Prokofiev Sergey Sergeevich (April 23, 1891 - March 5, 1953) - the greatest Russian and Soviet composer, pianist, conductor. He composed 11 operas, 7 symphonies, 8 concertos, 7 ballets, a huge number of instrumental and vocal works, as well as music for films and performances. Laureate of the Lenin Prize (posthumously), laureate of six Stalin Prizes, People's Artist of the RSFSR. There was no more performed composer in the 20th century.
Childhood and studies at the conservatory
At the end of the 19th century, there was the Ekaterinoslav province in the Russian Empire, and in it the Bakhmut district. Here in this county on April 23, 1891, in the village, or, as it was then customary to call it, the estate of Sontsovka, Sergei Prokofiev was born (now his homeland is better known to the whole world as Donbass).
His father, Sergey Alekseevich, was an agronomist, at the time of the birth of his son he worked as a manager on the estate of a landowner. Two girls were born in the family before, but they died in infancy. Therefore, the boy Seryozha was a very long-awaited child and his parents gave him all their love, care and attention. The boy's mother, Maria Grigoryevna, was almost completely involved in the upbringing. She is from the serf family of the Sheremetovs, where children were taught music and theatrical art from an early age (and not just like that, but at the highest level). Maria Grigorievna was also a pianist.
This influenced the fact that little Seryozha was already studying music at the age of 5, and gradually the gift of writing began to manifest itself in him. He came up with music in the form of plays and songs, rondos and waltzes, and my mother wrote for him. As the composer recalled, the most powerful childhood impression for him was a trip to Moscow with mom and dad, where they were in the theater and listened to Prince Igor by A. Borodin, Faust by Charles Gounod. Seeing "Sleeping Beauty" by P. Tchaikovsky, the boy returned home simply obsessed with writing something like that. Already at the age of ten, he wrote two works under the titles "The Giant" and "On the Deserted Islands."
Seryozha's second visit to Moscow was at the beginning of the winter of 1901. Professor of the Conservatory S. Taneyev listened to him. An experienced teacher noticed the child's talent and recommended that he study music with all seriousness and systematicity. In the summer, the well-known composer Reinhold Gliere came to the village of Sontsovka. He recently graduated from the conservatory, received a gold medal and, on the recommendations of Taneyev, arrived at the estate. He taught little Prokofiev the musical theories of improvisation, harmony, composition, and became an assistant in writing the work A Feast in the Time of Plague. In the fall, Gliere, together with Maria Grigoryevna, Seryozha's mother, again took the child to Moscow to Taneyev.
A decision was made about the talented boy, and Sergei became a student of the St. Petersburg Conservatory. His teachers are A.N. Esipova, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, A.K. Lyadov, N.N. Cherepnin. In 1909 he graduated from the conservatory as a composer, and in 1914 as a pianist. At the end of the conservatory, Prokofiev received a gold medal. And at the final exams, the commission unanimously awarded him the Prize. A. Rubinstein - piano "Schroeder". But he did not leave the conservatory, but continued to study in the organ class until 1917.
Since 1908 he was a soloist and performed his own works. After graduating from the conservatory, Prokofiev went to London for the first time (his mother promised him such a gift). There he met Diaghilev, who at that time was organizing the Russian Seasons in the French capital. From that moment on, the young musician opened the way to popular European salons. His piano evenings were a huge success in Naples and Rome.
Since childhood, the character of Sergei was not simple, this was even reflected in his early works. While studying at the conservatory, he often shocked those around him with his appearance, he always tried to seize leadership and be in the spotlight. People who knew him in those years noted that he always looked special. Prokofiev had excellent taste, he dressed very beautifully, allowing himself to use bright colors and catchy combinations in clothes.
Much later, Svyatoslav Richter will say about him:
“One sunny day I was walking on the Arbat and met an extraordinary person who carried strength and challenge in himself, passed me by like a phenomenon. He was wearing bright yellow boots and a red and orange tie. I couldn't help but turn around and look after him. It was Sergei Prokofiev.
Life outside Russia
At the end of 1917, Sergei decides to leave Russia. As he wrote in his diary, the decision to change Russia for America was based on the desire to see life in full swing, and not souring; culture, not game and slaughter; to give not miserable concerts in Kislovodsk, but to perform in Chicago and New York.
On a spring day in May 1918, Prokofiev leaves Moscow and leaves it, taking a ticket for the Siberian Express. On the first day of summer, he gets to Tokyo and waits for an American visa there for about two months. In early August, Sergei Sergeevich sailed to the United States of America. There he lived for three years and in 1921 moved to France.
In the next fifteen years, he worked hard and gave concerts in American and European cities, even three times he came to the Soviet Union with concerts. At this time, he met and became very close to such famous people in the cultural world as Pablo Picasso and Sergei Rachmaninov. Prokofiev also managed to get married, the Spaniard Carolina Codina-Lubera became his life partner. The couple had two sons - Oleg and Svyatoslav. But more and more often, Sergei was overcome by thoughts about returning home.
In 1936, Prokofiev, together with his wife and sons, came to the USSR and settled in Moscow.
Until the end of his life, he only twice traveled abroad with concerts - in the seasons of 1936/1937 and 1938/1939.
Prokofiev talked a lot with famous artists of that time. Together with Sergei Eisenstein, they worked on the film "Alexander Nevsky".
On May 2, 1936, the premiere of the world-famous fairy tale-symphony "Peter and the Wolf" took place at the Central Children's Theater.
Just before the start of the war, the composer worked on the operas Duenna and Semyon Kotko.
The war period was marked in the composer's creative life by the opera "War and Peace", the Fifth Symphony, the music for the film "Ivan the Terrible", the ballet "Cinderella" and many other works.
Changes in Prokofiev's family life took place as early as 1941, before the start of the war. At this time, he no longer lived with his family. Much later, the Soviet government declared his marriage invalid, and in 1948 Prokofiev again entered into legal marital relations with Mira Mendelssohn. Lin's wife survived arrest, camps and rehabilitation. In 1956 she left the Soviet Union for Germany. Lina lived a long life and died at an advanced age. All this time she loved Prokofiev and until the last days she remembered how she saw and heard him for the first time at a concert. She adored Seryozha, his music and blamed Mira Mendelssohn for everything.
