Little fairy tale maikapar analysis of the work. And now I offer you, my dear readers, the children's cycle "Spikers" by S. Maykapar in the form of a fairy tale

Scenario of the lecture-concert "Musical Lounge", dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the composer S.M. Maykapar

« S. M. Maykapar

and his piano cycle "Spillikins"".

Place of execution: MKU DOD "Nizhnegorsk Children's Art School"

12/21/2017 in the hall of the art school

Purpose: to introduce students to the life and work of the composer S.M. Maykapar.

Equipment: Computer,

multimedia projector,

Presentation, Piano.

Introduction

Samuil Moiseevich Maykapar (1867-1938) is known to a wide range of musicians primarily as a Soviet composer who devoted all his work to creating only children's and youth music. He is also an outstanding Soviet teacher, pianist, author of educational and methodological works, who made a huge contribution to the development of children's and youth music education. The basic principle of all S. Maikapar's work, which he embodied throughout his creative life, is that "the requirements of small artists are the same as those of adult performers" and that "you need to write for children in the same way as for adults, only better."

S. Maikapar sought to cultivate and develop a high artistic taste in children and presented the most accessible requirements for their performance. The qualities that are characteristic of S. Maikapar as a children's composer are vitality and figurativeness, simplicity and laconism, completeness of form, organic connection with the instrument. He found musical images and intonations close to a child; through the imagery of his plays for beginners, he taught to love music. The vast majority of S. Maykapar's plays are program works. Thanks to their artistic merits, understanding of child psychology and taking into account the peculiarities of the children's playing apparatus, S. Maykapar's plays have firmly entered the repertoire of young pianists. The methodological value of his plays lies in the consistent acquaintance of the child with increasing technical difficulties. The children who are learning to play the piano enjoy playing his pieces, which are distinguished by their simplicity, imagery and brilliance.

Children like his bright figurative and at the same time simple in texture works, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that there is not a single young pianist who has not played or, in extreme cases, has not heard some piece by S. Maikapar performed by his comrades.

1. “Leaf from the album” - performed by Khmyz Nastya - grade 3.

Creative way of S.M.Maykapar

Samuil Moiseevich Maykapar was born in 1867 in the city of Kherson. His childhood years were spent in Taganrog. In the family, besides him, there were 4 sisters and they all studied music, having inherited musical abilities from their mother, who played the piano very well. Little Samuil began to study music from the age of 5. And at the age of 11, he began to compose music himself, started a notebook in which he wrote down all his works. But the family decided that Samuel would become a lawyer.

In 1885, after graduating from the gymnasium, Maykapar left for St. Petersburg, where he entered the law faculty of the university and at the same time entered the conservatory, where he began studying in the piano class, and later began to attend the composition theory class. After graduating from the law faculty of the university, he tried for a short time to practice law, but soon became convinced that it was impossible to combine music lessons with jurisprudence. After graduating from the conservatory, Maykapar, on the advice of Anton Rubinstein, left for Vienna for improvement, where he began to study with the famous pianist teacher Theodor Leshetitsky, whose classes he later described in detail in his book Years of Study.
In 1901 Maykapar moved to Moscow and then opened a music school in Tver. Then the idea came to him to write children's works that the children themselves could perform.

Since that time, Maykapar's multilateral activity as a composer, performer, teacher and researcher has already been determined. During this period, he composed and published several romances and piano pieces, among which the "Little Novels", opus 8, stand out, which later became widely known as valuable pieces of the pedagogical repertoire.

2. "In the forge" - performed by Khmyz Liza - 3rd grade.

Maykapar's concerts are successfully held in Moscow, his book "Musical ear, its meaning, nature, features and method of correct development" is published, in which he was the first in Russian musical and pedagogical literature to raise the question of inner hearing as the basis for learning to play musical instruments.

But life in Tver and pedagogical work in this provincial city did not satisfy the young composer and pianist. And Maykapar again goes to Berlin and Leipzig. Musical life in Berlin was in full swing, the largest performing musicians lived in the city, and Leipzig was of interest as a center of scientific musical thought. Living in these two cities, Maykapar attended concerts, studied literature, met composers, musicologists and performers. In parallel, his own concert performances took place and his pedagogical work proceeded successfully, albeit modestly.

3. "Anxious minute" - performed by Kuzmich Veniamin - 2nd grade.

In 1910, S. M. Maykapar received a telegram signed by A. K. Glazunov, in which he invited him to work at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. And since autumn Maykapar has already started training. Starting as a teacher, two years later he was approved as a senior teacher, and in 1915 as a professor in the special piano class.

For almost twenty years, S. Maikapar worked as a teacher at the St. Petersburg, then the Leningrad Conservatory, simultaneously performing in concerts, composing music and doing scientific work. The most significant performance achievement of S. Maikapar was his performance in 1925 of the Cycle of seven concerts, in which he performed all Beethoven's piano sonatas. Performing, which S. Maikapar always loved, remained for him the basis of all other activities - composition, pedagogy, scientific work.

Of the works by S. Maikapar, created in pre-revolutionary times, of great interest are piano miniatures - "Shepherd's Suite" of six numbers, "12 album sheets", "Puppet Theater" of seven numbers. However, a true triumphS. Maikapar as a composer for children became "Spikers"- a cycle of plays created after the revolution.
During his pedagogical work at the Leningrad Conservatory, S. Maykapar graduated more than forty pianists, who subsequently carried out mainly pedagogical work in musical educational institutions in Leningrad and other regions. In his own pedagogical work, S. Maikapar was a follower of the school of the outstanding pianist Teodor Leshetitsky. The most characteristic features of the Leshetitsky school, which Maykapar followed:

culture of melodious sound;

bright plastic dynamics;

phrasing principle;

well-developed virtuoso finger technique, which received new opportunities in connection with the introduction of "spring" wrist techniques.

clarity, conciseness, balanced harmony of presentation.

Having brought the last students to graduation, S. Maikapar in 1929 left his job at the conservatory. He gave his remaining strength to musical creativity and literary works.
In 1934, a competition for young talents was organized in Leningrad, in which children musicians aged seven to sixteen participated. S. Maikapar was a member of the jury of the competition and, listening to young pianists, he could see for himself the popularity of his compositions. More than half of the children who performed played his piano pieces.

4. "Etude" - performed by Rita Sytnik - 3rd grade.

In the last years of his life, S. Maikapar paid a lot of attention to methodological work. Until now, his articles "Creativity and work of a musical performer according to experience and in the light of science", "Children's instrumental ensemble and its significance in the system of musical education", lectures "How to work on the piano" are still of value.

Spending all his life at the piano and at the desk, S. Maikapar did not get tired of working until the end of his days and died on May 8, 1938, on the eve of the publication of his book “Why and how I became a musician”, named when publishing “Years of Teaching”.

Watch Video: Presentation

Cycle of piano pieces "Spikers"

One of the cycles of piano miniatures by S. M. Maykapar, created for children, and those that children could not only listen to, but also perform themselves, and from the first years of training, is a cycle of piano pieces "Spikins".

A variety of small pieces by the composer for small, just beginning performers can be called miniatures. They, like photos in an album, are combined into cycles. One of these Maykapar cycles is called "Spikins".

A cycle of piano pieces for children by Samuil Maykapar "Spikers" belong to the number of classical works of the pedagogical repertoire and are on a par with such collections as "Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach" (1725) by J.S. Bach, "Children's Album" by P. Tchaikovsky, "Album for Youth" by R. Schumann .

Created in 1925 -1926. cycle "Spikers" for almost 90 years, it has enjoyed the unchanging love of both young musicians and teachers. The pieces of the collection are distinguished by everything that distinguishes true masterpieces - inspiration, perfect harmony of form, perfect finishing of details.

