Biography

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka was born on June 1 (May 20, old style), 1804, in the village of Novospasskoye, Smolensk province, in a family of Smolensk landowners I. N. and E. A. Glinok(former second cousins). He received his primary education at home. Listening to the singing of serfs and the ringing of the bells of the local church, he showed an early passion for music. Misha was fond of playing the orchestra of serf musicians on his uncle's estate, Afanasy Andreevich Glinka. Music lessons- playing the violin and piano - began quite late (in 1815-1816) and were of an amateur nature. However, music had such a strong influence on Glinka that once, in response to a remark about absent-mindedness, he remarked: “What to do?... Music is my soul!”.

In 1818 Mikhail Ivanovich entered the Noble Boarding School at the Main Pedagogical Institute in St. Petersburg (in 1819 it was renamed the Noble Boarding School at St. Petersburg University), where he studied with his younger brother Alexandra Pushkin- Leo, at the same time he met the poet himself, who "He used to visit us at his brother's boarding house". tutor Glinka was a Russian poet and Decembrist Wilhelm Karlovich Küchelbecker who taught Russian literature at the boarding school. Parallel to study Glinka took piano lessons (first from an English composer John Field, and after his departure to Moscow - from his students Oman, Zeiner and Sh. Mayr- a well-known musician). He graduated from the boarding school in 1822 as a second student. On the day of graduation, he successfully played a piano concerto in public Johann Nepomuk Hummel(Austrian musician, pianist, composer, author of concertos for piano and orchestra, chamber instrumental ensembles, sonatas).

After boarding school Mikhail Glinka did not enter service immediately. In 1823, he went to the Caucasian mineral waters for treatment, then went to Novospasskoye, where sometimes "he managed his uncle's orchestra, playing the violin" At the same time he began composing orchestral music. In 1824 he was hired as assistant secretary of the Main Directorate of Railways (he resigned in June 1828). The main place in his work was occupied by romances. Among the writings of that time "Poor Singer" on the verses of a Russian poet (1826), "Do not sing, beauty, with me" to poetry Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin(1828). One of the best romances of the early period - an elegy on verses Evgeny Abramovich Baratynsky "Do not tempt me unnecessarily"(1825). In 1829 Glinka and N. Pavlishchev from afar "Lyric Album", where among the works of various authors there were also plays Glinka.

Spring 1830 Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka went on a long trip abroad, the purpose of which was both treatment (on the waters of Germany and in the warm climate of Italy), and acquaintance with Western European art. After spending several months in Aachen and Frankfurt, he arrived in Milan, where he studied composition and vocals, visited theaters, and traveled to other Italian cities. In Italy, the composer met the composers Vincenzo Bellini, Felix Mendelssohn and Hector Berlioz. Among the composer's experiments of those years (chamber-instrumental compositions, romances), the romance stands out "Venetian night" to the poetry of the poet Ivan Ivanovich Kozlov. Winter and spring 1834 M. Glinka spent in Berlin, devoting himself to serious studies in music theory and composition under the guidance of a famous scholar Siegfried Dehn. At the same time, he had the idea of ​​creating a national Russian opera.

Returning to Russia Mikhail Glinka settled in Petersburg. Attending evenings at the poet's Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky he met with Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol, Pyotr Andreevich Vyazemsky, Vladimir Fedorovich Odoevsky and others. The composer was carried away by the idea presented Zhukovsky, write an opera based on a story about Ivan Susanin, about whom he learned in his youth, having read "Duma" poet and Decembrist Kondraty Fedorovich Ryleev. Premiere of the work, named at the insistence of the theater management "Life for the King", January 27, 1836 became the birthday of the Russian heroic-patriotic opera. The performance was a great success, the royal family was present, and in the hall among many friends Glinka were Pushkin. Shortly after the premiere Glinka was appointed head of the Court Choir.

In 1835 M.I. Glinka married his distant relative Marya Petrovna Ivanova. The marriage was extremely unsuccessful and overshadowed the life of the composer for many years. Spring and summer 1838 Glinka spent in Ukraine, selecting choristers for the chapel. Among the newcomers was Semyon Stepanovich Gulak-Artemovsky- subsequently not only a famous singer, but also a composer, author of a popular Ukrainian opera "Zaporozhets beyond the Danube".

Upon returning to St. Petersburg Glinka often visited the brothers' house Platon and Nestor Vasilyevich Kukolnikov, where a circle gathered, consisting mostly of people of art. There were a seascape painter Ivan Constantinovich Aivazovski and painter and draftsman Karl Pavlovich Bryullov, who left many wonderful caricatures of the members of the circle, including Glinka. On verses N. Kukolnika Glinka wrote a cycle of romances "Farewell to Petersburg"(1840). Subsequently, he moved to the brothers' house because of the unbearable domestic atmosphere.

Back in 1837 Mikhail Glinka had conversations with Alexander Pushkin about creating an opera based on a plot "Ruslan and Lyudmila". In 1838, work began on the essay, which premiered on November 27, 1842 in St. Petersburg. Despite the fact that the royal family left the box before the end of the performance, leading cultural figures greeted the work with delight (although there was no unanimity of opinion this time - due to the deep innovative character dramaturgy). At one of the shows "Ruslana" visited the Hungarian composer, pianist and conductor Franz Liszt, who highly appreciated not only this opera Glinka, but also its role in Russian music in general.

In 1838 M. Glinka met with Ekaterina Kern, the daughter of the heroine of the famous Pushkin poem, and dedicated his most inspirational works to her: "Waltz Fantasy"(1839) and marvelous romance on verses Pushkin "I remember a wonderful moment" (1840).

