Information about a foreign composer. The most famous composers in the world: a list of names, a brief overview of the works

Franz Schubert wrote music during the transition from the Viennese Classical period to the Romantic period. His works are very expressive, emotional, written using the idioms of the Viennese classical style. Schubert had just crossed the 30-year mark when he died, but he managed to leave a vast musical legacy for future generations. Today, classical music without the works of Schubert is not possible. It is still unknown why Schubert died - at the beginning of the 20th century, German doctors were sure that he died of typhoid fever, a disease of the poor. Today, some doctors believe that he died of advanced syphilis. It can be argued that Schubert himself knew about his incurable illness as early as 1823. In addition, he also suffered from a fever in recent days, but today the opinion of syphilis is more strengthened.

Personally, we think that one must take into account the fact that Schubert lived in unsanitary conditions, and that during his last days he ate and drank very little - and this is typical of gastrointestinal diseases.

Frederic Chopin The interest attracted to how and what kind of compositions Chopin wrote is naturally aroused - his creations are not only good from an aesthetic point of view, but also from a technical point of view. A glance at the notes that Chopin wrote will immediately explain all his eccentricity - the manuscripts of his works are teeming with strikethroughs, insertions, etc. It is rare to find several versions of one work that would be identical. Sheet music published "at the same time" in different countries varies - even after the work was published, Chopin found a way to correct it. In general, Chopin believed that composer's work should be creative, unlimited neither by the limits of publication, nor by other reasons. Perhaps this is what led to the fact that Chopin's music is included in a large list called "classical music".

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart one of the most interesting composers, a child prodigy, a unique child who showed incredible talents in music. Mozart already at the age of 3-4 played the harpsichord well and came up with his own compositions. Many attributed magical abilities to him - and, according to a well-known story, his rival Salieri could not stand envy and poisoned Wolfgang. Mozart had a perfect ear, a great sense of music and easily created the most complex scores. Most of Mozart's works were written for the entertainment of courtiers, so they are light, airy, although from the pianist's point of view they are quite serious. Perhaps Mozart is classical music.

Georg Friedrich Handel(born 23 February 1685 in Hull, died 14 April 1759 in London) was a Baroque composer. He became famous, first of all, for his numerous operas. About 40 operas and 25 oratorios belong to his creativity. Handel left compositions in all musical genres that existed at that time. Handel's father Georg (1622-1697) was a barber and surgeon of the Lutheran faith and served as court surgeon to the Duke of Weissenfels of Saxony.

Georg Handel took his son with him, before he was 8 years old, to Weissenfels. Thus, the baby met the court musicians and played the organ in the presence of the duke. He immediately recognized the boy's talent and had a serious talk with his father, who listened to his arguments, although he himself was not interested in music.

After returning, Handel became a student of Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, organist of the Madonna Church. With him, he studied composition, learned to play, in addition to keyboard instruments, also on the oboe and violin. Motets also had to be composed every week. Handel is then sent to the court in Berlin at the age of twelve, where he makes a great impression with his musical ability. The Elector of Brandenburg (later the Prussian King Frederick I) proposes to send the boy to Italy for training and then determine him at the court in Berlin.

In October 1712, Handel returned to London, where he spent the rest of his life. He first lived for one year with a wealthy music lover, Barn Elmes, in Surrey. For the next 3 years he lived with Earl Burlington near London.

Franz Liszt was born on October 22, 1811 in Raiding, then the Kingdom of Hungary, today - Austria (Burgenland). He was one of the most famous and most successful virtuoso pianists of the 19th century, as well as a brilliant composer. Everyone who studied at a music school must have come across his name and works. He was born in the first half of the 19th century, in October. Since childhood, the composer began to write music and give concerts. F. Liszt wrote sketches, communicated with such composers as Chopin, Salieri and Paganini. He turned piano works into pop music, changing the perception of the piano from a chamber, salon instrument into an instrument designed for a wide audience. Franz Liszt made arrangements for other musical works, giving them a new sound. He created variations and fantasies on well-known motifs. Franz Liszt also visited Russia and communicated with Russian composers and musicians, in particular, with Glinka.

He was engaged in symphonic work and often wrote plays based on historical or fictional events. In his works, one can also find images of famous writers, in particular, Faust and Mephistopheles.

Franz Liszt played a big role in the development of the musical genre in his homeland - in Hungary.

