Municipal budgetary educational institution additional education for children "Petrovskaya Children's Art School". Presentation on the topic: “Satirical songs of M.P. Mussorgsky” The work was completed by Anna Petrosyan, a 5th grade student in the piano department. Head: Mirkina Elena Vasilievna.
S. Petrovskoe
Tambov region.
A little about creativity.
M.P. Mussorgsky composed chamber vocal music throughout his life.
He created about 70 works, varied in content and form.
These include lyrics, and bright realistic sketches from folk life - “folk pictures” and musical portraits.
Developing the traditions of Dargomyzhsky, the composer uses the genres of monologue-scene, monologue-story, ballad, and dramatic song.
But Mussorgsky’s comic talent manifested itself especially clearly when composing satirical songs.
Kalistrat
In May 1864 a unique vocal song from peasant life is created to the words of Nekrasov “Kalistrat”. Mussorgsky described it as “the first attempt at comedy” in his work. “...you still laugh at the simpleton, but your laughter is already dissolved in bitterness,” Belinsky wrote.
The images of the vocal play show irony and a grin, the images glow with tart folk humor, the meaning is tragic. “Kalistratushka” is a song-parable about the bleak lot of a poor man, told by himself with a comic quality that evokes a bitter smile.
"Oh, you drunken aunt"
V. Nikolsky
In the fall of 1866, Mussorgsky wrote a song-sketch “Oh, you drunken grouse!” (from the adventures of Pakhomych), in his own words. This song for a long time remained unknown and was published only in 1906 by Rimsky-Korsakov. However, this song was not even intended for publication. This is a kind of "homemade parody". The play is dedicated to V. Nikolsky, a famous historian, teacher and linguist in his time. The close friendship of Mussorgsky and Nikolsky played an important role in the composer's work. It was Nikolsky who suggested that Mussorgsky write an opera based on the plot of Pushkin’s “Boris Godunov” and participated in the development of the plan for the musical drama.
Oh you drunken bitch
The scene of the hectic speech of “Pakhomych’s wife”, now scolding, now begging, now reasoning, is incredibly vividly conveyed in the music. Pakhomych himself is a passive person in the scene. He marks time, not even trying to justify himself and, having waited for an opportune moment, sympathetically joins his wife’s lamentations, which completely infuriates her. This unsuccessful duet is incomparable in its comic presentation of the characters in the scene.
Seminarian
Five days after the comic scene “from the adventures of Pakhomych,” “Seminarist” appeared (September 27, 1866). “I did this in the morning, waking up in 1966, starting only with rhythm,” reads Mussorgsky’s inscription on the copy donated to Golenishchev. Kutuzov.
The rhythm of the scene is the impulse of figurative movement. The rhythm contains the “whining” intonation of a punished seminarian; from the rhythm arises the seminarian’s melody-memory of the rosy-cheeked Styosha, the priest’s daughter, and how he “had to face temptation from the demon in the temple of God,”
For which he is now forced to hammer out the hated Latin words.
The scene is imbued with caustic sarcasm and sad irony. In the funny appearance of the unlucky seminarian, the rude but simple-minded nature of the uncouth guy is visible.
Mischievous
In December 1867, Mussorgsky wrote 3 more vocal plays “The Mischievous Man”, “A Social Fairy Tale” (“The Goat”) based on his own words; and “The garden is blooming over the Don” based on poems by A. Koltsov.
“The Mischievous Man” is one of those pictures where the comedy is truly tragic. A boy chases a hunchbacked old woman, mocking her squalor.
“Oh, grandma, oh, dear, beautiful girl, turn around! Pointed-nosed, silver-haired, bug-eyed, kiss!...” The old woman hits him, he screams in pain - “Oh, don’t hit me!” - and teases him more and more angrily and mercilessly. He excels in mischievous antics, and the funnier they are, the more tragic the scene sounds. The figurative development of musical speech is based on a short theme.
C. Cui said that Mussorgsky's "The Mischief" is a painful scherzo, full of strength and novelty.
“The Mischievous Man” evoked a bitter smile of compassion in his listeners.
If “The Mischievous Man” evoked a bitter smile of compassion in the listeners, then “The Goat” evoked a cheerful laugh. This play, called by the composer a “secular fairy tale”, is written in the genre of a fable, the meaning of which is revealed in a funny allegory: a girl was going for a walk, she met a goat - “old, dirty, bearded, scary, evil and all shaggy, a real devil”, the girl got scared and ran away barely alive. When she came to marry, the young lady met another, high-society Goat - “Old and hunchbacked, bald, angry and bearded, a real devil,” but she was not at all afraid of him - “she cuddled up to her husband, assuring that she was faithful...”.