Spring 1844 M.I. Glinka went on a new trip abroad. After spending several days in Berlin, he stopped in Paris, where he met with Hector Berlioz, who included several compositions in his concert program Glinka. The success that fell to their lot prompted the composer to the idea of ​​giving in Paris a charity concert from his own works, which was carried out on April 10, 1845. The concert was highly appreciated by the press.

In May 1845 Glinka went to Spain, where he stayed until the middle of 1847. Spanish impressions formed the basis of two brilliant orchestral pieces: "Jota of Aragon"(1845) and "Memories of a Summer Night in Madrid"(1848, 2nd edition - 1851). In 1848 the composer spent several months in Warsaw, where he wrote "Kamarinskaya"- an essay about which the Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky noticed that in her “like an oak tree in a stomach, all Russian symphonic music is enclosed”.

Winter 1851-1852 Glinka spent in St. Petersburg, where he became close to a group of young cultural figures, and in 1855 he met Mily Alekseevich Balakirev who later became head "New Russian School"(or "Mighty bunch"), who creatively developed the traditions laid down Glinka.

In 1852, the composer again left for Paris for several months, from 1856 he lived in Berlin until his death.

"IN many respects Glinka has the same meaning in Russian music as Pushkin in Russian poetry. Both are great talents, both are the founders of the new Russian artistic creativity, both created a new Russian language - one in poetry, the other in music ", - so the famous critic wrote Vladimir Vasilievich Stasov.

In creativity Glinka two most important directions of Russian opera were determined: folk musical drama and opera-fairy tale; he laid the foundations of Russian symphonism, became the first classic of Russian romance. All subsequent generations of Russian musicians considered him their teacher, and for many, the impetus for choosing musical career there was an acquaintance with the works of the great master, the deeply moral content of which is combined with a perfect form.

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka died February 3 (February 15, old style), 1857, in Berlin and was buried in the Lutheran cemetery. In May of the same year, his ashes were transported to St. Petersburg and buried in the cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

If Russian science began with Mikhail Lomonosov, poetry - with Alexander Pushkin, then Russian music - with Mikhail Glinka. It was his work that became the starting point and example for all subsequent Russian composers. Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka - for our domestic musical culture this is not only an outstanding, but a very significant creative person, since, based on the traditions of folk art and relying on the achievements of European music, he completed the formation of the Russian composer school. Glinka, who became the first classical composer in Russia, left a small but impressive creative legacy. In his wonderful works imbued with patriotism, the maestro sang the triumph of goodness and justice so much that even today they never cease to admire and discover new perfections in them.

A short biography of Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka and many interesting facts read about the composer on our page.

short biography

In the early morning of May 20, 1804, according to family tradition, Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka was born to the trill of a nightingale. His small homeland was his parental estate in the village of Novospasskoe in the Smolensk region. There he received both his first musical impressions and his primary education - a St. Petersburg governess taught him to play the piano, violin and Italian songs. According to Glinka's biography, in 1817, young Misha entered the Noble Boarding School in the capital, where V. Küchelbecker became his mentor. It was there that he met A.S. Pushkin, who often visited his younger brother. They maintained good relations until the death of the poet. In St. Petersburg, Mikhail Ivanovich began to study music with even greater zeal. However, at the insistence of his father, after graduating from the boarding school, he entered the civil service.


Since 1828, Glinka devoted himself entirely to composing. In 1830-33, while traveling through Europe, he met his great contemporaries - Bellini, Donizetti and Mendelssohn , studies music theory in Berlin, significantly expanding his composing activities. In 1835, Glinka married the young Maria Petrovna Ivanova in the Church of the Engineer's Castle. It was a fast-paced romance, a casual acquaintance of the young people happened just six months earlier in the house of relatives. And the very next year, the premiere of his debut opera " Life for the king ”, after which he was offered a position in the Imperial Court Chapel.


In his work, success and recognition began to accompany him, but family life failed. Just a few years after his marriage, another woman appeared in his life - Ekaterina Kern. Ironically, the daughter of Pushkin's muse Anna Kern became the composer's muse. Glinka left his wife, and a few years later began divorce proceedings. Maria Glinka also did not feel affection for her husband and, while still married, secretly married another. The divorce dragged on for several years, during which the relationship with Kern also ended. Mikhail Ivanovich did not marry anymore, he also had no children.


After the failure Ruslana and Lyudmila » the musician moved away from the Russian public life and began to travel a lot, living in Spain, France, Poland, Germany. In his rare trips to St. Petersburg - he taught vocals opera singers. At the end of his life, he wrote autobiographical Notes. He died suddenly on February 15, 1857 from pneumonia a few days after the Berlin performance of excerpts from A Life for the Tsar. Three months later, through the efforts of his sister, his ashes were transported to St. Petersburg.



