Orthodox composers. Sacred music of contemporary composers

Russian music, and indeed all Russian art throughout its history, has been most closely connected with the deep Orthodox worldview. It is here that the roots of the originality and originality of our culture. Per last century this connection was forcibly broken. Restoring this spiritual connection is the most difficult task facing our society. Only on this path I see the future of our art.

G.V. Sviridov

When I think about music, I am reminded that it was performed in cathedrals and churches. I would like her to have the same sacred, the same reverent attitude, so that our listener would seek in her, and most importantly, find answers to the most important, most intimate questions of her life, her destiny.

G.V. Sviridov

METROPOLIT HILARION (ALFEEV)

Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, permanent member of the Holy Synod of Russia Orthodox Church Metropolitan Hilarion (in the world Grigory Valerievich Alfeev) was born on July 26, 1966 in Moscow. Graduated from the Moscow Music School. Gnesins in the composition class, studied at the composition department of the Moscow State Conservatory. P.I. Tchaikovsky. After four years of study, he left the conservatory, entered a monastery and took holy orders.

Series author musical works chamber and oratorio genre, including: "Matthew Passion" for soloists, "Memento" for a symphony orchestra, "May the saints rest" for male choir and orchestra.

Metropolitan Hilarion's works are performed by the Symphony Orchestra Mariinsky Theater, Melbourne Royal philharmonic orchestra, Moscow Synodal Choir.

Metropolitan Hilarion is the creator of the genre of Russian spiritual instrumental-choir oratorio on liturgical texts using the intonations of Russian church singing, elements of the baroque musical style and the style of Russian composers of the 20th century.

ARCHIMANDRITE MATTHEW (MORMYL)

Everyone should sing like they're singing last time in life.

Archimandrite Matthew (in the world Lev Vasilyevich Mormyl) is an outstanding church composer and choirmaster. Born on March 5, 1938 in the North Caucasus, in the village of Arkhonskaya, in a Cossack family with hereditary musical traditions.

Father Matthew directed the choir of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra for almost 50 years. During this time, he created a school of church singing, transcribed many hymns and wrote a large number of works that today are commonly called "Lavra".

In the 1950s and 1960s, he collected and recorded fragments of traditional church and monastic singing that had been almost completely destroyed in previous decades. When churches and monasteries began to open throughout the country in the 1990s, copies of his arrangements became the basis of the repertoire for the newly created church choirs.

DEACON SERGIY TRUBACHEV

Church composer Sergei Zosimovich Trubachev was born on March 26, 1919 in the village of Podosinovets, Arkhangelsk diocese, in the family of a priest. The composer's father was shot in February 1938 at a training ground in Butovo. It was from his father that Sergei Zosimovich inherited his musical talent and spiritual aspirations.

In 1950 he graduated from the Institute. Gnesins, in 1954 - the Moscow Conservatory.

Deacon Sergius Trubachev created numerous church singing works, made harmonizations of monastic and ancient Russian chants.

GEORGY VASILIEVICH SVIRIDOV

Georgy Vasilyevich Sviridov was born on December 3, 1915 in the town of Fatezh, Kursk province.

In 1936, Georgy Sviridov entered the Leningrad Conservatory, where he became a student of D.D. Shostakovich.

One of the key themes in Sviridov's work is Russia.

He created liturgical works for church choirs.

DAVID FYODOROVICH TUKHMANOV

Composer David Fedorovich Tukhmanov was born on July 20, 1940 in Moscow. Graduated from the institute. Gnesins.

Creativity of David Tukhmanov has won national recognition and love. He composed about two hundred songs, music for films and performances. The composer also works in the academic genre, he wrote works: the oratorio "The Legend of Yermak", the poem for violin and orchestra "Holy Night", numerous chamber vocal compositions. His opera The Queen was staged at the Helikon Opera in Moscow and on the stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg.

David Fedorovich Tukhmanov is a holder of the badge of honor of the Russian Foundation for Public Recognition.

Since 2008 - member of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Culture and Art.

Since 2010 - Member of the Patriarchal Council for Culture.

PATRIARSH CHOIR OF THE TEMPLE OF CHRIST THE SAVIOR

Recreation of the traditions of Moscow cathedral choral singing began almost simultaneously with the revival of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

The choir at the church was founded in 1998, and already in 2000, with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II, the team received the status of the Patriarchal Choir of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Since 2007, the choir has been directed by the choir director Ilya Tolkachev.

In addition to performing spiritual chants during divine services, the choir participates in important church and state celebrations, arranges classical music concerts in the Hall of Church Councils of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

The basis of the repertoire of the Patriarchal Choir is made up of outstanding works of Russian sacred music, arrangements of Russian folk songs and works by Russian composers: P.I. Tchaikovsky, S.V. Rachmaninov, P.G. Chesnokova, A.T. Grechaninov.

