Handel and bach, the great two of the 18th century

In 1959 the whole world celebrated the 200th Anniversary since the death of the great composer George Frederic Handel. Handel was born in Germany in 1685. He had a long and successful career of a composer first in Italy, then in Britain. He composed operas and oratorios, making the chorus his main instrument. Handel's first oratorio in English «Esther» began the tradition of oratorio-singing in England which has been carried down to the present day. But it was Handel's ambition to write operas. For 20 long years he kept on composing and staging operas, but none of them was a success with the public. Only when Handel gave up writing operas and devoted himself to oratorios, he finally won general acclaim. Handel has breathed a new life into the old oratorial genre. In 1742 he composed his most inspired work «Messiah», which was very well received at the Covent Garden Theatre. His English oratorios in general have been recognized as the height of the oratorial style ever since.

John Sebastian Bach, Handel's compatriot and contemporary was also born in 1685. But how different their lives were!

Handel was already a celebrated composer when Bach was only a modest violinist in the Weimar orchestra. When Handel was applauded to in Italy and England, Bach was an organist in a small German town. Handel lived at the English court, having the best chorus, orchestra and soloists, while Bach was a schoolteacher, teaching school-children to perform his music. In his lifetime Bach was recognized mainly as a virtuoso harpsichordist and organist but his music has been appreciated only after his death. Bach was a well-educated man. He had a rare gift for languages, he could speak a number of them and even taught Latin at school. He was very good at poetry as well. He had never been taught to play either the harpsichord or the organ and had had a teacher neither in the harmony nor composition. However he knew different instruments very well and took great interest in their mechanisms. It always took him a long time to compose a piece of music as he was perfecting it again and again. His music is perfectly artistic, highly emotional, plastic and truly romantic.

Vocabulary:

acclaim n шумное приветствие

ambition n честолюбие, мечта, стремление, цель ambitious

ambitious а честолюбивый

anniversary n годовщина

applaud v аплодировать

appreciate v оценивать, понимать

breathe v дышать

breath n дыхание

celebrate v праздновать; ~ ed а прославленный, знаменитый

compatriot n соотечественник

death n смерть

finally adv окончательно, наконец, в заключение

general а общий, всеобщий

gift n дар, талант

harpsichord n клавесин

height n вершина

however cj однако

Inspire v вдохновлять; ~ ed а вдохновенный

lifetime n целая жизнь

nonen ни один

perfect v совершенствовать

rare а редкий

receive v принимать, получать

success n успех; ~ ful а успешный

truly adv поистине

virtuoso n виртуоз

to be a success with the public — иметь успех у публики

to breathe life into — вдохнуть жизнь в

to carry down — зд. сохраниться, дойти

to give up — перестать, бросить, оставить

in general — вообще

to keep on (doing smth.) — продолжать (делать что-либо)

a number of — большое количество, много

to take an interest in — интересоваться (чем-либо)

to win general acclaim — завоевать всеобщее признание

Proper Names

George Frederic Handel — Георг Фридрих Гендель

Johann Sebastian Bach — Иоганн Себастьян Бах

Messiah — Мессия

Esther — Эсфирь

Weimar — Веймар

Pronunciation Drill

[ai]: 'either, 'neither, 'violinist, while, height, style, lives

[ei]: main, stage, great, ac'claim, 'famous, 'educated

[ou]: e'motional, 'poetry, 'soloist, com'poser, ,ora'torio, 'only, de'vote

[o:]: ap'plaud, taught, court, 'organist, 'orchestra, per'form, ora'torio, George

[i:]: piece, 'even, 'teacher, keep, 'recent

[æ]: 'plastic, ro'mantic, 'Latin, com'patriot, 'language, 'carry, outstanding, am'bition

[dз]: 'general, o'riginal, 'legend, stage, 'language, George

[g]: great, 'organ, 'gallery, 'recognise, 'gave 'up

[tƒ]: 'teacher, 'children, 'charming, chance, choose

[k]: 'character, 'chorus, 'orchestra, 'mechanism, school, 'architecture

[ŋ]: long, 'England, 'language, strong, 'singing

Exercise 1

Dramatise the dialogue filling the blanks with the phrases given below:

A.: Have you heard that N. has given up ... ? (1)

B.: Has he? I have seen him a number of times. His gift is .... (2)

A.: He has devoted himself to ... . (3)

B.: Not a bad idea. I believe it has always been his ambition to do it.

1) stage career; singing at concerts; playing the organ; composing operas; painting

2) truly rare; highly appreciated; generally recognized; perfectly original; truly versatile

3) writing plays; teaching vocal ism; composing oratorios; conducting; etching

Exercise 2.

Translate the sentences:

1. Neither Bach's music nor his teaching methods were appreciated during his lifetime.

2. Bach as a composer was known neither to his compatriots nor to music-lovers abroad for a long time.

3. Neither Marchand nor any other contemporary harpsichordist could compete with Bach in virtuosity.

4. Neither success nor general acclaim meant much to the old composer.

5. Most of Bach's successful contemporary musicians are now remembered neither in Germany nor in other countries while Bach's music will live for ever.

6. Bach has never been taught either harmony or composition.

7. This year celebration of Handel's birthday will take place either at the Moscow Conservatoire or in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall.

8. A musician must either devote all his life to music or give up his ambition.

9. If you keep on working at your picture much longer, you will either make it perfect or spoil it altogether.

10. I am sure that this film will receive either the gold or the silver prize at the festival.

Exercise 3.

Translate the words and word combinations in brackets in English:

The great German composer J. S. Bach was known as one of the best (клавесинистов и органистов) of his time. His contemporaries and (соотечественники) highly (ценили его редкий дар) of an improvisator. One episode from Bach's artistic life can give us an idea of his (поистине) (редкой виртуозности). In 1717 a (знаменитый) French harpsichordist and organist Louis Marchand came to Dresden. He gave (большое количество концертов) at the Court. As usual his concerts (имели большой успех у публики). One day Bach (получил) an invitation to take part in a competition with the French musician. At the concert Marchand performed а (совершенно) original music piece, which he had composed himself, and (ему много аплодировали). When Bach took his seat at the harpsichord and started to play, everybody held their (дыхание). Bach (продолжал играть) the piece which had just been performed by the French composer. Bach managed (вдохнуть новую жизнь) into the little piece and his (вдохновенные) improvisations (завоевали всеобщее шумное признание).

Marchand had to (признать) Bach's superiority. On the following day the two (виртуоза) were to meet again. But the night before the competition Marchand left Dresden secretly, (оставив всякую надежду) to win. Bach was not an (честолюбивый) man and never liked to talk about his (успех).

Exercise 4.

Translate the text into English:

Бах—современник и соотечественник Генделя, и поэтому в творчестве этих двух музыкантов есть внутреннее сходство: их музыка серьезна и вдохновенна; оба обращались к одним и тем же жанрам и сумели вдохнуть в них новую жизнь, оба успешно использовали хор в своих произведениях. Но если мы посмотрим более внимательно, мы увидим насколько различны эти художники и их методы.

Музыка Генделя более проста и эффектна (spectacular), что является результатом его длительной работы в оперном театре. Гендель написал более 40 опер. Он продолжал писать их в течение 20 лет, хотя ни одна из них не имела успеха у публики. Вот почему ему в конце концов пришлось оставить свою мечту и посвятить себя сочинению ораторий.

Музыка Баха более эмоциональна и психологична (psychological). Бах никогда не писал опер. Бах посвятил много лет преподаванию музыки. Однако ни педагогическая, ни композиторская деятельность Баха не были оценены при его жизни. Творчество Баха, малоизвестное при его жизни, было надолго забыто и после его смерти. Музыка Баха положила начало полифонии, и этот музыкальный стиль сохранился до наших дней. В настоящее время Бах получил всеобщее признание. Через несколько лет весь мир будет праздновать трехсотлетнюю годовщину со дня рождения двух великих композиторов — Генделя и Баха.

Exercise 5.

Correct the following statements using the phrases:

«It is wrong to say that ... because ...», «but as for ... it is true that…»

1. Handel has managed to breathe a new life both into the opera and oratorical genre.

2. Neither Handel's operas nor his oratorios were appreciated during his lifetime.

3. We can compare neither Handel's and Bach's music nor their careers.

4. During his lifetime Bach was recognized neither as a composer nor as a virtuoso harpsichordist.

5. Both Handel and Bach were composers of great ambition.

6. Both Handel and Bach were essentially German composers.

7. Neither ambition nor inspiration alone bring success and general acclaim to an artist.

Exercise 6.

