Alexander Alexandrovich Alyabiev
Alyabyev Alexander Alexandrovich (1787-1851) - Russian composer, author of operas, ballets, romances ("The Nightingale" into words Delviga ). Participated in the war of 1812. Until 1823 he served in the army. In 1825 he was arrested on a false charge of murder and exiled to Siberia, then transferred to the Caucasus, later to the South Urals.
ALYABEV Alexander Alexandrovich (August 4, 1787 - February 22, 1851), Russian composer. He came from an old noble family. Alyabyev's father - a senator, president of the Berg College and chief manager of the land surveying office - gave his son a good home education, which he completed at the Noble Boarding School of Moscow University.
Alyabiev participated in Patriotic War of 1812 and foreign campaigns of the Russian army in 1813-1814 (in the Akhtyrsky hussar and horse-drawn regiments). In 1823 he retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Lived in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where he became close to the writer M. N. Zagoskin, composer A. N. Verstovsky and other literary, musical and theatrical figures. In 1822, Alyabyev's comic opera Moonlit Night, or Brownies and the vaudeville opera New Prank, or Theatrical Battle were staged at the Bolshoi Theater in St. Petersburg. In 1825, together with Verstovsky, Alyabyev wrote music for the prologue "The Triumph of the Muses" by M. A. Dmitriev. Alyabyev is the author of many vaudeville operas that were staged in theaters in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Alyabyev was a representative of musical romanticism in Russia, the author of classical romances, such as “The Nightingale” (to the words of A. A. Delvig), “Winter Road” (to the words A. S. Pushkin),“The Beggar Woman” (to the words of P. Beranger) and “Evening Bells” (to the words I. I. Kozlov). Alyabiev wrote music for a number of dramatic performances of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow: “Windsor Gossips” (V. Shakespeare), “Mermaid” (A. S. Pushkin), “Mad” (I. I. Kozlova). He wrote the opera "Ammalat-bek" (1842 - 1847) based on the story of the same name by A. A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky, as well as a series of spiritual chants.
V. A. Fedorov
Alyabiev is a famous Russian musician, author of the famous song "Nightingale ..." and many, very beloved in his time, songs and romances, born. in 1802 in a family of family nobles. He was in the military service, studying music as an amateur, out of a natural attraction to art. In the twenties, A. met the famous composer A. N. Verstovsky, in collaboration with whom he wrote music for Khmelnitsky's vaudeville "A New Prank or Theatrical Battle". The play and music were successful. After this first success on stage, A. collaborated in many other vaudeville Verstovsky, A. Maurer and Count M. Yu. Vielgorsky. Having settled in Moscow, he continued to zealously engage in his favorite art. A. also composed music for Zagoskin's operetta "The Village Philosopher". The enormous success of the opera "Askold's Grave" by Verstovsky prompted A. to write a large four-bar opera "Moonlight Night", which, however, suffered a complete failure. He also wrote, but did not finish, the opera Ammalat-Bek, based on the story of Marlinsky. For one unfortunate incident, A. was exiled for a while to Tobolsk, where he did not leave musical studies and wrote many works of spiritual and regimental music. A. owes the greatest fame to two or three of his many romances, written in a melodic style. Although A.'s melodies have the dignity of ease and often respond with something close to Russian folk music, but from a more rigorous critical point of view, all of A.'s composer activity rises slightly above the level of amateurism. For their era, A.'s romances were quite significant, despite the then still uncultivated field of Russian composing; at the present time these melodies, sometimes rather happy ones, have already outlived their time. Of A.'s romances, his "Nightingale" is best known, having achieved rare popularity, repeatedly performed by famous singers: Viardo Garcia and Adeline Patti (in the scene of a vocal lesson in the op. "The Barber of Seville" by Rossini and in concerts) and brilliantly arranged in the form of a piano plays by Fr. Leaf. Romances were also very loved in their time: "In the Evening the Blush of the Dawn" and "Evening Ringing". The collection of romances published by Gresser in Moscow in 1859 (with a portrait of the author) contains 70 vocal pieces, including all of A.'s romances that brought him fame. But, probably, many of his small works were not included in this collection, just as his works in the field of dramatic, military and church music were never printed.
Brockhaus and Efron. Encyclopedic Dictionary. St. Petersburg, 1880
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Alyabyevs- An old noble family.
(1787-08-15 )Alexander Alexandrovich Alyabiev(August 15, Tobolsk - March 6, Moscow) - Russian composer, pianist, conductor.
In 1801, he began serving as an unter-chichtmeister of the 3rd class at the Berg Collegium (1801) in St. Petersburg, then as a 14th-class chargemaster (1803) in Moscow.
Alexander Alyabyev participated in the Patriotic War of 1812 and foreign campaigns of the Russian army in 1813-14 (3rd Ukrainian Cossack regiment - 1812, Irkutsk and Akhtyrsky hussars - 1813-1814). He participated in the capture of Dresden organized by the partisan and famous poet Denis Davydov. During the capture of Dresden he was wounded. He took part in the battle of Leipzig, the battles on the Rhine and the capture of Paris. Awarded two orders of St. Anna 3rd degree, Order of St. Vladimir 4th and a medal in memory of the war of 1812. He graduated from the war with the rank of captain. He continued military service in St. Petersburg, where he composed, in 1815, one of his earliest works - the hussar song "One More Day".
Alyabyev is the author of music for many vaudeville operas: “The Traveling Dancer-Actress, or Three Sisters-Brides” by P. N. Arapova, “Fun of the Caliph, or Jokes for One Day” by A. I. Pisarev.
Among the best works of Alyabyev can be called romances based on Pushkin's poems: "Winter Road", "Two Crows", "Evening Ringing" (to the text of Kozlov) and others ...