The Patriarchal Choir of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior is actively touring.

(FLV file. Duration 12 min. Size 97.3 Mb)

CHOIR OF MOSCOW SRETENSKY MONASTERY

The choir of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery has existed for more than 600 years - since the foundation of the monastery in 1397. The choir was "silent" only during the years of Soviet power, when the church was subjected to persecution and repression.

Today the choir consists of 30 people, their own composers and arrangers.

Choir director - Honored Artist of Russia Nikon Zhila.

In addition to regular services in the Sretensky Monastery, the choir sings at solemn Patriarchal services in the Moscow Kremlin, participates in international music competitions and missionary trips of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The choir performed at concert venues: Library of Congress Hall in Washington, Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center in New York, Toronto Arts Center, Town Hall in Sydney, Berliner Dom, Cadogan Hall in London, has repeatedly given concerts at Notre Dame de Paris.

In addition to sacred music, the choir's repertoire also includes the best works song tradition Russia, which is made up of Russian, Ukrainian, Cossack folk songs, romances and songs of the war years.

(FLV file. Duration 16 min. Size 123.5 Mb)

MOSCOW SYNODAL CHOIR

The Moscow Synodal Choir was founded in 1721. Its basis was the choir of the Patriarchal Singing Deacons, which arose at the end of the 16th century. Initially, the Patriarchal Choir included only male singers of the clergy, since until the middle of the 17th century singing was monophonic. Later, the choir began to perform polyphonic scores, and children's voices (violas and trebles) appeared in its composition, the parts of which are performed today by female voices.

On the turn of XIX-XX centuries, the choir's repertoire included not only church hymns, but also works of secular music, as well as arrangements of Russian folk songs. The choir performed works by Sergei Rachmaninov, Alexander Kastalsky, Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

In 1919, when the Kremlin cathedrals were closed, the choir ceased to exist for a long time.

January 3, 2010 in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin His Holiness Patriarch Kirill gave his blessing to revive the Moscow Synodal Choir on the basis of the church team at the Church of the Icon Mother of God"Joy of All Who Sorrow" on Bolshaya Ordynka.

Today the choir has 80 members.

(FLV file. Duration 14 min. Size 109.1 Mb)

The secular works of outstanding Russian composers organically included images of Orthodox spirituality, and found a vivid embodiment of the Orthodox intonation. church music. Introduction to bell ringing opera scenes became a tradition in Russian opera in the 19th century.

Coming to the roots

Possessing high value orientations, carrying moral purity and inner harmony, Orthodox spirituality nourished Russian music, in contrast, representing and denouncing the insignificance of worldly fuss, the baseness of human passions and vices.

Outstanding heroic-tragic opera by M. I. Glinka “A Life for the Tsar” (“Ivan Susanin”), drama “ royal bride”, folk musical dramas - M.P. Mussorgsky, epic operas by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov and others, it is possible to comprehend deeply only through the prism of the Orthodox religious culture. The characteristics of the heroes of these musical works are given from the point of view of Orthodox moral and ethical ideas.

Melos of Russian composers and church hymns

Since the 19th century, Orthodox church music has been abundantly penetrating into Russian classical music at the intonation-thematic level. The quartet-prayer sung by the heroes of the opera A Life for the Tsar by the brilliant Glinka is reminiscent of the partesque style of church hymns, the final solo scene by Ivan Susanin is, in essence, a prayerful appeal to God before his death, the epilogue of the opera begins with a jubilant choir "Glory", close to church genre"Many Years". The solo parts of the heroes in the well-known musical folk drama about Tsar Boris Mussorgsky, revealing the image of Orthodox monasticism (Elder Pimen, the Fool-for-Christ, Kaliki passers-by), are permeated with the intonations of church hymns.

Severe choirs of schismatics, sustained in the style, are presented in Mussorgsky's opera Khovanshchina. The main themes of the first parts of the famous piano concertos by S.V. Rachmaninov (second and third).

Scene from the opera “Khovanshchina” by M.P. Mussorgsky

A deep connection with Orthodox culture can be traced in the work of the outstanding master of the vocal and choral genre G.V. Sviridov. The original melos of the composer is a synthesis of folk-song, church-canonical and Kantian principles.

Znamenny chant dominates in Sviridov's choral cycle "Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich" - based on the tragedy by A.K. Tolstoy. "Chants and Prayers" written in church texts, but intended for secular concert performance, are the unsurpassed creations of Sviridov, in which the ancient liturgical traditions organically merge with musical language 20th century

Bells are ringing

Bell ringing is considered an integral part Orthodox life. Most composers of the Russian school have a figurative world of bells in their musical heritage.