F. Liszt died in 1886, at the age of 75. The place of his death was the city of Bayreuth.

Johann Sebastian Bach(born March 21, 1685 in Eisenach, died July 28, 1750 in Leipzig) is a German composer of the Baroque era. Today he is considered one of the greatest musical creators of all time, who significantly influenced later music and whose works are performed all over the world both in the original and in countless adaptations.

Immediately after his entry into the church service, Bach began to compose or remake cantatas for appropriate performances. During this systematic work, during the first years, an average of about one work a week arose, then the pace slowed down. Early in 1725, Bach met the poet Christian Friedrich Heinrich Aliens Picander, who finally delivered the text for the Matthew Passion, which was first shown in 1727 or 1729. In 1729, Bach took over the management of the music college founded by Telemann in 1701, which he headed until 1741, probably even until 1746. Along with teaching, he represented German and Italian instrumental and vocal music, in addition, he wrote some of the his secular cantatas, such as Hercules at the Crossroads, which he called "Dramma per la Musica" or "Dramma per Musica" and which are similar in structure to the opera. In the peasant and coffee cantata it is shown that he could also write in the humorous genre. The latter, in all likelihood, was performed at the Zimerman Coffee House when he gave concerts with a musical collegium.

Ludwig van Beethoven(born December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany; died March 26, 1827 in Vienna) was a Viennese classical composer. He is considered the composer who brought the music of that era to its highest development. Ludwig van Beethoven was born into a musician's family. Beethoven's father was struck by the little Wolfgang Mozart, who performed as a composer at the age of 6 and was known as a child prodigy. With the goal of making his son a child prodigy, he began giving him piano lessons. Young Beethoven also learned to play the organ and clarinet. However, his father's strict attitude hindered the development of the boy, who was raised out of bed in the middle of the night to demonstrate his piano playing skills to his father's friends. This led to Beethoven becoming often tired at school and suffering from a lack of concentration. At the age of 11, he was forced to leave school. Otherwise, Beethoven's childhood was not problem-free. His father was an alcoholic, his mother was very ill and of his 6 brothers and sisters only two survived. Yes, when he also fell ill at the age of 5 with inflammation of the middle ear, his parents did not notice this, and this is considered one of the causes of deafness that arose later. While Beethoven had a strained and reserved attitude towards his father, he was very fond of his mother. Beethoven's father's colleagues in the Bonn court recognized Ludwig's talent and made sure that his father finally decided to transfer his son's further musical education into the hands of other musicians. Among Beethoven's most famous patrons and teachers in Bonn during the following years were Christian Gottlob Näfe (piano, organ and composition) and Franz Anton Ries (violin). 9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, overtures (Prometheus, Coriolanus, Eleanor), vocal works, Fidelio's opera, piano works, 32 piano sonatas, ballets and stage music, chamber music, quartets, cello sonatas.

Nicolo Poganini, born October 27, 1782 in Genoa, was an Italian violinist, guitarist and composer. At the time he was the leading and most virtuoso violinist. Appearance (he was thin, had jet-black hair and brown eyes) and his brilliant playing technique made him a legend during his lifetime. Paganini received his first violin lessons at an early age, including from his father (Antonio Paganini), who forced him to take regular lessons. If, in his father's opinion, he was not diligent enough, little Nicolò did not receive any food, and beatings often took place. He earned his livelihood by traveling around Italy as a virtuoso violinist. Between 1805 and 1809 he had a stable position with Princess Elisa Baciotti Lucca, Napoleon's sister. This was his only permanent position. Since 1813, Paganini was constantly on concert tours, where he bewitched his listeners with the "magic art of the violinist." Vienna, London, Paris, again Vienna and so endlessly In Paris in 1833 he met Hector Berlioz, from whom he took composition lessons. He died in 1840 in Nice while on vacation.

Q Out of his 8 violin concertos, 6 remain today.

В· Today, his 24 capriccios belong to the standard repertoire of the best violinists. They are so difficult that it was possible only 50 years after his death to play them without simplifications.

В· 12 sonatas for cello and guitar.

В· 6 quartets for cello, violin and guitar.

В· 60 etudes in variations for cello and guitar.

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-term 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, since 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 the close 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 development of the styles of many world composers.

Quote by MP 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 "friends" Stasov and Rimsky-Korsakov, renounced the copyright to 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 the best 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 life, 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 a 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 intonational 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 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" ("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. 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
"Rakhmaninov'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 composer's previous artistic experience, 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 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.
- 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, to 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."

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven- The greatest composer of the early 19th century. Requiem and Moonlight Sonata are immediately recognizable by any person. The immortal works of the composer have always been and will be popular because of the unique style of Beethoven.

