Which composer wrote the ballet Gayane. Ballet creativity of A.I. Khachaturian as a classic example of modern music. Why is it worth going

History of creation

Soon after graduating from the conservatory, in the late 1930s, Khachaturian received an order for music for the ballet “Happiness”. The play, with a traditional plot of that time about a happy life “under the Stalinist sun” and an equally traditional motif of espionage and enemies of Soviet power, was being prepared for the decade of Armenian art in Moscow. Such decades dedicated to art, in turn, of all the republics that were part of the USSR, were held regularly. The composer recalled: “I spent the spring and summer of 1939 in Armenia, collecting material for the future ballet “Happiness.” It was here that the deepest study of the melodies of the native land and folk art began...” Intense work on the ballet lasted six months. In September, the ballet was staged at the Armenian Opera and Ballet Theater, and a month later it was shown in Moscow and was a great success as the first experience of this genre in Armenian music. However, it noted shortcomings relating, in particular, to the script and musical dramaturgy. A few years later, the composer returned to this idea, focusing on a new libretto written by the famous theater critic and philologist K. Derzhavin (1903-1956). The revised ballet, called "Gayane" - after the name of the main character, was being prepared for production at the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater named after Kirov (Mariinsky). However, the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War ruined all plans. The theater was evacuated to Perm. The composer also came there to continue working together on the ballet. “In the autumn of 1941... I returned to work on the ballet,” Khachaturian recalled. “Today it may seem strange that in those days of severe trials we could talk about a ballet performance. War and ballet? The concepts are truly incompatible. But, as life has shown, there was nothing strange in my plan to depict... the theme of a great national upsurge, the unity of people in the face of a formidable invasion. The ballet was conceived as a patriotic performance, affirming the theme of love and loyalty to the Motherland.” In November 1942, the composer wrote in his diary: “At the request of the theater, after finishing the score, I completed the “Dance of the Kurds” - the same one that later became known as the “Dance with Sabers.” I started composing it at three o'clock in the afternoon and worked without stopping until two o'clock in the morning. The next morning, the orchestral voices were transcribed and a rehearsal took place, and in the evening there was a dress rehearsal for the entire ballet. “The Saber Dance” immediately made an impression on the orchestra, the ballet, and those present in the hall...”

On July 24, on the historical stage of the Bolshoi, the only performance dedicated to the anniversary of the great composer A.I. will take place. Khachaturian and the 100th anniversary of the First Armenian Republic! The President of Armenia and many Russian officials will be present at the Gayane ballet.

When

Where

Bolshoi Theatre, Teatralnaya metro station.

What is the price

Ticket prices range from 10,000 to 15,000 rubles.

Description of the event

2018 is full of significant events related to Armenian statehood and culture! This year marks the 115th anniversary of the greatest composer Aram Ilyich Khachaturian. Armenia also celebrates the 100th anniversary of the First Armenian Republic, and the ancient capital Yerevan celebrates its 2800th anniversary!

Naturally, all these events were an excellent occasion for a series of events designed to present Armenian culture in Russia in all its splendor. Thanks to the active work of the RA Embassy in the Russian Federation, which, with the arrival of the new ambassador, Vartan Toganyan in 2017, began to pay especially close attention to the development of cultural and humanitarian ties between the two countries, after a break of almost 60 years, Moscow will see the ballet “Gayane” by Khachaturian at the historical stage of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia!

Stunningly colorful scenery and costumes, restored according to the sketches of the great artist Minas Avetisyan, will come from Yerevan along with the ballet and a magnificent orchestra, conducted by the Honored Artist of Russia, twice Grammy Award nominee - Konstantin Orbelyan! The last time the ballet “Gayane” was staged at the Bolshoi Theater was 57 years ago - in February 1961.

Who is it suitable for?

For adults and ballet fans.

Why is it worth going

• The only performance in Moscow
• The famous ballet returns to the Bolshoi Theater
• Significant event at which officials will be present

Aram Khachaturian introduced the Armenian song to the world,
refracted through the prism of great talent.
Avetik Isahakyan

At the beginning of 1939, Khachaturian received from the Yerevan Opera and Ballet Theater named after A.A. Spendiarov's proposal to write a ballet for the ten days of Armenian art in Moscow.
“The first stage of my work,” the composer wrote, “was familiarization with the material with which I had to operate. This included recording various melodies and listening to these melodies performed by various groups of the Armenian Philharmonic.” A wealth of impressions, direct contact
with the life and culture of the people determined the inspiration and speed of the creative process.
“Work on the ballet,” recalls Khachaturian, “went unusually intensively, I would say, on a conveyor belt. The music I wrote (I, as always, wrote it down immediately in the score) was immediately transferred in parts to the copyists, and then to the orchestra. The performance followed, so to speak, on the heels of the composition, and I could immediately hear individual pieces of the created music in real sound. The orchestra was led by a wonderful, experienced conductor K. S. Saradzhev, who provided me with great assistance in the process of work.”
The premiere took place in September of the same year.

The ballet “Happiness,” written to a libretto by G. Ovanesyan, tells the story of the life, work and struggle of border guards, collective farmers, and village youth. The ballet touches on topics that were relevant to Soviet literature and art of the 1930s - themes of labor, national defense, and patriotism. The action of the ballet takes place in an Armenian collective farm village, in the flowering gardens of the Ararat Valley, at a border outpost; The plot centers on the love between a collective farm girl, Karine, and a young border guard, Armen.
The composer created colorful musical sketches of folk life. A great impression was left by the mass dance scenes that characterize the life of the people: seeing off conscripts to the Red Army (1st scene), collecting the collective farm harvest (3rd scene), and the life of a border outpost full of anxiety and danger (2nd and 4th scenes). finally, a holiday on the collective farm (5th picture). Particularly notable were the Pioneer Dance (No. 1), Dance of the Conscripts (No. 3), “Grape Harvesting” (No. 7), and Dance of the Old Men (No. 8).
Along with the Mass Scenes, some of the actors also received minor musical characteristics in the ballet. faces. First of all, this refers to the lyrical image of the main character, Cornice, marked by femininity and charm. The image of Karine is developed in a number of her solo dances and dances with her friends (for example, in a solo imbued with soft sadness in Act I or a smooth, graceful dance in Act III), in the mass harvest scene, in the farewell scene of Karine and Armen (Act I ). There are some successful passages in the musical depiction of Armen (in particular, in the scene of his fight against saboteurs), the old man Gabo-bidza (this image is endowed with features of truly folk humor), the joker and the merry fellow Avet.
The ballet contains symphonized musical scenes that help reveal the most dramatic situations. Such, for example, is the symphonic painting “Border”, built on the collision and confrontation of the main leitmotifs of the ballet - the strong-willed, energetic motive of struggle, the sinister, angular motive of saboteurs and the melodious theme of love. Like some other Soviet composers, Khachaturian, trying to expand the scope of the ballet genre and enhance its expressiveness, introduced a chorus in the finale glorifying the Motherland.
The main advantage of the music of the ballet “Happiness” is its great emotionality, lyricism, and its genuine nationality. “ Ashtaraki" - "Ashtaraksky" (in the dance of Gabo-Bidza), original and rhythmically interesting
“Shalaho” and others, as well as Ukrainian hopak, lezginka, Russian dance. The musical fabric of the ballet is rich in folk intonations. It attracts a variety of rhythm, going back to the rich rhythm of Armenian folk dances (original, for example, is the three-beat rhythm of the chords, combined with the two-beat trumpet theme in “Shalakho”, the mismatched accents in different voices in “Grape Harvesting”). Using a symphony orchestra, the composer subtly conveys the timbres of folk musical instruments of the Caucasus.
On October 24, 1939, during the decade of Armenian art in Moscow, the Yerevan Opera and Ballet Theater presented the ballet “Happiness” on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater of the USSR.
The public and the press gave a positive assessment to the ballet music, noting Khachaturian’s initiative in solving a current topic in the art of music and choreography. At the same time, the shortcomings of ballet were also noted. They mainly concerned the libretto, which suffered from schematic plot points, loose dramaturgy, and poor character development of the characters. To a certain extent, this also applied to music. Attention was drawn to the fact that not all musical images are sufficiently developed, that some scenes suffer from illustrativeness, musical drama is fragmented, and individual colorful numbers of the ballet are not united to the necessary extent by end-to-end symphonic development.
The composer himself felt the shortcomings of the composition,
In 1940, the Leningrad Academic Onera and Ballet Theater named after S. M. Kirov invited Khachaturian to create a new ballet. In the same year, in accordance with the wishes of the composer, K. I. Derzhavin wrote the libretto “Gayane”. Based on a new plot outline, it at the same time retained some of the dramatic situations and characters of the ballet “Happiness”. The libretto of "Gayane" was distinguished by a deeper development of the plot, dramatic conflict and images of the main characters than the libretto of "Happiness", although it also contained a number of shortcomings.
The libretto enabled the composer to preserve all the best from the music of “Happiness”, including the Dance of the Pioneers, the Dance of the Conscripts, “Farewell”, “The Exit of Old Men and Women”, “Karine with Friends”, the finale of Act I, “Grape Harvesting”, Dance of Karine with grapes, Crane Dance, Gopak, “Shalaho”, Lezginka, symphonic picture “Border”, etc.
But the music of the ballet “Gayane” is much richer, more generalized, more developed and organic in its symphonic development. Khachaturian wrote a new act (III), many new musical numbers, including the widely popular Saber Dance, the musical image of the main character was significantly enriched, and the leitmotifs were more widely developed.

The score for "Gayane" was completed at the end of 1942. On December 3, the ballet was staged on the stage of the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater named after S. M. Kirov, which was then located in Perm.
“We can happily say,” wrote D. Kabalevsky, “that “Gayane” writes a new page in the history of Soviet music and Soviet ballet.”
Let us trace the development of the musical and stage action of the ballet “Gayane” according to the acts.3
The ballet opens with a brief orchestral introduction. In his uplifting majorga music, one can hear intonations and rhythms that can be recognized in many of the musical themes of the ballet. Here, for the first time, the appealing and fanfare strong-willed motive of struggle appears. Changing depending on the situation, it will also be associated with the characteristics of one of the main characters of the ballet - the border guard Kazakov. In another edition of the score, an ominous motif of enemy forces is carried out in the introduction.
The first act of the ballet is a genre everyday painting painted in rich colors. The burning midday sun floods a wide-spread valley in one of the border regions of Soviet Armenia with its rays. In the distance you can see a chain of snowy mountains. A new harvest is being harvested at the Shchastye collective farm. The workers are led by a young collective farmer Gayane and her brother Armen.
In a single stream of symphonic development, mass dances alternate: “Cotton Picking”, Cotton Dance, Dance of Men. They introduce you to the stage action, create a feeling of the joy of free labor, the generous abundance of nature’s gifts.
Due to the brightness of the colors, these dances involuntarily evoke associations with the sunny paintings of M. Saryan.
The music of the first dance (No. 1 and 1-a) is based on the melody of the Armenian folk song “Pshati Tsar” (“Spare Tree”):

The composer masterfully uses the techniques of rhythmic and intonation variation and modal nuances characteristic of Armenian folk music (the features of the Dorian and Aeolian minor are emphasized). With each new performance, the melody acquires figurations, echoes that arise from its own motivic elements and acquire independent melodic contours. On this basis, various polymelodic formations are created.
Music is dynamized by rhythmic interruptions introduced into the ostinato rhythm of the dance, asymmetrical beats, polyrhythmic elements, mismatched accents in different voices, etc.
Presented first with wood, then with brass, the main theme of the dance achieves (in chordal presentation) great power of sound. All this gives a special full-bloodedness to dance music.
The next one - slow, full of grace, capriciously rhythmic, decorated with soft melismas - Cotton Dance (No. 2) is also based on folk motifs. The composer surprisingly organically combined the melody of the lyrical folk dance “Gna ari man ari” (“Go and come back”) with the motifs of circular dances - “gyends”: “Ashtaraki” (“Ashtarak”) and “Dariko oinar”, creating a unique form on their basis rondo. The first dance melody plays the role of a refrain (As-dur), and the other two - episodes (f-mall).
The clap dance contrasts with the first dance, but it also draws attention to Khachaturian’s favorite techniques of polyrhythmic combinations and layers of independent melodic lines. Let us point out, for example, the performance of an expressive playing of a flute and a trumpet (with a mute) in simultaneous sound with the main theme (stated by the violin):

The third dance (No. 3, Dance of Men) is also built on a folk basis. It wonderfully conveys the coloring of Armenian heroic and wedding dances and the character of the sound of folk instruments (the composer also introduced a folk percussion instrument, the dayra, into the score). This is one of the most symphonically developed mass ballet dances. The lapidary theme of the folk dance “Trigi” sounds invitingly from the horns.

Capturing more and more new registers and groups of the orchestra in its accelerating movement, the music grows to a powerful sound. The dance will be given a special masculinity and impetuosity by energetic rhythmic interruptions, temperamental chants of the tonic, second-by-second shifts in degrees of mode, persistent intonation repetitions, reminiscent of the piercing, seemingly choking zurna tunes.
This dance of strength and youth leads to scenes (3-a-3-a), where the main characters of the ballet are exposed and a dramatic conflict begins.
It's time to rest on the field. They bring jugs of water and wine, bread, meat, and fruit. They lay out the carpets. Collective farmers settle down, some under a tree, some in the shade of a canopy. Young people are dancing. Only Gayane is sad and worried. Her husband Giko is a drunkard, insults his family, and quit his job on the collective farm. Now he demands that his wife leave with him. Gayane flatly refuses. The collective farmers are trying to reason with him. A quarrel arises between Giko and Gayane's brother Armen.
At this time, the commander of the border detachment Cossacks arrives at the collective farm, accompanied by two soldiers. Giko disappears. Collective farmers greet the border guards, give them flowers and treats. Kazakov chooses a large red raza and gives it to Gayane. After Kazakov and the fighters leave, Giko appears again. He again demands that Gayane quit her job and rudely insults her. Outraged collective farmers drive Giko away.
To characterize each character, the composer creates portrait dances, finds individual intonations and leitmotifs. Armen’s dance (No. 7), which is close in character to Armenian folk dances such as “Kochari,” is noted for its courageous, energetic marching rhythms and strong accents. I would like to note the melodious, softening motor skills of the dance contrasting voice (horns and cellos).
The fourth and eighth numbers (“Kazakov’s Arrival” and “Departure”) are full of strong-willed, inviting intonations, galloping rhythms, fanfare signals, and dynamic tension.)
Even in the introduction to the ballet, a decisive, heroic motive sounded (beginning with an active ascending fifth). In these scenes, it acquires the meaning of Kazakov’s leitmotif.

In the dance of Nune and Karen, full of life and temperament (No. 5), Gayane’s friends are depicted - the joker, the merry fellow Karen and the perky Nune. The scherzo character of the duet is conveyed by lively playing motifs (strings and then wood), and a bizarre rhythm beaten out by timpani, small and large drums, and piano.
In the music of the quarrel scene (No. 3-a), a leitmotif arises that characterizes the enemy forces; (here he is associated with Giko, and later will be associated with images of attackers). Either ominously creeping (on the basclarinet, bassoon, double basses), or threateningly attacking, it sharply contrasts with the intonations with which positive images are associated.
This motif develops especially intensively in the symphonic painting “Fire”; when presented in thirds, sixths and, finally, tritones, it acquires an increasingly threatening character.

The image of Gayane is exhibited with the greatest completeness in Act I. To the depiction of her beautiful, deeply human nature, to the revelation of her spiritual experiences, Khachaturian gave all the expressive power of his melody, all the richness of shades of the lyrical sphere of his music. It was in connection with Gayane that especially humane, psychologically expressive, and lyrically warm intonations entered the ballet music.

