The last years of M. Mussorgsky's life
I continue the story about a tourist trip to the south of the Pskov region, which took place on February 11 of this year. In the first part there was a photo report about the visit (the village of Polibino, Velikoluksky district), and today - a photo tour of the museum-estate of Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky, located in the village of Naumovo, Kunyinsky district. The great Russian composer was born in these parts, and spent his childhood years here.
Two small villages - Karevo and Naumovo, which are located in the south of the Pskov region almost on the border with the Tver region, are considered the birthplace of M.P. Mussorgsky. His parents Pyotr Alekseevich Mussorgsky and Yulia Ivanovna, nee Chirikova, came from ancient noble families. Their families lived next door on their family estates. The estate in the village of Karevo belonged to the Mussorgskys, and the nearby estate in Naumovo was the property of the Chirikov family from the 17th century. The estates were separated only by the Poshivkino churchyard, where the Church of Hodegetria stood, “common” for both landowner families.
M.P. Mussorgsky was born on March 21, 1839 in the village of Karevo. Unfortunately, nothing remains of the manor’s estate in Karevo except the foundation. But the house in Naumovo, built in the 19th century, somehow miraculously survived. Therefore, the composer’s museum was opened right here, in the main house of the Chirikov estate, where little Modest often visited his grandparents, spent the night in the nursery on the second floor, played the piano in one of the halls, walked in the park, spent time on the ponds and on Zhizhitsky lake, which is just a stone's throw from home.
It is interesting that the Mussorgsky Museum first emerged as a folk museum. It was opened in 1968 on the initiative of the director of the Žižice Secondary School and its exhibition occupied two classrooms. Two years later, it was decided to open a museum in the Naumovo estate, and in 1972, the first exhibition dedicated to the life and work of M.P. was opened in the building of the former manor house. Mussorgsky. Since then, the museum's exhibitions have expanded significantly, and the museum's fund has been replenished with a large number of exhibits from various sources. Currently, the Mussorgsky Museum is a branch of the Pskov Museum-Reserve.
A bust of the composer by sculptor A. Izmalkov was installed in front of the estate house in 1973 (Another monument to Mussorgsky was erected in 1989 in Karevo on the site of the house where the composer was born, but it was not possible to photograph it due to the fact that both the monument and the approaches to it were covered with snow)
In addition to the manor house, the estate has preserved an English-style park, ponds with artificial islands and several outbuildings.
Of course, during the late spring-summer-autumn period it should be very picturesque here. And on the day of our arrival, everything was very densely covered with snow. And there was some kind of unreal silence here. Before the tour of the museum exhibition, we walked a little around the nearby territory, as far as the cleared paths allowed, and took photographs while it was still light.
Well, now let’s walk directly through the house, where our guide was museum employee Elena Petrovna Zavernyaeva. She gave a wonderful tour.
First we find ourselves in the hallway. It can be seen that the house is very old. (it was, of course, restored, but that was a very long time ago - in 1979)
Here in the showcases are presented unique items from the Mussorgsky and Chirikov families.
From the hallway we enter the dining room. The dining room in the manor house was the center of all life. Here, as a rule, neighbors and relatives gathered at the table. In the room there are armchairs and a sideboard, which were brought here from the village of Volok near Toropets, from the house of the Kushelevs - the composer’s relatives on his mother’s side, with whom he often visited. There is also a coffee pot, a teapot and a butter dish in the shape of a ram from the Mussorgsky family, which were donated to the museum by the composer’s relatives.
The display cases contain materials on the genealogies of the Mussorgskys and Chirikovs.
as well as a dummy of the Parish Register of the Church of Hodegetria in the Poshivkino churchyard with a record of the birth of M.P. Mussorgsky. 
Then we find ourselves in the “maid’s room”. The yard girls gathered here to do handicrafts or to drink tea in their spare time. 
The sideboard and sofa in this room are memorial items. They stood in this house during the life of the Chirikovs.
Next we find ourselves in the mother's room. It must be said that Mussorgsky had a very warm relationship with his mother. It was she who had previously noticed his passion for music, hired him a teacher and in every possible way encouraged his studies and musical education. She died when Modest was twenty-five years old and he took her departure very hard. 
The mother's room closes the women's half of the house and it also opens the enfilade of the front part of the house. Here, one of the main exhibits is a mirrored dressing table from the Mussorgsky family. It was given to the museum by M.P. Mussorgsky’s grandniece Tatyana Georgievna Mussorgskaya (granddaughter of Modest’s older brother, Filaret).
On the round table are notes of works by composers whom Mussorsky loved - Schumann, Schubert, Liszt 
Also in this room you can see the 1849 Certificate of nobility of M.P. Mussorgsky, with which he received the right to enter a military school (a copy, of course), as well as some of the earliest portrait images of M.P. Mussorgsky related to the time of completion of studies at the School of Guards Ensigns and service in the Preobrazhensky Regiment - this is a pencil drawing and photograph in the uniform of a junior officer.
Then we go through a suite of rooms. The exhibits presented in the Small and Large Living Rooms tell about Mussorgsky’s life in St. Petersburg and his work. The Mussorgsky family moved to St. Petersburg in 1849, when Modest was 10 years old and his older brother Filaret was 13 years old. In St. Petersburg, boys were supposed to receive military education.
They received it, but Modest, having served only two years, resigned to pursue music. During this period, he met young composers - Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov, Cui, Balakirev and art critic Stasov. The “Mighty Handful” music group was formed. However, later, he still had to “return to work.” To ensure his existence, he served as an official in the Engineering and then in the Forestry departments.
However, he never stopped making music. He worked hard and fruitfully. During his generally short life (he died at 42), he wrote two operas, “Boris Godunov” and “Khovanshchina.” Three more operas remained unfinished - “Marriage” and “Sorochinskaya Fair” (both based on the works of N.V. Gogol), as well as “Salambo” (based on the short story by G. Flaubert). Moreover, Mussorgsky also wrote the libretto for the operas himself. He composed a number of vocal cycles for voice and piano - “Young Years”, “Children’s Room”, “Pictures at an Exhibition”, “Without the Sun”, “Songs and Dances of Death”. He also created musical cycles for orchestra and choir, songs and romances (based on poems by G. Heine, A. A. Golenishchev-Kutuzov, etc.)
Mussorgsky lived in St. Petersburg for 32 years without having his own apartment. He rented furnished rooms or lived with friends.
The closest friend of the entire “Mighty Handful” for Mussorgsky was N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. They once even rented an apartment for two people so that they could compose music in the evenings. But their friendship ended when Rimsky-Korsakov decided to get married. Mussorgsky took this news extremely sharply, because he was convinced that if a person has talent, then he must devote himself to it, and the family will take time away from creativity. Mussorgsky himself never married.
The antique white grand piano from Schröder, which can be seen in the White Hall, is not directly related to the life of Mussorgsky. But he got to the museum thanks to the support and participation of the famous opera singer Yevgeny Nestrenko, who was a great friend of the Mussorgsky Museum. This piano was played by the best performers who came to the museum. Concerts and musical events still take place here today.
Traditional photo with the effect of presence... :-) 
A little from the biography
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky born in 1839 in the village of Karevo, Toropetsky district, Pskov province. His father came from an old noble family. Modest and his older brother were educated at home, and then the future composer graduated from the School of Guards Ensigns, served in the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment, then in the Main Engineering Directorate, in the Ministry of State Property and in State Control.
M. Mussorgsky - officer of the Preobrazhensky Regiment
The young officer Mussorgsky was a very educated man: he knew foreign languages, studied music on his own, had a beautiful voice (baritone) and often sang at evenings and in music salons.
When the conservatory was founded in St. Petersburg in 1862, he began studying piano with Professor A. Gerke and became a good pianist. But his life changed dramatically from the moment he met M. Balakirev and joined his circle.
"The Mighty Handful"
In the late 1850s and early 1860s, a community of composers was formed in St. Petersburg, which included: M. Balakirev, A. Borodin, N. Rimsky-Korsakov, Ts. Cui, and which M. Mussorgsky joined, leaving the rank of officer and completely devoting himself to music. The members of the circle set their goal to embody the Russian national idea in music. The ideological inspirer of the circle was the art critic and writer V. Stasov. The musical director was actually M. Balakirev. The members of the circle were different in age and type of activity (the oldest was A. Borodin, by that time already an outstanding chemist).
I. Repin “Portrait of V. Stasov”
The musical circle “The Mighty Handful” arose at a time when in Russia there was an increased interest in everything folk in connection with the revolutionary mood that had gripped the minds of the Russian intelligentsia by that time and which ended with the regicide in 1881. The participants of the “Mighty Handful” recorded and studied Russian folk art (folklore) and Russian church singing, and then implemented their research in their works. This was especially true for operas, where many folklore traditions were used. M. Mussorgsky also sought answers to contemporary questions in historical subjects. “The past in the present is my task,” he wrote.
Opera "Salambo"
This is the composer's first opera, on which he worked from 1863 to 1866. The plot of the opera is from Carthaginian history (based on the novel by G. Flaubert “Salammbô”). The opera's libretto was written by Mussorgsky himself. This opera remained unfinished, but the composer used fragments of it in other works, including the opera “Boris Godunov”. Soviet composer V. Shebalin worked on the instrumentation of Mussorgsky’s unfinished opera “Salambo”.
Opera "Marriage"
Scene from the play “Marriage”
Mussorgsky conceived this opera based on the plot of N. Gogol in 1868. But only sketches for the opera were written, and the idea itself was not fully realized. The editions of M. Ippolitov-Ivanov 1931 and G. Rozhdestvensky 1985 are known.
Opera "Boris Godunov"
An opera based on the tragedy of A.S. Mussorgsky began Pushkin's "Boris Godunov" in 1868, independently creating the libretto. In the process of working on the libretto, he also used N. Karamzin’s “History of the Russian State”. But the first edition of the opera was not accepted for production, finding a flaw in it in the form of the absence of a significant female role.
Scene from M. Mussorgsky's opera "Boris Godunov"
In 1869, Mussorgsky created a new edition, introducing the image of Marina Mniszech and a love affair. This edition, which was liked by the entire musical community, was also rejected. And only in 1874 the opera was staged at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. However, the opera, which was enthusiastically received by the public but sharply negative by critics, was removed from the repertoire in 1882.
IN 1896 N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov is trying to revive the opera, creating a new edition, and in 1908. one more. In 1940, the opera was edited by D. Shostakovich.
But nowadays they prefer to use the author's edition of the opera.
Why was the opera, which today has worldwide recognition, so difficult to accept by its contemporaries? The point is the genius of both the author of the text and the author of the music. Mussorgsky's contemporary musical consciousness was unable to appreciate the innovation of music.
The musical dramaturgy of the opera was based on the complete coincidence of music and dramatic action, accurate depiction of stage characters and their psychological characteristics. The declamatory nature of the vocal numbers, chanting intonations close to an ancient peasant song and folk dialect - all this was the result of the activities of the “Mighty Handful” and Mussorgsky’s musical quest, but was far from the usual ideas about singing in opera.
It was painful for the composer to realize that his work was not understood and not accepted by the official academic environment. In addition, the collapse of the “Mighty Handful” was looming, which he perceived as a betrayal of the Russian national idea in which he believed. He developed a “nervous fever,” as he called his condition, and then began a craving for alcohol.