- German composer of the 18th century. Without a doubt, the founder of modern music. His works were based on the versatility of harmonies of various instruments. He created the rhythm of music, so his works are easily amenable to modern instrumental processing.

- The most popular and understandable Austrian composer of the late 18th century. All his works are simple and ingenious. They are very melodic and pleasant. A little serenade, a thunderstorm and many other compositions in rock arrangement will have a special place in your collection.

- Austrian composer of the late 18th, early 19th century. A true classical composer. The violin for Haydn was in a special place. In almost all the works of the composer, she is the soloist. Very beautiful and captivating music.

- Italian composer of the first half of the 18th century No. 1. National temperament and a new approach to arrangement literally blew up Europe in the middle of the 18th century. The symphonies "The Seasons" are the hallmark of the composer.

- Polish composer of the 19th century. According to some information, the founder of the combined genre of concert and folk music. His polonaises and mazurkas blend seamlessly with orchestral music. The only drawback in the composer's work was considered too soft style (lack of strong and incendiary motives).

- German composer of the late 19th century. He was spoken of as the great romantic of his time, and his "German Requiem" eclipsed other works of his contemporaries with its popularity. The style in Brahms' music is qualitatively different from the styles of other classics.

- Austrian composer of the early 19th century. One of the greatest composers unrecognized during his lifetime. A very early death at 31 prevented the full development of Schubert's potential. The songs he wrote were the main source of income when the greatest symphonies were gathering dust on the shelves. Only after the death of the composer, the works were highly appreciated by critics.

- Austrian composer of the late 19th century. Ancestor of waltzes and marches. We say Strauss - we mean waltz, we say waltz - we mean Strauss. Johann Jr. grew up in the family of his father, a composer. Strauss senior treated the works of his son with disdain. He believed that his son was engaged in nonsense and therefore humiliated him in every way in the world. But Johann Jr. stubbornly continued to do what he loved, and the revolution and the march written by Strauss in her honor proved the genius of his son in the eyes of European high society.

- One of the greatest composers of the 19th century. Master of Opera Art. "Aida" and "Otello" by Verdi are extremely popular today thanks to the true talent of the Italian composer. The tragic loss of his family at the age of 27 crippled the composer, but he did not give up and delved into creativity, writing several operas at once in a short time. High society highly appreciated Verdi's talent and his operas were staged in the most prestigious theaters in Europe.

- Even at the age of 18, this talented Italian composer wrote several operas that became very popular. The crown of his creation was the revised play "The Barber of Seville". After its presentation to the public, Gioachino was literally carried in his arms. The success was intoxicating. After that, Rossini became a welcome guest in high society and gained a solid reputation.

- German composer of the early 18th century. One of the founders of opera art and instrumental music. In addition to writing operas, Handel also wrote music for the "people", which was very popular in those days. Hundreds of songs and dance melodies of the composer thundered in the streets and squares in those distant times.

- Polish prince and composer - self-taught. Having no musical education, he became a famous composer. His famous polonaise is known all over the world. At the time of the composer, a revolution was taking place in Poland, and the marches written by him became the hymns of the rebels.

- Jewish composer, born in Germany. His wedding march and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" have been popular for hundreds of years. The symphonies and compositions written by him are successfully perceived all over the world.

- German composer of the 19th century. His mystically - anti-Semitic idea of ​​the superiority of the Aryan race over other races was adopted by the Nazis. Wagner's music is very different from the music of his predecessors. It is aimed primarily at connecting man and nature with an admixture of mysticism. His famous operas "Rings of the Nibelungs" and "Tristan and Isolde" confirm the revolutionary spirit of the composer.

- French composer of the mid-19th century. Creator of Carmen. From birth he was a brilliant child and at the age of 10 he already entered the conservatory. During his short life (he died before the age of 37) he wrote dozens of operas and operettas, various orchestral works and ode symphonies.

- Norwegian composer - lyricist. His works are simply saturated with melody. During his life he wrote a large number of songs, romances, suites and sketches. His composition "The Cave of the Mountain King" is very often used in cinema and modern stage.

- An American composer of the early 20th century - the author of "Rhapsody in Blues", which is especially popular to this day. At 26, he was already Broadway's first composer. Gershwin's popularity quickly spread throughout America, thanks to numerous songs and popular shows.

- Russian composer. His opera "Boris Godunov" is the hallmark of many theaters in the world. The composer in his works relied on folklore, considering folk music to be the music of the soul. "Night on Bald Mountain" by Modest Petrovich is one of the ten most popular symphonic sketches in the world.