Interesting Facts

  • M.I. Glinka is considered to be the father of Russian opera. This is partly true - it was he who became the founder of the national trend in world opera art, created the techniques of typical Russian opera singing. But to say that A Life for the Tsar is the first Russian opera would be wrong. History has preserved little evidence of the life and work of the court composer of Catherine II V.A. Pashkevich, but his comic operas are known, which were staged in the capital in the last third of the 18th century: "Misfortune from the carriage", "Miserly" and others. Two operas were written by him on the libretto of the Empress herself. Three operas for the Russian court were created by D.S. Bortnyansky (1786-1787). E.I. Fomin wrote several operas at the end of the 18th century, including those based on the libretto of Catherine II and I.A. Krylov. Operas and vaudeville operas also came out from the pen of the Moscow composer A.N. Verstovsky.
  • For 20 years, K. Kavos's opera Ivan Susanin ran in theaters on a par with A Life for the Tsar. After the revolution, Glinka's masterpiece was consigned to oblivion, but in 1939, on the wave of pre-war moods, the opera again entered the repertoires of the largest theaters in the country. For ideological reasons, the libretto was radically revised, and the work itself received the name of its predecessor, which had sunk into oblivion - "Ivan Susanin". In its original version, the opera saw the stage again only in 1989.
  • The role of Susanin became a turning point in the career of F.I. Chaliapin. At the age of 22, he performed Susanin's aria at an audition at the Mariinsky Theatre. The very next day, February 1, 1895, the singer was enrolled in the troupe.
  • "Ruslan and Lyudmila" is an opera that broke the notion of traditional vocal voices. Thus, the part of the young knight Ruslan was written not for the heroic tenor, as the Italian operatic model would require, but for the bass or low baritone. The tenor parts are represented by the kind magician Finn and the narrator Bayan. Lyudmila is the part for the coloratura soprano, while Gorislava is for the lyric. It is striking that the role of Prince Ratmir is female, he is sung by a contralto. Witch Naina is a comic mezzo-soprano, and her protégé Farlaf is a bass buffo. The heroic bass, to whom the role of Susanin is given in A Life for the Tsar, is sung by Lyudmila's father, Prince Svetozar.
  • According to one version, the only reason for the negative criticism of Ruslan and Lyudmila was the defiant departure of Nicholas I from the premiere - official publications had to justify this fact with some shortcomings in the creative part of the opera. It is possible that the emperor's act is explained by too obvious allusions to real events that led to the duel of A.S. Pushkin, in particular, suspicions about the relationship of his wife with Nikolai.
  • The part of Ivan Susanin marked the beginning of a series of great bass roles in the Russian operatic repertoire, including such powerful figures as Boris Godunov, Dosifei and Ivan Khovansky, Prince Galitsky and Khan Konchak, Ivan the Terrible and Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich. These roles were performed by truly outstanding singers. O.A. Petrov is the first Susanin and Ruslan, and thirty years later, Varlaam in Boris Godunov. The director of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theater accidentally heard his unique voice at a fair in Kursk. The next generation of basses was represented by F.I. Stravinsky, father of the famous composer, who served at the Mariinsky Theatre. Then - F.I. Chaliapin, who began his career in the private opera of S. Mamontov and grew into a world opera star. In Soviet times, M.O. Reizen, E.E. Nesterenko, A.F. Vedernikov, B.T. Shtokolov.
  • Mikhail Ivanovich himself had beautiful voice, a high tenor, and performed his romances to the piano.
  • "Notes" by M.I. Glinka became the first composer's memoirs.


  • The composer, who looks impressive on monumental monuments, was in fact small in stature, which is why he walked with his head thrown up to appear taller.
  • During his life, Glinka suffered from various ailments. In part, they were due to my grandmother's upbringing in the early years, when he was pretty wrapped up and not allowed out for many months. Partly because the parents were each other's second cousins ​​and sisters, and all the boys in the family were in poor health. Descriptions of his own diseases and their treatment are given a considerable place in his Notes.
  • The musician had 10 younger brothers and sisters, but only three survived him - sisters Maria, Lyudmila and Olga.


  • Glinka admitted that he preferred women's society to men, because the ladies liked his musical talents. He was amorous and addicted. His mother was even afraid to let him go to Spain, because of the hot tempers of local jealous husbands.
  • For a long time it was customary to represent the composer's wife as a narrow-minded woman who did not understand music and loved only secular entertainment. Did this image correspond to reality? Maria Petrovna was a practical woman, which probably did not live up to the romantic expectations of her husband. In addition, at the time of the wedding, she was only 17 years old (Glinka - 30), she had just entered the period of going out into society, balls and holidays. Should she be punished for being fascinated by the outfits and her beauty more than her husband's creative projects?
  • Glinka's second love, Ekaterina Kern, was the complete opposite of his wife - an ugly, pale, but sensitive intellectual who understood art. Probably, it was in her that the composer saw those features that he tried in vain to find in Maria Petrovna.
  • Karl Bryullov drew many caricatures of Glinka, which hurt the composer's vanity.


  • From the biography of Glinka, we know that the composer was so attached to his mother Evgenia Andreevna that he wrote to her every week during his life. After reading the news of her death, his hand was taken away. He was neither at her funeral nor at her grave, because he believed that without his mother, trips to Novospasskoye had lost all meaning.
  • The composer who created the opera about the fight against the Polish invaders has Polish roots. His ancestors settled near Smolensk, when it belonged to the Commonwealth. After the return of the lands under the rule Russian state, many Poles converted to Orthodoxy and swore allegiance to the king in order to stay and live on their land.
  • Mikhail Ivanovich was very fond of songbirds and kept about 20 at home, where a whole room was set aside for them.
  • Glinka wrote the "Patriotic Song" in the hope that it would become the new Russian anthem. And so it happened, but not in 1833, when they chose "God save the Tsar!" A.F. Lvov, and in 1991. For 9 years, while the "Patriotic Song" was a national symbol, no words were written for it. Including for this reason, in 2000, the music of the State Anthem of the USSR A.B. became the anthem of Russia again. Alexandrova.
  • The premiere of Ruslan and Lyudmila directed by D. Chernyakov opened the Bolshoi Theater after reconstruction in 2011.
  • The Mariinsky Theater is the only one in the world where both operas by the composer are performed in the current repertoire.

