Main questions.

I.1) Definition of the choir by prominent masters of choral art.

2) Directions in choral performance.

3) Type of choir.

4) The number of choirs.

II. Chorus types.

III. Arrangement of the choir.

Target: Determine the significance of the arrangement of the choir for the most favorable sound of the choral work, in connection with the type and type of choir.

Definition of a choir by eminent masters of the choral art

A. A. Egorov (“Theory and practice of working with the choir”): “A choir is a more or less numerous group of singers performing a vocal-choral work. Moreover, each part is sung by several homogeneous voices. In this, the choral group, as a vocal organization, differs significantly from the chamber vocal ensemble (duet, trio, quartet, etc.), in which each individual part is always entrusted to only one performer. The most typical, pure type of choir group is the a cappella choir, i.e. the group singing without instrumental accompaniment. Another type of choir group - a choir group accompanied by a piano, an ensemble of instruments or an orchestra - is no longer completely independent: it shares its performing tasks with instrumental accompaniment.

The a cappella choir is a kind of vocal orchestra, which, based on the synthesis of sound and words, conveys the artistic images of a musical work with its rich colors.

V. G. Sokolov (“Working with the choir”): “A choir is a team that is sufficiently familiar with the technical and artistic and expressive means of choral performance necessary to convey the thoughts, feelings, and ideological content that are embedded in the work.”

P. G. Chesnokov (“Choir and its management”): “The a cappella choir is a full-fledged union of a significant number of human voices, capable of conveying the subtlest bends of spiritual movements, thoughts and feelings expressed in a performed composition. A choir is such a collection of singers, in the sonority of which there is a strictly balanced ensemble, a precisely adjusted system and artistic, distinctly worked out nuances.

Note that Chesnokov refers nuances to the elements of choral sonority, interpreting this concept more broadly than a movable dynamic scale. Nuances, according to Chesnokov, cover the means of musical and choral expressiveness - features of rhythm, tempo, agogics, diction, etc., in connection with their dynamic changes.

Chorus is an extremely capacious concept. It is usually regarded as a musical and singing group, whose activity is the creative process of choral music-making (or choral performance). In this context, the choir is a vocal and performing group united and organized by creative goals and objectives. The principle of the collective beginning is obligatory for all participants of the choir and must be maintained at any stage of the work of the choir. A choir is a large vocal ensemble in terms of the number of participants, consisting of choral parts. The basic basis of each choral part is the unison, which implies the complete fusion of all vocal and choral components of the performance - sound formation, intonation, timbre, dynamics, rhythm, diction, in other words, the choir is an ensemble of vocal unisons. Choral performance is expressed in two forms of music making - singing without accompaniment (a cappella) and singing with accompaniment. Depending on the method of intonation - in natural or tempered tuning - the role of intonation increases. Accurate intonation (system) and balanced sound (ensemble) in the choir are the main conditions for his professionalism. A well-coordinated choir is always perceived as a vocal orchestra consisting of human voices, and therefore requires the constant and systematic attention of the choirmaster from the moment the choir sings to the concert performance on the stage. The structure in the choir depends on the skill and training of the singers participating in it, as well as on the personal and professional qualities of the conductor-choirmaster, his will, knowledge, and experience. The system in the choir is always associated with the performance of many different interrelated tasks - from the organization of the singing and choral process and the education (training) of singers to the embedding of the actual choral sonority with the identification of ensemble and system problems. At the same time, important tasks in the process of building a choir - the creation of an ensemble of vocal unisons, the high-altitude uniformity of the performed sounds, their timbre unity - are solved under the condition of properly organized vocal and choral work with singers. In choral performance, various types of arts are organically combined - music and literature (poetics). The synthesis of these two types of art introduces specific features into choral creativity. A logical and meaningful combination of music and words defines the concept of the vocal-choral genre. A good choir is always distinguished by technical and artistic and expressive performance, where, along with the problems of the ensemble and the system, the tasks of musical and literary interpretation are solved.

None of the properties listed above can exist in isolation. All components are interconnected and are in constant agreement.

Initially, choral performance was amateur and only due to special historical conditions acquired the status of professional art. From here come two main forms of choral activity - professional and amateur, hence their own names - professional choir and amateur choir (folk, amateur). The first is a choir consisting of specially trained singers, the second is a choir in which everyone who wants to sing takes part. Classes in amateur choirs are not as regulated as in professional ones.

There are two main directions in choral performance - academic and folk, which are characterized by qualitative differences in the manner of performance.

The academic choir (or chapel) relies in its activities on the principles and criteria of musical creativity and performance, developed by professional musical culture and the traditions of the centuries-old experience of the opera and chamber genre. Academic choirs have a single condition for vocal work - the academic manner of singing. In considering the problems of vocal-choral singing, we will start from the concept of the academic manner of singing.

A folk choir is a vocal group that performs folk songs with their inherent features (choral texture, voice leading, vocal manner, phonetics). Folk choirs, as a rule, build their work on the basis of local or regional singing traditions. This determines the variety of compositions and the manner of performance of folk choirs. It is necessary to distinguish a folk choir in its natural, everyday form from a specially organized, folk choir, professional or amateur, performing both genuine folk songs and author's compositions in the folk spirit.

Choral works can be characterized by the number of independent choral parts in them, which is determined by the concept of the type of choir. There are works for the choir of various compositions - one-voice, two-voice, three-, four- and more. The principles of using divisi (separation) in choral parts are connected with the pitch ratios of singing voices, as well as with their harmonic and timbre-color combinations. It is known that divisi harmonically saturates the choral presentation, but at the same time noticeably weakens the power of the sound of choral voices.

