There are many different genres in classical music: concerts, symphonies, sonatas, plays. All of them differ from each other by structural features, the method of deployment of the material, as well as the type of artistic content. One of the most interesting genres is the suite, a combination of several diverse plays united by one idea. Suites are instrumental (for one instrument) and symphonic (for the whole orchestra). What is a symphonic suite in music? In this article we will talk about this with the example of one of the most beautiful works in this genre.
The history of the suite genre. Clavier Suites
The phenomenon of the appearance of the suite is due to the French harpsichordists. It was in their work that this genre gained the greatest distribution. Initially, the suites were exclusively applied in nature - it was a set of dances, where the fast alternated with the slow. There was a certain sequence - an alemand, a chime, a saraband, a gig. Moreover, the tempo difference between them looked like this: calm / moving, slow / fast. After the chimes one or several false dances could sometimes follow - a minuet, an aria.
JS Bach brought a somewhat different meaning to the interpretation of this genre. In his French and English suites, dance remained only as a metric basis. The content has become much deeper.
What is a symphonic suite?
Romantic composers, known for their love of the revival of ancient genres, very often turned to suite forms. There was no trace of dancing in them, but the principle of contrast remained. Only now did it concern, rather, the content of the music, its emotional fullness. When answering the question of what a symphonic suite is in the work of romantics, it is important to emphasize that in the first place it began to be based on programmaticity. The unification of the parts with the main idea gave integrity to the symphonic suites and made them close to the poem genre. This genre was especially popular in the works of Russian composers.
What other symphony suites are there?
Sometimes symphonic suites were written by composers as an independent work, for example, P. I. Tchaikovsky’s suite “Romeo and Juliet”. Very often they were composed from the numbers of some major work, for example, S. S. Prokofiev’s suite based on his own ballet Romeo and Juliet, again. There were cases when a symphonic suite was the result of an arrangement by one composer of the instrumental composition of another. This happened with the cycle of M.P. Mussorgsky's "Pictures from the Exhibition," which M. Ravel subsequently orchestrated. Most often, the basis of the programmedness of the suite was a literary work. Thus was written the symphonic suite of Rimsky-Korsakov.
Arabian tales in orchestral performance
Russian composers felt an unquenchable love of oriental themes. In the works of almost every one of them you can find oriental motifs. N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov was no exception. The symphonic suite "Scheherazade" was written under the impression of the collection of fairy tales "A Thousand and One Nights." The composer chose several episodes that were not related to each other: the story of Sinbad the sailor, the story of Tsarevich Kalender, a holiday in Baghdad and the tale about the love of the prince and the princess. "Scheherazade" spilled out from the pen of the composer during one summer of 1888 in Nezhgovitsy. After the first performance, this work became extremely popular among listeners, and is still one of the most performed and recognizable compositions.
Musical material "Scheherazade"
The leitmotif is a term coined by romantics. It denotes a vivid, memorable topic assigned to a certain character, idea or character. Recognizing it among the general musical stream, it is easier for the listener to navigate in the literary canvas of the work. Such a leitmotif in the Rimsky-Korsakov suite is the theme of Scheherazade herself. The enchanting sound of a solo violin draws a thin camp of a wise sultana, bending in an elegant dance. This famous theme, which, incidentally, is a very serious challenge to the skill of a violinist, serves as the unifying thread of the entire work. She appears in front of the first, second and fourth parts, as well as in the middle of the third.
A very vivid musical material is the theme of the sea. The composer so successfully managed to convey using the orchestral means of wave movement that we simply visually feel the breath of the ocean and the breath of sea air.
Form and content: symphonic suite “Scheherazade”
Rimsky-Korsakov did not want the listener to have a certain image when listening to this work. Therefore, parts do not have program names. However, knowing in advance what images can meet there, the listener will be able to enjoy this magnificent music much more.
What is the symphonic suite "Scheherazade" in terms of musical form? This is a four-part work, linked by a commonality of themes and images. The first part paints a picture of the sea. The choice of tonality is not accidental - in E major. Rimsky-Korsakov, the owner of the so-called color hearing, saw this tonality in sapphire color, reminiscent of the color of the sea wave. In the second part, the bassoon solo brings to the stage the proud and brave prince Calender, who talks about his military exploits. The third part is a love story between a prince and a princess. She is full of love delight and sweet bliss. In the fourth part, Rimsky-Korsakov made full use of all the colors of the orchestra to convey unbridled fun at a festival in Baghdad.
So, what is the symphonic suite of Scheherazade? This is a vibrant work with a tangible oriental fragrance, held together by one idea. Every evening, Scheherazade tells his terrible spouse, who vowed to execute his wives after the very first night, another tale. Her narrative gift is so great that the enchanted sultan puts off her execution. This continues for a thousand and one nights. We will be able to listen to four of them if we get to know Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade.