The Youth Chamber Orchestra of the St. Petersburg State University is the first regular orchestra in Russia , a group that gives students, graduates and teachers of St. Petersburg State University and other universities of the city the opportunity to play music at a professional level.
Youth Chamber Orchestra of St. Petersburg State University | |
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Genre | classical music |
Years | from 1842 |
A country | Russia |
City | St. Petersburg |
orch.spbu.ru |
Despite the amateur status of the group, the Youth Chamber Orchestra of St. Petersburg University gives over 10 concerts per season, annually takes part in philharmonic subscriptions. The orchestra performs regularly not only at the University, but also the Grand and Small Halls of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Hall , the Academic Chapel , the Oktyabrsky Concert Hall and the Petersburg Sports and Concert Hall , the palaces of St. Petersburg and its suburbs. The orchestra toured in Russian cities: Moscow, Petrozavodsk, Arkhangelsk - as well as in Austria, Germany, Finland, and Ukraine.
The artistic director and chief conductor of the orchestra is Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Andrei Alekseev .
Content
History
In April 1842, the first concert of the Symphony Orchestra of professors and students of the Imperial University took place in the university hall. After the first concert in the Petersburg press it was reported that on Saturday, April 4, 1842, “ a concert was taking place, so far we have not experienced a student concert, which he. students of the local university engaged in music, thanked the cello player, Mr. Schubert , who is our well-known celloist . The concert was given in a large university hall, and participated in it, except he. students, many of the talented lovers and lovers of music in our capital " [1] . According to contemporaries, about 700 spectators attended the first concert of the orchestra. [2]
The concerts became known as the "Musical Exercise of Students". They were held on Sunday mornings and were accessible to a wide audience of listeners, professional musicians often performed as soloists. Students enjoyed the right to attend these concerts for free. The orchestra of Petersburg University became the first orchestra in Russia, which began to gather and perform on a regular basis.
Speaking at the annual act of March 25, 1842, the university rector remarked: “ We should be glad that our love for musical art is beginning to liven up; young people, for the most part talented students, gather in their free time (namely, after noon on Sundays) to play orchestrated compositions . ” [3]
In the 19th century, the concerts of the university orchestra had an important influence on the musical life of St. Petersburg. Prior to the university orchestra, the concert life of St. Petersburg had several directions, the main of which were concerts of the Philharmonic Society and the Directorate of the Imperial Theaters, as well as private concerts held by aristocrats in their own mansions. However, it was the university concerts due to the novelty in the choice of music programs, ticket availability and openness for most segments of society that became the most popular in St. Petersburg and attracted, first of all, intellectuals - famous writers, literary critics and musicians, both as listeners and participants concerts.
The composer and music critic Ts. A. Cui wrote that: “ K. B. Schubert and university concerts began the great music business of St. Petersburg, which was then successfully continued by A. G. Rubinstein and the Musical Society ”. [four]
“ Their [university concerts] are of historical importance in that they made a breach in the closed way of Russian musical concert life and cleared the way for the organization of the Russian Musical Society in the following years .” [five]
Orchestra Principal Conductors and Soloists
1842-1861 - cellist Karl Bogdanovich Schubert - the first conductor of the orchestra.
1884-1888 - George Ottonovich Dyutsh .
1888 - Maximilian Karlovich Lippold.
1889-1902 - Wojciech Ivanovich Glavach .
1903-1917 - Nikolai Andreevich Sass-Tisovsky.
1948-1960 - Olga Berg.
1961-1991 - Leonid Grigoriev.
Since 1991 - Andrey Alekseev . In June 2007, for the work with the orchestra, Andrey Alekseev was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation. He performs with the orchestra not only as a conductor, but also as a soloist (accordion, bandoneon, piano), and also is the author of numerous arrangements and musical programs performed by the orchestra.
In the 1990s and 2000s, composers Andrei Petrov and Vadim Bibergan , musicians Viktor Tretyakov , Sergei Stadler , Vladimir Ovcharek , Ilya Ioff, Peter Laul, Vasily Gerello, Olga Kondina , David Goloshchekin and other professors of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, performed as soloists and orchestra. soloists of the Mariinsky Theater and laureates of international competitions.
Orchestra Activities
The repertoire of the orchestra includes both classics and music of modern composers. A special place is occupied by works that are rarely performed by professional groups. Since its inception, the orchestra introduced the public to new, unfairly forgotten or poorly performed musical works and contributed to their popularization, for example:
- In 1854, the university orchestra performed the “Invitation to Dance” by KM Weber for the first time, the orchestration of which was written by M. I. Glinka .
- In 1858-1859, the orchestra performed for the first time the "Overture on the themes of three Russian folk songs" and the overture to the tragedy "King Lear" by M. A. Balakirev .
- In the 1850s, for the first time in Russia, a university orchestra began to promote the symphonic works of R. Schumann , which at that time were not performed by anyone. In university concerts, St. Petersburg youth first heard the symphony Es-dur, the overture to “Manfred” and “Overture, scherzo and finale” op.52. [6]
- In the 1950s, at one of the orchestra concerts in the Assembly Hall of St. Petersburg State University, for the first time in Russia, the music of the German composer Paul Hindemith was sounded - friends of the GDR donated some of his compositions to the orchestra. [7]
- In the 1960s, the university orchestra conducted by Leonid Grigoriev was one of the first in Russia to promote the music of ancient composers such as A. Vivaldi , I. S. Bach , G. Handel , A. Corelli , T. Albinoni .
- In 1998, the university orchestra conducted by Andrei Alekseev was the first Petersburg orchestra to address the works of the Argentinean composer Astor Piazzolla, and for the first time in Russia, he performed his cycle “The Seasons”.
- In 1999, the university orchestra performed the Duke Ellington Sacred Music Concert for the first time in Russia. [6]
- In 2007, for the first time in Russia, the orchestra performed the Tango-Mass of Buenos Aires for choir, orchestra, soloist and bandoneon by Argentinean composer Martin Palmeri.
One of the important activities of the orchestra, which is developed by conductor Andrei Alekseev, is the creation of musical show programs. Since 1993, he has been the author of April Fools' Philharmonic Cabaret, which were performed at different times at the university, the Academic Chapel and the Small Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Society. Since 1998, the orchestra repeatedly performed the program of the Argentine tango by Astor Piazzolla in the Grand and Small Halls of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, at the international festival "Arts Square" in Finland, Moscow, Ukraine. New tango programs of the orchestra appeared in 2006, when Andrei Alekseev first appeared before the public as a soloist on bandoneon - a traditional tool for Argentine tango.
One of the most popular programs of the orchestra is the “Bohemian Accordion”, which consists of the famous melodies of French chanson and smash-hits of the 20th century. Other programs of the orchestra in recent years include the following: “Music of Hollywood”, “Music of Soviet films”, “Masterpieces of the operetta”, “Unknown Strauss and not only”, “Russian Waltz”.
“ The greatest interest of the“ university concerts ”was in their repertoire. The choice of programs of these concerts indicates the desire to enlighten the musical taste of the works more or less strict, rarely listened to. One list of names of Beethoven, Gluck, Haydn, Mozart, Spur, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Glinka vouches for these concerts , ”wrote the 19th century composer and music critic A.N. Serov . [3]
Participation in projects and festivals
The university youth chamber orchestra participates in a number of cultural projects:
- The resumption and annual cycle of public concerts “Musical exercises by students and professors of St. Petersburg University” (since 1999);
- International Festival "Arts Square" (artistic director Y. Temirkanov);
- Charity concerts (Moscow, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation - 2003, 2005 and 2007);
- The annual festival "Big Waltz" dedicated to the work of I. Strauss;
- Speeches at the events of the Russian-German forum "Petersburg Dialogue" .
Orchestra Awards
2010 - Winner of the first degree at the St. Petersburg Spring International Festival of Arts (Vivat-Talent Foundation for International Cultural Programs).
Interesting facts about the orchestra
- On January 8, 1850, A. Rubinstein conducted the university orchestra, first performing as a conductor.
A. Rubinstein, who later repeatedly conducted the university orchestra, wrote: "... it went somehow by itself, it went like clockwork: the participants put a lot of love and effort into these symphonic concerts ." [eight]
- On February 12, 1856, M. Balakirev made his debut, who, together with the university orchestra, performed the first part of his piano concerto.
40 years later, on February 12, 1896, arriving to his friends, M. Balakirev said: “ Today is a momentous day for me: 40 years old, as I first performed publicly in a university concert, played my allegro concert with the orchestra conducted by Karl Schubert February 12, 1856. I would like to celebrate this evening with you, and I will play my compositions to you . ” [9]
- The composer A. Glazunov played in the university orchestra on several instruments - on the violin, on the cello, on the horn, and this experience helped him later in the orchestration of his works. [ten]
- The Russian critic V.Odoevsky asked in a letter to A. Dargomyzhsky to get him tickets for a university concert.