The most popular and greatest composer of Russia, of course, is. "Swan Lake" and "Sleeping Beauty", "Slavic March" and "The Nutcracker", "Eugene Onegin" and "The Queen of Spades". These and many more masterpieces of musical art were created by our Russian composer. Tchaikovsky is the pride of Russia. All over the world they know "Balalaika", "Matryoshka", "Tchaikovsky"...

- Soviet composer. Stalin's favorite. The opera "The Tale of a Real Man" was strongly recommended to listen to Mikhail Zadornov. But mostly Sergey Sergeyevich has serious and profound works. "War and Peace", "Cinderella", "Romeo and Juliet", a lot of brilliant symphonies and works for orchestra.

- Russian composer who created his own inimitable style in music. He was a deeply religious person and a special place in his work was given to writing religious music. Rachmaninov also wrote a lot of concert music and several symphonies. His last work "Symphonic Dances" is recognized as the greatest work of the composer.

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 over 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.

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750) German composer and organist. Founder of modern music. His name is regularly mentioned in the lists of the most famous composers in the world. He created works in all genres known at that time, except for opera: cantatas, music for organ, violin and piano. His works lend themselves easily to modern instrumental processing. Bach's creative legacy is enormous. During his life, Bach wrote more than 1000 works.

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Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Great German composer, conductor and pianist, one of the three "Viennese classics". The main theme of Beethoven's work can be called the idea of ​​​​a heroic struggle for freedom, consonant with the revolutionary era. At the same time, his music also conveys the subtlest lyrical experiences. Creativity: Elise, Moonlight Sonata No. 14, Symphonies No. 5, No. 9, Egmont Overture.

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Georges Bizet (1838 - 1875) French composer of the Romantic period, author of orchestral works, romances, piano pieces, and operas, the most famous of which was Carmen. The uniqueness of the work of the great composer was expressed not only in the highest merits of his works, but also in Bizet's deep understanding of theatrical music. Creativity: "Carmen", "Carmen - Suite", "Pearl Seekers", etc.

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Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901) Italian composer, whose work is one of the greatest achievements of world opera art and the culmination of the development of Italian opera in the 19th century. The composer created 26 operas and one requiem. The composer's best operas: Ball in Masquerade, Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviata. The pinnacle of creativity is the latest operas: Aida, Othello, Falstaff.

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Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741) Italian composer, virtuoso violinist, teacher, conductor, Catholic priest. Vivaldi is considered one of the largest representatives of the Italian violin art of the 18th century, during his lifetime he received wide recognition throughout Europe. Known for his instrumental concertos, especially for the violin. His most famous work is the cycle of four violin concertos "The Seasons". Author of more than 40 operas.

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Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907) Norwegian composer of the Romantic period, musical figure, pianist, conductor. Grieg's work was formed under the influence of Norwegian folk culture. Among the most famous works by Grieg are two suites from the music for Henrik Ibsen's drama "Peer Gynt", a concerto for piano and orchestra, and violin sonatas. Author of music for the play "Morning", "In the cave of the mountain king", "Song of Solveig".

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Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847) German composer, pianist, conductor, teacher of Jewish origin. One of the largest representatives of romanticism in music, the author of the famous wedding march. Head of the Leipzig School of German Music, founder of the Leipzig Conservatory. Great are the merits of Mendelssohn as a conductor.

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) Austrian composer and virtuoso musician. One of the most popular classical composers, Mozart had a great influence on the world musical culture. According to contemporaries, Mozart had a phenomenal musical ear, memory and ability to improvise. Creativity: The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro, Symphony No. 40, Symphony No. 6, Requiem, etc.

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Niccolo Paganini (1782 - 1840) Italian virtuoso violinist and guitarist, composer. One of the brightest personalities in the musical history of the XVIII-XIX centuries. Paganini was a real virtuoso, possessing an extremely bright personality, basing his playing on original techniques, which he performed with infallible purity and confidence. Paganini possessed a precious collection of Stradivari violins, Guarneri. He wrote about 200 pieces for guitar. Among his works, "24 Caprices" for violin solo are especially famous.

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Fryderyk Chopin (1810 - 1849) Polish composer and virtuoso pianist, teacher. Author of numerous works for piano. The largest representative of Polish musical art. He interpreted many genres in a new way: he revived the prelude on a romantic basis, created a piano ballad, poeticized and dramatized dances: mazurka, polonaise, waltz. Creativity: 3 sonatas, 4 ballads, 27 etudes, 17 waltzes (No. 7), 60 mazurkas, 16 polonaises.