The main and minimal structural unit of the choir is the choral part, which is a coordinated ensemble of singers whose voices in their general parameters are relatively the same in range and timbre. It is with the choral part (a group of singers) that the construction of choral sonority begins in many aspects: the choral part is the initial object of the conductor’s work in establishing the ensemble and the system, in the artistic decoration of the work. In this regard, the problem of the smallest number of singers (voices) in the choral part - 3-4 singers, as well as their timbre and dynamic balance, is revealed.

Theoretically, according to the definition of P. G. Chesnokov, a homogeneous two-voice children's, women's or men's choir can be at least 6 singers, for example 3 sopranos (treble) + 3 altos, 3 tenors + 3 basses. However, in modern performing practice, a choir of a similar size is called a vocal ensemble. The double composition of the choir is considered more sonorous, where each part has two minimum compositions: 6 first sopranos + 6 second sopranos + 6 first altos + 6 second altos, in total 24 singers are obtained. Here it is also possible to divide (divisi) each party into two groups.

The number of singers in the parts of the choir must be the same. It is unacceptable that a female or children's group of singers of 30 people consists, for example, of 11 first sopranos, 9 second sopranos, 6 first altos and 4 second altos. It is recommended to slightly increase the number of singers in the parts of the first sopranos and second altos in the women's (children's) four-part choir, which is associated both with the dynamic selection of the choral part that performs the upper melodic voice (C I), and with a more compact sound of the chord base (A II) , for example:

soprano first - 8 people;

soprano second - 7 people;

first violas - 7 people;

violas second - 8 people.

Total: 30 people

The sound density of the unison parts of the chamber choir, the number of which does not exceed 10 singers, is incommensurable with the sound of the choral parts of a large choir, where the number of singers in the choral parts is 20-25 singers.

In the theory of choral studies, it is customary to classify the quantitative composition of choirs into three main types - small (chamber), medium and large choirs. In modern performing practice, a chamber choir with an approximate number of singers is 20-30 people. The average mixed choir, numbering up to 40 people, involves the division of each choral part into two. The number of a large mixed choir usually ranges from 80-120 people (occasionally more).

Under favorable conditions, mass and combined choirs of several hundred and even thousands of people can be created. In the choral literature there are examples of multi-choir compositions, in general, numbering over a dozen and a half independent choral parts.

The existing concept of a double choir means a choir divided into two honors, each of which is relatively independent; both parts of the double choir can be both mixed (full and incomplete) and homogeneous composition. The triple choir accordingly consists of three parts.

There is a special choral literature for any performing composition of choirs, which, of course, takes into account the timbre-catalistic features and the size of the choir composition. Thus, works written for a chamber choir, and therefore aimed at a small group, will sound thick and heavy in a large choir, numbering about 100 singers. And vice versa, the score for a large choir with divisi in different voices in the sound of a small choir loses its figurative brilliance.

Chorus types

The composition of the performing team by groups is characterized by the term type of choir. Singing voices are divided into three groups: women's, men's and children's. A choir consisting of the voices of one group is called homogeneous, and a choir consisting of female (or children's) and male voices or singing voices of all three groups is called mixed. Currently, there are four types of choirs: women's, men's, children's and mixed.

Mixed choir (full composition)

The range of the mixed choir is more than 4 octaves in G-A counter octaves up to 3 octaves. The mixed choir has a great dynamics of sound power from barely audible pp to ff, capable of competing with a symphony orchestra.

male choir

The range for the counter octave is up to 2 octaves. The male choir has a great dynamism of sound, bright timbre colors. The tenor part is the lead melodic voice and sings with a thicker chest sound.

Women's choir

The range is from the fatal octave to up to 3 octaves. Extreme sounds are rare. The most common is a mixed and close arrangement of voices. Many original compositions and adaptations of folk songs for women's choir were created by Russian and foreign composers.

Children's choir

The expressive and technical capabilities of the children's choir are closely related to the age characteristics of the composition.

A child's voice is characterized by transparency, softness, sharpness of intonation, and the ability to perfect harmony and ensemble. The sound of the children's choir is distinguished by immediacy and sincerity of performance. The children's choir has great performing abilities.

The arrangement of the choir

The arrangement of the choir is a specific system for the arrangement of singers for the purpose of their joint performing activities. Domestic choral culture has accumulated rich experience on the issue of arranging the choir. The theoretical understanding of this experience was reflected in the works of P.G. Chesnokov, G.A. Dmitrevsky, A.A. Egorov, S.V. Popov, K.K. Pirogov, V.G.Sokolova and others. So, V.G.Sokolov notes that "for the successful work of the choir, a certain arrangement of parts during rehearsals and concert performances, which is familiar to both the leader and the singers, is of no small importance."

One of the most important in this matter is the artistic and performing aspect. It is known that the arrangement should provide the singers of the parts with the most favorable conditions for ensembles. In this regard, A.A. Egorov writes: “By successively rearranging the voices within the group and carefully selecting one voice for another on the basis of homogeneity and timbres, it is possible to establish a complete merger and thereby lay the foundation for a choral part.”

The correct arrangement should ensure the possibility of auditory contact between the singers of various choral parias, because "good mutual audibility of choral parts creates the most favorable conditions for the emergence of an ensemble and system, which is the basis for the coherence of the choir."

Usually, in the placement of the choir or the stage, they are guided by established traditions. Related parties are in the same group. The voices of each part match each other in terms of timbre, sound range, etc. The choir group is located in such a way that high voices are on the left hand of the conductor, and low voices are on the right. In a mixed choir, sopranos are placed to the left of the conductor, followed by tenors; on the right are the altos, followed by the basses.

Among the many options for the arrangement of homogeneous choirs, one where each party is located in a group, like a sector, is popular. In the women's or children's choir (from left to right): second sopranos, first sopranos, altos first, altos second. In the male choir: second tenors, first tenors, second basses, first basses, octavists are in the center. It is believed that placing the first high voices (I soprano or I tenors) in the middle of the choir improves sonority, and the location of the second high voices (II soprano or II tenors) “covers” the sound of the first to some extent.

Women's (children's) choir

male choir

This arrangement of the choir is usually used in sound recording. In this case, a separate microphone is placed before each choral part. The placement of a mixed choir when recording sound takes into account the direction of the sound of each choral part to a separately exposed microphone.

In addition to the above, other options for arranging the groups of the choir group are also used, for example:

Women's (children's) choir

During rehearsals, the choir should be positioned in the same way as during the performance. It is not recommended to place the choir in the same horizontal plane, as this loses proper visual contact between the singers and the conductor. In addition, members of the choir will be forced to sing “in the back” of the choristers in front. In a mixed choir, it is customary for the male parts to be placed slightly higher than the female ones.

The quartet arrangement of the choir creates the best conditions for the auditory self-control of the singers, takes into account the individual singing abilities of each member of the group and is used in chamber choirs.

The placement of the choir on the stage depends on the acoustic properties of the reverb. Reverbation is the acoustic property of a room due to the reflective ability of their internal surfaces to increase the strength and duration of sounds (the “echo” effect). With insufficient reverb, the sound becomes “dry”, with excessive reverb, the performance will be “illegible, dirty”. Based on this, at the present time in the St. Petersburg State Singing Chapel. M.I. Glinka (headed by V.A. Chernushenko) uses the arrangement of the choir, in which female voices make up the third and fourth rows, and male voices occupy the first and second rows. At the same time, the leader of this group uses a wide arrangement of the choir.

It is better to arrange the choir in the form of a small semicircle (fan-shaped) or, in extreme cases, in a straight line with small roundings at the edges. The location of the choir exclusively in a straight line is less appropriate.

When performing choral works with piano accompaniment, the instrument is placed in front of the choir in the center or to the right (from the conductor); when performed with an orchestra or ensemble accompaniment, the orchestra or ensemble is placed in front, and the choir is placed in a small semicircle behind it. For example, when performing “Three Russian Songs” by S. Rachmaninov, written for an incomplete mixed choir (altos and basses) and orchestra, choral voices are usually located to the left (altos) and to the right (bass) of the conductor behind the orchestra on a special platform (choral benches) . In this case, the sonority of each individual part becomes more compact and monolithic. The long-term use of one choral part, as, for example, in the specified work, makes it possible to characterize the choral part with a very rare term - a choir of violas or a choir of basses.

Conducted modern scientific research on the influence of acoustic patterns and the location of singers made it possible to make adjustments to the arrangement of the choir and develop a number of practical recommendations aimed at ensuring proper conditions for the auditory self-control of singers:

do not put strong and weak voices in the neighborhood;

use a mixed version of a wide arrangement with an alternation of related and heterogeneous voices.

The presented arrangement has the following advantages:

It creates conditions for achieving artistic ensemble not on the basis of leveling timbres, but by identifying the natural timbre capabilities of each voice, which reflects the trend of progressive vocal and choral methods and contributes to the successful development and improvement of singing abilities.

Creates more effective conditions for the organization of the choir as a community of individuals (ensemble of soloists).

Contributes to the formation of each singer a higher degree of responsibility for the quality of their "vocal production". Making music in such an arrangement requires the singer to show maximum initiative and independence.

It contributes to the identification of the individual timbre characteristics of each voice and thus has a very significant impact on the quality of the sound of the choir, which becomes richer in timbre, more saturated and voluminous.

Keywords

Chorus; type; view; number; choral parts; female; male; mixed; children; arrangement; execution; timbres.

Short conclusions

The vocal and methodological aspect of the arrangement of the choir is touched upon in works on children's musical education. So, M.F. Zarinskaya notes the importance of the arrangement of singers for organizing the influence of some voices on others in the process of vocal education in the choir. She recommends placing in the last row and along the edges of the choir "those who sing in the most beautiful timbre and naturally, also experienced choristers, in front - children who sing more dullly or have certain shortcomings in singing."

test questions

1. What is a choir?

2. Give a description of the mixed choir.

3. What options do you know for arranging the choir?

4. What factors influence the location of choir singers on stage?

Literature

Osenneva M.S., Samarin V.A. Choral class and practical work with the choir. - M. 2003

Keerig O.P. Choreology - S.-P. 2004

Sokolov Vl. Work with the choir - M., "Music", 1983

A choir is a team that is sufficiently proficient in the technical and artistic-expressive means of choral performance necessary to convey those thoughts and feelings, the ideological content that is inherent in the work.

Choir types:

There are parts of voices in the choir. They are grouped according to the nature of the sound and the range of voices. High female voices - soprano; low female voices - violas; high male - tenor; low male - basses; high children's voices - soprano (treble).

Characteristics of the choral parts:

SOPRANO is characterized by a high, mobile light and light sound. Most often, this part is entrusted with the performance of the leading melody of the work. Range: up to the first octave - re of the second octave.

Altos are distinguished by a lower, denser, richer sound. In women's two-part choirs, the altos often take the lead, singing the melody on their own or with the soprano. Range: la small octave - re second octave.

TENORA: mobile, light, but at the same time firm, strong sound is inherent. In a mixed choir, this is the middle voice, but sometimes it plays the role of a leading part, singing a melody on its own or with a soprano. Range: up to a small octave - la of the second octave.

BASS: usually - the foundation, the basis of the choir. Characterized by strength, power. At the same time, the lightness of the sound is inherent. In the male two-voice choir - the role of the second voice, but sometimes they perform the main melody of the work. Range: fa, salt of a large octave - re of a small octave.

The number of members of the choir.

The number of singers in each part should be approximately the same. The smallest number of votes in a party is three. The minimum composition of a mixed choir is 12 people.

C.3 + A.3 + T.3+B.3=12; C.3 + A.3=6; T.3 + B.3=6

Vocal Ensembles

C.6 + A.6 + T.6 + B.6 = 24 - small choir.

Elements of choral performance:

Ensemble (rhythmic ensemble). The ability of all singers to sing, pronounce words, take a breath, start, end a song at the same time.

Build (pure intonation of each singer).

Nuances (different sounding of different parts of the work).

Diction (pronunciation by singers of the text clearly, clearly).

Choir arrangement

For the successful work of the choir, a certain arrangement of parties is of no small importance. There are various placement methods. It is more expedient to arrange the choir in the form of a semicircle, since this creates the most concentrated sound. (see annex 1)

Being a chorister at the Danilov Monastery is a great job. After all, the choir in the monastery is a participant in almost all of its events. These, of course, are Sunday and holiday services (and given the number of churches and thrones in the monastery, holidays occur several times a week). This is the service of akathists, prayers, requiems and funerals. Very often the choir takes part in the Patriarchal and Hierarchal services in the monastery and beyond.

And being a member of the concert composition of the choir is doubly difficult. Indeed, in addition to such active liturgical activity, there is no less active concert and educational activity. Performances in the Moscow region, tours in Russia and abroad... Singers almost never have not only free days, but sometimes even free hours!

Many artists of Moscow choirs earn extra money as singers, and many singers of Moscow churches work in Moscow choirs. But you will not meet almost any of the members of the Danilov Monastery choir in other groups. Impossible to combine due to lack of time!

Of course, such a load can only be sustained by being sincerely attached to the monastery and the choir, and all the singers of this group are just like that. Despite the fact that some of them have been working here since their founding - most of them are 10-15 years old, and the youngest participants are not yet 30 - the choir is a big family for them, where they share the most intimate with each other, empathize and try to help each other. friend in everything. For many years, this atmosphere in the collective was created and maintained to this day by the artistic director and chief regent of the choir - Georgy Safonov. He, not only as an attentive teacher, is a good comrade, but also as a good father takes care of each of his artists, knows everything about their families, life, each of them has helped or is helping to get settled in life.

According to George Safonov, each of his singers is unique. Of course, each of them has a higher choral or vocal education, experience in artistic and ensemble work, and musical literacy at the highest level. But the most important thing in his artists is the ability to abstract from external circumstances, forget about their problems and give 200% at performances. This is what distinguishes the Festive Male Choir of the Danilov Monastery from other choirs - purposefulness, sincerity, spirituality, complete unity with the audience, no matter what program the choir performs.

Artistic Director and Chief Regent

Georgy Safonov was born on July 3, 1964 in Belarus, in the city of Minsk. In 1971, at the age of seven, he entered the Secondary Special Music School at the Belarusian State Conservatory, class of choral conducting. He sang in the boys' choir under the direction of the Honored Artist of Russia I. A. Zhuravlenko.

Finished school in 1982. In the same year he entered the Russian Academy of Music. Gnesins in the class of Honored Artist of Russia, Associate Professor M. A. Bondar (student of the well-known conductor in Russia, the last regent of the Synodal Choir, professor of the Moscow Conservatory N. M. Danilin).

He combined his studies at the Academy with work in two groups - the children's chamber choir of the Children's House of Culture "Moskvorechye" (artistic director) and the chamber choir "Vivat" of the Musical Society of the Moscow Region (choirmaster). In 1988, at the First All-Russian Conducting Competition in the city of Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod), he became a laureate (II prize). After completing five courses, he entered the assistantship-internship at the Academy, which he graduated in 1991.

During the period of assistantship, he was a teacher at the Department of Choir Conducting of the Academy (class of conducting and choral arrangement). In 1990 he became the chief conductor of the choir of the Moscow Bakhovsky Center, and in 1991 he became the artistic director and chief conductor of the Moscow Ensemble of Soloists "Russian Renaissance".

Since 1989, he was invited as a chorister to the choir at the Moscow Novodevichy Convent, where he began to study as a choir director. Since 1991, he began his singing career at the Danilov Stauropegial Monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow.

Choir soloists

Korogod Alexander Ivanovich First tenor.

She has been singing in the monastery since November 2012.

Born in Mikhailovka, Volgograd Region. Graduated from the Volgograd College of Arts named after P.A. Serebryakov, Academy of Choral Art. V.S. Popov. Collaborated with the choir of the Sretensky Monastery. He is the founder, art director and producer of the variety art group Choir Bravissimo.

Denisov Denis Nikolaevich Second tenor.

She has been singing in the monastery since 2002.

He received his musical education at the Orthodox St. Tikhon Epiphany Institute at the Faculty of Church Singing, graduated from the graduate school of the Russian Academy of Music. Gnesins. From 2003 to 2013 he was the artistic director and chief conductor of the choir of the Church of St. Tikhon of the Patriarch of All Russia in Klin.

Savenkov Dmitry Viktorovich. Tenor altino.

She has been singing in the monastery since 2011.

Born in Ukraine in Kharkov. Graduated from RAM them. Gnesins, in 2010 he entered the P.I. Tchaikovsky at the Department of Opera and Symphony Conducting. He worked as a choirmaster of the State Russian Choir named after A. A. Yurlov under the direction of G. A. Dmitryak, collaborated with the Moscow Chamber Choir of V. N. Minin, the State Academic Russian Choir. A. V. Sveshnikov, V. Polyansky State Academic Symphony Chapel. He served as a chorister in many monasteries in Moscow and the Moscow region.

Obukhov Valery Petrovich. Bass.

She has been singing in the monastery since 2011.

Honored Artist of Russia, graduated from the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, GITIS named after A. V. Lunacharsky. Soloist of the Moscow State Academic Children's Musical Theater named after N. I. Sats. He has been a member of the Danilov Monastery Choir since 1995 and has performed over a hundred tour performances in Russia and abroad.

Singing choir

Alexey Zamlely. Tenor.

He graduated from the Stavropol Regional College of Arts, the Rostov State Conservatory named after S. V. Rachmaninoff and postgraduate studies in choral conducting. He was a chorister and choirmaster of the Donskoy choir "Anastasia", collaborated with the Rostov male choir "Svetilen". Served as regent at St. Demetrius of Rostov, led the professional mixed choir named after St. Dimitri Rostovsky.

Alexander Pronin. Tenor.

He was educated at the Russian Academy of Music. Gnesins. He worked in the Moscow Chamber Choir under the direction of V. N. Minin, at the same time he was a soloist of the Moscow Philharmonic. She has been singing in the choir of the Danilov Monastery since the early 2000s.

Igor Krasnoshchekov. Tenor.

Graduated from the Rostov State Conservatory named after S. V. Rachmaninov, viola class. As a violist, he collaborated with the Orchestra of Radio and Television, the large symphony orchestra conducted by V. I. Fedoseev and the Symphony Orchestra of Cinematography. He worked as a singer in the choir named after A. A. Yurlov, as well as in the synthesis chapel led by G. Shaidulova.

Alexander Kanzyuba. Bass.

Born in Donetsk. Graduate of the Ural State Conservatory named after M. P. Mussorgsky. He worked at the Kemerovo State Institute of Culture as a teacher at the Department of Choral Conducting, at the same time he was the regent of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Kemerovo. Organized the first festival of church choirs of the Urals and Siberia "Meeting".

Andrey Ukrainians. Bass.

Born in Chelyabinsk, where he graduated from the School of Music and the Institute of Arts, worked as a regent in the Cathedral of Chelyabinsk.

He is fond of fishing, picking mushrooms, canning and winemaking, and also knits on knitting needles.

Evgeny Ilyinsky. Bass.

He was educated at the Russian Academy of Sciences. Gnesins, worked in the chamber choir of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR p / y. V. Polyansky, in the ensemble "Peresvet". Laureate of the international competition in Los Angeles as part of the "Choral Academy" p / y. A. Sedogo. In the choir of the Danilov Monastery since 1997.

Alexander Bezdenezhnykh. Baritone.

He has served in the choir of the Danilov Monastery for more than 20 years, as an assistant to the artistic director both on the kliros and outside it. He graduated from the department of church singing of the Moscow City Teachers' Seminary, worked with the choir "Orthodox Singers" led by G. Smirnov.

Kirill Kislyakov. Baritone.

Born in Bulgaria, the city of Varna. Graduated from the V. S. Popov Academy of Choral Art. Collaborated with the charitable foundation "World of Art" led by V. M. Teterin in different regions of Russia, studied music with orphans and disabled children. Organizes concerts.

Alexander Konev. Baritone.

Born in the Komi Republic. Graduate of RAM them. Gnesins. Regent, organizes the concert activities of the choir of the Danilov Monastery.

Sergei Gerasimov. Bass.

Born in the Urals, from childhood he loved folk music, played the harmonica and button accordion. He studied vocal singing with Professor Sodovskaya Helena Bagislavovna. Choir of the Danilov Monastery since 1998. Successfully combines the medical practice of a psychiatrist-narcologist with singing in a church choir.

Ivan Pimenov. Tenor.

Born in Moscow. In 2005 he graduated from the Moscow Orthodox Theological Seminary. Worked in the Architectural Bureau. He speaks Greek, thanks to which he cooperates with the Alexandria Compound, the Greek Cultural Center, Moscow State University, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She has been singing in the monastery choir since 2006.

He enjoys sports, loves cycling and skiing.

Alexey Yurchenko. Baritone.

Born in Kamchatka. In 2000 he graduated from the Kamchatka Regional Music College and entered the Astrakhan State Conservatory in the class of choral conducting. Since 2004, he has served as director of the Skimen male choir at the John the Baptist Monastery. In 2007 he founded the Resurrection Boys Choir. From 2009 to 2011 - artistic director of the male choir at the Astrakhan Philharmonic. She has been singing in the monastery since 2013.

Born and lives in Moscow. He received his musical education first at the Moscow Boys' Choir, then at the Moscow School of the Moscow Conservatory as a choir conductor. After college, he entered GITIS at the faculty of musical theater actor. He worked as a soloist at the Moscow State Academic Children's Musical Theater. N. I. Sats. He served as a singer in the choirs under the direction of V. K. Polyansky, A. Sedov, V. N. Minin. He was a soloist of the ensembles GSVG (a group of Soviet troops in Germany) and Don Kazaken (Germany). She has been singing in the choir of the Danilov Monastery since 2010.

Nikolay prefers classical music, jazz and Soviet films.

Petr Fomin. Tenor.

Born in Moscow. In 1988 he graduated from the Moscow Power Engineering Institute. From 1983 to 1989 he sang in the Choir of Youth and Students under the direction of B. G. Tevlin, from 1991 to 1993 in the choir of the Novospassky Monastery. He served in the choir "Old Russian chant", as well as in the courtyard of the Pskov-Caves Monastery in Moscow (Sretensky Monastery). From 1989 to 1991, and then since 1999 - work in the choir of the Danilov Monastery.

Alexander Kadin. Bass.

Born in the city of Osh, Kyrgyz ASSR. In 1982 he moved to Abkhazia, graduated from school in the city of Tudauta and a music school in the city of Sukhumi. Since 1998, he worked on the kliros of the New Athos Monastery and in the Abkhazian choir chapel. Since 2007 lives in Moscow. She has been singing in the Danilov Monastery since 2010.

Alexander is married and has 6 children.

Alexander Garkusha. Baritone.

He received holy baptism in the South Kazakh city of Turkestan, where many exiled Greeks lived, due to which a strong church community was formed. He acquired singing skills in church from his grandmother, who served God in the kliros. After graduating from school, he entered the music school at the piano department. From 1973 to 1975 he served in the special forces. In 1983 he graduated from the conducting and choral faculty of the Alma-Ata State Conservatory, after which he was accepted into the percussion group of the State Symphony Orchestra. Since 1986 he has been working as an instrumentalist in the Kazakh tour and concert association "Kazakhconcert". In the future - the work of an accompanist and piano teacher in children's music schools in the Moscow region. Since 1990, he served as a chorister in the Novodevichy Convent, after which, in 1993, he was appointed to the position of the fraternal chorus, and then the festive kliros of the Danilov Monastery, where he still serves.

Alexander is very interested in Russian sports, loves football and MMA competitions.

State educational institution of the Russian Federation

Rostov Pedagogical College named after K.D.Ushinsky

ANNOTATION

for choral work for mixed choir acappella

R. Schumann "Night Silence"

Completed: student of group 41

Sapunkova Vera

Lecturer: Pyasetskaya T.I.

Rostov, 2008

Robert Alexander Schumann (1810-1856) was a German composer, pianist and music critic. Born in the family of a book publisher. In 1828 he entered the Leipzig University at the Faculty of Law. In addition, he studied piano with Friedrich Wieck (1830). In 1829, Schumann transferred to the University of Heidelberg, which he left in 1830. While studying at the university, he traveled to Munich, where he met Heine, and also to Italy. He began to study composition and arrangements with Dorn. In 1834 he founded the New Musical Newspaper. In 1840, Schumann married Clara Wieck (during this period he wrote many songs and cycles: Myrtle, Love and Life of a Woman, Love of a Poet). In 1850 he acted as a choral and symphony conductor. In 1856, after two years of unsuccessful treatment in a psychiatric hospital, Schumann died.

An exponent of the aesthetics of German romanticism. Creator of software piano cycles (Butterflies, 1831; Carnival, 1835; Fantastic Pieces, 1837; Kreisleriana, 1838), lyrical and dramatic vocal cycles (Poet's Love, Song Circle, Love and the life of a woman", all 1840); contributed to the development of the romantic piano sonata and variations ("Symphonic etudes", 2nd edition 1852). Opera "Genoveva" (1848), oratorio "Paradise and Peri" (1843), 4 symphonies, concerto for piano and orchestra (1845), chamber and choral compositions, music for the dramatic poem "Manfred" by J. Byron (1849). Wrote "Life Rules for Musicians".

Choral works - "Good Night", "Silence of the Night", "Requiem" on Goethe's verses, "Scenes from Faust", "Wanderings of the Rose" for choir and orchestra, "Men's Choirs", "Black-Red-Gold". In addition, he wrote more than 130 songs, including poems by Heine and Goethe, music for the dramatic comedy by Manfred.

R. Schumann belongs to the romantics, and they were characterized by the desire for miniatures, such a miniature is “Night Silence”, where music expresses the feelings of the composer, his thoughts, experiences. (Music application)

At night, the stars in the velvet sky do not sleep,

Reflecting in the river, they burn.

Everything is calm, silent, every leaf fell asleep.

The air of the night is clear and pure.

The moon pours its silver light on the earth.

Early morning dawn is near

And the golden ray of the sun will shine,

Sun light over the earth.

Choral genre: acappella choir

Genre of the work: choral miniature.

musical form.

Musical form: one-part

Thematic Analysis

Musical themes: 1st sentence (1-8 tons) - a contrasting theme in comparison with others, in accordance with the musical form there is no similarity of themes, complex melodic language (complicated by jumps in melody), beautiful, bright melody.

Writing style: writing style - mixed, with a predominance of homophonic-harmonic. From bars 1-11 - homophonic-harmonic warehouse of writing, from bars 12-14 - elements of polyphony (imitation), then to the end - homophonic-harmonic.

Ladotonal plan.

The main key is Es-dur.

Deviations in tonality - deviations in the subdominant sphere prevail. By structure, it consists of three sentences (1st -7 bars, 2nd -7 bars, 3rd -11 bars) with an addition (4 bars).

Metrorhythm

Rhythm: In general, the rhythmic pattern is quite complex. Characteristic rhythmic figures - dotted rhythm, triplets. The basis of the rhythmic movement for all parties is the dotted rhythm (Fig. 1) (the eighth with a dot and the sixteenth). At 22-23 m. there is a fragmentation of the rhythm in the sopranos, altos and tenors (trioli) to activate the movement when leading up to the climax. There is an episode (21 measures) where tenors, sopranos and altos have triplets.

Size: 3/4. In Schumann's elegiac choral miniature, one can hear, as it were, an echo of a waltz, a kind of waltz. Thus conveys the atmosphere of nature at night, pre-dawn nature. Throughout the entire miniature, the size is unchanged.

harmonic language. The colorful, rich harmonic language reflects the picture of the night nature, it is complex in its structure, bright and at the same time light, soft combinations of voices form a very rich harmonic language, combinations of tenors, altos and sopranos are especially beautiful and rich.

Voice leading. The gradual and smooth melodic development of the melodic pattern corresponds to the figurative sphere of peace or contemplation of this choral work. Although at the beginning of the work from bars 1-7 the melody is spasmodic, this somewhat emphasizes the text of the 1st sentence. The melody is expressive, this is emphasized by the first 2 sentences of figurative-emotional balance.

A soprano-jump-like melodic line almost throughout the entire work, jumps by a fourth and a fifth are characteristic, from bars 18 to 23 the division of the soprano into 1 and 2.

Altos are a smooth melodic line, but there are also jumps (per fourth).

Tenora is a jumping melodic line with elements of imitation, singing of a sound, singing on one sound.

Basses - a smooth melodic line, holding on one sound. In 28-29 tons, division into basses and octaves.

Tempo: Calm and peaceful Andante tempo. Agogic deviation - fermata in 23 volumes.

Dynamics: The almost complete dominance of the pp and pp dynamics really creates a feeling of night silence and complete peace. Pre-dawn sensations arise in the text (“The early morning dawn is near ...”), which are illuminated by solar colors in the climax (tt. 22-23) on the words “The sun is light over the earth.” All musical expressive means are aimed at achieving a culmination: fragmentation of the rhythm to activate the movement, crescendo to f, compaction of the texture by increasing the number of voices (A are divided into A1 and A2), an upward movement at S1, an introductory seventh chord with a fourth in the key of D on a strong beat (with fermata), and smooth resolution from diminuendo to ppp. (Ex. 1)

Vocal-choral analysis

Chorus type: mixed.

Lot range

Basses (si subcontroctaves), sopranos (la 2nd octave) have tessitura inconvenience. This creates vocal and choral difficulties for these parts, which require permission when working with the choir. The unevenness of the tessitura ratios of the voices of the choral score may entail the task of artificial dynamic "alignment" of non-ensembling consonances.

Ensemble: natural ensemble (balanced in all parts).

Tuning: vertical (harmonic)

Vocal difficulties: SOPRANO - in bars 1,2,4,5 large jumps to fifth, sixth B and M, in bar 19 of 2 octaves, positional unevenness in the performance of ascending and descending melodic jumps prevails, in bars 17,18,19 division into 1 and 2 sopranos, there are chromatic moves, in measure 22 of a triplet and in measure 23 of fermata, in measures 26.27 - jumps to the sixth, fifth down. Vocal difficulties of this kind are overcome in the process of "singing" the work. Choral performance is impossible without active singing breathing, with the help of which not only vocal difficulties are overcome, but also the difficulties of the system. ALT - positional evenness throughout the entire work, with the exception of 4,5,18,25 bars, where there are jumps to fifth, sixth. In bars 17,20,21,22 and 23, the division into 1st and 2nd altos, in bar 23 of the fermata, chromatic moves occur. Vocal difficulties of this kind are overcome in the process of "singing" the work. Choral performance is impossible without active singing breathing, with the help of which not only vocal difficulties are overcome, but also the difficulties of the system. TENOR - positional evenness of the whole part, there are jumps in 4,14, 25 measures per sixth, fourth, there are chromatic moves (Ex. 2), accidentals, difficulty - sixteenths of duration, singing of individual sounds. Vocal difficulties of this kind are overcome in the process of "singing" the work. Choral performance is impossible without active singing breathing, with the help of which not only vocal difficulties are overcome, but also the difficulties of the system. BASS - positional evenness of the part, except for 24,25,28,29 measures. At 28.29 measures, B counteroctaves are low for bass! Dotted rhythm, no chromatic moves. Vocal difficulties of this kind are overcome in the process of "singing" the work. Choral performance is impossible without active singing breathing, with the help of which not only vocal difficulties are overcome, but also the difficulties of the system.

To overcome these difficulties, it must be remembered that a slow tempo does not contribute to maintaining the order, especially in a cappella performance, and a fast tempo complicates the performance of intonationally awkward moments. Therefore, in the process of rehearsal work, it is necessary to alternate different tempos, and to build up individual melodic moves or chord connections vertically out of rhythm along the conductor's hand. Alignment of the system is facilitated by the performance with a closed mouth, in which the auditory control of the performers becomes more close. The predominance of quiet sonority can lead to a weakening of the role of breathing and a loss of a sense of strong vocal support in the performance, so it is advisable to alternate singing a piece or its fragments in different dynamics and using different vocal strokes.

Breathing: since long musical phrases at a slow tempo predominate, chain breathing is predominantly used. Breathing on pauses in bars 9,10,23, there is also a short breath associated with the rapid movement of music to the climax from bars 18 to 22, which creates difficulties in vocal and choral technique. Bass has free breathing, thanks to small phrases in the part and long pauses.

The nature of sound leading and the attack of sound: sound leading is smooth, soft, on legato. The character of sound is light, soft, gentle, transparent, collected, covered, neat, conveying a feeling of night peace and silence, but towards the end is more saturated, bright, sunny, light, leading to the climax. Sound science and sound attack are inextricably linked with singing breathing. From bars 1-7, group-wide breathing for S, A, T; from 8-11 and from 14-18 tons. group-wide breathing for S, A, T, B. From 18-22 chain breathing for S and A.

The nature of singing breathing is calm, tenacious, light. A feature in bar 23 is a fermata for the entire choir.

Dictionary difficulties: diction plays an important role in revealing the image. The text should be pronounced softly, in a singsong voice, pronounce “r” in exaggerated words (example: velvet, reflecting, dawn, etc.), ending phrases with “t” (leaf, sleep, burn, clean, dawn, etc.), in measure 22 with triplets “and the golden ray of the sun will flash” fast pronunciation of the text, a clear singing of voiced consonants. In basses, in the last 2 measures, sounds are sung with a closed mouth. Since the work is slow and the phrases are long, the reduction of "e" and "a" is used, in order to avoid separation of words and, consequently, loss of character. Example: Night-yuzvez dynabar-hat-nomne-bene-sleep. Vowels are sung, consonants at the end of the word are pronounced deafeningly.

The timbres of voices and the infinite variety of their nuances depend on the nature of the pronunciation of the text, its figurative and semantic embodiment in singing. This ensemble task is one of the most important performing means in terms of performing, characterizing the choir as a unique "talking" musical instrument.

Conducting difficulties

To convey with a small and soft gesture on legato the image of night nature, its beauty, peace and silence. The main conductor's difficulties: small amplitude of the gesture, the brush works, dotted rhythm, sustained sounds on the 3rd beat, the introduction of the bass part from bar 8, in bar 11 auftakt the sopranos and altos “air of the night” enter on the 3rd beat, in the 12th measure the exact display of the tenors’ entry creates an element of polyphony, the accuracy of the entry along the hand in 8,9,10 measures after pauses, in the 22nd measure of the triplets, the demonstration with an active gesture increasing the amplitude, a change dynamics, and hence the gesture to a more active one with increasing amplitude when approaching the climax, fermata, ending in "p" and "t" - the exact removal and decrease of the gesture, softness, leaving the end on p. Releases and auxilaries are soft with a delay, the recoil is light and smooth.

Conclusion: in this choral work, the music is harmoniously combined with the literary text. Both words and sounds convey the beauty of the night nature, its peace and tranquility. The text and dynamic shades are very well combined. Passing from p to f, the composer depicts first the peace of the night, and then the arrival of the morning and the awakening of nature from a night's sleep. “The sun is a golden ray, the sun is light” these words are the culmination of the whole work, as it reflects the importance of the sun in our life, because sunlight is life, and every new day is a new life. This is also clearly emphasized by the composer’s means of musical expression: dynamic transitions, timbre, melody, rich harmony, moderate tempo, difficult rhythm. By learning and performing this work, the choir will acquire very important qualities: a neat collected sound, soft and smooth sound leading, the ability to change dynamics from p to f, voice skills - singing on high and low sounds, singing complex jumps and harmonic combinations in parts. The conductor also acquires important qualities: the ability to keep the choir on p, the ability to show a change in dynamics with a gesture, the introduction of various parts, acquires softness, lightness, smoothness of the gesture, followed by activation towards the end. This work can teach control over the choir singing in pi and, most importantly, the correct expression and display of the idea of ​​the work, its character.

With itza songs - so Mitrofan Pyatnitsky called folk songs with love and tenderness. The famous collector of Russian folklore became the founder of the first folk choir in Russia. The history of the team was studied by Natalya Letnikova.

Peasant - this is how the Pyatnitsky Choir proudly calls itself at concerts. And the stage premiere of the group was in 1911. And immediately in the hall of the Noble Assembly - the current House of Unions. Folk music as a high art. It was the first time.

"The Lamentations of the Weepers". Such an item in the concert poster could not disregard the concert of the Great Russian peasants, specially ordered from the Voronezh and Ryazan provinces. Folk songs and epics accompanied by ancient instruments. A real sensation.

The first part of the choir

“They sing as best they can” is the main principle of the peasant choir. "Song Artel" did not even rehearse.

Peasants just came from their villages and sang. Between this and then. Like at home at work, or in the field, or in the evening on the mound.

Pyatnitsky appreciated this originality. And he was not alone. Fans of the choir include Fyodor Chaliapin, Sergei Rachmaninov, Antonina Nezhdanova, Ivan Bunin, Vladimir Lenin. By order of Lenin, the singing peasants moved to Moscow. They began to work in factories, plants and sing with a permanent composition.

The choir received the name Pyatnitsky in 1927, after the death of the founder. The legacy of the musician - more than 400 songs recorded on the phonograph, a unique collection of folk instruments and costumes. But the main thing is the attention to the talents of the people, which made it possible to create a unique team.

During the Great Patriotic War, the choir performed at the forefront as a front-line concert brigade. And the song "Oh, my fogs ..." becomes the anthem of the partisan movement. On May 9, 1945, the artists sang on Red Square in honor of the Great Victory. The team carefully keeps letters from the front.

They also keep traditions. Folklore is still in the repertoire. Lipetsk choruses are performed exclusively in the dialect of the Lipetsk province, Bryansk - in Bryansk, Vladimir - in Vladimir. There are also songs recorded by Pyatnitsky at the beginning of the last century.

Every musical phenomenon has followers. Voronezh, Ural, Severny, Ryazan, Omsk, Volga… choirs appeared in almost every region. And abroad. The Polish ensemble "Mazowsze", the Czech "Sluch" - echoes of the noble cause of Mitrofan Pyatnitsky.

In 2008, the Pyatnitsky Choir was recognized as the National Treasure of the country. And also the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, Friendship of Peoples, the government medal "Patriot of Russia" and an informal award - a personalized star on the "Avenue of Stars" in Moscow.

Today, about 90 artists from 30 Russian regions sing, dance and play in Pyatnitsky. The main selection criterion is talent. To work in the most frequently touring band in the world, you need great talent. It is no coincidence that the longest number of the choir ... bow out!