Smolensky Stepan Vasilyevich

Biography

Smolensky Stepan Vasilyevich is the outstanding Russian regent and the researcher of church music. The whole new era in the history of the Russian church singing is connected with his name and with activity of the Moscow Synod choir which regent in 1886 appointed V.S. Orlov. S.V. Smolensky became the director of chorus, and the assistant to the regent ― A.D. Kastalsky. Under the direction of this star triumvirate the Synod chorus turned into one of the best church choirs of Russia".

In the 1880th years S.V. Smolensky published "The description of manuscripts of the Solovki library", the description of an irmologiya of the New Jerusalem monastery and Alexander Mezents's Alphabet, together with S.A. Rachinsky made the program of studying of a znamenny chant for spiritual educational institutions.

After moving to Moscow S.V. Smolensky's work as the head of the department of history of church singing of the Moscow conservatory and the director of Synod school began. The school became educational institution of future experts, judges and professional workers in a field of ancient church singing. At the same time also joint activity with the regent Vasily Orlov on conversion in "the Russian direction" of the repertoire of Synod chorus began.

In the 1890th years S.V. Smolensky became the main ideologist and the inspirer of the new direction in the Russian sacred music based on the aspiration to exempt church singing from "Europeanism", having brought closer to models of the Russian folk musical art. It is provided by a wide range of names among which there are composers: S.V. Rachmaninov, A.D. Kastalsky, A.T. Grechaninov, P.G. Chesnokov, A.V. Nikolsky, V.S. Kalinnikov, M.M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, K.N. Shvedov, N.S. Golovanov, D.V. Alemanov.

S.V. Smolensky also became one of founders of the Russian musical mediyevistika. Result of its big and laborious sobiratelsky work was creation of scientific and musical library of singing manuscripts in Synod school. As the arkheograf Smolensky acted as the organizer of the first scientific and musical expedition to Athos. In the St. Petersburg society of fans of ancient writing he headed department of searching and the edition of monuments of singing art^[1].

Studying of heritage

On March 6, 2018 in the assembly hall of the General church postgraduate study and doctoral studies of a name of Saints Kirill and Mefodiy the scientific and practical conference "Stepan Vasilyevich Smolensky and Russian Sacred Music" started. The General church postgraduate study and doctoral studies and the Moscow State Conservatory of P.I. Tchaikovsky acted as organizers of the event.

The Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, the rector of the General church postgraduate study and doctoral studies Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Illarion acted as the ideologist of a conference.

During the meeting acted:

• professor of department of the theory of music of the Moscow State Conservatory of P.I. Tchaikovsky the doctor of art criticism Natalya Plotnikova (a report subject ""In persistent searches of new art roads": partesny polyphony in S.V. Smolensky's works");

• vice rector for research work of the Kazan state conservatory of N.G. Zhiganov candidate of art criticism Yury Karpov ("S.V. Smolensky and Kazan: century of XXI");

• associate professor of the theory of music and composition of the Kazan state conservatory of N.G. Zhiganov candidate of art criticism of Aysylu Gumerov ("Orthodox singing traditions of the people of Central Volga area: from S.V. Smolensky ― by our days");

• the doctor of art criticism, professor managing department of musical and choreographic art of the Adygei state university, the regent of the Voskresensky temple of Maykop Svetlana Hvatova ("S.V. Smolensky's Creativity in the modern liturgical repertoire");

• the undergraduate of Institute of arts of the Adygei state university, the regent of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God of the village of Chamlykskoy of Krasnodar Krai Darya Plekhova ("The three-level system of choral education in Russia secular and spiritual tradition: to revival of traditions of S.V. Smolensky").

Also the artistic director and the chief conductor of the Moscow Synod choir Alexey Puzakov, the associate professor of divinity and liturgics of the General church postgraduate study and doctoral studies priest Mikhail Zheltov, musicologists, employees Church Postgraduate and the Moscow conservatory participated in a meeting.

During the discussion the general offer on development of cooperation between Church public council at the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia on development of the Russian church singing, was formulated by the General church postgraduate study and doctoral studies and the Moscow State Conservatory.

Upon termination of the first day of work of a conference in the temple of Beheading of John the Forerunner near Bohr of the Patriarchal Chernihiv farmstead a concert of men's vocal Chronos ensemble was held.

Work of the scientific and practical conference "Stepan Vasilyevich Smolensky and Russian Sacred Music" was continued on March 7 in the Moscow State Conservatory of P.I. Tchaikovsky.

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