Удивительный мир музыки. The Wonder World of Music. Учебное пособие. Елец, ЕГУ им. И.А. Бунина, 2007.-125 с.
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Удивительный мир музыки. The Wonder World of Music. Учебное пособие. Елец, ЕГУ им. И.А. Бунина, 2007.-125 с.

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Удивительный мир музыки. The Wonder World of Music. Учебное пособие. Елец, ЕГУ им. И.А. Бунина, 2007.-125 с.
Это - звуковое приложение к восьмому уроку "Music at the English Lesson" учебного пособия "Удивительный мир музыки". Звучит песня "Mary Had a Little Lamb"
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МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И НАУКИ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ

ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ АГЕНТСТВО ПО ОБРАЗОВАНИЮ

ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОЕ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ 

ВЫСШЕГО ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ

 «ЕЛЕЦКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ ИМ. И.А. БУНИНА»

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Н. А. ГРИНЧЕНКО

 

 

УДИВИТЕЛЬНЫЙ МИР МУЗЫКИ

 

THE WONDER WORLD OF MUSIC

 

 Книга для чтения по теме «Музыка»  для студентов старших курсов 

факультетов иностранных языков

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Елец – 2007

УДК 37                                                  

ББК 74.268.1 Англ                  

     Г 85                           

 

Печатается по решению редакционно-издательского совета  

Елецкого государственного университета имени И.А. Бунина   от  05. 10. 2007 г., протокол № 3

 

 

Рецензенты:

Панарина Г.И., кандидат педагогических наук, декан факультета иностранных языков Елецкого государственного университета им.          

И.А. Бунина;

Белканов Н.А., доктор педагогических наук, профессор, заведующий  кафедрой педагогики Елецкого государственного университета им. И.А. Бунина;

 

 

  Н. А. Гринченко 

Г 85 Удивительный мир музыки. The Wonder World of Music: учебное пособие.  — Елец: ЕГУ  им. И.А. Бунина, 2007. — 125 с.

 

Предлагаемая книга для чтения разработана в качестве дополнительного учебного пособия для студентов старших курсов факультетов иностранных языков по теме «Музыка» в рамках учебной дисциплины «Практика речи основного (английского) языка. В книге представлены аутентичные материалы по теме «Музыка» как на английском, так и на русском языках. Все задания к статьям и текстам составлены на английском  языке. Цель пособия – углубить и расширить знания, способствовать дальнейшему совершенствованию  языковых навыков и развитию речевых умений по теме.

Пособие может также быть рекомендовано для студентов музыкальных факультетов, аспирантов и всех тех, кто интересуется английским языком и музыкой. К пособию прилагаются звукозаписи  некоторых музыкальных произведений, имеющих отношение к предметам обсуждения.

                                                            УДК 37

ББК 74.268.1 Англ                   

 

 

                                                      © Елецкий государственный  университет им. И.А. Бунина, 2007

    © Гринченко Н.А., 2007

 

CONTENTS

 

    Предисловие……………………………………………………………4 Unit 1. MISIC GENRES (STYLES)………………………………….5

Unit 2. FOLK MUSIC………………………………………………..17 Unit 3. ENGLISH MUSIC……………………………………………33 Unit 4. RUSSIAN MUSIC……………………………………………43     Unit 5. THE OPERA WHICH HAS WON THE WORLD…………57     Unit 6. THE BEATLES………………………………………………74 Unit 7. CONTROVERCY ABOUT ROCK…………………………86     Unit 8. MUSIC AT THE ENGLISH LESSON……………………..99

    Literature……………………………………………………………109

    Appendix 1.  Musical instruments…………………………………….110 Appendix 2. Tapescripts……………………………………………..124

    Appendix 3. Thematic vocabulary…………………………………..125

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ

 

Настоящая книга для чтения является дополнительным учебным пособием для студентов старших курсов факультетов иностранных языков  по теме «Музыка» в рамках учебной дисциплины «Практика речи основного (английского) языка.

Цель пособия – углубить и расширить знания, способствовать дальнейшему совершенствованию  языковых навыков и развитию речевых умений по теме. Учебное пособие состоит  из введения, 8 уроков, списка использованной литературы, скриптов с названиями и авторами музыкальных произведений, к которым прилагаются аудиозаписи, а также содержания. 

В учебное пособие включены аутентичные тексты на английском и русском языках, взятые из системы Интернет и ряда печатных источников. При отборе текстов важнейшими критериями были их содержательность, развивающая и воспитательная ценность, проблемность.

Основной вид чтения, предлагаемый для студентов – чтение с общим охватом содержания, т.к. тексты достаточно сложные и содержат избыточную информацию. От студентов требуется умение извлекать основные идеи из предлагаемых текстов. Тексты снабжены учебными заданиями на предтекстовом, текстовом и послетекстовом этапах работы. Несмотря на то, что студентам предложено несколько русских источников, все задания даются и выполняются только  на английском языке.

Прохождение материала по урокам может быть как последовательным и полным, так и выборочным, в зависимости от интересов студентов и возможностей.

Последний по счету восьмой урок имеет методическую направленность и имеет целью подготовить студентов к работе над песней на английском языке.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNIT 1 MISIC GENRES (STYLES)

 

When you skim a text (read it quickly for general meaning) you don’t have to understand every word or sentence. You should try to  understand important ideas

 

Pre-reading task

1.   Should music be categorized? If so, why?

2.   What can be the main criteria for categorizing? Why?

3.   What music genres do you know?

Reading

Skim the text which is an extract from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Find out:

1.     If music may  be categorized both by musical and non-musical criteria

2.     If the term classical music refers to European music

3.     If gospel as a musical genre  refers to lyrics of a religious nature 4. If the  most distinguishing characteristics of jazz are improvisation and the use of an instrumental form of music

5.   If the blues  emerged from Latin America

6.   If the term rhythm and blues often refers to any contemporary black pop music

7.   If funk best can be recognized by its gentle melody 

8.   If rock’s main features include an emphasis on rhythm, and the use of amplified instruments like the guitar

9.   If pop and rock music are the same things

10.                      If country and folk music are the same things

11.                      If electronic music served to support and perpetuate the values of the new age movement

12.                      If electro is used in many records about space travel and futuristic dystopias

13.                      If electronica music includes or excluds rhythm completely

14.                      If  melodic music is characterised by the dominance of rhythm, tempo and beat

15.                      If Hip-Hop can be seen as a subgenre of rhythm and blues (R&B) tradition

16.                      If contemporary African music incorporates traditional local vocal, instrumental, and percussive styles, but also draws heavily on rock, reggae, and/or hip-hop.

 

Text 1

A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or "basic musical language". Music may also be categorized by non-musical criteria such as geographical origin, though a single geographical category will normally include a wide variety of sub-genres. A music genre (or subgenre) could be defined by the techniques, the styles, the context and the themes (content, spirit).

Although there are many music genres, it is possible to group them together into a number of overlapping major groupings.

Classical music

The term classical music refers to a number of different, but related, genres. Without any qualification, the usual meaning of "classical music" in the English language is European classical music (an older usage describes specifically the Western art music of the Classical music era). It can also refer to the classical music of non-Western cultures such as Persian classical music, Indian classical music or Chinese classical music.

In a Western context as well as Persian tradition, classical music is generally a classification covering music composed and performed by professionally trained artists. Classical music is a written tradition. It is composed and written using music notation, and as a rule is performed faithfully to the score. In common usage, "classical music" often refers to orchestral music in general, regardless of when it was composed or for what purpose (film scores and orchestral arrangements on pop music recordings, example).

Gospel

Gospel is a musical genre characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) referencing lyrics of a religious nature, particularly Christian. Subgenres include contemporary gospel and urban contemporary gospel. Modern Gospel music uses electrical guitar, drums, and electrical bass guitars.

Jazz

Jazz is a musical form that grew out of a cross-fertilization of folk blues, ragtime, and European music, particularly band music. It has been called the first native art form to develop in the United States.

The music has gone through a series of developments since its inception. In roughly chronological order they are: Dixieland, swing/big band, bebop, hard bop, cool jazz, free jazz, jazz fusion, smooth jazz (The inclusion of smooth jazz as an actual jazz genre is disputed) and now a recent style known as Caffeine Jazz or CafJazz (a fusion of funk, latin, and electronica instrumental music about coffee and tropical fruit drinks - and like smooth jazz, somewhat disputed - an example of CafJazz is the Seattle area band Vente Caffeinato).

Jazz is primarily an instrumental form of music. The instrument most closely associated with jazz may be the saxophone, followed closely by the trumpet. The trombone, piano, double bass, guitar and drums are also primary jazz instruments. The clarinet and banjo were often used, especially in the earlier styles of jazz. Although there have been many renowned jazz vocalists, and many of the most well-known jazz tunes have lyrics, the majority of well-known and influential jazz musicians and composers have been instrumentalists. During the time of its widest popularity, roughly 1920 to 1950, jazz and popular music had a very intimate connection. Popular songs drew upon jazz influences, and many jazz hits were re workings of popular songs, or lyrics were written for jazz tunes in an attempt to create popular hits.

The single most distinguishing characteristic of jazz is improvisation. Jazz also tends to utilize complex chord structures and an advanced sense of harmony. These characteristics in combination with the use of improvisation require a high degree of technical skill and musical knowledge from the performers.

The art form today is a widely varied one, using influences from all of the past styles, although the root of modern jazz is primarily bebop. Modern jazz can also incorporate elements of rock and roll, electronica, and hip-hop.

Jazz was a direct influence on Rhythm and blues, and therefore a secondary influence on most later genres of popular music. Modern American art music composers have often used elements of jazz in their compositions.

Latin American

Latin American Music, music of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean (see West Indies). The region of Latin America contains a rich variety of cultural and musical heritages, including those of lowland Native Americans in the Amazon River area and parts of Central America; those of highland Native Americans in Mexico, Guatemala, and the Andes; those of African Americans, especially in the Caribbean, Ecuador, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, coastal Venezuela, Colombia, and northeastern Brazil; and those of people of Spanish and Portuguese descent.

Blues

The blues is a vocal and instrumental music form which emerged in the African-American community of the United States. Blues evolved from West African spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants and has its earliest stylistic roots in West Africa. This musical form has been a major influence on later American and Western popular music, finding expression in ragtime, jazz, big bands, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and country music, as well as conventional pop songs and even modern classical music. Due to its powerful influence that spawned other major musical genres originating from America, blues can be regarded as the root of pop as well as American music.

Rhythm and blues

Rhythm and blues is a name for black popular music tradition. When speaking strictly of "rhythm of blues", the term may refer to black popmusic from 1940s to 1960s that was not jazz nor blues but something more lightweight. The term "R&B" often refers to any contemporary black pop music. Early-1950s R&B music became popular with both black and white audiences, and popular records were often covered by white artists, leading to the development of rock and roll. In fact rock 'n' roll was an interchangeable term with rhythm and blues in the 1950s, and term used usually depended on racial background.

A notable subgenre of rhythm 'n' blues was doo-wop, which put emphasis on polyphonic singing. In the early 1960s rhythm 'n' blues took influences from gospel and rock and roll and thus soul music was born. In the late 1960s, funk music started to evolve out of soul; by the 1970s funk had become its own subgenre that stressed complex, "funky" rhythm patterns and monotonic compositions based on a riff or two. In the early to mid 1970s, hip hop music (also known as "rap") grew out of funk and reggae (see below). Funk and soul music evolved into contemporary R&B (no longer an initial-ism) in the 1980s, which cross-pollinated with hip-hop for the rest of the 20th century and into the 21st century.

Funk

Funk is a distinct style of music originated by African Americans, e.g., James Brown and his band members (especially Maceo and Melvin Parker), and groups like Parliament-Funkadelic, Sly and the Family Stone, The Meters, and the music stylings of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Funk best can be recognized by its syncopated rhythms; thick bass line; razor-sharp rhythm guitars; chanted or hollered vocals (as that of Marva Whitney or the Bar-Kays); strong, rhythm-oriented horn sections; prominent percussion; an upbeat attitude; African tones; danceability; and/or strong jazz influences (e.g., as in the music of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Eddie Harris and others). 

Rock

Rock, in its broadest sense, can refer to almost all popular music recorded since the early 1950s. Its main features include an emphasis on rhythm, and the use of amplified instruments like the guitar.

Its earliest form, rock and roll, arose from multiple genres in the late 1940s, most importantly jump blues. It was first popularized by performers like Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, and Elvis Presley, who fused the sound with country music, resulting in rockabilly. Rock soon became one of the most popular genres, with girl groups, garage rock and surf rock most popular in the US.

Starting the mid-1960s, a group of British bands inspired on American blues and R&B became popular on both sides of the Atlantic — the British Invasion, a catchall term for multiple genres (including British blues, Mersey beat, and mod). These groups, including The Beatles, fused the earlier sounds with Appalachian folk music, forming folk rock, as well as a variety of less-popular genres, including the singer-songwriter tradition.

The British Invasion evolved into psychedelic rock, which in turn gave birth to jam bands and the classically-influenced progressive rock. Perhaps the most significant psychedelic rock band is the British Pink Floyd. Some British blues and mod bands like The Yardbirds and The Who evolved into hard rock. In the early 1970s appeared a more glamorous version of hard rock called glam rock, and a darker sound known as heavy metal. In the early to mid-1970s, singer-songwriters and pop musicians led the charts, as well as southern rock and roots rock performers, which fused modern techniques with a more traditionalist sound. The late 1970s saw the rise of punk rock (with bands like The Clash, The Ramones, and the Sex Pistols), notable for its rebellious attitude and "Do-it-yourself philosophy.