Now, few people know what spillikins are. Once upon a time, this was the favorite game of the kids. A bunch of very small toy little things - spillikins spilled out on the table. Most often, these were cups, jugs, sticks and other kitchen items carved from wood. The spillikins had to be taken out with a small hook, one after the other, without moving the rest. S. Maikapar's little plays remind those same spillikins from the old game.

And what can be found among S. Maykapar? These are musical portraits, and sketches of nature, and fairy-tale images, and dance pieces. The music of these plays is characterized by vivid imagery, penetrating lyricism, and high spirituality. They are very captivating, expressive and beautiful. S. Maikapar was able to very subtly convey the mood of the child, various natural phenomena, various pictures from children's life - games, fun, adventures.

By its form "Spikers"- this is a suite consisting of 26 diverse pieces for piano of various content, united by artistic and methodological goals. For convenience, they are divided into 6 notebooks with 4 plays in each (the last notebook contains 6 plays).

All the plays of the cycle have names, they are either programmatic or genre-defined. Each work is distinguished by thematic completeness, the integrity of the image, the clear nature of the presentation. The titles of the plays tell us the content of the miniature, helping to develop creative imagination. Each piece reveals one specific musical image. The themes are usually short, but very bright and melodic. With simple and concise means, the composer manages to achieve an almost visual effect, deep figurative expressiveness.

A few words should be said about some features of the author's text. S. Maikapar gives detailed instructions:

*) on the most diverse strokes,

*) by fingering,

*) by the nature of the performance, for example, a remark for the performance of “Waltz” from 2 notebooks “dolce grazioso”, or “Rider in the Forest” (6 notebooks) - “Allegro con fuoco e marcato”,

*) by tempo (the metronome is written in each piece),

*) for using the pedal.

Maykapar's works are distinguished by lightness, convenience, adaptability to a child's hand. So the smoothness of the melodic line is connected in his pieces for beginners with the placement of the hand in one position, where adjacent notes are taken by adjacent fingers. Excellent examples of this are the plays: “The Shepherd”, “In the Garden”, where the gradual movement in one position is a wonderful technique for developing technical skills.

The cycle "Spillikins" by S. Maykapar is a unique cycle of pieces for children: it introduces young pianists to all keys, like Bach's "HTK", but at the same time speaks to them in a romantic musical language.

Maikapar thought carefully about the titles of the plays, trying to awaken the imagination of children with the help of bright titles that most fully reflect the content of the plays. His plays can be divided into:

paintings and sketches of nature: “In autumn, “Clouds are floating”, “Moth”, “Spring”;

onomatopoeic pieces: "Echo in the mountains", "Music box";

figurative-pictorial plays: "Lullaby", "In the garden";

musical portraits: "Orphan", "Shepherd", "Little Commander";

plays of mood and feelings: "Fleeting Vision", "Anxious Minute";

dance pieces: Polka, Waltz, Minuet, Gavotte;

narrative music: "Fairy Tale", "Romance", "Legend";

8) polyphonic pieces: "Song of the Sailors" (canon), "Prelude and Fughetta".

Of course, such a thematic classification is conditional, different directions can be mixed in one work.

Completely different, not similar to each other portraits - the images were presented to us by the composer. In each of them, not an adult, but a child is guessed. And wonderful music tells about each of us. These are "Shepherd", "Little Commander", "Orphan".

Here is a small "Shepherd". On a clear sunny day, he went out to a summer flowering meadow near the river. In order not to be bored, he plays a small flute. A bright, joyful tune rings over the meadows.

The use of registers in Maykapar's pieces is one of the most effective methods of piano expressiveness, which has not been used so often by any other composer. In this piece Maykapar skillfully uses the registers of the instrument. To make the melody sound richer, more voluminous, the composer leads it in octaves, at a distance of four octaves. And the student learns the free movement of hands and body throughout the entire range of the instrument. The piece is performed at a fairly moving pace, easily, carefree. The clear and precise sound of sixteenth notes imitates the sound of a flute. You should pay attention to the change of mood in the middle part of the piece. There is room for imagination here, which is the reason for changing the mode to minor. Perhaps clouds appeared in the clear sky, it began to rain, perhaps the shepherd boy himself thought about something, remembered the sad moments of his life.

5. "Shepherd" - performed by Yulia Seredkina -6th grade.

6. "Little Commander" - performed by Kalistratov Roma - 5th grade.

One of the sketches of a picture of nature is a play "Butterfly". Its original name is "Elf". It is easy to imagine light tender moths fluttering lightly over flowers. The high register, the transparency of the presentation accurately conveys the character of a small moth flying from flower to flower.

Here one encounters a technique characteristic of Maykapar – the alternation of hands, when sounds or groups of sounds taken separately by each hand are combined into one whole. Music sounds abruptly, then smoothly. But smooth movements are very short, they are interrupted by impetuous ones. This creates a quivering, timid character, shows the defenselessness of the moth.

He then becomes invisible, hiding on a flower as at the end of the middle part, or, quickly fluttering away, fly away (at the end of the play).

7. "Moth" - performed by Reana Soyukova - 4th grade.

Similar in mood - a play "Fleeting Vision". What image did the composer want to capture here? Wanted to tell you about a beautiful gentle moth, easily fluttering over flowers in a forest clearing, about a bird, a magically glowing firefly or a fabulous elf? What will the student hear here? It depends on his imagination.

The music is light, airy, gentle and danceable, as if someone is fluttering, flying. Jerky, light sounds alternate with swirling, fluttering, smooth melodies. The music sounds gentle, high, jerky, very quiet. It contains the same intonations, similar to the whirling or flapping of light wings.

In the middle part, the melody moves from the upper register to the lower, darker one. The music becomes alert, disturbing, mysterious and enigmatic, it sounds with stops, cautiously, uncertainly, inquiringly.

Suddenly, the movement stops, a mysterious pause sounds - the vision has disappeared. But here again there is a familiar flickering intonation. The melody rises to a high register and disappears altogether.

8. "Fleeting Vision" - performed by Katya Andropova - 4th grade.

The dance pieces, which the composer S. M. Maykapar included in his piano cycle, give the impression of "toy" music and conjure up a ball, but unusual, but puppet. The dances presented in the cycle: Polka, Waltz, Minuet, Gavotte - like no other are suitable for such a ball.

For example, "Polka"- moving dance with jumps. The word "polka" means half a step. The music of "Polka" by Maykapar is lively, cheerful, light. Since it sounds in a very high register, it produces a "doll" feeling.

9. "Polka" - performed by Sofya Pavlova - 6th grade.

Unlike the polka "Waltz"- more fluid and lyrical dance. The word "waltz" means "rotational" and, indeed, swirling graceful movements predominate in the dance.

10. "Waltz" - performed by Sophia Shavrova - 3rd grade.

All children love fairy tales - funny, kind, with miracles and adventures. Music can also tell fairy tales, but not with words, but with sounds - gentle, kind or mysterious, disturbing. If you follow how the color of the music changes, its mood, then it becomes clear what is being told in the fairy tale told by the music...

11. "Legend" - performs Bolesova Nastya-3 class.

Very expressive and deep in content miniature "Romance". There are different sentiments here. The very song melody of the romance is thoughtful, dreamy, sad. It sounds slower than the introduction, and ends in each phrase with upward interrogative intonations. The accompaniment is reminiscent of the sound of a guitar.

In the middle of the piece, the melody sounds with excitement, anxiety. The initial chord fragment that appeared changes its color, now it sounds in a minor key. The initial melody of the romance becomes imperious, resolute, but gradually it softens. In conclusion, a bright mood returns again, and calmness sets in, light, enlightened sighs are heard.

12. "Romance" - performed by Yusupova Zore - 6th grade.

