Names of some famous composers

Bach [bɑ׃k, bɑ׃h]˗ Бах (1685-1750) ,немецкий композитор и органист

Bartok [bɑ׃tↄk]˗Барток (1881-1945),венгерский композитор и пианист

Beethoven ['beithәuvn] —Бетховен (1770-1827), немецкий композитор и музыкант

Berlioz ['bɛәӏiәuz] — Берлиоз (1803-1869), французский композитор

Brahms [brɑ:mz] —Брамс (1833-1897), немецкий композитор, пианист, дирижер

Britten ['brit(ә)n]— Бриттен (1913-1976), английский композитор, пианист, дирижер

Chopin ['ʃↄpɛŋ, 'ʃәupɛŋ] — Шопен (1810-1849), польский композитор и пианист

Debussy [dә'bu׃si:, dә'bysi(:)] —Дебюсси (1862-1918), французский композитор

Dvorak ['dvo:ʒɑ:k] —Дворжак (1841-1904), чешский композитор, музыкант, дирижер

Grieg [ɡri:ɡ] — Григ (1843-1907), норвежский композитор и пианист

Handel ['hændl] —Гендель (1685-1759), англонемецкий композитор, органист

Haydn ['haidn] — Гайдн (1732-1809), австрийский композитор

Hindemith ['hindәmit] —Хиндемит (1895-1963), немецкий композитор, альтист

Honegger ['hↄniɡә] — Онеггер (1892-1955), французский композитор швейцарского происхождения

Liszt [list]— Лист (1811-1886), венгерский композитор и пианист

Mendelssohn ['mendlsn] —Мендельсон (1809-1847), немецкий композитор, дирижер, пианист и органист

Mozart ['mәutsɑ׃t] — Моцарт (1756-1791), австрийский композитор и музыкант

Mussorgsky [mә'sↄ׃ɡski] — Мусоргский (1839-1881), русский композитор

Prokofiev [prә'kↄfjef] —Прокофьев (1891-1953), русский композитор

Puccini [pu'tʃi:ni(:)]— Пуччини (1858-1924), итальянский композитор

Purcell ['pә׃sel] — Перселл (1659-1695), английский композитор

Rachmaninov [ræk'mæninↄf] — Рахманинов (1873-1943), русский композитор и пианист Ravel [ræ'vel] — Равель (1875-1937), французский композитор

Schubert ['ʃu׃bәt] —Шуберт(1797-1828), австрийский композитор

Schumann ['ʃu׃mәn]— Шуман (1810-1856), немецкий композитор и пианист

Shostakovich [ʃↄstә'kәuvitʃ] —Шостакович (1906-1975), русский композитор

trauss [straus] — Штраус (1864-1949), немецкий композитор

Stravinsky [strә'vinski] —Стравинский (1882-1971), русский композитор

Tchaikovsky [tʃai'kofski] —Чайковский, русский композитор

Verdi [vɛәdi]— Верди (1813-1901), итальянский композитор

Vivaldi [vi'vældi] —Вивальди (1678-1741), итальянский скрипач и композитор

Wagner ['vɑ:ɡnә] — Вагнер (1813-1883), немецкий композитор и дирижер

Weber ['veibә] — Вебер (1786-1826), немецкий композитор и дирижер

For whom did Vivaldi compose his music?(1678-1741)

Antonio Vivaldi, the Italian composer who lived from 1678 to 1741, composed most of his music for the pupils of a girls' orphanage in Venice.

His job was to teach the violin, but because the choir and orchestra there were so good, he composed music for them.

His most famous work includes the Four Seasons concertos — but he wrote hundreds of other pieces.

Questions:

1) How did Antonio Vivaldi start to compose music?

2) What Vivaldi pieces do you know?

3) What Italian composers do you know?

4) What city is Vivaldi's life connected with?

Выпишите глаголы в Past Simple и кратко перескажите текст, используя эти глаголы.

Points for discussion:

1) A. Vivaldi liked children, didn't he?

2) Do you know anything about Italy? (Find the answer in the text, please.)

3) How can you show that he was fond of nature?

4) Was his job to teach the violin or to compose music?

Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Joseph Haydn is a great Austrian composer. He was born in a village not far from Vienna. He composed more than 80 string quartets, 100 symphonies, 52 sonatas, about 30 operas. Symphonies, quartets and sonatas are considered to be his best musical compositions. He was called "Papa" of symphonies and quartets, because he made them classical. He lived a long life and knew Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, who highly appreciated his talent. Haydn's contemporaries adored his music.

Vocabulary:

A. Vivaldi — А. Вивальди, итальянский скрипач и композитор (1678-1741)

choir — хор

concerto — концерт

famous— известный, знаменитый

orchestra — оркестр

orphanage — приют для сирот

piece— зд. музыкальное произведение

Venice — Венеция

violin — скрипка

Questions:

1) Joseph Haydn is a great Austrian composer, isn't he?

2) Why are symphonies and quartets considered to be his best musical compositions?

3) What films about foreign and Russian composers have you seen and what is your opinion of them?

Who was Beethoven (1770-1827)

Ludwig van Beethoven has been called the greatest composer who has ever lived — yet he was deaf for much of his life. Beethoven lived from 1770 to 1827. He was born in Bonn in Germany. At the age of 17 he went to Vienna to study under Mozart. The teacher and the student soon became friends.

Later, he studied with Joseph Haydn, but we know he was not satisfied and took extra lessons in secret.

By the age of 32, he knew he was going deaf. Deeply depressed, he had to give up playing, but was able to go on composing because he could still hear the sound of the music in his head. He used to go for long walks, carrying a sketch book in which he wrote down his musical ideas. We remember him for many great works — including masterpieces such as the Moonlight Sonata and his famous Ninth Symphony, in which he introduced choral music for the first time in a symphony.

Vocabulary:

be able to — быть в состоянии

be satisfied — быть довольным

Bonn — Бонн

choral — хоровой

compose — сочинять

deaf — глухой

deeply— глубоко

depressed — подавленный, угнетенный

Germany — Германия

give up — отказаться от, бросить

idea — идея, мысль

including— включая, в том числе

masterpiece — шедевр

opinion — мнение

sketch — набросок, заметка

sound — звук

symphony — симфония

"The Moonlight Sonata" — "Лунная соната"

theory — теория

Vienna — Вена

Questions:

1) What other German composers do you know?

2) What Beethoven masterpiece do you know?

3) Who was his teacher?

4) What happened with Beethoven when he was 32?

5) What is your opinion of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata?

Переведите на русский:

1) "He took extra lessons in secret."

2) "He had to give up playing."

3) "We remember him for many great works."

Выпишите из текста по абзацам следующие грамматические явления и перескажите кратко каждый абзац:

1) глаголы в Passive Voice,

2) глаголы в Past Simple,

3) глаголы в форме Gerund,

4) существительные с определенным артиклем "the".

Points for discussion:

1) No physical defects can make a talented person give up creating, can they? (Give your arguments, please.)

2) Have you ever heard Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata?

3) Why is his Ninth Symphony so popular for the theory of composing music?

4. Are you sorry or proud for such people as Beethoven? (Give your reasons, please.)

Who was Johann Sebastian Bach?(1685-1750)

Johann Sebastian Bach was a famous German compose Bach was born in 1685. He was taught music first by his father who was a professional musician, and then, when his father died, by his brother. He composed 48 preludes and fugue which are studied in every musical school now.

He also wrote a lot of church music. His music for church choirs includes 200 cantatas. He led a life full of hardship: Unfortunately, neither his contemporaries nor his sons who also were talented musicians could understand how talented Васh was. His name became world famous only in the nineteen century. In 1747, he lost his sight. He died very soon after wards, in 1750.

Vocabulary:

afterwards — впоследствии, потом

argument — довод, аргумент

cantata — кантата

catholic — католик

choir — хор

conservatoire — консерватория

contemporary — современник

die — умирать

include — включать

musician — музыкант

physical defect — физический недостаток

professional — профессиональный

sight — зрение

talented — талантливый

Questions:

1) Who took Part in teaching Bach music?

2) What other composers were Bach's contemporaries?

