The Mighty Group, also known as the "Mighty handful"
Centered by Balakirev and the critic Stasov, is a Russian national vocal art creation team one of the main forces. They are engaged in collecting, organizing and adapting Russian folk songs, and their research on folk art directly affects their subject matter, content, expression techniques and stylistic characteristics.
1. Mily Alexeyvich Balakirev (1837-1910), a Russian composer, studied piano since childhood. In 1855, he met Glinka and Stasov in Petersburg, and was deeply influenced by their artistic ideas. In 1857, he formed the famous "Powerful Five Group" (also known as the "New Russian School of Music") headed by him. In 1862, he hosted a voluntary music school and engaged in teaching and performance activities.
Main works include: "Symphony in C major", "Symphony in D minor", and the symphonic poem "Tamara". Orchestral music "Three Overtures with Russian Folk Songs as the Theme", Piano Fantasy "Islamy", "Piano Sonata in B flat minor", "Piano Concerto in E flat major" (unfinished, continued by Ryapunov )wait. In addition, he also composed two sets of romantic songs and solo songs such as "Bandit Song", "Song of Selim", "Song of Georgia", etc., and adapted and compiled a large number of folk songs.
2. Cesar Cui (1835～1918), Russian composer, born in Lithuania. As a child, he went to Poland to study music. Graduated from Military Technical University in 1857. Later, he mainly engaged in teaching military engineering. In 1904, he was promoted to Army General. As an amateur composer, he was a member of Russia's "Powerful Five".
He wrote a large number of music mainly composed of vocal works, and once composed operas based on the literary works of famous poets such as Heine and Hugo. His representative work is the instrumental piece "Oriental Style".
3. Borodin (Алекса?ндр Порфи?рьевич Бороди?н, 1833～1887)
Russian composer and chemist. Born in St. Petersburg on November 12, 1833, died in the same place on February 27, 1887. He received a good education when he was young, was proficient in several languages, was good at piano and flute, and started composing music at the age of 14. He entered St. Petersburg Medical College in 1850, stayed at the school to teach after graduation, and received a doctorate in medicine in 1858. From 1872 to 1887, she founded the Women's Medical University and taught there.
His music creation activities began in the 1850s, and he wrote some vocal romances, piano pieces and chamber music. In 1862, he met M.A. Balakirev and became an important member of the New Russian School of Music (a powerful group). His representative works include the opera "Prince Igor" which embodies the grand historical picture of ancient Russia and expresses the spirit of patriotism; the Second Symphony "Warrior" which established the Russian epic symphony genre; and symphonic music and paintings rich in Russian style and oriental color. "On the Steppes of Central Asia", two string quartets, vocal romance "For the Shores of a Distant Motherland", "Sleeping Princess", "Song of the Dark Forest", "Neptune's Princess", "The Sea", "My The song is full of malice" and so on.
In chemical research, he was the first to make benzoyl chloride and explored the condensation reaction of aldehydes.
He was originally the illegitimate son of Georgian Prince Gaedinov of the Caucasus and a military doctor's wife. For this reason, he could only be the son of the prince's serf Boris Borodin. He was raised by his mother and received a good education since childhood. He was talented and proficient in several languages, and soon revealed his superhuman genius in science and music. He began his musical enlightenment at the age of nine, learning to play the flute and cello. He began composing music at the age of fourteen and published a flute concerto and a string trio. In 1850, he entered the Petersburg Medical College to study chemistry. He graduated in 1855 and stayed at the school to teach. Three years later, at the age of twenty-five, Borodin received a doctorate in chemistry. In 1862, Borodin met the composer Balakirev and admired the composer's idea of ??developing Russian national music. From then on, he used his spare time to actively engage in music creation and participated in the development of Russian national music. Music's five-person "powerful group".
The heroic and epic nature of Borodin's creations are the main contents of his works. His music has a strong national character, and some of his works have a charming oriental exotic flavor.
In his own music, he strives to express and praise the life and spirit of the Russian people, and to praise the bravery of ancient Russian heroes. Through his music, one can gain a deeper understanding of the Russian nation and its music.
Since Borodin's major is chemistry, composition can only be done in his spare time. He calls himself a "Sunday composer".
4. Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich (1839-1881), Russian composer. Mussorgsky was born on March 21, 1839 in the village of Karevo, Torobet County. His father was the owner of the manor. He started studying piano under the guidance of his mother at the age of 6. Life in the countryside and being nurtured by serf nannies made him have deep feelings for farmers and Russian folk music. In 1849, he entered the Petropavlov School in St. Petersburg. From 1852 to 1856, he studied at the Guards Sergeant School, while studying with A. A. Gerke studied piano and tried his hand at composing music. In 1852, he published his first work - the polka "Warrant Officer" (piano music). After graduating in 1856, he went to serve in the army and met U. A. Guy, A. C. Dalgomezhsky, B. B． Stasov and M. A. Balakirev, which had a decisive influence on his life's artistic path. In 1858, he resigned from the military and devoted himself to composing music under the guidance of Balakirev, and became the most radical member of the "New Russian Music School" (i.e., the "Powerful Group"). From the late 1950s to the early 1960s, he wrote some orchestral music, piano music and songs, and also wrote the soundtrack for the ancient Greek tragedy "Oedipus the King" (original work by Sophocles). After the tsarist government was forced to announce the abolition of serfdom in 1861, he returned to his hometown and distributed his ancestral land and family property to the peasants. Returning to St. Petersburg in 1863, he was further treated by H. r． The influence of Russian revolutionary democratic thought represented by Chernyshevsky has undergone profound ideological changes and formed a progressive world outlook and artistic outlook. His democratic ideological tendency and realist creative principles are fully reflected in his works. The representative works in his life were all produced during this period. Mussorgsky spent the rest of his life in poverty. He was hit mentally by the official and conservative forces, and had no material security. He relied on piano accompaniment, teaching and working as a civil servant to make ends meet. Died in St. Petersburg on March 28, 1881.
In Mussorgsky's creative field, opera is at the forefront. He wrote five operas in total, but none of them were completed and were continued by future generations. Although the first two operas, "Salambao" (based on G. Flaubert's novel, 1863-1866) and "The Marriage" (based on Gogol's comedy, 1868), were not yet mature, they carried out useful explorations. In "Salambao", the author emphasized the theme of people's liberation and paid attention to the description of mass scenes, some of which were later used in "Boris Godunov". "Wedding" makes creative attempts in the relationship between music and language and in the personalization of characters. Mussorgsky's highest achievements in opera creation are reflected in the two operas "Boris Godunov" and "Khovansky Rebellion". "Boris Godunov" (based on Pushkin's tragedy of the same name, premiered in 1874) is a new type of historical opera. The composer reimagined it based on Pushkin's original work, placing the historical background of the opera on the eve of the peasant revolution storm. , by shaping the historical portraits of the people and portraying the inner contradiction of Tsar Boris, it sharply reflects the conflict between the people and the tyrant, and at the same time profoundly exposes the struggle for power within the aristocratic ruling class. In order to meet the needs of the dramatic plot, the author uses a multi-layered and multi-line chorus to express the collective image of the people on different occasions (such as the scene in the monastery where the people are forced to ask Boris to ascend the throne). On the other hand, he uses The recitative-style solo portrays the character of typical characters (such as the conflicted Tsar Boris, the mad monk who symbolizes the suffering of the Russian people), and at the same time pays attention to the typical environment of the drama's development plot (such as Boris's performance in the Kremlin Square The coronation ceremony, scenes from a small hotel on the Lithuanian border, scenes of Polish aristocratic court life, etc.). The musical language of the entire opera has a distinct national style and the author's unique creative personality.
"Khovansky Rebellion" (self-written script based on historical materials provided by Stasov, started in 1872, completed posthumously by H.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, first performed in 1886) Based on the historical facts of the rebellion launched by Khovansky, the commander of the shooting army during the period of Peter I at the end of the 17th century, it vividly reproduces the picture of Russian history. Compared with "Boris Godunov", its plot clues are more complex, its characters are more diverse, and it involves a broad area of ??Russian social life full of sharp contradictions and conflicts. However, the theme is not focused and clear enough, and the structure is loose. The description of different characters' personalities is limited to independent and complete songs or arias. Despite this, its multi-faceted mass scenes rich in national characteristics show the artistic power of realism. In addition, "Solochinsk Bazaar" (based on Gogol's original work, completed by Guy in 1916, and premiered in 1917) is a comic opera by Mussorgsky, which combines Ukrainian singing melodies and spoken tones , and uses a combination of lyricism and farce to reproduce folk customs and life and depict comic characters.
Vocal romances and songs are also important areas of Mussorgsky's creation. He wrote 67 songs in total, covering a variety of themes. Among them are "The Song of the Old Beggar" (1863) and "Calistrat" ??(1864), which depict the images of poor people; there are also "Sleep, Peasant's Child" (1865), which reflect the bitter life of farmers in old Russia. Gopac" (1866), "Yelyomushka's Lullaby" (1868) and "The Orphan" (1868); there are satirical songs about social bad habits "Theological School Student" (1869), "The Song of the Flea" ( 1879); there are the "Children's Songs" suite (seven songs, 1868-1873) that meticulously depict the innocent character and psychology of young children; there are the vocal suites "No Sunshine" (1874) and "No Sunshine" (1874) that express the traumatized and lonely despair of the civilian class. Song and Dance of Death" (1877) and so on. In these vocal works, the author not only truly and objectively reflected the social life at that time, vividly and vividly portrayed many characters, but also poured out his personal emotional experience and expressed his infinite sympathy for the tragic suffering of the people. In terms of artistic techniques, the author inherited and developed A. C. Dalgomezhsky's tradition of focusing on the combination of music and language created a new vocal recital melody, in which every subtle change in tone and rhythm is closely related to the tone and emotional color of the lyrics. The author is good at absorbing Russian folk music materials and adopts common music genres and forms in life (such as lullabies, marches, various folk dances, etc.), thus greatly enhancing the authenticity and vividness of the song's image.