In the 1980s, rock continued to evolve, with metal becoming popular and punk mutating into other forms. Punk yielded New Wave, post-punk, hardcore punk, and alternative rock, while metal developed into various subdivisions, including thrash metal, glam metal, death metal, and black metal. Alternative rock became more popular in the 1990s, with subgenres like Britpop, gothic rock, emo music, grunge, and shoegazing being some of the best-known. The newest development in the subgenres of rock is the recent emergence of Basement that was coined from the alternative London rock scene in the UK.

Pop

Pop music is an important genre of popular music distinguished from classical or art music and from folk music. The term indicates specific stylistic traits but the genre also includes artists working in many styles (rock, hip hop, rhythm and blues (R&B), and country), and it is reasonable to say that "pop music" is a flexible category. It may also be referred to as soft rock or pop/rock.

Country music

Country music is usually used to refer to honky tonk today. Emerging in the 1930s in the United States, honky tonk country was strongly influenced by the blues, as well as jug bands (which cannot be properly called honky tonk). In the 1950s, country achieved great mainstream success by adding elements of rock and roll; this was called rockabilly. In addition, from Swing and bluegrass emerged as a largely underground phenomenon. Later in the decade, the Nashville sound, a highly polished form of country music, became very popular. In reaction to this, harder-edged, gritty musicians sprung up in Bakersfield, California, inventing the Bakersfield sound. Merle Haggard, Buck Owens along with similar artists brought the Bakersfield sound to mainstream audiences in the 1960s, while Nashville started churning out countrypolitan. 

During the 1970s, the most popular genre was outlaw country, a heavily rock-influenced style. The late 1980s saw the Urban Cowboys bring about an influx of pop-oriented stars during the 1990s. Modern bluegrass music has remained mostly traditional, though progressive bluegrass and close harmony groups do exist, and the sound is the primary basis for jam bands like the Grateful Dead.

Electronic music

Electronic music started long before the invention of the synthesizer, with the use of tape loops and analogue electronics in the 1950s and 1960s. All electronic music owes its historical existence to early pioneers of tape experiments known as musique concrete, such as John Cage, Pierre Schaeffer and Karlheinz Stockhausen, as well as early synthesists like Wendy Carlos, Jean Michel Jarre, and Morton Subotnick. (See electronic art music).

Well known examples include the theme music to the TV series Doctor Who, recorded in 1963 by Delia Derbyshire, and the catch-all "electronica," which can sometimes include all of the above electronic sub-genres, but usually refers to electronic music without lyrics.

One of the first people to popularize the synthesizer was Wendy Carlos who performed classical music on the synthesizer on the recording Switched-On Bach. Space music was popularized by the group Tangerine Dream, among others, as a precursor to new age music. New age music served to support and perpetuate the values of the new age movement.

Though there is some overlap between the various sub-genres of electronic music, Brian Eno, claimed that ambient had a bit of "evil" in it, whereas new age music did not. Eno's creation was less values-driven than new age; his goal was to create music like wallpaper, insofar as the listener could listen to or easily ignore the music.

Electro / Electro Funk

Electro (also known as Electro-Funk or Electro Funk) is an electronic style of hip-hop culture movement that is directly influenced by Kraftwerk, Jazz-Funk and Funk records (unlike earlier rap records that were closer to disco). Records in the genre are unabashed about their use of electronic and artificial sounds, taking this technological fetish almost into science fiction with many records about space travel and futuristic dystopias. Timing range is 100 to over 130 beats per minute (BPM). Electro is a derivative of the '[ Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, Roland TR-909 Rhythm Composer, Roland SVC-350 Vocoder, Roland VP-330 Vocoder Plus, Roland VP-330 Vocoder ]' Drum machines & Vocoder's Speech Synthesizer. Electro's sound is distinctively synthetic, instrumental, electronic and experimental. Additionally, the 808 drum machines pounding beats and pure sounds were heavily used in Rap, Disco and Funk music. It was very popular in New York City during the late 1970s and early 1980s and experienced a revival in the late 1990s.

Electronic dance music

Electronic dance music as we know it today really emerged in 1977 with Giorgio Moroder's From Here to Eternity album.

There are now many subgenres of electronic dance music, these include: techno (mechanical sounding dance music featuring little melody and more noise), trance (with a distinct style of instrumentation focused on complex, uplifting chord progressions and melodies), Goa trance (spawning from industrial music and tribal dance, focusing on creating psychedelic sound effects within the songs), house music (fully electronic disco music), big beat (using older drum loops and more melodic elements sampled and looped), the formerly called jungle, now drum and bass (an offshoot of hardcore and Jamaican dancehall, that was named utilizing quick tempos with sampled break beats, most notably the amen break and the funky drummer), Gabber (a Dutch development on techno, which features extremely high tempos and lots of overdrive and distortion on the music, especially the bass drum being distorted into a square wave tone), happy hardcore (a less confronting take on Gabber, fusing elements of drum and bass as well and often including sped up vocals from 70s pop music), synthpop (features strong pop songwriting/melodies with roots in 1980s dance music), and electro. Of these subgenres, trance and house are probably the most widespread. Electronic dance music is often composed to fit easily into a live DJ set.

Electronica

Electronica is a term that may loosely refer to artists or works that do not fall into the new age, techno or dance categories; it is often referred to as "left-field". Styles of electronica include downtempo, illbient and trip-hop (among countless others, see list of electronic music genres), which are all related in that they usually rely more on their atmospheric qualities than electronic dance music, and make use of slower, more subtle tempos, sometimes excluding rhythm completely.

IDM (an abbreviation for intelligent dance music) is an elusive and confusing genre classification that can only be truly defined by flagbearers and flagburners like Aphex Twin and Autechre.

Melodic music

Melodic music is a term that covers various genres of non-classical music which are primarily characterised by the dominance of a single strong melody line. Rhythm, tempo and beat are subordinate to the melody line or tune, which is generally easily memorable, and followed without great difficulty. Melodic music is found in all parts of the world, overlapping many genres, and may be performed by a singer or orchestra, or a combination of the two.

In the west, melodic music has developed largely from folk song sources, and been heavily influenced by classical music in its development and orchestration. In many areas the border line between classical and melodic popular music is imprecise. Opera is generally considered to be a classical form. The lighter operetta is considered borderline, whilst stage and film musicals and musical comedy are firmly placed in the popular melodic category. The reasons for much of this are largely historical.

Other major categories of melodic music include music hall and vaudeville, which, along with the ballad, grew out of European folk music. Orchestral dance music developed from localised forms such as the jig, polka and waltz, but with the admixture of Latin American, negro blues and ragtime influences, it diversified into countless sub-genres such as big band, cabaret and Swing. More specialised forms of melodic music include military music, religious music. Also movie soundtrack music is melodic.

Traditional pop music overlaps a number of these categories: big band music and musical comedy, for example, are closely allied to traditional pop.

In Jamaica during the 1950s, American R&B was most popular, though mento (a form of folk music) was more common in rural areas. A fusion of the two styles, along with soca and other genres, formed ska, an extremely popular form of music intended for dancing. In the 1960s, reggae and dub emerged from ska and American rock and roll.

Starting the late 1960s, a rock-influenced form of music began developing — this was called rocksteady. With some folk influences (both Jamaican and American), and the growing urban popularity of the Rastafari movement, rocksteady evolved into what is now known as roots reggae.

In the 1970s, a style called Lovers rock became popular primarily in the United Kingdom by British performers of ballad-oriented reggae music. The 1970s also saw the emergence of Two Tone in Coventry, England, with bands fusing ska and punk, as well as covering original ska tracks. Punk band The Clash also used Dub and reggae elements.

Dub emerged in Jamaica when sound system DJs began taking away the vocals from songs so that people could dance to the beat alone. Soon, pioneers like King Tubby and Lee Scratch Perry began adding new vocals over the old beats; the lyrics were rhythmic and rhyme-heavy. After the popularity of reggae died down in the early 1980s, derivatives of dub dominated the Jamaican charts. These included ragga and dancehall, both of which remained popular in Jamaica alone until the mainstream breakthrough of American gangsta rap (which evolved out of dub musicians like DJ Kool Here moving to American cities). Ragga especially now has many devoted followers throughout the world.

Reggaeton is a fusion of reggae and rap, popular in Latin America, but gradually appearing in the mainstream charts.

Hip-Hop Rap

Hip-Hop can be, is seen as a subgenre of R&B tradition (see above). Hip-Hop culture, the movement from which the music came, began in inner cities in the US in the 1970s. The earliest recordings, from the late-1970s and early 1980s, are now referred to as Old- School Hip-Hop. In the later part of the decade, regional styles developed. East Coast hip hop, based out of New York City, was by far the most popular as hip hop began to break into the mainstream. West Coast Hip-Hop, based out of Los Angeles, was by far less popular until 1992, when Dr. Dre's The Chronic revolutionized the West Coast sound, using slow, stoned, lazy beats in what came to be called G Funk. Soon after, a host of other regional styles became popular, most notably Southern rap, based out of Atlanta and New Orleans, primarily. Atlanta-based performers like OutKast and Goodie Mob and Ludacris soon developed their own distinct sound, which came to be known as Dirty South. As Hip-Hop became more popular in the mid-1990s, Alternative Hip-Hop gained in popularity among critics and longtime fans of the music.

De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising (1989) was perhaps the first "Alternative Hip-Hop" blockbuster, and helped develop a specific style called Jazz Rap, characterized by the use of live instrumentation and/or jazz samples. Other less popular forms of Hip-Hop include various non-American varieties; Japan, Britain, Mexico, Sweden, Finland, France, Germany, Italy and Turkey have vibrant Hip-Hop communities. In Puerto Rico, a style called Reggaeton is popular. Electro Hip-Hop was invented in the 1980s, but is distinctly different from most Old-School Hip-Hop (as is Go-Go, another old style). Some other genres have been created by fusing Hip-Hop with Techno (Trip-Hop) and Heavy Metal (rapcore). In the late 1980s, Miami's Hip-Hop scene was characterized by bass-heavy grooves designed for dancing — Miami Bass music. Horrorcore, or Acid Rap is mainly credited to Detroit and the Midwest. There are also rappers with Christian themes in the lyrics — this is Christian Hip-Hop.

Perhaps the most recent development in Hip-Hop is the Backpacker subgenre. Characterized by a renewed focus on poetry and Hip-Hop culture, it includes artists such as Sage Francis, Atmosphere, and Eyedea and Abilities.

Contemporary African music

Since the 1960s, most African popular music incorporates traditional local vocal, instrumental, and percussive styles, but also draws heavily on rock, reggae, and/or hip hop. For example rai', which originated in Algeria and spread throughout North Africa and to the North African diaspora, especially in France, began with topical songs based in the local traditional music, but, starting around 1980, began to incorporate elements of hip hop.

Other notable contemporary African genres include Zulu jive (South

Africa), Highlife (Ghana, Nigeria), Zouk (Cape Verde), Soukous (Zaire, Congo) and in Nigeria juju music (now nearly a century old, and constantly evolving) and Afrobeat. Many African countries have also developed their own versions of reggae and hip hop.

 

Comprehension check, writing and speaking Read the article again and complete the table, then talk on each of the genres

 

Discussion

Work in small groups. Consider the following opinions to decide, which of them you agree with and why. Which of the genres do you personally prefer?

 

1.       One of the problems with the grouping of music into genres is that it is a subjective process that has a lot to do with the individual's personal understanding and way of listening to music. This is especially true in subgenres. One example is Led Zeppelin, which could be called heavy metal, hard rock, classic rock, folk, or blues, depending on one's interpretation. Another difficulty with grouping artists into genres is that, for many, their style of music changes over time.

Some genre labels are quite vague. Many were originally contrived by marketing executives or music critics; post-rock, for example, is a term devised and defined by Simon Reynolds. Another example of this is video game music, which while defined by its media, can also represent its own style, as well as that of any other musical genre.

2.       Categorizing music, especially into finer genres or sub genres, can be difficult for newly emerging styles or for pieces of music that incorporate features of multiple genres. Attempts to pigeonhole particular musicians in a single genre are sometimes ill-founded as they may produce music in a variety of genres over time or even within a single piece. Some people feel that the categorization of music into genres is based more on commercial and marketing motives than musical criteria. John Zorn, for example, a musician whose work has covered a wide range of genres, wrote in Arcana: Musicians on Music that genres are tools used to "commodify and commercialize an artist's complex personal vision".

3.       Categorizing music by genre does make it easier to trace threads through music history, and makes it easier for individuals to find artists that they enjoy. Moreover, the use of genre labels may actually drive the development of new music (especially in a commercial context) insofar as it helps cultivate the interest and participation of a target audience in the early and middle stages of a musical trend.

 

Listening and speaking Tapescript 1.  Musical instruments Pre-listening task

Work in small groups.  Look at the pictures of musical instruments below.

Do you know their English and Russian names? Can you distinguish among them by sounds? What other Russian and English musical instruments do you know?

Listening and note-taking

Listen to the sounds of these musical instruments and number the pictures in the order you hear them.

 

After listening

Which of the instruments was  the first one (the second, etc.)? Which of them did you like best? Why?