For Prokofiev himself, the post-war years turned into a sharp deterioration in health, and hypertension progressed. He became an ascetic and did not go anywhere from his dacha. He had a strict medical regime, but despite this, he completed work on the ballet "The Tale of the Stone Flower", the Ninth Symphony, the opera "The Tale of a Real Man".
The death of the great composer went unnoticed by the Soviet people and the media. Because it happened on March 5, 1953, when Comrade Stalin also died. Moreover, the musician's colleagues, his relatives and friends even experienced considerable problems in organizational funeral matters. The composer died in a Moscow communal apartment due to a hypertensive crisis. The funeral took place at Moscow's Novodevichy Cemetery.
After 4 years, the Soviet authorities seemed to have tried to make amends with the famous musician and awarded him the Lenin Prize posthumously.
Works - masterpieces with world fame
In the world, ballets written by S.S. are especially popular and loved. Prokofiev.
| Premiere year | Title of the work | Premiere location |
| 1921 | "The Tale of the Jester Who Outsmarted the Seven Jesters" | Paris |
| 1927 | "Steel Jump" | Paris |
| 1929 | "Prodigal son" | Paris |
| 1931 | "On the Dnieper" | Paris |
| 1938, 1940 | "Romeo and Juliet" by W. Shakespeare | Brno, Leningrad |
| 1945 | "Cinderella" | Moscow |
| 1951, 1957 | "The Tale of the Stone Flower" by P.P. Bazhov | Moscow, Leningrad |
For orchestras, Prokofiev created 7 symphonies, the Scythian suite "Ala and Lolly", two Pushkin waltzes and many other overtures, poems, suites.
The world remembers the great man and reveres his works. Very many music schools and concert halls, airplanes and airports, streets and children's music schools, symphony orchestras and music academies bear the name of S. S. Prokofiev. Two museums are open in Moscow and one in his homeland, in the Donbass.
THE GREAT SON OF THE LAND OF DONETSK SERGEY PROKOFIEV
Considered one of the largest, most influential and most performed composers of the 20th century. He was also a pianist and conductor. Two years ago, on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the birth of the great composer, concerts and festivals were organized in Ukraine, Russia, France, Germany and other countries with which the name of the master is associated. Donbass, where the musician was born and spent his childhood, announced 2011 Year of Prokofiev.
From Sontsovka
Disputes often broke out around the work of this composer, since originality and originality always cause a contradictory reaction. However, not only fans Prokofiev feel the power and brightness of his talent. What is now called charisma was inherent in the composer. Strict, collected, extremely picky about everything related to his work, he cursed with performers and directors, once even scolded David Oistrakh right at the concert, and Galina Ulanova said: “You need drums, not music.”
For 50 years of creative activity, he wrote 130 pieces of music. The composer's talent was embodied in a wide genre palette: ballets, operas, symphonies, music for films and, of course, music for children.
In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great musician, UNESCO declared 1991 Year of Prokofiev. At the same time, thanks to the efforts of grateful fellow countrymen, a memorial zone was created in the village of Krasnoye Prokofiev. The St. Peter and Paul Church was restored, in which the future musician was baptized.
DATA
Svyatoslav Richter wrote: “One sunny day I was walking along the Arbat and saw an unusual person. He carried a defiant power and passed me by like a phenomenon. 
In bright yellow boots, with a red-orange tie. I could not help but turn around after him - it was Prokofiev».
Name Prokofiev the Concert Hall of the Donetsk Regional Philharmonic Society, the academic orchestra and the Academy of Music were named. For more than a decade, the international festival "Prokofiev's Spring" has been held, in which the competition of young pianists "In the homeland of Sergei Prokofiev" is organically intertwined. Award established Sergei Prokofiev, which is awarded to musicians for creative achievements.
Updated: April 13, 2019 by: Helena
Born on April 23, 1891, Sontsovka estate, Bakhmut district, Yekaterinoslav province (now the village of Krasnoye, Krasnoarmeisky district, Donetsk region, Ukraine).
In 1909 he graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory in the composition class of A. Lyadov, in the class of instrumentation - N. Rimsky-Korsakov and J. Vitol, in 1914 - in the piano class of A. Esipova, in the class of conducting - N. Cherepnin. He worked in creative collaboration with Sergei Eisenstein.
Since 1908 he began his concert activity as a pianist and conductor - a performer of his own works.
In May 1918, he went on tour abroad, which dragged on for eighteen years. Prokofiev toured America, Europe, Japan, and Cuba. In 1927, 1929 and 1932 he made concert trips to the USSR. In 1936 he returned to the USSR with his Spanish wife Lina Kodina, who became Prokofieva (actually Carolina Kodina-Lubera, 1897-1989). Prokofiev and his family - his wife Lina and sons Svyatoslav and Oleg finally settled in Moscow. In the future, he traveled abroad (to Europe and the USA) only twice: in the 1936/37 and 1938/39 seasons.
Since 1941, he had already lived separately from his family, a few years later the Soviet government declared his marriage invalid, and without filing a divorce on January 15, 1948, the composer officially married a second time, Mira Mendelssohn became his wife. And the first wife was arrested in 1948 and exiled - first to Abez (Komi ASSR), then to the Mordovian camps, from where she returned in 1956; later she managed to leave the USSR, died at the age of 91 in England in 1989.
In 1948 he was subjected to devastating criticism for formalism. His 6th Symphony (1946) and the opera The Tale of a Real Man were sharply criticized as not corresponding to the concept of socialist realism.
Since 1949, Prokofiev has hardly left his dacha, but even under the strictest medical regime, he writes the ballet The Stone Flower, the Ninth Piano Sonata, the oratorio On Guard for Peace, and much more. The last composition that the composer had a chance to hear in the concert hall was the Seventh Symphony (1952).
Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1944).
People's Artist of the RSFSR (1947).
