Gurilev Alexander Lvovich

Gurilev Alexander Lvovich

Main article: History of music in Russia

Alexander Lvovich Gurilev entered the history of Russian music as the author of lyric romances.

Biography

Alexander Lvovich was born in Moscow 03.09.1803. He was the son of the famous composer Lev Gurilev - serf musician Count V. Orlov. Father led the count's serf orchestra at his estate near Moscow, Otrada, taught at women's educational institutions in Moscow. He left a solid musical heritage: compositions for piano, which played a prominent role in Russian piano art, spiritual compositions for the a cappella choir.

From the age of six, Alexander Gurilev began to study music under the guidance of his father. Then he studied with the best Moscow teachers - J. Field and I. Genishta, who taught piano and music theory in the Orlov family. From a young age, Gurilev played violin and viola in the count's orchestra, and later became a member of the quartet of the famous music lover, Prince N. Golitsyn. The childhood and youth of the future composer passed in the difficult conditions of manor serf life.

1831: Getting freestyle at 28

In 1831, after the death of the count, the Gurilev family received free and, assigned to the estate of tradesman artisans, settled in Moscow. Since that time, the intensive composer activity of 28-year-old Alexander Gurilev begins, which was combined with performances in concerts and a lot of pedagogical work. Soon, his compositions - primarily vocal - became popular in the widest sections of the urban population. Many of his romances literally "go to the people," are performed not only by numerous lovers, but also by gypsy choirs. Gurilev gains fame as a prominent piano teacher. However, popularity did not relieve the composer of the cruel need that oppressed him throughout his life. In search of earnings, he was forced to engage in even musical proofreading. The difficult conditions of existence broke the musician and led him to a serious mental illness.

He died on September 11, 1858 at the age of 55.

Compositions

Gurilev's composer heritage consists of numerous romances, treatments of Russian folk songs and piano pieces.

Vocal compositions

The main sphere of work of Alexander Gurilyov is vocal compositions. The exact number of them is unknown, wrote T. Korzhenyants^[1], but there were only 90 romances and 47 treatments published, which compiled the collection "Selected Folk Songs," published in 1849. The composer's favorite vocal genres were elegiac romance and then popular romances in the style of "Russian song." The difference between them is very conditional, since Gurilev's songs, although closely related to folk tradition, are also very close to his romances in terms of a circle of characteristic moods, and in their musical warehouse. And the melody of the actual lyrical romances is drunk with purely Russian song. In both genres, the motives of unrequited or lost love, the languishing of loneliness, the desire for happiness, sad reflections on the female share prevail.

Along with the folk song spread in a diverse urban environment, Gurilev's vocal style was greatly influenced by the work of his wonderful contemporary and friend, composer A. Varlamov. The names of these composers have long been inextricably linked in the history of Russian music as the creators of Russian domestic romance. At the same time, Gurilev's works have their own special features. They are distinguished by preferential elegance, sad contemplation, deep intimacy of the statement. The moods of hopeless sadness, a desperate impulse to happiness, distinguishing Gurilev's work, were consonant with the moods of many people of the era of the 1830-1840s. One of their most talented exponents was Mikhail Lermontov. And it is no coincidence that Gurilev was one of the first and most sensitive interpreters of his poetry. Until now, Lermontov's romances by Gurilev "And boring and sad," "Justification" ("When there are only memories"), "At a minute of life difficult" have not lost their artistic significance. It is significant that these works differ from others in a more pathetic ario-recitative style, the subtlety of the piano presentation and approach the type of lyric-dramatic monologue, largely echoing the searches of A. Dargomyzhsky.

A dramatized reading of lyric and elegiac poems is very characteristic of Gurilev, the author of the still beloved romances "Separation," "Ring" (on Art. A. Koltsov), "Poor Girl You" (on Art. I. Aksakov), "I spoke at parting" (on Art. A. Feta), etc. In general, his vocal style most of all approaches the so-called "Russian bel canto," in which the basis of expressiveness is a flexible melody, which is an organic fusion of Russian chant and Italian cantilena.

A great place in Gurilev's work is also occupied by expressive techniques inherent in the performing manner of very popular gypsy singers at that time. They are especially clearly manifested in "dilapidated, well-done" songs in the folk dance spirit, such as "Coachman's Song" and "Burn Me." Many of Gurilev's romances are written in the rhythm of a waltz, widespread in urban life at that time. At the same time, a smooth three-longitudinal waltz movement is harmoniously combined with a purely Russian poetic size, the so-called five-syllable, very characteristic of poems in the genre of "Russian song." These are the romances "The Sadness of a Girl," "Do Not Chew You, Rye," "Little House," "The Swallow Is Blue-Winged," the famous "Bell," etc.

The characteristic features of Gurilev's vocal style were then refracted differently in the work of many authors of Russian domestic romance - P. Bulakhov, A. Dubuk and others. The best qualities of Gurilev's simple and unassuming music at first glance - its soulfulness, squinting sincerity, openness of emotional utterance - found a sophisticated implementation in the chamber work of outstanding Russian lyricists and, first of all, P. Tchaikovsky.

Alexander Gurilyov's romance "Toy Heart" is included in the TAdviser list "Scary and Beautiful Songs."

Piano creativity

Gurilev's piano work includes dance miniatures and a variety of variation cycles. The first are simple pieces for amateur music in the genre of waltz, mazurka, polka and other popular dances. Gurilev's variations are a significant stage in the development of Russian pianism. Among them, along with plays on the themes of Russian folk songs of an instructive and pedagogical nature, there are wonderful concert variations on the themes of Russian composers - A. Alyabyev, A. Varlamov and M. Glinka. These works, from which variations on the theme of tercet from the opera "Life for the King" ("Not Tom, Dear") and on the theme of Varlamov's romance "At the Dawn You Will Not Wake It," are especially distinguished, approach the romantic genre of virtuoso-concert transcription. They are distinguished by a high culture of pianism, which allows modern researchers to consider Gurilev "an outstanding master in talent who managed to go beyond the skills and horizons of the field school that brought him up."

Alexander Gurilev collected and processed Russian folk songs - his collection of "47 Russian folk songs" became an important contribution to musical folkloristics.

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