Transcript The Romantic Era

THE ROMANTIC ERA
1820-1914
Romantic Music in Russia
The Mighty Handful
Pytor Ilych Tchaikovsky
The Mighty Handful aka “The Five” - Nationalism
• A group of composers from Saint Petersburg, Russia, met as young men
(in their 20s) and came together between 1856-1870
• Goal: create specifically RUSSIAN music
• Opposed to imitating older European music
• Opposed to conservatory training
• Led by Mily Balakirev (organized and taught members)
• Most famous members: Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
• Other members: Cesar Cui, Alexander Borodin
• All worked together, improving each others music, gaining fame.
• Name “Mighty Handful” adopted after 1867, in response to critics
mocking a press release that praised “Mr. Balakirev’s Slavic Concert”
• MUSICAL STYLE based on Russian Nationalism
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Folk songs, inspired by village dances, church bells, etc.
Distinct use of harmonies: Shifting keys
“Incorrect” use of intervals: parallel fifths and fourths
Unique scales creating “strange” melodies (“Whole tone,” “octatonic”)
Mily Balakirev – 1837-1910
• Known for playing piano, composing, and
being a nationalist
• The only professional musician in the group
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Started piano lessons from his mother at age 4
Was conducting Mozart music at age 14
Important teacher for amateur members
Even influenced conservatory musicians
• Listening Example: Islamey
• Piano solo
• Inspired by the beauty in nature of the
Northern part of Russia (Caucasia) and local
folk musicians (including a Prince!)
• Used as a favorite showpiece for Franz Liszt
Modest Mussorgsky – 1839-1881
• Joined the Mighty Handful in 1857
• Wealthy family, always studied piano
(lessons from self-taught mother), but
went into military service at age 13
• Cadet’s School was brutal, starting point for
his alcoholism
• Met Alexander Borodin through military
in 1856, started “musical career” as
pianist
• Never formally studied music: Most of
his fame comes from other composers
making arrangements of his music
• Listening Examples:
Pictures at an Exhibition- 1874
• Health failed (probably from alcohol)
Orchestral version by
and died young
Maurice Ravel (1922)
• Night on Bald Mountain - 1867
Third version, used in 1940s
Disney Film
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov- 1844-1908
• Joined the Mighty Handful in 1861
• Master of orchestration
• Edited and arranged much of Mussorgsky’s music
• Had a passion for the ocean; real career in the
Navy
• He came from a wealthy family that had served in the
military and navy for many generations
• Took piano lessons casually, “lacked interest”
• Developed a love for music through orchestra
• Listening Example:
concerts and operas
Flight of the
Bumble Bee
• Mentored and taught (perhaps forced) by
Balakirev to continue to try to write music,
from his Opera,
despite lack of formal training.
Tale of Tsar Saltan, 1899
• His music was well-received, he gained fame, and an “Orchestral Interlude”
remembered Balakirev fondly
Cesar Cui – 1835-1918
• Was at the meeting that formed the
Mighty Handful in 1856
• Was always a music critic and composer
as a side-life
• Dedicated life as army officer, teacher
of fortifications
• Knew four languages growing up
(French, Russian, Polish, Lithuanian.)
• More studious, learned some formal
music theory and piano, involved with
famous opera committees
• Studied Chopin music to learn to play piano
Listening Example:
Quatre Morceaux, Op 22:
No 3. Nocturne (18830
Alexander Borodin – 1833-1887
• Joined the Mighty Handful in 1862
• Father was a noble man from Northern Russia
• Received a good education, pursued science
• Became a chemistry teacher
• Developed courses for women to take!
• Studied piano and cello as a boy, received
music lessons from Balakirev later in life
• First symphony was conducted by Balakirev
• Second symphony was edited by RimskyKorsakov
• Listening Example:
• Wrote chamber music (string quartets) that The
Symphony No 2
Mighty Handful did not like very much
in B minor
• Generally in poor health, died of a heart attack
(original in
while attending a ball!
1877, made famous in
1879)
Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky – 1840-1893
• Incredibly diverse composer:
• Symphonies, operas, ballets, instrumental and
chamber music.
• Incredibly famous music:
• 1812 Overture, The Nutcracker Suite
• 4:00, 10:00, 12:26…
2:50, 5:23, 7:10, 11:30, 12:45, 15:15, 21:05
• Was inspired (but not always approved of)
by the Mighty Handful
• Against his families wishes, put himself
through a rigorous music conservatory from
1862-1865
• Never emotionally secure
• Personal crisis, periods of depression, disastrous
marriage and failed relationships
• Sudden death at age 53, some speculate suicide.