There are people who consider waltzes to be exclusively dance music, and therefore not worthy of being taken seriously. And this can only mean one thing: such people are not familiar enough with this genre!
What is a waltz
Well, in fact, by and large, these people are right: the very word "waltz" does not give room for different interpretations. It really and unequivocally means a kind of ballroom and folk dance of a certain size and canon in performance.
But this is a dance. And here music accompanying this dance is a different story. Although the main outline of the melody should correspond to the rhythm of the dance movements, this does not mean that it is clamped by strict restrictions in expressing feelings and emotions!
waltz king
Of course, a conversation about composers working in this direction should begin with the name of Johann Strauss. After all, it was he who created a musical miracle: he raised dance music (and besides waltzes, the composer wrote many polkas, quadrilles, mazurkas) to symphonic heights!
Strauss had a happy fate, inherited by a few creative people: he became famous and in demand during his lifetime. At the peak of his creative career, he was called the king of waltzes. His works were loved by many authoritative colleagues: Tchaikovsky, Offenbach, Wagner.
But you may be surprised when you find out that the composer had an obvious envious and ill-wisher, who, as best he could, tried to interfere with his musical career. And be even more surprised to learn that this "evil genius" was his own father - Johann Strauss Sr.
The younger Johann showed amazing generosity: despite all the intrigues of his father (including the deprivation of children of their inheritance), he dedicated his waltz "Aeolian harp" to his memory. Not to mention the fact that he publishes the complete collection of his father's works at his own expense.
First Russian waltz
According to all information that has come down to our days, the creation of A.S. Griboedova - waltz in E minor. Many of us know Alexander Sergeevich as the author of the textbook literary work "Woe from Wit".
But literature was not his main activity. Griboyedov is a real Russian intellectual and nobleman, served as a diplomat, spoke several foreign languages, was an excellent pianist and had real artistry and good taste.
Listen to his work, which is often called Griboedov's waltz.
And now it will be just intrigue. The story is completely alive. It's about a young, up-and-coming musician. I don’t know the fate of his other works, in general, I don’t even know: were they - other works? But it was definitely a waltz.
For some reason, unknown to me, fate changed, the young man did not become a composer, but became a world-famous film actor. The waltz remained unreleased and unplayed for the general public, and remained so for 50 years!
And only recently in a beautiful concert hall, this magnificent melody was performed by a wonderful orchestra. Who is this composer? As soon as you turn on this video, you will immediately recognize it!
Other beautiful waltzes
There are waltzes by different composers that are a pleasure to listen to.
Eugene Doga: the most popular wedding waltz
White, black, red: these colors are present in almost every scene of Emil Loteanu's film "My Sweet and Tender Animal". Against the background of the lush greenery of the old noble estate, the strict contrast of white and black flawlessly draws the picture of the frame, and the red color brings tension and dynamics to it. Red appears in the frame either as a flying silhouette of a dress, or as a bright spot of a carnation flower, or as a gentle reflection of sunset rays, but in the finale it appears as scarlet blood on a snow-white bandage: the passions that played out under the canopy of a century-old park took the life of the young heroine of this drama.
The waltz was written by the composer specifically for the film "My Sweet and Gentle Beast". The members of the film crew later recalled that the music of Eugene Doga had a special, almost hypnotic effect on them. Sometimes even a feeling was created that it was this music that prompted the director and actors to make unexpected and subtle artistic decisions - after all, the shooting was done to the soundtrack.
The main theme of the waltz begins with a smooth movement along the steady steps of the fret. However, its calm course is interrupted by disturbing short motives - it seems as if the voices of migratory birds are heard from behind the clouds. With each new phrase, the melody rises higher and higher. Gradually, she loses her aristocratic restraint, speeds up the pace, gains power and involves dancing couples in her unrestrained whirlwind movement. At the peak of the climax, the music uncovers the secret thoughts of the heroes, exposes feelings, aggravates conflicts, and suddenly - cold on the skin - it becomes clear: the tragedy is inevitable.