The witty juxtaposition of irony in the characteristics of the society young lady and the goat, the original piano accompaniment with deadpan humor, commenting on the meaning of the fairy tale - all this determined the enormous success of the fable about the goat.
White-sided chirping.
Mussorgsky composed this work on August 26, 1867, while he was in St. Petersburg. This is a vocal scherzo in which the composer wittily combines two short poems by Pushkin: “The White-sided Chirp” and “The Bells Are Ringing.” The music sparkles with simple-minded humor and inventiveness.
This incredible humoresque arose, probably impromptu, in a circle of close friends Alexandra and Nadezhda Opochinin. It is dedicated to them.
The “unprecedented bell” of the playful chirping magpie unexpectedly echoes the bells of the dancing gypsy singer, “a master of bewitching.”
At the same time, the lyrical song “Picking Mushrooms” was written to the words of L. May. Dedicated to V. Nikolsky.
In the summer of 1870, a vocal pamphlet, “Rayok,” was written. Stasov presents this work as follows: “The story and jokes of a man under the booths at Maslenitsa, showing “honest gentlemen a miracle of the sea through the round glass of his house.”
“Rayok” begins with the cheerful ringing of the raeshnik (“I myself” as Mussorgsky meant.)
The composer puts musical masks on his heroes.
“Rayok is a folk theater of pictures, consisting of a small box with two magnifying glasses in front. Inside it, pictures are rearranged or a paper strip with homegrown images of different cities, great people and events is rewound from one skating rink to another. Rayoshnik moves the pictures and tells sayings and jokes for each new plot.
Song of Mephistopheles in Auerbach's cellar about a flea.
During his concert trip, Mussorgsky also managed to engage in creative work.
In 1879, he composed the song that became famous, “The Song of Mephistopheles in Auerbach’s Cellar about a Flea,” based on the words of Goethe. This is the composer's last satirical song.
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (1839-1881) Presentation made by
9th grade student
MBOU "Abrikosovskaya School"
Izeeva Niyara
Mussorgsky was born in the Pskov province, on his parents' estate. In his biography, Mussorgsky studied piano with Gerke. Learned anal
Mussorgsky was born in Pskovskayaprovince, on the estate of the parents. Game
on the piano in his biography
Mussorgsky studied with Gehrke. Studied
analyze, criticize
works, as well as read
scores in Balakirev's circle.
In 1852, for the first time in biography
Mussorgsky was published by him
play. And the first work
presented to the general public in
1860.
After this, the composer composed several romances. However, he is best known for the opera Boris Godunov. Soon after the show
After this the composercomposed several romances.
However, the most famous
thanks to the opera "Boris"
Godunov." Soon after
opera performances in
Mariinsky Theater, she became
famous. After 22 years the play
was rewritten by Rimsky Korsakov, and then again
presented to the audience,
got a second life.
Since 1875, Mussorgsky has been working on the operas “Khovanshchina” and “Sorochinskaya Fair”. Among other works of Mussorgsky, the most famous are: “To
Since 1875 Mussorgskyworking on operas
"Khovanshchina"
"Sorochinskaya Fair".
Among other works
Mussorgsky most
known: “Kalistrat”,
“Orphan”, “Pictures from
exhibitions", "Children's",
“Without the Sun”, “Songs and
dance of death."
Alcohol abuse in the last decade of Mussorgsky's biography greatly undermined his health. After an exacerbation, an attack of “white
Abusedrinking alcohol lately
decade
biographies of Mussorgsky
greatly undermined him
health. After
exacerbation, attack
"delirium tremens" was
placed in military
hospital where
died in March
1881.
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The presentation on the topic “Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich. Biography” can be downloaded absolutely free on our website. Subject of the project: MHC. Colorful slides and illustrations will help you engage your classmates or audience. To view the content, use the player, or if you want to download the report, click on the corresponding text under the player. The presentation contains 9 slide(s).