Give full answers to the questions:

1. Why can we compare the lives and music of Handel and Bach?

2. What was Handel's ambition?

3. Why did he have to give up composing operas?

4. What is an oratorio?

5. Why did oratorios finally bring Handel success and general acclaim?

6. Which of Handel's oratorios has been recognized as the height of oratorial style?

7. How did Bach's career differ from Handel's?

8. How can you prove that Bach was a well-educated man and had versatile interests? 9. What was Bach's contribution to the history of world music?

10. What can you say about his music?

Exercise 7.

a) Answer the questions, then speak about Mozart (1756— 1791) and Salieri (1750—1825):

1. What countries did these two composers come from?

2. What can you say about Mozart's career and his music?

3. What can you say about Mozart's versatility? (pianist, organist, violinist, conductor, composer).

4. What genres of music did Mozart try his hand at? (opera, symphony, concerto, choral music, etc.)

5. Was Mozart appreciated during his lifetime or only after his death?

6. Was Salieri's career as successful as that of Mozart's?

7. Why are their names often pronounced together?

8. What legend about Mozart and Salieri did Pushkin use in his tragedy?

9. What was Salieri's ambition? Why was he envious ['envias] of Mozart according to the legend?

10. Is Salieri's name as popular nowadays as that of Mozart's?

11. What artists, poets, composers, and film directors were inspired by this legend in their works?

SERGEI PROKOFIEV

«It is the people who create music,

we composers only arrange it». Glinka

Sergei Prokofiev (1891 — 1953) composed his first piece when he was five. He entered the St. Petersburg Conservatoire at the age of thirteen, appearing at the entrance examination with the manuscripts of four operas, two sonatas, a symphony and a number of piano-pieces. Rimsky-Korsakov, who was one of the examiners cried happily: «Here is a pupil after my own heart!» At the age of nineteen making his first public appearance in St. Petersburg he showed definite taste and a vivid personal style. Graduating from the Conservatoire, he received the first prize for piano-playing. In 1918 the premiere of his «Classical» Symphony was given in Petrograd. Lunacharsky, who was present at the performance, was deeply impressed by it. In the same year Prokofiev left the Soviet Union for America. Later he wrote: «Once walking in the park in the centre of New York I thought with anger of the splendid American orchestras that were indifferent to my music...» and Prokofiev decided to try Paris. He was luckier in Paris, where his ballet «The Buffoon» ¹ was soon produced. He stayed in Paris making tours to the musical centres of Europe and the United States to perform his music.

So he lived abroad composing and touring. But all these years he was thinking of returning to the USSR. He wrote: «I have got to live in the atmosphere of my homeland. I have got to see Russian winter and spring that comes so suddenly. I have got 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. Here I risk dying of academism. Yes, I am going back»!

When Prokofiev returned to his homeland, his intention was to serve his people. He strove for clarity, though he never stopped experimenting: «This is what makes lucid music so difficult to compose — the clarity must be new, not old».

Living in the USSR Prokofiev became one of the leading composers of the Soviet school known all over the world as one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century.

¹ «Buffoon» – «Петрушка»

Give full answers to the questions:

1. What was Prokofiev's musical career like before he went to live abroad?

2. Why did Prokofiev finally wish to return to the USSR?

3. In what way did Prokofiev serve his people with his music?

4. What are Prokofiev's most famous operas and ballets?

5. What can you say about Prokofiev's popularity in the Soviet Union and abroad?

TCHAIKOVSKY IN NEW YORK

In April 1891 Tchaikovsky went to America. He is known to have been invited to inaugurate the newly-built concert hall in New York—the largest in America—Carnegie Hall. Tchaikovsky happened to be the first Russian composer who was offered a tour in America. On coming there Tchaikovsky was surprised to learn that he was more popular in America than in Europe. American musicians were happy to play under his baton not only because Tchaikovsky was considered to be a great composer but because he was also thought to be a talented conductor. On the 5th of May, the day of the inauguration of Carnegie Hall, Tchaikovsky seemed to be excited. The hall was too big, the richly-dressed crowd packing the hall seemed to be noisy and strange. The music of Beethoven, Berlioz and Tchaikovsky was on the programme of the concert. When the audience saw Tchaikovsky come on to the stage there was a storm of applause, the audience warmly greeted the famous composer. The ceremonial march he conducted sounded solemn and victorious. After the concert people surrounded the composer, they did not want to let him go.