Compositions:
- operas
- Moonlit Night, or Brownies (1822, post. 1823, Bolshoi Theater (St. Petersburg))
- Tempest (1830s)
- Edwin and Oscar (1830s, unfinished)
- Magic Night (1838-39, unfinished)
- The Fisherman and the Mermaid, or the Evil Potion (1841-43)
- Ammalat-Bek (1842-47)
- vaudeville operas
- A new prank, or a theatrical battle (together with A. N. Verstovsky and L. V. Maurer, 1822, Bolshoi Theater, St. Petersburg)
- Village Philosopher (1823, theater on Mokhovaya, Moscow)
- Khlopotun, or the Master's Business is Afraid (together with Verstovsky, 1824, Maly Theatre, Moscow)
- The Petitioner (together with Verstovsky, Mikh. Yu. Vielgorsky and F. E Scholz, 1824, theater on Mokhovaya, Moscow)
- Meeting of Stagecoaches (together with Verstovsky, 1825, Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow)
- Fun Caliph, or Jokes for one day (together with Verstovsky and Scholz, 1825, ibid.)
- Three Tens, or New Two-Day Adventure (together with Verstovsky, 1825, ibid.)
- Morning and evening, or the wind has changed (1826), etc.
- ballet The Magic Drum, or The Corollary of the Magic Flute (1827)
- Prologue Celebration of Music. for the opening of the Bolshoi Theater (together with Verstovsky and Scholz, 1824, Spanish 1825)
- melodrama Prisoner of the Caucasus (on the text of the poem of the same name by A. S. Pushkin, 1828?)
- cantatas
- for orchestra, including symphony in e-moll (1850), overture, dances
- for spirit. orc., including overtures
- instr. ensembles
- 3 strings. quartet (b 1, Es-dur, 1815; No 3, g-moll, 1825)
- 2 fp. trio (Es-dur, 1815?; a-moll, 1834)
- fp. quintet (1815?)
- sonata for Skr. and fp. (1834)
- quartet for 4 flutes
- quintet for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn, etc.
- pieces and cycles of variations for various instruments
- fp. pieces, including sonata, dances
- choirs and choir. processing own. op.
- romances for voice with piano. (St. 150)
- wok. ensembles
- arr. nar. songs, including
- Voices of Ukrainian songs published by Mikhail Maksimovich. Arranged by Alexander Alyabiev (1832, ed. 1834, M., 1961)
- Asian Songs (1833-35?)
- and etc.
- music for drama. performances- Storm (A. A. Shakhovsky, according to W. Shakespeare, 1827), Apostate, or the Siege of Corinth (V. A. Alyabiev, 1837), Mermaid (Pushkin, 1838), Windsor Merry Wives (Shakespeare, 1838), Crazy (after novels by I. I. Kozlov, 1841), etc.
Notes
see also
- // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
Literature
- Timofeev G. N. A. A. Alyabyev: Essay on life and creativity. - M., 1912.
- Steinpress B.S. Pages from the life of Alyabyev. - M., 1956.
- Steinpress B. S. Alyabyev in exile. - M., 1959.
- Dobrokhotov B. V. Alexander Alyabyev: Creative path. - M., 1966.
Links
Categories:
- Personalities in alphabetical order
- August 15
- Born in 1787
- Deceased March 6
- Deceased in 1851
- Composers of the Russian Empire
- Composers alphabetically
- People from Tobolsk
- Deceased in Moscow
- Musicians alphabetically
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Alyabiev, Alexander Alexandrovich, Russian composer. Member of the Patriotic War of 1812. Was an officer until 1823. Author of vaudeville and operas (including “Moonlight Night, or Brownies”, staged in 1823). ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
- (1787 1851) Russian composer. Vocal creativity in the traditions of Russian urban folklore early. 19th century Romances (Nightingale and others), including on texts of social sound (Beggar). One of the first to embody the lyrics of A. S. Pushkin in music. Among … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Alyabiev, Alexander Alexandrovich, Russian amateur composer. Born August 4, 1787 in Moscow. He died on February 22, 1851 in the same place. He came from an old noble family. Father A., senator, then president of the Berg Collegium and chief executive ... ... Biographical Dictionary
Genus. in Moscow, August 30, 1802, d. in the same place in 1852 and was buried in the Simonov Monastery. After a good home preparation, Alyabyev was brought up at the Moscow University boarding school, and then entered the military service. Some kind of trouble... Big biographical encyclopedia
- (1787 1851), Russian composer. Vocal creativity in the traditions of Russian urban folklore of the early 19th century. Romances ("The Nightingale", etc.), including texts of social sound ("The Beggar"). One of the first to embody lyrics in music ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
ALYABEV Alexander Alexandrovich- Alexander Alexandrovich (4.08.1787, Tobolsk 22.02. 1851, Moscow), Russian. composer. Participated in the Patriotic War of 1812. At the beginning. 1825 in Moscow, A. was arrested on suspicion of the murder of the landowner T. M. Vremev and, despite the lack of evidence ... ... Orthodox Encyclopedia
- (1787, Tobolsk 1851, Moscow), composer. One of the most prominent Russian musicians of the first half of the 19th century, author of stage, instrumental and vocal works. Born in the family of the Tobolsk governor, in 1804 he was transferred to the service in ... ... Moscow (encyclopedia)
- (15 VIII 1787, Tobolsk 6 III 1851, Moscow) Everything native is closer to the heart. The heart feels more alive, Well, sing, well, begin: My nightingale, nightingale! .. V. Domontovich This talent was curious in terms of spiritual sensitivity and compliance with the demands of the multitude ... ... Music dictionary
Born in the family of the Tobolsk vice-governor Alexander Vasilyevich Alyabyev. He received a good education at home.
In 1796 the family moved to St. Petersburg.
In 1801, he began serving as a non-commissioned master of the 3rd class at the Berg Collegium in St. Petersburg.
In 1804, the Alyabyev family moved to Moscow, where Alexander completed his education at the Moscow boarding school.
In 1803, he was enrolled as a 14th class shipmaster in Moscow.
In 1812 he volunteered for military service and during the Patriotic War of 1812 he served in the 3rd Ukrainian Cossack Regiment.