Opera "Khovanshchina"
Scene from M. Mussorgsky's opera “Khovanshchina”
The composer worked on this opera simultaneously with the reworking of the opera “Boris Godunov”. It was begun in 1872. He also wrote the libretto himself. The plot of the opera reflects the events of 1682 - a short period of power in Moscow for Prince Ivan Khovansky, whom Princess Sophia appointed head of the Streltsy order after the Streltsy riot. Khovansky was popular with the archers; they even called him “father.” The Old Believers, with the help of Khovansky and Sophia, hoped to return Rus' to the “old faith.” But further disagreements between Sophia and Khovansky led to their enmity. She dealt with him by executing him and his son. Subsequently, power passed to Peter (Peter the Great).
Peter could not take part in the events of 1682 due to his youth. But Mussorgsky's libretto mixes the events of 1682 and 1689. Mussorgsky wanted to show the transition of power from Sophia to Peter and at the same time depict forces hostile to Peter: the Streltsy, led by Prince Khovansky; Sophia's favorite Prince Golitsyn; Old Believers led by Dosifei. Prince Khovansky strives for royal power, his position is clear, but the archers are shown as a dark mass used in the interests of others. Old Believers appear as courageous people who commit self-immolation for the sake of faith.
Big The role in the development of action belongs to the people, to a greater extent than in Boris Godunov. Various choirs. The characters of the arrogant Khovansky and the crafty Golitsyn are vividly depicted; the majestic Dositheus; Martha, strong and ready for heroic deeds; weak Andrei Khovansky; patriotic Shaklovity; the cheerful young archer Kuzka; a cowardly and selfish clerk.
Mussorgsky wrote the opera, conceived in 1872, until the very end of his life, never finishing it.
M.P. Mussorgsky
For the first time, N. Rimsky-Korsakov orchestrated the entire opera, calling this work an arrangement. He significantly shortened the opera, added the necessary connections, and changed Mussorgsky's voice and harmony. Rimsky-Korsakov's score was published in 1883. In 1958, D. Shostakovich made a new orchestration based on the author's clavier. I. Stravinsky wrote his own version of the final chorus (in the scene of the self-immolation of schismatics) together with M. Ravel for the production of the opera in 1913 in Paris by S. Diaghilev’s troupe.
During Mussorgsky's lifetime, the opera Khovanshchina was not performed.
Opera "Sorochinskaya Fair"
Scene from M. Mussorgsky's opera “Sorochinskaya Fair”
The plot of the opera is N. Gogol’s story “Sorochinskaya Fair”. Mussorgsky worked on this opera in 1874-1880, but did not finish it. Work on the opera proceeded slowly; the composer was already seriously ill.
Initially, five excerpts from the opera were published, then, based on the composer’s manuscripts, the opera was completed by Ts. Cui and in this version it was performed in 1917. A. Lyadov and V. Shebalin also worked on the opera. This opera is currently being staged in Shebalin's edition.
The last years of M. Mussorgsky's life
The composer had a particularly hard time with the misunderstanding of his former friends, members of the “Mighty Handful,” who could not accept his innovative music.
I. Repin “Portrait of M.P. Mussorgsky"
Mussorgsky died in the Nikolaev military hospital in St. Petersburg in 1881. There, a few days before his death, the artist I. Repin painted the only lifetime portrait of the composer.
Mussorgsky was buried at the Tikhvin cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
Monument at Mussorgsky's grave
MUSORGSKY MODEST PETROVICH - Russian composer, pianist.
From an old noble family. Father Pyotr Alekseevich (1798-1853) - farmer, retired collegiate secretary; mother Yulia Iva-nov-na (in de-vi-che-st-ve Chi-ri-ko-va; 1807-1865) - daughter of the provincial secretary of Bern. Fa-mi-li-ey Mu-sor-sky com-po-zi-tor under-pi-sy-val de-lo-vye bu-ma-gi, bu-k-vu “g” introduced in the 1860s years in frequent writing. Mussorgsky played the piano for 6 years, im-pro-vi-zi-ro-val. From 1849 he lived in St. Petersburg, studied at the Petro-Pavlovskaya school, in 1852-1886 at the School of the Guards under the great-great-priority. cov. I took piano lessons from Ant. A. Gerke (student of J. Phil). In 1852, Mussorgsky's first work was “Porteenseigne Polka”. At the end of the school, they were produced in the great por-schi-ki of the Pre-ob-ra-female regiment (in 1856 at de-zhur-st-ve in the 2nd su-ho-put-nom state-pi-ta-le in-know-to-mil-xia with A.P. Bo-ro-di-nym).
A significant influence on the musical development of Mussorgsky was the acquaintance with M. A. Ba-la-ki-re-vy (under his leadership Mussorgsky on -chal-seriously-but-for-no-mother-xia com-po-zi-tsi-ey, studied the music of M.I. Glinka, Western European com-po-zi-to-rov ), as well as with A. S. Dar-go-myzh-sky, V. V. Sta-so-vy, L. I. Shes-ta-ko-voy (s-s-roy Glinka) . Since 1857, member of the Ba-la-ki-rev-skogo circle (“Mo-gu-chaya kuch-ka”). In 1860, at the RMO concert under the direction of A.G. Ru-bin-shte-na, the Scher-zo in B major was performed, in 1861, with the choir and orchestra-ke-st- rum Ma-ri-in-skogo te-at-ra under the direction of K. N. La-do-va - “Scene in the temple from the tragedy “Oedipus” So-fok-la” (the music later became part of the unfinished opera “Sa-lam-bo” and the collective opera “Mla” -Yes"). In 1860 and 1861, Mussorgsky traveled to Moscow and visited the No-vo-Ie-ru-sa-limsky monastery
In 1863-1865, Mussorgsky lived in a “community” with a group of young friends (under the influence of the novel “What is to be done?” N.G. Cher-ny-shev-sko-go); because of ma-te-ri-al difficulties, you had to join the civil service (Engineering Department, 1863 -1867; Forestry Department of the Ministry of State Property and the State Control Commission, 1868-1880). You performed in concerts as a pianist (mainly as an ac-com-pa-nia-tor). In 1879, he and the singer D.M. Le-o-no-voy went on a concert tour in the south of Russia (Pol-ta-va, Eli-sa -vet-grad, Kher-son, Odes-sa, Se-va-sto-pol, Yal-ta, Ros-tov-na-Do-nu, No-vo-cher-kassk, Vo-ro-nezh, There -bov), since 1880 he was an ak-kom-pa-nia-to-rum in the open Le-o-no-voy school (kur-sah) singing.
