Western Slavic Motifs in the Works of Russian Composers of the Second Half of the 19th Century
Abstract
The article focuses on pan-Slavism and its reflection in Russian musical culture of the second half of the 19th century. Slavic peoples sought cultural dialogue which manifested itself in numerous cultural events. The pinnacle was the Second Slavic Congress (1867) and the Slavic Concert timed to it. The article discusses three compositions: the symphonic poem In Bohemia by M.A. Balakirev; N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov’s Fantasy on Serbian Themes, written specifically for this concert; and P.I. Tchaikovsky’s Slavonic March (1876) that also embodied the ideas of unification and interaction of the Slavs.
The research methodology is based, primarily, on the historical approach, i.e., the compositions are explored in the context of their time. Structural and functional methods were used to determine the musical form, while a comparative method helped identify similarities and differences in the composers’ use of compositional techniques and the folklore material. The article considers the principle of working “according to the model”—Rimsky-Korsakov was guided by the example of his teacher Balakirev and it found its reflection in Fantasy. A separate place is given to the comparison of compositions produced by Rimsky-Korsakov and Tchaikovsky as both are based on a Serbian folk song.
The compositions analyzed in the article are little known to the public and rarely attract the attention of researchers. At the same time, they have never been considered as a manifestation of the ideas of Slavic dialogue in Russian musical culture. The article is the first attempt to explore the context (history of creation, reception) of the three musical pieces. Besides, it specifically focuses on how these works embrace the folklore material.
Keywords: pan-Slavism, Tchaikovsky, Balakirev, Rimsky-Korsakov, folklore, quote, Slavic
For citation: Shavyrina E. A. Western Slavic Motifs in the Works of Russian Composers of the Second Half of the 19th Century [Electronic source]. In: Sovremennye problemy muzykoznaniya / Contemporary Musicology, 2022, no. 4, pp. 64–85. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.56620/2587-9731-2022-4-064-085
References
Boldin V.A. Panslavistskie politicheskie koncepcii: genezis i evolyuciya [Pan-Slavic political concepts: Genesis and evolution] / Pod obshch. red. A.A. SHirinyanca [Ed. by A.A. SHirinyanc]. Moscow: Akvilon, 2018.
Belza I.F. O slavyanskoj muzyke [About Slavic music]. Moscow: Sov. kompozitor [Soviet composer], 1963.
Galyamichev A.N. Iz istorii vospriyatiya naslediya YAna Gusa v russkoj istoricheskoj pamyati (pis'ma M.I. Balakireva I. Kolarzhu) [From the history of perception of the legacy of Jan Huss in Russian Historical memory (letters of M.I. Balakirev to I. Kolarzh)]. In: Istoriya i istoricheskaya pamyat': Mezhvuz. sb. nauch. tr. / pod red. A.V. Gladisheva [History and historical memory: The interuniversity collection of proceedings. Ed. by A.V. Gladishev]. Saratov: Sarat. gos. un-t [Saratov State University], 2018. Vol. 16. Pp. 102–108.
Grigorieva A.A. Panslavizm: ideologiya i politika (40-e gody XIX – nachalo XX vv.) [Pan-Slavism: Ideology and Politics (the 40s of the XIX – early XX centuries)]. Irkutsk: Asprint, 2013.
Grigorieva G.V. Serbskaya pesnya v tvorchestve russkih kompozitorov: o dvuh orkestrovyh sochineniyah P.I. CHajkovskogo i N.A. Rimskogo-Korsakova [Serbian Song in the Works of Russian Composers: about two orchestral compositions by P.I. Tchaikovsky and N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov]. In: Muzykal'naya akademiya [Music Academy]. 2012. No. 4 (740). Pp. 92-94.
Iz istorii russko-cheshskih muzykal'nyh svyazej [na rubezhe XIX i XX stoletij]: v 2 t. [From the history of Russian-Czech musical relations [at the turn of the XIX and XX centuries]: 2 vols.] / Sost. I. Belza [Ed. by I. Belza]. Sb. 1: Perepiska M. A. Balakireva i N.A. Rimskogo-Korsakova s Boleslavom Kalenskim [Vol. 1: Correspondence of M.A. Balakirev and N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov with Boleslav Kalensky]. Moscow: Muzgiz [Music], 1955.