For the fourth decade now, the melody from the film “My Sweet and Gentle Beast” has been heard in wedding palaces throughout the country: young people are invited to the first waltz in their life together. Can it be that neither young couples in love, nor seasoned employees of registry offices feel the tragedy of this beautiful music? Be that as it may, hundreds of thousands of newlyweds have already begun their family life with the waltz of Evgeny Doga! May fate help them avoid sorrows and measure happiness in abundance.
Russian romantic waltz of the 19th century
The founder of the Russian romantic waltz was, of course, Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka. Today, his brilliant "Waltz-Fantasy" is somewhat forgotten. Meanwhile, all other Russian and Soviet symphonic waltzes grew out of it. The combination of bright lyrics, romantic flight and tragic tension are the main features that unite them and find a lively response in the contradictory and ever restless Russian soul.
To the work of another outstanding Russian composer of the 19th century, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, fate turned out to be more favorable. Waltzes from the ballets The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty have been performed in all Christmas and New Year concerts for more than a hundred years. All these years, the audience warmly received the "Sentimental Waltz". Not so long ago, this music inspired our famous figure skaters Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze to create a lyrical dance program.
Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze received many awards for this work, but still they were not the first to use the romantic waltz as the musical basis for a sports choreographic composition. Experienced figure skating fans will surely remember the stunning dance of Lyudmila Pakhomova and Alexander Gorshkov to the music of Aram Ilyich Khachaturian's waltz Masquerade.
Waltz Aram Khachaturian "Masquerade"
Everyone used to call this waltz briefly: “Masquerade”. In fact, this is one of the parts of the musical suite composed by A. I. Khachaturian for M. Yu. Lermontov's drama "Masquerade" back in 1941. In the plot of the drama, love and jealousy, deceit and despair are closely intertwined.
Of course, all this tangle of passions is reflected in the waltz music, but even in the culminations, in moments of the highest intensity of emotions, Khachaturian's orchestra sounds romantic and invariably noble.
In 1976, the world and Olympic ice dancing champions L. Pakhomova and A. Gorshkov performed the Masquerade waltz at demonstration performances. The whole world applauded the “golden” Soviet couple! No one has ever been able to achieve such a combination of technique and artistry. In addition, many viewers for the first time discovered the unusually beautiful and expressive music of Khachaturian. Yes, that year, hundreds of thousands of music lovers all over the world added gramophone records with a recording of the Masquerade waltz to their personal record libraries.
The video materials of those years are not perfect - let's forgive them for this shortcoming, enjoy the music and dance.
Old Russian waltzes (early 20th century)
An old city garden, a dance floor, a “shell” stage - and, of course, a brass band playing old Russian waltzes ... It's amazing: many of us feel a sense of nostalgia at the sounds of a brass band, even if we were born decades after the war and have never seen real "shell" stage! "Amur Waves", "Birch", "On the Hills of Manchuria", "Autumn Dream" ...
Oh no, "Autumn Dream" is, unfortunately, not ours. At the beginning of the 20th century, the waltz "Autumn Dream" was composed by the British composer Archibald Joyce. However, the Russian public loved him so much that they used to consider him theirs.
And what about the rest of the old Russian waltzes? Maybe they have a foreign origin? No, the rest are real Russians. Waltz "Birch" was written by Russian military musician E. M. Dreyzin, "On the hills of Manchuria" - Shatrov I. A.
Frontline lyric songs-waltzes
During the Great Patriotic War, along with harsh marches, lyrical music also sounded. Singing melodies and simple sincere words at the front were even more important than marching rhythms and militant appeals.
In the sincere intonations of waltz songs, such as “In the Frontline Forest” (written by composer Matvey Blanter and poet Mikhail Isakovsky), one could hear both greetings from peaceful life and an order to fight to victory.
It's hard to believe, but there was a time when a number of the best Soviet wartime songs were semi-officially "covered up". They were not allowed to be broadcast on the radio, they were forbidden to sing from the stage. The argument was absolutely absurd - but we understand this today, decades later. And then, in the 70s, about the front-line song by Mikhail Fradkin and Yevgeny Dolmatovsky “Random Waltz” in a textbook for music schools, it was written that it was immoral, because “it sings of the dubious poetry of chance meetings.”