The features of Mussorgsky’s self-sufficient style were previously all about in songs and novels: “But if only with you ..." (1863) to the words of V.S. . Push-ki-na, as amended in 1871 - his pro-za-icheskaya ra-bot-ka), “Zhe-la-nie” (“I would like to say in a single word...”) based on poems by G. Geyne, translated by L. A. Mey (1866) and “Mo-lit-va” based on words by M. Yu. Ler-mon-to-va (1865). A special group of songs precedes the operas: “Song of the Old Man” to the words of I. V. Goe-te (from “Wil-hel-ma Mey-ste -ra", 1863) - realistic port-ret-mo-no-log, “The winds are blowing, the winds are violent” to the words of A. V. Koltsov (1864). “Ka-li-st-rat” based on the poem by N. A. Ne-kra-so-va (1864) opens the ga-le-ray “kar-ti-nok” from folk life and at the same time, a group of unusually trak-bath ko-ly-bel-nyh (“Sleep, sleep, son of the godfather” to words from the song -sy “Voe-vo-da” by A. N. Ost-rov-sko-go, 1865; “Ko-ly-bel-naya Ere-mush-ki” on verse. . “Sve-tik Sa-vish-na” (“Pe-sen-ka do-rach-ka”) - from a real scene seen by Mussorgsky in the village in the summer of 1865: the yuro-di-vy declared his love, ashamed of his unhappiness. “Si-rot-ka” (“Ba-rin my mi-len-ky...”) - a scene that I can’t get enough of “Sve-tik Sa-vish-ne” is so-ver-ver- but-stu de-la-ma-tion, bo-gat-st-vom of psycho-logical nu-an-s.
The sa-ti-ri-ko-humo-r-istic line, very important in Mussorgsky’s work, is represented by “Se-mi-na-rist” ( “Kar-tin-ka with na-tu-ry”, 1866), “Ozor-nik” (1867). In “Class-si-ke” (1867) Mussorgsky os-me-yal blue-sti-te-la musical rules cri-ti-ka A. S. Fa-min-tsy-na; in “Ray-ke” (“Music-kal-naya joke”, 1870) in the spirit of the yar-ma-roch-no-go-be-sta-le-niya you-ve-de-ny di -Rector of the St. Petersburg Conservatory N.I. Za-rem-ba, ardent admirer of the co-lo-ra-tour A. Pat-ti - critic F. M. Tol- stop, the formidable “ti-tan” A. N. Se-rov and Ev-ter-pa - Grand Princess Elena Pavlov-na.
In 1866, Mussorgsky's friendship with N.A. Rim-sky-Kor-sa-kov began (they knew each other back in 1861); their creative communication in 1868-1872 was especially intense - the years of Mussorgsky’s one-time work on “Bo-ri” -som God-du-no-vym" and Roman-go-Kor-sa-ko-va over "Psko-vi-tyan-koy". The first completed mass-staff part-ti-tu-ra - symphonic car-ti-on “Willow-no-va night on Lysoy Mountain” (“ After all, we", 1867). Skeptical assessment and demand for re-de-lok from the side of M.A. Ba-la-ki-re-va you called cool-de -from-no-she-niy after 10 years of friendship. The play was never performed during Mussorgsky’s lifetime (in a further com-po-zi-tor he filled it up with a lot of part-tia and included it in the unfinished opera-ru-ba-let “Mla-da” as “Celebration of Cher-no-bo-ga”, then in “So-ro-chin-skaya yar-mar-ku" as "Dream-vision of pa-ro-bka"). At the center of Mussorgsky's creative work there was an opera. A bold experiment in decorative opera in the development of the ideas of A.S. changed text by N.V. Go-gol, not okon-che-na).
Parallel-but, living with old friends A.P. and N.P. Opo-chi-ni-nyh, Mussorgsky created one of his greatest creations - the opera “Bo-ris Go-du-nov” (libretto by Mussorgsky after A. S. Push-ki-nu and N. M. Ka-ram-zi-nu, 1868-1869, 2nd edition - 1872). The choice of this was influenced by the literature of V.V. Nikolsky, with whom Mussorgsky became acquainted in 1868. The musical ma-te-ri-al “Bo-ri-sa Go-du-no-va” was to a significant extent behind-im-st-vo-van from the unfinished opera “Sa-lam-bo” (according to G. Flo-ber, 1863-1866), which in many ways would ensure the creation of the 1st re -dak-tion. The first performance of the opera took place in the house of the artist K. E. Makovsky (1870). After the Operating Committee of Ma-ri-in-skogo te-at-ra for-bra-co-validated the 1st edition of “Bo-ri-sa Go-du-no-va” (the main pre-tension is from-sut-st-vie of female roles), Mussorgsky subjected the opera to a re-work-bot-ke: to-ba-vil two cards-ti- we so-called Polish act (kla-vir - spring and summer of 1871, par-ti-tu-ra - beginning of 1872) and “Scene near Krom-ma-mi” (par- ti-tu-ra - June 1872), ko-to-paradise, in-pre-ki re-ko-men-da-tsi-yam ko-mi-te-ta, uk-rup-ni-la mas-so -I feel, on-the-nor-ho-ro-vu-line.
