Classical composers are known all over the world. Each name of musical genius is a unique personality in the history of culture.
What is classical music
Classical music - enchanting melodies created by talented authors who are rightly called classical composers. Their works are unique and will always be in demand by performers and listeners. Classical, on the one hand, is called strict, deep-content music that is not related to the directions: rock, jazz, folk, pop, chanson, etc. On the other hand, in the historical development of music there is a period of the end of the 13th - beginning of the 20th century, called classicism.
Classical themes are distinguished by sublime intonation, sophistication, a variety of shades and harmony. They positively affect the emotional worldview of adults and children.
Stages of development of classical music. Their brief characteristics and key representatives
In the history of classical music, the stages can be distinguished:
- Renaissance or Renaissance - early 14th - last quarter of the 16th century. In Spain and England, the Renaissance period lasted until the beginning of the 17th century.
- Baroque - replaced the Renaissance and lasted until the beginning of the 18th century. The center of style was Spain.
- Classicism is a period of development of European culture from the beginning of the 18th to the beginning of the 19th century.
- Romanticism is the opposite of classicism. It lasted until the mid-19th century.
- Classic of the 20th century - the modern era.
Brief description and main representatives of cultural periods
1. Renaissance - a long period of development of all areas of culture. Composers of the Renaissance - Tomass Tallis, Giovanni da Palestine, T.L. de Victoria composed and left immortal creations for posterity.
2. Baroque - in this era new musical forms appear: polyphony, opera. It was during this period that the great classical composers Bach, Handel, Vivaldi created their famous creations. Bach fugues are built in accordance with the requirements of classicism: the obligatory observance of canons.
3. Classicism. Viennese classical composers who created their immortal creations in the era of classicism: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. A sonata form appears, the composition of the orchestra increases. The works of Mozart and Haydn differ from Bach’s heavy compositions by their simple construction and grace of melodies. It was still a classic, striving for perfection. Beethoven's works are a facet of contact of romantic and classical styles. In the music of L. van Beethoven there is more sensuality and ardor than rational canonics. Such important genres stood out as symphony, sonata, suite, opera. Beethoven gave rise to the Romantic period.
4. Romanticism. Musical works are characterized by color, drama. Various song genres are formed, for example, ballads. Compositions for piano by Liszt and Chopin were recognized. The traditions of romanticism were inherited by Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Schubert.
5. Classic of the XX century - characterized by the desire of the authors to innovate in melodies, the terms arose: aleatoricism, atonalism. The works of Stravinsky, Rachmaninov, Glass belong to the classical format.
Russian classical composers
Tchaikovsky P.I. - Russian composer, music critic, public figure, teacher, conductor. His works are the most performed. They are sincere, easily perceived, reflect the poetic identity of the Russian soul, picturesque paintings of Russian nature. The composer created 6 ballets, 10 operas, more than a hundred romances, 6 symphonies. World famous ballet Swan Lake, opera Eugene Onegin, Children's Album.
Rachmaninov S.V. - The works of the outstanding composer are emotional and cheerful, and some are dramatic in content. Their genres are diverse: from small plays to concerts and operas. Universally recognized works of the author: the opera The Mean Knight, Aleko based on the Pushkin poem Gypsies, Francesca da Rimini based on the plot borrowed from Dante’s Divine Comedy, the poem The Bells; Suite "Symphonic dances"; piano concerts; vocalization for voice to the accompaniment of a piano.
Borodin A.P. He was a composer, teacher, chemist, doctor. The most significant creation is the opera Prince Igor, based on the historical work The Word About Igor's Campaign, which was written by the author for almost 18 years. During his life, Borodin did not have time to finish it, after his death A. Glazunov and N. Rimsky-Korsakov finished the opera. The great composer is the founder of classical quartets and symphonies in Russia. The crown of world and Russian national-heroic symphonism is considered to be the “Athletic” symphony. The instrumental chamber, First and Second Quartets are recognized as outstanding. One of the first to introduce heroic figures from ancient Russian literature into romances.
Great musicians
Mussorgsky M.P., which can be said about, is a great composer-realist, a bold innovator who touches on social issues, an excellent pianist and an excellent vocalist. The most significant pieces of music are the opera Boris Godunov, based on the dramatic work by A.S. Pushkin and “Khovanshchina” - folk music drama, the main character in these operas is the rebellious people from different social strata; the creative cycle “Pictures from the Exhibition”, inspired by the works of Hartmann.
Glinka M.I. - A famous Russian composer, founder of the classical movement in Russian musical culture. He completed the process of creating a school of Russian composers, based on the values ​​of folk and professional music. The master’s works are imbued with love for the Fatherland, reflect the world outlook of people of that historical era. The world famous folk drama "Ivan Susanin" and the opera tale "Ruslan and Lyudmila" have become new trends in the Russian opera. Glinka’s symphonic works “Kamarinskaya” and “Spanish Overture” are the foundations of Russian symphony.