For the first time, Glinka introduced scenes with bell ringing into Russian opera: the bells accompany the final part of the opera A Life for the Tsar. The re-creation of the bell ringing in the orchestra enhances the drama of the image of Tsar Boris: the scene of the coronation and the scene of death. (Mussorgsky: musical drama "Boris Godunov").

Many of Rachmaninov's works are filled with bells. One of the clearest examples in this sense is the Prelude in C-sharp minor. Remarkable examples of the recreation of bell ringing are presented in the musical compositions of the composer of the 20th century. V.A. Gavrilina ("Chimes").

And now - a musical gift. A wonderful choral Easter miniature by one of the Russian composers. Already here the bell-likeness manifests itself more than clearly.

M. Vasiliev Easter Troparion “Bell”

Church music has existed as long as the Church itself has existed. For two thousand years, it has turned into an art that requires the highest skill, absorbed the traditions of the peoples into whose culture it came, but still retained its unique property to bring a person closer to God.
The path of Russian spiritual music was not easy: it sometimes became more complicated, sometimes it strove for simplification; it used ancient Russian, Greek, Byzantine, Italian, Georgian singing traditions; the original Russian hook notation was forgotten and revived again. And yet it has not ceased to be a prayer - simple and bright. The history of music can be studied, but it cannot be conveyed in dates - It becomes understandable only through Biographies and the work of the people who create it.
This publication is an owl collection of articles on life and creative way composers who left their mark on the history of sacred music. Written by different authors at different times, they form a work that is unique in its breadth of coverage.

FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHURCH MUSIC

Singing in the Christian First Church. Archpriest D. Allemanov
Songwriters and hymn-singers of the primordial Church
Church singing in III and IV centuries
Songwriters and song-singers of III and IV centuries
Singing in the V-VII centuries
Songwriters and singers of the 5th - 7th centuries
Singing and songwriters of the Greco-Eastern Church from the 8th century
Songwriters and song-singers from the 8th century. until the 15th century inclusive
Singing of the Western Church
Names of the most prominent theorists of the sacred music of the Western Church
Venerable John of Damascus, chanter of Eastern Orthodox
Churches. Archpriest D. Razumovsky
Historical review of the chanters of the Greek Church. Archbishop Filaret (Gumilevsky)
Saint Basil the Great
Saint John Chrysostom
Reverend Roman the Melodist
Venerable Cosmas of Maium

CHURCH MUSIC IN RUSSIA

Singing groups and singers of Ancient Russia. . V. Martynov
liturgical singing and composer creativity. V. Martynov
Beginning of partes singing in Russia. Archpriest D. Razumovsky
The first polyphonic, or partes, singing of the Russian Church
The Second Epoch of Partes Singing in Russia
Partes singing in the Russian Church at Bortnyansky
Partes singing of the Russian Church after Bortnyansky
About Church singing. L.Pariyskiy
Introductory Lecture on the History of Church Singing. S. Smolensky
One of the "sick" questions of church singing. A Nikolsky
Ekphonetics in Orthodox worship. B. Kutuzov
Life rules for an amateur regent. Archpriest A. Pravdolyubov
Religious tasks of the church choir. Archpriest A. Pravdolyubov

CHURCH MUSIC COMPOSERS

Maxim Sozontovich Berezovsky. M. Rytsareva
Bortnyansky Dmitry Stepanovich. A. Kashpur, V. Avramenko
About the personality and church-musical creativity of AL. Wedel. V. Petrushevsky
Petr Ivanovich Turchaninov. S. Sheburenkov
Archimandrite Feofan (Feodor Alexandrov). G.Alfeev
Glinka and his spiritual and musical activity. I. Solovyov
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. A. Kashpur, V. Avramenko
Alexander Andreevich Arkhangelsky. V. Bakumenko
Stepan Vasilievich Smolensky - the founder of the new
directions. Hierodeacon Andrew (Danilov)
memory church composer AD Kastalsky. I. Pariyskiy
Mikhail Mikhailovich Ippolitov-Ivanov. V. Avramenko
Grechaninov Alexander Tikhonovich. V. Avramenko
Church hymns D.V. Allemanov. S. Sheburenkov
Viktor Sergeevich Kalinnikov. A Kashpur, E. Ignatieva
Church composer priest Vasily Zinoviev. V. Bakumenko
Milestones in the life and work of P.G. Chesnokovkh Deacon A. Nefedov
Alexey Evlampievich Turenkov. A. Kashpur, E. Ignatieva, E. Targonskaya
Father Matthew: I never built anything on someone else's foundation. M. Denisov

50 SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF CHURCH MUSIC COMPOSERS. E. Ignatieva

GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS
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