This is how two different, completely independent editions of “Bo-ri-sa Go-du-no-va” arose (1869 and 1872). Among the prin-ci-pi-al-but-important ones is the new plan “Scenes in Te-re-me” (the ringing of ku-ran-tov has been introduced, giving a special ex-press to the scene of the gal-lu-tsi-na-tion; na-pi-san for-no-vo; the story of Fyo-do-ra Go-du-no-va “about po-pin-ka”, interrupting the gloomy thoughts of Bo- ri-sa, brightly contrasting with the king's long-standing position and dialogue with Shui-sky, dramatic tension of something sharply about-st-re-on). In “The Scene in the Cell,” prayer choirs of monks appeared behind the stage, giving -gu-ru Pi-mena and the confusion of Gregory. Increasing the size of the headquarters you-well-di-lo av-to-ra to cut part of the previous text: you-pa-la car-ti-na " U Va-si-lia Bla-zhen-no-go” (song Yuro-di-vo-go re-re-ne-se-na in the final “Scenes near Krom-ma-mi”) . -vym (“Gra-no-vi-taya pa-la-ta”); first kar-ti-na Pro-lo-ga ob-ry-va-et-sya on ho-re ka-lik per-re-ho-zhikh. The second edition was re-written (with significant edits) at the insistence of singer Yu.F. Pla-to-no-voy (1874, Ma-ri-in-sky theater). “Bo-ris Go-du-nov” caused fierce controversies, and opinions differed not only between de-mo- kra-tich. and kon-ser-va-tiv-no-oh-ra-ni-tel-ny-mi cru-ga-mi (first hot-rya-cho greet-st-vo-va-li opera , the second time we met her at the wrong time), but also in a nearby music group. Particularly ben-but ra-ni-la Mussorgsky full of small-scale pr-di-rock review of Ts.A. Cui.
“Bo-ris Go-du-nov” is a new type of historical opera. The com-po-zi-tor pro-led the reform, according to the ra-di-cal-no-sti not us-tu-paying vag-ne-rov-sky, at the same time syn-te- zi-ro-val is-con-but Russian musical traditions. For the first time, an opera “became” a psychological drama. Psychological and epi-co-tra-ge-diy lines are inseparable, intertwined with li-nor -pi-sa-tel-noy, ko-media-ny-mi ele-men-ta-mi. Contra-sts, contra-points and switches create a special dramatic multiplicity. Co-creative (in comparison with the drama of A. S. Push-ki-na) of the Bo-Yar intrigues, Mussorgsky did a lot from this bya, including the gal-lu-tsi-na-tion scene and even the whole 5th act. Quotes from folk songs characteristic of Russian opera are found in “Bo-ri-se Go-du-no-ve,” although Mussorgsky, like right, I decided to take not the melody, but the words. The genre of op-re-de-la-ness of the text served as a “compass” in the process of co-creating one’s own music, meter and rhythm poetry for the structured channel of the me-lo-dia, and for the hourly music almost not from the under- lin-nikov (song Shin-kar-ki). Folklore-ny-mi in-to-na-tsiya-mi na-sy-sche-ny many teaching-st-ki or-ke-st-ro-voy fabrics and solo parts (crying Kse-nii, the song of Yuro-di-vo-go, in which a fusion of the genres of crying-cha-pri-chi-ta-niya and ko-ly-bel-noy).
The s-s-st-ven-naya role under-lies the church and the “pa-ra-li-tur-gi-che-skim” layers of in-to-na-tsi-on -no-sti. Singing ka-lik per-re-ho-zhikh, based on personal hearing experience (according to the evidence of I. E. Re-pi -na, Mussorgsky came to-the-minal and sang “many choirs of beggars”), - not-about-ho-di-may part of many, thin-ko diff-fe-ren-tsi-rov. ha-rak-te-ri-sti-ki of the people. The single hour of the second leit-motif in “Bo-ri-se Go-du-no-ve” is associated with the image of Di-mit-ria "-dra-ma-tur-gi-che-ski multi-meaningful, sim-like-lying and unfulfilled folk hope for " good-ro-go" right-vi-te-lya, and na-glo-go avan-tyu-ri-sta Ot-rep-e-va; its pro-heaviness and expressive ambiance me-it-xia in de-vis-si-mo-sti from the situation (whether we are talking about murder -nom tsa-re-vi-che or about Sa-mo-zvan-tse).
The psychological tension of the Bo-ri-sa party has determined its structure in the form of a chain of ari-oz-no-dec- la-ma-tsi-on-nyh mo-no-log-gov, having their own fund of cross-cutting, developing leit-topics. The principle of ha-rak-te-ri-stich-no-sti gar-mo-niy and in-ter-va-lov, named back in “Zhe-thread-be”, dos-tig you are so generalized. The completion of the opera “Scene at Cro-ma-mi” (said by V.V. Nikol-sky) is a hugely important step sti. A spontaneous rebellion, re-melting into confusion, a new-found-ness of the go-su-da-ryu - all this is breathing -lo island of ak-tu-al-noy truth-is-to-rii.
Having reached creative maturity in “Bo-ri-se Go-du-no-ve”, Mussorgsky in the 1870s turned to new significant ideas -lam. The largest of his productions from this period is the opera “Ho-wan-schi-na” (on a plot from the story of Stre-lets - many re-unions in Moscow at the end of the 17th century, proposed by V. V. Sta-so-vym, libretto by Mussorgsky, 1872-1880, not an in-st-ru-man -to-va-na). Already in 1870, Mussorgsky began to study historical materials, made numerous extracts from the “Is-to-ria of Russia” these” S. M. So-lov-yo-va, pub-li-ka-tion is-t-to-ni-kov (I. A. Zhe-la-buzh-sko-go, D. Mat-vee-va , co-b-ra-niya N. S. Ti-ho-nra-vo-va) and special works on race (I. E. Tro-its-ko-go, A. P. Shcha-po-va, etc.). We are discussing the plan “Ho-wan-schi-ny”, form-mu-li-ro-val de-viz “The past-neck in the present - that’s my for-da-cha "(from a letter to Sta-so-vu 1872). In the reality of the work, the goal is to construct the plot, drama-ma-tour-gi-che-ski op-to-give mutual-from-the-nation of acting persons - Sta-sov helped him; Appreciating his energy and participation, Mussorgsky did not appreciate all the Sta-Soviet councils.