In 1813 - 1814 he fought near Leipzig and in the battles on the Rhine, participated in the capture of Dresden under the command of Denis Davydov, where he was wounded, and the capture of Paris by the Russian army. Alexander Alyabyev was awarded two Orders of St. Anna 3rd degree, Order of St. Vladimir of the 4th degree and a medal in memory of the war of 1812. After the Patriotic War of 1812, he continued to serve in St. Petersburg with the rank of captain.
In 1815, he composed the hussar song "One More Day".
In 1822, Alexander Alyabyev, together with the composer A.N. Verstovsky, wrote music for the vaudeville opera A New Prank, or Theatrical Battle, the opera Moonlight Night, or Brownies, staged at the Bolshoi Theater in St. Petersburg.
In 1823, Alexander Alyabyev retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel with full board and lived in Moscow and St. Petersburg. At this time, he wrote the vaudeville opera The Village Philosopher, staged at the Mokhovaya Theater in Moscow.
In 1824, he wrote the vaudeville operas Khlopotun, or The Work of the Master Is Afraid and The Petitioner together with A.N. Verstovsky, staged in the theaters of Moscow.
In 1825 he wrote the choirs for the prologue "The Triumph of the Muses" and the vaudeville operas "The Meeting of Stagecoaches", "The Fun of the Caliph, or Jokes for a Day" together with A.N. Verstovsky, which were staged at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.
A catastrophe broke out that year: Alyabyev was accused of a murder he did not commit. During a game of chance at cards in his house, Alyabyev discovered that the landowner Vremev was cheating. For which he was severely beaten and died three days later. The owner of the house was arrested and placed in a fortress in solitary confinement for three years, where he began to write music out of idleness.
Composer A.N. Verstovsky said about him: “Prison is good for Russian talent! Alyabyev replied with a grin: Tell him that next to me there are a lot of empty cells.
In 1826, in prison, Alexander Alyabyev wrote his most famous romance, The Nightingale, to the words of the poet A.A. Delvig.
In 1827 he wrote the ballet The Magic Drum, or the Corollary of the Magic Flute.
On December 1, 1827, Alexander Alyabyev was deprived of his ranks, orders, nobility and exiled to Tobolsk by the Highest order.
What deigned to amuse you so, sir? - the official asked with bewilderment. - In Siberia, they will teach you seriousness!
This is unlikely, - said Alexander Alyabyev. - In Tobolsk I spent the best years of my life - childhood and youth. After all, my father was the governor of Tobolsk.
In Tobolsk, Alexander Alyabyev organized a symphony orchestra of "Cossack music", led symphony and choral concerts, acted as a conductor and pianist. During this exile, he wrote his most famous romances "Winter Road", "Evening Bells", "Two Crows".
In 1832-1833, Alexander Alyabyev received permission to travel to the Caucasus for treatment, where he recorded Caucasian, Bashkir, Kyrgyz, Turkmen, Tatar folk songs and compiled together with the Ukrainian folklorist historian M.A. Maksimovich, the collection "Voices of Ukrainian Songs", published in 1834.
In 1835, Alexander Alyabyev was allowed to live in the Moscow province with relatives with a ban on entry to both capitals.
During this period, he wrote music for the dramas The Apostate, or the Siege of Corinth (1837), The Mermaid by A.S. Pushkin, The Merry Wives of Winsor” by W. Shakespeare (1838).
In 1840, Alexander Alyabyev married E.A. Rimskaya-Korsakova.
In 1843, he received imperial permission to live under police supervision in Moscow "in order not to appear in public."
Alexander Alyabyev died on February 22, 1851 and was buried in the Simonov Monastery in the family tomb of the Alyabyevs.
FOREWORD
This work is devoted to the biography of the remarkable Russian composer Alexander Alexandrovich Alyabyev. The main chapters of the book cover forty years of his life - from birth to exile. They describe the early years of the composer's life, the maturation of his artistic individuality, participation in the Patriotic War and a foreign campaign, subsequent officer service and the resumption of composition studies, intensive creative activity for the theater and the beginning of the flowering of vocal lyrics - the most important area of \u200b\u200bhis work. During these years, many of his musical stage works appeared, including the comic opera "Moonlight Night, or Brownies" and the ballet "The Magic Drum, or the Consequence of the Magic Flute", three string quartets, a series of piano pieces, a number of popular romances and songs, and among them is the famous Nightingale. In the composer's personal life, this period ended with a long prison term, caused by a grave and unfair accusation. Clarifying the circumstances associated with the trial, exposing the legends created around the notorious quarrel at the card table, and rehabilitating the composer on the basis of accurate and objective data is one of the tasks of this work.
An addition to the main part of the work is the publication of A. A. Alyabyev's letters relating to the period of exile and the last years of his life in Moscow.
“Pages from the Life of A. A. Alyabyev” is not only a biography, but also a creative biography of the composer’s works, mainly theatrical (the history of the creation and production of opera, ballet, vaudeville) and vocal (data on the composition and publication of romances and songs). These are the chapters and sections: "Works of the 1810s", "Alyabyev's creative work for the theater in St. Petersburg and Moscow in the first half of the 20s", "Alyabyev's early Pushkin works", "Alyabyev's creative work during the years of imprisonment" ( music for the theater, vocal-symphonic and instrumental works, vocal lyrics and especially the Russian song Nightingale), as well as the final chapter of the appendices - Creative Memos of Later Years. A lot of space is given to the history of works in the sections on Alyabyev's creative connection with the Decembrist writers, on meetings with Maikovs, etc.
Finding out the time of creation, performance and publication of works is one of the necessary prerequisites for accurate periodization and correct characterization of the composer's work. Usually, works about Alyabyev give too general reviews of his artistic heritage without taking into account the creative evolution and without establishing differences between the works of different periods. The absence of a solid chronological support makes it difficult to correctly determine the composer's place in the overall development of musical art.