Creation


Mikhail Glinka is equally famous for his operas and romances. Since chamber music began his career as a composer. In 1825 he wrote the romance "Do not tempt". As rarely happens, one of his first creations turned out to be immortal. In the 1830s, instrumental compositions based on opera music V. Bellini, Sonata for Viola and Piano, Grand Sextet for Piano and String Quintet, "Pathetic Trio". During the same period, Glinka wrote his only symphony, which he never finished.

Traveling around Europe, Glinka became more and more rooted in the idea that the work of a Russian composer should be based on the original folk culture. He began to look for a plot for the opera. The theme of the feat of Ivan Susanin was suggested to him by V.A. Zhukovsky, who was directly involved in the creation of the text of the work. The libretto was written by E.F. Rosen. The event structure was completely proposed by the composer, since the poems were already composed to ready-made music. Melodically, the opera is built on the opposition of two themes - Russian with its draft melodiousness and Polish with its rhythmic, loud mazurka and Krakowiak. The apotheosis was the choir "Glory" - a solemn episode that has no analogues. "Life for the King" was presented at the Bolshoi Theater of St. Petersburg on November 27, 1836. It is noteworthy that the production was directed and conducted by K. Cavos, who 20 years earlier created his own Ivan Susanin based on folk art material. The opinion of the public was divided - some were shocked by a simple "peasant" theme, others considered the music too academic and difficult to understand. Emperor Nicholas I reacted favorably to the premiere and personally thanked its author. Moreover, earlier he himself suggested the name of the opera, previously named "Death for the Tsar."

Even during the lifetime of A.S. Pushkin Glinka decided to transfer the poem to the musical stage "Ruslan and Ludmila". However, this work began only in the mournful year of the death of the great poet. The composer had to involve several librettists. The writing took five years. The semantic accents are placed in a completely different way in the opera - the plot has become more epic and philosophical, but somewhat devoid of irony and Pushkin's signature humor. In the course of action, the characters develop, experience deep feelings. The premiere of "Ruslan and Lyudmila" was held at the Bolshoi Theater in the capital on November 27, 1842 - exactly 6 years after "A Life for the Tsar". But on the date of the similarity of the two prime ministers are exhausted. The reception of the opera was ambiguous, including due to unsuccessful replacements in the artistic composition. The imperial family defiantly left the hall right during the last action. It was truly a scandal! The third performance put everything in its place, and the audience gave Glinka's new creation a warm welcome. What the critics didn't do. The composer was accused of loose dramaturgy, unstagedness and protractedness of the opera. For these reasons, almost immediately they began to reduce and remake it - often unsuccessfully.

Simultaneously with the work on "Ruslan and Lyudmila" Glinka wrote romances and a vocal cycle " Farewell to Petersburg», "Waltz Fantasy". Abroad, two Spanish overtures And "Kamarinskaya" . In Paris, the first concert of Russian music in history, consisting of his works, was triumphantly held. Last years the composer was full of ideas. In his fateful year, he was inspired to be in Berlin not only by the performance of A Life for the Tsar, but also by classes with the famous music theorist Z. Den. Despite his age and experience, he did not stop learning, wanting to keep up with the trends of the time - in a brilliant creative form he was G. Verdi , gained strength R. Wagner . Russian music made itself known on the European stages and it was necessary to promote it further.

Unfortunately, Glinka's plans were interrupted by fate. But thanks to his work, Russian music has received significant development, many generations of talented composers have appeared in the country, and the beginning of the Russian musical school was laid.


M.I. Glinka is little known abroad, so his music is mainly used by domestic cinema. The most famous films:

  • Russian Ark (dir. A. Sokurov, 2002);
  • Orphan of Kazan (dir. V. Mashkov, 1997);
  • "Big Break" (dir. A. Korenev, 1972).

Based on Glinka's biography, two films were released in 1940-50. The first of them, "Glinka", was created in 1946 by director Lev Arnshtam, in the title role - Boris Chirkov. The image of the composer is lively and authentic, much attention is paid to his personality and privacy. It is noteworthy that the second most important character in the picture is the serf Ulyanych (in this role, V.V. Merkuriev), whose prototype was uncle Ilya, who accompanied Mikhail Ivanovich for many years. The 1952 film The Composer Glinka, shot by G. Aleksandrov and starring Boris Smirnov, covers a narrower period of the musician's life dating back to the creation of his two operas. The picture did not escape the influence of time when depicting the events of pre-revolutionary history. One of her last roles, the composer's sister, was played here by L. Orlova.

As is often the case with geniuses, the meaning Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka for Russian art became obvious only after his death. The composer left a musical heritage small in number, but impressive in scope, innovation and melodiousness. His operas are infrequent guests of the stage, primarily because their production requires scale and high-quality diverse voices that only major theaters. At the same time, it is impossible to imagine a vocal evening of romances without his compositions. Streets and educational institutions are named after him, his memory is immortalized both at home and abroad. This suggests that Glinka received exactly the kind of fame that he dreamed of - popular recognition and love.

Video: watch a film about Glinka

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka is one of the greatest Russian composers, the creator of an independent Russian musical school. He was born on May 20 (old style) 1804 in the village of Novospasskoye, Smolensk province, and was brought up in the countryside by his parents, landowners. Already in childhood, he was strongly attracted by church singing and Russian folk songs performed by his uncle's serf orchestra. By the age of 4 he was already reading, and at the age of 10 he was taught to play the piano and violin.