 

 

 

Musical instruments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unit 2 FOLK MUSIC

 

When you skim a text (read it quickly for general meaning) you don’t have to understand every word or sentence. You should try to  understand important ideas

 

Pre-reading task

Work in small groups and discuss the following questions.

1.     What is folk music?

2.     What role did folk music play for the development of different genres?

3.     Does folk music exist today? In what forms?

 

Reading

Skim the text which is an extract from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Find out:

1.        If folk music used to be transmitted by word of mouth

2.        If folk music  is  written for profit

3.        If  folk music is vocal or dance music

4.        If the narratives of folk songs often  remember folk heroes such as  Robin Hood or recall supernatural events or mysterious deaths

5.        If hymns and other forms of religious music are always written by composers 

6.        If the loss of folk music in the face of the rise of popular music is a worldwide phenomenon

7.        If there are any efforts aimed at preserving the music of the people in the modern world

8.        If any of the popular folk singers in the western countries in the twentieth century maintained an idealistic, leftist political orientation

9.        If contemporary country music in the USA, which descends ultimately from a rural American folk tradition, has evolved to become vastly different from its original model

10.   If modern folk music is fused with rock and other influences

11.   If modified folk music often incorporates electric guitars, drum kit, or forms of rhythmic syncopation that are characteristic of popular music but were absent in the original

12.   If popular culture ever creates parody or  pastiches of folk music. 

 

 

 

 

Text 2

Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music by and for the common people.

Folk music arose, and best survives, in societies not yet affected by mass communication and the commercialization of culture. It normally was shared by the entire community (and its performance not strictly limited to a special. 

During the 19th and 18th centuries, folk music took on a second meaning: it describes a class of expert performers), and was transmitted by word of mouth, particular kind of popular music which is culturally descended from or otherwise influenced by traditional folk music. Like other popular music, this kind of folk music is most often performed by experts and is transmitted in organized performances and commercially distributed recordings. However, popular music has filled some of the roles and purposes of the folk music it has replaced.

Folk music is somewhat synonymous with traditional music. Both terms are used semi-interchangeably amongst the general population; however, some musical communities that actively play living folkloric musics (see Irish traditional music and Traditional Filipino music for specific examples), have adopted the term traditional music as a means of distinguishing their music from the popular music called "folk music," especially the post-1960s "singer-songwriter" genre. 

Defining folk song

"Folk song is usually seen as the authentic expression of a way of life now, past or about to disappear (or in some cases, to be preserved or somehow revived). Unfortunately, despite the assembly of an enormous body of work over some two centuries, there is still no unanimity on what folk music (or folklore, or the folk) is”.

Gene Shay, co-founder and host of the Philadelphia Folk Festival, defined folk music in an April 2003 interview by saying: "In the strictest sense, it's music that is rarely written for profit. It's music that has endured and been passed down by oral tradition. And folk music is participatory— you don't have to be a great musician to be a folk singer. And finally, it brings a sense of community. It's the people's music."

The English term folk, which gained usage in the 19th century (during the Romantic period) to refer to peasants or non-literate peoples, is related to the German word Volk (meaning people or  nation). The term is used to emphasize that folk music emerges pontaneously from communities of ordinary people. "As the complexity of social stratification and interaction became clearer and increased, various conditioning criteria, such as 'continuity', 'tradition', 'oral transmission', 'anonymity' and uncommercial origins, became more important than simple social categories themselves." Charles Seeger (1980) describes three contemporary defining criteria of folk music:

1.                 A "schema comprising four musical types: 'primitive' or 'tribal'; 'elite' or 'art'; 'folk'; and 'popular'. Usually...folk music is associated with a lower class in societies which are culturally and socially stratified, that is, which have developed an elite, and possibly also a popular, musical culture." Cecil Sharp (1907), A.L. Lloyd (1972).

2.                 "Cultural processes rather than abstract musical types...continuity and oral transmission...seen as characterizing one side of a cultural dichotomy, the other side of which is found not only in the lower layers of feudal, capitalist and some oriental societies but also in 'primitive' societies and in parts of 'popular cultures'." Redfield (1947) and Dundes (1965).

3.                 Less prominent, "a rejection of rigid boundaries, preferring a conception, simply of varying practice within one field, that of' music'."

David Harker (1985) argues that "folk music" is, in Peter van der Merwe's words, "a meaningless term invented by 'bourgeois' commentators". Simpler ideas of "folk music" exist. Some consider "folk music" music that a (usually) local population can - and do - sing along to. Much modern popular music over the past few decades will fall into this category by future music historians. Jack Knight, a modern songwriter from PA, defined a "folk song" as any song that when played or performed that gets peoples' lips moving in unison. Jazz musician Louis Armstrong and blues musician Big Bill Broonzy have both been attributed the remark "All music

is folk music. I ain't never heard a horse sing a song."

Subjects of folk music

Apart from instrumental music that forms a part of folk music, especially dance music traditions, much folk music is vocal music, since the instrument that makes such music is usually handy. As such, most folk music has meaningful lyrics.

Narrative verse looms large in the folk music of many cultures. This encompasses such forms as traditional epic poetry, much of which was meant originally for oral performance, sometimes accompanied by instruments. Many epic poems of various cultures were pieced together from shorter pieces of traditional narrative verse, which explains their episodic structure and often their in medias res plot developments. Other forms of traditional narrative verse relate the outcomes of battles and other tragedies or natural disasters. Sometimes, as in the triumphant Song of Deborah found in the Biblical Book of Judges, these songs celebrate victory. Laments for lost battles and wars, and the lives lost in them, are equally prominent in many folk traditions; these laments keep alive the cause for which the battle was fought. The narratives of folk songs often also remember folk heroes such as John Henry to Robin Hood. Some folk song narratives recall supernatural events or mysterious deaths.

Hymns and other forms of religious music are often of traditional and unknown origin. Western musical notation was originally created to preserve the lines of Gregorian chant, which before its invention was taught as an oral tradition in monastic communities. Folk songs such as Green grow the rushes, O present religious lore in a mnemonic form. In the Western world, Christmas carols and other traditional songs preserve religious lore in song form.

Other sorts of folk songs are less exalted. Work songs are composed; they frequently feature call and response structures, and are designed to enable the labourers who sing them to coordinate their efforts in accordance with the rhythms of the songs. In the American armed forces, a lively tradition of jody calls ("Duckworth chants") are sung while soldiers are on the march. Professional sailors made use of a large body of sea shanties. Love poetry, often of a tragic or regretful nature, prominently figures in many folk traditions. Nursery rhymes and nonsense verse also are frequent subjects of folk songs.

Variation in folk music

Music transmitted by word of mouth through a community will, in time, develop many variants, because this kind of transmission cannot produce word-for-word and note-for-note accuracy. Indeed, many traditional folk singers are quite creative and deliberately modify the material they learn.

Because variants proliferate naturally, it is naive to believe that there is such a thing as the single "authentic" version of a ballad such as "Barbara Allen (song)." Field researchers in folk song (see below) have encountered countless versions of this ballad throughout the English-speaking world, and these versions often differ greatly from each other. None can reliably claim to be the original, and it is quite possible that whatever the "original" was, it ceased to be sung centuries ago. Any version can lay an equal claim to authenticity, so long as it is truly from a traditional folk singing community and not the work of an outside editor.

Cecil Sharp had an influential idea about the process of folk variation: he felt that the competing variants of a folk song would undergo a process akin to biological natural selection: only those new variants that were the most appealing to ordinary singers would be picked up by others and transmitted onward in time. Thus, over time we would expect each folksong to become esthetically ever more appealing — it would be collectively composed to perfection, as it were, by the community.

On the other hand, there is also evidence to support the view that transmission of folk songs can be rather sloppy. Occasionally, collected folk song versions include material or verses incorporated from different songs that makes little sense in its context.

 

 

Regional variation

While the loss of folk music in the face of the rise of popular music is a worldwide phenomenon, it is not one occurring at a uniform rate throughout the world. While even many tribal cultures are losing folk music and folk cultures, the process is most advanced "where industrialisation and commercialisation of culture are most advanced." Yet in nations or regions where folk music is a badge of cultural or national identity, the loss of folk music can be slowed; this is held to be true, for instance in the case of Bangladesh, Hungary, India, Ireland, Turkey, Brittany, and Galicia, Greece and Crete all of which retain their traditional music to some degree, in some such areas the decline of folk music and loss of traditions has been reversed such as Cornwall.

Fieldwork and scholarship on folk music

Starting in the 19th century, interested people - academics and amateur scholars - started to take note of what was being lost, and there grew various efforts aimed at preserving the music of the people. One such effort was the collection by Francis James Child in the late 19th century of the texts of over three hundred ballads in the English and Scots traditions (called the Child Ballads). Contemporaneously came the Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould, and later and more significantly Cecil Sharp who worked in the early 20th century to preserve a great body of English rural folk song, music and dance, under the aegis of what became and remains the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS). Sharp also worked in America, recording the folk songs of the Appalachian Mountains in 1916-1918 in collaboration with Maud Karpeles and Olive Dame Campbell.

Around this time, composers of classical music developed a strong interest in folk song collecting, and a number of outstanding composers carried out their own field work on folk song. These included Percy Grainger and Ralph Vaughan Williams in England and Bela Bartok in Hungary. These composers, like many of their predecessors, incorporated folk material into their classical compositions.

In America, during the 1930s and 1940s, the Library of Congress worked through the offices of musicologist Alan Lomax and others to capture as much American field material as possible.

People who studied folk song sometimes hoped that their work would restore folk music to the people. For instance, Cecil Sharp campaigned, with some success, to have English folk songs (in his own heavily edited and expurgated versions) to be taught to schoolchildren.

One theme that runs through the great period of scholarly folk song collection is the tendency of certain members of the "folk", who were supposed to be the object of study, to become scholars and advocates themselves. For example, Jean Ritchie was the youngest child of a large family from Viper, Kentucky that had preserved many of the old Appalachian folk songs. Ritchie, living in a time when the Appalachians had opened up to outside influence, was university educated and ultimately moved to New York City, where she made a number of classic recordings of the family repertoire and published an important compilation of these songs. 

Folk revivals

As folk traditions decline, there is often a conscious effort to resuscitate them. Such efforts are often exerted by bridge figures such as Jean Ritchie, described above. Folk revivals also involve collaboration between traditional folk musicians and other participants (often of urban background) who come to the tradition as adults.

The folk revival of the 1950s in Britain and America had something of this character. In 1950 Alan Lomax came to Britain, where at a Working Men's Club in the remote County Durham mining village of Tow Law he met two other seminal figures: A.L.'Bert' Lloyd and Ewan MacColl, who were performing folk music to the locals there. Lloyd was a colourful figure who had travelled the world and worked at such varied occupations as sheep-shearer in Australia and shanty-man on a whaling ship. MacColl, born in Salford of Scottish parents, was a brilliant playwright and songwriter who had been strongly politicised by his earlier life. MacColl had also learned a large body of Scottish traditional songs from his mother. The meeting of MacColl and Lloyd with Lomax is credited with being the point at which the British roots revival began. The two colleagues went back to London where they formed the Ballads and Blues Club which eventually became renamed the Singers' Club and was the first, as well as the most enduring, of what became known as folk clubs. As the 1950s progressed into the 1960s, the folk revival movement built up in both Britain and America.

We must mention too Brittany's Folk revival beginning in the 1950s with the "bagadou" and the "kan-ha-diskan" before growing to world fame through Alan Stivell 's work since the mid-1960s.

Another example is the Hungarian model, the tanchaz movement. This model involves strong cooperation between musicology experts and enthusiastic amateurs, resulting in a strong vocational foundation and a very high professional level. They also had the advantage that rich, living traditions of Hungarian folk music and folk culture still survived in rural areas, especially in Transylvania. The involvement of experts meant an effort to understand and revive folk traditions in their full complexity. Music, dance, and costumes remained together as they once had been in the rural communities: rather than merely reviving folk music, the movement revived broader folk traditions. Started in the 1970s, tanchaz soon became a massive movement creating an alternative leisure activity for youths apart from discos and music clubs—or one could say that it created a new kind of music club. The tanchaz movement spread to ethnic Hungarian communities around the world. Today, almost every major city in the U.S. and Australia has its own Hungarian folk music and folk dance group; there are also groups in Japan, Hong Kong, Argentina and Western Europe.

The emergence of popular folk artists

During the twentieth century, a crucial change in the history of folk music began. Folk material came to be adopted by talented performers, performed by them in concerts, and disseminated by recordings and broadcasting. In other words, a new genre of popular music had arisen. This genre was linked by nostalgia and imitation to the original traditions of folk music as it was sung by ordinary people. However, as a popular genre it quickly evolved to be quite different from its original roots.

The rise of folk music as a popular genre began with performers whose own lives were rooted in the authentic folk tradition. Thus, for example, Woody Guthrie began by singing songs he remembered his mother singing to him as a child. Later, in the 1930s and 1940s, Guthrie collected folk music and also composed his own songs, as did Pete Seeger, who was the son of a professional musicologist. Through dissemination on commercial recordings, this vein of music became popular in the United States during the 1950s, through singers like the Weavers (Seeger's group), Burl Ives, The Limeliters, Harry Belafonte and the Kingston Trio, who tried to reproduce and honor the work that had been collected in preceding decades. The commercial popularity of such performers probably peaked in the U.S. with the Hootenanny television series and the associated magazine ABC-TV Hootenanny in 1963-1964, which was cancelled after the arrival of the Beatles, the "British invasion" and the rise of folk rock.