Maykapar's works are the result of numerous tests and a careful selection of intonations, each title of a play is not a randomly pasted label, but a definition of content that makes it possible for the young performer's creative imagination to unfold. Realizing how important figurativeness is for young musicians, S. Maikapar was very serious about finding the brightest possible names for the pieces. It wasn't always the first thing that came to mind. So, in the original version, "Anxious Minute" was called "Anxiety", "Moth" - "Elf", "Legend" - "Dreams", "Spring" - "Baby". Instead of "Gavotte", the play "Moonlight" was initially conceived.

It is unusually interesting to get acquainted with the drafts of "Spikers". They eloquently testify to how the cycle was born and matured. Everything was the subject of the composer's concern - from the arrangement of performance instructions to the appearance of the publication (lifetime editions of Spillikins were published, as the author intended, in six separate notebooks, with a single artistic design).

Some plays appeared, as the draft copies testify, immediately in finished form, while others were subjected to revision and revision. So, "Little Commander" did not immediately appear: first "Continuous work" was born. She was the melodic grain for the "Little Commander". The miniature in F minor - now it's "Seven-league Boots" - according to the original plan, had a completely different idea.

I would like to draw special attention to the fact that the collection "Spikers" is a cycle of diverse plays, i.e. has artistic value as a whole. And although, of course, it is difficult to expect it to be performed by young musicians in its entirety, how far from often Bach's Inventions and Symphonies or his HTK are performed in their entirety, but according to the original plan, Spillikins were conceived as a single work. This is easy to verify if you realize the features of the cycle design (tonal plan), which was discussed in detail above, and play the pieces one after the other: the appearance of each next one sounds like a surprise, not a dissonance with the previous one. This feature again brings to mind Bach's Inventions and Symphonies, in which each piece is both an independent work and a link in a common chain. It is quite obvious that only a great master, who was the Soviet composer S.M. Maykapar, could create a harmonious suite of 26 pieces, which is the “Spikers” cycle.

View video: "Presentation"

The name of the composer is widely known in Russia and abroad

children and youth. Thanks to artistic merit, understanding

child psychology and taking into account the characteristics of the children's gaming machine, plays

Maikapara has firmly entered the repertoire of young pianists. The kids love these

bright, imaginative works. It can be said with certainty that there is no

one young musician who did not play or did not hear

comrades of some play by Maykapar.

1867 in the city of Kherson. Childhood and adolescence are associated with seaside

southern city - Taganrog.

Home music-making occupied a prominent place in the cultural life of the city.

Just as they played music in the Chekhov family, they spent a lot of time

music and in the Maykapar family. Samuel's mother played the piano well

Moiseevich, who studied in her youth in Odessa. Three of them played the piano

sisters, the fourth was learning to play the violin.

Taganrog was considered a musical city. Since the music school in

Taganrog was opened only in 1885, then, until that time, to study

music was possible only with private teachers. Teaching children to play

some musical instrument was almost indispensable in every

intelligent Taganrog family. Maykapar's father was enough

a wealthy person to give children not only secondary, but also higher

education.

Samuil studied at the same gymnasium that he graduated from eight years earlier.

the great Russian writer A.P. Chekhov. In 1885 Maykapar graduated

high school with a silver medal.

Gymnasium of A.P. Chekhov and S.M. Maykapar today.

.
Already at this time, music became his true passion and purpose of life.

Quite early Maykapar decided to become a musician. And in this respect

his parents and, of course, his first teacher played a positive role

music, Italian Gaetano Molla. Maykapar described him as

talented, temperamental and hardworking musician who taught him

understand and love music.

Maykapar was seven years old when he began learning to play the piano.

He inherited his musical abilities from his mother, and his love for music from

father, who, although he did not play any of the musical instruments, but

I was always ready to listen to music and felt it deeply. Systematic

piano lessons, playing in an ensemble, visiting chamber and other

Concerts brought up the taste of Maykapar, introduced them to the musical

literature. By the age of fifteen, he already knew the main works

symphonic and chamber music, playing four hands with my sister a lot

Symphonies and quartets. He played almost all of Beethoven's sonatas and quite fluently

read from the sheet. At that time, Maykapar was considered the best accompanist in

Taganrog and performed not only with local amateurs, but also with visitors

professional musicians.

For higher education Maykapar went to St. Petersburg, where

was the oldest conservatory in the country, which enjoyed a huge

major musicians who taught there. To continue the general

education, he intended to go to university.

Maykapar, as having graduated from the gymnasium with a medal, entering the university

It was provided. He chose the Faculty of Law, as not requiring

students spend a lot of time on systematic studies. time

was necessary for Maykapar, since in case of admission to the conservatory

I had to practice playing the piano every day and in large quantities. The young man was

admitted to the junior year conditionally, for one year, as his technical

preparation left much to be desired.

Samuil Moiseevich entered the class of senior teacher V. Demyansky,

who for two years corrected the defects in the setting of his hands, taught

carefully work on a piece of music, significantly moved

Technique. Successfully passed the technical exam for the transition to senior year

conservatory, Maykapar moved to the class of the Italian pianist Veniamin

Chesi, who had just been invited as a professor to the Petersburg

conservatory.

For four years, Maikapar studied with Chezi, with the help of whom he

was able to thoroughly familiarize himself with the piano music of Bach, Handel and

other old masters. After working at the conservatory for four years, Chesi

He fell seriously ill and went to his homeland in Italy.

Weiss, a student of Liszt. Weiss's teaching was erratic and

lack of any system. Maykapar was more considered his student than

worked with him. Maykapar prepared for the final exam on his own,

because shortly before the exam he fell ill. He played the program well and was

appointed to speak at the Conservatory Act, which was awarded to the best of

graduated.

When Maykapar passed the last of the auxiliary musical

theoretical subjects, A. Rubinshtein was present at the exam.

Having become acquainted with Maykapar's experience in composing music, he advised him

start studying composition theory. So Maykapar ended up in the classroom

professor N. Solovyov, having come to the end of the conservatory not only as

pianist, but also as a composer.

The years Maikapar spent at the conservatory turned out to be very

important because of the environment in which he was. While on duty

Director of the Conservatory, A. Rubinstein took to heart not only

interests of the institution, but also the fate of each student. Forever remembered

Maykapar and Rubinstein's bright performances on the stage.

A.G. Rubinshtein.

St. Petersburg Conservatory.

Maykapar University graduated two years earlier than the conservatory. He

for a short time he tried to practice advocacy, but soon became convinced that

it is impossible to combine music lessons with jurisprudence. But, doing in

University, Maykapar acquired a certain breadth of views,

disciplined his thinking, learned to argue and clearly state

your thoughts. This allowed him to subsequently go beyond the narrow

musical specialization and become an outstanding researcher in

areas of music.

Even after receiving a conservatory education, Maykapar was not

pleased with the results achieved. He is critical of his

pianistic opportunities, goes to Vienna to study with the famous

Theodor Leshetitsky (1830-1915). This outstanding teacher brought up more than

thousands of pianists, many of whom successfully performed at concert

scenes throughout most of the 20th century. Among them are Anna Esipova, Vasily

Safonov, Arthur Schnabel.

Theodor Leshetitsky

Maykapar was characterized by perseverance, which made him, having set to work,

delve into the smallest details until the issue is fully understood.

Such exceptional conscientiousness was manifested by Maykapar in all

areas. A. Rubinstein, who heard Maykapar repeatedly at student

concerts, turned to him with a proposal: "It's enough for you to study! You already

now a trained pianist. Give concerts, and the stage will teach you what

not a single professor in the world can teach. "However, only after seven years

after this conversation Maykapar decided to make an independent

concert he gave in Berlin, immediately after the end of classes with

Leshetitsky.

as often as possible to perform in concerts. With great care Maykapar

prepares for performances, considers concert programs, regardless of

whether this is a solo performance, playing in an ensemble or in a charity

concert. He includes his own works in them with great

with caution and in the minimum amount.