New research shows that a number of Alyabyev's works appeared much earlier than previously thought. In general, the beginning of his creative activity must be attributed to a much earlier period. Alyabyev began to study composition and publish his works even before the Patriotic War of 1812. He was not only a contemporary of M. I. Glinka, A. E. Varlamov, A. L. Gurilev, A. N. Verstovsky, but also their predecessor.
Alyabyev is known primarily as the author of romances and songs. But he is also a symphonist, theater composer, master of chamber, choral and military orchestra music. These areas of his work remained in the background for many decades and were hardly mentioned in general writings on the history of music. Only since the late 1930s have they begun to attract the attention of musicologists. After the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, Alyabyev's instrumental music began to be performed in concerts and radio broadcasts; for the first time a number of his symphonic, chamber and choral scores, instrumental duets were printed, piano pieces were republished. Interest in his vocal compositions also increased (the publication of collections of selected romances, popularization in concerts, etc.). However, the richness of Alyabyev's romance and song creativity has not yet been mastered by either performers or researchers; many valuable pages of his lyrics are still in oblivion. The “Complete Collection of Romances and Songs for Singing with Piano” by A. Alyabyev in four parts (volumes) containing 112 (actually 113) numbers, released by the firm of P. I. Yurgenson in 1898, does not cover the entire chamber vocal heritage of the composer; this did not include about fifty works published in ancient editions, as well as a large number of romances and songs preserved in manuscripts.
The first - and the only one so far - monograph about Alyabyev belongs to the pen of G. N. Timofeev. His book was published in 1912 and was awarded an honorary review by the Academy of Sciences. This work was an important contribution to the study of the life and work of Alyabyev. However, many materials (the composer's archive, the funds of the judicial authorities, etc.) were inaccessible to the biographer; he did not use enough literary sources, in particular, periodicals. In the presentation of the biography, there are many “blank spots”, inaccuracies and errors were made.
For the revival of interest in the work of Alyabyev, the statements of B. V. Asafiev, who called Alyabyev "the first outstanding Russian lyric poet" (an article in the collection "Russian Romance", 1930), were of greater importance. The dismissive attitude of previous generations of musicians towards Alyabyev as an "amateur" began to give way to recognition of his role as the greatest of the masters of the Russian romance of the pre-Glinka period.
Over the past two decades, a number of articles have been published that fill in some gaps in the composer's biography. Alyabyev is the subject of separate essays in textbooks on the history of Russian music written by M.S. Pekelis (1940) and Yu. V, Keldysh (1948), as well as in the dissertation, V. A. Vasina-Grossman. B. V. Dobrokhotov and G. V. Kirkor did a great job of editing and publishing the works that remained in the manuscripts.
However, the study of the life path and artistic heritage of Alyabyev is far from over. Many periods of life and many aspects of the activity of the outstanding Russian musician-composer. pianist, conductor, singer, teacher, collector of folk songs, organizer of musical life - should be re-illuminated. At the same time, it is extremely necessary to clear his biography of the mass of fabrications, anecdotes, myths and factual errors that have accumulated over decades, stubbornly holding on and multiplying to this day.
Perhaps, none of the composer's biographies has been subjected to such incredible distortions as the biography of Alyabyev. Incorrect information about the composer, incorrect dates (starting from the year of birth - with a difference of fifteen years! - and ending with the year of death) come across even in the latest works, for example, in works about A. S. Griboedov, L. N. Tolstoy, A. N. Radishchev Decembrist writers. To illustrate, let us give the following example: in the comments to one of the publications in such a solid and carefully prepared scientific publication as Literary Heritage (issue 59, ed. 1954), on page 212, it is reported that Colonel A. N. Alyabyev (composer ) was condemned by the State Council in 1825 - three errors in one phrase (the year, rank, initials are incorrectly indicated)! Gross errors concerning the facts of the composer's creative biography are contained all the time in the special musicological literature. All this forces us to stop more than we would like to analyze and refute false reports, unsubstantiated statements and inaccuracies, to make clarifications and amendments. The fulfillment of this task is especially important in cases where one or another legend inherited by tradition and hard to get rid of, or born in recent times, and fantasy passed off as truth, creates a false idea of the social and moral character of the composer or introduces confusion into the history of his creative development.
Often, in order to clarify a fact, to discover new moments in a biography, one has to involve material that is indirectly related to the research topic. Sometimes, for example, it turns out to be necessary to determine the period of stay "in the regiment of a composer's colleague, the exact location of a relative or friend, the years of life of the person to whom the work is dedicated, in order to find a starting point for tracing the composer's personal connections, clarifying the chronology of his compositions, and establishing his whereabouts in a given period etc. Experience shows that without taking into account the so-called details, which are so dismissively treated by other music critics, the most thoughtful, but groundless "generalizations" and "creative concepts" sometimes fail.
Materials borrowed from general historical, literary, theater, etc. sources can help to widely cover the musical-historical theme. The author of this work sought to use such materials when studying the era in which Alyabyev lived, and to characterize the people with whom the composer met. Of considerable value to the historian of music are such works as the book by M. V. Nechkina “A. S. Griboyedov and the Decembrists” (although it is impossible not to note some inaccuracies in this book concerning A. A. Alyabyev specifically). At the same time, the study of the composer's connections with writers, actors and other masters of art
provides new material for the biographies of these cultural figures.
In the book "Pages from the Life of A. A. Alyabyev" much attention is paid to the immediate environment of the musician, his communication, with representatives of the Decembrist movement, Freemasonry, hussar and literary communities, amateur musical and theater circles, the artistic world, with his comrades in the composer's profession , with co-workers for creative work, with friends and acquaintances. The facts stated in this plan should help to recreate the situation of life and. Alyabyev's activities, to determine his relationship with various social and artistic circles, to shade some aspects of his nature. In the chapters specially devoted to Alyabyev's connections with individuals, the presentation is not limited to the chronological framework of the main part of the book (before the composer's exile), but extends to the subsequent years of his life.
