Composer Sergei Taneyev: biography, creativity

Composer Sergei Taneyev was born in 1856, he belonged to a noble family. His father was also a talented music lover, brought up Sergei as a musical child. At an early age S. Taneyev entered the conservatory, where he studied with Tchaikovsky. Developing later professionalism in the genres of classical music: cantata, chorus, vocal miniatures and chamber instrumental music - carried out scientific and pedagogical activity in the field of musicology. But the main thing in life is compositional creativity. Very interesting creative biography. Taneyev Sergey Ivanovich was an outstanding personality.

On the directions of activity and creativity

Being authoritative in the cultural sphere, Sergei Taneyev was the first musicologist in the country. Classes were held at the Moscow Conservatory. In the process of pedagogical and professorial activity, he brought up creative youth, among the students were the famous composers: Rachmaninov, Scriabin, Gliere.

Taneyev's works, created on the threshold of the 20th century, refer to the direction of neoclassicism, which developed at the beginning of this century. Composer activity was not recognized immediately. Musical works were considered dry, the result of learning and cabinet creativity. Taneyev's fascination with Bach and Mozart also did not add any interest. But from a historical point of view, it was justified to search for solid grounds for Russian music, applicable to the fusion with European culture. His music was versatile.

Perspectives and facts

Widespread prospects opened to the musician after receiving an education. He performed at concerts, taught and was engaged in composer activity. Even at a young age I went to France to get acquainted with European culture. Everyone recognized Taneyev as an outstanding moral character, calling him "the conscience of Musical Moscow." Taneyev Serey Ivanovich, whose brief biography is considered, glorified his name.

Training

In 1866, Nikolai Rubinshtein established the Moscow Conservatory. Until that time professional musicians were not taken seriously, and their studies, too. But through the conservatory, the musician, as such, began to gain respect for himself. Sergei Taneyev immediately, from the time the institution was founded, entered the first year of study at the age of 9 years. Tchaikovsky, who delivered a parting speech at the opening, directed the students to interest in art and the "glory of an honest artist." N.G. Rubinstein taught Taneyev a piano class and recommended it as a favorite, predicted a promising future. A teacher of composition from Taneyev was P.I. Chaikovsky.

From the point of view of early musical development, which Taneyev Sergey Ivanovich received, a short biography for children will also be of interest.

Trip abroad

Brilliantly graduated from the conservatory with a gold medal, in 1975 Taneyev came to Paris. It was a tradition for the intelligentsia to get acquainted with the art of France. Every week he visited Pauline Viardot and met there with the writers Turgenev, G. Flaubert, the French composer Gounod. He was also a guest at Saint-Saens and performed the work of Tchaikovsky - the first piano concerto. After acquainting himself with French culture, the musician decided that he received insufficient education and horizons. Leaving France at the age of 20, in a notebook Taneyev noted that on another occasion he would come abroad as a pianist, composer and an educated man.

Activities after graduation and travel

Showing purposefulness, composer Taneyev decided to master European traditions in music, trying to correlate them with domestic ones. He believed that Russian music lacks the historical grounds that exist in the European. Lyrism in the work was romantically combined with the classics.

In Moscow, Sergei Ivanovich lived for a long time in the Prechistenka area with his nanny, performed at concerts. In 1878, work began at the Moscow Conservatory. About the occupation of teaching activities he was convincingly asked by Tchaikovsky. Composer work had to be pushed aside, as time was devoted to teaching theory.

He told the students that there are no unshakable rules, if something does not fit this style, then it will come in handy in another. The teacher Taneyev was engaged in teaching in several disciplines, and also lectured on the contrapuntal founded by him.

The scientific work "The movable counterpoint of a strictly style" was the result of an in-depth study. The theory was distinguished by its universality and mathematical precision. At the age of 28, Taneyev is the director of the Moscow Conservatory, again at Tchaikovsky's insistence. He was also the first pianist to perform Tchaikovsky's major works.

On the Early Works of Taneyev

The cantata "Io Damascene" on A. Tolstoy's text glorified the composer, and he named it the first number in his creative biography. This was in 1884.

The genre of classical cantata music characterizes the musician's creativity. To create such a Russian Orthodox work, he was inspired by Bach's cantatas. According to the plan, this preparation for the opening of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, but later the plans had to be changed. Nevertheless, this is a philosophical work on the life of a church writer who lived in the 17th and 18th centuries.

From the same moment, choral music entered the work. In the works one can trace the desire to create a picture of the world, to show its grandiosity through monumental plans. Another cantata by Taneyev "Upon reading the psalm" is also the pinnacle of his work, but was created later.

The single opera trilogy "Oresteia", based on the works of Aeschylus, translates the antique style and the plot, applying it to Russian music. The composition of the opera was spent 10 years. The diligence shows how demanding Taneyev was about his works. But the unique work proved untimely and was not recognized, because it did not receive understanding. Expressing the individuality, different from the tendencies of modernity, the composer was engaged in the search for generalizations in the form of moral ideas, ideal. This was Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev.