Thinking over the development of your pianism, listening to the play of other musicians,

appears in print his major research work "Musical ear,

its meaning, nature, features and method of correct development. "This

Maykapar showed himself as an outstanding scientist, musician,

not only playing, but also theoretically thinking. Particular attention was

entirely dependent on the outside. He pointed out: “The more we work

over a clear distinct perception of external impressions, the richer they are

colors and more diverse in nature, so will the inner hearing ...

receive more and more material for their development and enrichment.

Maykapar takes an active part in the event organized in 1902

Moscow "Scientific and Musical Circle", led first by S. Taneev, and

later professor of physiology A. Samoilov. The members of the circle were

prominent Moscow musicians and scientists who were interested in music.

Maykapar became the secretary of the circle and the organizer of all reports.

Maykapar had to come to meetings of the circle from Tver, where in 1901

In the same year he opened his own music school. She lasted three

of the year. In such a short time, of course, Maykapar could not see

significant results of their pedagogical work, however, classes with

children led Maykapar to the idea of creating numerous children's plays

for pianoforte, which found a favorable response in the press. From the number

Maykapar's works, created in pre-revolutionary times, are of great interest

present piano miniatures: "12 album sheets", "Theatre

puppets" of seven numbers. However, the true triumph of Maykapar as

composer for children are "Spikers" - a cycle of plays created after

revolution.

The difficulty of conducting scientific work in the field of music in Russia was one of the

the reasons that prompted Maykapar to go abroad again. Berlin in that

For a time, it was the center that attracted the largest musicians in Europe.

Maykapar did not choose Berlin as his main place of residence, but Leipzig,

which was of interest to him as the center of scientific musical thought.

Visiting these two cities, Maykapar attended concerts, studied literature,

met with composers, musicologists and performers. His own

concert performances were held in small halls. Great success has been

to his performance with his wife - Sofia Maykapar. Her colorful soprano

received great praise.

Sofia Maykapar (1883-1956)

Maikapar is thinking of creating a textbook in which, based on

scientific data, the most important issues of teaching the game on

piano. As if in continuation of the published book on musical ear,

separate parts were to bear the headings: "Rhythm", "Technique", "Reading with

sheet", "Pedalization", "Public performance", etc. This work was

Maykapar started, lasted for many years, much has already been done, but

not finally completed. The task was too difficult to solve

one person, taking into account the exceptional conscientiousness

Living abroad, Maykapar does not lose touch with Russia. Here he lived

relatives, he came here to rest in the summer. In 1910, when he

was in Berlin, he received the following letter from the director of St.

Petersburg Conservatory A. Glazunov:

"Dear Samuil Moiseevich! I bring to your attention that on

You as candidates for piano teachers, both lower and higher

course. The Council authorized me to notify you of this. Elections must

take place in the very near future and the result of the elections, which,

I hope it will be favorable, I will notify you by telegram. Sincerely

respect and devotion A. Glazunov".

The prospect of conducting pedagogical work at the conservatory, where he himself studied,

Maykapar seemed seductive. Petersburg Conservatory

enjoyed a reputation as one of the best music schools in the world

the world. For the pedagogical work of Maykapar, the situation in the conservatory

turned out to be very favorable. Piano Department of the Conservatory

headed by A. Esipova, a student of Leshetitsky. She enjoyed

glory.

Anna Nikolaevna Esipova (1851-1914)

When the question arose at the conservatory about inviting a new lecturer in

piano class, Maykapar’s candidacy did not cause anyone

objections. He was a graduate of the St. Petersburg Conservatory,

belonged to the Leshetitsky school, gave concerts and led a pedagogical

work abroad. In addition, he also had a university education,

which is not so common among professional musicians. Known

what mattered was that he had graduated from the conservatory with two

specialties and in the present has already made a name for himself as a composer and author

valuable musical-theoretical book about musical ear.

Soon Maykapar received a telegram informing him of

favorable outcome of the ballot in the artistic council of the conservatory.

Since autumn, he has already started classes. Started as a teacher

two years later he was approved as a senior lecturer, and in 1915 he became

professor of special piano.

For almost twenty years Maykapar conducted pedagogical work in the Petersburg -

Leningrad Conservatory, simultaneously performed in concerts, composed

music and scientific work. His concert performances

mainly in the Small Hall of the Conservatory attracted by culture

execution. Most significant performance achievement

Maykapar was holding in 1925 a cycle of seven concerts in which

he performed all of Beethoven's piano sonatas. performance, which

Maykapar always loved, remained for him the basis of all other species

activities - composition, pedagogy, scientific work.

During his work at the Leningrad Conservatory, Maykapar released

over forty pianists. In his own pedagogical work, Maykapar was

a follower of the Leshetitsky school, however, did not remain an imitator

techniques of his teacher, and all his life he was a searching teacher.

As a scientist and public figure, he showed himself especially actively

Maykapar in the twenties. He took part in the reform of educational

plans of the conservatory, participated in the work of various commissions, spoke with

methodological reports at meetings of the piano faculty. In these

years, his work "Scientific organization of labor as applied to

the work of a performing musician". In 1927, the book "Meaning

Beethoven's work for our modern times" with a long preface

A.V. Lunacharsky

At the end of the twenties, a difficult situation arose in the conservatory, in

connection with the struggle of various schools and trends within the piano

faculty. All this demanded a strain of forces from Maykapar. He started

get sick. Having brought the last students to graduation, Samuil Yakovlevich in 1929

left work at the conservatory. He gave the remaining strength to the musical

creativity and literary work.

He was almost finished with the work "Creativity and work of the musical

performer according to experience and in the light of science". The work of Maykapar

remained in the manuscript, but his thoughts on the technique of working on musical

work was reflected in the lectures that he gave in the spring of 1935 in

House of artistic education of children in Leningrad. The lectures were called

"How to play the piano" and were intended for school-age children.

In the same 1935 Maykapar wrote an article "Children's instrumental

ensemble and its importance in the system of musical education”.

In 1934, a competition for young talents was organized in Leningrad, in

which involved child musicians aged seven to sixteen

years. Maykapar was a member of the jury of the competition. More than half

The speakers played his piano pieces. In the resolution

review and promotion of artistic education of children in connection with

competition of young talents, which has enormous cultural significance, and

approve the decision of the competition committee on bonuses

Maykapara S.M.".

In the last years of his life, in addition to composing pieces for instrumental

ensemble and the remaining unfinished cycle of light preludes and fugues for

piano, Maykapar continued to pay much attention to the methodical

work. All his life, having spent at the piano and writing desk, Maykapar did not

the light of his book Years of Learning. He was buried at the Literary bridges

Volkov cemetery in Leningrad.

The complete collected works of Maykapar can fit into one

volume. Although their number is very large (over 200 titles), most

of them - piano miniatures, fitting on one or two pages.

Maykapar's works were published in Germany, Austria, England, France,

America, but it does not follow from this that during the life of the author they used

ubiquitous distribution. At the beginning, when Maykapar was not known as

composer, his first compositions (romances and piano pieces) were

printed abroad in small numbers and, as was customary then, at the expense of

recognition, they were produced in quantities no longer satisfying demand.

multiple reprints.

Writing music for children is a very necessary, honorable, but not easy thing. "Yes,

many, many conditions are needed for the education of a children's writer, - pointed out

Belinsky, - we need a gracious, loving, meek, infantile soul

simple-hearted; sublime mind, educated, look at the subject

enlightened, and not only a living imagination, but also a living poetic

a fantasy capable of presenting everything in animate iridescent images.” These

words to an even greater extent can be attributed to the children's composer.

(The basis of this work was an article on the website of the St. Petersburg Society of Karaites)

Target: Introducing children to the creative heritage of the composer S.M. Maykapara.