Prokofiev died in Moscow in a communal apartment in Kamergersky Lane from a hypertensive crisis on March 5, 1953. Since he died on the day of Stalin's death, his death went almost unnoticed, and relatives and colleagues of the composer faced great difficulties in organizing the funeral. He was buried in Moscow at the Novodevichy Cemetery (site No. 3).
Author of the operas Maddalena (1913), The Gambler (1916), Love for Three Oranges (1919), Semyon Kotko (1939), Betrothal in a Monastery (1940), War and Peace (2 -I ed. - 1952); ballets "The Tale of the Jester Who Outwitted Seven Jesters" (1915-1920), "Steel Jump" (1925), "The Prodigal Son" (1928), "On the Dnieper" (1930), "Romeo and Juliet" (1936), " Cinderella" (1944), "The Tale of the Stone Flower" (1950); cantata "Alexander Nevsky", symphonic fairy tale "Peter and the Wolf", 2 concertos for piano and orchestra (1912, 1913, 2nd edition 1923).
prizes and awards
Six Stalin Prizes:
(1943) 2nd degree - for the 7th sonata
(1946) 1st class - for the 5th symphony and 8th sonata
(1946) 1st degree - for the music for the film "Ivan the Terrible", 1st series
(1946) 1st class - for the ballet "Cinderella" (1944)
(1947) 1st class - for sonata for violin and piano
(1951) 2nd degree - for the vocal and symphonic suite "The Winter Fire" and the oratorio "On Guard of the World" to the verses of S. Ya. Marshak
Lenin Prize (1957 - posthumously) - for the 7th symphony
Order of the Red Banner of Labor
The cardinal advantage (or, if you like, disadvantage) of my life has always been the search for an original, my own musical language. I hate imitation, I hate hackneyed tricks... You can be abroad for as long as you like, but you must certainly return to your homeland from time to time for the real Russian spirit.
S. Prokofiev
The childhood years of the future composer passed in a musical family. His mother was a good pianist, and the boy, falling asleep, often heard the sounds of Beethoven's sonatas coming from afar, several rooms away.
When Seryozha was 5 years old, he composed his first piece for piano. In 1902, Taneyev became acquainted with his children's composing experiences, and on his advice, composition lessons began with Gliere. In 1904-14, Prokofiev studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory with Rimsky-Korsakov (instrumentation), Vitols (musical form), Lyadov (composition), Esipova (piano). At the final exam, Prokofiev brilliantly performed his First Concerto, for which he was awarded the Rubinstein Prize. The young composer eagerly absorbs new trends in music and soon finds his own path as an innovative musician. Speaking as a pianist, Prokofiev often included his own works in his programs, which caused a strong reaction from the audience.
In 1918, Prokofiev left for the USA, starting further on a series of trips to foreign countries - France, Germany, England, Italy, Spain. In an effort to win over the world audience, he gives concerts a lot, writes major works - the operas The Love for Three Oranges (1919), The Fiery Angel (1927); the ballets Steel Leap (1925, inspired by the revolutionary events in Russia), The Prodigal Son (1928), On the Dnieper (1930); instrumental music.
At the beginning of 1927 and at the end of 1929, Prokofiev performed with great success in the Soviet Union. In 1927 his concerts were held in Moscow, Leningrad, Kharkov, Kyiv and Odessa. “The reception that Moscow gave me was out of the ordinary. ... The reception in Leningrad turned out to be even warmer than in Moscow,” the composer wrote in his Autobiography. At the end of 1932, Prokofiev decides to return to his homeland.
From the mid-30s, Prokofiev's work reaches its heights. He creates one of his masterpieces - the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" by Shakespeare (1936); the lyric-comic opera Betrothal in a Monastery (The Duenna, after Sheridan - 1940); cantatas "Alexander Nevsky" (1939) and "Toast" (1939); a symphonic fairy tale to his own text "Peter and the Wolf" with instruments-characters (1936); Sixth Piano Sonata (1940); cycle of piano pieces "Children's Music" (1935). In the 30-40s. Prokofiev's music is performed by the best Soviet musicians: Golovanov, Gilels, Sofronitsky, Richter, Oistrakh. The highest achievement of Soviet choreography was the image of Juliet, created by Ulanova. In the summer of 1941, at a dacha near Moscow, Prokofiev wrote the ballet-tale Cinderella commissioned by the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater.
The news of the outbreak of war with fascist Germany and the subsequent tragic events caused a new creative upsurge in the composer. He creates a grandiose heroic-patriotic epic opera "War and Peace" based on the novel by L. Tolstoy (1943), working with director Eisenstein on the historical film "Ivan the Terrible" (1942). Disturbing images, reflections of military events and, at the same time, indomitable will and energy are characteristic of the music of the Seventh Piano Sonata (1942). Majestic confidence is captured in the Fifth Symphony (1944), in which the composer, in his words, wanted to "sing of a free and happy man, his mighty strength, his nobility, his spiritual purity."
In the post-war period, despite a serious illness, Prokofiev created many significant works: the Sixth (1947) and Seventh (1952) symphonies, the Ninth Piano Sonata (1947), a new edition of the opera War and Peace (1952), the Cello Sonata (1949) and the Symphony Concerto for cello and orchestra (1952). The end of the 1940s and the beginning of the 1950s were overshadowed by noisy campaigns against the “anti-national formalist” trend in Soviet art, and the persecution of many of its best representatives. One of the main "formalists" in music turned out to be Prokofiev. The public defamation of his music in 1948 further worsened the composer's health.
Prokofiev spent the last years of his life at a dacha in the village of Nikolina Gora among the Russian nature he loved, he continued to compose continuously, violating the prohibitions of doctors. The difficult circumstances of life also affected creativity. Along with genuine masterpieces, among the works of recent years there are works of a “simplistic conception” - the overture “Meeting of the Volga with the Don” (1951), the oratorio “On Guard of the World” (1950), the suite “Winter Bonfire” (1950), some pages of the ballet “Tale about a stone flower" (1950), Seventh Symphony. Prokofiev died on the same day as Stalin, and the farewell to the great Russian composer on his last journey was obscured by popular excitement in connection with the funeral of the great leader of the peoples.