In 1817, the Glinka family moved to St. Petersburg, and the boy was sent to a boarding school at the Pedagogical Institute, the course of which he completed after 5 years. Meanwhile, Glinka successfully studied piano playing with Weiner, K. Mayer, the famous Field, and singing with Belloli. At the age of 18, he began to compose: these were first variations on fashionable themes, and then, after classes in composition with K. Mayer and Zamboni, romances.

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka. Photo from the 1850s

In 1830, Glinka, who had been in poor health all his life, went to Italy on the advice of doctors, where he stayed for three years, studying the art of writing for singing and writing a lot in the Italian spirit. Here, under the influence of homesickness, in Glinka, by his own admission, a spiritual upheaval took place, pushing him away from Italian music and directing him to a new, independent path. In 1833, Glinka went to Berlin and there, together with the famous theorist Den, took a course in music theory in 5 months, which greatly enriched and systematized his musical knowledge.

A year later, Glinka returned to Russia. In St. Petersburg, he met M. P. Ivanova, whom he married in 1835. At this time, Glinka often visited the famous Zhukovsky circle, where he was very sympathetically greeted with his idea of ​​\u200b\u200bRussian opera and offered her a plot from the legend of Ivan Susanin. Glinka diligently set to work; parallel to the work of the composer, Baron Rosen wrote the libretto. First of all, the overture was sketched, and by the spring of 1836 the whole opera, A Life for the Tsar, was already ready. After all sorts of difficulties, it was finally accepted onto the state stage, learned under the direction of Kavos, and on November 27, 1836, it was performed with tremendous success.

Geniuses and villains. Mikhail Glinka

After that, Glinka was appointed bandmaster of the court choir, but in 1839 he left the service due to illness. By this time, he had become especially close to the “brotherhood,” a circle that included the brothers Kukolnikov, Bryullov, Bakhturin, and others. Illness and family troubles (Glinka separated, and a few years later divorced his wife) slowed things down a bit, but finally on November 27, 1842, the new opera was staged in St. Petersburg. The underdevelopment of the majority of the public, who had not yet grown up to understand the musical height and originality to which Glinka rose in Ruslan and Lyudmila, was the main reason for the comparative failure of this opera. A year later, she was removed from the repertoire. Disappointed and ill, the composer left for Paris in 1844 (where Berlioz successfully performed some of his compositions in two concerts), and from there to Spain, where he lived for three years, collecting Spanish songs.

Returning to Russia, Glinka lived in Smolensk, Warsaw, St. Petersburg; at this time he wrote two Spanish overtures and "Kamarinskaya" for orchestra. Almost all the time, however, a dejected state of mind and malaise did not leave him. Deciding to devote himself to Russian church music, in 1856 Glinka again went to Berlin, where, under the guidance of Den, he studied ancient church modes for about 10 months. There he caught a cold, leaving one court concert, fell ill and died on the night of February 3, 1857. His ashes were subsequently transported to St. Petersburg, and in 1885, with funds raised by a nationwide subscription, a monument was erected to him in Smolensk, with the inscription "Glinka - Russia."

In addition to the above, Glinka also wrote an overture and music for the drama puppeteer"Prince Kholmsky", solemn polonaise and tarantella for orchestra, up to 70 romances, of which the series "Farewell to Petersburg" and other compositions are considered the best. Having borrowed from the French the variety and piquancy of rhythm, from the Italians the clarity and convexity of the melody, from the Germans the wealth of counterpoint and harmony, Glinka managed in his best compositions, most of all in Ruslan and Lyudmila, to translate all this and recreate it in accordance with the spirit of the Russian folk song . Glinka's instrumentation was perfect for his time. Thanks to all this, his compositions, distinguished by artistic completeness and high mastery of form, are at the same time imprinted with inimitable originality and depth of content, characteristic of the best examples of folk songs, which made it possible for them to become the basis of an original Russian musical school.

Glinka's ability to musically depict nationalities is remarkable: this is how Russian and Polish music are compared in A Life for the Tsar; in "Ruslan and Lyudmila", next to Russian music, we meet the Persian choir, Lezginka, Finn's music, etc. Glinka's beloved sister L. I. Shestakova prompted him to write his extremely interesting "Autobiography".

Essays on other great musicians - see below in the block "More on the topic ..."

Mikhail Ivanovich (05/20/1804, the village of Novospasskoye, Elninsky District, Smolensk Province - 02/3/1857, Berlin), Russian. composer, founder of the Russian classical music. G.'s works determined the nationwide and global importance Russian music culture. The composer summarized the traditions of folk songwriting (an old peasant song and urban folklore), Old Russian. church singer art, achievements of Russian. composing Art XVIII- early 19th century

The first bright muses. G.'s impressions are connected with the ringing of bells, which he tried to imitate in domestic conditions (“on copper basins”), and with folk songs. G. liked to listen to the concerts of the serf orchestra, participated in them. Primary home music. G. continued his education while studying at the Noble Boarding School (1818-1822), studying with J. Field, S. Mayer. In the 20s. G. enjoyed fame among music lovers as a singer and pianist, author of romances. Visiting Italy (1830-1833), Berlin (1833-1834, 1856-1857), Paris (1844-1845, 1852-1854), Spain (1845-1847), Warsaw (1848, 1849-1851), he got acquainted with . life of the largest European centers, mastered the experience of world music. culture.