Rimsky-Korsakov N.A. - A talented Russian composer, naval officer, teacher, publicist. Two movements can be traced in his work: historical (The Tsar’s Bride, Pskovityanka) and the fairy tale (Sadko, Snegurochka, Suite Scheherazade). A distinctive feature of the composer's works: originality based on classical values, homophony in the harmonious construction of early works. His works have an author's style: original orchestral solutions with unusually constructed vocal scores, which are the main ones.
Classical Russian composers tried to reflect cognitive thinking and folklore inherent in the nation.
European culture
Famous Classical Composers Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven lived in the capital of musical culture of that time - Vienna. Geniuses combines masterful performance, excellent compositional solutions, the use of different musical styles: from folk tunes to polyphonic designs of musical themes. Great classics are characterized by comprehensive creative thinking, competence, clarity in the construction of musical forms. In their works, intellect and emotions, tragic and comic components, ease and prudence are organically linked together.
Beethoven and Haydn gravitated to instrumental compositions, Mozart masterfully succeeded in both opera and orchestral works. Beethoven was an unsurpassed creator of heroic works, Haydn appreciated and successfully used humor, folk-genre characters in his work, Mozart was a universal composer.
Mozart is the creator of the sonata instrumental form. Beethoven perfected it, brought it to unrivaled heights. The period of Viennese classics became the period of the quartet heyday. Haydn, followed by Beethoven and Mozart, make a significant contribution to the development of this genre.
Italian craftsmen
Giuseppe Verdi - an outstanding musician of the 19th century, developed the traditional Italian opera. Possessed impeccable skill. The culmination of his composing activity was the opera works "Troubadour", "La Traviata", "Othello", "Aida".
Niccolo Paganini - born in Nice, one of the most musically gifted personalities of the 18-19th century. He masterfully mastered the violin. He composed whims, sonatas, quartets for violin, guitar, viola and cello. He wrote concerts for violin and orchestra.
Gioacchino Rossini - worked in the 19th century. The author of sacred and chamber music, composed 39 operas. Outstanding works - “The Barber of Seville”, “Othello”, “Cinderella”, “The Forty-Thief”, “Semiramis”.
Antonio Vivaldi is one of the largest representatives of the violin art of the 18th century. He gained fame thanks to his instrumental concerts. The most famous work is 4 violin concerts "The Seasons". He lived a surprisingly fruitful creative life, composed 90 operas.
Famous Italian classical composers left an eternal musical legacy. Their cantatas, sonatas, serenades, symphonies, operas will give pleasure to more than one generation.
Features of perception of music by a child
Listening to good music has a positive effect on the psycho-emotional development of the child, as children's psychologists believe. Good music introduces to art and forms an aesthetic taste, so say teachers.
Many well-known creations were created by classical composers for children, taking into account their psychology, perception and specificity of age, i.e., for listening, while others composed various pieces for tiny performers that were easily audible and technically accessible to them.
"Children's album" by Tchaikovsky P.I. for little pianists. This is an album dedicated to nephew Davydov V.L., who loved music and was a very gifted child. The collection contains more than 20 plays, some of which are based on folklore material: Neapolitan motifs, Russian dance, Tyrolean and French melodies. Collection "Children's Songs" by Tchaikovsky P.I. It is designed for auditory perception by a children's audience. Songs of an optimistic attitude about spring, birds, a flowering garden ("My Garden"), about compassion for Christ and God ("Christ had a baby garden").
Children's classic
Many classical composers worked for children, the list of works of which is very diverse.
Prokofiev S.S. “Peter and the Wolf” is a symphonic fairy tale for children. Thanks to this tale, children get acquainted with the musical instruments of the symphony orchestra. The text of the tale was written by Prokofiev himself.
Schumann R. “Children's Scenes” are small musical notes with a simple plot written for adult performers, memories of childhood.
Cycle for the Debussy piano “Children’s corner”.
Ravel M. “Mother Goose” based on the tales of S. Perrault.
Bartok B. “The First Steps at the Piano”.
Cycles for children Gavrilova S. "For the smallest"; "Heroes of fairy tales"; "To the children about the animals."
Shostakovich D. "An album of piano pieces for children."
Bach I.S. “Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach.” Teaching his children music, created for them special plays and exercises for the development of technical skills.
Haydn J. - the progenitor of the classical symphony. Created a special symphony called "Children's". Tools used: clay nightingale, rattle, cuckoo - give it an unusual sound, childish and perky.
Saint-Saens K. came up with a fantasy for an orchestra and 2 pianos called “Animal Carnival”, in which he masterfully conveyed the cackling of hens, the roar of a lion, the compassion of an elephant and his manner of movement, a touching and graceful swan.
Composing compositions for toddlers and youth, great classical composers they took care of the interesting storylines of the work, the availability of the proposed material, taking into account the age of the performer or listener.