The composer's choral work constitutes a special and significant section of his biography. To create choral works as separate numbers, and combined into cycles, he refers to the poetry of Tyutchev, Fet, Polonsky, Khomyakov, Balmont.

A creative impulse to create a cycle that is recognized as the pinnacle of Russian choral music, entitled "Twelve Choirs and Cappella for Mixed Voices" was the poems of the famous Russian poet Yakov Petrovich Polonsky. Prior to him, Russian music still did not know such monumental and serious choral compositions. They embody his philosophical, highly moral nature, the breadth and power of ideas, as well as the bright talent of the composer-polyphonist.

Stage of activity after work at the Conservatory

After the transfer of authority of the director of the Conservatory in 1889, V. Safronov Taneyev formed friendly contacts with St. Petersburg musicians. The pre-revolutionary period of the country's history followed, and many students participated in strikes. Taneyev opposed their deduction for these actions. After the termination of teaching activity Taneyev continued to train free of charge, giving private lessons, because he considered payment as a hindrance to the selection of musicians.

On the threshold of the 20th century, friendship with L. Tolstoy was established, as a result of which the composer often visited Yasnaya Polyana. He even lived there in the lodge provided by L. Tolstoy, worked, was fond of chess. At the end of the chess game, the loser had to perform his work in the form of reading out loud or playing the piano. But L. Tolstov suffered a family quarrel in connection with this friendship, since Taneyev's wife began to feel the sympathy of the writer's wife. But at the same time she expressed delight in music and said that she remained alive after the death of her son thanks to her. But the composer behaved as usual dryly, secretly and was not the cause of personal conflict. Sofya Andreevna was a grateful listener of works, symphonies, but in search of beauty and ideality this was not noticed by the composer.

Personal life

At the same time, the composer was not insensitive, but he was strong-willed and had a delicate sense of humor. He kept a diary in the language of Esperanto and wrote several songs on it. Taneyev also had a love for the wife of the painter Benois, the mother of four children. Under the laws of that time, the divorce meant the transfer of children to the spouse, the father. Taneyev was pursued by the drama for several years, because relations had to be broken.

Interesting facts from life

Nanya Taneyeva lived with him and was engaged in his household. After the concerts the lovers of his work gave him wreaths from the laurel. It turns out that the nanny used this bay leaf for cooking, because one day she said: "You would give a concert, and then the laurel leaves ends."

This is not the only humorous story that Taneyev Sergey Ivanovich faced. Interesting facts of life will be considered further.

Once he was recommended to a student who was drunk, saying that he was a good musician, but often sick. To this Taneyev replied that the question is not this, but whether he is recovering in time?

It is quite accompanied by humor the way of life, which Taneyev Sergey Ivanovich passed. Interesting facts from his life can be listed for a long time.

In Russia there were many people who liked to drink. The musician was tolerant of this. He said: "Drunkenness is, most likely, not a flaw, but an excess."

Creativity of the early 20th century

Symphony "C minor" with features of philosophical symphonism was dedicated to Glazunov, who also ran her premiere. In the center of the plot is a lyrical hero, overcoming the chaos of life and the tragedy of life. Appearing after Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony, this work could be put on a par with some symphonies by Beethoven and Brahms.

Taneyev Sergey Ivanovich contributed to the genre of instrumental music, the prosperity of the chamber ensemble. Biography, whose works show the beginning of cultural transformation in the country's music. Subsequently, the direction was developed by other composers of the Soviet period. Methods and means of expression were selective. Quartets and ensembles used the style of polyphony, the smooth development of the theme. Romances were also popular, which were very melodic.

Taneyev gives concerts and takes part in the life of Musical Moscow. In 1910, the young composer Sergei Prokofiev receives his support when he tries to publish the work. Portrait photos of those years reflect the creative appearance. Taneyev Sergey Ivanovich, whose photo can be seen in the article, is a national pride.

The End of Life and Creativity

A. Scriabin, a student of the composer, died in 1915. Sergei Taneyev came to the funeral in light clothes, as a result of which he caught a cold and died a few weeks later. The whole Moscow came to see the composer. This concludes the biography. Taneyev Sergey Ivanovich passed away at the age of 58.

Conclusion

Taneyev's name is adorned with a memorial plaque in front of the entrance to the stalls of the Small Hall of the Conservatory. He is undoubtedly an outstanding composer, as well as scientists who worked as a professor at the Conservatory. Pianist-virtuoso of his time Taneyev was a famous performer. His diverse creativity has features inherent in late romanticism and symbolism, and also covers several genres.

A major contribution to Russian culture was made by Sergei Taneyev, whose biography shows this. Occupying a special place in Russian music of the 19th and 20th centuries, he captured his work as an exceptional relation to art.