In the personal life of Alexander Alexandrovich, family ties played an important role. The composer spent his childhood and youth in the family. Later, upon his retirement, he lived in Moscow in the same apartment with his sister Ekaterina, who came to him and went into exile - Siberia, and then to the Caucasus. Having received a partial amnesty, he settled on the estate of his sister Natalia; all the sisters, brother Vasily and their families took a close part in his fate. On the literary texts of his brother, Alexander Alexandrovich wrote a number of musical compositions. To get an idea of the environment in which Alyabyev developed from childhood, information about his parents is important - about his mother's belonging to the Novikov family, his father's educational activities in Siberia, his interest in music and theater, his attitude towards A. N. Radishchev and the Tobolsk exiles. It is necessary to describe quite fully and truthfully the appearance of A.V. Alyabyev, especially because in both the former and modern literature there are reviews that sharply differ in assessing his personality.
The young years of the composer were spent in Moscow. They fall on the period immediately preceding the Patriotic War of 1812. Just this period is least covered in the musical-historical literature. Works on the history of Russian musical culture of the 18th century do not reach him. Works on the history of Russian music of the 19th century usually begin in the post-war period or even in 1825 and, in any case, do not single out “either this period or the musical culture of Moscow. Hence the task arose - to collect information about various aspects of the musical life of Moscow during the first period of Alyabyev's stay in the ancient Russian capital. A similar task was put forward with regard to information characterizing the impressions of Russian soldiers abroad during the campaign of 1813-1814. The next section gives a general idea of the national upsurge caused by the Patriotic War. It directly precedes the description of the composer's creative activity and characterization of his environment. The next task—the analysis of creativity—should be solved in subsequent works on musicology.
*
All documents published for the first time in the book are given according to the new spelling, but with the preservation of the characteristic features of writing and punctuation. In quotations from printed and archival materials, all text omissions are indicated by dots enclosed in square brackets.
Sources are highlighted in a special appendix; there are no direct references to them in the book. The authors of the materials cited or mentioned, and, if necessary, also the names and dates are given in the course of presentation in the main text of the work. More detailed bibliographic indications, with the designation of the imprint of the publication, pages, etc., are placed in the "Sources", where all materials are grouped by thematic feature within each chapter and each section. When necessary, the names of printed and archival sources are accompanied by notes that determine their belonging to a particular fact or quotation. In the sections related to Alyabyev's musical and theatrical works, the name of the institution indicates the location of the score or libretto. At the beginning of each section of the sources, the corresponding pages of the main text are indicated.
In order to save space, sources that are repeatedly mentioned, as well as words that are often repeated in the bibliography, are abbreviated (see the list of conditional abbreviations). In addition, in the table of contents, at the title of each section of the book, the pages of the corresponding section of the "Sources" are also indicated. The main literature about Alyabyev is given separately, in chronological order. Alyabyev's letters and documents cited in the book, as well as the composer's musical works mentioned in it, are listed in special indexes.
Some unknown or forgotten romances by Alyabyev, related to the early period of his work (four romances to the words of V. A. Zhukovsky), or associated with the names of Decembrist poets (N. N. Orzhitsky, F. N. Glinka), or, finally, serving as a creative reminder of Alyabyev's relationship with contemporary composers (elegy for the collection of M. I. Glinka).
Chapter I Family.
Chapter II. The first twenty-five years of life in civilian
Information about early childhood, about the service of the department and about youthful entertainment
General and musical education. The beginning of the creative path
Musical impressions of the early Moscow period.
Chapter III
Alyabyev in the Patriotic War of 1812 and the foreign campaign of 1813-1814
Chapter IV
Return to musical activities
Musical impressions of the war years In the setting of a national upsurge. The resumption of music lessons Compositions of the 1810s. End of military career
Chapter V
Friendly relations between the officer and the musician Alyabyev
Statement of a question. Facts and conjectures
Alyabyev's creative connections with Decembrist writers. Fellow soldier N. N. Orzhitsky. Collaboration with P. A. Mukhanov and F. N. Glinka. Meetings with A. A. Bestuzhev. Possible acquaintance with VK Kuchelbeker. Masonic question. General I. M. Borozdin and others Hussar freemen. Denis Davydov. "Knights Faces of Love, Freedom and Wine" (Pushkin)
Communication with the participants of the "Green Lamp". N. V. Vsevolozhsky, P. B. Mansurov, Sh. F. Yuriev. Question about acquaintance with A. S. Pushkin
A. A. Alyabiev and A. S. Griboyedov. Brothers D. N. and S. N. Begichev. N. A. Shatilov
Alyabyev and Griboedov's Moscow. A. A. Tuchkov, G. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, N. I. Tolstoy, A. M. Isleniev.
Chapter VI
Alyabiev's creative work for the theater in St. Petersburg and Moscow in the first half of the 20s
Alyabyev's theatrical debut. Opera-vaudeville "A New Prank, or Theatrical Battle" (text by Y. I. Khmelnitsky, music by A. A. Alyabyev, L. V. Maurer and A. N.
Verstovoky).
"Moonlight Night, or Brownies", comic opera in two acts with choirs (libretto by P. A. Mukhanov and P. Arapov)
Music for comedies-vaudevilles by M. N. Zagoskin and P. I. Arapov.