The music that characterizes Gayane seems to have absorbed the intonations of many of Khachaturian’s lyrical themes, in particular from the piano and violin concertos. In turn, many lyrical pages of the Second Symphony, the cello concerto, as well as the ballet “Spartacus” (the image of Phrygia) will be associated with this area.

The image of Gayane is in the full sense of the word the central image of the ballet. It is inextricably linked with mass couplings. For the first time, Gayane’s characterization is given in Act I in the scene of a quarrel with her husband (No. 3-a) and in her two dances (No. b and 8). In the quarrel scene, a motif arises (in the violins, cellos and horns), which will later be associated with the most active sides of Gayane’s nature. Saturated with emotional strength, full of inner drama, it conveys Gayane’s feelings, her anger, indignation, and perseverance in the struggle.

At the most dramatic moments in the ballet, this motive of Gayane and the motive of enemy forces will collide more than once (in Act II No. 12, 14, in Act III - No. 25).
In the final episode of the quarrel scene, other aspects of Gayane’s character are also embodied: femininity, tenderness. This episode is an emotional climax.
After a short improvisational introduction based on the sadly alarmed phrases of the bassoon, an expressive, soulful melody of the solo violin appears against the backdrop of evenly rhythmic chords of the harp and string quintet.

Melodious, amazingly plastic, she draws a beautiful picture, full of tenderness and poetry.
Gayane's appearance creates a feeling of moral purity and spiritual nobility. This melody takes on the meaning of Gayane’s leittheme and will appear repeatedly in the ballet music, changing and varying depending on the development of the musical stage action.
Further disclosure of the image of Gayane in Act I; occurs in two of her dances (Nos. 6 and 8).
In the first of them, the above leittheme is presented by cellos, and then is developed in a two-voice invention (violins with mutes).

The music is saturated with intonations of prayer and restrained emotional pain. The second dance, based on the tremulously excited arpeggio of the harp, permeates with light sadness.
So, Act I of the ballet is an exposition of the characters, the beginning of a musical-dramatic conflict, the beginning of a clash between the forces of “action” and “counter-action”.
At the end, the first dance (“Cotton Picking”) sounds again, throwing the intonation and tonal arch from the beginning to the end of the act.
Act II takes the viewer to Gayane's house. Relatives, girlfriends, friends are trying to entertain her. The first dance of the carpet-makers is full of charm and grace (No. 9). With its subtle weaving of melodies, soft echoes, imitations, colorful modal comparisons (the sustained tonic in the bass is superimposed in other voices with motifs located in different modal spheres), and finally, with its amazing melodiousness, this dance is reminiscent of some maiden lyrical choirs and dances of Komitas or Spendiarov.

The compositional structure of the dance approaches the rondo form. The musical themes are very diverse and close in composition to Armenian folk music (one of the themes is based on a fragment of the original folk melody “Kalosi Irken” - “Rim of the Wheel”). The second-to-second tonal comparisons of the episodes add freshness to the sound.
The Dance of the Carpet Weavers is followed by “Tush” (No. 10) with its upbeat and festive intonations and full of playfulness and simple-minded slyness Variations of Nune (No. 10-a) with their capricious and whimsical rhythm and intonations of Sayat-Nova’s famous song “Kani vur janem” ( "As long as I'm your darling") In accordance with the image of Nune, the composer gave Sayat-Nova’s lyrical melody a cheerful, lively character.

The variations give way to the rather heavy comedy Dance of the Old Men (No. 11), which uses two folk dance melodies that are close in rhythm.
The listed dances represent, in the apt expression of G. Khubov, a kind of “introductory intermezzo”, which sharply contrasts with the intense drama of subsequent numbers with its soft lyricism and purely peasant humor.
The atmosphere of fun and friendly, sincere affability is disrupted by the arrival of Giko (No. 12). The transformed lyrical theme \ Gayane (viola solo) sounds sad. Ostinate triplets of diminished seventh chords, aggravated by “moaning” arrests, pulsate anxiously. Some kind of: a feeling of constraint, wariness is introduced by a regularly rhythmic tonic organ point in the bass with a constant sensation at the same time of two tonics - d and g. The leitmotif of Gayane, which sounded in the quarrel scene (Act I), appears. This time, thanks to sequential build-ups, strong climaxes, mode-harmonic aggravations (a mode with two increased seconds), and finally, persistently repeating groaning seconds, it acquires in its development an even more excited, active character (Andantino p.ffet-tuoso). And again, as in the quarrel scene, but in amplified sound (trombone, tuba), Giko’s ominous motive enters in countermovement.

The guests are leaving. Gayane rocks the baby. The listener's attention is switched to her emotional experiences. Gayane's Lullaby (No. 13) begins - one of the most inspired numbers of the ballet.
Rocking the child, Gayane surrenders to her thoughts. The lullaby genre, widespread in Armenian folk music, is translated here into a deeply psychological plane. The Lullaby begins with sobbing phrases of the oboe against the background of sad descending thirds of the clarinets. Next (at the flute against the background of the harp and bassoon, and then at the violin against the background of the horn) a gentle, soulful melody flows.

The music reaches great expression in the middle part. The intonations of the oboe, sharpened by ascending sequential passages and intensely sounding chords, grow into music of passionate emotional outpouring, despair and grief.

A fragment of the folk lyrical song “Chem krna hagal” (“I can’t play”) is organically woven into the music of the Lullaby:

Intruders come to Giko. He informs them of his decision to set fire to the collective farm. In vain Gayane tries to block their path, to keep her husband from committing a crime; she calls for help. Giko pushes Gayane away, locks her up and escapes with the criminals.
This scene (No. 14) is marked by intense drama; it is a continuation and development of the quarrel scene from Act I. The motives of Giko and Gayane also collide in it. But “here the clash takes on a much more conflicting character. It is embodied in a dynamic symphonic development. The theme of enemy forces in chordal presentation, in polyphonic combinations, with the intensive use of brass sounds menacing, ominous.
It is opposed by the alarming-sounding moaning intonations of the Lullaby, the canonically developed leitmotif of Gayane. Finally, on the ostiatal phrase of the harp, the distorted (stated by the bass clarinet) theme of Gayane enters.
This musical number flows seamlessly into the final episode, revealing the image of a shocked young woman.
The action of Act III takes place in a highland Kurdish village. Already in the orchestral introduction a new range of intonations appears: lively, energetic Kurdish dances sound.
A very colorful everyday background appears against which the action takes place. Armen meets with his beloved Kurdish girl Lishen. But the Kurdish youth Ismail also loves her. In a fit of jealousy, he rushes at Armen. Aisha's father reconciles the young people. Intruders lost in the mountains appear, looking for a way to the border. Suspecting evil, Armen quietly sends for the border guards, and he himself undertakes to lead the strangers to the border.
As in previous acts, the musical and stage action develops on the basis of contrasts. "The fast-paced dance music of the introduction gives way to a colorful picture of dawn (No. 15).
Overlay of various tonal layers (colorful polytonal relationships arise), coverage of the extreme registers of the orchestra, “shimmering”, tremulous octaves in the upper voices of the strings, harmonics of the violas, languid sighs of the cellos and harps, like frozen organ points in the bass, and finally, the introduction of melody (in the solo piccolo flute), close to the mugham “Gedzhas” - everything creates a feeling of air, spaciousness, awakening nature.

The intonational image of Aisha emerges directly from the music of dawn. The dance of the Kurdish girl (No. 16), with its waltz rhythm and expressive, poetic melody from the violins, is full of grace and elegance. A special feeling of languor and tenderness is given to the dance by the downward movement accompanying the main melody (in the lower voice) and the gentle echoes of the flutes.
The Kurdish dance begins (No. 17). It is characterized by courageous, strong-willed rhythms (sharply emphasized by percussion instruments), and militant intonations. Strong accents and sharp tonal shifts create a feeling of uncontrollable, spontaneously erupting energy.

And again the tender music of Aisha (No. 18) sounds: her waltz is repeated in a compressed form. An expanded three-part form is formed, uniting sharply contrasting images.
Next comes the love duet of Aisha and Armen (No. 19). It is based on Armen's motive and Aisha's expressive melody.
After a small scene (No. 20, Ismail’s jealousy and his reconciliation with Armen), the Armenian-Kurdish dance (No. 21) comes full of energy and strength, reminiscent of the folk dance “Kochari”.
The following episodes (No. 22-24, scene, Armen's Variations, the appearance of the attackers and their fight with Armen) prepare the culmination of the act, which is at the same time the denouement of the dramatic conflict.
The border guards, led by Kazakov, rush to help Armen and detain the attackers (“Uncovering the Conspiracy,” No. 24-a). In the distance, the glow of a fire flares up - these are the collective farm warehouses set on fire by Giko (“Fire”, No. 25). Collective farmers put out the fire. Having committed a crime, Giko tries to escape, but is stopped and exposed in front of the people of Gayane. In a fit of anger and despair, Giko wounds her with a knife. The criminal is taken into custody and taken away.
In these scenes, the music reaches great dramatic tension, a truly symphonic development. The ominous motive of the enemy forces sounds again, ever growing, cutting through the powerful tutti of the orchestra. It is opposed by the heroic motive associated with the image of Kazakov, but here receiving a more generalized meaning. Each new implementation of the motive of enemy forces gives rise to new motives counteracting it, strengthening and expanding the circle of heroic images of struggle. One of these motifs is associated with the sound of the alarm theme in Khachaturian’s Second Symphony, and the other will later be included as an intonation fragment in the National Anthem of the Armenian SSR written by the composer.
In the fire scene, the motives of Giko and the enemy forces collide again with the motives of anger and Gayane’s fortitude.
Marked rhythms, syncopated shifts of emphasis, howling chord passages in the upper registers, strong escalations of ascending sequences, increasing dynamics to powerful fortissimo, and finally, alarming cries of brass - all this creates the image of a raging element, enhancing dramatic tension. This dramatized musical scene turns into Gayane's lyrical statement (Adagio) - the emotional conclusion of the entire picture. Gayane's lyrical theme here takes on the character of a mournful lamentation; it develops from the sad melody of the cor anglais (against a background of tremolo violins and groaning seconds of violins and violas) to a dramatically tense orchestral tutti.

The last, IV act is the semantic conclusion of the ballet.
Time has passed. The Shchastye collective farm, which was damaged by a fire, is back in operation and is celebrating the harvest of a new harvest. Guests arrived from other collective farms, from military units: Russians, Ukrainians, Georgians, Kurds. Kazakov and Gayane, who has recovered from her injury, meet joyfully. They are connected by a feeling of sublime and pure love. The love of Gayane and the Russian warrior is not only the lyrical theme of the ballet, it at the same time symbolizes the idea of ​​​​friendship between the Russian and Armenian peoples. Merry dancing begins. The holiday ends with the announcement of the upcoming marriage of Gayane and Kazakov, Aisha and Armen, Nune and Karen. Everyone welcomes the young, glorifies free labor, friendship of peoples, and the Soviet Fatherland.

The music of the last act seems to be illuminated by the moons of the sun. Already its beginning (No. 26, introduction, scene and adagio Gayane) is imbued with a feeling of light, life, completeness of happiness. Against the background of arpeggios of the harp, trills of flutes and clarinet, an enthusiastic improvisational melody arises, reminiscent of the folk hymns to the sun - “Saari”.
Framed by joyful dance melodies, Gayane's theme appears again. Now it is growing into a romantically poetic, wide-ranging cantilena. In it, sorrowful, sorrowful intonations disappear and everything bright and jubilant blossoms (major arpeggios in triplets on the harp, coloring tonal comparisons, light registers of the “tree”). (See example 15).
Adagio Gayane gives way to the graceful Dance of the Pink Girls and Nune (No. 27), the mass scene (No. 28), built on the music of Act I (from No. 4), and the sedate Dance of Old Men and Women (No. 29).
What follows is an extensive dance suite based on dance melodies of various nations - danced by guests who arrived from the fraternal republics.
The suite begins with the fiery temperamental Lezginka (No. 30). Using techniques of motivic development, sharp rhythmic interruptions, characteristic tonal shifts for a second, the introduction of echoes, asymmetrical sentences, Khachaturian achieves a huge increase in dynamics.
The lively melody of balalaikas can be heard in the orchestra: the melody of a Russian dance song (No. 31) enters lazily, as if reluctantly.

With each new exercise it gains pace, strength, and energy. The composer showed a subtle understanding of the characteristics of Russian folk music. The dance is written in variation form. With great skill, the motives, rhythms, and timbres of the orchestra are varied, lively ornamental voices are introduced, sharp tonal shifts are used, etc.
Full of courageous strength, enthusiasm and prowess, the Russian dance is replaced by equally brilliantly orchestrated and symphonically developed Armenian dances: “Shalakho” (No. 32) and “Uzundara” (No. 33). I would like to note the exceptional rhythmic sharpness of these dances (in particular, the presence of mismatched accents and asymmetrical sentences), as well as their modal originality.
After the extensive Waltz (No. 34), marked by “oriental” modes, comes one of the most brilliant and original numbers of the ballet - Saber Dance (No. 35).
This dance especially vividly embodies the fiery temperament, energy, and rapid elemental force of the rhythm of the warlike dances of the peoples of Transcaucasia (see example 17).
The composer achieves great effect by introducing into this frenzy the rhythm of a captivating melodious melody (in the alto saxophone, violins, violas, cellos), familiar to us even before the duet of Armen and Lishiv in Act III. The soft echoes of flutes based on the intonations of “Kalosi prken” give it a special charm. Noteworthy are the elements of polyrhythm: a combination of two- and three-beats in different voices.

melodious melody (alto saxophone, violins, violas, cellos), familiar to us from the duet of Armen and Lishiv in Act III. The soft echoes of flutes based on the intonations of “Kalosi prken” give it a special charm. Noteworthy are the elements of polyrhythm: a combination of two- and three-beats in different voices.

The act ends with a stormy Hopak (No. 36), written in a form approaching a rondo (in one of the episodes the Ukrainian folk song “As the goat went, went” was used), and a festively jubilant final March.
The ballet “Gayane” embodies the leading ideological motives of A. Khachaturian’s work. These are the ideas of high Soviet patriotism, the blood connection in our society of personal and social interests. The ballet glorifies a happy working life, the fraternal friendship of peoples in our country, the high spiritual image of the Soviet people, and stigmatizes the crimes of the enemies of socialist society.
Having largely overcome everyday life, dramaturgical looseness, and in some places the far-fetchedness of the libretto, Khachaturian managed to translate the content of the ballet into music realistically, through clashes of human characters, against the backdrop of folk scenes and romantically poetic pictures of nature. The prosaism of the libretto gave way to the lyricism and poetry of Khachaturian’s music. The ballet “Gayane” is a realistic musical and choreographic story about Soviet people, “one of the amazing and rare phenomena of modern art in terms of emotional brightness.”

The score contains many impressive colorful scenes of folk life. It is enough to at least recall the harvest scene or the finale of the ballet embodying the idea of ​​​​friendship of peoples. Directly related to folk scenes are musical landscapes in ballet. Nature here is not just a picturesque backdrop; contributing to a more complete and vivid disclosure of the content of the ballet, it personifies the idea of ​​abundance, the blossoming life of the people, their spiritual beauty. Such, for example, are the colorful musical pictures of nature in acts I (“Harvest”) and III (“Dawn”).

The theme of spiritual beauty and feat of the Soviet woman Gayane runs through the entire ballet. Having created a multifaceted image of Gayane, truthfully conveying her emotional experiences, Khachaturian came close to solving one of the most important and difficult tasks of Soviet art - the embodiment of the image of a positive hero, our contemporary. In the image of Gayane, the main humanistic theme of the ballet is revealed - the theme of a new man, a bearer of a new morality. And this is not a “reasoning figure”, not a bearer of an abstract idea, but an individualized image of a living person with a rich spiritual world and deep psychological experiences. All this gave Gayane’s image charm, amazing warmth, and genuine humanity.
Gayane is shown in the ballet both as a tenderly loving mother, and as a brave patriot who finds the strength to expose her criminal husband before the people, and as a woman capable of great feeling. The composer reveals both the depth of Gayane’s suffering and the completeness of the happiness she conquered and found.
Gayane's intonation image is marked by great internal unity; it develops from a poetic monologue and two lyrical dances of Act I, through a quarrel scene and a Lullaby to an enthusiastic love adagio - a duet with Kazakov in the finale. We can talk about symphonism in the development of this image.
The music that characterizes Gayane is organically connected with the lyrical sphere of Armenian folk melodies. The most inspired pages of the ballet are dedicated to the heroine. In them, the composer’s means of expression, usually rich and decorative, become softer, more tender, and more transparent. This is manifested in melody, harmony, and orchestration.
Gayane's friend Nune, the Kurdish girl Aisha, and Gayane's brother Armen have apt musical characteristics. Each of these images is endowed with its own range of intonations: Nune - playful, scherzoic, Aisha - tender, languid and at the same time marked by inner temperament, Armen - courageous, strong-willed, heroic. Less expressively, one-sidedly, mostly with only a fanfare motif, Kazakov is depicted. His musical image is not convincing enough and is somewhat schematic. The same can be said about the image of Giko, depicted mainly with only one color - ominous, creeping chromatic moves in the bass.
With all its intonational diversity, the musical language of the characters, with the exception of Giko and the attackers, is organically connected with the musical language of the people.
The ballet "Gayane" is synthetic; marked by the features of lyrical-psychological, everyday and social drama.
Khachaturian boldly and talentedly solved the difficult creative task of achieving a genuine synthesis of the traditions of classical ballet and folk-national musical and choreographic art. The composer makes extensive use of various types and forms of “character dance,” especially in mass folk scenes. Saturated with the intonations and rhythms of folk music, and often based on authentic examples of folk dances, they serve as a means of depicting a real everyday background or characterizing individual characters. Let us point out, for example, the male dance in Act I, the Kurdish dance in Act II, the girls’ dances full of grace and elegance, the musical characterization of Karen, etc. The portrait dances figuratively characterize the main characters - Gayane, Armen, Nune, etc. With lively content The ballet is rich in classical forms of variations, adagio, pas de deux, pas de trois, pas (faction, etc. Let us recall, for example, such different variations of Armen, Nune, adagio Gayane, pas de deux Nune and Kareia - a comedy duet, evoking associations with Armenian folk duets such as “Abrban”, finally, the dramatic scene of a quarrel (Act II) is a kind of pas d action, etc. Especially in connection with the deeply human image of Gayane, the composer turns to musical and choreographic monologues, ensembles (“agreements " and "disagreements") - forms that later (in Spartak) will acquire special meaning.
When characterizing the people, Khachaturian makes extensive use of large musical and choreographic ensembles. The corps de ballet acquires an independent and dramatically effective role here (and to an even greater extent in the ballet “Spartacus”). The score of the ballet “Gayane” contains extensive pantomimes, symphonic scenes (“Dawn”, “Fire”), directly included in the development of the action. The talent and skill of Khachaturian the symphonist were especially clearly demonstrated in them.
There is an opinion that Khachaturian did not succeed in the finale, which was allegedly excluded from the end-to-end action and was of a diversionary nature. I think that this is not so. First of all, the history of the ballet genre has shown that divertissement not only does not contradict musical and choreographic dramaturgy, but, on the contrary, is one of its strong and impressive elements, but, of course, if it helps to reveal the concept of the work. This is exactly how the final divertissement seems to us - a competition of dances of different nations. These dances are written so brightly, colorfully, saturated with such emotional strength and temperament, so organically complement each other and merge into a single flow of sound growing towards the finale, that they are perceived in inextricable connection with the entire course of the event in the ballet, with its central idea.
Musical and choreographic suites play a big role in “Gayane”; they serve as a means of “promoting” action, outlining “typical circumstances,” and embodying the image of a collective hero. The suites appear in various forms - from the microsuite at the beginning of Act II to the extended final divertissement.

Following the classical traditions of ballet creativity, relying on the rich experience of Soviet musical and choreographic art, Khachaturian proceeds from the understanding of ballet as an integral musical and scenic work with internal musical dramaturgy, with consistently sustained symphonic development. Each choreographic scene must be subordinated to dramatic necessity, to reveal the main idea.
“The difficult task for me was to symphonize ballet music,” the composer wrote. “I firmly set this task for myself, and it seems to me that anyone who writes an opera or ballet should do this.”
Depending on the dramatic role of a particular scene, a particular number, Khachaturian turns to various musical forms - from the simplest verse, two- and three-part to complex sonata constructions. Achieving internal unity of musical development, he combines individual numbers into detailed musical forms and musical and choreographic scenes. Indicative in this regard are the entire I act, framed by an intonation and tonal arch, and the Clap Dance, close in its structure to the rondo form, and, finally, the II act, continuous in its dramatic growth.
Leitmotifs occupy a significant place in the musical dramaturgy of ballet. They give unity to the music, contribute to a more complete disclosure of images, and symphonization of the ballet. These are the heroic leitmotifs of Armen, Kazakov, and the ominous leitmotif of Giko and the enemy forces, which sharply contrasts them.
Gayane's lyrical theme receives the most complete development: it sounded tenderly and softly in Act I, and later becomes more and more agitated; dramatically tense. In the finale it sounds enlightened. Gayane’s leitmotif also plays an important role—the motive of her anger and protest.
They are found in ballet and leitintonations, such as, for example, the intonations of the folk song “Kalosi prken”, appearing in the Dance of the Carpet Weavers, in the duet of Armen and Aisha and in the Dance with Sabers.
The strongest aspect of ballet music is its nationality. Listening to the music of “Gayane”, one cannot help but agree with the words of Martiros Saryan: “When I think about Khachaturian’s work, I see the image of a mighty, beautiful tree, with powerful roots deeply rooted in its native land, absorbing its best juices. The power of the Earth lives in the beauty of its “fruits and leaves, the majestic crown. Khachaturian’s work embodies the best feelings and thoughts of his native people, their deepest internationalism.”
Authentic examples of folk music are widely used in “Gayane”. The composer turns to labor, comic, lyrical, heroic songs and dances, to folk music - Armenian, Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Kurdish. Using folk melodies, Khachaturian enriches them with diverse means of harmony, polyphony, orchestra, and symphonic development. At the same time, he shows great sensitivity in preserving the spirit and character of the national model.
“The principle of a careful and sensitive attitude to folk melody, in which the composer, leaving the theme intact, strives to enrich it with harmony and polyphony, expand and enhance its expressiveness with the coloristic means of the orchestra and choir, etc., can be very fruitful”1 These words A. Khachaturian are fully applicable to the ballet “Gayane”.
As already mentioned, in “Picking Cotton” the folk melody “Pshati Tsar” is used, subjected to intensive development: the composer boldly uses rhythmic and intonation variation, motivic fragmentation, and the combination of individual motivic “grains”. The clap dance is based on the melodies of the lyrical folk song-dance “Gna ari may ari” and two mass dances - gends. The Swift Dance of Men (Act I) grows out of the motifs of folk men's dances (“Trngi” and “Zokskaya Wedding”). The coloring of Armenian heroic and wedding dances and the character of the sound of folk instruments are wonderfully conveyed (here the composer also introduced folk percussion instruments into the score - dool, dayra). The music of this dance is also a characteristic example of the symphonic development of folk rhythmic intonations.
The folk dances “Shalakho”, “Uzun-dara”, Russian dance, hopak, as well as the Ukrainian song “As the goat went, went” received great symphonic development in Act IV. By enriching and developing folk themes, the composer showed excellent knowledge of the characteristics of the music of various peoples. “When processing folk (Armenian, Ukrainian, Russian) motifs,” writes K. Saradzhev, “the composer created his own themes that accompany (counterpoint) the folk ones, to such an extent stylistically related in spirit and color that their organic cohesion leads to amazement and makes admire."
Khachaturian often “inlays” individual chants and fragments of folk melodies into his music. Thus, in the Armen Variation (No. 23) a motivic fragment of the “Vagharshapat Dance” was introduced, in the Dance of Old Men and Old Women - the folk dance “Doi, Doi”, in the Dance of the Old Men - the folk dances “Kochari”, “Ashtaraki”, “Kandrbas”, and in Armenian-Kurdish dance - melodies. accompanying the folk wrestling game (Armenian “Koh”, Georgian “Sachidao”).
The composer turned to the motivic fragment of the folk song “Kalosi, prken” three times (in the Dance of the Carpet Weavers, in the duet of Armen and Aisha - the first section of the folk melody, in the Dance with Sabers - the last section), and each time it has a new rhythmic appearance.
Many features of folk music, features of its character and intonations penetrate Khachaturian’s original, own themes, and echoes and ornaments are based on them. Typical in this regard are such episodes as the Armen Dance, the Karen and Nune Dance, the Armenian-Kurdish dance, the Saber Dance, and the Lezginka.
The Nune Variations are also characteristic in this regard: - in the first bars there is a closeness to the initial rhythmic intonations of the folk dance songs “Sar Sipane Khalate” (“The top of Sipai in the clouds”) and “Pao mushli, mushli oglan” (“You are from Mush, from Mush the guy "), and in the second sentence (bars 31-46) - to the intonations of the folk song “Ah, akhchik, tsamov akhchik” (“Ah, the girl with a braid”) and the well-known Sayat-Nova song “Kani vur dzhanem” (“Bye I'm your darling."

A wonderful example of the nationality of a musical language is the Lullaby. Here, literally in every intonation, in the techniques of singing and intonation development, one can feel the features characteristic of Armenian folk lyrical songs. The introduction (bars 1-9) is based on the intonation of folk tales; the initial moves of the melody (bars 13-14, 24-G-25) are typical for the beginning of many folk lyrical songs (“Karmir vard” “Red Rose”, “Bobik mi kale, pushe” - “Bobik, don’t go, it’s snowy”, etc. .);. at the end of the middle section (bars 51-52 and 62-63), the motive of the poetic women's dance song “Chem, than krna hagal” (“No, I can’t dance”) is organically introduced.
With great skill, with deep penetration into the style of Armenian folk and ashug music, Khachaturian uses techniques characteristic of folk intonation: melodic singing of modal stops, the main motivic
“grains”, predominantly progressive movement of melodies, their sequential development, improvisational nature of presentation, methods of variation, etc.
The music of “Gayane” is a wonderful example of the processing of folk melodies. Khachaturian developed the traditions of the classics of Russian music and Spendiarov, who gave amazing examples of such processing. Typical for Khachaturian are also the techniques of maintaining a melody (with changing harmony and orchestration), combining several folk melodies or fragments thereof, and involving folk intonations in a powerful flow of symphonic development.
The entire modal intonation and meter-rhythmic aspects of ballet music are based on a folk basis.
Khachaturian often uses and develops the techniques of rhythmic ostinatos, complex changes of accents, displacement of strong beats and rhythmic stops, which are so common in folk music, giving internal dynamics and originality to simple two-, three-, four-beat measures. Let us recall, for example, the Dance of Nune and Karen, Variations of Nune, Kurdish dance, etc.
The composer also masterfully uses mixed meters, asymmetrical structures, elements of polyrhythm (Cotton Dance, Uzundara, etc.), often found in Armenian folk music, various techniques and forms of rhythmic variation. The dynamic role of rhythm in Kurdish dance, Saber Dance and many other episodes is great.
In “Gayane” the richest world of Armenian dances came to life, sometimes gentle, graceful, feminine (Dance of the Carpet Weavers) - sometimes scherzo (Dance. Nune and
Kareia, variations of Nune), then courageous, temperamental, heroic (Dance of Men, “Trn-gi”, Dance with Sabers, etc.). When you listen to ballet music, Gorky’s above words about Armenian folk dances involuntarily come to mind.
The national character of the ballet is also associated with Khachaturian’s deep comprehension of the modal features of Armenian music. Thus, in the dance “Shalaho” a minor scale is used, which is based on harmonic tetrachords (a scale with two increased seconds); in Waltz (No. 34) - major, with two increased seconds (low II and VI degrees), natural and lowered VII degree; in the Dance of Men - major with signs of Ionian and Mixolydian modes; in Aisha's Dance - minor with signs of natural, melodic and harmonic moods; in “Picking Cotton”—a minor natural in one voice and with a Dorian VI degree in the other; in the dance “Uzuidara” there is a harmonic minor in the melody and a minor with the Phrygian II degree in the harmony. Khachaturian also uses variable modes with two or more foundations and centers, common in Armenian music, with different intonation “filling” for one tonic and different tonic centers for one scale.
By combining raised and lowered steps, using small seconds, and skipping thirds, the composer creates a sound effect that approaches the untempered structure of folk music.
Harmony is organically connected with the folk basis. This can be, in particular, traced in the logic of functional-harmonic and modulation relations and in chords based on the steps of folk modes. Numerous alterations in harmonies are in most cases caused by the desire to convey the features of extended, variable modes, modulations in Armenian folk music.
It should be emphasized the variety of methods of using and interpreting the major sphere of folk modes in the harmonies of “Gayane”.

“Each national melody must be correctly understood from the point of view of its internal mode-harmonic structure,” writes Khachaturian. In this, in particular, he saw “one of the most important manifestations of the activity of the composer’s ear.”
“In my personal quest for national definition of mode-harmonic means,” emphasizes Khachaturian, “I have more than once proceeded from the auditory idea of ​​the specific sound of folk instruments with a characteristic structure and the ensuing scale of overtones. I really love, for example, the sound of the tar, from which virtuosos are able to extract amazingly beautiful and deeply moving harmonies; they contain their own pattern, their own hidden meaning.”
Khachaturian often uses fourths, quarto-fifth chords or sixth chords (with the top fourth being emphasized). This technique comes from the practice of tuning and playing on some eastern string instruments.
Various types of organ points and ostinatos, which also go back to the practice of folk performance, play a large role in the Gayane score. In some cases, organ points and bass ostinatos enhance dramatic tension and sound dynamics (introduction to Act III, the “Uncovering the Plot” scene, Saber Dance, etc.), in others they create a feeling of peace and silence (“Dawn”).
Khachaturian's harmonies are rich in small seconds. This feature, characteristic of the work of many Armenian composers (Komitas, R. Melikyan, etc.), has not only coloristic significance, but is associated with overtones that arise when playing some musical instruments of the peoples of Transcaucasia (tar, kamancha, saz). The second tonal shifts sound very fresh in Khachaturian’s music.
Khachaturian often uses melodic chord connections; the vertical is often based on a combination of independent melodic voices (“singing harmonies”), and different modes and spheres are emphasized in different voices. One of the characteristic features of Armenian folk modes—changes in mode centers—Khachaturian often emphasizes in harmony by using variable functions.
Khachaturian's harmonic language is rich and varied. A remarkable colorist, he masterfully uses the possibilities of colorful, timbral harmony: bold tonal deviations, enharmonic transformations, fresh-sounding parallelisms, multi-layered harmonies (in a wide arrangement), chords that combine different degrees and even keys.
In contrast to this type of harmonies, mainly associated with poetic pictures of nature, the score of “Gayane” contains many examples of emphatically expressive harmony, which helps to reveal the emotional experiences of the characters,
These are harmonies that emphasize the lyrical, lyrical-dramatic nature of the melos. They are replete with expressive suspensions, altered consonances, dynamic sequences, etc. Examples include many pages of music that reveal the image of Gayane. Thus, in Gayane’s solo (scene No. 3-a), the composer uses a major subdominant in the minor key (along with the natural one), as well as an increased triad of the third degree, which brings some enlightenment to the sad structure of the melody. In Adagio Gayane (IV act) a tertian comparison of harmonies D-dur and b-moll, together with other expressive means, convey the delight that gripped the heroine. Emphasizing the spiritual drama of Gayane (scenes No. 12-14), Khachaturian makes extensive use of diminished and altered chords, replete with delays, sequences, etc.

A different type of harmony characterizes enemy forces. These are mainly sharp-sounding, dissonant chords, whole-tone, tritone-based harmonies, and rigid parallelisms.
For Khachaturian, harmony is an effective means of musical dramaturgy.
In “Gayane” Khachaturian’s penchant for polyphony was revealed. Its origins lie in certain features of Armenian folk music, in examples of classical and modern polyphony, and finally, in Khachaturian’s individual penchant for linearity, for the simultaneous combination of diverse musical lines. We must not forget that Khachaturian was a student of Myaskovsky, the greatest master of polyphonic writing, who perfectly sensed the dramatic possibilities of developed polyphony. In addition, in creatively interpreting Armenian folk music, Khachaturian largely relied on the experience and principles of Komitas, who, as is known, was one of the first to give brilliant examples of polyphonic music based on Armenian folk mode intonations.

Khachaturian skillfully uses polyphonic techniques, presenting Armenian folk melodies. He surprisingly organically combines counterpoint lines - he introduces “complementary” chromatic or diatonic moves, sustained notes, ornamenting voices.
The composer often uses multi-layered constructions - melodic, rhythmic, timbre-register and much less often turns to inventional polyphony.
As a powerful means of dramaturgy and confrontation of intonation images, contrasting polyphony is of great importance in the music of “Gayane” (for example, in the symphonic painting “Fire”).
The enormous life-affirming force, the enormous charge of energy inherent in Khachaturian’s music was also manifested in the orchestration of “Gayane”. She is not particularly fond of watercolor tones. It amazes, first of all, with its intense colors, as if penetrated by the rays of the sun, rich colors, and is replete with contrasting juxtapositions. In accordance with the dramatic task, Khachaturian uses both solo instruments (for example, the bassoon at the beginning of the first Adagio of Gayane, the clarinet in her last Adagio), and powerful tutti (in emotional climaxes associated with the image of Gayane, in many mass dances, in dramatically intense scenes, such as “Fire”). We encounter in the ballet both transparent, almost openwork orchestration (wood, strings, harp in a wide arrangement in “Dawn”), and dazzlingly multicolored (Russian Dance, Saber Dance, etc.). Orchestration gives a special richness to genre, everyday scenes, and landscape sketches. Khachaturian finds timbres that are close in color and character to the sound of Armenian folk instruments. The oboe in carrying out the theme in “Cotton Picking,” two flutes in the Dance of the Old Men, the clarinet in “Uzundara,” the trumpet and mute in the Cotton Dance, the saxophone in the Saber Dance resemble the sounds of the duduk and zurna. As noted, the composer also introduced authentic folk instruments into the score - dool (in dance No. 2), dairu (in dance No. 3). In one of the versions of the score in dance No. 3, kamancha and tar are also introduced.
A variety of percussion instruments (including tambourine, snare drum, xylophone, etc.), beating, as in folk music, and the rhythm of dances (Saber Dance, Lezginka, Armenian-Kurdish dance, etc.) are brilliantly used.
With exceptional skill, orchestral timbres are used as a means of characterizing the characters. Thus, Gayane’s musical depiction is dominated by lyrical, emotionally expressive timbres of strings, wood, and harp. Let us recall the first Adagio Gayane with touching phrases of the bassoon and solo violin, the most poetic invention set forth by the strings in the Dance of Gayane (Act I, No. 6), the arpeggio of the harp in another dance from the same act (No. 8), the sad phrases of the oboe at the beginning and the cellos in at the end of the Lullaby, the enlightened sounds of wood against the background of arpeggios of the harp and sustained chords of the horns in the Adagio Gayane (Act IV). The characteristics of Armen and Kazakov are dominated by the light timbres of wood and “heroic” brass, while in Giko and the intruders the dark sounds of bass clarinets, contrabassoons, trombones, and tubas dominate.
The composer showed a lot of ingenuity and imagination in the orchestration of the playfully Scherzo Variations of Nune, the languid Waltz of Aisha, the Dance of the Carpet Weavers, the Dance of the Pink Girls and other numbers, full of charm.
Instrumentation plays a big role in enhancing the contrasts of melodic lines," in the relief of polyphonic imitations, in the combination or confrontation of musical images. Let us point out the comparison of brass (Armen's leitmotif) and strings (Aisha's leitmotif) in the duet of Armen and Aisha, bassoon (Giko's motif) and English horn (Gayane's theme) in the finale of Act III, to the “clash” of strings, wood and horn, on the one hand, trombones and trumpets on the other, at the culmination of the symphonic picture “Fire”.
Orchestral colors are used in a variety of ways when it is necessary to create strong emotional tensions, to unite individual numbers with end-to-end symphonic development, and to figuratively transform leitmotifs. Above, attention was drawn, for example, to the changes Gayane’s leitthema underwent, in particular due to changes in the orchestration: violin in the first Adagio, muted violins and cellos in the invention, harp in the dance (No. 8-a), solo bass clarinet in the finale of Act II, the dialogue between the English horn and flute in the finale of Act III, the horn and then the English horn at the beginning of Act IV, the solo clarinet, flute, cello, and oboe in the Adagio of Act IV. The score of “Gayane” showed the composer’s excellent mastery of “timbre dramaturgy.”

As stated, the ballet gives a vivid idea of ​​the deeply creative implementation of the traditions of Russian classical music: This is reflected in the mastery of the development and enrichment of folk themes and the creation on their basis of expanded musical forms, in the techniques of symphonization of dance music, in the rich genre sound writing, in the intensity of lyrical expression, finally, in the interpretation of ballet as a musical and choreographic drama. “Thus, “The Awakening of Aisha,” where daringly bold combinations of extreme registers are used, makes us recall the picturesque palette of Stravinsky, and the Saber Dance, in its insane energy and joy of sharp sound, goes back to the great prototype - Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances. Along with this, Lezginka revives Balakirev’s manner, and the second Adagio Gayane “and the Lullaby conceal the tenderly sad outlines of Rimsky-Korsakov’s oriental melodies.”
But whatever the influences and influences, no matter how broad and organic the composer’s creative ties with folk and classical music, always and invariably in each note, first of all, one can recognize the unique originality of Khachaturian’s individual creative appearance, his own style. In his music, first of all, one can hear intonations and rhythms born of our modernity.
The ballet has firmly entered the repertoire of Soviet and foreign theaters. For the first time, as already mentioned, it was staged by the Leningrad Theater named after S. M. Kirov.2 New productions were carried out by the same theater in 1945 and 1952. In the spring of 1943, “Gayane” was awarded the State Prize. Subsequently, the ballet was staged at the Yerevan Opera and Ballet Theater named after A. A. Spendiarov (1947), at the Bolshoi Theater of the USSR (1958) and in many other cities of the Soviet Union. “Gayane” is performing successfully on stages in foreign countries. Three suites for symphony orchestra composed by Khachaturian from the music of the ballet "Gayane" are performed by orchestras all over the world.
Already the first production of the ballet evoked enthusiastic responses from the press: “The music of Gayane captivates the listener with its extraordinary fullness of life, light, and joy. She was born of love for her homeland, for her wonderful people, for her rich, colorful nature,” wrote Kabalevsky. The music of “Gayane” has a lot of melodic beauty, harmonic freshness, and metro-rhythmic ingenuity. Her orchestral sound is superb.”
The stage life of the ballet has developed in a unique way. In almost every production, attempts were made to correct the shortcomings of the libretto and to find a stage solution that more fully corresponded to Khachaturian’s score. Various stage editions arose, which in some cases led to some changes in the music of the ballet.
In some productions, stage provisions were introduced that gave individual scenes a topical character. Partial plot and dramatic changes were made, sometimes even conflicting with the character and style of Khachaturian’s music.
A one-act version of the ballet is being performed at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Opera and Ballet Theater; radical plot changes were made at the Leningrad Maly Opera and Ballet Theater.
To stage the ballet on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, V. Pletnev compiled a new libretto. Telling about the life of hunters in the mountains of Armenia, it glorifies love and friendship, loyalty and courage, and stigmatizes betrayal, selfishness, and crimes against duty.
The new libretto required the composer not only to radically redesign the ballet score, but also to create many new musical numbers. First of all, this is a series of dramatized dance episodes created on the basis of symphonically developed popular songs by the composer himself. Thus, the beginning of Act I - a picture of an Armenian landscape illuminated by the sun, as well as a similar episode in the last picture - are based on Khachaturian’s famous “Song of Yerevan”. This song is one of the best examples of the composer's vocal lyrics. In its entire mode-intonation structure, organic connections with the Armenian ashug melos (in particular, the passionately enthusiastic songs of Sayat-Nova) and Soviet mass song are easily recognizable. “Song of Yerevan” is a heartfelt anthem of free Armenia and its beautiful capital.

In Mariam’s solo dance (Act I) the intonations of Khachaturian’s “Armenian Table” are used, and in her dance in the finale of the 2nd scene of Act II - “The Girl’s Song”.
In the new score, the system of leitmotifs was greatly developed. Let us point out the temperamental marching motif of the young hunters. It appears in the introduction and is subsequently greatly dramatized. In the first dance duet of Armen and George, the leitmotif of friendship sounds. Depending on the plot development, it undergoes great changes, especially in the quarrel scene, in the final episodes associated with George’s crime (here it sounds mournful and tragic). The motive of friendship is opposed to the motive of crime, reminiscent of Giko's theme in previous editions of the ballet. Of central importance in the score is Gayane’s leittheme, based on Aisha’s intonations from previous editions of the ballet. It sounds either passionately, enthusiastically (in the love Adagio of Gayane and George), then scherzo (Waltz), or sadly, pleadingly (in the finale). The leitmotifs of love, George’s experiences, thunderstorms, etc. also received intensive development.
Considering the first edition of the ballet to be the main one, Khachaturian nevertheless specifically emphasized that he did not deny theaters the right to continue searching for new scenic, choreographic and plot solutions. In the preface to the publication of the clavier in a new edition (M., 1962), radically different from the first, the composer wrote: “As an author, I am not yet completely convinced which of the plots is better and truer. It seems to me that time will decide this issue.” And further; “This publication, along with the existing first edition edition, will provide theaters and choreographers with options in future productions.”
The ballet “Gayane” entered Soviet musical and choreographic art as one of the best works on a Soviet theme. “A. Khachaturian’s ballet “Gayane,” wrote Yu. V. Keldysh, “is one of the outstanding works of Soviet musical theater. The music of “Gayane” has gained wide popularity. Bright national character, fiery temperament, expressiveness and richness of melodic language, and finally, a fascinating variety of sound palette combined with a wide scope and dramatic imagery - these are the main qualities of this wonderful work.”

The ballet “Gayane” is notable, first of all, for the music of Aram Khachaturian, while experts rightly call the libretto stilted. It was written by screenwriter and librettist Konstantin Derzhavin in 1940 based on Khachaturian’s previous ballet “Happiness”. In “Gayane” the composer retained all the best that was in “Happiness” and significantly supplemented and developed the score. The ballet premiered in 1942, in Perm, where the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater was evacuated. Kirov. Then Soviet theaters often turned to Khachaturian’s ballet. “Gayane” was staged in Sverdlovsk, Yerevan, Kyiv, Riga, Novosibirsk, Chelyabinsk. At the Kirov Theater it was resumed two more times - in 1945 and 1952. “Gayane” was first staged on the stage of the country’s main musical theater, the Bolshoi, in 1957. We bring to your attention a recording of a much later production.

So, experts consider the music to be the main advantage of “Gayane”. “While still working on the music for the ballet “Happiness,” Khachaturian turned to Armenian folklore,” we read in the book “History of Modern Russian Music.” – All this was included in “Gayane”. And although there are few actual folk melodies in the ballet, the intonational nature of Armenian music is recreated through rhythmic, mode-harmonic features, bringing the work closer to the tradition of Russian classical “music about the East.” By the way, it was for the ballet “Gayane” that Khachaturian wrote “The Saber Dance,” which is often performed as an independent work. In terms of choreography, the ballet breaks up into separate performances. “Various solo numbers and duets, dramatic scenes, generally symphonized (“Cotton Picking”, “Cotton Dance”, “Dance of Pink Girls” and others), folklore dances (“Lezginka”, “Russian Dance”, “Shchalaho”, “Uzundara” ", "Gopak") - all this makes up the voluminous and contrasting score of the ballet" ("History of Contemporary Russian Music").

Why is there a place in Armenian history for hopak, Russian dance and other dances of the peoples of the USSR? At the end of this story, guests from the fraternal republics arrive at the Armenian collective farm for the harvest festival. But before that, a completely detective story unfolds on the mountain collective farm and its surroundings. A spy parachutes into the mountains of Armenia. He will keep an eye on the geologists - they, with the help of the smart shepherd Armen, discovered deposits of rare and valuable ore not far from the collective farm. Naturally, vigilant Soviet collective farmers will expose the enemy. But in parallel with the spy story, the ballet unfolds, of course, a love story. Shepherd Armen and the daughter of the collective farm chairman Gayane love each other, but every now and then they have to repel the attacks of the jealous Giko, Gayane’s admirer.

Today “Gayane” seems to be a monument to a special era of Soviet art, when the glorification of the brotherhood of peoples took on bizarre forms. But this does not prevent you from enjoying the mighty music of Aram Khachaturian and the high skill of the Bolshoi Theater ballet dancers.

Ballet in. 4 acts. Comp. A. I. Khachaturian (partially used the music of his ballet Happiness), scenes. K. N. Derzhavin. 9.12.1942, T r im. Kirov (on the stage of the Perm Theater), ballet. N. A. Anisimova, art. N. I. Altman (scenery) and T. G. Bruni (costume ... Ballet. Encyclopedia

Ballet- (French ballet, from Italian balletto, from late Latin ballo I dance) type of stage performance. lawsuit va; performance, the content of which is embodied in music. choreographic images Based on the general dramaturgical plan (scenario) B. combines music, choreography... ... Music Encyclopedia

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Ballet- (French ballet from Italian balletto and late Latin ballo dancing) type of stage. lawsuit va, conveying content to dance music. images Evolved throughout the 16th and 19th centuries. in Europe from entertainment. sideshows up to contain. performances. In the 20th century... ... Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary

ballet- (French ballet, from Italian balletto), a type of stage art: a musical choreographic theatrical performance in which all events, characters and feelings of the characters are conveyed through dance. The ballet performance is created jointly... ... Art encyclopedia

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Ukrainian ballet- UKRAINIAN BALLET. With its origins, W.b. goes back to the people. choreographic creativity, music dance interludes of school theater (17-18 centuries). The first prof. ballet performances in Ukraine were post. in 1780 in the mountains. t re Kharkov, where the ballet troupe from... ... Ballet. Encyclopedia