Presentation slides
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Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich
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Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (March 9, 1839, the village of Karevo, Toropetsk district of the Pskov province - March 16, 1881, St. Petersburg) - Russian composer, member of the " Mighty bunch" Mussorgsky's father came from an ancient noble family Mussorgsky. Until the age of 10, Modest and his older brother Filaret received home education. In 1849, having moved to St. Petersburg, the brothers entered the German school Petrishule. A few years later, without graduating from college, Modest was sent to study at the School of Guards Ensigns, which he graduated in 1856. Then Mussorgsky served briefly in the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment, then in the Main Engineering Directorate, in the Ministry of State Property and in State Control.
Slide 3
Mussorgsky studied piano with Anton Gehrke and became a good pianist. Naturally possessing a beautiful chamber baritone, he willingly sang at evenings in private musical gatherings. In 1852, the Bernard company in St. Petersburg published a piano piece by Mussorgsky, the composer's first publication. In 1858, Mussorgsky wrote two scherzos, one of which was orchestrated by him for orchestra and in 1860 performed at a concert of the Russian Musical Society, conducted by A. G. Rubinstein.
Slide 4
A major plan - the opera "Boris Godunov" based on the tragedy of A. S. Pushkin - Mussorgsky brought to the end. Premiere on stage Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg in 1874 took place on the material of the second edition of the opera, in the dramaturgy of which the composer was forced to make significant changes, since the repertoire committee of the theater rejected the first edition for being “unstageable.” Over the next 10 years, “Boris Godunov” was performed 15 times and then removed from the repertoire. Only at the end of November 1896 “Boris Godunov” again saw the light - in the edition of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, who “corrected” and re-instrumented the entire “Boris Godunov” at his own discretion. This is how the opera was staged Great halls Musical Society (new building of the Conservatory) with the participation of members of the “Society of Musical Meetings”. The company Bessel and Co. in St. Petersburg had by this time released a new score of Boris Godunov, in the preface to which Rimsky-Korsakov explains that the reasons that prompted him to undertake this alteration were supposedly “bad texture” and “bad orchestration.” the author's version of Mussorgsky himself. In Moscow, “Boris Godunov” was staged for the first time Bolshoi Theater in 1888. In our time, interest in the author's editions of “Boris Godunov” has been revived.
Slide 5
In the 1870s, Mussorgsky was painfully worried about the gradual collapse of the “Mighty Handful” - a trend that he perceived as a concession to musical conformism, cowardice, even a betrayal of the Russian idea. The lack of understanding of his work in the official academic environment, such as, for example, in the Mariinsky Theater, which was then led by foreigners and compatriots sympathizing with Western opera fashion, was painful. But a hundred times more painful was the rejection of his innovation by people whom he considered close friends (Balakirev, Cui, Rimsky-Korsakov, etc.):
Slide 6
These experiences of misrecognition and “misunderstanding” were expressed in a “nervous fever” that intensified in the 2nd half of the 1870s, and as a result, in an addiction to alcohol. Mussorgsky was not in the habit of making preliminary sketches, sketches and drafts. He thought about everything for a long time, composed and recorded completely finished music. This feature of his creative method, coupled with nervous illness and alcoholism, was the reason for the slowdown in the process of creating music in last years his life. Having left the “forestry department,” he lost a permanent (albeit small) source of income and was content with odd jobs and minor financial support from friends. The last bright event was a trip arranged by his friend, singer D. M. Leonova in July-September 1879 in the south of Russia. During Leonova's tour, Mussorgsky acted as her accompanist, including (and often) performing his own innovative compositions. Concerts of Russian musicians, which were given in Poltava, Elizavetgrad, Nikolaev, Kherson, Odessa, Sevastopol, Rostov-on-Don and other cities, were held with constant success, which assured the composer (albeit not for long) that his path was “to new shores” chosen correctly.
Slide 7
Mussorgsky died in a military hospital, where he was admitted after an attack of delirium tremens. There, a few days before his death, Ilya Repin painted (his only lifetime) portrait of the composer. Mussorgsky was buried at the Tikhvin cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
IN musical creativity Mussorgsky found a very original and vivid expression of Russian national traits. This defining feature of his style manifested itself in many ways: in his ability to handle folk song, in the melodic, harmonic and rhythmic features of the music, and finally, in the choice of subjects, mainly from Russian life. Mussorgsky is a hater of routine; for him there were no authorities in music. He paid little attention to the rules of musical “grammar”, seeing in them not the principles of science, but only a collection of compositional techniques from previous eras. Hence the constant desire of Mussorgsky the composer for novelty in everything. Mussorgsky's specialty is vocal music. On the one hand, he strived for realism, on the other hand, for a colorful and poetic disclosure of the word. In the desire to follow the word, musicologists see continuity with the creative method of A. S. Dargomyzhsky. Love lyrics as such attracted him little.
Slide 8
An even more skeptical attitude from colleagues and contemporaries affected Mussorgsky’s next opera (its genre is designated by the author himself as “folk musical drama”) “Khovanshchina” - on the theme historical events in Russia at the end of the 17th century (schism and Streltsy revolt). “Khovanshchina,” based on Mussorgsky’s own script and text, was written with long interruptions and was not completed by the time of his death. Both the concept of this work and its scale are unusual. Compared to Boris Godunov, Khovanshchina is not just a drama of one historical person(through which the theme of power, crime, conscience and retribution is revealed), but as a kind of “impersonal” historiosophical drama, in which, in the absence of a clearly defined “central” character (characteristic of the standard operatic drama of that time), entire layers of folk life are revealed and the theme of the spiritual tragedy of the entire people is raised, taking place with the destruction of its traditional historical and life way.
Slide 9
Mussorgsky's outstanding work is the cycle of piano pieces “Pictures at an Exhibition,” written in 1874 as musical illustrations-episodes for watercolors by V. A. Hartmann. The contrasting impression plays are permeated with a Russian theme-refrain, reflecting the change of mood when moving from one picture to another. The Russian theme opens the composition and it also ends it (“Bogatyr Gate”), now transforming into the anthem of Russia and its Orthodox faith.
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The finest features of human nature and human masses, annoying picking at these
little-explored countries and their conquest - this is the real calling of the artist.”
From a letter from M. Mussorgsky to V. Stasov
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (slide 1) is one of the most daring innovators of the 19th century, a brilliant composer who anticipated the art of the 20th century and had a huge influence on the development of Russian and European musical art.
His aesthetic views were formed under the influence of the democratic and people's liberation ideas of the 60s - a time of high spiritual uplift and acute social conflicts. The composer saw the purpose of his art in a truthful reflection of the life of the people, in the psychological authenticity of the images, in love and compassion for disadvantaged people, which brought his music closer to many works of modern literature and painting. He embodied his basic creative principle - “life, wherever it is true, no matter how salty it is” - in various works.
The main genres for Mussorgsky have always been opera and chamber vocal music. It was in them that the composer constantly looked for new means of musical expression. Boldly experimenting, he came to a synthesis of Russian peasant songwriting and characteristic declamation, which absorbed the lively intonations of colloquial speech, and his innovative harmonies, timbre richness, free play of tonalities anticipated many discoveries of Russian and European composers of the 20th century.
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (slide 2) was born on March 9, 1839 in the village of Karevo, Pskov province, on the estate of his father, Pyotr Alekseevich, a poor landowner, a representative of the old noble family of the Rurikovichs. The first ten years of his life passed in the picturesque estate. The beauty and poetry of nature, the simple and unhurried rural life of an old Russian family, peasant labor, folk customs and holidays, songs and legends left a deep mark on the soul of the future composer. Subsequently, he recalled that, under the direct influence of his nanny, he very early became acquainted with Russian fairy tales.
He was the youngest, fourth son in the family. The two eldest died one after another in infancy, and Modest was raised with his brother Philaret. All the tenderness of the mother, Yulia Ivanovna, a kind and gentle woman, was given to the remaining two, and especially to him, the youngest, Modinka. It was she who first began to teach him to play the old piano that stood in the hall of their wooden manor house. Under her guidance, the boy made great progress in playing the piano. Already at the age of seven he played short works by Liszt, and at the age of 9 (slide 3) he performed a major concerto by J. Field. On that memorable evening, Mussorgsky’s parents heard many enthusiastic compliments from those invited about the boy’s unconditional talent. We can say that this children's performance predetermined Mussorgsky's further biography. At the family council, it was decided to make every effort to develop Modest’s creative inclinations. But no one imagined that the boy would become a musician. A different fate was in store for him. All the Mussorgskys, who came from a noble family, served in the military, with the exception of the composer's father.
Until 1849, Modest was educated at home, and then (slide 4) together with his brother he entered the Peter and Paul School in St. Petersburg, which was known for its thoughtful humanitarian program. Here, among other things, he studied German and Latin, and also became seriously interested in literature. His music teacher was the famous St. Petersburg pianist and teacher, student of the famous John Field, Anton Gerke (slide 5). In 1852, with the assistance of the teacher, Mussorgsky's first piano work, the Ensign, was published.