- In 1860, the violinist G. Venyavsky performed as a soloist with the university orchestra.
- The well-known conductor A. Gauk , being a law student, played the orchestra on the drums. [6]
- Orchestra concerts were attended by P. Tchaikovsky [11] , A. Borodin , A. Serov and other famous musicians of the 19-20th centuries.
- February 16, 1844 at the concert of the university orchestra singer P. Viardot performed, and among the audience was the poet and fabulist I. Krylov . [12]
- In 1998, for the first time in its history, the orchestra conducted by A. Alekseev gathered 15,000 people for a charity concert at the Petersburg Sports and Concert Complex.
- In 2004, at a concert in the Great Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, composer A. Petrov performed the melody with the orchestra.
Notes
- ↑ Musical exercises of students of the St. Petersburg Imperial University // Journal "St. Petersburg University", special issue (3596) April 10, 2002
- ↑ Grotto Ya. K. Correspondence with P. A. Pletnev, vol. 1. SPb., 1896, p. 515. (by Nikoltsev G. D., Shilov L. A. From the history of the musical life of St. Petersburg University // Essays on the history of St. Petersburg University. T. IV (inaccessible link) . L .: From LSU, 1982. C . 110-135)
- ↑ 1 2 Musical exercises of students of the St. Petersburg Imperial University // Journal "St. Petersburg University", special issue (3596) April 10, 2002
- ↑ St. Petersburg Vedomosti, 1876, 10 March. (by Nikoltsev G. D., Shilov L. A. From the history of the musical life of St. Petersburg University // Sketches on the history of St. Petersburg University. T. IV (inaccessible link) . L .: From LSU, 1982. P. 110 —135)
- ↑ Barenboim L. A. Anton Rubinstein: Life, artistic path, creativity, music and social activities, v. 1, 1829—1867. L., 1957, p. 139 (by Nikoltsev G. D., Shilov L. A. From the history of the musical life of St. Petersburg University // Sketches on the history of St. Petersburg University. T. IV (inaccessible link) . L .: From LSU, 1982. S. 110-135)
- ↑ 1 2 3 With all the forces of the soul // St. Petersburg University Journal, special issue (3596) April 10, 2002
- ↑ Malyshev M. O. Pages of the public life of the university in the first post-war years (from memories) // Essays on the history of St. Petersburg University. T. IV (inaccessible link) . L .: From-on to LSU, 1982. p. 139-141
- ↑ Barenboim L. A. Anton Rubinstein: Life, artistic path, creativity, music and social activities, v. 1, 1829—1867. L., 1957, p. 410 (after Nikoltsev G. D., Shilov L. A. From the history of the musical life of St. Petersburg University // Sketches on the history of St. Petersburg University. T. IV (inaccessible link) . L .: From LSU, 1982. S. 110-135)
- ↑ Balakirev M. A., Stasov V. V. Correspondence, vol. 1. M., 19/0, p. 374 (after Nikoltsev G. D., Shilov L. A. From the history of the musical life of Petersburg University // Sketches on the history of St. Petersburg University. T. IV (inaccessible link) . L .: From LSU, 1982. S. 110-135)
- ↑ O. I. Kunitsyn. Glazunov. About the life and work of the great Russian musician. - SPb .: Union of Artists Publishers, 2009, 736 p. ill.
- ↑ R.V. Küdinger “Classes with a young Tchaikovsky”
- ↑ Grotto Ya. K. Correspondence with P. A. Pletnev, vol. 1. SPb., 1896, p. 515 (after Nikoltsev G. D., Shilov L. A. From the history of the musical life of St. Petersburg University // Sketches on the history of St. Petersburg University. T. IV (inaccessible reference) . L .: From LSU, 1982. S. 110-135)
Links
- Site of the Youth Chamber Orchestra of the St. Petersburg State University
- Saint Petersburg University Journal, special issue (3596) April 10, 2002
- M. Blazhnova “Twenty Years of Passionate Provocation” // Journal “St. Petersburg University”, No. 14 (3839), November 16, 2011
- About the St. Petersburg State University orchestra on the St. Petersburg Philharmonic website