F-bu-la ro-zh-da-las together with the musical ideas that embody her until the windows-cha-tel-noy cr-became-for-tion lib-ret -that (his pure-vik was recorded by Mussorgsky at one of the later stages of the work); individual episodes, almost completed, you-bra-sy-va-la, for example, a car-ti-na in the German village. A number of pages of the opera were formed until August 1873: Martha’s “love-from-singing”, a unison chorus of races, knowledge -me-nor-the-or-ke-st-ro-voe introduction “Dawn on the Mo-sk-ve-river.” Over-fatigue, over-living because of the os-cor-biting reviews of “Bo-ri-sa Go-du-no-va”, the death of another -zey - V. A. Gart-ma-na (1873), N. P. Opo-chi-ni-noy (1874), O. A. Pet-ro-va (1878) - hour and on- a long time from the com-po-zi-to-ra from “Ho-wan-schi-ny.” Connected with the gradual development of “Mo-gu-whose heaps” of painful feelings of non-recognition and “I don’t-know-about-sti” (“It can’t be that I’m completely wrong in my aspirations, it can’t be. But before- It’s sad that with the music, it’s time to talk about the “kuch-ki” through the “slag-ba-um” “for which they stayed,” wrote M. A. A. Go-le-ni-shche-vu-Ku-tu-zo-vu, 1877) you found -increased in the second half of the 1870s “nervous-ho-rad-ke” and, as a consequence, in a passion for al- to-go-lu.
“Ho-wan-schi-na” is its own kind of is-to-rio-soph-skaya drama, in which, in the presence of the brightness of you -the woman of the central per-so-on-zha, whole layers of folk life are revealed and under-ne-ma-et-sya those-ma-spirits -noy tragedy of all na-ro-da with the breakdown of its traditional uk-la-da. In comparison with “Bo-ri-s God-du-no-vy” the action “on-native music-cal-drama” (as an op-re-de -Mussorgsky himself decided on the genre of his new opera) but sits a more multi-branched ha-rak-ter: a large number of individual ones -standing threads are woven into one knot. In the opera there are many characters, the in-re-sys and aspirations of which have become between so-boy. Various social groups (strel-tsy, “newcomers from Moscow”, races, kre-po-st-de -vush-ki prince Ho-van-sko-go) po-lu-cha-yut in-di-vi-du-al-nuyu ha-rak-te-ri-sti-ku.
Of particular importance is the lyrical drama of Martha, connected only indirectly with the political struggle. All this is op-re-de-li-lo especially-ben-no-sti of the dramatic structure of “Ho-wan-schi-ny”, known to its “dis-environment” -chen-ness", a large role from-but-si-tel-but self-standing, rounded-in-cal-episodes of pe-sen- no-go and ari-oz-no-go type. The growing role of the pe-sen-no-melo-dic na-cha-la ha-rak-ter-na and for the li-ri-ko-ko-media opera " So-ro-chin-skaya yar-mar-ka" (by weight N.V. Go-go-lya), on which Mussorgsky worked since 1874 (not windowed) created by C. A. Cui in 1916, staged in 1917, Theater of Musical Drama, Petrograd; . A. Lam-ma and V. Ya. She-ba-li-na). Here, Mussorgsky's inherent mastery of co-media har-rac-te-ri-sticks, based on pre-creation, appeared ni-re-che-vyh in-to-nations, sometimes pa-ro-diy-but ok-ra-shen-nyh (part-tiya Po-po-vi-cha).
The top-she-well of the ka-mer-no-go of the creative work of Mussorgsky is composed of “Children’s” in his own words (1868-1872) and 2 late cycles based on the words of A. A. Go-le-ni-sche-va-Ku-tu-zo-va: “Without the sun” (1874) and “Songs and dances” ski death" (1875-1877). According to “Children's” K. Debussy noted that “no one turned to the best that is in us, with greater tenderness and depth.” In the music of this cycle there is an acute ha-rak-te-ri-stic-ness of co-existence with an unusually subtle in- na-tsi-on-but-you-amazing nu-an-si-rov-koy. Such a richness from the shadows, sensitivity to the smallest of me-not-any-emotional-ok-ra-ski words. s-schi vo-kal-noy de-la-ma-tion in the cycle “Without the Sun”. Developing some hundreds of li-ri-ki A. S. Dar-go-myzh-sko-go, Mussorgsky creates deep truth -vyy image so-ci-al-but without-to-len-no-go, one-but-to-go and about-ma-well-to-go in their on-de-zh-dah a person, a kindred of the world of “uni-female and os-korb-len-nyh” in Russian literature of the 19th century. If “Without the Sun” is its own lyrical song, then in “Songs and Dances of Death” those -ma-che-lo-ve-che-stra-da-niya do-ti-ga-et tra-ge-diy-noy power. Images of the cycle from life's reality. con-cre-t-no-stu and op-re-de-len-no-sti with-ci-al-noy ha-rak-te-ri-sti-ki, what can-so-st-vu-et the use of existing muses. forms and in-to-na-tions (“Ko-ly-bel-naya”, “Se-re-na-da”, “Tre-pak”, march in “Pol-ko-vo-tse”).