Without graduating from college, the future composer entered (slide 6) the St. Petersburg School of Guards Ensigns (1852–1856). The spirit of military drill reigned at school, and the desire for knowledge and work was not particularly welcomed. Mussorgsky's spiritual maturation in this environment was very contradictory. An inner craving for serious development encouraged him to study foreign languages, history, literature, art, take piano lessons, attend opera performances, despite the discontent of the military authorities. On the one hand, he excelled in military sciences, for which he was awarded the especially kind attention of the emperor; His skillful playing and improvisations on the piano, as well as his singing of arias from fashionable Italian operas, attracted everyone's attention and were loved by his comrades. On the other hand, he was a welcome participant in parties with card games, where he played polkas and quadrilles all night long.
After graduating from school in 1856 (slide 7), Mussorgsky was enlisted as an officer in the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment; a brilliant military career. Then, in 1856, Mussorgsky met A.P. Borodin, who became his close friend.
In the winter of 1857, another thing happened in Mussorgsky’s life. an important event: he was invited (slide 8) to an evening at A.S.’s house. Dargomyzhsky. The owner himself, the atmosphere of the musical meeting, and the works of Glinka and Dargomyzhsky performed there made an indelible impression on the young musician. He began to visit Dargomyzhsky often, who fell in love with the gifted young man. Under the influence of Russian music, which was new to him, Mussorgsky composed his first romance “Where are you, little star?” (to the words of N. Grekov) in the character of a Russian drawn-out song. In Dargomyzhsky’s house in the same year he met (slide 9) his future musical friends and associates - Ts. A. Cui and M. A. Balakirev, and art critic V.V. Stasov. Soon Mussorgsky became a member of the “Mighty Handful”.
Although Balakirev was only twenty years old, he was already a recognized musician - composer, concert pianist. Balakirev had the right taste, critical instinct, and immediately recognized Mussorgsky as an extraordinary talent. He began to study composition with him, play together works by Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Berlioz, Liszt and, using their example, explain the features of form, orchestration, and texture. Modest Petrovich eagerly studied the works of classical and modern authors, attended concerts and performances. A thirst for creativity awakened in him, a desire for improvement in the art of music, which became the goal of his life. Mussorgsky was drawn to Balakirev from the first meetings. He began to show him his first experiments, despite the fact that Balakirev was harsh and merciless in his criticism. He dreamed that Balakirev would give him composition lessons, and he agreed. The young Mussorgsky, musically gifted but poorly educated, certainly benefited greatly from his studies with Balakirev. Sometimes Cesar Antonovich Cui came to music lessons with him, V.V. was often there. Stasov.
The young officer in the company of Stasov and Balakirev felt like an ignoramus. Coming home, he hurried to “catch up” with them - he sat all night long over books. And during the day - inspections, divorces, stupid army life. I was drawn to music, books, I wanted to see friends, but I didn’t have enough energy or time. And then the decision came - to leave the service. Friends were alarmed - is it worth the risk when a musician’s career is so bleak and shaky? But the young man was firm in his decision. The result of the struggle between a passionate craving for creativity and the inability to combine his true calling with military service is a request for resignation, which took place in the summer of 1858. Music was calling him.
He started with romances, with small orchestral pieces. No matter what he wrote, he saw living people, scenes from folk life, funny, sad, sometimes bitter to the point of tears.
Mussorgsky begins working on music for the tragedy of the ancient playwright Sophocles
Having retired, Mussorgsky seriously thinks about the structure of his destiny, does a lot of self-education, studies Russian and European literature, as well as the works of Glinka, Mozart, Beethoven and contemporary composers. He is interested in a variety of problems - philosophical and religious, as well as issues of psychology and even natural science and geology.
Mussorgsky was also distinguished by his democratic views and actions. This became especially evident after the peasant reform of 1861. For two years after the liberation of the peasants, he was forced to participate in the management of the family estate. In order to relieve his serfs from redemption payments, Modest Petrovich renounced his share of the inheritance in favor of his brother (slide 10). Due to financial difficulties, he has to constantly work in the public service: in the Main Engineering Directorate, the Forestry Department of the Ministry of State Property, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Audit Commission of the State Audit Office. He also made money by performing.
