "Poem of Ecstasy" makes an irresistible impression on the listener and to this day retains the strength of its influence.

Another masterpiece of Scriabin is "Prometheus"(“The Poem of Fire”), in which the author completely updated his harmonic language, departing from the traditional tonal system, and for the first time in history, this work was supposed to be accompanied by color music, but the premiere, for technical reasons, was held without lighting effects.

Last unfinished "Mystery" was the idea of ​​Scriabin, a dreamer, romantic, philosopher, to appeal to all mankind and inspire him to create a new fantastic world order, the union of the Universal Spirit with Matter.

Quote by A. N. Scriabin: “I’m going to tell them (people) that they… don’t expect anything from life except what they can create for themselves… I’m going to tell them that there’s nothing to grieve about, that there is no loss. So that they are not afraid of despair, which alone can give rise to real triumph. Strong and mighty is he who has experienced despair and conquered it.

Quote about A. N. Scriabin: “Scriabin's work was his time, expressed in sounds. But when the temporary, the transient finds its expression in the work of a great artist, it acquires a permanent meaning and becomes enduring. G. V. PLEKHANOV

(1873 — 1943)

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov is the greatest world composer of the early 20th century, a talented pianist and conductor. The creative image of Rachmaninov as a composer is often defined by the epithet “the most Russian composer”, emphasizing in this brief formulation his merits in uniting the musical traditions of the Moscow and St. Petersburg composer schools and in creating his own unique style, which stands out in isolation in world musical culture.

Born in the Novgorod province, from the age of four he began to study music under the guidance of his mother. He studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, after 3 years of study he transferred to the Moscow Conservatory and graduated with a big gold medal. He quickly became known as a conductor and pianist, composing music.

The disastrous premiere of the groundbreaking First Symphony (1897) in St. Petersburg caused a creative composer's crisis, from which Rachmaninoff emerged in the early 1900s with a style that combined Russian church songwriting, fading European romanticism, contemporary impressionism and neoclassicism, all saturated with complex symbolism. During this creative period, his best works were born, including 2 and 3 piano concertos, the Second Symphony and his favorite work - the poem "The Bells" for choir, soloists and orchestra.

In 1917, Rachmaninov and his family were forced to leave our country and settle in the United States. For almost ten years after his departure, he did not compose anything, but toured extensively in America and Europe and was recognized as one of the greatest pianists of the era and the greatest conductor.

For all the stormy activity, Rachmaninoff remained a vulnerable and insecure person, striving for solitude and even loneliness, avoiding the intrusive attention of the public. He sincerely loved and yearned for his homeland, wondering if he had made a mistake by leaving it. He was constantly interested in all the events taking place in Russia, read books, newspapers and magazines, helped financially. His last compositions - Symphony No. 3 (1937) and "Symphonic Dances" (1940) became the result of his creative path, absorbing all the best of his unique style and the mournful feeling of irreparable loss and homesickness.

Quotes by S.V. Rachmaninov:

“I feel like a ghost that wanders alone in a world that is alien to him.”

"The highest quality of any art is its sincerity."

“Great composers have always and above all paid attention to the melody as the leading principle in music. Melody is music, the main foundation of all music… Melodic ingenuity, in the highest sense of the word, is the composer’s main life goal…. For this reason, the great composers of the past showed so much interest in the folk melodies of their countries.”

Quote about S.V. Rachmaninov:

“Rakhmaninov was created from steel and gold: Steel in his hands, gold in his heart. I can't think of him without crying. I not only bowed before the great artist, But I loved the man in him. I. Hoffman

“The music of Rachmaninoff is the Ocean. Its waves - musical - start so far beyond the horizon, and lift you up so high and lower you so slowly ... that you feel this Power and Breath. A. Konchalovsky

Interesting fact: During the Great Patriotic War, Rachmaninov gave several charity concerts, the money collected from which he sent to the Red Army fund to fight the Nazi invaders.

8. Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky

(1882-1971)

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky is one of the most influential world composers of the 20th century, the leader of neoclassicism.

Stravinsky has become a "mirror" of the musical era, his work reflects the multiplicity of styles that constantly intersect and are difficult to classify. He freely combines genres, forms, styles, choosing them from centuries of musical history and subordinating them to his own rules.

Born near St. Petersburg, studied at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University, independently studied musical disciplines, took private lessons from N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, this was Stravinsky's only composing school, thanks to which he mastered the compositional technique to perfection. He began composing professionally relatively late, but the rise was swift - a series of three ballets: The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911) and The Rite of Spring (1913) immediately brought him to the number of composers of the first magnitude.

In 1914 he left Russia, as it turned out almost forever (in 1962 there were tours in the USSR). Stravinsky is a cosmopolitan, having been forced to change several countries - Russia, Switzerland, France, and ended up living in the USA.

His work is divided into three periods - "Russian", "neoclassical", American "serial production", the periods are divided not by the time of life in different countries, but by the author's "handwriting".

Stravinsky was a very highly educated, sociable person with a great sense of humor. The circle of his acquaintances and correspondents included musicians, poets, artists, scientists, businessmen, statesmen.

The last highest achievement of Stravinsky - "Requiem" (Chants for the Dead) (1966) absorbed and combined the composer's previous artistic experience, becoming a true apotheosis of the master's work.

In Stravinsky's work, one unique feature stands out - "uniqueness", it was not for nothing that he was called the "composer of a thousand and one styles", the constant change of genre, style, plot direction - each of his works is unique, but he constantly returned to constructions in which Russian origin is visible, heard Russian roots.

Quote by I.F. Stravinsky: “I have been speaking Russian all my life, I have a Russian syllable. Maybe in my music this is not immediately visible, but it is inherent in it, it is in its hidden nature.

Quote about I.F. Stravinsky: “Stravinsky is a truly Russian composer… The Russian spirit is indestructible in the heart of this truly great, multifaceted talent, born of the Russian land and vitally connected with it…” D. Shostakovich

Interesting fact (bike): Once in New York, Stravinsky took a taxi and was surprised to read his name on the sign.
— Are you a relative of the composer? he asked the driver.
- Is there a composer with such a surname? the driver was surprised. - Hear it for the first time. However, Stravinsky is the name of the taxi owner. I have nothing to do with music - my name is Rossini ...

9. Sergei Petrovich Prokofiev

(1891-1953)

Sergei Sergeevich Prokofiev is one of the greatest Russian composers of the 20th century, pianist and conductor.

Born in the Donetsk region, from childhood joined the music. Prokofiev can be considered one of the few (if not the only) Russian musical "wunderkinds", from the age of 5 he was engaged in composing, at the age of 9 he wrote two operas (of course, these works are still immature, but show a desire for creation), at the age of 13 he passed exams in St. Petersburg Conservatory, among his teachers was N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov.

The beginning of his professional career caused a storm of criticism and a misunderstanding of his individual fundamentally anti-romantic and extremely modernist style, the paradox is that, despite destroying academic canons, the structure of his compositions remained true to classical principles and subsequently became a restraining force of modernist all-denying skepticism. From the very beginning of his career, Prokofiev performed and toured a lot. In 1918, he went on an international tour, including visiting the USSR, and finally returned to his homeland in 1936.

The country has changed and Prokofiev's "free" creativity was forced to give in to the realities of the new demands. Prokofiev's talent flourished with renewed vigor - he writes operas, ballets, music for films - sharp, strong-willed, extremely accurate music with new images and ideas, laid the foundation for Soviet classical music and opera.

In 1948, three tragic events occurred almost simultaneously: on suspicion of espionage, his first Spanish wife was arrested and exiled to camps; the Decree of the Poliburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks was issued in which Prokofiev, Shostakovich and others were attacked and accused of “formalism” and the dangers of their music; there was a sharp deterioration in the composer's health, he retired to the country and practically did not leave it, but continued to compose.

Some of the brightest works of the Soviet period were the operas "War and Peace", "The Tale of a Real Man"; the ballets Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella, which have become a new standard in world ballet music; oratorio "On guard of the world"; music for the films "Alexander Nevsky" and "Ivan the Terrible"; symphonies No. 5,6,7; piano work.

Prokofiev's work is striking in its versatility and breadth of themes, the originality of his musical thinking, freshness and originality made up an entire era in the world musical culture of the 20th century and had a powerful impact on many Soviet and foreign composers.

Quote by S.S. Prokofiev: “Can an artist stand apart from life?.. I am of the conviction that a composer, like a poet, sculptor, painter, is called to serve man and the people… He, first of all, must be a citizen in his art, sing of human life and lead man to a brighter future...

“I am a manifestation of life, which gives me strength to resist all non-spiritual”

Quote about S.S. Prokofiev: “… all facets of his music are beautiful. But there is one completely unusual thing here. We all seem to have some failures, doubts, just a bad mood. And at such moments, even if I don’t play and don’t listen to Prokofiev, but just think about him, I get an incredible boost of energy, I feel a great desire to live, to act” E. Kissin

Interesting fact: Prokofiev was very fond of chess, and enriched the game with his ideas and achievements, among which he invented "nine" chess - a 24x24 board with nine sets of pieces placed on it.

(1906 — 1975)

Dmitry Dmitrievich Shostakovich is one of the most significant and performed composers in the world, his influence on contemporary classical music is immeasurable. His creations are true expressions of the inner human drama and chronicle of the difficult events of the 20th century, where the deeply personal is intertwined with the tragedy of man and mankind, with the fate of his native country.