In-st-ru-ment-tal creativity of Mussorgsky comparison-but not great in volume. One of the pinnacles of Russian pro-gram-no-go sym-pho-niz-ma is the symphonic car-ti-on “Iva-no-va night on Ly-soi” mountain" (1867), which is based on ancient folk beliefs. “For-ma and ha-rak-ter of my so-chi-ne-niya ros-siy-ski and sa-mo-byt-ny,” - wrote com-po-zi-tor, decrees -vaya, in fre-quently, to the typical Russian technique he uses of free “scattered variations.” Such is the origin of the piano suite “Car-tin-ki from the show” (created in 1874 under the name -a mediocre impression from the post-mortem work of V. A. Gart-ma-na), in which -ray of different forms of zhan-ro-vo-go, fabulous-but-fan-ta-stic and epic plans, ob-e-di-nyon -into one many-colorful sound. The bro-voe bo-gat-st-vo, the “or-ke-st-ral-ness” of the piano sound under-the-said-next-to-music-can-tov the thought of the or -ke-st-ro-voy about-the-work-ke of this so-chi-ne-niya (the most-popularity for-the-war-va-la in-st-ru -men-tov-ka M. Ra-ve-lya, 1922).
But the significance of Mussorgsky's work was only a little appreciated during his lifetime. V.V. Sta-sov was the first to declare that Mussorgsky “belongs to the number of people who, after that, become a mo-nu-men -You". Mussorgsky's operas were firmly established on the stage not only in the 19th-20th centuries. “Bo-ris Go-du-nov” after a long re-write was edited by N. A. Rim-sko-go-Kor -sa-ko-va in 1896 (on the stage of the Big Hall of the St. Petersburg Conservatory), world-wide recognition beamed after F.I. Sha-la-pin (1898) took part in the leading part. The original author's edition of the opera was restored in 1928 (Leningrad Theater of Opera and Ballet) . “Ho-van-schi-na”, in-st-ru-men-to-van-naya by the Roman-Kor-sa-ko-vym and used in 1886 in St. Pe- ter-bur-ge si-la-mi love-bi-te-ley, then it was established at the Moscow Private Russian Opera S. I. Ma-mon -to-va (1897), and on the imperial stage - only in 1911, on the initiative of Sha-la-pi-na. Mussorgsky's creative ideas in the field of musical decor-la-ma-tion and gar-mon-nic co-lo-ri-ta you-zy-va-li in-te-res K. De- bus-si, M. Ra-ve-la, L. Yana-che-ka and other com-po-zi-to-rov. Great service in the matter of restoring the original author's editions of Mussorgsky's productions lies B.V. Asaf-e-vu and P.A. Lam-mu. Mussorgsky's traditions have created a self-sufficient, renewed development in the work of D. D. Shos-ta-ko -vi-cha (he has an or-kest-rov-ka rya-da co-chi-ne-niy M.), G.V. Sviridov and other domestic companies zi-to-ditch. In 1970, the House-museum of Mu-sorg-sko-go was founded in the village of Nau-mo-vo.
Outstanding Russian composer, member of the “Mighty Handful”.
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky was born on March 9 (21), 1839 in the village of Toropetsk district of the Pskov province (now in) in the family of a retired collegiate secretary P. A. Mussorgsky, a representative of an old noble family.
The future composer spent his childhood on his parents' estate, the village. In 1845 he began to study music under the guidance of his mother.
In 1849-1852, M. P. Mussorgsky studied at the German Peter and Paul School in, in 1852-1856 - at the School of Guards Ensigns. At the same time, he took music lessons from pianist A. A. Gerke. In 1852, the composer's first work was published - the polka for piano "Ensign".
Upon completion of his studies in 1856, M. P. Mussorgsky was enlisted in the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment. In 1856-1857, he met composers A. S. Dargomyzhsky, M. A. Balakirev and critic V. V. Stasov, who had a profound influence on his general and musical development. M.P. Mussorgsky began to seriously study composition under the guidance of M.A. Balakirev, entered the “Mighty Handful” circle. Having decided to devote himself to music, he left military service in 1858.
The ruin of the family caused by the abolition of serfdom in 1861 forced M. P. Mussorgsky to enter the civil service. In 1863-1867 he was an official of the Main Engineering Directorate, from 1869 to 1880 he served in the Forestry Department of the Ministry of State Property and in the State Audit Office.
In the late 1850s and early 1860s, M. P. Mussorgsky wrote a number of romances and instrumental works, in which the peculiar features of his creative individuality were revealed. In 1863-1866 he worked on the opera “Salammbô” (based on G. Flaubert), which remained unfinished. In the mid-1860s, the composer turned to current, socially sensitive themes: he created songs and romances based on words by T. G. Shevchenko, and on his own texts (“Kalistrat”, “Eremushki’s Lullaby”, “Sleep, Sleep, Peasant son”, “Orphan”, “Seminarist”, etc.), in which his ability to create vividly characteristic human images was demonstrated. The symphonic painting “Night on Bald Mountain” (1867), created based on folk tales and legends, is distinguished by the richness and richness of its sound colors. A bold experiment was the unfinished opera by M. P. Mussorgsky “Marriage” (after, 1868), the vocal parts of which are based on the direct implementation of the intonations of live conversational speech.
The works of the 1850-1860s prepared M. P. Mussorgsky for the creation of one of his main works - the opera “Boris Godunov” (after). The first edition of the opera (1869) was not accepted for production by the directorate of the imperial theaters. After reworking, Boris Godunov was staged at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater (1874), but with large cuts.
In the 1870s, M. P. Mussorgsky worked on a grandiose “folk musical drama” from the era of the Streltsy riots of the late 17th century, “Khovanshchina” (libretto by M. P. Mussorgsky, begun in 1872) and a comic opera “Sorochinskaya Fair” ( by, 1874-1880). At the same time, the composer created the vocal cycles “Without the Sun” (1874), “Songs and Dances of Death” (1875-1877), and the piano suite “Pictures at an Exhibition” (1874).