He was fascinated by the ideas of Russian people's democrats. At one time (slide 11) Mussorgsky lived in a “commune”, of which quite a few appeared among the advanced intelligentsia of the sixties after the publication of Chernyshevsky’s novel “What is to be done?” in 1863. V.V. Stasov, in a biographical sketch about Mussorgsky at that time, said: “...In the autumn of 1863, returning from the village, he settled, together with several young comrades, in a common apartment, which they jokingly called a “commune,” perhaps in imitation of that the theory of living together, which was preached by the then famous novel “What is to be done?”. Each of the comrades had his own separate room... and then there was one common large room, where everyone gathered in the evenings, when they were free from their studies, to read, listen to reading, talk, argue, and finally, just talk or listen Mussorgsky playing the piano or singing romances and excerpts from operas. There were many such small comradely “cohabitations” in St. Petersburg at that time, and perhaps in the rest of Russia. There were six comrades in this circle... All of these were very smart and educated people; each of them was engaged in some favorite scientific or artistic activity, despite the fact that many of them served in the Senate or ministries; none of them wanted to be idle intellectually, and each looked with contempt at that life of sybaritism, emptiness and idleness, which the majority of Russian youth had led for so long until that time.”
Soon the period of accumulation of knowledge gave way to a period of active creative activity. The composer decided to write an opera in which his passion for large folk scenes and for depicting a strong-willed personality would be embodied. Creative activity Mussorgsky proceeded violently. The work proceeded feverishly, each work opened up new horizons, even if it was not completed. So the opera “Oedipus the King” (Sophocles) remained unfinished (slide 12) and “Salammbo” (Flaubert), where for the first time the composer tried to embody the most complex intertwining of the destinies of the people and a strong, powerful personality.
In the early 1860s, Mussorgsky often lived for long periods of time in the village, taking care of the affairs of the estate, which was disorganized after the death of his father. It was during these years that he, closely peering into the difficult, bitter life of the peasants, noticed in them their character traits, natural intelligence and talent. His faith in the wisdom of the people, their perseverance and kindness, and the will to fight against evil and injustice strengthened in him. These observations, comprehension of peasant images, listening to the intonation of folk speech and songs were then embodied in the best works: “I notice typical women and typical men - both can be useful. How many fresh sides, untouched by art, teem in Russian nature, oh, so many ! And how juicy and glorious." Mussorgsky expressed these impressions in the romances of the 60s, (slide 13) in which the most striking artistic discoveries were made: “Svetik Savishna” - which, according to Stasov, is a sketch from life, “Eremushka’s Lullaby” (words by N. Nekrasov), “Hopak” (words by T. Shevchenko), “Seminarist”, “Orphan”, “Mischief” (words by M. Mussorgsky). All of them are original “folk pictures”, imbued with compassion for disadvantaged people. Mussorgsky’s ability to accurately and accurately recreate living nature in music (“I’ll notice some peoples, and then, on occasion, I’ll emboss them”), to reproduce a vividly characteristic speech, and to give the plot stage visibility is amazing. And most importantly, the songs are imbued with such a force of compassion for a disadvantaged person that in each of them an ordinary fact rises to the level of tragic generalization, to socially accusatory pathos. It is no coincidence that the song “Seminarist” was banned by censorship!
An extremely important role for Mussorgsky’s work was played (slide 14) by the unfinished opera “Marriage” (Act 1, 1868). In it, under the influence of Dargomyzhsky's opera “ Stone Guest" he used the almost unchanged text of N. Gogol's play. The composer set himself the task of musically reproducing “human speech in all its subtlest bends.” The originality of the concept and the boldness of the experiment in creating “musical prose” made “Marriage” a kind of creative laboratory in which the search for “musical truth” was carried out and the means of expression for “Boris Godunov” and “Khovanshchina” were honed. According to the author, having begun the composition of “Marriage,” he put himself in a “cage of experience.” After the end of the first act, the experience ended, enriching the composer with new facets of skill.
The pinnacle of Mussorgsky's creativity in the 60s. became (slide 15) opera “ Boris Godunov "(based on the drama by A. Pushkin). Mussorgsky began writing it in 1868 and presented it in the first edition (without the Polish act) in the summer of 1870 to the directorate of the imperial theaters, which rejected the opera, allegedly due to the lack of a female part and the complexity of the recitatives. “The novelty and unusualness of the music,” recalled Rimsky-Korsakov in “Chronicle of My Musical Life,” “baffled the venerable committee.” Distressed and offended, Mussorgsky took his score back, but, after thinking about it, decided to subject it to thorough alterations and additions.” After revision (one of the results of which was the famous scene near Kromy), in 1873, with the assistance of the singer Y. Platonova, 3 scenes from the opera were staged, and on February 8, 1874 - the entire opera (albeit with large bills).