The itinerant folksinger lifestyle was exemplified by Ramblin' Jack Elliott, a disciple of Woody Guthrie who in turn influenced Bob Dylan. Sometimes these performers would locate scholarly work in libraries and revive the songs in their recordings, for example, in Joan Baez's rendition of "Henry Martin," which adds a guitar accompaniment to a version collected and edited by Cecil Sharp. Publications like Sing Out! magazine helped spread both traditional and composed songs, as did folk-revivaloriented record companies.

Many of this group of popular folk singers maintained an idealistic, leftist/progressive political orientation. This is perhaps not surprising. Folk music is easily identified with the ordinary working people who created it, and preserving treasured things against the claimed relentless encroachments of capitalism is likewise a goal of many politically progressive people. Thus, in the 1960s such singers as Joan Baez, Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan followed in Guthrie's footsteps and to begin writing "protest music" and topical songs, particularly against the Vietnam War, and likewise expressed in song their support for the American Civil Rights Movement. The influential Welsh-language singer-songwriter, Dafydd Iwan, may also be mentioned as a similar example operating in a different cultural context. Some critics, especially proponents of the ethnocentric Neofolk genre, claim that this type of American 'progressive' folk is not folk music at all, but 'antifolk'. This is based on the idea that as liberal politics supposedly eschews the importance of ethnicity, it is incompatible with all folkish traditions. Proponents of this view often cite romantic nationalism as the only political tradition that 'fits' with folk music.

In Ireland, The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem (although the members were all Irish born, the group became famous while based in New York's Greenwich Village, it must be noted), The Dubliners, Clannad, Planxty, The Chieftains, Lynched, The Pogues and a variety of other folk bands have done much over recent years to revitalise and repopularise Irish traditional music. These bands were rooted, to a greater or lesser extent, in a living tradition of Irish music, and they benefitted from collection efforts on the part of the likes of Seamus Ennis and Peter Kennedy, among others.

In Britain, the folk revival didn't create any popular stars (although Ewan MacColl's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" would eventually prove to be a hit for other artists), but it helped raise the profile of the music, and folk clubs sprang up all over, a boon to young artists like Martin Carfhy and Roy Bailey who emerged. It also inspired a generation of singersongwriters, such as Ralph McTell (whose "Streets Of London" would become a hit), Donovan, Roy Harper and many others. Bob Dylan came to London to check out the growing folk scene of the early 1960s, and Paul Simon spent several months there; his version of "Scarborough Fair" owed a lot to Carthy's take on the song.

Folk didn't hit any kind of mass popularity until the electric folk movement of Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span took old songs and mixed their tunes with rock. Both bands had hit singles and albums that sold well, bringing a new audience to traditional music.

However, it wasn't until the second half of the 1990s that folk music began to make even a small impact on mainstream music. A new generation had emerged, in some cases children of revival-inspired artists (Eliza Carthy, for example, is the daughter of Martin Carfhy and Norma Waterson). This time, notably, the instrumentation was largely acoustic, rather than electric, and the skill level of players and singers extremely high. As the number of summer folk festivals increased, so more talented performers have come in, and folk music has found at least a toehold in the mainstream with artists like Kate Rusby and Spiers and Boden featured in the press.

In Hungary, the group Muzsikas and the singer Marta Sebestyen became known throughout the world due to their numerous American tours and their participation in the Hollywood movie The English Patient and Sebestyen's work with the Deep Forest band.

 

The blending of folk and popular genres

The experience of the last century suggests that as soon as a folk tradition comes to be marketed as popular music, its musical content will quickly be modified to become more like popular music. Such modified folk music often incorporates electric guitars, drum kit, or forms of rhythmic syncopation that are characteristic of popular music but were absent in the original.

One example of this sort is contemporary country music, which descends ultimately from a rural American folk tradition, but has evolved to become vastly different from its original model. Rap music evolved from an African-American inner-city folk tradition, but is likewise very different nowadays from its folk original. A third example is contemporary bluegrass, which is a professionalised development of American old time music, intermixed with blues and jazz.

As less traditional forms of folk music gain popularity, one often observes tension between so-called "purists" or "traditionalists" and the innovators. For example, traditionalists were indignant when Bob Dylan began to use an electric guitar. His electrified performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival was to prove to be an early focal point for this controversy.

Sometimes, however, the exponents of amplified music were bands such as Fairport Convention, Pentangle, Mr. Fox and Steeleye Span who saw the electrification of traditional musical forms as a means to reach a far wider audience, and their efforts have been largely recognised for what they were by even some of the most die-hard of purists. Traditional folk music forms also merged with rock and roll to form the hybrid generally known as folk rock which evolved through performers such as The Byrds, Simon and Garfunkel and The Mamas and the Papas.

Outside the English-speaking world, the Breton artist Alan Stivell (a Celtic harpist, multi-instrumentist and singer) has also fused folk music with rock and other influences. His tours and records since the mid-1960s have also influenced the work of many musicians everywhere.

Since the 1970s a genre of "contemporary folk", fuelled by new singersongwriters, has continued to make the coffee-house circuit and keep the tradition of acoustic non-classical music alive in the United States. Such artists include Steve Goodman, John Prine, Cheryl Wheeler, Bill Morrissey, and Christine Lavin. Tavin in particular has become prominent as a leading promoter of this musical genre in recent years. Some, such as Lavin and Wheeler, inject a great deal of humor in their songs and performances, although much of their music is also deeply personal and sometimes satirical. While from Ireland The Pogues and The Corrs brought traditional tunes back into the album charts.

In the 1980s a group of artists like Phranc and The Knitters propagated a form of folk music also called country punk or folk punk, which eventually evolved into Alt country. More recently the same spirit has been embraced and expanded on by performers such as Dave Alvin, Ani DiFranco, and Steve Earle. At the same time, a line of singers from Baez to Phil Ochs have continued to use traditional forms for original material.

The appropriation of folk has even continued into hard rock and heavy metal, with bands such as Skyclad, Waylander and Finntroll melding distinctive elements of folk styles from a wide variety of traditions, including in many cases traditional instruments such as fiddles, tin whistles and bagpipes as an element of their sound. Unlike other folk-related genres, folk metal shies away from monotheistic religion in favour of more ancient pagan inspired themes. Folk inspirations are a massive part of subgenres of black metal, with genres such as viking metal being defined on their folk stance, and many a band incorporating folk inerludes into albums (eg, Bergtatt and Kveldssanger, the first two albums by once-black metal, nowexperimental band Ulver).

A similar stylistic shift, without using the "folk music" name, has occurred with the phenomenon of Celtic music, which in many cases is based on an amalgamation of Irish traditional music, Scottish traditional music, and other traditional musics associated with lands in which Celtic languages are or were spoken (a significant research showing that the musics have any genuine genetic relationship is still to be done - at this point, only a book in French written by Alan Stivell studies a bit the subject of Celtic Music-); so Breton music and Galician music are often included in the genre).

Neofolk music is a modern form of music that began in the 1980s. Fusing traditional European folk music with post-industrial music forms, historical topics, philosophical commentary, traditional songs and paganism, the genre is largely European. Although it is not uncommon for neofolk artists to be entirely acoustic, playing with entirely traditional instruments.

Another trend is "antifolk," begun in New York City in the 1980s by Lach in response to the confines traditional folk music. It now has a home at the Antihootenany in the East Village, where artists like Beck, the Moldy Peaches and Nellie McKay got their starts, and artists such as Robin Aigner, Roger Manning, Royal Pine), Matt Singer, Phoebe Kreutz and Curtis Eller continue to push the envelope of "folk."

Folk music is still popular among some audiences today, with folk music clubs meeting to share traditional-style songs, and there are major folk music festivals in many countries, e.g. the Port Fairy Folk Festival is a major annual event in Australia attracting top international folk performers as well as many local artists. Indeed, even for those who consider themselves hip, the arrival of Americana and the music of Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Devendra Banhart and Travis MacRae has shown that folk music can still be cutting edge.

The Cambridge Folk Festival in Cambridge, England is always sold out within days, and is noted for having a very wide definition of who can be invited as folk musicians. The "club tents" allow attendees to discover large numbers of unknown artists, who, for ten or 15 minutes each, present their work to the festival audience.

Pastiche and parody

Popular culture sometimes creates pastiches of folk music for its own ends. One famous example is the pseudo-ballad sung about brave Sir Robin in the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Enthusiasts for folk music might properly consider this song to be pastiche and not parody, because the tune is pleasant and far from inept, and the topic being lampooned is not balladry but the medieval heroic tradition. The arch-shaped melodic form of this song (first and last lines low in pitch, middle lines high) is characteristic of traditional English folk music. A more recent similarly incisive send-up of folk music, this time American in origin, is the film A Mighty Wind by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy.

In the magazine /Roots there was a long-running parody of the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS). They were called "Dance Earnestly and Forget About Song Society" (DEAFASS). DEAF ASS supporters favored the accordion over the melodeon and the string bass over the electric bass.

Another instance of pastiche is the notoriously well-known theme song for the television show Gilligan's Island (music by George Wyle, lyrics by Sherwood Schwartz). This tune is also folk-like in character, and in fact is written in a traditional folk mode (modes are a type of musical scale); the mode of "Gilligan's Island" is ambiguous between Dorian and Aeolian. The lyrics begin with the traditional folk device in which the singer invites his hearers to listen to the tale that follows. Moreover, two of the stanzas repeat the final short line, a common device in English folk stanzas. However, the raising of the key by a semitone with each new verse is an unmistakable trait of commercial music and never occurred in the original folk tradition.

Folk music is easy to parody because it is, at present, a popular music genre that relies on a traditional music genre. As such, it is likely to lack the sophistication and glamour that attach to other forms of popular music. Folk music satire ranges from the worst excesses of Rambling Syd Rumpo and Bill Oddie to the deft and subtle artistry of Sid Kipper, Eric Idle and Tom Lehrer. Even "serious" folk musicians are not averse to poking fun at the form from time to time, for example Martin Carthy's devastating rendition of "All the Hard Cheese of Old England" (written by Les Barker), to the tune of "All the Hard Times of Old England", Robb Johnson's "Lack of Jolly Ploughboy," and more recently "I'm Sending an E-mail to Santa" by the Yorkshire-based harmony group Artisan. Other musicians have been known to take the tune of a traditional folk song and add their own words, often humorous, or on a similar-sounding yet different subject; these include The Wurzels, The Incredible Dr. Busker and The Mrs Ackroyd Band.

Filk music is a closely related musical genre which originated in the science fiction community, and parody remains a dominant theme of the style. It is evolving into a true folk tradition, however, with songs learned orally that are undergoing the "folk process" of change in melody and text.

Folkies is the popular term for folk music enthusiasts. While the term itself is neutral and is used by some folk music enthusiasts in an informal and friendly manner, it has at times been used by the popular press at least since the late 1950s, as part of a light-hearted beatnik stereotype.

 

Comprehension check and writing

A. Answer the following questions:

1.     What are the main characteristics of folk music?

2.     Why has the interest towards folk music revived?

3.     Who made a lot of efforts to preserve the music of the people in the modern world?

4.     How can the process of preserving the music of the people be observed through the British, Irish, American and other cultures?

5.     What are the ways of blending of folk and popular genres?

B. Write the summary on folk music

 

Listening and Discussion

Tapescript 2. Listen to some of the songs of the Russian folk singer, People’s Artist of Russia, Nadezhda Babkina.

Now read an interview with her to decide, if she is really one of those rare people who  preserves the folk tradition in Russia. What other Russian folk singers do you know?

Work in small groups.

 

Text 3

Из  радио интервью  Дмитрия Гордона с Надеждой Бабкиной:

«Очень большой советский артист»

 

Казачья стать, длиннющая иссиня-черная коса, румянец во всю щеку и блеск в глазах - такой публика знает народную артистку России

Надежду Бабкину… 

Такая умеет за себя постоять! Когда некие коммерческие структуры позарились на здание, выделенное правительством Москвы для ее драгоценного театра, Бабкина штурмом взяла эту крепость, сметя охрану и даже ОМОН.

Сегодня у нее есть почти все: три высших образования (она дипломированный дирижер, режиссер и солист), докторская диссертация по народной песне, успешный бизнес... 

-  Вы - настоящая казачка?

-  Да, родилась на Волге, в казачьей семье. Папа работал в сельском хозяйстве: то председателем колхоза, то директором совхоза... Он довольно активный человек был, обязательный, его любили. А мама, как водилось в те добрые времена, - сельская учительница. Естественно, в тех местах жили люди самых разных национальностей, и балакалы  кто во что горазд. Поэтому украинский язык для меня очень понятный, близкий и родной.

-  Песни украинские пели?

-  Конечно. У папы вообще одной из самых любимых была "Нiч яка мiсячна" - он ее обожал безумно. Меня подзовет: "Ну-ка иди сюда, Надя, давай споем вместе" - и затянет (поет):

 

Сонце низенько, вечiр близенько. 

Прийди до мене, мое серденько...

 

-  Вы стали певицей благодаря чему-то или вопреки?