Prokofiev's style, whose work spans four and a half decades of the turbulent 20th century, has undergone a very great evolution. Prokofiev paved the way for the new music of our century, together with other innovators of the beginning of the century - Debussy. Bartok, Scriabin, Stravinsky, composers of the Novovensk school. He entered art as a daring subverter of the dilapidated canons of late Romantic art with its exquisite sophistication. Developing in a peculiar way the traditions of Mussorgsky and Borodin, Prokofiev brought into music unbridled energy, onslaught, dynamism, freshness of primordial forces, perceived as “barbarism” (“Obsession” and Toccata for piano, “Sarcasms”; symphonic “Scythian Suite” based on the ballet “Ala and Lolly"; First and Second Piano Concertos). Prokofiev's music echoes the innovations of other Russian musicians, poets, painters, theater workers. “Sergey Sergeevich plays on the most tender nerves of Vladimir Vladimirovich,” V. Mayakovsky said about one of Prokofiev's performances. Biting and juicy Russian-village figurativeness through the prism of exquisite aesthetics is characteristic of the ballet "The Tale of the Jester Who Cheated on Seven Jesters" (based on fairy tales from A. Afanasyev's collection). Comparatively rare at that time lyricism; in Prokofiev, he is devoid of sensuality and sensitivity - he is shy, gentle, delicate (“Fleeting”, “Tales of an Old Grandmother” for piano).
Brightness, variegation, increased expression are typical of the style of foreign fifteen years. This is the opera “Love for Three Oranges”, splashing with merriment, based on the fairy tale by Gozzi (“a glass of champagne”, according to Lunacharsky); the splendid Third Concerto with its vigorous motor pressure, set off by the wonderful pipe tune of the beginning of the 1st movement, the penetrating lyricism of one of the variations of the 2nd movement (1917-21); the intensity of the strong emotions of "The Fiery Angel" (based on the novel by Bryusov); the heroic power and scope of the Second Symphony (1924); "Cubist" urbanism of "Steel lope"; lyrical introspection of "Thoughts" (1934) and "Things in themselves" (1928) for piano. The style of the period of the 1930s and 1940s is marked by the wise self-restraint inherent in maturity, combined with the depth and national soil of artistic concepts. The composer strives for universal human ideas and themes, generalizing images of history, bright, realistic-concrete musical characters. This line of creativity was especially deepened in the 40s in connection with the difficult trials that befell the Soviet people during the war years. Disclosure of the values of the human spirit, deep artistic generalizations become the main aspiration of Prokofiev: “I am of the conviction that the composer, like the poet, sculptor, painter, is called to serve man and the people. It should sing of human life and lead a person to a brighter future. Such, from my point of view, is the unshakable code of art.
Prokofiev left a huge creative heritage - 8 operas; 7 ballets; 7 symphonies; 9 piano sonatas; 5 piano concertos (of which the Fourth is for one left hand); 2 violin, 2 cello concertos (Second - Symphony-concert); 6 cantatas; oratorio; 2 vocal and symphonic suites; many piano pieces; pieces for orchestra (including "Russian Overture", "Symphonic Song", "Ode to the End of the War", two "Pushkin's Waltzes"); chamber works (Overture on Jewish themes for clarinet, piano and string quartet; Quintet for oboe, clarinet, violin, viola and double bass; 2 string quartets; two sonatas for violin and piano; Sonata for cello and piano; a number of vocal compositions for words Akhmatova, Balmont, Pushkin)
Creativity Prokofiev received worldwide recognition. The enduring value of his music lies in his generosity and kindness, in his commitment to lofty humanistic ideas, in the richness of the artistic expression of his works.
Editor Pavel Vyacheslavovich Muskatiniev
Corrector Marina Nikolaevna Sbitneva
© S. V. Venchakova, 2018
ISBN 978-5-4490-8970-0
Created with the intelligent publishing system Ridero
FROM THE AUTHOR
The purpose of creating a cycle of methodological developments in the discipline "Domestic musical literature of the XX - XXI centuries" for students of the fourth year of music schools (specialties: 53.02.04 "Vocal art", 53.02.05 "Solo and choral folk singing", 53.02.06 "Choral conducting ”, 53.02.03 “Instrumental Performance”, 53.02.07 “Music Theory”), was, first of all, the systematization of research, as well as fiction (including modern), representing the personality and work of the Russian composer of the first half of the 20th century - C S. Prokofiev.
It should be noted that textbooks on this subject have not been republished for a long period of time. The educational literature that has appeared in recent years contains the necessary basic information on the topics of the course, but the volume of educational publications is not able to reflect many of the current problems of composer creativity, as well as present a holistic analysis of musical works.
The cycle of methodological developments was the result of many years of teaching the above course. The works include a significant amount of educational material, based on a detailed review of the most important aspects of the composer's creative activity, as well as an analysis of a significant number of author's works. The strict logical sequence of each methodological development clearly demonstrates the lesson plan, key thematic issues, and the final requirements for student assessment. Each work is accompanied by an updated list of research literature and a musical appendix, which can serve as a good help for music students in studying the works of the named author; as well as in the process of writing essays, term papers and creative papers. Each topic of the course is demonstrated in the form of open lessons with the creation of a multimedia presentation.
A cycle of methodological developments dedicated to the work of S. Prokofiev:
1. "S. S. Prokofiev. Some features of the creative style " - to reveal the topic, the author draws on extensive artistic and cultural material, using the method of integrating aesthetic knowledge and the interaction of arts. In this regard, key questions have been raised that allow us to fully and multifacetedly consider the features of the work of this Russian composer, to cover the vast socio-cultural realities, to identify figurative-thematic and stylistic priorities. With regard to S. S. Prokofiev, this is, first of all, the further development of traditional genres of academic music at a new stage in the evolution of the musical language, a demonstration of new possibilities in the creation of artistic images and dramaturgy. The work touches upon the issues of periodization, analyzes the most important aspects of creative thinking - melody and harmony, on the example of some compositions. The section "Neoclassical and neoromantic features of Prokofiev's work in the context of stylistic trends of the 20th century" concludes the work.