Today, no one remembers the names of the figures who so anxiously cared for the moral purity of the Soviet people. And we, listening to the song "Random Waltz", seem to be transported back to those war years - and our hearts shrink.
Waltzes in our cinema
Cinema is completely unthinkable without music, and romantic cinema without a waltz. In a movie about a school, we will most likely hear a lyrically excited waltz of graduates with a sadness (as in the film "Joke"), in a lyrical comedy, a waltz with a humorous tint ("Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath") will surely sound, and the New Year's picture will not do without a festive waltz ("Carnival Night"). In a philosophical fairy tale, a waltz may flash with a hint, a refrain, an insert - but it will definitely be (“An Ordinary Miracle”, “The Same Munchausen”).
Sometimes music transforms a seemingly ingenuous plot, and “finishes” what cannot be conveyed with the help of a video sequence: this is precisely the role that Andrey Petrov’s wonderful waltz plays in the film “Beware of the Car”. Its delicate and transparent musical fabric is a mirror that reflects the bright, a little "out of this world" soul of the modern Robin Hood.
Waltz by Georgy Sviridov "Snowstorm"
Regulars of philharmonic concerts know and love this exquisite and at the same time luxurious waltz. However, more recently, excerpts from it began to sound in television advertising. An infrequent case: advertising has done a good deed and literally forced all viewers of a vast country to learn beautiful music by heart, but not everyone knows what kind of music it is and who its author is. It's time to get acquainted!
Back in 1964, Georgy Vasilyevich Sviridov wrote an orchestral suite for the film "The Snowstorm", based on the story by A. S. Pushkin. Waltz is the second movement of this suite. A few years later, the film was almost forgotten, and the music continued to sound: in concert halls, in recordings, in home amateur performances. Georgy Vasilievich slightly modified the suite and renamed it "Musical illustrations for Pushkin's story" Blizzard ".
The composer literally draws with sounds like paints, using the richest possibilities of a large symphony orchestra. The extreme parts of the waltz are, of course, a blizzard, starting with a light drift and growing into a furious snowstorm; the middle part is a picture of a brilliant ball.
The music of the illustrations for The Snowstorm is not only pictorial, it is also psychological: after all, the plot is, as always, based on love and separation. However, unlike many others, this romantic story ends quite happily. From past hardships, only memories remain.
Ahead - a whole life! I want to believe a happy life.
Let's smile, ladies and gentlemen!
Waltz is the embodiment of plasticity in music, the image of a circle, eternity, captivating listeners with its unique grace. On June 7, in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, we will trace the history of the waltz in the work of the great classical composers. The State Academic Symphony Chapel of Russia under the direction of V. Polyansky will present the program "The Best Waltzes of the World". The conductor is Philip Chizhevsky, one of the most promising Russian maestro of the younger generation.
Austria is traditionally considered the birthplace of the waltz, although some of its features can be seen in the old folk dances of Germany and France. The waltz gained the greatest popularity in the capital of Austria - Vienna. And it is no coincidence that the most prominent representative of the Strauss musical family, Johann Strauss-son, went down in history as the “king of waltzes”. The concert will feature his famous waltz "Farewell to Petersburg".
Having become popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the waltz became an obligatory dance in classical ballet, often becoming the apotheosis of the entire performance. The concert program includes the famous Waltz of the Flowers from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker, and the Waltz from Leo Delibes' ballet Coppelia.
In the era of romanticism, the waltz began to turn from a simple lyrical dance into an extended dramatic canvas. One of the first examples of dramatization of the waltz is the second movement from Hector Berlioz's Fantastic Symphony, where through the elements and whirlwind of the dance an inaccessible image of the beloved emerges, surrounded by the sorrowful feelings of the symphony's hero. In the work of romantic composers, the waltz often turns into a large-scale symphonic poem. The choreographic poem "Waltz" by the French composer Maurice Ravel becomes a kind of climax. Written in 1920, it absorbed not only the brilliance of the waltz at the royal court of Vienna, but also the gloomy echoes of the just ended World War I.