3) Do you like choral singing?

4) Have you ever heard church music? What can you say about it?

5) Do you often go to the concerts in the Conservatoire?

Переведите на русский. "He was taught music by his brother."

Выпишите глаголы в Passive Voice и кратко перескажите текст,

Points for discussion:

1) Was A. Vivaldi S. Bach's contemporary? (Did they live in the same century?)

2) Why could Bach's father teach him music?

3) Do you like to listen to A. Vivaldi or S. Bach? (Give your arguments, please.)

4) S. Bach was a catholic, wasn't he? (Give your arguments, please.)

Who was Mozart (1756-1791)

Mozart was the greatest Austrian composer. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived only 35 years, but in that time he became one of the world's most famous composers.

Mozart was born in Austria in 1756. He began composing at the age of five. His father was a musician and he taught his son to play different instruments. As a very young child his father took him on a tour of Europe, playing before royalty. From the age of six he toured Europe and gave concerts in Austria, Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland.

As a young man, Mozart settled in Vienna. He wrote symphonies and several great operas, including "The Marriage of Figaro", and "The Magic Flute".

He died very suddenly after a short illness. Rumour had it that he had been poisoned, but it is more likely that he had a weak heart. He died so poor that only the gravedigger attended his funeral. There are many legends around Mozart's death. They say two weeks before his death a man in black visited him anonymously and ordered him to write a requiem. Mozart agreed because he needed money badly. He was a romantic and impressionable man. He felt sure that it was his death. The visitor in black was just a certain count who wanted to publish the requiem as his own composition.

Vocabulary:

agree — соглашаться

anonymously — анонимно

Austria — Австрия

Austrian — австриец

certain — определенный, зд. один

count — граф

death —смерть

France —Франция

funeral — похороны

gravedigger —могильщик

illness —болезнь

impressionable — впечатлительный, восприимчивый

Italy —Италия

legend — легенда

marriage — брак, женитьба

opera — опера

poison —отравлять

poor — бедный

publish — публиковать, издавать

requiem — реквием

romantic —романтичный, романтический

royalty —члены королевской семьи

rumour — слух, молва

settle — поселяться

several —несколько

suddenly — вдруг, внезапно

Switzerland — Швейцария

"The Magic Flute" —"Волшебная флейта"

tour — совершать турне

Questions:

1) What can you tell us about Mozart's childhood?

2) Have you seen any films about Mozart's life?

3) What Mozart operas do you know?

4) What instruments could Mozart play?

5) What do you think of the legends around Mozart's death?

Explain, please: "He died very suddenly."

Выпишите из текста следующие грамматические явления и кратко перескажите текст:

1) глаголы в Past Simple,

2) существительные с неопределенным артиклем "а",

3) сочетания существительных с предлогами.

Points for discussion:

1) Mozart was a very talented composer, wasn't he? (Give your reasons, please.)

2) Why is his music so popular all over the world?

3) Have you heard any of his operas?

4) Which music do you prefer: that by A. Vivaldi, S. Bach or Mozart?

Tchaikovsky(1840-1893)

Pyotr llyich Tchaikovsky, an outstanding Russian composer, was born in Votkinsk in 1840. He was fond of music since his early childhood. His mother sang him beautiful songs and taught him to play the piano. But Pyotr llyich graduated from the Petersburg Conservatoire only in 1866 because of his poor living conditions. He was the best pupil of Anton Rubinshtein. When the Moscow Conservatoire was founded Pyotr llyich became a professor there.

He created wonderful music: ten operas, three ballets, six symphonies, seven large symphonic poems and many other musical pieces.

"Eugene Onegin", a new type of opera, was a great success all over the world. His "Swan Lake", "The Nutcracker", "The Sleeping Beauty" are musical masterpieces. Besides, Tchaikovsky was a great conductor, and he conducted a lot of operas and symphonies himself.

In his music he used folk melodies for the musical descriptions of Russian nature and life.

Tchaikovsky became the first Russian doctor of music abroad. He came back from Cambridge famous all over the world. Tchaikovsky's compositions are full of realism. Though he wrote his operas and ballets in the 19th century they are real to us now.