2. "S. S. Prokofiev. Opera art. "Love for Three Oranges" Comments on texts» – the work presents a detailed analysis of opera compositions created in different periods of creativity. The characteristic of the opera genre as the most important stylistic direction of the composer's work is also given, the indicative dramaturgical principles of these works are considered. The problem of "Prokofiev and the theater" is also relevant in the 21st century. The specificity of the composer's thinking determines the work on the script, forms all the most important components of dramaturgy, affects the emotional and figurative structure of music and has a decisive influence on the compositional and structural side of the opera.
3. "S. S. Prokofiev. Opera art. "Fire Angel". Comments on texts» – the work considers some characteristic-stylistic and dramatic principles of the opera. Of great importance is the analysis of the reasons for choosing a particular plot as a literary fundamental principle - in this case, the "parallel work" of the composer and the writer is of undoubted interest.
4. "S. S. Prokofiev. Opera art. "Player". Comments on texts» - continues the review of the composer's operatic work. The analysis of the operas is presented along with a brief coverage of the creative activity of the writer, whose works became the basis of the libretto. This contributes to the most accurate understanding of the main accents of the opera action.
5. "S. S. Prokofiev. Opera art. "War and Peace". Comments on texts» – the work presents an analysis of the composer's last opera, links to the epic novel by L. N. Tolstoy. The following aspects are presented in detail: documentary evidence of the time of creation of the composition, libretto, genre origins, principles of leittematism, use of vocal recitation techniques. Among the most important tasks of the composer was the musical embodiment of the text of Tolstoy's novel, which led to the appearance of characteristic sound images. The paper also considers options for working with genre models, ostinato techniques.
6. "S. S. Prokofiev. Piano creativity. Some piano cycles of the early period" – the work reveals some of the main aspects of the composer's piano style within the overall creative evolution. The analysis of the cycle "Fleeting" is presented in a holistic way.
7. "S. S. Prokofiev. Piano creativity. Sonatas No. 6, No. 7, No. 8, No. 9 " – the most important stylistic features and patterns of the sonata genre are considered in the work. The composer's late sonatas are analyzed from the point of view of thematics, structure, and features of dramaturgy. Conclusions are also formulated regarding the innovative principles of Prokofiev's sonata cycles.
8. "S. S. Prokofiev. Ballet creativity. "Prodigal Son", "Romeo and Juliet" - the author sets the task of tracing the evolution of the ballet genre with its huge range of plots on the example of the analysis of some compositions created in different periods of creativity.
9. "S. S. Prokofiev. Cantatas. Cantata "Alexander Nevsky" – the work presents the main information concerning the composer's cantata creativity. The cantata "Alexander Nevsky", created on the material of film music, from the film of the same name is analyzed from the standpoint of stylistics, dramaturgy, harmonic principles and structure.
10. "S. S. Prokofiev. Symphonic creativity. Symphonies No. 5, No. 7 "- the author traces some features of the composer's symphonism, the interpretation of the symphonic cycle based on the analysis of these symphonies in the context of traditions and innovation.
Svetlana Vyacheslavovna Venchakova, musicologist, teacher of theoretical disciplines of the Republic of Mordovia, Saransk Musical College. L.P. Kiryukova.
INTRODUCTION
The program of the course "Musical Literature" is aimed at forming the musical thinking of students, at developing the skills of analyzing musical works, at acquiring knowledge about the patterns of musical form, the specifics of the musical language.
The subject “National Musical Literature of the 20th Century” is an important part of the professional training of students of theoretical and performing departments of music and art schools.
In the process of studying the course, there is a process of analysis and systematization of various features of musical and artistic phenomena, the knowledge of which is of direct importance for the subsequent performing and pedagogical practice of students. Conditions are being created for scientific and creative understanding of artistic problems and understanding of various performing interpretations of modern musical styles. In general, a flexible system of specialized education is being created, without the criterion of "narrow specialization", which contributes to the deepening of professional skills and the activation of students' creative interest in work.
A holistic study of artistic and aesthetic trends, styles is based on the integration of students' knowledge in various fields: the history of foreign and Russian music (until the 20th century), world artistic culture, analysis of musical works, performing practice, which ensures the formation of new professionally generalized knowledge.
Methodological development on the topic: “S. S. Prokofiev. Some features of the creative style "
The purpose of the lesson: trace some features of the creative style and the evolution of stylistic aspects of the outstanding Russian composer of the 20th century S. Prokofiev (1891 - 1953) in the context of traditions and innovation.
Lesson plan:
1. Russian composer of the 20th century S. S. Prokofiev
The origins of Prokofiev's work are in line with national traditions - in folklore and individual, founded by each of the largest representatives of the Russian school. For the sake of a more holistic view of the composer's music and style, one should consider some of his compositions created in different periods of creativity with new accents in understanding the works; as well as the most important components of the creative style - the features of the composer's melody and harmony.
Practically all known genres are represented in the music of S. Prokofiev - in this regard, one can speak of stylistic and genre universalism; special means of expression have developed that can reveal the world of feelings modern man. Unraveling the composer's musical logic and its special specificity is the subject of many studies in Russian and foreign musicology; the problem of the evolution of S. Prokofiev's style has not ceased to be relevant in the 21st century. In particular, the neoclassical and neoromantic features of the composer's work are of undoubted interest. Like many artists of the 20th century, Prokofiev went through a natural path of evolution - periods of varied, sometimes contradictory searches. The main artistic directions of creativity reflected the most important stylistic trends in music of the early 20th century: from neo-primitivism and urbanism to classicism. Among his merits are discoveries in the genre of opera (in particular, the renewal of the epic musical "performance theater", which is what opera is); discoveries in the field of ballet - one should especially note Prokofiev's interest in theatricality, which is also felt in instrumental music. It is not just specific associations with stage action that are important here - "acting" permeates almost all of the composer's work, and by comparing Prokofiev's stage music with instrumental music, one can be convinced that a lot comes from the theater. These signs were expressed in the creation of a special label musical characteristics of the characters (in instrumental creativity, there is also a special "relief of thematicism"). The specific properties of Prokofiev's style are expressed in visibility, special characteristic, visibility of gestures embodied by the means of art of sounds. Prokofiev made a number of discoveries in the symphony genre (in particular, the “sonata moderato” in the first parts of the cycle, which changed the logic of the composition of the symphony; moments associated with the specifics of tempo dramaturgy are present in the symphonic work of D. Shostakovich, a bright innovative symphonist). Interesting finds are created in the old genre of cantata (for example, the cantata "On the 20th Anniversary of October" (1937), created on the texts of various authors, is built taking into account the logic of the montage composition, coming from the influence of theater and cinema). Prokofiev's concertos, chamber music are characterized by a new reading epic musical traditions. There are innovations in the field of orchestral writing.