The State Academic Symphony Choir of Russia was created in 1991 by the merger of two illustrious Soviet ensembles - the Symphony Orchestra of the Ministry of Culture under the direction of Gennady Rozhdestvensky and the State Chamber Choir of the USSR headed by Valery Polyansky. Under his leadership, the chapel has been successfully operating for 27 years. The ensemble's repertoire includes vocal and symphonic works from different eras (masses, oratorios, requiems), as well as orchestral programs of classical and contemporary music. Including monographic cycles dedicated to the work of Beethoven, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Mahler.
Philip Chizhevsky is a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory, founder and leader of the Questa musica ensemble. Since 2011 - conductor of the State Academic Symphony Capella of Russia, since 2014 - conductor of the Bolshoi Theater. Twice nominated for the Golden Mask Award for Best Conductor in Musical Theatre. Collaborates with leading Russian and foreign orchestras, including the State Academic Symphony Orchestra im. E.F. Svetlanov, NPR under the direction of V. Spivakov, Musica Viva under the direction of A. Rudin, Tokio New Sity Orchestra, Brandenburgische Staatsorchester, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra and others. Musical director of the first Baroque festival at the Bolshoi Theater.
Strauss Waltzes
"King of the Viennese Waltz" sounds proud! That is how the great composer was majestically named, whose name is Johann Strauss-son. He breathed new life into this genre, gave it a "poetic interpretation". A lot of interesting and surprising lies in the waltzes of Strauss. So let's look into the mysterious world of Viennese music, the door to which was opened for us by the king himself!
Read the history of Johann Strauss Waltzes, content and many interesting facts on our page.
History of Strauss Waltzes
Few people know, but the composer Johann Strauss, the father, was categorically against his son continuing his business and becoming a musician. If it were not for the stubbornness and wild desire of the young man, then we would never be able to listen to waltzes Strauss filled with lyrics and poetry.
Already at the age of nineteen, the aspiring composer taught his own father a lesson. Together with the orchestra, he performed his own compositions, the main of which was the waltz. As a sweet revenge for the ban on music, one of my father's most famous waltzes was performed at the end of the concert. Of course, society could not leave this kind of trick without comment, and all the newspapers wrote in the morning that it was time for the old generation of composers to step aside in front of young talents. The father was furious.
Meanwhile, the popularity of the young composer only increased. Not one of the evenings in the highest circle passed without the performance of Strauss waltzes. Thanks to the charm, the public adored Johann, his appearance at the conductor's stand was accompanied by exquisite statements on behalf of the High Vienna Society. The maestro behaved at ease, forcing the orchestra to play at a glance. Each gesture was applauded by the audience. When the last final chord sounded, the conductor slowly lowered his hand and, as if by magic, disappeared from the hall. He was a great master not only of music, but also of theatrical staging.
The mastery of composing waltz compositions was already achieved in 1860. This period in life can be considered the most fruitful. One by one, the composer composes hits of his time, such as:
- Songs of love;
- Farewell to Petersburg;
- On the beautiful blue Danube.
Thanks to waltz, they began to talk and write about the composer, his works scattered in millions of copies, both in the form of musical copies and on records. The entire biography of the composer resembles an elegant whirling in a three-part rhythm. His waltzes are his life, his sorrows and joys, victories and failures. History has preserved each of them. Strauss waltzes are diamonds that sparkle regardless of the skill of the conductor. The author himself adored his own compositions, but among them were those that Strauss especially liked. Let's take a closer look at these works and their history.
The work was written in 1882. In the same year, the composer met his future wife and creative muse, Adele Deutsch. Subsequently, for her, he will compose another composition bearing her name. It is worth noting that the composer originally intended to write this work with the inclusion of a coloratura soprano part.
The work was performed only a year later at one of the charity concerts of that time. The event was held in the building of the theater "An der Wien". The product was accepted with a bang. It was sold in millions of copies throughout Europe, and began to be considered one of the most popular works of the author.
