Karibekova Sh.B.
Al –Farabi Kazakh National university, Kazakhstan
G.R.
Derzhavin and musical culture
G.R. Derzhavin's creativity falls on the period of
very intensive development of the Russian musical culture (formation of
national composer school, formation of genre system of secular musical art,
professionalizing of composer and performing activity, etc.) which appeared a
consequence of purposeful development of European creative experience. At the
same time opening of the new expressive opportunities acquired in the West not
only belittle a role of achievements of
national music, but, on the contrary,
allowed to give them an adequate assessment which in turn caused rapid growth
of interest to national heritage (mainly - folklore) . On crossing of two
traditions also there was a formation of the Russian musical culture of Modern
times.
In a circle of those who directly promoted a formation
of the Russian musical culture of Modern times, the special place belongs to
G.R. Derzhavin during lifetime of whom, according to T.N. Livanova, "I
passed all way of the Russian opera to Verstovsky, the Russian composer school
moved forward and new musical and poetic genres were born". It is known
that the first experience of familiarizing of Derzhavin with music took place
during his training in the Kazan gymnasium where, on his own memories along
with other subjects trained "in a dancing, music, drawing and
fencing" [1, 419]. The biographer
of the poet Ya.K. Grot in this regard specifies: "In a gymnasium by the
way taught music, and his teacher was called Orfeev.Derzhavin had a desire to
play a violin but circumstances didn't
allow to develop this talent" [2,
52]. Nevertheless these "circumstances" didn't become an obstacle in
a way of development of musical interests of Derzhavin. Even being the private
of the Preobrazhensky Regiment and living in barracks where he couldn't fully
"practise on narrowness of the room neither in drawing, nor in
music", future poet didn't lose thirst for arts as "the strong I had
to them tendency" [1, 427].
Real opportunity to satisfy the musical inquiries for
the first time appeared at Derzhavin only in the second half of the 1770th
years when after participation in suppression of the Pugachev's rebellion he
retired and lodged in St. Petersburg. Having received from the empress a manor
in the Belarusian province and having appointed in the Senate, the poet plunged
into cultural life of the capital. At this time he regularly attends concerts,
keeps an eye on the current theatrical repertoire [2, 260]. Also is
characteristic that one of his first meetings with future wife Ekaterina
YakovlevnaBastidon, subsequently willingly shared his musical hobbies, happened
at theater [2, 242].
During this period there were earliest poetic
compositions of Derzhavin intended for vocal execution and which reached us in
the form of a hand-written notebook "The songs composed by G.R. D".
From 19 texts making a notebook basis, the most part wasn't printed during
lifetime of the poet, most likely, was perceived by him as fruits of student's
versification. These poetic experiences belong to a genre of "a love song",
widespread in poetic practice of the second half of the XVIII century. The poem
"Separation" dated Ya.K. Grot 1776 and twice published during
lifetime of the poet can be a bright example of this type of song lyrics.
According to the contents, style and metric structure influence of song elegiac
lyrics of A.P. Sumarokov and poets of his school is clearly notable here. In
the form of a lyrical monologue Derzhavin recreates a traditional plot of
parting of beloved, placing emphasis on expression of feeling of melancholy and
a hopelessness:
I shed tears,
I can't demolish grief;
I can't tell words –
Heart I speak: forgive! [3, 28].
There arenot so much the individual, personally
endured event, how many a tribute of literary tradition, some kind of
aspiration to comprehend expressive opportunities of a popular genreat the
heart of lyrical experience of this poem. Therefore "Separation" is
sated with the steady rhetorical figures, conditional and poetic cliches
("inevitable fate", "plaint cruel", "isn't present
force, isn't present urine", etc.) giving to the song abstract character.
It is necessary to notice, as further the love and song lyrics didn't become
the priority phenomenon of Derzhavin’s creativity though a number of his poems
of this genre were set to music by known composer of a turn of the XVIII-XIX
centuries.
Already in these early musical poetic attempts of
Derzhavin characteristic of his author's manner was brightly shown. He seldom
wrote words, i.e. verses on ready music. As a rule, at first there was a text
of Derzhavin and later on it the composer created music. Moreover a numerous author's dung in draft and
printing options and also notes in autocomments testifies that at a stage of
the composition of the poetic text the poet heard in advance how his work will
sound in vocal and tool maintenance. In particular T.N. Livanovapoints it:
"Possibly Derzhavin imagined in these cases live muster of voices
[hereinafter italics of T.N. Livanova. - D. L.], as if entered into a musical
framework. He heard all this for himself with full clarity because had
excellent acoustical imagination.
"Organic assimilation of idea of synthesis of
arts was promoted in many respects by close creative and friendly contacts of
G.R. Derzhavin with H.A. Lvov. With help of Lvov Derzhavin could bring into a
certain system for the present in many
respects spontaneous musical interests and tendencies.
These tendencies were rather brightly shown in the
period of its governorship in Olonetsk (1784-1785) and then and in Tambov manor
(1786-1788). So, being in Petrozavodsk and devoting a lot of time to the
solution of economic questions, Derzhavin nevertheless paid serious attention
to development of musical culture of the provincial center. With help of an active support of the governor
in Tambov one of the first "free" printing houses were foundedin a
province where the newspaper “GubernskiyeVedomosti” was issued, books of the
art and general education contents were printed. In 1786 at the initiative of
Derzhavin were open the Main national school in Tambov and small national
schools in districts and in 1787 on the project of the Italian architect Lukini
construction of the special building for city theater was carried out.
In Tambov Derzhavin approached creation of the musical
environment with all responsibility. He called a talented conductor I.I.
Averyanov in order that he "learned city music" from Petrozavodsk, disposed about creation
at national school of a singing class, regularly wrote out from St. Petersburg
musical instruments and notes. Thus Derzhavin didn't miss opportunity to watch
closely musical and theatrical novelties of the capital.
Within the 1790th years Derzhavin makes attempts of
the appeal to a scenario form of the musical dramatized representation still
more than once. So, in 1791 he creates the scenario "Related festival on
marriage reminiscence of the prince Alexander Alekseevich and the princess
Elena NikitishnaVyazemskikh...", which was presented on a house scene in
their manor by Aleksandrovsk. In addition, festive action assumed recitative
and chorus parts which, contrary to custom, Derzhavin "wrote text"
for the sound of music from operas "Lauretta" of N. Mero, "Kind
soldiers" of G. Raupakh and "solemn choruses of Mr. Kozlowski"
[1, 22].
In general it should be noted that G.R. Derzhavin made
a powerful contribution to development of the Russian musical culture of the
end of XVIII - the beginning of the XIX centuries. His poetic compositions
written especially for execution to the sound of music were submitted by
numerous samples in various genre forms (the song, the romance, the edging, the
anthem, the cantata, the oratorio, etc.) and calculated on the wide social
range of audience. Memoirs and documentary sources testify to exclusively high
degree of a demand of the performing repertoire created by Derzhavin, whether
it be the "drinking songs" or compositions which are part of the
Russian official (court) culture stylized under folklore.
References
1.
Lvov, N.A. Selected Works / N.A.
Lvov; foreword. Likhachev Islands; introd. Art., comp., podgot. text and
comments. K. Yu Lappo- Danilevsky. – Cologne
2.
Batyushkov K.N. Works: in 2 vol. / K.N. Batyushkov; Comp., podgot.
tech-hundred, joined. Articles and comments. B. Kosheleva. - M.: Art literatura,
1989.-511 + 719 pp.
3.
Derzhavin, G.R. Poems. - L .: Soviet
pisatel, 1957. - 469 p.