Many stylistic innovations that amazed contemporaries, found by the composer at the very beginning of his journey, later turned out to be generally accepted elements of new music and entered the aesthetic everyday life of the century. All-round activation of the rhythmic principle, dynamically impulsive ostinato technique, expansion of the tonal system and freedom of modulation effects, attraction to polyfunctional sound complexes, sharpened intonation turns - all these means of expression distinguish Prokofiev's music already at an early stage of creativity.
2. Prokofiev and traditions
Many researchers rightly believe that Prokofiev's style is influenced by the achievements of Russian classics: Glinka, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky. In particular, from Rimsky-Korsakov, Prokofiev learns an attraction to national fabulousness, landscape sound painting, as well as some techniques for embodying such images (enlarged and whole-tone harmonies, characteristic timbre combinations, interest in color). For the formation of Prokofiev's symphony and theatrical music, Rimsky-Korsakov's operas and symphonic works, especially program ones, were of no small importance. Thus, the ballet The Tale of the Jester Who Outwitted the Seven Jesters, despite the shocking novelty and eccentricity of the plot and language, in fact, owes a lot to the satirical pages of The Golden Cockerel, Koshchei the Immortal and The Tale of Tsar Saltan. From Rimsky-Korsakov, he inherited an interest in epic and fantasy, colorful sound writing, fabulousness; some theatrical effects of Rimsky-Korsakov's operas were continued in the comedic episodes of "Tales about the Jester", "Three Oranges". It is not difficult to find echoes of fantastic pages in Prokofiev - episodes of The Snow Maiden, Sadko, Koshchei the Immortal.
The influence of Lyadov is also traced - the landscape-pastoral beginning is often felt in Prokofiev in lyrical-epic images (a fragment of the theme of two oboes from the side part of the first part of the Sixth Symphony); in harsh, epic-epic warehouse (“Wind on the mounds” - glissando of the violin in the first part of the Violin Sonata f minor); some dance images (the theme of the minuet of the second movement of the Classical Symphony). Fairy-tale, magical-fantastic images are repeatedly presented, for example, the fourth variation from the slow part of the Third Piano Concerto, episodes of the piano cycles “Fleeting” and “Tales of the Old Grandmother”.
From Borodin, Prokofiev inherited epic power, solemnity, and a special severe grandeur of some images. The Russian epic line will clearly manifest itself in the works of the late period - in the cantata "Alexander Nevsky", the Fifth Symphony, in the opera "War and Peace". Epic features can be traced even much earlier - the "Scythian Suite" in its own way continued the tradition laid down by the images of Borodin's dances. From Borodin and at the same time from Rimsky-Korsakov and Mussorgsky (in this case there is a certain synthesis of folk-genre elements typical for all three composers) come the buffoon images presented in "Prince Igor" (by Rimsky-Korsakov in "The Dance of the Buffoons" from " Snow Maiden). Prokofiev presents a "buffoon episode" from "The Battle on the Ice" in the cantata "Alexander Nevsky", an arrangement of the song "Dark Man" in the ballet "The Tale of the Stone Flower". There are a lot of "roll calls" with Borodin in Prokofiev's harmonic language, in particular, it should be noted the predilection for tart quarto-quint consonances and natural modes.
In Prokofiev's vocal compositions, a continuation of the tendency towards characteristic declamation, characteristic of Dargomyzhsky's work, was found. The finds of the Russian innovator and his special ways of working with speech intonations were embodied in the desire to compose music to the unchanging text of literary primary sources - this is how the basic principle of the opera The Stone Guest manifests itself at a new stage. It should also be noted in Dargomyzhsky's operas that the aptly grasped details of musical speech predominate over ariose-song generalizations. The abundance of characteristic declamatory turns associated with colloquial intonations made it difficult to perceive a number of Prokofiev's vocal works (similar processes occurred during the perception of The Stone Guest, Mozart and Salieri, The Marriage, and a number of other realistic declamatory operas by Russian composers). The innovative achievements of Prokofiev, presented in the field of vocal melos of The Gambler, Semyon Kotko, War and Peace, were undoubtedly reflected in subsequent searches in the opera genre of the 20th century.
From Mussorgsky, first of all, Prokofiev perceives the interpretation of vocal genres. Already the early cycle The Ugly Duckling (1914) demonstrates a theatrical-acting series of sketch scenes, similar to a miniature opera. Expressive musical speech in "The Ugly Duckling" is combined, like in Mussorgsky's, with apt pictorial figurativeness, picturesqueness of piano origin. In Prokofiev's romances Under the Roof and The Magician (from Five Poems for voice and piano, op. 23 (1915), satirical and socially accusatory motifs so characteristic of Mussorgsky sounded, which later appeared in the opera The Gambler. It should be emphasized that the early romances served as original sketches for the creation of an opera, and many operatic principles were outlined in them, since the composer expanded the genre boundaries of the romance in the direction of its dramatization using, like Mussorgsky, everyday and satirical subjects. Mussorgsky inherited the principles of accurate reproduction of speech intonation, the use of prose texts. The visual episodes of “Pictures at an Exhibition” are in many ways related to a whole series of Prokofiev’s plays (“The Ugly Duckling”, “Tales of an Old Grandmother”, “Fleeting”), there is a continuation of the images of “Children’s” - Prokofiev’s legacy includes many compositions for children.