-  Я не представляла, куда волна меня вынесет, но всегда твердо знала, что буду артисткой. Подсмеивались надо мной - прямо скажем. Может, и сейчас смеются - ну и на здоровье! С двухлетнего возраста у меня была такая игра - устроила себе под печкой маленький театр, вот какой в два года можно скондибобрить...

-  Надь, а что такое в вашем понимании русская песня? Мы помним Русланову, Зыкину, Мордасову, Воронец... Это было более академичное пение - красивое, величавое, но немного застывшее, неподвижное, что ли... Вы же создали какое-то совершенно новое направление...

-  Ну, не знаю, Дима, академичное оно или нет, но когда та же Русланова пела: "Валенки, валенки, да не подшиты стареньки!", это было потрясающе. Поет и так деликатно ножкой топнет, ручкой поведет... Видимо, тут все связано, потому что любое другое движение капитально сбивает дыхание.

Скажу откровенно: мои первые попытки как-то измениться вызваны другими причинами... Дело в том, что в то время уже существовал ансамбль Димы Покровского, и, коль скоро мы вместе учились, мне изначально нельзя было создавать точно такой же коллектив, как у него. Если уж делать, то другое...

И вот собрались девицы одни. Все от нас отмахивались, никто нас всерьез не воспринимал. Это было такое совковое предубеждение:

мол, что толку, когда девицы берутся за дело?

-  Но хороши были девицы?

-  А то нет! Голосистые, все представляли разные регионы России. Среди нас была только одна москвичка - Таня Сованова, она до сих пор работает в театре "Русская песня". Начали мы искать свой почерк и направление. В этом нам помогли композиторы: на их песнях мы пытались...

-...экспериментировать?

-...извлечь какой-то особый звук. Мы же все были квалифицированными специалистами, получили высшее музыкальное образование в институте, куда поступить было крайне сложно. Весь курс составлял всего 11-13 человек.

-  Что это за вуз был?

-  Институт - а сейчас академия! - имени Гнесиных. Словом, мы штучный товар и очень дорого обошлись государству. К окончанию нас вообще осталось девять человек - некоторые просто не выдержали, потому что занятия были жутко сложные...

-  Шел, очевидно, естественный отбор?

Совершенно верно, и даже когда появился коллектив "Русская песня", мне пришлось еще долго доказывать, что мы необходимы, что это очень важно для всех, для души,  что рано или поздно воздастся.                             

-  А как вас восприняли мэтры - Зыкина, Воронец?

-  Ты знаешь, по-разному. С  Воронец мы в прекрасных отношениях, с Шурой Стрельченко в замечательных. Я ведь еще застала Лидию Андреевну Русланову.  Когда она выходила перед нами на сцену в Колонном зале, я просто задыхалась от счастья.

-  Это была барыня?

-  Ну что ты! Диво дивное! Потрясающая мощь! Уникальная женщина' И такой внутренней глубины, мне кажется, что дна там не видно. При этом внешне она была совершенно другой...

Что же касается Зыкиной, то воздействие Людмилы Георгиевны на публику было конечно, огромным. Когда она появилась, вся страна почему-то решила быть Зыкиными.

-  Изменили прически?

-  И не только. Все стали петь, как она, - один в один. И я не исключение - пыталась ей подражать во всем, - но дело не в этом.

По окончании Астраханского музыкального училища я рванула в Москву, как сегодня говорят, разогнать тоску... Конечно, папа в истерике, мама в истерике - "Куда ты?" А дочка, ничего им не говоря...Надо сказать, я уже в Астрахани подрабатывала в ресторане и пела перед сеансами в кинотеатрах.

-  Ну, тогда это было модно...

-  Маленький составчик аккомпанировал: рояль, контрабас и ударник - всего понемножку, трио такое джазовое, легкое, а я пела. Люди специально приходили на полчаса раньше, слушали и мне аплодировали.

-  А что пели тогда?

-  В основном из репертуара Ненашевой (поет):

 

А лес стоит загадочный,  И сердце так стучит, стучит.  Скажи, пусть будет больно мне,  Но только не молчи.

И еще:

Когда-то я поверила твоим словам, твоим глазам...

 

В общем, все было замечательно, я зарабатывала денежки, накопила тысячу рублей - по тем временам, будьте любезны, какое состояние.

Конечно, купила билет и умотала в Москву.

В то время в Астрахани открывалась консерватория, и мне говорили: "Куда ты попрешься? В какую Москву, когда у тебя все под боком? Да ты будешь здесь одной из первых студенток, это же так престижно". Нет! Только в Москву! Вдобавок в Астрахани вступительные экзамены в консерваторию в августе, а в Москве - в июле.

-  Конечно, можно попробовать...

-  Вот провалюсь, думаю, в столице и приеду домой.

Фиг-то я провалилась - с первого раза поступила! Как чувствовала... 

"В Гнесинку меня приняли со свистом, под аплодисменты" - Взыграла казачья кровь?

-  Взыграла! Думаю: "Блин! Мне вот ни крошки не жалко, случись чего, капли воды не пожадничаю, а здесь, понимаешь ли, не очень рады, что я пришла".

Экзамен в разгаре, уже полтора часа длится, а тут вижу: мальчик какой-то стоит. Я его спрашиваю: "Как тебя зовут-то?". - "Леша". - "Леша, а что сейчас сдают?". Он отвечает: "Гармонию". Видит, что я как-то смутилась, и к окну тянет: "Давай покажу".

Этот Леша Баулин отвязный был парень. Его потом с первого курса выгнали, потому что он слушал много западной музыки и знал какието невероятные гармонические разрешения. Они не стыковались с теми правилами, которым нас учили, шли с ними совершенно вразрез, и педагоги не могли с этим смириться. Методика диктовала: надо так, а это неправильно - музыку втискивали в какие-то рамки.

-  Надя, так вас приняли или нет?

-  Еще как - со свистом, под аплодисменты! У нас в Астраханском училище на кафедре дирижирования было как? Сидит концертмейстер, играет на рояле. Он же тебе и хор, и оркестр - все в одном лице, - а ты стоишь, дирижируешь и заодно поешь потихоньку все партии, что-то показываешь.

А тут входишь - посередке постамент. Справа рояль, второй, тут же сидит хор, оркестр, и, будь любезен, показывай им вступление инструментов, вступление хоровых партий. Смотрю на комиссию, а в ней лица, которые я видела только на картинках, только в кино и в энциклопедии. "Боже мой, - думаю, - вот это люди! Мне бы у них автограф взять-то, Господи! А я же им безразлична, они сидят, что-то пишут и даже глаза на меня не поднимают". Потом взяла себя в руки: "Ну, значит, так надо!".

А девочки такие симпатичные за роялями сидели. Достали партитуры и доброжелательно улыбнулись, хотя первый раз меня видели. Я взмахнула и... Это было произведение, которое я в училище на диплом готовила. Меня предупредили: "Петь не надо, показывай только вступления партий".

-  А как удержаться?

-  Вот именно! В общем, понеслось дирижирование по кочкам, всем стало весело, и вдруг в один прекрасный момент меня как прорвало! Я заорала, запела:

 

Поет зима, аукает. Мохнатый лес баюкает...

Тут ду-ду-ду, барабаны со звоном...

 

Вдруг смотрю: члены комиссии поднимают на меня глаза. Минин - он тогда был ректором института, - Юрлов, Попов друг друга толкают: посмотри! А я пою, вовсю руками размахиваю, девчонки играют. Увидели, что я смутилась, показывают: "Не останавливайся, Надя, не останавливайся!". И я продолжаю дальше, до точки.

Когда закончила, мэтры говорят: "Девочка, подойди к нам". А я вся в пятнах красных, трясусь. Они улыбаются: "Ну, партии у нее мы не будем спрашивать - она все нам пропела". И ко мне: "Ты откуда такая приехала?". Я сказала. Все: "Ну надо же, как забавно. А какие у вас там, на юге России, традиции?".

Я давай рассказывать, что в наших местах живет очень много русских, украинцев, казахов, калмыков - каких только нет национальностей и сословий! Сплетение культур немыслимое! Описала свою деревню, традиции, и дошли мы до одного села. Тут педагог Светлана Брасс подает голос: "Знаете, наша экспедиция побывала в Карболях". Я обрадовалась: "Да вы что! Как здорово!". Она: "Я записала там такую песню...". -"Нет, - говорю, - эта песня не из Карболей". Светлана Михайловна от такого нахальства опешила: "Как?". А я же там каждую деревню облазила... Стою на своем: мол, я вам точно скажу, откуда эта песня. И вдруг понимаю, что...

-...спор неуместен?

-            Ну да. В конце концов,  Минин заулыбался и говорит: "Так, Светлана Михайловна, вы помолчите, пожалуйста. Ну-ка, ну-ка, расскажи, откуда это?". Я давай с жаром объяснять, что эту песню привез когдато в Черный Яр, где я жила, какой-то казах-переселенец... И опять начинаю петь и приплясывать. Ректор с улыбкой: "Молодец, отстаиваешь свою позицию". Ну, думаю, наверное, еще чего-то плохо сделала. А он к коллегам обернулся: "Ну ладно. У вас к этой девочке есть вопросы?". Они говорят: "Нет!". И ко мне: "Идите!".

Всем, кого не принимают, документы сразу отдают, и они уходят. Я руку протянула: "Ну, давайте документы-то" - и стою. Члены комиссии удивляются: "А чего ты стоишь? Выходи из аудитории! Все".

В коридоре на меня налетел Лешка Баулин: "Слышал я, как ты там орала. Они что, тебя столько мурыжили?". - "Угу!" - говорю, а он: "Интересно, что они у тебя спрашивали?".

-            "Да я все-таки из деревни приехала - наверное, им интересно, как там люди живут". Этот Лешка все не мог успокоиться: "Ну, клево! Знаешь, когда ты пела, мне это так понравилось". Он - единственный, кто за меня порадовался. Кстати, там стояли девчонки, которые поступали одновременно со мной. Кто же тогда знал, что придет время, и они станут солистками ансамбля "Русская песня", а я - художественным руководителем этого коллектива…

 

Unit 3 ENGLISH MUSIC

 

When you skim a text (read it quickly for general meaning) you don’t have to understand every word or sentence. You should try to  understand important ideas

 

Pre-reading task

Discuss the following questions:

What English world famous writers, painters and  composers do you know? Are the English considered to be a musical nation? What classical composers do you know? Have you ever heard their music?

Reading

Skim the texts, which are  the extracts from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Find out:

1.     If you ever heard about these composers

2.     What time they lived in

3.     What families they came from

4.     What style of music  they are famous for

5.     When they started composing music

6.     If they had families of their own

7.     If they enjoyed official recognition during their life-time

8.     What age they died at

9.     What masterpieces they wrote

10. What kind of influence they had  11. What was in common between them.

 

HENRY PURCELL (1659-1695)

 

 

Text 4

Henry Purcell, a Baroque composer, is generally considered to be one of England's greatest composers. He has often been called England's finest native composer. Purcell incorporated Italian and French stylistic elements but devised a peculiarly English style of Baroque music.

 

Biography Early life and career

Purcell was born in St Ann's Lane, Old Pye Street, Westminster. His father, Henry Purcell, was a gentleman of the Chapel Royal, and sang at the coronation of King Charles II of England. Henry the elder had three sons, Edward, Henry, and Daniel. Daniel Purcell (d. 1717), the youngest of the brothers, was also a prolific composer who wrote the music for much of the final act of The Indian Queen after Purcell's death.

After his father's death in 1664, Purcell was placed under the guardianship of his uncle, Thomas Purcell (d. 1682), who showed him great affection and kindness. Thomas was himself a gentleman of His Majesty's chapel, and arranged for Henry to be admitted as a chorister. Henry studied first under Captain Henry Cooke (d. 1672), master of the children, and afterwards under Pelham Humfrey (d. 1674), Cooke's successor.

Purcell is said to have been composing at nine years old; but the earliest work that can be certainly identified as his is an ode for the King's birthday, written in 1670. (The dates for his compositions are often uncertain, despite considerable research). After Humfrey's death, Purcell continued his studies under Dr John Blow. He attended Westminster School and in 1676 he was appointed organist, at Westminster Abbey and in the same year he composed the music to John Dryden's Aureng-Zebe, and Thomas Shadwell's Epsom Wells and The Libertine. These were followed in 1677 by the music to Aphra Behn's tragedy, Abdelazar, and in 1678 by an overture and masque for Shadwell's new version of Shakespeare's Timon of Athens. The chorus "In these delightful pleasant groves" from The Libertine is still performed.

In 1679, he wrote some songs for John Playford's Choice Ayres, Songs and Dialogues, and also an anthem, the name of which is not known, for the Chapel Royal. From a letter written by Thomas Purcell, and still extant, we learn that this anthem was composed for the exceptionally fine voice of the Rev. John Gostling, then at Canterbury, but afterwards a gentleman of His Majesty's chapel. Purcell wrote several anthems at different times for this extraordinary voice, a basso profondo, which is known to have had a range of at least two full octaves, from D below the bass staff to the D above it. The dates of very few of these sacred compositions are known; perhaps the most notable example is the anthem "They that go down to the sea in ships". In thankfulness for a providential escape of the King from shipwreck, Gostling, who had been of the royal party, put together some verses from the Psalms in the form of an anthem, and requested Purcell to set them to music. The work is a very difficult one, including a passage which traverses the full extent of Gostling's voice, beginning on the upper D and descending two octaves to the lower.