Mussorgsky left few works in instrumental music creation, but they are full of originality. Among the most representative works are "Night on Barren Mountain" and "Pictures at the Exhibition". The symphonic music painting "Night on Barren Mountain" (1867), which is based on folk myths and legends, is a masterpiece of Russian title symphony music. It is fascinating because of its novel concept, realistic images and rich colors. The piano suite "Pictures at an Exhibition" (1874) was inspired by the late friend and painter B. A. Created for the exhibition of Hartmann's posthumous works. It resurrects the visual image with a distinctive musical language, and at the same time expresses the author's true feelings. There are new explorations in harmonic techniques, musical structure and piano texture. This unique work attracted many composers to orchestrate it, among which M. Ravel's arrangements have achieved the widest circulation.
Mussorgsky is the founder of modern Russian musical realism and the most important composer in the "powerful group". His creations have the tendency of critical realism to expose the darkness of society and reflect the suffering of the people. His artistic style has strong Russian national characteristics and unique personality, and he has bold innovations in musical language and art form. However, during his lifetime, except for positive comments from a few visionary people such as Stasov, his artistic achievements were often criticized and criticized, which even led to the tragedy of his later years. His artistic explorations have become more and more widely recognized since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many famous composers, such as C. Debussy, Ravel, L. Janacek, C. C. Prokofiev, II. Ⅱ. Shostakovich, r. B． The creations of Sviridov and others were all influenced by Mussorgsky to varying degrees.
5. Nikolai Andreivitch Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908), Russian composer and music educator. Born on March 18, 1844 in an aristocratic family in Chikhevin, Novgorod Province; the beautiful natural scenery of this ancient small city, its ancient folk rituals and beautiful folk songs were left to his childhood memories. Mski-Korsakov was deeply impressed. He began learning to play the piano at the age of six, and began composing music when he was nearly eleven. At the age of twelve in 1856, he was selected to attend the Petersburg Naval Academy, where he continued his musical studies. At the end of 1861, he began to get acquainted with Balakirev and participated in his "group" activities; his interactions with these progressive Russian musicians at that time broadened his artistic vision and strengthened his belief in music creation. The "First Symphony" was written under the direct guidance of Balakirev. Later, his status among the composers of the "powerful group", in the words of another Russian music critic Serov, even "really stood out from the crowd."
In 1862, Rimsky-Korsakov graduated from the local official school and became a naval warrant officer. For about three years, he participated in a cruise on a clipper ship and visited the United Kingdom, North and South America, France and Italy and other places. During this period, although he had less contact with music, the vivid impressions he gained in the sailing life enriched his later music creation. He is recognized as one of the best "sea landscape painters" one. After he returned to Petersburg in 1865, as a naval lieutenant, he mainly worked in the music circle, actively carried out his "professional" creation, and wrote some works that were enough to show the author's style characteristics, such as symphonic music and paintings. "Satko", Symphony No. 2 "Antar" and opera "Pskov Girl" etc.
In 1871, Rimsky-Korsakov was hired by the Petersburg Conservatory of Music to teach composition and orchestration courses at the school. Later, he also served as the inspector of military bands under the Navy Ministry. (1873-1884), principal of the Free Music School (1874-1881) and other positions. His teaching work was indeed about learning while teaching. He worked tirelessly on music theory to make up for his lack of professional music knowledge. He personally recorded folk songs and published them in harmonized volumes. He also collaborated with Balakirev and Riado Together with his husband, he revised Glinka's opera score, all of which gave him "unexpected training"; the close contact with the military band also gave him the opportunity to become familiar with and study the structure and performance of various musical instruments, and finally Wrote some monographs on orchestral music and other aspects. Rimsky-Korsakov's multi-faceted activities for the development of Russian music culture have produced fruitful results: his thirty-seven years of teaching at the Conservatoire cultivated many talents, including Yadov, Ippolitov-Ivanov, Glazunov and Miaskovsky and other famous composers; he carried forward the great spirit of self-sacrifice and made a lot of fine revisions, continuations and Orchestration work, including some unfinished works by Russian composers of his time, such as Mussorgsky's operas "Boris Godunov" and "Khovanshina", Borodin's opera "Igor" "The Duke" and Dalgomysky's opera "The Stone Guest" were finally completed; he participated in the activities of Belayev's new musician group and became a "consultant" for some of the group's pioneering projects - the group organized The "Russian Symphony Concert" and music score publishing house have played a great role in the promotion, publicity and development of Russian music works.
During the first revolution in Russia in 1905, Rimsky-Korsakov actively participated in social and political struggles. He bravely stood up to defend the young students of the revolution, and was therefore dismissed from his position as professor at the Conservatory of Music. , his works were banned and he himself was secretly monitored. But his dismissal sparked a nationwide wave of protests against the persecution. Finally, thanks to the invitation of Glazunov, the new director of the Petersburg Conservatory of Music, he finally returned to the Conservatory of Music. On June 21, 1908, Rimsky-Korsakov died of a heart attack.