The national basis of Prokofiev's work was manifested in his appeal to Russian classical literature (Pushkin, Leo Tolstoy, Dostoevsky), to various eras of Russian history (XIII century in "Alexander Nevsky", XVI century in "Grozny", XVIII century in "Lieutenant Kizh", XIX century in "War and Peace"), to a Russian fairy tale (the ballet "Jester", the cycle "Tales of an Old Grandmother", the ballet "Stone Flower"), to a Russian folk song,
(“12 Songs”, “Russian Overture”), to modern Russian life (cantata “Toast”, suite “Winter Bonfire”). The Russian national beginning is expressed both in the composer's interest in the heroic epic of the Motherland, and in the attraction to lyrical melody, and in attention to the Russian dialect in its most diverse manifestations.
National-Russian features are clearly revealed in the variant-singing methods of deploying the melody, characteristic of the folk lingering song (the opening theme of the Third Concerto), in the use of diatonic, Russian variable modes, in the gravitation towards non-imitative polyphony, akin to folk undertones.
According to the warehouse of creative natures - harmony, balance, according to a bright, positive worldview - Prokofiev can be compared with Glinka. "Waltz h-moll("Natasha's waltz") in the opera "War and Peace" is a clear tribute to Glinka and his "Fantasy Waltz". Typically Glinka's perfect purity of drawing, transparency of texture can be found in Prokofiev's instrumental and symphonic works (late sonatas, some ballet scores), and vocal ones (the cycle "Three Romances on Poems by Pushkin"). Both composers have in common the special expressiveness of melodic lines - a typical feature of Russian folk songs. It is noteworthy that, like Glinka and Borodin, Prokofiev does not use folklore material to create images of the Russian folk warehouse.
The influence of Tchaikovsky's style was manifested in the special beauty of melodic lines, although “... in the field of operatic form, Prokofiev proceeds from the logic of individual scenes, characteristic of the operas of the composers of The Mighty Handful and their symphonism, than from the principles of through development inherent in Tchaikovsky. The influence of Tchaikovsky manifested itself in the Mozartian pages of Prokofiev's music (the lyrical waltzes of the ballet Cinderella), waltzes in operas and the Seventh Symphony. Some episodes reproduce pictures of everyday life and the color of the era - the duet of Natasha and Sonya from the opera "War and Peace"; fragments of the text of Zhukovsky's poem, used by Prokofiev, at one time became the basis of the duet of Liza and Polina in Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades. A true classic of the 20th century, S. Prokofiev at a new historical stage perceived and synthesized elements of the most important traditions of Russian musical culture.
It should be noted the typical national signs of many of Prokofiev's melodies: fifthness as characteristic of Russian folk songwriting the equality of two foundations - tonic and fifth (Third Piano Concerto, epigraph theme); the use of melodies with pentatonic and trichord turns - in folk songs, these types of melodies are elements of ancient origin, and, as a rule, have a small interval range. “Prokofiev, on the other hand, introduces them into melodies of the widest range, fusing them with ariose-melodious and declamatory turns (Seventh Symphony, first movement, side part); plagality of cadences, sometimes of tonal planes (the finales of the Fifth and Sixth symphonies, where the refrains sound in the main and subdominant keys); plagal resolutions of the seventh down a fourth, just as it happens in a folk song; modal variability; free interpretation of chromatism, which does not destroy diatonicism, since it is used as an element of ornamentation, creating some internal tuning fluctuations, and is the result of fouling each step of the mode with its introductory tone.
Like many Russian composers, Prokofiev uses in his work an epic tale, lamentation, many genres of Russian folk songs, presenting them in instrumental-symphonic and vocal themes. Of particular note is the abundance of dance genres in operas and ballets, symphonic works (waltz, the ancient genres of minuet and gavotte). The researchers note that the composer does not use modern dances - the only case in the opera "The Tale of a Real Man" (rumba).
As you know, Prokofiev spent his whole life striving to update his musical and expressive means - this became one of his creative credo.
Of particular interest are the interconnections of Prokofiev's creativity with the leading trends in foreign and Russian music of the late 19th century - the first half of the 20th century. He knew well and creatively mastered the harmonic, timbre, polyphonic means used by R. Strauss, M. Reger, A. Scriabin, I. Stravinsky, K. Debussy, M. Ravel, D. Shostakovich, N. Myaskovsky - the rich experience of these composers interested Prokofiev from the point of view of enriching the harmonic language, timbre-orchestral coloring and various other sound-representative means.
Prokofiev adopted many of the innovative features of Debussy's style, just as almost all composers of the 20th century did not pass them by. This was facilitated by the fact that Debussy himself took a lot from Russian music. In particular, Prokofiev, like Debussy, pays considerable attention to the coloring of timbre and tonal-harmonic writing; Prokofiev, on the other hand, is a master of poetic landscape sound painting, characteristic of the work of the Impressionists. M. Sabinina notes: “If Debussy loves keys with a large number of characters, “hot” sharp ( E-dur, H-dur, Fis-dur) and cool-booming flat ones, then Prokofiev’s favorite key is white-keyed C major, but C major, iridescent with all the colors of the rainbow, due to saturation with alterations, internal deviations. Characteristic in this sense are such images of him as the radiant refrain "Toast", the themes of Juliet the Girl and Petit (suite "Peter and the Wolf"); Adagio in the second act of Cinderella, polonaise in the opera War and Peace; C major- the main key of the Prodigal Son and the Fourth Symphony, the Steel Lope, the Fifth and Ninth Sonatas, the cantata On the 20th Anniversary of October, and many other works.
