| Every attempt has been made to replicate the original as printed.
Some typographical errors have been corrected;
.
In certain versions of this etext, in certain browsers,
clicking on this symbol
will bring up a larger version of the image.
[Contents] [Index of Operas] [Index of Names] (etext transcriber's note) |
THE
RUSSIAN OPERA
BY
ROSA
NEWMARCH
WITH SIXTEEN
ILLUSTRATIONS
HERBERT JENKINS LIMITED
ARUNDEL PLACE HAYMARKET
LONDON S.W. MCMXIV
THE ANCHOR PRESS, LTD., TIPTREE, ESSEX.
TO
FEODOR IVANOVICH SHALIAPIN
IN MEMORY OF OUR OLD FRIEND
VLADIMIR VASSILIEVICH STASSOV
PREFACE
BETWEEN January 19th, 1900, and April 4th, 1905, I read before the Musical Association of London five papers dealing with the Development of National Opera in Russia, covering a period from the first performance of Glinka’s A Life for the Tsar in 1836, to the production of Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera The Tsar’s Bride, in 1899. These lectures were illustrated by the following artists: the late Mrs. Henry J. Wood, Miss Grainger Kerr, Mr. Seth Hughes, Mr. Robert Maitland; Sir (Mr.) Henry J. Wood and Mr. Richard Epstein at the piano. While using these lectures as the scaffolding of my present book, I have added a considerable amount of new material, amassed during ten years unremitting research into my subject. The additions concern chiefly the earlier phases of Russian music, and the operas that have appeared since 1900. The volume also contains some account of the foundation of the nationalist school of composers under the leadership of Balakirev. It has been my privilege to meet and converse with most of the members of this circle. I give also a few details about the literary champion of “the Invincible Band,” Vladimir Stassov, under whose guidance I first studied the history of Russian music. With all modesty I believe I may claim to have been a pioneer worker in this field. When in 1895 I published my translation (from the French edition of M. Habets) of Stassov’s book on Borodin, and followed it up in 1897 by a series of articles—the fruits of my first visit to Russia—in that short-lived weekly The Musician, the literature of the subject was by no means copious, even in Russia itself; while the daily increasing public in Western Europe who were anxious to learn something about the remarkable galaxy of composers newly arisen in the east, based their knowledge and opinions almost entirely upon César Cui’s pamphlet La Musique en Russie, an interesting, but in many respects misleading, statement of the phenomenon; or upon the views propagated by Rubinstein and his followers, wherefrom they learnt that the Russians, though musically gifted, were only represented by incapable amateurs.
Happily for its own enjoyment, the world has grown wiser. The last few years have witnessed the vindication of Moussorgsky’s genius in France and England; a consummation devoutly wished, but hardly anticipated, by those who had been convinced from the beginning of the nobility and sincerity of spirit and motive which entitles his two finished operas to be regarded as masterpieces. During Sir Joseph Beecham’s season of Russian Opera at Drury Lane last year, Rimsky-Korsakov’s early music-drama Ivan the Terrible (“The Maid of Pskov”) made a profound impression, with Shaliapin in the part of the tyrant Tsar. In the forthcoming season it is Borodin’s turn to be introduced to the British public, and I confidently predict the success of his lyric opera Prince Igor. So, one by one, these Russians, “eaters of tallow candles, Polar bears, too long consumers of foreign products, are admitted in their turn in the character of producers.”[1]
In view of the extended interest now felt in Russian opera, drama and ballet, it has been thought worth while to offer to the public this outline of the development of a genuine national opera, from the history of which we have much to learn in this country, both as regards the things to be attempted and those to be shunned. Too much technical analysis has been intentionally avoided in this volume. The musician can supply this deficiency by the study of the scores mentioned in the book, which, dating from Glinka’s time, have nearly all been published and are therefore accessible to the student; the average opera-goer will be glad to gain a general view of the subject, unencumbered by the monotonous terminology of musical analysis.
CONTENTS
| [CHAPTER I] | |
| THE DAWN OF MUSIC IN RUSSIA | |
| PAGE | |
Primitive music of the Russian Slavs. The fourperiods of Russian music. The Skomorokhior Gleemen. Clerical Intolerance. Church pageants.Tsar Alexis Mikhaïlovich, the firstpatron of music and the drama. Biblical playswith incidental music. Mystery plays of Dmitriof Rostov. Origin of the Ballet. First publictheatre in Russia, 1703. | [1] |
| [CHAPTER II] | |
| THE RUSSIAN OPERA PRIOR TO GLINKA | |
Accession of Empress Anne. Cultivation of thefolk melodies. Change of taste. The Italiansbring in secular plays. Feodor Volkov. Musicunder Catherine the Great. Fomin and hisoperas. Berezovsky and Bortniansky. Furtherchange of taste under Alexander I. Patrioticenthusiasm following French invasion of 1812.Cavos exploits national melody. Verstovskyand Alabiev. | [32] |
| [CHAPTER III] | |
| MICHAEL IVANOVICH GLINKA | |
Childhood and education of Glinka. His awakeningto music. Early years in the country. Loveof nature. First music lessons. He enters theCivil Service. Begins to write songs. Visitto Italy. Musical studies in Berlin. | [69] |
| [CHAPTER IV] | |
| GLINKA’S OPERAS | |
Marriage and home surroundings. A Life for theTsar. Features of the music. Its receptionin Russia. Prince Kholmsky and the songs.Russlan and Liudmilla. Later works. Failureof health. His interpretation of Russian nationalityin music. | [89] |
| [CHAPTER V] | |
| DARGOMIJSKY | |
Alexander Sergeivich Dargomijsky. His meetingwith Glinka. Visit to Paris. Esmeralda andThe Triumph of Bacchus. Growing interest innational music. Begins work on Poushkin’sRoussalka. Second tour in Western Europe.Balakirev and his circle. The Stone Guest. Histreatment of national character as comparedwith Glinka’s. | [117] |
| [CHAPTER VI] | |
| SEROV | |
Musical life in Russia at the time of Glinka andDargomijsky. Musical criticism and the academicparty. Rapid increase of conservatoiresand schools. Struggle between the young nationalistsin music and the officials to whomforeign composers were supreme. Two greatmusical critics, Alexander Serov and VladimirStassov. Serov’s writings and compositions.His devotion to Wagner. Production of Judithand Rogneda. Estimate of Serov’s music. | [137] |
| [CHAPTER VII] | |
| ANTON RUBINSTEIN | |
Early life and education. His début as a prodigypianist. Musical studies in Berlin. Courtpianist at St. Petersburg. His early operas.Dmitri Donskoi and Thomoushka Dourachok.Imperial Russian Musical Society. Biblicaloperas, The Tower of Babel, The Maccabees, ParadiseLost, The Shulamite. Secular and nationaloperas, The Demon, Nero, and The MerchantKalashnikov. Historical Concerts. Rubinstein’sopportunism. Estimate of his work and influence. | [162] |
| [CHAPTER VIII] | |
| BALAKIREV AND HIS DISCIPLES | |
Balakirev. The nationalist circle. Social intercourse.Rimsky-Korsakov. Goussakovsky.The Free School. Borodin. The Pourgolds.Hostility of the Press. Solidarity of “theInvincible Band.” | [183] |
| [CHAPTER IX] | |
| PERSONAL MEMORIES OF BALAKIREV’S CIRCLE | |
Gradual dissolution of the circle of friends. Personalreminiscences of Balakirev. Individual developmentof “the Invincible Band.” Belaiev. Lodyjensky.Liadov. Vladimir Stassov. PersonalReminiscences. | [198] |
| [CHAPTER X] | |
| MOUSSORGSKY | |
Two tendencies in Russian opera, the lyrical andthe declamatory. Moussorgsky the disciple ofDargomijsky. Literary and social influences.Biographical details. Early unfinished operas.Boris Godounov. Khovanstchina. Rimsky-Korsakovas editor. | [218] |
| [CHAPTER XI] | |
| BORODIN AND CUI | |
Borodin. Biographical details. Prince Igor. Comparisonof Igor with Glinka’s Russlan and Liudmilla.Orientalism and optimism in Prince Igor.Death of Borodin. César Cui. His Frenchdescent. Early operas, The Mandarin’s Son,The Captive in the Caucasus, William Ratcliff,Angelo, The Saracen. A French opera, Le Flibustier.Mam’selle Fifi. Analysis of Cui’s style. | [253] |
| [CHAPTER XII] | |
| RIMSKY-KORSAKOV | |
Rimsky-Korsakov’s position as a national composerand as a teacher. Biographical. JoinsBalakirev’s circle. Leaves the naval service.His early works. A tone-painter. His firstOpera. The Maid of Pskov (Ivan the Terrible).Accession of the Emperor Alexander III. Heencourages Russian music. A Night in May.The Snow-Maiden (Sniegourochka). Mlada.Christmas Eve Revels. Mozart and Salieri. BoyarinyaVera Sheloga. Sadko. The Tsar’s Bride.The Legend of Tsar Saltan. The use of the leitmotif.Servilia. Kastchei the Immortal. Wagnerianinfluence. Pan Voyevode. The Tale of theCity of Kitezh. The Golden Cock. | [281] |
| [CHAPTER XIII] | |
| TCHAIKOVSKY | |
Tchaikovsky considered apart from the nationalistcircle. His early love of Italian opera. TheVoyevode. Undine. The Oprichnik. The librettodescribed. Cherevichek, or Le Caprice d’Oxane.Passing influence of Balakirev’s circle. EugeneOniegin. The Maid of Orleans. The composer’senthusiasm for this opera. Mazeppa. Analysisof the subject. Charodeika (The Enchantress).The Queen of Spades. Iolanthe. Analysisof Tchaikovsky’s operatic styles. | [334] |
| [CHAPTER XIV] | |
| CONCLUSION | |
Some minor composers. Napravnik: The Citizens ofNijny-Novgorod, Harold, Doubrovsky, Francescada Rimini. Blaramberg: Skomorokhi, The Roussalka-Maiden,Toushino, The Wave. Arensky:A Dream on the Volga, Raphael, Nal and Damyanti.Rachmaninov: Aleko. Grechyaninov: DobryniaNikitich. Ippolitov-Ivanov: Ruth, Assya. Kalinnikov:The Year 1812. Taneiev: Orestes. Foreigninfluence in contemporary Russian music. Rebikov:In the Storm, The Christmas Tree. Kazachenko,Korestchenko, Kochetov, Stravinsky.Famous operatic singers: Platonova, Petrov,Melnikov, the Figners, Shaliapin. Mamantovand the Moscow Private Opera Company. Greatincrease of opera companies in Russia. Concludingobservations. | [362] |
THE
RUSSIAN
OPERA