In the mature period of his work, G. created 2 major operas: the “domestic heroic-tragic” Life for the Tsar (1836) and the fabulously epic Ruslan and Lyudmila (1842), which combined the frivolous-ironic nature of Pushkin’s poetry and frankly sensual coloring of G.’s music. The idea of ​​​​creating a “Russian opera” based on the plot of Ivan Susanin, which corresponded to G.’s thoughts about national music, was proposed to the composer by V. A. Zhukovsky with the choir from the 1st picture of the Epilogue). According to Prince V. F. Odoevsky, it was originally conceived as a stage oratorio "Ivan Susanin" (perhaps under the influence of "Duma" by K. F. Ryleev with the same plot basis - Stasov V. V. New materials for the biography of M. And Glinka: Two Letters of Prince V. F. Odoevsky // Yearly Imperial Theatre, 1892-1893, pp. 472-473). A significant part of the libretto, written by Baron E. F. Rosen (fragments of the text belong to N. V. Kukolnik, V. A. Sollogub), adapted to the music already created by G.. Both in the 1st (staged in 1836) and in the 2nd (staged in 1837) editions, the opera A Life for the Tsar retained the genre features of the oratorio, which manifested themselves primarily in the significance of the constructive and semantic function of the choir (the choral framing of the opera in the form Introduction and Epilogue, choirs of peasants, choirs of Poles in the 2nd "Polish" act and in the scene in the forest from the 4th act). The choir (people) and heroes simultaneously represent both historical and ideal mystical reality. The mystical nature of the opera is embodied in the idea of ​​an ideal fatherland (“High and holy is our royal house and the fortress of God all around! Under it, the power of Russia is intact, and winged leaders stand on the wall in white clothes” - 3rd act, a scene in Susanin’s hut with the Poles ) and about the family as its exact reflection, about the God-given sovereign and the tsar - the people's chosen one (“The Lord Himself granted him to us as king, the Lord Himself of the king is separated from the enemies. By the powers of heaven. He is separated” - 4th act, scene at the gate of the mon -rya) and in almost hagiographic images of Vanya, an orphan boy and an angel messenger (“My voice, like a bell, will sound, everyone will hear, even the dead” - Ibid), who defended the legitimate king, and folk hero, the peasant Ivan Susanin, who sacrificed himself to the tsar and the fatherland (“Lord, You support me, in my bitter hour, in my terrible hour, in my hour of death”, “Keep your spirit in truth, and take your cross” - 4- e action, scene in the forest). Originality, novelty, high professionalism of the opera and its significance for Russian. cultures were evaluated in a comic poetic form by Zhukovsky, Prince. P. A. Vyazemsky, A. S. Pushkin, gr. M. Yu. Vielgorsky (together with Prince V. F. Odoevsky set this text to music in the form of a canon), and also, with all seriousness, the French. critic A. Merimee (letters from Moscow dated 1840, published in March 1844 in the Revue de Paris): “This is more than an opera, this is a national epic, this is a musical drama raised to the noble height of its original purpose when it was still not frivolous fun, but a patriotic and religious rite. The music of the opera organically combined national choral traditions (church, including early partes, and peasant polyphony), the high style of Western Europe. choral writing (G. F. Handel, L. van Beethoven), knowledge of solo vocal technique (implementation of bel canto culture on Russian soil), mastery of orchestral writing.

High professional level G.’s works of other genres are also distinguished: romances, in which G. achieved complete harmony of music and poetic text and for the first time reached the level of Pushkin’s poetry (“I remember a wonderful moment”, the vocal cycle “Farewell to St. Petersburg”), “Waltz- fantasy” (written for piano in 1839, orchestrated in 1856), music for the tragedy “Prince Kholmsky” by N. V. Kukolnik (1840).

Under the impression of a trip to Spain, G.'s orchestral overtures Jota of Aragon (1845) and Night in Madrid (1848, 2nd edition 1851) arose, which are distinguished by filigree, transparency and accuracy of orchestral writing and laid the foundation for genre symphonism, later. developed by the composers of The Mighty Handful. In the "Russian scherzo" for orchestra "Kamarinskaya" (Warsaw, 1848), G. revealed the features of the national music. thinking, synthesized the richness of folk music and high professionalism. His compositions are characterized by an aristocratically impeccable taste, refined forms, artistry.

In 1837-1839. G. served as bandmaster of the Court Choir and studied music. the education of singers. From Apr. to Sept. In 1838 he was in Little Russia, selecting singers for the chapel. In 1837, wanting to “test his strength in church music” (Notes, p. 280), G. wrote the “Cherubic Hymn” for 6 voices in the Russian style. choral concert con. XVIII - beginning. 19th century (Fragments of draft autographs are stored in the OR GPB. F. 190. No. 11. L. 42-43; No. 67. L. 1 rev.). In the same style, a choral fugue was started, but not completed (perhaps, it is the fugue “Praise, I will call on the Lord”, autograph in the OR GPB. F. 190. No. 11. L. 34-39 rev.). Established in the XVIII - early. 19th century the traditions of church singing, apparently, did not satisfy G.

In shaping the composer's ideas about domestic sacred music, trips to Little Russia, acquaintance with the best church choirs, regents, and choristers could play a significant role. It was at this time that G. “for the first time seriously thought about the fate of Orthodox liturgical singing in general and about the ways of its reform” (Tyshko, Mamaev, p. 41). In the spring of 1838 he studied the circle of church singing. In the 40s. in conversations with V. F. Odoevsky, V. V. Stasov, G. often discussed issues of the modal organization of Old Russian. tunes, noting its similarity with the church modes of Western Europe. medieval music, as well as national specifics. The reason for G.'s serious thoughts about Rus. Sacred music began to communicate in 1855 with St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov), at that time the rector of the Trinity-Sergius, is empty. near St. Petersburg. His "considerations about domestic church music" G. intended to express Bishop. Ignatius at the meeting, and they remained unrecorded (Letters. T. 2B. S. 95). Echoes of conversations with G. may be contained in Art. St. Ignatius "Christian Shepherd and Christian Artist", dedicated to the issue of church music. creativity (BT. 1996. Sat. 32. S. 278-281).