Kiselev G.L. M.A. Balakirev: Kratkij ocherk zhizni i deyatel'nosti [M.A. Balakirev: A brief outline of life and work]. Moscow; Leningrad: Iskusstvo [Art], 1938.
Kunin I.F. Milij Alekseevich Balakirev: ZHizn' i tvorchestvo v pis'mah i dokumentah [Miliy Alekseevich Balakirev: Life and creativity in letters and documents]. Moscow: Sov. kompozitor [Soviet composer], 1967.
Cui C.A. Bez nazvaniya [Untitled] In: Sankt-Peterburgskie vedomosti. 1876. November, 11.
Perepiska M.A. Balakireva s V.V. Stasovym [Correspondence of M.A. Balakirev with V.V. Stasov] / Predisl. i kommentarii V. Karenina; Vstup. stat'ya G.L. Kiseleva [Preface. and V. Karenin's comments; Intro. article by G.L. Kiselev]. Moscow: Muzgiz [Music], 1935.
Rimsky-Korsakov N.A. Letopis' moej muzykal'noj zhizni [The chronicle of my musical life]. Moscow: Muzgiz [Music], 1955.
Rokina G.V. Iz istorii traktovki termina «Panslavizm» v rabotah otechestvennyh i zarubezhnyh avtorov XIX veka [From the history of the interpretation of the term “Pan-Slavism” in the works of domestic and foreign authors of the XIX century] In: Zapad-Vostok [West-East], 2010. No.3. Pp. 92–102.
Serov A.N. Kriticheskie stat'i: T. 1–4 [Critical articles: Vol. 1–4] / SPb: tip. dep. udelov [St. Petersburg: printing house of the Department of estates], 1892–1895. Vol. 4: (1864–1871 gg.). 1895.
Stasov V.V. Izbrannye sochineniya v 3 t.: ZHivopis'. Skul'ptura. Muzyka [Selected works in 3 vols.: Painting. Sculpture. Music] / Red.-sost. P.T. Shchipunov [Ed. by P.T. Shchipunov]. Moscow: Iskusstvo [Art], 1952. Vol. I.
Tumanina N.V. CHajkovskij: put' k masterstvu 1840–1877 [Tchaikovsky: The Path to Mastery 1840–1877]. Moscow: Izd-vo Akademii nauk SSSR [USSR Academy of Sciences Publishing House], 1962.
Tchaikovsky M.I. ZHizn’ Petra Il’icha Chajkovskogo: Po dokum., hranyashchimsya v Arhive im. Pokojnogo kompozitora v Klinu: V 3 t. [The life of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: According to the documents stored in the Archive of the late composer in Klin: In 3 vols.] Moscow; Lejpcig: P. Yurgenson, 1900–1902. Vol. 1.
Tchaikovsky P.I. Po povodu «Serbskoj fantazii» g. Rimskogo- Korsakova [About the “Serbian Fantasy” by G. Rimsky-Korsakov]. In: Sovremennaya letopis’ [Modern chronicle]. 1868. No.8. March, 10.
Tchurkina I.V. Etnograficheskaya vystavka i Slavyanskij s"ezd v Moskve v 1867 g [Ethnographic exhibition and Slavic Congress in Moscow in 1867]. In: Slavyane i Rossiya: slavyane v Moskve: k 870-letiyu so dnya osnovaniya g. Moskvy [Slavs and Russia: Slavs in Moscow: to the 870th anniversary of the founding of Moscow]. Moscow: Institut slavyanovedeniya RAN [Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences], 2018. Pp. 48–79.
Koren-Bergamo M. Srpske teme u delima ruskih i sovјetskih kompozitora [Serbian themes in the works of Russian and Soviet composers]. Beograd: Univerzitet umetnosti [University of Arts], 1983.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.56620/2587-9731-2022-4-064-085
Copyright (c) 2022 Elizaveta A. Shavyrina
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/