Born in St. Petersburg, he received his first musical lessons from his mother, graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, upon entering which its rector Alexander Glazunov compared him with Mozart - so he impressed everyone with his excellent musical memory, keen ear and composer's gift. Already in the early 1920s, by the end of the conservatory, Shostakovich had a baggage of his own works and became one of the best composers in the country. World fame came to Shostakovich after winning the 1st International Chopin Competition in 1927.

Until a certain period, namely before the production of the opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, Shostakovich worked as a freelance artist - an "avant-garde", experimenting with styles and genres. The harsh denunciation of this opera in 1936 and the repressions of 1937 marked the beginning of Shostakovich's subsequent internal struggle for the desire to express his views by his own means in the face of the state's imposition of trends in art.

In his life, politics and creativity are very closely intertwined, he was praised by the authorities and persecuted by them, held high positions and was removed from them, was awarded and was on the verge of arrest himself and his relatives.

A soft, intelligent, delicate person, he found his form of expression of creative principles in symphonies, where he could tell the truth about time as openly as possible. Of all the vast works of Shostakovich in all genres, it is the symphonies (15 works) that occupy a central place, the most dramatic are symphonies 5,7,8,10,15, which became the pinnacle of Soviet symphonic music. A completely different Shostakovich opens up in chamber music.

Despite the fact that Shostakovich himself was a "home" composer and practically did not travel abroad, his music, humanistic in essence and truly artistic in form, quickly and widely spread throughout the world, performed by the best conductors. The magnitude of Shostakovich's talent is so immense that the full comprehension of this unique phenomenon of world art is yet to come.

Quote by D. D. Shostakovich:"Real music is capable of expressing only humane feelings, only advanced humane ideas."

The melodies and songs of the Russian people inspired the work of famous composers of the second half of the 19th century. Among them were P.I. Tchaikovsky, M.P. Mussorgsky, M.I. Glinka and A.P. Borodin. Their traditions were continued by a whole galaxy of outstanding musical figures. Russian composers of the 20th century are still popular.

Alexander Nikolaevich Skryabin

Creativity A.N. Scriabin (1872 - 1915), a Russian composer and talented pianist, teacher, innovator, cannot leave anyone indifferent. Mystical moments can sometimes be heard in his original and impulsive music. The composer is attracted and attracted by the image of fire. Even in the titles of his works, Scriabin often repeats such words as fire and light. He tried to find a way to combine sound and light in his works.

The composer's father, Nikolai Alexandrovich Scriabin, was a well-known Russian diplomat, a real state adviser. Mother - Lyubov Petrovna Scriabina (nee Shchetinina), was known as a very talented pianist. She graduated with honors from the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Her professional career began successfully, but shortly after the birth of her son, she died of consumption. In 1878, Nikolai Alexandrovich completed his studies and was assigned to the Russian embassy in Constantinople. The upbringing of the future composer was continued by his close relatives - grandmother Elizaveta Ivanovna, her sister Maria Ivanovna and father's sister Lyubov Alexandrovna.

Despite the fact that at the age of five, Scriabin mastered playing the piano, and a little later began to study musical compositions, according to family tradition, he received a military education. He graduated from the 2nd Moscow Cadet Corps. At the same time, he took private lessons in piano and music theory. Later he entered the Moscow Conservatory and graduated with a small gold medal.

At the beginning of his creative activity, Scriabin consciously followed Chopin, choosing the same genres. However, even at that time, his own talent was already evident. At the beginning of the 20th century, he wrote three symphonies, then "The Poem of Ecstasy" (1907) and "Prometheus" (1910). Interestingly, the composer supplemented the score of "Prometheus" with a light keyboard part. He was the first to use light music, the purpose of which is characterized by the disclosure of music by the method of visual perception.

The composer's accidental death interrupted his work. He never realized his plan to create the "Mystery" - a symphony of sounds, colors, movements, smells. In this work, Scriabin wanted to tell all mankind his innermost thoughts and inspire him to create a new world, marked by the union of the Universal Spirit and Matter. His most significant works were only a preface to this grandiose project.