Music for the vaudeville operas by A. I. Pisarev "The Triumph of the Muses"
Chapter VII
Theatrical and musical environment of Alyabyev in the first half of the 20s
Theatrical figures are playwrights A. A. Shakhovskoy, A. A. Maikov, F. F. Kokoshzhin, M. N. Zagoskin, composer A. N. Verstovsky. Artist N. A. Maikov Singers P. A. Bulakhov, N. V. Repina, N. V. Lavrov, D. M. Lavrova, A. O. Bantyshev
Conductors-composers L. V. Maurer, K, A. Kapoe, F, E, Scholz, N. E. Kubista
Actors M. S. Shchepkin, I. I. Sosnitsky, V. I. Ryazantsev, A. M. and A., T. Saburovs
Amateur theatricals. The Vsevolozhsky family, I. I. Khmelnitsky, P, N, Arapop, A. I. Pisarev, A. A, Vashilov and others
Charity Concerts. Musical salons. Zinaida Volkonskaya, brothers Mikhail and Matvey Vislgorsky, Vladimir Odoevsky
Chapter VIII. Early Pushkin works by Alyabyev
"Prisoner of the Caucasus". "Circassian song". "A tear"
Chapter IX. Trial
The February Incident of 1825 in the View of Contemporaries and in the Memory of Descendants
Circumstances of the case, its real and imaginary participants and victims, prosecution witnesses and organizers of the investigation
Three years of persecution
Chapter X. Alyabyev's creative work during the years of imprisonment
Theatrical music. Ballet "The Magic Drum, or the Consequence of the Magic Flute". Vocal and symphonic works
(Russian song "Nightingale"
a) Background
b) Chronological riddle.
c) Delvig and his "Russian Melody"
d) 1825 or 1826?
e) Popularity
f) Supplement. Alyabyev's works based on texts by Delvig
The beginning of the heyday of Alyabyev's vocal lyrics Some information about instrumental compositions
Alyabyeva prison years
"Farewell to the Nightingale".
APPS
1. Years of exile in the composer's letters
Tobolsk
Pyatigorsk.
Orenburg.
Bogorodsk district.
Semi-legal business trip to Moscow.
Kolomna
2. Creative reminders of later years
Romance of Griboedov-Verstovoky and Griboyedov-Alyabyev.
Elegy Alyabiev for the collection of M. I. Glinka
Alyabiev's romance for the collection of A. S. Dargomyzhsky and recording in a music album.
SOURCES
List of conditional abbreviations
Sources for chapters 1-X
Sources for applications.
Literature about A. A. Alyabyev
POINTS
Letters and documents of A. A. Alyabyev. The works of A. A. Alyabyev mentioned in the book
List of illustrations
Hymen index.
NOTES APP. A. ALYABEV. ROMANCES.
Four romances to words by V. A. Zhukovsky
Julia. Voice from beyond
Memory
Traveler
Loyalty to the grave
Farewell hussar. Words by N. N. Orzhitsky.
Longing sick Nina. Words by F. N. Glinka.
"Where are you, lovely land." Elegy
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ANIMATED PAGES
“Carries eternity all under the gloomy vault of coffins,
But immaculate souls and thoughts and aspirations
Throws out a shaft of severe oblivion
To the shore of being, like grains of pearls.
K.M. Fofanov
To a wide circle of music lovers, the name of A.A. Alyabyeva is familiar mainly due to the romance Nightingale. Unfortunately, the extensive and multifaceted creative heritage of the composer, as well as his biography, remained in oblivion for a long time. For 50 years after his death, there was not a single attempt to seriously understand the work and complex biography of the composer. If until 1825 the name of Alyabyev was mentioned relatively often, then after that, except for reviews of romances, it completely disappeared from the press, and incomplete or erroneous information about his life only led to a distortion of the image of the composer both as a person and as a musical figure.
Alyabyev's compositions, except for romances, songs, several piano pieces and the clavier of The Prisoner of the Caucasus, were not published. After the composer's death, part of his archive, which included over 500 musical manuscripts, was transferred by someone close to the Moscow Conservatory, and there, without any account and
processing dumped in cellars. Musical and literary manuscripts held by private individuals were often barbarously destroyed.
Only 60 years after Alyabyev's death did the first biographical sketch appear, and only after the Great Patriotic War, when the archives became available to the public.study, the composer's manuscripts were removed from the cellars of the conservatory and transferred to the State Central Museum of Musical Culture. M.I. Glinka, where they are kept to this day. Thus, the museum, which concentrated the main part of the archive, began to study the musical heritage of Alyabyev. Museum staff, B.V. Dobrokhotov, I.N. Jordan and T.V. Kirkor, prepared scores for many orchestral, choral and chamber-instrumental works.
The performance of these previously unknown works began in the spring of 1947 with a concert organized by the museum together with the Moscow State Philharmonic. In this concert, after more than a century of oblivion, the State Orchestra of the USSR and the soloists of the Philharmonic under the baton of conductor N.P. Anosov, for the first time, variations for violin and orchestra, four works for voice and orchestra, two orchestral overtures and the Third String Quartet were performed. In the promotion of Alyabyev's chamber art, the State Quartet named after A.I. Beethoven, in his concerts, except for the Third, for the first time performed the First String Quartet, and together with E.G. Gilels - a piano quintet, a sonata for piano and violin, and a piano trio that has gained great popularity. Choral works of the composer were performed in concerts of the State Academic Choir named after. A.V. Sveshnikov.
Since 1949, publications of previously unpublished major works by Alyabyev began to appear, and many "blank spots" in the biography of the outstanding Russian musician were revealed. The creative heritage of the composer is represented by almost all musical genres. It turned out that he wrote more than 450 works, including six operas, a ballet, over 20 vaudeville operas, many compositions for symphony and brass bands, for voice and orchestra, choirs, music for dramatic performances, pieces for various instruments with piano, chamber ensembles, arrangements of songs of many peoples of Russia and over 160 romances.
Understanding of Alyabyev's role in the history of Russian musical art continues to deepen as his unknown or forgotten works are found in the archives, and since. the geography of his wanderings is vast, and one can hope for further discoveries.
