What is a symphonic suite? "Scheherazade" and her tales in the work of Rimsky-Korsakov

In classical music, there are many different genres: concerts, symphonies, sonatas, plays. All of them differ from each other in the features of the structure, the way they are deployed, and also with the type of artistic content. One of the most interesting genres is a suite, a combination of several differently-varied pieces united by one idea. Suites can be instrumental (for one instrument) and symphonic (for a whole orchestra). What is a symphonic suite in music? In this article, we'll talk about this on the example of one of the finest works in this genre.

History of the genre of suite. Clavier Suites

The phenomenon of the appearance of the suite is due to the French harpsichordists. It is in their work that this genre has become most widespread. Initially, the suites were of an exclusively applied character - it was a set of dances, where fast alternated with slow. There was a certain sequence - the aleman, the chime, the saraband, the gig. And the tempo difference between them looked like this: calm / moving, slow / fast. After the chimes, sometimes one or several false dances could be followed - a minuet, an aria.

A slightly different meaning was introduced into the interpretation of this genre by JS Bach. In his French and English suites, dancing remained only as a metric basis. The content has become much deeper.

What is a symphonic suite?

Romantic composers, known for their love of the revival of old genres, very often turned to suite forms. From dancing in them there was no trace, but the principle of contrast remained. Only now it concerned, rather, the content of music, its emotional fullness. Answering the question, what is a symphonic suite in the work of romantics, it is important to emphasize that first of all it began to be based on programability. The unification of parts by the basic idea gave the symphonic suites integrity and made them close to the genre of the poem. This genre was especially popular in the work of Russian composers.

What else is symphonic suite?

Sometimes symphonic suites were written by composers as an independent work, for example, the suite of P. Tchaikovsky "Romeo and Juliet". Very often they were composed of the numbers of some major work, for example, the suite of S. Prokofiev based on his own ballet "Romeo and Juliet", again. There have been cases when the symphonic suite was the result of an adaptation by one composer of an instrumental composition of another. This happened with the cycle of M.P. Mussorgsky "Pictures at an Exhibition", which M. Ravel later orchestrated. Most often, the basis for the programming suite was a literary work. So the symphonic suite of Rimsky-Korsakov was written.

Arabian fairy tales in orchestral performance

Russian composers experienced an unquenchable love of Eastern themes. In the work of almost every one of them you can find oriental motifs. Nor did Rimsky-Korsakov become an exception. The symphonic suite "Scheherazade" was written under the impression of the collection of fairy tales "A Thousand and One Nights". The composer chose several unrelated episodes: the story of Sindbad the sailor, the story of Prince Calender, the festival in Baghdad and the tale of the love of the prince and the princess. "Scheherazade" poured out from the pen of the composer during one summer of 1888 in Nezhgovitsy. After the first performance, this work became extremely popular among listeners, and is still one of the most performed and recognizable works.

Musical material of "Scheherazade"

The keynote is a term coined by romantics. It means a bright, memorable topic, fixed to a certain character, idea or character. Learning it among the general musical flow, the listener is easier to navigate in the literary canvas of the work. Such a leitmotif in the suite of Rimsky-Korsakov is the theme of Scheherazade itself. The charming sound of a solo violin draws the thin mill of a wise sultana, bending in an elegant dance. This famous theme, which is, by the way, a very serious challenge to the skill of the violinist, serves as the unifying thread of the whole work. It appears before the first, second and fourth parts, and also in the middle of the third.

Very bright musical material is the theme of the sea. The composer so successfully managed to transmit with the help of orchestral means of movement of waves, that we simply visibly feel the breath of the ocean and the whiff of the sea air.

Form and content: the symphonic suite "Scheherazade"

Rimsky-Korsakov did not want the listener to have a certain image when listening to this piece. Therefore, the parts do not have program names. However, knowing in advance what images there can meet, the listener will be able to enjoy this magnificent music much more.

What is a symphonic suite of "Scheherazade" in terms of musical form? This is a four-part work, linked by common themes and images. The first part draws a picture of the sea. The choice of tonality is inconsequential - E-major. Rimsky-Korsakov, the owner of the so-called color hearing, saw this key in a sapphire color, reminiscent of the color of the sea wave. In the second part, the solo bassoon brings to the stage the proud and brave prince Calender, who speaks of his military exploits. The third part is the love story between the prince and the princess. It is full of love delight and sweet bliss. In the fourth part, Rimsky-Korsakov fully used all the colors of the orchestra to convey the unrestrained fun at the festival in Baghdad.

So, what is a symphonic suite of "Scheherazade"? This is a bright work, which has a tangible oriental flavor, bound together by one idea. Every evening Shakherezada tells his terrible wife, who swore to execute his wives after the first night, another fairy tale. Her narrative gift is so great that the enchanted sultan postpones her execution. This continues for a thousand and one nights. Four of them and we can listen, if we get acquainted with the "Scheherazade" Rimsky-Korsakov.