Tasks:

To teach children to distinguish between the figurativeness of music, the means of musical expression, the form of musical works.
Develop a sense of rhythm, the ability to convey the character of music through movement.
Cultivate emotional responsiveness, love for music.

Hall decoration : Portrait of S.M. Maikapara, music box, children's small toys, a book of fairy tales, photographs of the St. Petersburg Conservatory.

Event progress

“Waltz” by S. Maykapar sounds softly. Children enter the hall, sit down.

Musical director: Hello dear listeners! Today we have gathered with you in the music room to hear music dedicated to you - the children. It was written by the composer Samuil Moiseevich Maykapar.

(Showing a portrait. Figure 1.)

Picture 1

Samuil Maykapar was born over one hundred and forty years ago. There are children in the family - Samuil and his four sisters, who have been involved in music since childhood. His mother played the piano very well. The boy's music lessons began at the age of six, and from the age of nine Maykapar took part in concerts.

When he grew up, he went to study at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. (Figure 2. Figure 3.) He began to write, compose music, including music for children. His children's piano cycle "Spillikins" is very famous. Listen to the very sound of this word - it is affectionate, gentle, musical. A long time ago, Spillikins was the favorite game of the kids. Very small things spilled out on the table: cups, jugs, ladles and other household utensils. It was necessary to get the spillikins from the pile with a small hook, one after the other, without moving the rest.

Figure 2

Figure 3

The game "Spikins" in the modern version

Musical director: Little pieces of Maykapar remind those same spillikins from the old game. Listen to one of them "Shepherd Boy"

(Execution.)

The shepherd is a little boy who, on a bright, sunny day, went out to a summer, flowering meadow near the river. So that it would not be boring to pasture his flock, he cut off a reed for himself and made a small pipe out of it. The bright, joyful tune of the pipe rings over the meadows. In the middle of the miniature, the melody sounds excited, anxious, and then sunny and joyful again. Let's orchestrate this piece: when the music sounds light, joyful, ringing triangles will accompany it. And if you hear disturbing, excited notes, they will be accompanied by a tremolo of tambourines, maracas and tambourines.

Orchestration of the play "Shepherd Boy"

Samuil Maykapar also wrote music dedicated to nature and the seasons. You all know very well what a “landscape” is. (Children's answers) Now the play “Spring” will sound for you. In it you can hear the voices of nature awakening after hibernation. This is the ringing of streams, lively bird trills. The music is light, tender, transparent, just like fresh spring air.

Listening to the play "Spring"

Or maybe one of you knows a poem about spring and will read it to us?

Reading a poem about spring.

Musical director: Guys, do you like puzzles? (Children's answers.) Try to guess this riddle:

In the morning the beads sparkled
All the grass was tucked in.
And let's go look for them during the day -
We are looking for, we are looking for - we will not find!
(dew, dewdrops)

Samuil Maykapar has a play with the same name "Dewdrops". Let's try to convey the lightness and transparency of these small droplets-beads in motion.

Musical-rhythmic exercise "Easy running" to the music of S. Maykapar "Dewdrops"

Now we have an exciting journey into the world of fairy tales. But in order to get there, you need to cast some kind of spell or open a small magical music box. She will lead us into the world of fairy tales.

Sounds like "Music Box"

What can you say about this music? (Children's answers.) She seems to be a toy. Her sounds are very high, light, ringing. Reminiscent of the game of tiny bells, inviting us to a fairy tale. And in fairy tales there are many different miracles and magic. Here, for example, "Seven-league boots". How does the composer portray them? These are big jumps of individual accented sounds, measured and heavy, like the giant steps of a giant overcoming great distances.

Listening to the play "Seven-League Boots"

The composer called the next piece "Fairy Tale". Do you have your favorite fairy tales? (Children's answers.) Yes, fairy tales are different. Listen to "The Story". What words can describe the music played? (Children's answers.) The melody sounds soft, a little sad.
A mood of light thoughtfulness is created. Or maybe someone presented their story while listening to this play? (Children's answers.)

Children's art school №3 Izhevsk

REPORT

S. M. Maykapar

and his piano cycle

"Spikers"

Teacher

Zverchukova I.M.

S. M. Maykapar

and his piano cycle "Spillikins"

Introduction

Creative way of S.M.Maykapar

Of the works by S. Maikapar, created in pre-revolutionary times, of great interest are piano miniatures - "Shepherd's Suite" of six numbers, "12 album sheets", "Puppet Theater" of seven numbers. However, a true triumphS. Maikapar as a composer for children became "Spikers"- a cycle of plays created after the revolution.
During his pedagogical work at the Leningrad Conservatory, S. Maykapar graduated more than forty pianists, who subsequently carried out mainly pedagogical work in musical educational institutions in Leningrad and other regions. In his own pedagogical work, S. Maikapar was a follower of the school of the outstanding pianist Teodor Leshetitsky. The 1920s were marked by the breaking of many of the pedagogical principles of the conservatory. Resistance to radical reforms created a reputation for S. Maikapar as a conservative, but in fact behind this conservatism there was pain and a desire for high professionalism. The most characteristic features of the Leshetitsky school, which Maykapar followed:

culture of melodious sound;

bright plastic dynamics;

phrasing principle;

well-developed virtuoso finger technique, which received new opportunities in connection with the introduction of "spring" wrist techniques.

clarity, conciseness, balanced harmony of presentation.

Cycle of piano pieces "Spikers"

There are no complex thematic developments in "Spikers". The expositional type of presentation prevails in them, their merit lies in the thematic material itself, and not in its development. Diversity in the repetition of themes is achieved by changing the harmonic background, changing the register, tonality or texture. An example is the play: "In the garden", "Shepherd". And only sometimes S. Maikapar resorts to contrasting comparisons.

The harmonic content of the pieces is extremely simple, but even in this simplicity, S. M. Maykapar achieves an amazing freshness of sound and shows inexhaustible imagination. It is enough to look at all the final cadences - with the same harmonic function (D-T) for all - they are solved very differently.

Polyphonic presentation is used in many plays ("Song of the Sailors", "In the Spring"), but it is most clearly manifested in his fughetta, in which you can find both the theme in magnification and in circulation - everything is like in real fugues, only in miniature.

A few words should be said about some features of the author's text. S. Maikapar gives detailed instructions:

*) on the most diverse strokes,

*) by fingering,

*) by tempo (the metronome is written in each piece),

*) for using the pedal.

I would especially like to note the attention that S. Maikapar paid to fingering. Sometimes it seems that in S. Maykapar it is too detailed, as well as unnecessary, from the point of view of traditional musical notation, indicating “random” signs. But redundant for mature musicians, these indications, as the experience of practicing teachers shows, are absolutely necessary for still young pianists, who find it difficult to remember the fingerings set only at the first performance of a given musical material. In addition, in a number of cases, the author's fingering is more far-sighted in pianistic terms - it introduces techniques that will be needed in the future, when truly virtuoso works appear in the young pianist's repertoire. One of these tricks, often found in S. Maykapar and ignored by editors, is changing fingers on a repeating key.

The accuracy of performance notation in S. Maykapar's plays is one of the reasons for their popularity among teachers, as it eliminates the need for them to make any additions to printed notes and, at the same time, teaches students to carefully read the musical text with the whole complex of its musical notes, letters and graphics.

All pieces are designed for the level of training of a novice pianist and are written according to the principle already used by many composers (J. S. Bach in "HTK", F. Chopin in "Preludes" and "Etudes", D. Shostakovich in "Preludes and Fugues") , which enables the performer to get acquainted with all existing keys, with sharp and flat signs.