* * *
There are composers who gain fame and immortality thanks to a single work. Such is A. Alyabyev - the author of the famous romance "The Nightingale" to the verses of A. Delvig. This romance is sung all over the world, poems and stories are dedicated to it, it exists in concert adaptations by M. Glinka, A. Dubuc, F. Liszt, A. Vietana, and the number of its nameless transcriptions is unlimited. However, in addition to the Nightingale, Alyabyev left a great legacy: 6 operas, ballet, vaudeville, music for performances, a symphony, overtures, compositions for a brass band, numerous choral, chamber instrumental works, more than 180 romances, arrangements of folk songs. Many of these compositions were performed during the composer's lifetime, they were successful, although few were published - romances, several piano pieces, the melodrama "Prisoner of the Caucasus" by A. Pushkin.Alyabyev's vocal work is closely connected with the traditions of Russian urban folklore of the early 19th century. In his "Russian songs" he skillfully translated the best features of everyday song lyrics of the Pushkin era. Among them, the song "Nightingale" (1826) to the text of A. A. Delvig gained nationwide popularity. A sensitive and thoughtful artist, Alyabyev showed great attention to new phenomena in Russian poetry. He was one of the first interpreters of the lyrics of A. S. Pushkin (romances “If life deceives you”, “I loved you”, “Alas, why does it shine”, “Awakening”, “Winter road”, etc.), V. A. Zhukovsky, A. A. Delvig, N. M. Yazykov, I. I. Kozlov and others. Based on the achievements of Russian literature, he expanded the content of the romance and in his vocal work went beyond the traditional love-lyrical themes.
A special place in Alyabyev's work is occupied by romances-monologues related to the theme of loneliness, exile, difficult wanderings: "Irtysh", "Evening Bells", "Winter Road". Created during the years of Siberian exile, they were a kind of lyrical confession of the composer. They are distinguished by laconicism, strength and depth of musical expression. The patriotic theme, reflected in the songs of the 30s, received a vivid embodiment. (“Songs of Bayan” to lyrics by Yazykov and others).In the works of the 40s. Alyabyev turns to subjects of social significance. In songs to the words of N. P. Ogaryov ("Kabak", "Hut",“The Village Watchman”) and P. Beranger (“The Beggar Woman”), he creates images of the destitute, similar to the images of Russian literature of that time (St. Petersburg stories by N. V. Gogol, early stories by F. M. Dostoevsky and I. S. Turgenev). These songs were prepared by the innovative works of A. S. Dargomyzhsky (“Fever”) and M. P. Mussorgsky (“Kalistrat”, “Gopak”, “Trepak”).Enriching the theme of the Russian romance, Alyabiev sought to update the means of musical expression. He developed the declamatory elements of the vocal melody, increased the expressive meaning of harmony and texture, and gave independent significance to the piano part. The characteristic features of Alyabyev's musical language are the frequent use of organ points and ostinato figurations, the aggravation of modal inclinations by alteration, the colorful comparison of the same keys (major and minor). These techniques testify to the composer's creative assimilation of new tendencies of musical romanticism.Alyabyev is the author of many vaudeville operas that were staged in theaters in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In 1822, in St. Petersburg at the Bolshoi Theater, Alyabyev's comic opera Moonlit Night, or Brownies, in two acts, and the vaudeville opera New Prank, or Theatrical Battle, were shown for the first time. In 1823, the vaudeville "Polish" was performed, and the following year there was a vaudeville "Traveling Dancer Actress, or Three Sisters of the Bride" by P. N. Arapova (1824, St. Petersburg, benefit performance by A. I. Istomina; 1825, Bolshoi Theater, Moscow, benefit performance by D.S. Richard) with an overture and other music by Alyabyev. In 1824, two one-act vaudeville operas, altered from the French by A.I. Pisarev: "Teacher and student, or Hangover in someone else's feast" and "The Troublemaker, or the Work of the master is afraid." Alyabyev wrote the music for them in collaboration with Verstovsky. In 1825, a three-act vaudeville opera by A.I. Pisarev "Fun Caliph, or Jokes for one day", with music written by Alyabyev in collaboration with A.N. Verstovsky and F.E. Scholz. In 1826-27. the vaudeville opera "Morning and Evening, or the Wind has Changed" by R. M. Zotov with music by Alyabyev was performed.
In 1825, together with A.N. Verstovsky Alyabiev wrote music for the prologue “The Triumph of the Muses” by M. A. Dmitriev, performed at the opening of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.
In 1827, Alyabyev's comic ballet The Magic Drum, or the Consequence of the Magic Flute was staged at the Moscow Bolshoi Theater (choreographer F. Bernadelli; judging by the title, a continuation of the ballet The Magic Flute, or Dancers involuntarily by Makovets, 1818, the same choreographer). The witty and effective music of Alyabyev's ballet (one of his most popular musical and theatrical compositions) is characterized by a developed timbre-instrumental dramaturgy, emphasizing the confrontation between the magical forces of the flute and the drum. Musical and thematic repetitions are used to describe similar stage situations (anticipating the leitmotif system in Russian ballet of the 2nd half of the 19th century), and to concretize mimic speech, quotations from the music of other composers (including Makovets's ballet).
Only in 1843 Alyabyev received permission to live in Moscow under police supervision. Here he again enters the theatrical environment, writes music for dramatic performances, works on the operas The Fisherman and the Mermaid and Ammalat-Bek. Alyabyev continues enjoy great fame. He was often asked totake part in a charity evening or write a romance or chorus for some occasion. For a concert for the benefit of the poorAlyabyev wrote, for example, a charity hymn to the patriotic verses of F.N. Glinka for orchestra, choir and solo voice; in the same concert, Alyabyev's "Song on the Death of Lavrov" (an artist of the Moscow theater) was performed. In 1847, he became friends with A. S. Dargomyzhsky. Seriously ill, Alyabyev did not leave creative work until the end of his life. Among his latest works are songs to the words of the democratic poet N. P. Ogaryov with plotsfrom folk life("Kabak", "Hut", "Village watchman").Alyabyev's contribution to Russian chamber instrumental music is significant. Among the numerous chamber ensembles of Alyabyev, two string quartets (No. l and No. 3), an a-moll piano trio, and a sonata for violin and piano stand out. In these works, the principles of the classical sonata cycle are organically combined with elements of Russian songwriting. Such are the slow part of the 3rd quartet (on the theme of the song "The Nightingale"), the 1st part and the finale of the piano trio, permeated with intonations of Russian folk songs and everyday romance. In their artistic appearance, these works are close to the chamber ensembles of M. I. Glinka, also created in the 20-30s.