For the monks of the Trinity-Sergius is empty. in the spring of 1856, G. wrote "Lectanies" for alto, 2 tenors and bass and "May my prayer be corrected" in Greek chant for 2 tenors and bass, which, according to G., "produced some success" (Letters. T 2b. pp. 142-143). The first hymn, published by Jurgenson's publishing house in 1878 under the title Litany I, is probably the great litany for the liturgy. These chants are distinguished by their reliance on diatonic, modal variability, plagality, variation, characteristic of Russian. music. In “Let my prayer be corrected”, G. opens up new ways of melodic-harmonic processing, in particular, he turns to three-voice, since clarity, transparency of texture was for G. one of the criteria for the beauty of sound. In "Notes on Instrumentation" he wrote about the preference for harmony "as rarely as possible four-voice - always somewhat heavy, confusing" (T. 1. S. 183). G.'s arrangement is qualitatively different from the arrangements of his contemporaries A.F. Lvov, N.M. Potulov. Holy Mikhail Lisitsyn wrote in 1902 that “May my prayer be corrected” is “a revelation from which the whole mass of transcribers has drawn and still draws” (Lisitsyn M.A. Modern and latest church music // Music and singing. 1902 No. 2, p. 2).

In 1856, Mr.. G. studied the theory of church tones and the strict writing style of Western Europe. Middle Ages and Renaissance in Berlin with the theorist Z. V. Dehn. “The Almighty can vouchsafe me to produce church Russian music” - this is the main idea of ​​G.'s letters from Berlin in 1856 (Letters. T. 2B. C. 153). G. left work on the symphony "Taras Bulba", search for Russian. national style completely moved into the field of liturgical singing. In order to create the “Liturgy of John Chrysostom for 3 and 2 voices, not for the choir, but for the clerks” (Letter to V.P. Engelhardt of July 11 (June 29), 1856 - Vol. Berlin collection of old tunes. In the style of bud. compositions were to combine the principles of church and folk music. creativity in the conditions of "tidy" (competent, logical) writing. However, the most important question remained open about the relationship between the polyphonic technique of strict writing, including canons, and the national coloring of the bud. essays.

In the Berlin drafts of G., 4 versions of "Christ is Risen" have been preserved, in one-voice and 3-voice presentations (Uchebnye rabota, p. 112). One of the polyphonic variants is accompanied by the inscription: "As it is usually sung by deacons and the people." The words of the composer can be attributed to 2 others: "As I wanted to do for the deacons and the people." Differences in the harmonization of G. from the “Dyachkovo-folk” one consist in the fact that the tertian second is not always sustained, the bass melody is more widely deployed, the harmonic minor is replaced by natural, and there are no parallelisms of all voices.

G. did not have time to realize his plans, but he laid the foundation for the subsequent development of sacred music in the work of P. I. Tchaikovsky, S. I. Taneev, N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, A. D. Kastalsky and other composers of the . XIX - beginning. 20th century

At the insistence of G.'s sister, L. I. Shestakova, the composer was reburied in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg, but a monument to him in the cemetery in Tegel has survived to this day. time.

Cit.: Notes. L., 1930. M., 2004; Notes on instrumentation // PSS: Lit. prod. and correspondence. M., 1973. T. 1; Letters // Ibid. M., 1975. T. 2A; 1973. T. 2B; Educational work: Exercises in the church. frets // Collected. cit.: In 18 t. M., 1969. T. 17.

Lit .: Odoevsky V . F . On the question of ancient Russian. chants // Day. 1864. No. 17. S. 6-9; Kompaneisky N . AND . Influence Op. Glinka on the church. music // RMG. 1904. No. 19/20. Stb. 494-503; Kann-Novikova E . AND . M. I. Glinka: New materials and documents. M., 1950. Issue. 1; Stasov V. IN . M. I. Glinka. M., 1953; Glinka in flashback contemporaries / Under the general. ed. A. A. Orlova. M., 1955; Levashev E . M . Traditional Orthodox genres. chanter art in the work of Russian. Composers from Glinka to Rachmaninoff: 1825-1917: Notograph. ref. M., 1994. S. 6-8, 31; Plotnikova N . YU . Experiments and plans of M. I. Glinka in Russian. Sacred Music // Days of Glory. writing and culture: Mat-ly Vseros. scientific conf. Vladivostok, 1998, pp. 142-149; Tyshko S. V ., Mamaev, S . G . Glinka's Wanderings: Comment. to Notes. K., 2000. Part 1: Ukraine; Deverilina N . V ., Queen G . TO . "I will open my heart to you." Smolensk, 2001; Glinka E. A . Letters. M., 2002; Plotnikova N . YU . Enter the courtyard of Christ // Cultural and educational work ("Meeting"). 2004. No. 5. S. 15-17.