Explaining the differences between the harmonic thinking of Prokofiev and Debussy, L. Mazel emphasizes, “... that the complication of harmony in Prokofiev is combined with active tonal centralization; Prokofiev chooses timbre, textural and dynamic conditions that expose, rather than veil, the difference between sustain and instability, as happens in Debussy's music. to 18, p. 40]. Yu. Kholopov, in turn, believes that a characteristic feature of Prokofiev's music is modal multi-composition, the free unification of various modal formations replacing each other with a clear and definite center. In Debussy, “when the functional definiteness of consonance is erased, tonal centralization is often weakly expressed” . M. Tarakanov introduces the concept of “modal and modal-functional polyrhythm, which Prokofiev develops due to the superimposition of lines with their own individual modal rhythm, and the “non-synchronism” of these lines that sometimes occurs, when the violation of modal stability in one line of a polyphonic fabric is combined with the restoration of mode-functional balance in another” .
With M. Ravel, whom Prokofiev met personally more than once, he highly appreciated “timbre invention, subtle genre, poetry of childhood. Ravel's inclination towards a slightly ironic musicalization of verbal prose is just as characteristic of Prokofiev (the comparison of The Ugly Duckling with the witty fairy-tale animalism of Natural Stories suggests itself). The novelty and generous brilliance of the Impressionists' writing contributed greatly to the modal and timbre searches of the Russian innovator. Later, he just as inquisitively listened to Honegger's music, paying tribute to the conquering energy of "Pacific 231".
At an early stage of his career, Prokofiev was really interested in his compatriot-innovator, the inventor of new musical forms, I. Stravinsky. A special and very individual implementation of Stravinsky's ideas is present in the "Scythian Suite", in "The Tale of the Jester ...", in the Second Symphony and many other works. “From Stravinsky, he could also perceive the technique of ostinato repetitions, “standing” harmonies, gravitation towards polytonal effects and metro-rhythmic “violations”. Most of all, Prokofiev was fascinated by the original experiments in the implementation of Russian folklore in "The Wedding", "Ribautki", etc. The rivalry between the two innovators of Russian music of the 20th century is a very acute problem and deserves special consideration. Stravinsky's orchestral and harmonic findings, his new "hearing" of Russian folklore and Russian archaism were discoveries in the field of musical language and were of great importance. One should not talk about the significant influence of Stravinsky on the work of the young Prokofiev - there was a partial and short-lived parallelism in the aspirations of both composers. This fact was explained by belonging to the same national tradition, to the same school - both studied with N. Rimsky-Korsakov in St. Petersburg; the same for both was the historical period of the initial creative formation. “Their approach to the implementation of Russian melody was different: Stravinsky preferred the game of short chants, while Prokofiev gravitated towards long themes, to wide-melodious melodies. Contrary to the anti-opera and anti-lyrical tendencies of Stravinsky, Prokofiev was looking for ways to resurrect the Russian psychological opera-drama. In the ways of intonational variation, in the issues of a special technique of working with individual chants, in the use of polytonality, polytonality, ostinato tricks and unusual timbre combinations, Prokofiev undoubtedly came into contact with Stravinsky. This is evidenced by a number of works, one of which is the ballet "The Tale of the Fool ...". Both composers are among the brightest innovators in world musical classics, both made an invaluable contribution to the further development of Russian music, in fact, indicating the main ways of its development.
3. Issues of periodization of S. Prokofiev's work in line with stylistic and historical aspects
The creative activity of S. Prokofiev lasted more than half a century. Over the past decades, the composer has experienced a marked evolution in artistic inclinations. This fact is primarily due to close ties with the social conditions of the difficult era he experienced. The issue of periodization of the composer's creative path has long been decided on the basis of external biographical indicators. The first decade - until 1917 - was seen not so much as the years of the formation of his composer's individuality, but as a period of gradual departure from classical traditions and the strengthening of modernist hobbies. This was followed by a period abroad, and the last - after the final return to the Soviet Union. I. Nestiev believes that "the initial, truly classical stage of style approval did not end with Prokofiev in 1917, but lasted a total of a decade and a half (1908 - 1923), finding its brilliant continuation in the first years of his stay abroad" . The intensive formation of the composer's creative style took place precisely at an early stage of creativity and led to the creation of original, artistically perfect works in many musical genres: the piano cycle "Fleeting" (1915 - 1917), early piano sonatas: the First f minor(1909), Second d minor(1912), Third a-moll(1917), Fourth c-moll(1917); a vocal cycle based on poems by A. Akhmatova (1916); "Classical" symphony No. 1 (1916 - 1917); the first version of the opera "The Gambler" based on the plot of F. Dostoevsky (1915 - 1916).
Many modern studies illustrate the problem of Prokofiev's emigration from the position of "artist and power", and explain in different ways the reasons for the composer's departure abroad in 1918 and his return to the USSR in 1936. Based on the analysis of many diary entries, as well as other materials related to the life and work of the outstanding master, the authors dispute the judgments of the authors about the supposedly conformist attitudes and artistic position of the composer and prove the non-conformism of S. Prokofiev as a free artist who actively opposes the authorities. In understanding the problem of "Prokofiev and Soviet Russia" it is important not to confuse his attitude towards Russia as a homeland, with his attitude towards Russia as a Soviet state, political and ideological system. “He loved and appreciated Russia endlessly: Russian culture, which brought him up from a young age, became the unshakable national foundation of his work of different historical periods (pre-revolutionary, foreign and Soviet), regardless of his inherent poetics of contrasts, which led to sudden, sometimes paradoxical changes and transformations his many-sided, truly Protean musical style, which, as an innovative artist, he constantly updated and improved. At first, the attitude towards the new political system in Russia was sharply negative, which actually served as the reason for his departure abroad. The composer did not accept the Revolution and the Civil War either as a person or as an artist. As you know, Prokofiev, a pianist and composer, successfully conquered Europe and America. The fate of Russia and the further prospects for its development worried Prokofiev the citizen; although he said: "I believe that the artist should be out of politics." This was the firm personal position of the composer all his life. In the late 1920s, attitudes towards Prokofiev the emigrant changed radically and became increasingly negative and sharply critical. It is important to note that S. Prokofiev as a personality from a young age to the end of his days was characterized by a sense of dignity, self-sufficiency, complete independence in views and judgments, brought up from childhood. This independence and a sense of complete inner freedom manifested itself in his attitude to creativity, which was the main meaning of his musical and human existence.