The next day the concert was reported to have been a great success, and no wonder—the greatest concert hall in America was inaugurated by the greatest of the living composers.

Exercise 1.Give full answers to the questions:

1. When did Tchaikovsky go to America?

2. Why did he go there?

3. Did any other Russian composer happen to be invited to America at that time?

4. Why were American musicians happy to play under his baton?

5. How did Tchaikovsky feel on the day of the inauguration?

6. Why did the audience seem strange?

7. What music was on the programme?

8. Was the concert reported a success?

Exercise 2.Complete the sentences using the Complex Subject:

1. Tchaikovsky is known ....

2. He happened ... .

3. He was thought ... .

4. He was considered ....

5. On the day of the inauguration Tchaikovsky seemed ....

6. The richly-dressed crowd in Carnegie Hall seemed ... .

7. The next day the concert was reported ....

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST

Our country is rich in excellent pianists. There are too many to name and all of them are different. To me the question: "Who's best?" seems to be an idle one. "Who's best?" — Bach, Mozart, Beethoven or Brahms? Pushkin, Dante, Goethe, Shakespeare? Raphael, El Greco or Titian? As for me, I don't know. How can we measure exactly the qualitative differences of phenomena in the spiritual world? For art is understood not only intellectually but is also felt emotionally. The emotional approach to art is not a debatable subject because of the famous maxim that "tastes differ".

My taste tells me: "I know and like, appreciate and respect a number of splendid modern pianists, but my first choice goes to Svyatoslav Richter. A combination of a powerful spirit with depth, purity of soul and admirable skill, is indeed a unique phenomenon. His popularity with different audiences and their admiration for him are well known to all. This is explained in the first place, by his creative power, by the striking, harmonious combination of those qualities which are commonly known as "intellect", "soul" and "heart" — and finally by his gigantic virtuoso talent. Whether he is playing Bach or Shostakovich, Beethoven or Scriabin, Schubert or Debussy, the listener seems to hear the living, resurrected composer, and becomes completely indivisible from his unique, enormous world. Only a pianist who is the composer's brother, comrade and friend can play like that. I can't help repeating here what I have said in my article "Composer-Performer" dedicated to Sergei Prokofiev: there are wonderful performers who do not display their creativity, although potentially they could be outstanding composers. I must admit that when I was writing this I meant Richter in the first place. And this is the secret of his magnificent talent. His own musical world is like the world of the great musicians he plays. I know his childhood and boyhood compositions and I have heard his superb improvisations.

Richter is not just a musician, he is also a most gifted artist who had drawn and painted a lot, having received no professional education. It is true to say that he is as much a man of seeing as he is of hearing and this is a rather rare combination. For him all music is filled with images which are quite original sometimes. I recall that once he said that the third part of Prokofiev's Second Concerto made him think of "the dragon devouring children" (!) and that the first part of Prokofiev's Sixth Sonata represented "Industrialisation". Not long ago, I listened to Schumann's novelettes following Haydn's Sonata in C minor at the House of Scientists. Having played Haydn Richter began to play Schumann and everything changed — it was a different piano, a different sound, a different rhythm, a different character of expression, and the change was so easy to understand: that was Haydn and this was Schumann, and Richter was at his best conveying not just the features of each composer but the features of their epoch as well. This is the "universality" which, I think, is the pianist's highest achievement. And this "universality" makes Richter so unique for me.

Answer the questions:

1. Why is it difficult to name the best pianist, composer or artist?

2. What is the reason for Richter's popularity?

3. Is music filled with images for all people as it is for Richter? How is it with you? 4. Do you know that Richter generally insists on playing only one composer at each concert, saying that "Chopin after Beethoven is like water-colours after oil painting"? Do you agree with this point of view?