All innovations (slide 16) of Mussorgsky met with the warm approval of his comrades - members of the “Mighty Handful”. At this time, the composer (slide 17) developed the closest relationship with Rimsky-Korsakov - they even lived together for some time: “Our life with Modest,” Rimsky-Korsakov recalled, “was, I believe, the only example of two composers living together. How could we not interfere with each other? That's how. From morning until 12, Mussorgsky used the piano, and I either rewrote or orchestrated something that had already been completely thought out. By 12 o'clock he left for work at the ministry, and I used the piano. In the evenings, things happened by mutual agreement... During this fall and winter, we both worked a lot, constantly exchanging thoughts and intentions.”
The support of friends, among whom were (slide 18) outstanding opera artists - D. Leonova, Y. Platonova, F. Komissarzhevsky, G. Kondratiev, helped the composer survive the heavy blow of the secondary refusal of the theater committee, then achieve the production of “Boris Godunov” on stage “ Mariinsky Theater - first only three scenes, and on January 27, 1874 - the entire opera.
The premiere (slide 19) was a great success, according to V.V. Stasov, “it was a great triumph for Mussorgsky.” However, the further fate of the opera was difficult, because this work most decisively destroyed the usual ideas about an opera performance. Everything here was new: the acute social idea of the irreconcilability of the interests of the people and the royal power, and the depth of revelation of passions and characters, and the psychological complexity of the image of the child-killer king. The musical language turned out to be unusual, about which Mussorgsky himself wrote: “By working on human speech, I reached the melody created by this speech, I reached the embodiment of recitative in melody.”
The public's delight was contrasted with the hostility of the critics: Mussorgsky's work was so innovative, it so strongly destroyed the usual ideas about opera and stood out as unusual. musical language, that reviewers reproached the author for ignorance, desire for “originality,” lack of melody, monotony of recitatives, distortion of Pushkin and other “sins.”
Over the years of work on “Boris Godunov” (1868-1872), the composer became close and truly became friends with V.V. Stasov, often visited his St. Petersburg apartment and in the summer at his dacha. He had sincere love (slide 20) for Stasov’s younger brother, Dmitry Vasilyevich, and his children, who responded to “Garbage Man” with delight and adoration.
Mussorgsky expressed his warm and tender attitude towards them, towards the poetic world of their feelings, sorrows and joys in the vocal cycle “Children’s”. Friendship with V.V. Stasov meant a lot to him: the composer was in dire need of support and cordial attitude, since Mussorgsky did not have his own family, and his fellow composers were gradually moving away from each other.
Even while working on “Boris Godunov,” Mussorgsky hatched the idea “ Khovanshchiny” (slide 21) and soon begins to collect materials. All this was carried out with the active participation of V. Stasov, who in the 70s. became close to Mussorgsky and was one of the few who truly understood the seriousness of the composer’s creative intentions. V.V. Stasov became the inspirer and closest assistant of Mussorgsky in the creation of this opera, on which he worked from 1872 almost until the end of his life. “I dedicate to you the entire period of my life when Khovanshchina will be created... you gave it its beginning,” Mussorgsky wrote to Stasov on July 15, 1872.
The composer was again attracted by the fate of the Russian people at a turning point in Russian history. The rebellious events of the late 17th century, the bitter struggle of the old boyar Rus' and the new young Russia of Peter I, the Streltsy riots and the schismatic movement gave Mussorgsky the opportunity to create a new folk musical drama. The author dedicated “Khovanshchina” to V.V. Stasov.
Work on " Khovanshchina ” proceeded in a complex manner - Mussorgsky turned to material that went far beyond the scope of the opera performance. However, he wrote intensively (“ Work is in full swing!”), although with long interruptions caused by many reasons. At this time, Mussorgsky was deeply affected by the collapse of the Balakirev circle, the cooling of relations with Cui and Rimsky-Korsakov, and Balakirev’s withdrawal from musical and social activities. He felt that each of them had become an independent artist and had already followed their own path. The bureaucratic service left only the evening and night hours for composing music, and this led to severe overwork and increasingly prolonged depression. However, despite everything, the creative power of the composer during this period amazes with the strength and richness of artistic ideas.