 

Later career and death

In 1680, Blow, who had been appointed organist of Westminster                                

Abbey in 1669, resigned his office in favour of his pupil, who was still only twenty-two. Purcell now devoted himself almost entirely to the composition of sacred music, and for six years severed his connection with the theatre. However, during the early part of the year, probably before taking up his new office, he had produced two important works for the stage, the music for Nathaniel Lee's Theodosius and Thomas D'Urfey's Virtuous Wife. The composition of his opera Dido and Aeneas, which forms a very important landmark in the history of English dramatic music, has been attributed to this period, though its earliest production has been shown by W. Barclay Squire to have been between 1688 and 1690. It was written to a libretto furnished by Nahum Tate, at the request of Josiah Priest, a professor of dancing, who also kept a boarding-school for young gentlewomen, first in Leicester Fields and afterwards at Chelsea, where it is thought the opera was first performed. It is occasionally considered the first genuine English opera, though that title is usually given to Blow's Venus and Adonis: as in Blow's work, the action does not progress in spoken dialogue but in Italianstyle recitative. Dido and Aeneas never found its way to the theatre, though it appears to have been very popular among private circles. It is believed to have been extensively copied, but only one song was printed by Purcell's widow in Orpheus Britannicus, and the complete work remained in manuscript until 1840, when it was printed by the Musical Antiquarian Society, under the editorship of Sir George Macfarren.

Soon after Purcell's marriage, in 1682, on the death of Edward Lowe, he was appointed organist of the Chapel-Royal, an office which he was able to hold simultaneously with his position at Westminster Abbey. His eldest son was born in this same year. His first printed composition, Twelve Sonatas, was published in 1683. For some years after this he was busy in the production of sacred music, odes addressed to the king and royal family, and other similar works. In 1685 he wrote two of his finest anthems, "I was glad" and "My heart is inditing", for the coronation of King James II.

In 1687, he resumed his connection with the theatre by furnishing the music for Dry den's tragedy, Tyrannick Love. In this year Purcell also composed a march and quick-step, which became so popular that Lord Wharton adapted the latter to the fatal verses of Lillibullero; and in or before January 1688 he composed his anthem "Blessed are they that fear the Lord", by express command of the King. A few months later he wrote the music for D'Urfey's play, The Fool's Preferment. In 1690 he wrote the songs for Dry den's version of Shakespeare's The Tempest, including "Full fathom five" and "Come unto these yellow sands", and the music for Betterton's adaptation of Fletcher and Massinger's Prophetess (afterwards called Dioclesian) and Dryden''s Amphitryon. In 1691 he produced what is sometimes considered his dramatic masterpiece, King Arthur, also written by Dryden, and first published by the Musical Antiquarian Society in 1843. In 1692, he composed songs and music for The Fairy-Queen (an adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream), the score of which was rediscovered in 1901 and published by the Purcell Society. However, in these semioperas (the term for which at the time was "dramatic operas") the main characters of the plays do not sing but speak their lines: the action moves in dialogue rather than recitative, with music introduced only in isolated scenes and masques. In these works Purcell suffered the handicap of being unable to characterize through music, largely due to the aesthetics of mass audiences of that time.

Purcell's Te Deum and Jubilate was written for Saint Cecilia's Day, 1693, the first English Te Deum ever composed with orchestral accompaniment. This work was annually performed at St Paul's Cathedral until 1712, after which it was performed alternately with Handel's Utrecht Te

Deum and Jubilate until 1743, when both works were replaced by Handel's Dettingen Te Deum. He composed an anthem and two elegies for Queen

Mary IPs funeral. Besides the operas and semi-operas already mentioned, Purcell wrote Don Quixote, Boudicca, The Indian Queen and others, a vast quantity of sacred music, and numerous odes, cantatas and other miscellaneous pieces. The quantity of his instrumental chamber music is minimal after his early career, and his keyboard music consists of an even more minimal number of harpsichord suites and organ pieces.

He died at his house in Dean's Yard, Westminster, in 1695, at the height of his career; he was in his mid-thirties. His wife and three of his six children survived him. His widow died in 1706, having published a number of his works, including the now famous collection called Orpheus Britannicus, in two volumes, printed in 1698 and 1702 respectively.

The cause of Purcell's death is unclear: one theory is that he caught a chill after returning late from the theatre one night to find that his wife had locked him out; another is that he succumbed to chocolate poisoning; perhaps the most likely is that he died of tuberculosis. The beginning of Purcell's will reads:

In the name of God Amen. I, Henry Purcell, of the City of Westminster, gentleman, being dangerously ill as to the constitution of my body, but in good and perfect mind and memory (thanks be to God) do by these presents publish and declare this to be my last Will and Testament. And I do hereby give and bequeath unto my loving wife, Frances Purcell, all my estate both real and personal of what nature and kind soever...

Purcell is buried adjacent to the organ in Westminster Abbey. His epitaph reads, "Here lies Henry Purcell Esq., who left this life and is gone to that blessed place where only his harmony can be exceeded".

Influence and reputation

A Purcell Club was founded in London in 1836 for promoting the performance of his music, but was dissolved in 1863. In 1876 a Purcell Society was founded, which published new editions of his works. A modern day Purcell Club has been created, and provides guided tours and concerts in support of Westminster Abbey.

After his death, Purcell was honored by many of his contemporaries, including his old friend John Blow, who wrote "An Ode, on the Death of Mr. Henry Purcell (Mark how the lark and linnet sing)" with text by his old collaborator John Dryden. More recently, the English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote a famous sonnet entitled simply "Henry Purcell", with a head-note reading: "The poet wishes well to the divine genius of Purcell and praises him that, whereas other musicians have given utterance to the moods of man's mind, he has, beyond that, uttered in notes the very make and species of man as created both in him and in all men generally."

Purcell is among the Baroque composers who has had a direct influence on modern rock and roll; according to Pete Townshend of The Who, Purcell was among his influences, particularly evident in the opening bars of The Who's "Pinball Wizard." The title song from the sound track of the film  Clockwork Orange is from Purcell's "Music for the Funeral of Queen

Mary."

Purcell also had a strong influence on the composers of the English musical renaissance of the early twentieth century, most notably Benjamin Britten, who created and performed a realisation of Dido and Aeneas and whose Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra is based on a theme from Purcell's Abdelazar. Stylistically, the aria "I know a bank" from Britten's opera A Midsummer Night's Dream is clearly inspired by Purcell's aria "Sweeter than Roses", which he wrote as part of incidental music to Richard Norton's Pausanias, the Betrayer of His Country.

 

EDWARD ELGAR (1857-1934)

 

 

 

Text 5

Sir Edward Elgar, 1st Baronet, was an English Romantic composer. Several of his first major orchestral works, including the Enigma Variations and the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, were greeted with acclaim. He also composed oratorios, chamber music, symphonies and instrumental concertos. He was appointed Master of the King's Musick in 1924.

 

Biography Early years

Edward William Elgar was born in the small village of Lower Broadheath outside Worcester, Worcestershire, to William Elgar, a piano tuner and music dealer, and his wife Ann. The fourth of six children, Edward Elgar had three brothers, Henry, Frederick and Francis, and two sisters, Lucy and Susannah. His mother, Ann, had converted to Catholicism shortly before Edward's birth, so Edward was baptised and brought up as a Roman Catholic.

Surrounded by sheet music and instruments in his father's shop in Worcester's High Street, the young Elgar became self-taught in music. On warm summer days, he would take manuscripts into the countryside to study them (he was a passionate and adventurous early cyclist who learnt to cycle from the very early age of 5). Thus there began for him a strong association between music and nature. As he was later to say, "There is music in the air, music all around us, the world is full of it and you simply take as much as you require."

Having left school at the age of 15, he began work for a local solicitor, but after a year embarked on a musical career, giving piano and violin lessons. At 22 he took up the post of bandmaster at the Worcester and County Lunatic Asylum in Powick, three miles south-west of Worcester. He composed here too; some of the pieces for the asylum orchestra (music in dance forms) were rediscovered and performed locally in 1996.

In many ways, his years as a young Worcestershire violinist were his happiest. He played in the first violins at the Worcester and Birmingham Festivals, and one great experience was to play Antonin Dvorak's Sixth Symphony and Stabat Mater under the composer's baton. Elgar was thrilled by Dvorak's orchestration and this remained an influence on his own style for more than a decade.

At 29, through his teaching, he met (Caroline) Alice Roberts, a MajorGeneral's daughter (shades of Gilbert and Sullivan) and an author of verse and prose fiction. He married her three years later against the wishes of her family, giving her as an engagement present the short violin and piano piece Salut d'amour. The Elgars moved to London to be closer to the centre of British musical life, and Edward started composing in earnest. The stay was unsuccessful, however, and they were obliged to return to Great Malvern, where Edward could earn a living teaching.

Growing reputation

During the 1890s Elgar gradually built up a reputation as a composer, chiefly of works for the great choral festivals of the Midlands. The Black Knight, King Olaf (\S96), The Light of Life and Caractacus were all modestly successful and he obtained a long-standing publisher in Novello and Company.

In 1899, at the age of 42, his first major orchestral work, the Enigma Variations, was premiered in London under the baton of the eminent German conductor Hans Richter. It was received with general acclaim, establishing Elgar as the pre-eminent British composer of his generation. This work is formally titled Variations on an Original Theme; the word "Enigma" appears over the first six measures of music, which led to the familiar version of the title. The enigma is that, although there are fourteen variations on the "original theme", the 'enigma' theme, which Elgar said 'runs through and over the whole set' is never heard. Many later commentators have observed that although Elgar is today regarded as a characteristically English composer, his orchestral music and this work in particular share much with the Central European tradition typified at the time by the work of Richard Strauss. Indeed, the Enigma Variations were well-received in Germany.

The following year saw the production at the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival of his choral setting of Cardinal Newman's poem The Dream of Gerontius. Despite a disastrous first performance due to poorly-prepared performers, the work was established within a few years as one of Elgar's greatest, and it is now regarded as one of the finest examples of English choral music from any era.

Elgar is probably best known for the five Pomp and Circumstance Marches, composed between 1901 and 1930. Shortly after he composed the first march, Elgar set the trio melody to words by А С Benson as a Coronation Ode to mark the coronation of King Edward VII. The suggestion had already been made (allegedly by the future King himself) that words should be fitted to the broad tune which formed the trio section of this march. Against the advice of his friends, Elgar suggested that Benson furnish further words to allow him to include it in the new work. The result was Land of Hope and Glory, which formed the finale of the ode and was also issued (with slightly different words) as a separate song.

Between 1902 and 1914 Elgar enjoyed phenomenal success, made four visits to the USA including one conducting tour, and earned considerable fees from the performance of his music. Between 1905 and 1908 Elgar held the post of Professor of Music at the University of Birmingham. His lectures there caused controversy owing to remarks he made about other English composers and English music in general; he was quoted as saying "English music is white - it evades everything". The University of Birmingham's Special Collections contain an archive of letters written by Elgar.

Elgar's Symphony No. 1 (1908) was given one hundred performances in its first year, the violin concerto (1910) was commissioned by the worldrenowned violinist Fritz Kreisler, and in 1911, the year of the completion of his Symphony No. 2, he had the Order of Merit bestowed upon him.

Elgar's musical legacy is primarily orchestral and choral, but he did write for soloists and smaller instrumental groups. His one work for brass band, The Severn Suite (later arranged by the composer for orchestra), remains an important part of the brass band repertoire. It is occasionally performed in its arrangement by Sir Ivor Atkins for organ as the composer's second Organ Sonata; Elgar's first, much earlier (1895) Organ Sonata was written specifically for the instrument in a highly orchestral style, and remains a frequently-performed part of the English Romantic organ repertoire.

Later years

During World War I his music began to fall out of fashion. After the death of his wife in 1920 he wrote little of importance. Shortly before her death he composed the elegiac Cello Concerto.

Elgar lived in the village of Kempsey from 1923 to 1927, during which time he was made Master of the King's Musick.

He was the first composer to extensively make recordings of his  own compositions.

In the 1932 recording of the violin concerto, the aging composer worked with the American violinist Yehudi Menuhin, who was then only 16 years old; they worked well together and Menuhin warmly recalled his association with the composer years later, when he performed the concerto with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Menuhin went on to record an award-winning version of Elgar's Cello Concerto with the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber.

Elgar's recordings usually featured such orchestras as the London Symphony Orchestra, the New Symphony Orchestra of London, and the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra. Elgar's recordings were released on 78-rpm discs by both HMV and RCA Victor. In later years, EMI reissued the recordings on LPs and CDs.

At the end of his life Elgar began work on an opera, The Spanish Lady, and accepted a commission from the BBC to compose a Third Symphony. His final illness prevented their completion.

He died on 23 February 1934 and is buried at St. Wulstan's Church in Little Malvern. Within four months, two more great English composers - Gustav Hoist and Frederick Delius - were also dead.

Posthumous recognition

The house in Lower Broadheath where Elgar was born is now a museum devoted to his life and work.

The statue of him at the end of Worcester High Street stands facing the cathedral, only yards from where his father's shop once stood.

Another statue of the composer is at the top of Church Street in Malvern, overlooking the town and giving visitors an opportunity to stand next to the composer in the shadow of the Hills which he so often regarded.

In September 2005, a statue sculpted by Jemma Pearson was unveiled near Hereford Cathedral in honour of the few years Elgar lived in the city.