However, the constructive principle of building "Spikers" is somewhat different. If in "HTK" a new tonality appears in the movement from piece to piece along the chromatic scale, and thus light and difficult keys alternate, then in "Spikers" the tonal plan of the entire cycle is different. S. Maikapar provided for several levels of division of the cycle. Firstly, the whole cycle is divided into three series, and secondly, as already mentioned, into six notebooks. Unfortunately, the division into series in modern editions of "Spikers" is ignored by the editors. So, series I (books 1 and 2) gives pieces from keys without signs to pieces with three sharps; in the II series (notebooks 3 and 4) - the same movement from the keys without key signs to the keys this time with three flats, and finally, the III series (notebooks 5 and 6) covers pieces in the keys with 4, 5, 6 signs . Moreover, in the last pair of pieces, the miniature in the key of F-sharp major (No. 25) corresponds to the piece in E-flat minor (No. 26) as a key that is enharmonically equal to D-sharp minor, i.e. parallel to F-sharp major. This decision of the composer is again reminiscent of Bach's technique in the 1st volume of "HTK", where the Prelude in E-flat minor is followed by a fugue in an enharmonic equal to it in D-sharp minor.

Thus, despite the fact that there are 24 keys in all, there are 26 pieces in the collection, since the keys C major and A minor as the starting points of movement to the sharp and flat sides are repeated twice. It should be noted that all editions of "Spikers" consist of 6 notebooks - each with 4 pieces, and the last - 6. According to the original plan, however, the last two pieces, demonstrating the possibilities of anharmonism, were a separate - the seventh notebook.

S. Maikapar's "Spillikins" have taken a special place in the piano-pedagogical repertoire not only due to the remarkable artistic features of the collection's pieces, but due to their great methodological merits. The value of Maykapar's piano miniatures also lies in the ease and convenience of voice leading, in adaptability to the small size of a child's hand. Nowhere in his children's pieces do we find octaves taken with one hand, or chords in a wide arrangement. Maykapar's works are distinguished by clarity and simplicity of presentation of musical material. Conciseness, completeness of musical phrases easily allows the student to understand how motives are formed into phrases, phrases into sentences, sentences into periods, periods into parts.

paintings and sketches of nature: “In autumn, “Clouds are floating”, “Moth”, “Spring”;

onomatopoeic pieces: "Echo in the mountains", "Music box";

figurative-pictorial plays: "Lullaby", "In the garden";

musical portraits: "Orphan", "Shepherd", "Little Commander";

plays of mood and feelings: "Fleeting Vision", "Anxious Minute";

dance pieces: Polka, Waltz, Minuet, Gavotte;

narrative music: "Fairy Tale", "Romance", "Legend";

8) polyphonic pieces: "Song of the Sailors" (canon), "Prelude and Fughetta".

Of course, such a thematic classification is conditional, different directions can be mixed in one work.

Another portrait sketch is the play "Little Commander". He is very belligerent, courageous and courageous. With a loud voice, he vigorously gives clear and confident orders, emphasizing every word. We do not know to whom they are intended - tin soldiers, soft toys, or the same kid friends as he is. Music convinces us that any order of such a commander will be unquestioningly carried out, because he himself is full of firmness and determination. The piece has a time signature of ¾, the key is C major. Children work on the play with particular pleasure, because the character of the play is close to them. The initial task is an accurate chased rhythm that conveys the character of the "little commander". Rhythmic attentiveness is necessary when playing the off-beat note, because while the melodic intonation remains unchanged, the durations differ. Sometimes students make mistakes. Technically, it is difficult to work on a marked staccato. The stroke should sound jerky, sharp and short and with the most tenacious fingers.

And another portrait: the music here is very sad, sad, quiet and plaintive. Listening to it, I want to sympathize with the one about whom it is written, or even cry. It seems that the child sadly tells something, complains about his fate, a difficult life. The play is called "Orphan". The music sounds sad, like a lonely lonely voice singing.

These are completely different, dissimilar portraits - the images presented to us by the composer. In each of them, not an adult, but a child is guessed. And wonderful music tells about each of us.

Musical landscapes by S. Maikapar are dedicated to all seasons.

In a play "Spring" you can hear the voices of awakening nature: the ringing of streams, lively bird trills. The music is light, gentle, just like fresh spring air. Spring is a special time of the year. The time of awakening nature from winter sleep, when everything comes to life, blooms, rejoices in the warmth that has come. In early spring, winter still makes itself felt - it blows winds, snow blizzards, but, in the end, spring still wins. Small silvery streams flow and shimmer in the sun. At the end, the melody rises higher and higher, as if the sun shines brighter, illuminating and warming everything around. This music blows like a spring wind. She is enthusiastic, fresh, as if washed by spring streams.

In S. Maykapar's "Spikers" there is no play called "Summer", but this season is easily recognizable in some of his miniatures. For example, "At kindergarten". Listening to it, you vividly imagine a warm summer day and a playground in a shady garden. Music conveys the cheerful nature of children's games.

After summer comes "Autumn". The music captures a sad picture of late autumn, when the trees have already thrown off their luxurious golden dress and migratory birds have long left their native lands. All nature is silent in anticipation of winter. Muted slow chords very accurately convey the feeling of stiffness, numbness. Only a quiet drizzle brings some barely noticeable movement.

And then the snow fell, winter came. She brought with her cheerful winter fun, which the play tells about. "On the rink". Again, we have an almost living picture of the life of the children. We hear short, repetitive phrases, like running steps followed by a long slide across the ice. And again run and slide. This is how beginner skaters usually move. The music again suggests that this is not an adult figure skater, but a child. All seasons are depicted in Maykapar's music in a very diverse and colorful way.

All seasons are depicted in Maykapar's music in a very diverse and colorful way.

He then becomes invisible, hiding on a flower as at the end of the middle part, or, quickly fluttering away, fly away (at the end of the play).

Among onomatopoeic pieces – play "Echoes in the Mountains" Echoes are depicted in music. The beginning sounds cheerfully, loudly, solemnly. How does the echo respond? It sounds mysterious, hidden, fabulous, in a low register, very quiet. The sounds of the echo exactly repeat the melody, but come from afar, barely audible.

The second musical phrase sounds a little different, with a slightly different rhythmic ending and even more solemn. And the echo exactly echoes this melody, it “mimics” it again.

If loud sounds are heard in the mountains for a long time, then the echo appears when they stop, at the end. To hear the echo, you need silence, you need to be silent.

In the middle section of Echoes in the Mountains, loud, angry music plays non-stop and no echo is heard. It comes when a loud melody stops, it echoes only its ending.

Then the melody stops frequently, and the echo again echoes each of its sounds, mysteriously, magically, mysteriously. At the very end of the piece, the loud, cheerful melody again does not stop for a long time, and the echo echoes only its end. It mysteriously ends the play.

Let's reopen "Music box". Its sounds are very high, light, ringing, reminiscent of the play of tiny bells. Small and magical, they lead us into a fairy-tale world. If we open the lid of the music box, we will hear a melody - light, magical, as if a little doll is dancing to this music!

The melody sounds high, quiet, airy, playful. It repeats itself all the time and resembles the sounds of a mechanical toy. The play begins easily, gracefully, the melody magically tinkles, tinkles, like drops glowing in the sun. Towards the end of the piece, faster smooth sounds appear in the accompaniment, as if some noises are heard in the mechanism of the toy.

Unlike the polka "Waltz"- more fluid and lyrical dance. The word "waltz" means "rotational" and, indeed, swirling graceful movements predominate in the dance.

next dance, "Minuet", much older than polka and waltz. It is at least 300 years old and originated in France. It was danced at balls by cavaliers and ladies in powdered wigs and elegant clothes resembling cream cakes. The dance itself was performed in small unhurried steps and looked more like some kind of ceremony of bowing to each other. The cavaliers gallantly shuffled their feet, and the ladies squatted in a cutesy curtsey. The "Minuet" from the "Spikers" cycle sounds at a restrained pace, with small stops between musical phrases, as if dancing dolls freeze for a moment in beautiful poses.