The best examples of early Russian symphonism include the one-movement symphony in e-moll, the f-moll overture, opera overtures, and ballet music. Alyabyev also paid great attention to wind music (marches, overtures for a brass band). Alyabyev's theatrical heritage has been little studied. The difficult situation of the exile prevented the production of his operas, written in his mature years. These works, mostly unfinished, remained in manuscript (only works from the early 1920s were performed - vaudeville, ballet, and the opera Moonlit Night). Meanwhile, in theatrical music of the late 20s - early 40s. the composer developed great themes of world literature, turned to the work of A. S. Pushkin (music for theatrical staging of the poem "The Prisoner of the Caucasus", for the drama "Mermaid") and W. Shakespeare (operas "The Tempest", "Magic Night" - based on the comedy " A Midsummer Night's Dream", music for the comedy "The Merry Wives of Windsor"). In his last opera "Ammalat-Bek" (based on the plot of the story by A. A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky), Alyabyev used folk tunes recorded by him in the Caucasus. However, the most important part of Alyabyev's legacy is still his romances and songs.In romances, which almost always have a simple couplet form, Alyabyev discovered an undoubted melodic gift. His melodies are beautiful, sincere and sometimes not devoid of the Russian national character. The declamation is natural and quite expressive. The piano accompaniment, simple in harmony, is written sonorously, but not varied, although it often reflects the intention to illustrate the text. Most famous of all is his "Nightingale", which has achieved rare popularity, has been repeatedly performed by famous singers: Pauline Viardot, Adeline Patti and Marcella Sembrich (in the scene of a vocal lesson in the opera "The Barber of Seville" by Rossini and in concerts) and brilliantly arranged in the form of a piano piece by Fr. Leaf.The melody of "The Nightingale", supported by an uncomplicated accompaniment, is unhurried and free, soft and gentle. This composition in couplet form, with the juxtaposition of verse and refrain characteristic of Russian folk songs, can serve as a classic example of the urban song style of the first half of the 19th century. The popularity of Alyabyev's romances was very high. Romances were also very loved in their time: "In the Evening the Blush of the Dawn" and "Evening Ringing". The collection of Russian romances and songs published in Germany under the title: "Sammlung Russischer Romanzen und Volkslieder" (published by Schubert, Hamburg) includes Alyabyev's romances: "The Nightingale", "The Song of the Poor", "Ray of Hope" and "In the Evening Blush of the Dawn".
The first edition of Alyabyev's romances (with a portrait of the author) was published in Moscow by Yu. Gresser in 1859 in two parts: in the first 58, in the second - 12 romances. The second edition of P. Yurgenson (1898 - 99, Moscow) contains 111 romances in four volumes, including six Little Russian songs included in the collection, published back in 1833 (M.A. Maksimovich, "Voices of Ukrainian Songs", arranged by Alyabyeva, Moscow) and a collection of romances and songs "Caucasian singer" (M., 1834).
Alyabiev's work is one of the brightest phenomena of Russian culture of the Pushkin era. A contemporary of Glinka and Dargomyzhsky, Alyabyevin his best works, he approaches the creative method of these classical composers, combining romantic tendencies with the deep, vital truth of images.
Notable writings
operas
Moonlit night, or Brownies (1822, post. 1823, Bolshoi Theater (St. Petersburg)),
Tempest (1830s),
Magic Night (1838-39, unfinished)
The Fisherman and the Mermaid, or the Evil Potion (1841-43),
Ammalat-Bek (1842-47).
vaudeville operas
A new prank, or a theatrical battle (together with A. N. Verstovsky and L. V. Maurer, 1822, Bolshoi Theater, St. Petersburg),
Village Philosopher (1823, theater on Mokhovaya, Moscow),
Khlopotun, or the Master's Work is Afraid (together with Verstovsky, 1824, Maly Theatre, Moscow),
The petitioner (together with Verstovsky, Mikh. Yu. Vielgorsky and F. E Scholz, 1824, theater on Mokhovaya, Moscow),
Meeting of Stagecoaches (together with Verstovsky, 1825, Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow),
Fun Caliph, or Jokes for one day (together with Verstovsky and Scholz, 1825, ibid.),
Three Tens, or New Two-Day Adventure (together with Verstovsky, 1825, ibid),
Morning and evening, or the wind has changed (1826), etc.
Ballet
The Magic Drum, or The Corollary of the Magic Flute (1827).
Music for drama performances
Storm (A. A. Shakhovsky, after W. Shakespeare, 1827),
Mermaid (Pushkin, 1838),
The Merry Wives of Windsor (Shakespeare, 1838),
Crazy (according to the story by I. I. Kozlov, 1841), etc.
Other writings
prologue Celebration of the Muses at the opening of the Bolshoi Theater (together with Verstovsky and Scholz, 1824, performed in 1825);melodrama Prisoner of the Caucasus (based on the text of the poem of the same name by A. S. Pushkin, 1828);
cantatas;
for orchestra, including the symphony in e-moll (1850), overture, dances;
for brass band, including overture;
instrumental ensembles - 3 strings. quartet (No 1, Es-dur, 1815; No 3, g-moll, 1825), 2 fp. trio (Es-dur, 1815; a-moll, 1834), fp. quintet (1815), sonata for Skr. and fp. (1834), quartet for 4 flutes, quintet for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn, etc.;
pieces and cycles of variations for various instruments, piano. plays, including sonata, dances;
choirs and choral adaptations of own compositions;
romances for voice with piano. (St. 150);
wok. ensembles;
processing of folk songs, including Voices of Ukrainian Songs, published by Mikhail Maksimovich, arranged by Alexander Alyabyev (1832, ed. 1834, M., 1961); Asian Songs (1833-35), etc.