A portrait of Sir Edward Elgar can be found on the Bank of England twenty pound note.

Elgar's sketches for his third symphony were elaborated in the 1990s by the composer Anthony Payne, who has also subsequently produced a performing version of the sketches for a sixth Pomp and Circumstance march, premiered at the Proms in August 2006.

Elgar's sketches for a piano concerto dating from 1913 were elaborated by the composer Robert Walker and first performed in August 1997 by the pianist David Owen Norris. The realisation has since been extensively revised.

The hit track Clubbed To Death by Rob Dougan, featured on soundtrack to the 1999 movie The Matrix, is partially based on Enigma Variations.

 

Comprehension check, writing and speaking

 

Complete the table about the composers,   talk about them.

Discussion

England is world famous for its literature, painting, theatre, but not for its great composers. Germans would have insisted, that England is a land that cares little for music. Do you now agree that the demand for music was so little in England? 

 

Listening 

Do the Internet research to find some pieces of music by Henry Purcell and Edward Elgar.  If possible,  record them to share your experience with your groupmates.

 

Unit 4 RUSSIAN MUSIC

 

When you skim a text (read it quickly for general meaning) you don’t have to understand every word or sentence. You should try to  understand important ideas

 

Pre-reading task

Discuss the following questions:

What Russian world famous writers, painters and  composers do you know? Are the Russians considered to be a musical nation? What classical composers do you know? Have you ever heard their music?

 

Reading

Skim the texts, which are  the extracts from:. Шедевры мировой классической музыки. Петр Ильич Чайковский. №№38-39; Шедевры мировой классической музыки. Михаил Иванович Глинка. №25.  Find out:

1.     If you ever heard about these composers

2.     What time they lived in

3.     What families they came from

4.     What style of music  they are famous for

5.     When they started composing music

6.     If they had families of their own

7.     If they enjoyed official recognition during their life-time

8.     What age they died at

9.     What masterpieces they wrote

10. What kind of influence they had 

11. What was in common between them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

МИХАИЛ ИВАНОВИЧ ГЛИНКА (1804-1857)

 

 

Text 6

ГЛИНКА - ПЕРВЫЙ РУССКИЙ НАЦИОНАЛЬНЫЙ  КОМПОЗИТОР

Имя Михаила Ивановича Глинки известно каждому. Многие пели в школьном хоре знаменитую «Попутную песню». Слова этого произведения стали почти народными. Великое пушкинское стихотворение «Я помню чудное мгновенье...» очень часто впервые слышится как романс Глинки. А кто не был тронут судьбой жаворонка в знаменитой «Песне жаворонка»?

Михаил Иванович Глинка родился в 1804 году. Его детство прошло в Смоленской губернии в отцовском имении Новоспасское. С ранних лет будущего композитора окружал мир русских песен. Он слушал их в исполнении крестьян, проникался их неповторимым музыкальным строем. Вокруг расстилались могучие смоленские леса, нескончаемые луга и поля. Казалось, что в шуме ветра, в скрипе деревьев, в колыхании трав звучит своя, ни с чем не сравнимая, музыка. 

Очень большую роль в судьбе Глинки сыграла его няня, Авдотья Ивановна. Она ввела его в волшебный мир русских песен. Дядя будущего композитора Афанасий Андреевич Глинка, человек образованный и светский, хорошо разбирался в живописи, поэзии, любил театр. Его гордостью был оркестр, состоящий из крепостных музыкантов. Этот оркестр был хорошо известен в округе. Частым слушателем стал и маленький племянник Афанасия Андреевича Мишель. Дядя заметил в мальчике музыкальные способности и с удовольствием показывал ему инструменты, чтобы мальчик запомнил звучание каждого из них.

Отечественная война 1812 глубоко запала в душу юного Глинки. Смоленская земля буквально на глазах переходила к врагу. Семья Глинки направилась в глубь России. Но недолго торжествовал захватчик. Уже весной 1813 года вновь зазеленели новоспасские луга, радушно встречая вернувшихся хозяев. Глинка уже тогда проникся гордостью за свой народ. Не случайно героическая тема стала одной из главных в творчестве классика русской музыки.

В Петербурге

Юность композитора прошла в Петербурге. Огромную роль в его судьбе сыграли годы, проведенные в Благородном пансионе (18181822). Там его воспитателем был знаменитый Вильгельм Кюхельбекер, ставший впоследствии декабристом. Однако скучное академическое учение вскоре опостылело Глинке. Он писал домой в Новоспасское: «Говоря правду, должно признаться, что теперь ученье у нас в совершенном упадке». Пансион Глинка покинул с облегчением. Жаль было расставаться лишь с милым сердцу Вильгельмом Карловичем.

После выхода из пансиона Глинка пробует свои силы как сочинитель музыки. Он становится известен в светских музыкальных кругах как пианист. Глинка брал уроки фортепианной игры у великого Джона Филда, который в то время был очень популярен и как пианист, и как композитор. В русских музыкальных кругах за Глинкой укрепилась репутация талантливого исполнителя-виртуоза и сочинителя романсов. Ни одно музыкальное собрание не обходилось без Глинки. Но тогда еще никто не мог предположить, какую судьбоносную роль доведется, сыграть Глинке в истории русской музыки.

Путешествия по Европе

С 1830 по 1834 год Михаил Иванович путешествует по Италии и Германии. За эти годы Глинка полностью овладел всеми премудростями' мастерства. В Германии он брал уроки композиции у знаменитого педагога Зигфрида Дена. К концу 30-х годов 19 века композитор мог писать в любой манере. За границей Глинка особое внимание уделял изучению вокального искусства итальянцев — бельканто. Уже тогда Глинка задумывал создание большой оперы, и все, что было связано с пением, чрезвычайно занимало его. Ведь голос по праву считается самым совершенным инструментом. Если уметь правильно им пользоваться, можно передать любые человеческие переживания, все оттенки эмоций.  Композитору очень важно в совершенстве знать секреты вокального искусства. Только тогда можно рассчитывать, что все задуманное автором музыки будет воплощено певцами.                                      

Но Глинка знал и другую  певческую традицию,  традицию русских песен. Он решил соединить высочайшее итальянское вокальное мастерство с неудержимостью русского темперамента. Эти поиски в итоге нашли свое отражение в знаменитых ариях глинковских опер.

Из Италии Глинка отправляется в Германию, где тогда жил знаменитый педагог Зигфрид Ден. Глинке хотелось обобщить свой музыкальный опыт. Однако, когда композитор рассказал Дену, что хочет писать музыку по тем законам, по которым ее творит русский, народ, всемогущий Ден оказался бессилен. В Европе тогда почти не знали русских песен. Не найдя поддержки у европейских музыкантов, Глинка понимает, что ему придется самому создавать русскую композиторскую технику. 

Опера «Жизнь за царя»

После возвращения из-за границы Глинка рьяно берется за воплощение своих честолюбивых композиторских замыслов. План большой русской оперы «Жизнь за царя» окончательно созревает в его творческом воображении.

В те же годы состоялось знакомство Глинки и Пушкина. Это была встреча двух русских гениев, двух родоначальников великих культур мирового значения: русской музыки и русской литературы.

Наконец, в 1836 году в Петербурге была поставлена первая опера Глинки «Жизнь за царя». В ее основе лежала реальная история о подвиге крестьянина села Домнино, близ Костромы, Ивана Осиповича Сусанина. Эти события относятся к началу 1613 года. Москва тогда уже была освобождена от польских интервентов, но отдельные их отряды еще оставались в России. Один из таких отрядов хотел захватить в плен только что избранного на престол Михаила Федоровича Романова, жившего неподалеку от Костромы. Сусанин вызвался быть проводником поляков. Он умышленно завел их в непроходимые места, где и погиб вместе с ними.

В то время опера на этот сюжет уже шла в театрах. Это был «Иван Сусанин» К. Кавоса. Спустя более  100 лет, в 1939 году, был создан новый вариант либретто оперы Глинки. Его автор — известный русский советский литератор С. Городецкий. По идеологическим соображениям название оперы также было изменено, и теперь опера Глинки больше известна как «Иван Сусанин».

Опера «Руслан и Людмила»

Конфликтная драматургия оперы «Иван Сусанин» — народной музыкальной драмы сменилась в «Руслане и Людмиле» эпической композицией. Вторая опера Глинки заложила основу важнейшего жанра русской оперы — оперы эпической.

Премьера оперы «Руслан и Людмила» разделила поклонников творчества Глинки на два лагеря: одни встали горой за «Ивана Сусанина», другие стали яростными поклонниками новой оперы. Первую группу возглавлял известнейший музыкальный критик и композитор А.Н. Серов. Серов писал о «Руслане и Людмиле», что «как бы ни высоко было мастерство Глинки в опере, как бы ни была прекрасна музыка «Руслана», как ни богата прелестью мелодического изобретения, роскошью инструментовки и обилием контрапунктических блесток, все же это неудавшееся произведение заблужденного гения». Критикуя оперу, Серов исходил из своего главного вагнеровского принципа: опера есть музыкальная драма. По мнению критика, драмы как таковой в опере нет. Либретто «Руслана» — это лишь пестрая цепь не слишком динамичных эпизодов. 

Историческая несостоятельность литературной обработки вводит читателя в заблуждение. Серов высоко ценил первую оперу Глинки. Он находил в ней подлинную драму, видел трагическую ситуацию борьбы между гражданским долгом и долгом семьянина. Он был восхищен победой гражданской сущности в человеке. То есть, по убеждению Серова и его адептов, в «Иване Сусанине» присутствует не только череда чисто музыкальных красот, но и драматическое движение организованного музыкой времени. Совершенно противоположных взглядов придерживалась группа «русланистов», в которую входил и будущий духовный вдохновитель «Могучей кучки» В.В. Стасов. Вот что писал один из них: «Руслан и Людмила» — самая лучшая опера в мире, царь-опера». 

Многие из «русланистов»   сотрудничали в качестве   музыкальных фельетонистов в газете «Петербургские  ведомости». В фельетонах тех лет можно было прочитать, что Глинка в своей новой опере, наконец, сбросил путы условностей и пошел по новым   путям искусства. Тогда как  в первой опере старые формы   еще сильно сковывали гений Глинки.                                            

П.И. Чайковский считал обе оперы гениальнейшими. Отношение Чайковского к музыке Глинки было очень трепетным. Об этом свидетельствует и его  резкая критика неудачной на его  взгляд постановки «Руслана   и Людмилы» на сцене Большого  театра.

Сейчас совершенно ясно, что полемика о двух операх Глинки, завязалась во многом из-за  недостаточного понимания того, что гений не может повторять   никого, и даже себя самого.  Поэтому вторая опера оказалась так не похожа на первую. Сегодня  и «Иван Сусанин», и «Руслан и Людмила» считаются признанными шедеврами   оперного искусства.                      

Романс «Не искушай меня без нужды», слова Евгения Баратынского

Это один из самых известных романсов Глинки. В нем тончайшим образом сплетены традиции городского романса, очень популярного в то время, и изысканность вокальной культуры. Очень интересна гармонизация мелодии, которая изобилует задержаниями и неожиданными переходами одного аккорда в другой.

Начинается романс с фортепианного вступления, построенного на мотивах будущей вокальной темы. Сама мелодия удивительно напевна и в то же время близка к интонациям человеческой речи. В партии фортепиано мелодическое движение баса оттеняет аккорды в среднем голосе. Иногда в сопровождении возникают гармонические подголоски. В развитии присутствует напряжение, которое спадает к концу романса. Повторяющееся вступление звучит как своеобразный музыкальный итог.

 

ПЕТР ИЛЬИЧ ЧАЙКОВСКИЙ (1840-1893)

  

Text 7

Петр Ильич Чайковский — один из самых выдающихся русских композиторов. Работая во всех жанрах, он создал множество гениальных произведений. Его перу принадлежат симфонии, оперы, балеты, множество камерных сочинений. Музыка Чайковского исполняется во всех странах мира и всегда пользуется неизменным успехом.

Юные годы

Петр Ильич Чайковский родился 25 апреля 1840 года в городе Воткинске на Урале. Отец композитора был директором горного КамскоВоткинского завода Вятской губернии. Родители будущего композитора были людьми интеллигентными и образованными. В их доме часто звучала музыка, проходили любительские концерты. Все это оказывало влияние на развитие маленького Пети, который очень чутко воспринимал все окружающее. Сильное впечатление производили на мальчика и крестьянские песни.

Детство будущего композитора проходило в атмосфере любви и сердечности. Мать и отец Петра Ильича, несмотря на значительную разницу в возрасте, питали друг к другу исключительные по глубине и искренности чувства.

В семье Чайковских отношения между детьми были очень теплыми. Маленький Петя не мог скрыть своего восторга, когда у его родителей родились близнецы. Вот как он сообщал о рождении своих братьев: «Я их уже видел несколько раз, но каждый раз, как я их вижу, мне кажется, что это ангелы, которые спустились на землю».

Жизнь Чайковских проходила в мире и согласии. Но неожиданное горе нарушило покой семьи. Когда Пете было 14 лет, от холеры скончалась его мать, Александра Андреевна. Братьям-близнецам, оставшимся сиротами, было тогда всего по четыре года. Для будущего композитора это событие стало тяжелым ударом.