"Gavotte"- a contemporary of the minuet. The same refined and ceremonial court dance. The French jokingly called one of his movements “the crooked legs of a crane”: the straight legs in the dance so gracefully crossed, resembling the pose of a bird. . The music of Maykapar's "Gavota" is light, ingenuous, at the same time elegant and graceful. "Gavotte", like other dances of the "Spikers" cycle, gives the impression of "toy" music.

In a play "Fairy tale", perhaps the story is about a princess languishing in the Koshcheev kingdom, or about Alyonushka, yearning for her brother Ivanushka, who was carried away by Geese-Swans, or about something else sad.

It begins affectionately, at first it looks like a lullaby - unhurried and calm, as if a mother or grandmother shakes the cradle and tells a fairy tale - a little sad, kind.

The melodious melody sounds restrained, soft, mysterious, unhurried - everything in the fairy tale is yet to come. It starts off silently. A mood of light thoughtfulness, calm serenity is created. The introduction of the second voice enlivens the picture. Calm tempo, quiet sound, measured, gentle intonations of the melody create a calm, gentle character of the music.

Then the melody rises higher, becomes more disturbing, brighter. Another melody seems to calm the first one.

In the middle part, the music sounds either insinuatingly, secretly, as if asking a question, or bolder, more insistently, as if answering. As if the hero of the "Fairy Tale" should decide on something, choose something, is at a crossroads... The major that appeared for a moment is like a peeking out sun, like an inspiration, like an indication to the main character on a further path.

And the “Fairy Tale” ends in a low register, gloomy, mysterious, anxious and suddenly interrupted by jerky low sounds. The story seems to be left unsaid...

Often in fairy tales, various magical things come to the aid of heroes: a flying carpet, walking boots, a ball showing the way, a self-assembled tablecloth, an invisibility hat ... Walking boots are found in different fairy tales, especially by Charles Perrault. For example, in the fairy tale "Thumb Boy" it is told about how seven-league boots helped children escape from the Cannibal...

In a play "Seven-league boots" the composer uses large jumps of individual accented sounds, measured and heavy, like the giant steps of a giant overcoming great distances. The melody jumps, jumps, flies all the time. The music depicts seven-league boots very vividly - it is sweeping, wide, heavy, consists of huge leaps and jumps, it has a lot of accents. Some sounds are jerky, others are smooth, as if the runner walks in different ways - it either steps over or flies.

If at the beginning of the piece the music is flying, heavy, similar to huge steps, a mood of anxiety is felt in it, then in the middle the music becomes smoother, as if the runner steps over and then jumps. Short, flying intonations of music, similar to huge jumps, in the middle part of the piece are replaced by longer, smoother ones, similar to jumping flights.

An abbreviated record of many plays in drafts is interesting: instead of fully written repetitions of some episodes, the composer uses reprise signs. At the same time, the musical text is sometimes halved, or even more. It is worth paying the attention of the student to this, since this method greatly simplifies learning works by heart: it is psychologically easier to remember where there are repetitions than to learn the entire text as new material.

Unfortunately, "Spikers" by S. Maikapar suffered the usual fate of a popular work: they were reprinted many times both in our country (almost annually) and abroad - in the USA, Poland, Germany, England, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, in other countries. At the same time, the author's performing and methodological instructions - fingering, phrasing, pedalization - were given in a distorted form. Each editor considered it possible to replace the detailed author's performance instructions with his own, to make additions to them, despite the fact that the autograph stored in the family archive was not known to any of them, and lifetime editions have long become a bibliographic rarity.

LITERATURE:

Volman B.L. Samuil Moiseevich Maikapar. Essays on life and creativity. - L., Soviet composer, 1963

Maikapar A. My grandfather is Samuil Maikapar. "Musical Life", No. 12, 1994

Maykapar S.M. Musical performance and pedagogy. From unpublished works. Publishing house "MRU", 2006.

Maykapar S.M. "Music Director", No. 3, 2007

Stukolkina G.A. CM. Maykapar. The path to excellence. SP, Composer, 2007, p. 32-35.

Musical encyclopedic dictionary. Ch. editor - G. V. Keldysh. Ed. "Soviet Encyclopedia", Moscow, 1991.

Secrets of piano skill, thoughts and aphorisms of outstanding

musicians, M., 2001.

9. Internet resources:

*) www. Wikipedia.org/wiki

NGMBOUDOD Children's music school named after. Nefteyugansk city.

METHODOLOGICAL REPORT

"WITH. Maykapar and his piano cycle "Spillikins"

Compiled by:

teacher

piano department

S. Maykapar and his piano cycles.

Cycle "Spikers"

S. Maikapar was born in Kherson in 1867, his childhood years were spent in Taganrog, then Maikapar entered St. Petersburg University at the Faculty of Law, which he graduated in 1891 and at the same time at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he studied in two specialties: composition and piano. After graduating from the conservatory and on the advice of Anton Rubinstein, Maykapar goes to Vienna to improve with the famous pianist Professor Theodor Leshetitsky. From 1903 to 1910 Maykapar lived in Germany. He gives concerts, composes, and is engaged in scientific activities. In 1910 Maykapar received an invitation from A. Glazunov to teach at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. In 1930, Maykapar left the conservatory and devoted himself entirely to creative work - composition, performance, and scientific work. Maykapar died on May 8, 1938.

The complete collection of Maykapar can fit into one volume. Although their number is very large (over 200 titles), most of them are piano miniatures that fit on one or two pages. Maykapar's plays were published in Germany, Austria, England, France, and America. Maykapar's catalog of compositions contains piano pieces, romances and compositions for chamber ensemble.

Maikapar began composing at the age of 14-15 and continued throughout his life. And it was in the field of children's music that the name of S. Maykapar became widely known in the country. He found musical images and intonations close to the child; through his pieces for beginners, he teaches children to love music, opening up to them the wide possibilities of their own creativity and the way to the knowledge of the beautiful art of sounds.

It would be in vain to look for striking stylistic features in Maykapar's children's plays. Their value is not in any unique individual features of melody, harmony, etc., but in the combination of all elements, each of which may not be so significant. Clear purposefulness, immediacy of expression, combined with great performing and pedagogical experience, helped Maykapar become one of the founders of Russian children's piano literature. He developed an integral system for the development of piano technique. His cycles of piano works, addressed to young pianists, are built according to a very specific plan, covering one or another section of piano technique or a type of pianistic difficulty. At the same time, the principle “from simple to complex” is strictly observed. According to this plan, a cycle of 12 hand preludes op-14, two octave intermezzoor-13, staccato preludes op-31 was created. The tasks in the collection of ensemble pieces “First Steps op-29 in Piano 4-Hands. A clear pedagogical plan can be seen in the famous “spillikin” cycle (it is associated with familiarizing the student with all 24 keys).

If we take Maykapar's work in the field of small forms as a whole, then Grieg turns out to be closest to him both in form, and partly in spirit. Composing children's plays, Maykapar proceeded from the conviction that the general requirements of young artists are the same as those of adult performers; this is a requirement of figurativeness, colorfulness, then simplicity and artlessness of compositions. I gave this site the best forces of my creativity.

The qualities that are characteristic of Maykapar as a "childish" composer are: vitality and figurativeness of the content (lack of artificiality, deliberateness, far-fetchedness), sincerity and emotionality, simplicity and laconism, completeness of form, organic connection with the instrument.

Here is how Maykapar distributed the plays according to their content:

Pictures of nature:“Morning” Op.15 No. 1, “Evening”, “Night”, “Autumn”, “Echo in the Mountains”, “Spring”, “Clouds are Floating” Op.23 No. 24, “By the Sea at Night”, “In Fog ”, “dewdrops”, “quiet morning”, “turbulent stream”, “starry night” op. 33 No. 19.