Tchaikovsky died in 1893, but his music continues to live; it will live forever. His music is played by the musicians of all countries and continents. In 1958 at the First International festival named after Tchaikovsky an American pianist Van Cliburn won the first prize, brilliantly performing the first concert for the piano and orchestra by Tchaikovsky.

Vocabulary:

Anton Rubinshtein—Антон Рубинштейн

Cambridge— г. Кембридж (Англия)

conductor—дирижер

conservatoire— консерватория

description—описание

doctor of music—доктор (ученая степень) музыки

"Eugene Onegin"— "Евгений Онегин"

folk melody— народная мелодия

graduate from—окончить учебное заведение

"Nutcracker"— "Щелкунчик"

perform— исполнять, играть

Petersburg— Петербург

pianist— пианист

"Swan Lake"—"Лебединоеозеро"

"The Romeo and Juliet Overture"—увертюра "Ромео и Джульетта"

"The Sleeping Beauty"— "Спящая красавица"

Van Cliburn— Ван Клиберн (американский пианист)

Questions:

1) What operas by Tchaikovsky do you know?

2) Whose play did Tchaikovsky use for his "The Romeo and Juliet Overture"?

3) Who is your favourite Russian composer?

4) What concert halls do you know in Moscow? (The Tchaikovsky Hall, the Bolshoi Conservatoire Hall, the Maly Conservatoire Hall)

5) When did you last go to the Tchaikovsky or the Bolshoi Conservatoire Hall?

6) Where does the Tchaikovsky contest take place?

Explain: "P. Tchaikovsky is probably best known as the composer of ballet music.''

Выпишите из текста следующие грамматические явления:

1) глаголы в Passive Voice,

2) глаголы в Past Simple,

3) сочетания существительных с предлогом.

Points for discussion:

1) Why are these works (compositions) so popular? (Look at paragraph 3.)

2) His music is known to all classes (strata, levels) of people (rich and poor, old and young, common or aristocratic etc.), isn't it? (Give your arguments, please.)

3) Have you seen any ballet by Tchaikovsky? (Was it by TV or at the theatre?)

4) Did Tchaikovsky reflect his love for the nature of his country or any other countries too?

Who was Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

Prokofiev composed his first piece of music when he was five. He entered the St. Petersburg Conservatoire at the age of 13, he brought to his entrance examination four operas, a symphony and a number of piano pieces.

After the October Revolution Prokofiev emigrated to America. However he soon realized that it had been a bitter mistake.

But living abroad Prokofiev remained Russian, a citizen of his country. At the height of his fame Prokofiev still felt unhappy, homesick and lonely, living far from his native land. He missed Russia and kept thinking about going back. He believed that a composer who had lost his roots and musical traditions of his nation would inevitably lose the desire to compose and to create. It was only his motherland that could give him spiritual strength and be a pure source of inspiration.

Between 1927 and 1932 Prokofiev took several trips to the Soviet Union. His concerts in Moscow and Leningrad aroused great interest among the music lovers. People listened to his music in complete silence. During these concerts Prokofiev felt that he was listened to by his compatriots.

When he came to Russia in 1927 he wrote: "I have to live in the atmosphere of my homeland. I have to see Russian winter and its changeable spring. I have to hear the Russian language and talk to people who are my people, so that they give me back something I lack here —their songs, my songs. Yes, I am going back!"

In 1932 after his return to the Soviet Union, Prokofiev devoted all his inspiration to his people. For 20 years until he died in 1953 he served his country. In his new compositions he strove for clarity. The influence of Prokofiev's music can still be traced in the works of contemporary musicians. His invaluable heritage includes eight operas, seven cantatas, seven ballets, seven symphonies as well as numerous piano pieces. Among them there are such masterpieces as the opera "War and Peace," the ballet "Romeo and Juliet," and the cantata "Alexander Nevsky.

Vocabulary:

arouse—вызывать

bitter— горький, жестокий

changeable—быстроменяющийся

contest— конкурс

complete— полный

create— творить, создавать

desire— сильное желание

devote— посвящать

dying— умирающий

emigrate— эмигрировать

enter—поступать (в)