A. Glazunov "Symphony No. 1": history, video, interesting facts, listen

A. Glazunov "Symphony number 1"

Alexander Glazunov is a prominent representative of the Pleiad of remarkable Russian composers who have made a significant contribution to the treasury of world music. He left a rich heritage for posterity, in which a special place is occupied by monumental, namely symphonic works. The composer’s creative image is expressed most clearly in them, the epic breadth characteristic of his works, the plasticity of the musical language and the elegance of melodic lines are presented. A special place among the works of the outstanding maestro is his First Symphony, as though it was written at the age of sixteen, but is a convincing example of the manifestation of the brightest composer talent of the young Glazunov.

History of creation

The history of the First Symphony, which immediately after the premiere performance made A. Glazunov famous, was quite interesting. It all started in German Bad Kissingen, where Sasha in 1879, together with his parents, came to a summer holiday, and where he had the opportunity to thoroughly get acquainted with a symphony orchestra, which played twice a day in a resort park. The boy was so interested that he constantly attended not only concerts, but also rehearsals of the band. The musicians really liked the inquisitive young man who, during intermissions, always enthusiastically asked about their instruments. It was at that time that Sasha fell in love with the orchestra, and he had a dream in the future to become a composer.

In the summer of the next 1880, this story was continued, but already in the famous resort of Druskiniki. The impression from L. Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony heard by the local orchestra was so great that it did not leave an obsessive thought to write such a great work. At first, Sasha decided to call the symphony “Slavic” and work on it for folk melodies, which he constantly recorded following the example of his teachers, M.A. Balakirev and N.A. Rimsky-Korsakogo. However, after a while, Alexander refused from this name and decided: let it be just the “First”, because others will follow.

At the end of the summer, on returning home, Sasha first of all told Balakirev and Rimsky-Korsakov about his ambitious plans for an inexperienced musician, and besides this he showed sketches of a symphony, the thematism of which simply conquered them. Mentors not only approved the plans of their pupil, but subsequently helped him in every way, because they believed that this work would be a kind of certificate of maturity of the talented Glazunov. Miliy Alekseevich, for example, assisted in the orchestration of many pages, and also helped to finish the final code, which the young composer could not get. By the spring, the symphony of the ball was completed, and its premiere performance was scheduled for March 17, 1882 in the Noble Assembly Hall. The orchestra was conducted by Balakirev. Immediately it became clear that the audience liked the work, the applause intensified after each part. And what was the surprise of the public when, when the author was called, a shy boy in the form of a gymnasium boy, who could be given sixteen years with great difficulty, appeared on the stage. The surprise of the audience was so strong that the young author was not let go for a long time from the stage. In August of the same year, the success of the symphony was repeated, it was performed in Moscow at the All-Russian Exhibition, but this time the work was conducted by Rimsky-Korsakov.

Interesting Facts

• As a sign of great respect for his First Symphony, the young Sasha Glazunov dedicated N.A. Rimsky - Korsakov. Words of deep gratitude to the teacher he wrote on the score of the work.
• After reviewing the score of the First Symphony, Rimsky-Korsakov, who taught theoretical disciplines and composition to Glazunov, said that the student no longer needed a teacher.
• Abroad Glazunov's First Symphony was presented to the audience at the Weimar Festival in May 1884. The initiator of the performance was Franz Liszt himself, who, having familiarized himself with the work, gave him a positive assessment. As a token of gratitude for the cordial welcome and the attention given by Glazunov, he dedicated his Second Symphony to the memory of the great Hungarian composer, who, unfortunately, had died at the time of the composition.
• Despite the fact that the First Symphony of Sasha Glazunov was initially successfully met not only by listeners, but also by critics, because of the insufficient experience of the young composer, she undoubtedly had a number of different shortcomings and roughnesses, and therefore the composer returned to his editing more than once during her life. For example, he made an additional adjustment of the work before publication in 1885, and then in 1929. Unfortunately, as a result of such attention by the author to this essay, his original edition, which dated 1881-1882, was not preserved.
• Subsequently, Glazunov understood that the entire First Symphony was permeated by the influence of the composers of the “Mighty Handful”. Not only did he adopt the orchestration style of his teachers, besides that, in his first monumental work, Sasha himself clearly heard the echoes of the works of the handicaps.
• The merits of A. Glazunov’s First Symphony are eloquently expressed by the fact that this work of the young composer was loved by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov and PI Chaikovsky.
• Despite the immense success of the premiere performance of the work, there were "well-wishers" who spread rumors that the symphony was written by order of the rich parents of the young man by his famous teachers: M. Balakirev and N.А. Rimsky - Korsakov. In addition, cartoons depicting Sasha Glazunov in the form of a baby with notes in their hands appeared in the press.
• During the rehearsal of the First Symphony, an important event occurred: Sasha met M. Belyaev, the richest philanthropist who later played a significant role in the composer’s life. A great music connoisseur, he immediately fell in love with the talent of the young musician, gave Sasha Glazunov a creative trip to Europe, and then, in order to print the compositions of his ward, he founded his own musical publishing house in Germany.

Content

The first symphony is a very significant work at the early stage of the creative path of Alexander Glazunov. Let this composition be rather naive and not yet sufficiently perfect, nevertheless, it has already identified the special features characteristic of the famous Glazunov symphony, that is, enthusiastic festivity, reverie and joyful attitude. In addition, the creation of the young author is notable for the greatness, grandeur and breadth of the musical presentation.

The music of the symphony is painted in bright cheerful and even somewhat pastoral tones, because it was created based on the impressions received by the young men during the summer holidays, and therefore the beauty of summer nature, as well as all the delights of rural life, are reflected in the figurative content of the work. In the thematism of the work, the motives of folk music are skillfully used, but at the same time the melodic gift inherent in the composer is vividly manifested in it.

The symphony "E-dur" includes four parts:

1. Allegro
2. Scherzo
3. Adagio
4. The final

• "Allegro". The exposition begins with a light, syncopated main dance party, combining a moving dance song and melody. Having harmonized this theme with simple trias in a free sequence, the composer brings into it an interesting folk flavor. Further, the cheerful motive is replaced by a transparent and thoughtful singing of woodwind instruments, painting a picture of spring nature, but soon everything is again painted with bright and joyful colors, reflecting a youthful, vivacious attitude.
• "Scherzo" depicts us a genre picture: village festive fun. It all starts with the introduction of the bass with the simple but humorous style of clarinets and altos superimposed on it. In the middle part, the composer used the folk song "Mikita" as a thematic material, and in order to make the melody brighter and sharper and acquire a peculiar grotesque character, harmonize it using the method of alternating - harmonic displacement.
• "Adagio" - these are melodious and flowing melodies. This part of the symphony could be called an elegy, but in it there is neither sadness nor sorrow, and it is thoroughly imbued with sincerity and warmth. Nevertheless, the author reflects on it with the help of music about something vital.
• "The final" - This is a vivid picture of a riotous national holiday. The composer, using three diverse melodies in various rhythmic variants, one of which is the well-known Polish song “About Muscovites” constantly changing its appearance, draws uncontrollable unbridled joy, which ends with powerful rich chords.

The first symphony of A. Glazunov is a remarkable work of the then young composer. Although it did not become a work of great importance in musical history, it clearly indicated the appearance of a promising young talent.