The smoothness of the rhythm is outlined by the double bass line already from the first note. The theme is filled with lots of decorations. They are a visual means for fully displaying the pictures of nature awakened from a long hibernation. Everything is recovering from winter sleep, a magnificent time is coming. Of course, this work was to the taste of many: from amateurs to true connoisseurs of the professional musical language.
"On the beautiful blue Danube"
The order for this dance came from the main and most famous manager of the choral society in the capital of Austria, he needed a choral waltz. Then the place of residence of the creator was not far from the banks of this majestic river, so it did not take long to think about the name. The premiere in the capital of Austria was modest. Strauss, accustomed to fame and universal approval, only joked that he did not feel sorry for the waltz itself, but that the code did not succeed, this really saddens him.
Strauss then decided to orchestrate this work so that the coda would not be lost. It was first performed at the World Exhibition in Paris. The audience rejoiced, and the waltz took pride of place on the list. Subsequently, music will become a symbol of Vienna.
Music enchants and captures in its own world from the very first bars. Like a magical and changeable course of the river - the melody of the composition. The mood is gentle, but timid, like small and exciting water ripples.
listen to "On the Beautiful Blue Danube"
"Tales from the Vienna Woods"
One of the most fabulous and magical works in the work of Johann Strauss-son. It should be noted that the composition received the title of the longest waltz ever written by the composer.
Listening to the work, one can notice that the fabulous and mysterious atmosphere is conveyed with the help of special musical techniques. These include the incredibly pleasant sound of the zither instrument, and the inclusion of folklore motifs in the melodic and thematic line. So, the characteristic features of the landler are clearly visible. The work won the hearts of many romantic people who believe in a real miracle.
listen to "Tales from the Vienna Woods"
One of the most famous numbers of the operetta. Infinitely fresh and graceful in character. He seems to be a vivid illustration of the idea of a theatrical production. It is noteworthy that one of the most famous newspapers of that time published a more than laudatory article regarding the success of this composition. In it, the author pointed out the richness of the composer's musical themes, ironically adding that such a musical imagination would be enough for several young French composers.
The harmony of the waltz is quite mobile, and it creates a special mood. At the same time, the instrumentation creates the effect of melodiousness and melody. Incredible beauty is hidden behind the melodic line. It is impossible not to remember this work.
listen to a waltz from an operetta "Bat"
Interesting Facts
- During his entire creative career, the composer composed almost 170 pieces of music in this genre.
- Within two days, the Blue Danube vinyl record sold 140,000 copies. Music lovers stood in the store for hours to get an audio recording.
- Everyone knows that Wagner was a complex person and had a bad attitude towards the work of other composers. Picky to the point of madness, Richard adored Strauss's work, which was called "Wine, Women, Songs." Sometimes, if an opera classic was in the hall, he asked especially for him to repeat this composition.
- "Spring Voices" is a favorite work of Leo Tolstoy. The writer liked to listen to Strauss waltzes, but especially often put on a record with this particular composition.
- The work “Farewell to Petersburg” is dedicated to Olga Smirnitskaya, with whom the composer had a long affair while living in the northern capital of Russia. Strauss wanted to marry the girl, but her mother was against such a marriage. They corresponded for a long time until Strauss found out that Olga was marrying the composer Anton Rubinstein.
- A fragment of "Voices of Spring" can be heard from the legendary band Queen. On the album A Day at the Races.
- Banking education played its own role in organizing the composer's concerts. In order not to miss advantageous offers, the genius of composition gathered several orchestral groups and learned the most popular works with them. Then the orchestras performed the pieces at the same time, in different places, and as a result, the profit only increased. The composer himself managed to conduct only one work, after which he left for the evening in another house.
- The waltz "The Life of an Artist" is a kind of autobiography of the composer, it reveals the ecstasy of life.
- In Boston, the waltz "On the Beautiful Blue Danube" was performed by an orchestra of two thousand people.
- In Europe, the waltz "Voices of Spring" is a symbol of the celebration New Year .