In the last years of his life, M. P. Mussorgsky experienced severe depression caused by lack of recognition of his work, loneliness, and everyday and financial difficulties. He died on March 16 (28), 1881 in the Nikolaev Soldiers' Hospital and was buried in the Tikhvin cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
The opera “Khovanshchina”, unfinished by M. P. Mussorgsky, was completed after his death; A. K. Lyadov, T. A. Cui and others worked on “Sorochinskaya Fair”. In 1896, a new edition of “Boris Godunov” was made. In 1959, D. D. Shostakovich prepared a new edition and orchestration of “Boris Godunov” and “Khovanshchina”. An independent version of the completion of the “Sorochinskaya Fair” belongs to the Soviet composer V. Ya. Shebalin (1930).
M. P. Mussorgsky managed to create a deeply original, expressive musical language, distinguished by its acute realistic character, subtlety and variety of psychological shades. His work had a great influence on many domestic and foreign composers: S. S. Prokofiev, D. D. Shostakovich, L. Janacek, C. Debussy and others.
1839 - 1881
Life story
Modest Mussorgsky was born on March 21, 1839 in the village of Karevo, Toropetsk district, on the estate of his father, the poor landowner Pyotr Alekseevich. He spent his childhood in the Pskov region, in the wilderness, among forests and lakes. He was the youngest, fourth son in the family. The two eldest died one after another in infancy. All the tenderness of the mother, Yulia Ivanovna, was given to the remaining two, and especially to him, the youngest, Modinka. It was she who first began to teach him to play the old piano that stood in the hall of their wooden manor house.
But Mussorgsky's future was predetermined. At the age of ten, he and his older brother came to St. Petersburg. Here he was supposed to enter a privileged military school - the School of Guards Ensigns.
After graduating from the School, Mussorgsky was assigned to the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment. Modest was seventeen years old. His duties were not onerous. But unexpectedly for everyone, Mussorgsky resigns and turns away from the path he had so successfully begun.
Not long before, one of the fellow Preobrazhenskys, who knew Dargomyzhsky, brought Mussorgsky to him. The young man immediately captivated the musician not only with his piano playing, but also with his free improvisations. Dargomyzhsky highly appreciated his extraordinary musical abilities and introduced him to Balakirev and Cui. Thus began a new life for the young musician, in which Balakirev and the “Mighty Handful” circle took the main place.
Creative activity
Mussorgsky's creative activity began vigorously. Each work opened up new horizons, even if it was not completed. Thus, the operas Oedipus Rex and Salammbo remained unfinished, where for the first time the composer tried to embody the most complex intertwining of the destinies of the people and a strong, powerful personality.
An extremely important role for Mussorgsky’s work was played by the unfinished opera Marriage (Act 1, 1868), in which he used the almost unchanged text of N. Gogol’s play, setting himself the task of musically reproducing human speech in all its subtlest bends. Fascinated by the idea of programming, Mussorgsky creates a number of symphonic works, among which is Night on Bald Mountain (1867).
But the most striking artistic discoveries were made in the 60s. in vocal music. Songs appeared where, for the first time in music, a gallery of folk types, humiliated and insulted people appeared: Kalistrat, Gopak, Svetik Savishna, Lullaby to Eremushka, Orphan, Po Mushrooms. Mussorgsky’s ability to accurately and accurately recreate living nature in music, reproduce vividly characteristic speech, and give the plot stage visibility is amazing. And most importantly, the songs are imbued with such a force of compassion for a disadvantaged person that in each of them an ordinary fact rises to the level of tragic generalization, to socially accusatory pathos. It is no coincidence that the song Seminarist was banned by censorship!
The pinnacle of Mussorgsky's creativity in the 60s. became the opera Boris Godunov. The democratically minded public greeted Mussorgsky's new work with true enthusiasm.
Work on Khovanshchina was difficult - Mussorgsky turned to material that went far beyond the scope of the opera performance. At this time, Mussorgsky was deeply affected by the collapse of the Balakirev circle, the cooling of relations with Cui and Rimsky-Korsakov, and Balakirev’s withdrawal from musical and social activities. However, despite everything, the creative power of the composer during this period amazes with the strength and richness of artistic ideas. In parallel with the tragic Khovanshchina, since 1875, Mussorgsky has been working on the comic opera Sorochinskaya Fair (based on Gogol). In the summer of 1874, he created one of the outstanding works of piano literature - the cycle Pictures at an Exhibition, dedicated to Stasov, to whom Mussorgsky was eternally grateful for his participation and support.
The idea to write the series Pictures at an Exhibition arose under the influence of the posthumous exhibition of works by the artist W. Hartmann in February 1874. He was a close friend of Mussorgsky, and his sudden death deeply shocked the composer. The work proceeded rapidly, intensely: Sounds and thoughts hung in the air, I swallowed and overeat, barely having time to scratch on the paper. And in parallel, one after another, 3 vocal cycles appear: Children's (1872, based on his own poems), Without the Sun (1874) and Songs and Dances of Death (1875-77 - both at the station of A. Golenishchev-Kutuzov). They become the result of the composer’s entire chamber and vocal work.
Seriously ill, severely suffering from poverty, loneliness, lack of recognition, Mussorgsky stubbornly insists that he will fight to the last drop of blood. Shortly before his death, in the summer of 1879, together with the singer D. Leonova, he made a large concert tour in the south of Russia and Ukraine, performed the music of Glinka, the Kuchkists, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, excerpts from his opera Sorochinskaya Fair and wrote significant words: Life calls to new musical work, broad musical work... to new shores of the still boundless art!
Fate decreed otherwise. Mussorgsky's health deteriorated sharply. In February 1881 there was a shock. Mussorgsky was placed in the Nikolaev Military Ground Hospital, where he died without having time to complete the Khovanshchina and the Sorochinsky Fair.
After his death, the entire composer’s archive went to Rimsky-Korsakov. He finished Khovanshchina, carried out a new edition of Boris Godunov and achieved their production on the imperial opera stage. The Sorochinsky fair was completed by A. Lyadov.