N. Yu. Plotnikova, I. E. Lozovaya

The founder of Russian classical music, Russian bel canto. M.I. Glinka was born on June 1, 1804 in the village of Novospasskoye, on the estate of his parents, which belonged to his father, retired captain Ivan Nikolaevich Glinka, located a hundred miles * from Smolensk and twenty miles * from the small town of Yelnya. From 1817 Glinka lived in St. Petersburg. He studied at the Noble Boarding School at the Main Pedagogical School (his tutor was the poet, Decembrist V. K. Küchelbecker). He took piano lessons from J. Field and S. Mayer, violin lessons from F. Bem; later he studied singing with Belloli, the theory of composition - with Z. Den. In the 20s. In the 19th century, he was famous among St. Petersburg music lovers as a singer and pianist. In 1830-33. Glinka made a trip to Italy and Germany, where he met with outstanding composers: G. Berlioz, V. Bellini, G. Donizetti. In 1836 Glinka was bandmaster of the Court Singing Chapel (retired from 1839).
Mastering the experience of domestic and world musical culture, the impact of progressive ideas that spread during the period Patriotic War 1812 and preparations for the Decembrist uprising, communication with prominent representatives of literature (A. S. Pushkin, A. S. Griboedov and others), art, art criticism contributed to the expansion of the composer's horizons and the development of innovative aesthetic foundations for his work. Folk-realistic in its aspirations, Glinka's work influenced the further development of Russian music.
In 1836 on the stage of the St. Petersburg Bolshoi Theater Glinka's heroic-patriotic historical opera "Ivan Susanin" was staged. Contrary to the concept imposed on the composer (the libretto was composed by Baron G. F. Rosen in the spirit of monarchical officialdom, at the insistence of the court the opera was called “Life for the Tsar”), Glinka emphasized folk start opera, glorified the patriotic peasant, the greatness of character, the courage and unbending stamina of the people. In 1842, the premiere of the opera Ruslan and Lyudmila took place in the same theater. In this work, colorful pictures of Slavic life are intertwined with fairy-tale fantasy, pronounced Russian national features with oriental motifs (hence the origin of orientalism in Russian classical opera). Rethinking the content of Pushkin's playful, ironic youthful poem, which was taken as the basis of the libretto, Glinka brought to the fore stately images Ancient Rus', heroic spirit and multifaceted emotionally rich lyrics. Glinka's operas laid the foundation and outlined the paths for the development of Russian opera classics. "Ivan Susanin" is a folk musical tragedy based on a historical plot, with a tense, effective musical and dramatic development, "Ruslan and Lyudmila" is a magical opera-oratorio with a measured alternation of wide, closed vocal-symphonic scenes, with a predominance of epic, narrative elements. Glinka's operas confirmed the world significance of Russian music. In the field of theatrical music, Glinka's music for the tragedy by N. V. Kukolnik "Prince Kholmsky" (posted in 1841, Alexandria Theater, Petersburg). In 1844-1848. the composer spends in France and Spain. This trip confirmed the European popularity of the Russian genius. Berlioz, who performed Glinka's works in the spring of 1845 at his concert, became a great admirer of his talent. The author's concert of Glinka in Paris was a success. In the same place, in 1848, he wrote a symphonic fantasy "Kamarinskaya" with Russian folk themes. This is an unusually cheerful fantasy full of humor, enjoying which brings up associations with Russian folk holidays, folk instruments and folk choral singing. "Kamarinskaya" is also a brilliant masterful orchestration. In Spain, Mikhail Ivanovich studied the culture, customs, language of the Spanish people, recorded Spanish folklore melodies, observed folk festivals and traditions. The result of these impressions were 2 symphonic overtures: "Jota of Aragon" (1845) and "Memories of Castile" (1848, 2nd edition - "Memories of a summer night in Madrid", 1851).
Glinka's musical art is characterized by the completeness and versatility of the coverage of life phenomena, generalization and convexity. artistic images, the perfection of architectonics and the overall light, life-affirming tone. His orchestral writing, combining transparency and impressiveness of sound, has a vivid imagery, brilliance and richness of colors. Mastery of the orchestra was revealed in many ways in stage music (overture "Ruslan and Lyudmila") and in symphonic pieces. "Waltz-Fantasy" for orchestra (originally for piano, 1839; orchestral editions 1845, 1856) is the first classical example of the Russian symphonic waltz. "Spanish Overtures" - "Jota of Aragon" (1845) and "Night in Madrid" (1848, 2nd edition 1851) - laid the foundation for the development of Spanish musical folklore in the world symphonic music. The scherzo for orchestra "Kamarinskaya" (1848) synthesized the wealth of Russian folk music and the highest achievements of professional skill.

Glinka's vocal lyrics are marked by the harmony of the worldview. Diverse in themes and forms, it included, in addition to Russian songwriting - the foundation of Glinka's melody - also Ukrainian, Polish, Finnish, Georgian, Spanish, Italian motifs, intonations, genres. His romances to the words of Pushkin stand out (including “Don’t sing, beauty, with me”, “I remember a wonderful moment”, “The fire of desire burns in the blood”, “Night marshmallow”), Zhukovsky (ballad “Night review” ), Baratynsky (“Do not tempt me unnecessarily”), Puppeteer (“Doubt” and a cycle of 12 romances “Farewell to St. Petersburg”). Glinka created about 80 works for voice and piano (romances, songs, arias, canzonettes), vocal ensembles, vocal etudes and exercises, choruses. He owns chamber instrumental ensembles, including 2 string quartets, the Pathétique Trio (for piano, clarinet and bassoon, 1832).

The following generations of Russian composers remained faithful to the basic creative principles of Glinka, enriching the national musical style with new content and new expressive means. Under the direct influence of Glinka, a composer and vocal teacher, the Russian vocal school was formed. Singing lessons were taken from Glinka and singers N. K. Ivanov, O. A. Petrov, A. Ya. M. Leonova and others A. N. Serov wrote down his Notes on Instrumentation (1852, published 1856). Glinka left memoirs ("Notes", 1854-55, published 1870).