Famous Russian composer, pianist, conductor S.V. Rachmaninov (1873 - 1943) was born into a wealthy noble family. Rachmaninoff's grandfather was a professional musician. The first piano lessons were given to him by his mother, and later they invited the music teacher A.D. Ornatskaya. In 1885, his parents assigned him to a private boarding school to the professor of the Moscow Conservatory N.S. Zverev. The order and discipline in the educational institution had a significant impact on the formation of the future character of the composer. He later graduated from the Moscow Conservatory with a gold medal. While still a student, Rachmaninoff was very popular with the Moscow public. He has already created his "First Piano Concerto", as well as some other romances and plays. And his "Prelude in C-sharp minor" became a very popular composition. Great P.I. Tchaikovsky drew attention to the graduation work of Sergei Rachmaninov - the opera "Oleko", which he wrote under the impression of A.S. Pushkin "Gypsies". Pyotr Ilyich got it staged at the Bolshoi Theater, tried to help with the inclusion of this work in the theater repertoire, but died unexpectedly.

From the age of twenty, Rachmaninov taught at several institutes, gave private lessons. At the invitation of the famous philanthropist, theatrical and musical figure Savva Mamontov, at the age of 24, the composer becomes the second conductor of the Moscow Russian Private Opera. There he became friends with F.I. Chaliapin.

Rachmaninov's career was interrupted on March 15, 1897 due to the rejection of his innovative First Symphony by the St. Petersburg public. Reviews for this work were truly devastating. But the composer was most upset by the negative review left by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, whose opinion Rachmaninoff greatly appreciated. After that, he fell into a protracted depression, from which he managed to get out with the help of a hypnotist N.V. Dahl.

In 1901 Rachmaninoff completed his Second Piano Concerto. And from that moment begins his active creative work as a composer and pianist. Rachmaninoff's unique style combined Russian church hymns, romanticism and impressionism. He considered the melody to be the main leading principle in music. This found its greatest expression in the author's favorite work - the poem "The Bells", which he wrote for the orchestra, choir and soloists.

At the end of 1917, Rachmaninoff left Russia with his family, worked in Europe, and then left for America. The composer was very upset by the break with the Motherland. During the Great Patriotic War, he gave charity concerts, the proceeds of which were sent to the Red Army Fund.

Stravinsky's music is notable for its stylistic diversity. At the very beginning of his creative activity, she was based on Russian musical traditions. And then in the works one can hear the influence of neoclassicism, characteristic of the music of France of that period and dodecaphony.

Igor Stravinsky was born in Oranienbaum (now the city of Lomonosov) in 1882. The father of the future composer Fyodor Ignatievich is a famous opera singer, one of the soloists of the Mariinsky Theatre. His mother was pianist and singer Anna Kirillovna Kholodovskaya. From the age of nine, teachers taught him piano lessons. After completing the gymnasium, at the request of his parents, he enters the law faculty of the university. For two years, from 1904 to 1906, he took lessons from N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, under whose leadership he wrote the first works - the scherzo, the piano sonata, the Faun and the Shepherdess suite. Sergei Diaghilev highly appreciated the composer's talent and offered him cooperation. The joint work resulted in three ballets (staged by S. Diaghilev) - The Firebird, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring.

Shortly before the First World War, the composer left for Switzerland, then to France. A new period begins in his work. He studies the musical styles of the 18th century, writes the opera Oedipus Rex, music for the ballet Apollo Musagete. His handwriting has changed several times over time. For many years the composer lived in the USA. His last famous work is Requiem. A feature of the composer Stravinsky is the ability to constantly change styles, genres and musical directions.

Composer Prokofiev was born in 1891 in a small village in the Ekaterinoslav province. The world of music was opened for him by his mother, a good pianist who often performed works by Chopin and Beethoven. She also became a real musical mentor for her son and, in addition, taught him German and French.

At the beginning of 1900, young Prokofiev managed to attend the Sleeping Beauty ballet and listen to the operas Faust and Prince Igor. The impression received from the performances of the Moscow theaters was expressed in his own work. He writes the opera "The Giant", and then the overture to "Desert Shores". Parents soon realize that they can no longer teach their son music. Soon, at the age of eleven, the novice composer was introduced to the famous Russian composer and teacher S.I. Taneyev, who personally asked R.M. Gliera to engage in musical composition with Sergei. S. Prokofiev at the age of 13 passed the entrance exams to the St. Petersburg Conservatory. At the beginning of his career, the composer toured and performed extensively. However, his work caused misunderstanding among the public. This was due to the features of the works, which were expressed in the following:

• modernist style;
• destruction of established musical canons;
• extravagance and inventiveness of composing techniques

In 1918, S. Prokofiev left and returned only in 1936. Already in the USSR, he wrote music for films, operas, ballets. But after he was accused, along with a number of other composers, of "formalism", he practically moved to live in the country, but continued to write musical works. His opera "War and Peace", the ballets "Romeo and Juliet", "Cinderella" became the property of world culture.

Russian composers of the 20th century, who lived at the turn of the century, not only preserved the traditions of the previous generation of the creative intelligentsia, but also created their own, unique art, for which the works of P.I. Tchaikovsky, M.I. Glinka, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov.