The second symphony is called Borodin. Alexander Borodin. Hero of Russian music. Distinctive features of Borodin's epic symphony

Purpose of the lesson: Generalization and consolidation of educational material on the work of Borodin.

1) educational :

– acquaintance with music filled with mighty gigantic power.
– consolidate knowledge of musical terms

2) developing :

- develop creative imagination guys, try to “see” this music “inside yourself”.
– develop children’s ability to work in a group

3) educational:

– cultivate interest in Borodin’s work
– cultivate a desire to get acquainted with additional musical literature.

Equipment: tape recorder, player, button accordion, cards, reproduction of Vasnetsov’s painting “Three Heroes”, cards with a treble clef - for rewarding for the correct answer.

Anyone who doesn't know music is missing out on a lot.
And whoever doesn’t sing songs doesn’t live happily.

Today in class we will continue the conversation about Borodin’s work and listen to the “Bogatyr Symphony”. This is his second symphony.

Write down the topic of the lesson.

But first I want to remember everything we talked about in the last lesson.

(6 people work on cards with individual tasks at the discretion of the teacher, and the class answers the teacher’s questions.)

So, what do you remember about Borodin?

1. How many professions did the composer Borodin have? – Answers are given out
2. What musicians' organization was he a member of? Key cards
3. Who was the organizer of the “Mighty Handful”?
4. The main goal of the composers of the “Mighty Handful”?
5. What else did the members of the “Mighty Handful” create?
6. Who is considered an opera composer? (R-K)
7. How many operas did Borodin write?
8. Who told him the plot of the opera “Prince Igor”?

Guys, we became acquainted with Borodin’s music back in the first quarter, when we listened to his Quartet. Let's remember this music.

Listening to the Borodin Quartet.

(Illustration)

What is a quartet in music?

Now let's remember what instruments sounded in the composer's quartet. Choose the instruments we need from the pictures on the board. Children remove unnecessary cards, leaving 2 violins, viola, cello.

Showing illustrations of strings. (From the album “Symphony Orchestra”)

New topic:

The “heroic theme” has been heard in Russian art for a long time. We often encounter it in folk art, poetry, literature, music, painting, cinema, theater. This is because from ancient times to our time, enemies have attacked Rus' from all over, trying to take possession of our lands, wealth, and enslave our people. The image of the hero was born in Russian art, as the image of a mighty defender of the Motherland. (“Ivan Susanin” by Glinka, “Prince Igor” by Borodin, “War and Peace”, “Alexander Nevsky” by Prokofiev.

Borodin’s second symphony is called “Bogatyr Symphony”

Listening to this music. you see before you powerful and free people, such as the knights in Vasnetsov’s painting.

The wide, expansive beginning of part 2 recalls the expanse of the Trans-Volga steppes. Once upon a time there were yurts of nomads. Sometimes clouds of riders on lathered horses rushed across the horizon. The steppe expanses have always attracted Russian heroes.

Melody 1 part of the Symphony, there is a main melody. In Borodin’s music you can feel strong, powerful people, heroic people. Courageous, stern, powerful sounds in the low register of the strings main topic, evoking ideas about the irresistible, “giant” strength of legendary heroes.

This feeling does not disappear, despite the 2nd melody, which is smoother and more lyrical.

It is wide, light, and major. Imbued with Russian song and melodious intonations. The second theme seems to introduce listeners to the “scene of action.” Cellos sound softly. (As if describing nature)

Listening to a fragment. Separate topics 1 and 2 by raising your hand.

Describe the music in one word.

(Teacher at the blackboard ...Sad, tragic, autumn)

And now you have to complete a difficult task. It’s interesting to know what kind of listeners you have become over the past 5 years. Now you will write an analysis of the music you listened to.

Try to talk about this work so that a person who does not know it can get an idea about it.

(Children write in their notebooks an analysis of the music played in the classroom. 5-10 sentences)

Read out the analysis (2-4 people)

Just as with literature, music is related to the visual arts. (painting, sculpture). Although this connection manifests itself in a completely different way. Poems can be sung, its content can be expressed in poetry or prose.

The connection between music and fine arts is different:

A person has not only inner hearing - the ability to hear “mentally”, “inside himself” what does not actually sound, but also “internal” vision - the ability to see “inside himself”, which is not actually there at that moment in front of him. eyes.

I want to show you Vasnetsov’s painting “Three Heroes,” which is well known to you.

By depicting in the painting the heroes of Russian epics - Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich, Alyosha Popovich, the artist embodied the idea of ​​​​the greatness and power of the Russians. People. Majestic calm and self-confidence can be felt in the poses and figures. Immense distances spread out behind the heroes.

What does the music of part 1 of Borodin’s symphony and Vasnetsov’s painting have in common? What do these two works have in common?

Both works embody character traits that have always been inherent in the Russian people. That is why these works do not lose their impact even today. Both in the film and in the music, the main characters are people, powerful, strong, whose character is revealed in critical situations. And a description of nature, without which art would suffocate.

Kabalevsky said: “For a poet, composer, artist and for each of us there is no nature without man.”

Now we will try to sing with you the main melody of the symphony so that it remains in our memory

Children standing sing the melody of the main theme of the symphony.

Now let's relax a little and listen to the music.

MUSICAL QUIZ

1. “Lark” by Glinka
2. Vocalise Rachmaninov
3.Tchaikovsky's Waltz from the ballet "Sleeping Beauty"

Finishing today's conversation about A.P. Borodino, I never tire of admiring this man. How much kindness and energy this man carried within himself. He did not have any children of his own and he took in 3 girls. A lot of funny stories happened to him.

Listen to the guys' messages:

1 child:

Sometimes happy musical thoughts came to him unexpectedly, during a meeting or during a chemical experiment. Borodin hastily wrote them down on the first piece of paper. And so that they would not wear off, he came up with a way to secure them: he covered them with egg white or gelatin, and then hung them on a line to dry like laundry. It was funny and touching to look at this great scientist. Childishly proud of his simple invention.

2nd child:

Once upon a time, a famous Russian composer Borodin was returning with a friend after an evening where he and his friends sang and played music. At this late hour it was very dark on the street, but this did not bother the comrades, they knew the road well and walked along, chatting animatedly.

Suddenly Borodin's companion stopped in great bewilderment. Borodin, who had just walked next to him, disappeared. Well, it’s like he fell through the ground.

And indeed, after a few seconds, the sounds of a flute were heard from under the ground. What happened? Borodin actually fell into an open basement hatch. Fearing for the flute that Borodin was carrying with him, barely waking up from the fall, he immediately began to check whether the instrument dear to him was damaged.

So, to summarize what I've heard today, I want you to answer my questions:

1. What feelings and moods did this music evoke?
2. What is this called musical composition? How many topics have we listened to?
3. If you were a composer, what title would you give it?
4. the main idea?
5. By what means did the author achieve this?

Can the muses transport us to another era?

We were just in class and now...

Recording “Pursuit” from the film “The Elusive...”

This song takes us to a completely different time. Civil war, its heroes. But the guys enjoy watching the adventures of the “elusive” and sing the song “Pursuit”

Let's continue learning the song.

Patter tune “Bulp-lipped bull”
Learning the song “Pursuit”
Working on diction in the chorus.
Performing songs at the request of the student.

Symphonic works of A.P. Borodin

A.P. Borodin created only two symphonies (the third was not completed). Symphony No. 2 is, along with the opera “Prince Igor,” the composer’s most significant work. The symphony was first performed in 1877 at one of the concerts of the Russian musical society and was not appreciated. The premiere in Moscow, held in 1880, was a triumph. The name “Bogatyrskaya” symphony was given by V.V. Stasov, he also formulated the program of each movement: I – Gathering of heroes

II – Games of Heroes

III – Song of the button accordion

IV – Feast of the Heroes

I. Dramaturgy of the symphony. The symphony is the first example of Russian epic symphonism. The figurative poles of the symphony can be conventionally represented as the antithesis “forest - steppe”; they are most clearly manifested in thematic themes, which include two spheres - Russian and Eastern (the first is presented on a larger scale, the second is often present as the “reverse side” of “Russian themes”).

1. Russian thematics in the symphony are represented by various genres:

Dance – I element of the main theme of Part I, thematic theme of Part II, main theme of the finale

Songlike, drawn-out lyrical side theme of the first part, side theme of the finale (measure 3\2)

Epic chant - the main theme of Part III

Instrumental tune – Part II (main theme), individual turns of the main theme of Part IV

2. Eastern thematicism is associated primarily with Asia (and not the Caucasus), which is typical for Borodin’s work as a whole. Oriental themes are characterized by ostinato bass, syncopated melody, and exquisite altered harmonies (II part of Allegretto).

II. The thematic contrast corresponds to the principles of epic dramaturgy. Themes do not collide, but are juxtaposed. Their deployment forms a series of colorful contrasting pictures. The principle of comparison is implemented at all levels of form: at the thematic level (detailed expositions of themes in all parts are compared, most clearly in the chapters and subsections of Part I); at the level of sections of one part (example – Part I); at the level of comparison of parts of the cycle.

III. The modal basis is folk, natural minor (vol. III part), seven-step modes:

Gl.t. Part I – Phrygian

Pob.t. Part I – Mixolydian

Theme of Part IV – with Lydian quart

IV. Metrorhythm - the use of variable and complex meters, frequent occurrence of syncopation.

V. The compositional reading of the parts of the cycle is unusual. The composer prefers sonata form without development. In Part I, the development still meets the motive-thematic principle of development, although the principle of variation competes with it. In the future, Borodin avoids development, which corresponds to the conflict-free type of dramaturgy. Part IV is a rondo sonata form.

VI. The peculiarities of the orchestration lie in the principle of timbre stylization (the sound of folk instruments is reproduced).

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A.P. Borodin is one of the monumental figures of the Russian school of composers, one of the members. He is one of the first composers, the one thanks to whom Europe recognized and recognized Russian music. In this sense, his name is on a par with the name

Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin (1833 - 1887) lived a short life and died suddenly due to a heart attack.

“...as if a cannonball hit him and tore him from the ranks of the living.”

Unlike like-minded friends, this composer, having followed the traditional path, remained faithful to his main profession - chemistry (while he resigned, Rimsky-Korsakov left the naval service, Cui also did not remain a military engineer for long).

The name of Borodin in the 19th century. was widely known along with the largest Russian chemists both in Russia and in Europe: together with Professor N. Zinin, he carried out a genuine revolution (laid the foundations modern theory plastics). In addition, the composer was a great teacher. He himself joked that he composed music when he was resting or sick. And his joke is true, since work on works often stretched not only over years, but over decades (he worked on the opera “Prince Igor” for 25 years and never completed it).

In the creative heritage of Borodin:

• 1 opera (“Prince Igor”),
• operetta with spoken dialogues “Bogatyrs”,
• 3 symphonies (No. 3 not finished),
• symphonic picture "In Central Asia»,
• chamber, piano works, romances and songs,
• concert for flute and piano and orchestra (lost).

Symphonies by A.P. Borodin

An important role in creative biography Borodin the symphonist played his First Symphony in Es - major (1867, first performed in December 1868). Thanks to her, the whole of Europe recognized the composer. Cui notes that in the symphony

“...a lot of strength, fervor, fire and significant degree originality."

The author of one of the notes in the press described the symphony as “amazingly rich, purely Beethovenian beauty.” It is she who opens the line of Russian epic symphony, where are planned characteristic features and features of the Russian symphony:

• breadth, leisurely, calm, narrative, which implies an epic symphony;
• absence of direct conflicts;
• picturesqueness.

The composer's characteristic orchestra was also formed here.
It is in his work that the complete pair composition is determined, brass instruments become chromatic; The orchestra is distinguished by its power, pomp, brightness, and coloristic richness.
Symphony No. 2 (1869-1876) affirms the traditions formed in Symphony No. 1, and is characterized by Stasov as follows:

“It has a national and programmatic character. Here you can hear the ancient Russian heroic warehouse.”

Although the symphony is one of the calmest, narrative works, the power of its impact is such that Mussorgsky called it the “Heroic Slavic Symphony.” The relief and picturesqueness led to the fact that the program name “Bogatyrskaya” was assigned to the symphony. In addition, each of its parts received a programmatic interpretation (thanks to Stasov):

“Meeting of Russian Bogatyrs”, “Heroes’ Games”, “The Story of the Accordion”, “Feast of the Bogatyrs”.

Symphony No. 3 a - minor (unfinished) with a pronounced national flavor was first performed in Moscow in 1899 at the Moscow German Club under the direction of V. S. Terentyev.

Opera work of Borodin

Wide famous opera“Prince Igor” was created by the musician over 25 years, but remained unfinished. The premiere took place only in 1890 (October 23, staged Mariinsky Theater), becoming a kind of monument to the composer, who by that time was no longer alive. He worked on the libretto together with V.V. Stasov, who made an invaluable contribution to the process of creating the opera. So, there was a period when Borodin stopped working on the work, citing two reasons:

• the complexity and scale of the work made the composer doubt that he could cope with it;
• genre literary source(“The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”) did not imply the intense confrontation necessary for the tension in the development of the stage action.

And here Stasov came to the composer’s aid, proposing, in addition to the main conflict line of confrontation between nations (Russian-Polovtsy), a line of morality: on the one hand, the nobility and sublimity of Igor, on the other, bringing into the opera plot figurative world Prince Galitsky. Thus, operatic drama acquired an additional conflict. Thanks to Stasov’s activities and the complication of the plot, the master returns to work on the work.

Chamber music by A.P. Borodin

The composer believed that

“...chamber music represents one of the most powerful means for developing musical taste and understanding...”

Having acquired technical skills by mastering Western European traditions in the field of chamber writing, the musician, in addition, masters the Glinka tradition, forming his own individual style, which manifests itself already in early works.
Examples of chamber music include, for example:

Quintet in C minor for piano and strings; “Tarantella” for piano four hands; “Polka” for piano four hands; String trio on the theme “How have I upset you”; Sextet, Quartet for flute, viola, oboe, cello, Piano and String Trio; String Quintet; 2 scherzos for piano four hands; four-handed "Allegretto"; vocal pieces; Quartet No. 1 A – major (first performed in 1880 from a manuscript); Quartet No. 2 in D major (1881).

Also “Little Suite” for piano (orchestrated by A. Glazunov), “Paraphrases” (a musical joke created by the composers of the “Mighty Handful”, which aroused the admiration of Liszt and served as a reason for attacks from musicians hostile to the “Kuchkist” direction, notes V. Yakovlev). Among vocal works– “Song of the Dark Forest” (often performed as a choral work), romances “For the Shores of the Distant Fatherland”, “False Note”, ballad “Sea” and many others.

It is in chamber vocal music, which is often called “ creative laboratory“The composer, for the first time,” points out A. N. Sokhor, “the composer found a consistent and complete manifestation of the heroic spirit, Russian folk-epic style, melodic-harmonic originality (the romances “The Sleeping Princess”, “Song of the Dark Forest”).

And that is why the comprehension of the “monumental Borodin” lies through his chamber “sketches”, “watercolors”, “sketches”.
All the composer’s work contains and, to one degree or another, always combines two principles: epic and lyrical. In comparison with the music of other composers, Borodin's style is distinguished by calmness, sublimity, nobility, and balance.
Continuing to develop the paths outlined by M. Glinka, Borodin nevertheless had his say in the history of the development of Russian musical culture:

• Tchaikovsky, he is the creator of the Russian quartet genre.
• Russia and the East. Interest in eastern world was relevant earlier, but it is with this composer that the theme of friendship arises (clearly demonstrated by the symphonic painting “In Central Asia”, where Russian and Eastern themes develop, uniting in the end).

Orchestra composition: 2 flutes, 2 piccolos, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, triangle, harp, strings.

History of creation

Borodin's second symphony is one of the peaks of his work. It belongs to the world symphonic masterpieces, thanks to its brightness, originality, monolithic style and ingenious implementation of Russian images folk epic. The composer conceived it at the beginning of 1869, but worked on it with very long breaks, caused both by his main professional responsibilities and by the implementation of other musical ideas. The first part was written in 1870. Then he showed it to his comrades - Balakirev, Cui, Rimsky-Korsakov and Mussorgsky, who made up the so-called Balakirev circle or A mighty bunch(definition of their senior mentor and ideological leader, art critic V. Stasov). What was shown aroused genuine enthusiasm among friends. Hot and quick to respond to loud definitions, Stasov immediately called her “Lioness.” Mussorgsky proposed the name Slavic Heroic for it. However, Stasov, no longer thinking about emotional definition, and above the name with which the music will live, he suggested: Bogatyrskaya. The author did not object to this interpretation of his plan, and the symphony remained with him forever.

It was still very far from ending. There are many distractions - teaching at the Medical-Surgical Academy, where Borodin holds the position of professor, teaching at the Women's Medical Courses, numerous public duties, including editing the popular science magazine "Knowledge". The latter lasted only one season, since the government, dissatisfied with the atheistic orientation of the magazine, “recommended” Borodin to leave the editorial office. Finally, the composer was distracted by the creation of other works. During these same years, fragments of the opera “Prince Igor” appeared, in which “heroic” notes were also very strong. The symphony was only completed in 1876. Its premiere took place on February 2, 1877 at one of the concerts of the Russian Musical Society in St. Petersburg under the direction of E. F. Napravnik.

The symphony, despite the lack of an announced program, has clearly programmatic features. Stasov wrote about this: “Borodin himself told me more than once that in the adagio he wanted to draw the figure of Boyan, in the first part - a meeting of Russian heroes, in the finale - a scene of a heroic feast with the sound of the gusli, with the rejoicing of a great crowd.” Actually, this interpretation gave Stasov the reason for the name Bogatyrskaya.

Music

The first part is based on a comparison of two images. The first is a powerful unison theme performed by the strings, as if trampling, heavy and dumpy. It is complemented, somewhat softening the severity, by a more lively motive, intoned by woodwinds. A side theme - a broad song melody performed by cellos - seems to depict the expansive Russian steppe. The development is based on the alternation of heroic, intense episodes, evoking associations with battles, epic feats, with lyrical, more personal moments, in which a secondary theme, as a result of development, acquires a jubilant character. After a condensed reprise, the first theme is affirmed with gigantic force in the coda of the movement.

The second movement is a fast-paced scherzo, the first theme of which quickly bursts out from the depths of the bass against the backdrop of an octave repeated by the horns, and then rushes down, as if “without taking a breath.” The second theme sounds somewhat softer, although it still retains its masculine character. In its peculiar syncopated rhythm one can hear the sounds of the mad galloping of steppe horses across the endless expanses. The trio captivates with its melodic charm, and as often with Borodin, the melody is filled with oriental bliss. But the middle episode is short - and the rapid run resumes, gradually fading away, as if carried away into the unknown.

The third part, designed, according to Borodin himself, to convey the image of Boyan, the legendary ancient Russian singer, is narrative character and unfolds in a smooth, calm motion. The harp chords imitate the plucking of the psaltery strings. After a few bars of an introduction intonated by a clarinet, the horn begins to sing a poetic melody that belongs to the best pages of the composer’s music. However, the calm narrative does not last long: new motives introduce a vague sense of threat, the colors become thicker and darker. Initial clarity is gradually restored. The piece ends with a wonderful lyrical episode, in which the main melody sounds in all the fullness of its charm.

The repetition of the opening bars leads directly into the ending, which begins without a pause. His music captivates with its scope, brilliance, cheerfulness and at the same time greatness. Basic musical image- the main theme of the sonata form is a sweeping, wildly cheerful theme in a sharp syncopated rhythm, which has its prototype in the folk choral song “I’ll go to the Tsar City.” It is complemented by a short “rubbish” oboe motif. The side theme is more lyrical and calm. It has the character of a glorification and sounds first from the solo clarinet, and then from the flute and oboe against the background of a kind of “playing tinkling harp.” These three themes are subject to varied and masterful development, the beginning of which is marked by a harsh and powerful sounding sequence in slow motion. Then the movement becomes more and more animated, the symphony ends with music full of brave prowess and uncontrollable fun.