Johann Strauss son gave the world a huge creative legacy. Each of his waltzes is a small but bright story, what finale it will have depends on the listener. Lightness, their carelessness and incredible grace make you listen to the work again and again, endlessly. So do not deny yourself this pleasure.
Video: listen to the Strauss waltz
We are pleased to offer you Symphony Orchestra to perform Strauss Waltzes at your event.
Instruction
"Waltz" is a German word, it is based on the verb "circle". People began to dance with whirling for a long time. It is believed that the well-known Viennese waltz originated from the Austrian dance "Lendler", which seemed to be rougher, lacking lightness and smoothness. Many composers took notice of the new dance and composed music for it.
The Austrian composer Johann Strauss (senior) devoted his life to dance music, especially waltzes. After him, the attitude towards creating melodies for the dance that became popular changed radically. From short, light works intended for entertainment, they turned into deep soulful music that excites the souls of listeners. 152 works of this genre were created by a talented musician, the La Bayadere Waltz, Danube Songs, Lorelei, Taglioni, Gabriela are especially famous. Strauss's sons were also musically gifted people. Josef died early, and the name of the eldest son Johann became world famous.
Johann Strauss (junior) became interested in music against the will of his father, who wanted to see his son as a lawyer or businessman. The younger Strauss possessed great musical abilities, writing his first dance melodies at the age of six. At the age of 19, he created his own ensemble from friends, which later grew into an orchestra. The author himself played the violin in it or performed the duties of a conductor. The son, who surpassed the famous ancestor, brought to perfection the Viennese waltz created by his father, wrote more than three hundred melodies of this genre, for which he was generally recognized as the “king of the waltz”. "Tales of the Vienna Woods" and "The Blue Danube" are considered real masterpieces, representing the unity of different national melodies.
The solemn procession of the new dance across Europe continued. The famous M.I. Glinka, inspired by his love for Ekaterina Kern, composed a beautiful "Waltz-Fantasy" overflowing with a flight of love and imagination. For a long time Glinka carefully polished his work, removing everything unnecessary from the orchestral performance. The first poetic sketch developed into a serious play-poem. The new-sounding "Waltz-Fantasy" was first presented to the public in Pavlovsk, and Strauss himself was the conductor of the orchestra. Russian symphonic waltzes originate from this musical work by M.I. Glinka.
For a century, the famous waltzes from P.I. Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. The waltz is part of Aram Khachaturian's musical suite "Masquerade", composed for the dramatic work by M.Yu. Lermontov. Romantic noble music of Khachaturian reflected human passions: love and jealousy, despair and deceit.
Until recently, Russian musical life had a wonderful tradition: in the summer, brass bands played in city parks. Ancient Russian waltzes were the decoration of concert programs. The authors of many musical compositions were Russian military conductors. I. A. Shatrov, the author of the famous waltz "On the Hills of Manchuria", gained sufficient fame. His "Country Dreams", created under the impression of being in love, were also popular.
Soviet composers did not ignore this genre even during the difficult period of the Great Patriotic War. M. Blanter set to music M. Isakovsky's poem "In the forest near the front" - one of the favorite wartime waltzes appeared. In the works of K. Listov “In the Dugout”, M. Fradkin “Random Waltz” and others, a similar sound is also heard.
The honored master of songwriting Yan Frenkel said that he preferred the waltz because of the special trust in this musical form and the wide range of images that fit in it. A simple song by J. Frenkel “The Waltz of Parting”, which became famous after the release of the feature film “Women”, has a special effect on the listener.
I. Dunayevsky composed the music of "School Waltz" to the words of the poet M. Matusovsky. The lyrical melody imbued with kind sadness awakens in the soul pleasant memories of the years of youth, school. The song became an amazing success. And now it certainly excites human hearts, is a musical attribute of school proms.
The beautiful waltz melody from the movie "My Sweet and Gentle Beast" has become a favorite of many people. The music, which is the "living nerve" of the film, without words, seems to convey someone's emotional drama, calls to the world of dreams and returns to the earth again. The popularity of Eugene Doga's touching melody exceeded the author's expectations. Now she invariably sounds in wedding palaces, calling the newlyweds to the first dance.