Onomatopoeic plays:“pipe”, “in the forge”, “musical clown” op.16 No. 6, “at war”, “music box”, “friendly work”, “cavalry is coming”, “eolian harp” op.

The plays are figurative and pictorial:"Lullaby" Op.8, "Italian Serenade" Op.8, "Mermaid", "Dance of the Clowns" Op.21, "Catching Butterflies", "In the Garden", "Orphan", "Shepherd", "Fleeting Vision", “moth”, “lullaby”, “song of the sailors”, “seven-league boots”, “on the skating rink”, “rider in the forest”, “butterfly” op. 33 #8.

Pieces of mood and feeling:“sad mood”, “complaint” op.15, “dream” op.16, “in separation”, “remembrance”, “troubadour song”, “anxious minute”, “funeral march”, “meditation”, “long journey ”, “call song”, “elegy” op.33, “fun game” op.33, “dramatic excerpt”.

Dancing: gavotte op.6, tarantella, waltz, minuet op.16, polka, mazurka op.33.

Narrative music:“fairy tale” op. 3, “romance”, “dialogue” op. 15, “stepdaughter and stepmother” op. 21, “lullaby tales” op. sailor's story, op.33.

Music titles: "children's play", "prelude and fughetta", "operetta", "melody" op. 8, "album leaf", "nocturne" op. 8, "schercino" op. 8, "small rondo", "prelude op.16, “variations on a Russian theme”, “fughetta” op.8, “sonata” op.27, etc.

The overwhelming majority of Maykapar's piano pieces are program works, this is explained by the desire to awaken the imagination of children with the help of their characteristic names, that is, by associative comparison of sound images with phenomena and emotions that are well known to children. Maykapar concretized the content of the plays, he realized the special need to create children's plays for beginners, which was done with exceptional success in the "spills" cycle.

"Spikins".

The cycle of piano pieces for children by S. Maykapar "Spikers" is one of the classic works of the pedagogical repertoire and is on a par with such collections as "Anna Magdalene Bach's Notebook", "Children's Album", "Album for Youth" by F. Schumann. Created in 1925-1926, the Spillikins cycle enjoys unchanging love among both young musicians and their teachers. The pieces of the collection are distinguished by everything that is characteristic of true masterpieces - regardless of whether it is a monumental work or a miniature - inspiration, ideal harmony of form, perfect finishing of details. Now, few people know what spillikins are. Once it was a game very popular with children: a handful of chopped straws is placed on the table in a pile; the players pull out, alternating one at a time without shaking the heap. "Spikers" is a suite that includes piano pieces of the most varied content. It consists of six notebooks with four plays each (the last notebook contains 6 plays). It is interesting to compare this collection with cycles, like “X. T.K. Bach, Spillikins, plays in all 24 keys. However, the constructive principle of constructing the "spikers" is somewhat different: Series I (notebooks 1 and 2) from C to 3 sharps; in the II series (notebook 3 and 4) from C major to 3 flats; Notebooks 5 and 6 cover pieces in keys with 4,5,6 characters. Thus, despite the fact that there are 24 keys in total, and 26 pieces, since the keys of C and a-moll as the starting points of movement to the sharp and flat sides are repeated twice. Understanding how important imagery is for young musicians, Maykapar was very serious about finding the brightest possible names for pieces; these were not always the first play titles that came to mind. So, in the original version, the “anxious minute” was called “anxiety”, “moth” - “elf”, “legend” - “dreams”, “spring” - “baby”. Instead of "Gavotte", the play "Moonlight" was originally conceived, although the music of this play does not give grounds for such an illusion. Some plays appeared, as the draft copies testify, immediately in finished form, while others were subjected to revision and revision. So the "little commander" did not immediately appear. First, "continuous work" was born. She was the melodic grain for the "little commander". “The f-moll miniature is now “seven-league boots” - according to the original plan, it had a completely different musical idea.

The themes of Maykapar's plays are always very expressive. They are characterized by a bright, memorable melody, usually of a short length. The “song of the sailors” is energetic, the tune in the “shepherdess” is technical. Each play is unique. Its name is not a label accidentally pasted on, but a definition of content that makes it possible to unfold the creative imagination of a young performer. The merit of the plays lies in the thematic material itself, and less so in its development. He resorts to contrasting comparisons, and if they are not needed, then he diversifies repeating phrases by changing the harmonic background, accompaniment figures, and changing the register. The harmonies in the pieces are extremely simple.

Very often Maikapar resorts to polyphony, if at the beginning of his career he used the techniques of polyphonic writing rather intuitively, then later he came to the conclusion that polyphony is a necessary condition for creating a truly piano work.

Maykapar did not forget about the small size of a child's hand. Nowhere in his children's pieces do we find octaves taken with one hand, or chords in a wide arrangement. The octave doublings he encounters are always performed with two hands. Widespread use of the registers of the piano, associated with sweeping, complete freedom of movement of the hand and even the body, within the entire range of the instrument. Maykapar very often and skillfully resorts to this technique. Already the direct use of one or another register gives the corresponding artistic effect (high register - "moth", "dewdrops"; medium melodious "romance", "meditation"; low "funeral march", etc.). Moving within the same piece of any passage, phrase, or even a single chord from one register to another gives a different coloration of the sound. Combining transference with pauses, sustaining sound duration, barely noticeable changes in strokes, dynamic shades, etc. Maykapar achieves an increase in the semantic meaning of individual “pieces”, emphasizes changes in mood, etc. The use of registering in his pieces is one of the most effective techniques piano expression. His plays are always accompanied by a clear indication of the tempo of performance, often backed up by the notation of a metronome. The composer attached great importance to tempo indications, correctly considering that they give an idea not only of the speed of movement, but also of its character. Strokes, dynamic shades and other designations appeared inextricably linked with musical text. Fixing notes on paper, the composer simultaneously embodied the performing idea, providing for the accuracy of its implementation. It remains only for the performer of plays Maykapar to follow his instructions. In this case, they will help the artistic performance to the maximum extent. Maikapar has always marked legato and staccato (light and heavy), portamento, signs of length over a note, accents, etc. Placed slurs accurately indicate the beginning and end of a phrase, and dynamic signs indicate acceleration and deceleration of movement (using Italian terminology) always affixed exactly in the place where they should begin and where they should end. It is impossible not to note the peculiarities of the designation of fingering, affixed by Maykapar in his pieces, attaching great importance to it and the correct attitude towards it. Maykapar adhered to exceptional accuracy in the designation of pedalization, considering it an effective means of artistic performance. The use of the pedal in his pieces is very diverse and is always justified by artistic goals. Unfortunately. Even the teachers do not pay enough attention to the issues and designations of pedalization in Maikapar's plays and do not attach the importance that the composer attached to them.

I would like to pay special attention to the fact that the collection of "spillikins" is a cycle of diverse plays, that is, it has artistic significance as a whole. And although, of course, it is difficult to expect it to be performed by young musicians in its entirety, how far from often the cycles of Bach's inventions and symphonies are performed in their entirety, CTC, according to the original plan of the "spill-slip", was conceived as a single work. Everyone can easily be convinced of this if he realizes the peculiarities of the construction of the cycle (tonal plan) and plays the pieces one after the other: the appearance of each next one sounds like a surprise, not a dissonance with the previous one. It is quite obvious that only a great master could create a harmonious suite of 26 pieces.

Writing music for children is a very necessary, honorable, but not easy thing. Belinsky wrote “we need a gracious, loving, meek, melodic, ingenuous soul; a sublime, educated mind, a lively imagination, a lively poetic fantasy, capable of presenting everything in animated rainbow images.

Literature.

1. Samuil Maykapar and his piano cycles. "Classic" 2009

2. Portraits of pianists. D. Rabinovich. M., 1963

3. The initial period of learning to play the piano. , 1989