In the summer of 1874, he created one of the outstanding works of piano literature - (slide 22) the cycle “Pictures from an Exhibition” ” , dedicated to Stasov, to whom Mussorgsky was eternally grateful for his participation and support: “ No one warmed me up in all respects more warmly than you... no one showed me the path more clearly...
The idea to write a piano cycle arose under the impression (slide 23) of the posthumous exhibition of the works of the artist W. Hartmann in February 1874. He was a close friend of Mussorgsky, and his sudden death deeply shocked the composer. The work arose as a passionate response and proceeded rapidly, intensely (only 3 weeks): “Sounds and thoughts hung in the air, I swallowed and overeat, barely having time to scratch on the paper.” The suite consists of ten plays, the prototype of which were (slide 24) various works of Hartmann: his watercolors (“Catacombs”), drawings (“Hut on Chicken Legs”), architectural projects (“Bogatyr Gate”), sketches of toys (“Gnome” ) and costumes for a ballet performance (“Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks”), and finally, picturesque portraits (“Two Jews - rich and poor”) and genre sketches (“Tuileries Garden”). But the pieces in the suite are not just musical illustrations, but free fantasies of the composer’s creative thought. They are connected by the constant return of the initial theme of the work - “Walking”, which has become a kind of self-portrait of the author himself, moving from one exhibit to another. In “Pictures at an Exhibition,” all facets of Mussorgsky’s brilliant pianism found their full embodiment - from spectacular virtuoso visualization and timbre color to exquisite sound recording of psychological characteristics (Already in the 20th century, the French composer Maurice Ravel, captivated by beauty and wealth expressive means“Pictures”, made a brilliant orchestration of the suite).
In parallel with the tragic “Khovanshchina”, since 1875 Mussorgsky has been working (slide 25) on the comic opera “ Sorochinskaya fair ” (according to Gogol). “ This is good as an economy of creative forces, wrote Mussorgsky. “Two pudoviki: “Boris” and “Khovanshchina” can crush you next to each other”... In subsequent years, the composer from time to time composed separate scenes for her, but the opera remained unfinished.
Another, but already vocal (slide 26) “picture at an exhibition”, the dramatic ballad “Forgotten” - Mussorgsky wrote under the impression of the painting of the same name by V. Vereshchagin to the text by A. Golenishchev-Kutuzov. The composer and poet became friends. As a result of their creative union, the vocal cycles “Without the Sun” and “Songs and Dances of Death” also appeared, reflecting Mussorgsky’s difficult mental state. If the cycle “Without the Sun” became a lyrical confession of the composer, imbued with deep melancholy and loneliness! then “Songs and Dances of Death” was one of the most tragic works. The vocal cycles “Without the Sun” (1874) and “Songs and Dances of Death” (1875-77) become the result of the composer’s entire chamber vocal work.
In the last years of his life, Mussorgsky's distance from his fellow Kuchkists continued. He had a hard time with the cooling of his friendship with them; only with Borodin did he maintain a warm and cordial relationship. Seriously ill, severely suffering from poverty, loneliness, lack of recognition, Mussorgsky stubbornly insists that “he will fight to the last drop of blood.”
Shortly before his death, in the summer of 1879, he committed (slide 27) together with famous singer D. Leonova as an accompanist for a large concert tour in the south of Russia and Ukraine. Touring brought him fresh impressions and artistic success. In concerts he also performed as a solo pianist, performing his piano pieces and transcriptions of fragments from operas. But upon returning to St. Petersburg (slide 28), life’s hardships again washed over Mussorgsky. His health continued to deteriorate; in February 1881 he suffered a stroke. Through the efforts of Mussorgsky's friends, he was placed in the Nikolaev Military Hospital, where a month later, on March 16, 1881, he died.
After the death (slide 29) of Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov completed “Khovanshchina” and, wanting to return “Boris Godunov” to the stage, made a new edition of the opera. In the 1920s, Russian musicologist P.A. Lamm did a great job of restoring the original text of the opera from autographs. The latest edition of “Boris Godunov”, regarding instrumentation, belongs to D. D. Shostakovich. Shostakovich also re-edited “Khovanshchina”, returning the episodes shortened by Rimsky-Korsakov, and created the opera’s instrumentation. But it was in Rimsky-Korsakov’s edition that “Boris Godunov” gained worldwide fame; The great Russian singer F.I. became an unsurpassed performer of the role of Boris. Chaliapin. In 1917, Cui completed and orchestrated the Sorochinsky Fair. Later, another version of the edition was carried out by composer V.Ya. Shebalin.