Вместе с горем к юному Петру пришло и взросление. Чувствуя ответственность за судьбу младших братьев, он посвящал их воспитанию много времени, стараясь дать им недостающую материнскую ласку. Братья платили Петру большой привязанностью. Они знали, что слово Петра закон, но никогда не слышали от него окрика, не видели строгого взгляда. Модест Ильич вспоминал, что они поверяли брату самые сокровенные мысли и желания.

Модест Ильич Чайковский принимал живейшее участие в творческой жизни Петра Ильича. Он писал либретто ко многим его операм, в том числе к последним шедеврам: «Иоланте» и «Пиковой даме». После смерти композитора  Модест Ильич стал хранителем музыкального наследия своего брата. Именно он создал Дом-музей Чайковского в Клину.    

Отец Чайковского называл своего сына «жемчужиной семьи». У маленького Пети очень рано стали проявляться  музыкальные способности. С четырехлетнего возраста он проводил за фортепиано все свое свободное время.  Чайковский был очень  способным мальчиком. Со своими старшими             братьями и сестрой он учился на равных, и все педагоги отмечали его необычайную сообразительность и выдающиеся способности. В семь лет он впервые услышал серьезное музыкальное произведение. Это была ария Церлины из оперы Моцарта «Дон Жуан». Музыка великого венского классика потрясла Чайковского до глубины души. Моцартовская легкость и изящность в сочетании с огромной музыкальной глубиной всегда были для Петра Ильича одним из главных музыкальных приоритетов.

Училище правоведения   

Родители Чайковского не мыслили для сына музыкальной карьеры, и в десять лет он был отдан в Училище правоведения. Но и там Чайковский не прекратил своих музыкальных занятий. Во время учебы в Училище правоведения Чайковский написал свои первые законченные произведения. Это были  «Анастасия-вальс», посвященный гувернантке А.Петровой, и романс «Мой   гений, мой ангел, мой друг...». Романс был написан Чайковским в возрасте 17 лет на слова тогда еще мало  известного поэта Афанасия I Фета. Потом Чайковский не раз будет обращаться к его творчеству.

     В 1859 году Чайковский, закончив Училище правоведения, поступил на службу в департамент Министерства юстиции. В те годы при Русском музыкальном обществе открылись музыкальные классы, и Петр Ильич стал посещать их. Когда эти кассы .были реорганизованы в консерваторию, он решился держать туда экзамен.

Годы ученичества

Экзамен был сдан успешно, и Петр Чайковский стал студентом Петербургской консерватории. Случилось это в 1862 году. Одним из наставников Петра Ильича был знаменитый Антон Рубинштейн. Он оказал на Чайковского огромное влияние, познакомил его с лучшими образцами западноевропейской музыки, открыл секреты музыкальной формы. 

В связи с учебой Чайковскому пришлось оставить службу, и он нуждался в деньгах, однако учился Петр Ильич с необычайным вдохновением. Во время учебы он создал несколько сочинений, среди которых была и первая программная увертюра к драме Островского «Гроза».

Уже тогда произведения Чайковского отличали мелодизм, простота и душевность содержания. В 1865 году Чайковский закончил консерваторию с большой серебряной медалью. Его дипломным сочинением была кантата «К радости» на слова Шиллера. В этом сочинении даже в выборе материала сказалось несомненное увлечение творчеством Людвига ван Бетховена. В те времена музыкальное профессиональное образование в России было редкостью. Музыкантов, получивших специальное образование, было немного, поэтому место преподавателей часто занимали вчерашние студенты. 

В 1866 году стараниями брата Антона Григорьевича Рубинштейна Николая Григорьевича консерватория была открыта и в Москве. По рекомендации Антона Рубинштейна туда поехал преподавать Петр Ильич Чайковский. В его композиторской судьбе уже тогда назревали серьезные изменения. Он чувствовал в себе неудержимое желание творить. Но ему были нужны деньги, и Чайковский охотно принял предложение Николая Рубинштейна. Так начался московский период творчества Чайковского, по праву считающийся одним из самых плодотворных в его жизни.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text 8

РУССКИЙ КОМПОЗИТОР, КОТОРОГО ЗНАЕТ ВЕСЬ МИР

Период с 1878 по 1884 год можно назвать самым светлым, и отрадным в жизни Чайковского. Пожалуй, никогда больше он не был так счастлив. Позади остались Москва, годы изнурительной нищеты и напряженной службы. В прошлое ушли недоброжелатели и личные неурядицы.

В эти годы очень важной для П.И. Чайковского оказалось его духовная связь с младшими братьями и Надеждой Филаретовной фон Мекк, женщиной, которая искренне полюбила его талант и оказывала ему всевозможную поддержку. Той субсидии, которую фон Мекк ему выплачивала, вполне хватало для того, чтобы ощущать себя материально независимым человеком.

В этот период Чайковский подолгу живет за рубежом, в разных городах Западной Европы и если приезжает в Россию, то только в Подмосковье. В эти годы окончательно завершены «Евгений Онегин» и Четвертая симфония. А несколькими годами позже закончена партитура оперы «Мазепа». Во время путешествия по Италии Чайковский задумывает знаменитое «Итальянское каприччио» и вскоре воплощает свой замысел. В эти же годы написаны Второй фортепианный концерт и множество камерных сочинений. 

Частые переезды не мешали композитору работать. Осенью 1880 года Чайковский почти одновременно создает Струнную серенаду и Торжественную увертюру «1812 год». Эта увертюра была написана специально к Всероссийской промышленно-художественной выставке в Москве, которая прошла в 1882 году и была связана с семидесятой годовщиной победы в Отечественной войне.

Увертюра имела огромный успех. «Русские ведомости» писали после премьеры: «Вызовам господина Чайковского не было конца... Мы от души радовались, что живем не в те времена, когда великие таланты должны были дождаться своей смерти, чтобы быть, наконец, признанными».

В 1882 году Чайковский создает одно из самых пронзительных сочинений — фортепианное трио «Памяти великого художника», посвященное талантливому музыканту Н.Г. Рубинштейну. Именно благодаря организованным Н.Г. Рубинштейном концертам в Париже, имя Чайковского стало известно в европейских странах.

В этот период Чайковский уже не даровитый консерваторский композитор, а бесспорный лидер русской композиторской школы. Он признанный симфонист и автор нескольких опер идущих в Москве и Петербурге. И хотя критика по-разному оценивает композиторские достижения Петра Ильича, публика неизменно принимает его восторженно.

К середине восьмидесятых годов кризис, из-за которого Чайковский покинул Россию, миновал навсегда. Чайковский предстает в эти годы совсем другим человеком, духовно сильным и готовый к борьбе. Он устал; от скитаний, от чужих городов и дорог. 

В 1885 году он решает поселиться где-нибудь в тихом Подмосковье. Разорившаяся усадьба помещицы Новиковой в селе Майданово представлялась Чайковскому местом, где можно жить в уединении и спокойно работать. В Майданове он начинает симфонию «Манфред» по мотивам произведений Байрона. Это очень мощное программное сочинение, и хотя как симфония она не имеет номера, ее часто называют Седьмой симфонией Чайковского. Там же в Майданове Чайковский с воодушевлением принимается; за переработку оперы «Кузнец Вакула». Работа шла споро, и через месяц с небольшим после ее начала композитор закончил  новую инструментовку. Опера получила и новое название «Черевички». После «Манфреда» и «Черевичек»  Чайковский немедля приступает к созданию музыкальной драмы «Чародейка». Над этой оперой  он работает долго и упорно,   с лихорадочным напряжением  и поспешностью. Но оперу  постигла неудача. Она была  поставлена в 1887 году  в Петербурге и провалилась. Чайковский воспринял это очень болезненно. Им вновь завладела хандра. Жить в Майданове  становилось все невыносимей. В конце 1887 года Чайковский отправляется в свою первую большую концертную поездку за границу.

Поездка эта оказалась весьма успешной. Тогда Чайковский впервые зарекомендовал себя в качестве выдающегося дирижера. Композитор писал в то время, что теплый прием публики, выпавший на его долю, оказан не ему, а матушке России. После этого турне Чайковский совершит еще несколько триумфальных концертных поездок по миру. А пока весна 1888 года снова застает его в Подмосковье. Однако в Майданово Петр Ильич уже не вернулся. Ему приглянулся другой уголок в окрестностях Клина. Это село Фроловское, расположенное в семи верстах от города. Это место было намного поэтичнее, чем в Майданове: маленький уютный домик, небольшой сад, за садом — широкая русская даль и лес. Во Фроловском были написаны многие произведения, среди них прекрасный балет «Спящая красавица», сочиненный всего за сорок дней.

Этот период жизни композитора характерен тем, что Чайковский уже не хочет быть отшельником. С 1885 года Петр Ильич входит в состав дирекции Русского музыкального общества. В качестве одного из директоров Чайковский регулярно присутствует на консерваторских экзаменах. Одно время мастер даже подумывает вернуться к преподавательской деятельности.

Между тем продолжается концертная деятельность Петра Ильича. В 1888 году его экзаменует Париж — признанная культурная столица

Европы. Еще до гастрольного турне Чайковский пользовался во Франции некоторой известностью как «композитор, а его выступления в качестве дирижера собственных произведений принесли ему блестящую славу и ошеломляющий артистический успех. Произведения русского композитора исполняли лучшие музыканты Франции.

В том же году Чайковскому удалось положить к своим ногам еще и капризную в культурном отношении Прагу. Особенно запомнилась пражанам постановка «Евгения Онегина» в Пражском оперном театре.

В 1891 году Чайковский отправился на гастроли в Америку. Композитор дал в Нью-Йорке пять концертов. 5 мая перед огромной аудиторией Карнеги-холла Чайковский предстал во всей своей гениальности.

Среди городов, где с успехом проходили выступления Чайковского, надо отметить Лондон. Концерты Чайковского прошли там буквально «на ура». Во время гастрольных поездок связь композитора с родиной не прерывалась ни на секунду. В эти годы особую значимость приобретает переписка Чайковского с Надеждой фон Мекк, с которой он делился самыми сокровенными своими мыслями и переживаниями. В Россию Чайковский возвращался полный впечатлений и новых творческих планов.

Творческий расцвет

Поздний период творчества П.И. Чайковского начинается в 1885 году, когда композитор переезжает жить в Подмосковье. Сначала он поселился в Майданове, потом, некоторое время жил во Фроловском. 5 мая 1892 года Петр Ильич Чайковский переступил порог своего нового дома в Клину, который с годами стал Домом-музеем композитора.

Жизнь Чайковского в Клину была подчинена строгому распорядку. Иначе он работать не мог. Поднимался композитор ровно в восемь часов утра, всегда в одно и то же время, с последним ударом часов. После завтрака Петр Ильич отправлялся на прогулку, которая служила разминкой перед напряженным трудовым днем. По утрам Чайковский работал: занимался сочинением и оркестровкой, корректировал рукописи, готовящиеся к изданию, писал деловые письма. Ровно в час подавался обед, простой и по-деревенски ранний. Чайковский не любил изысканной кухни, хотя бывал в лучших ресторанах Старого и Нового света. С юности ему была мила традиционная русская пища, выражаясь простым языком, щи да каша.

После обеда музыкант отправлялся на вторую прогулку. Подолгу гуляя в одиночестве, Чайковский не только и не столько укреплял здоровье, сколько обдумывал свои новые композиции. Если какая-то мелодия приходил в голову, Чайковский сразу же записывал ее в книжку, разлинованную нотными станами.

Эти прогулки не прекращались ни зимой, ни летом. Исхожены были все соседние деревни. Подмосковная природа неизменно приводила композитора в восхищение. Но социальная сторона русской действительности не могла не бросаться в глаза. В одном из писем клинского периода Чайковский сообщал, что сердце его буквально сжимается при виде нищеты местных крестьян. Он пытался помочь сельчанам чем мог, особенно детям. Так, стараниями Чайковского в Майданове, что неподалеку от Клина, была открыта школа.

Но деревенская жизнь начинает угнетать Петра Ильича своим томительным однообразием. В это время композитор все больше думает о новой, Шестой симфонии. Предчувствует, что это должно быть очень серьезное произведение, что нужно вложить в него всю душу.

Последние годы

Музыка Чайковского в начале девяностых годов была очень популярна в России. Летом 1893 года произведения Чайковского звучали почти в каждом симфоническом концерте. Но Петр Ильич не спешил оставлять размеренную жизнь в Подмосковье и гастролировал по миру, каждый раз возвращаясь в свой тихий дом. Иногда он появлялся и в столицах, принимал деятельное участие в жизни молодых композиторов. Именно по его рекомендации была принята к постановке опера «Алеко» Сергея Рахманинова, тогда еще мало кому известного консерваторского выпускника.

В 1893 году Чайковский вплотную работает над Шестой симфонией. Довольно долго не удавалось сделать инструментовку такой, какой она представлялась в мечтах. Но вот, наконец, все готово. Чайковский доволен. Он понимает, что симфония получилась. Петр Ильич радуется, но музыка его наполнена грустью. Возможно, в ней отразились события последних лет: ушли из жизни многие друзья и родные люди Петра Ильича. Среди них племянница Таня, поэт Апухтин, композитор и педагог Николай Рубинштейн, консерваторский профессор Зверев.

После окончания работы над Шестой симфонией Чайковский отправляется в Лондон, где дирижирует своей Четвертой симфонией. В Англии его избирают почетным доктором Кембриджского университета. Вскоре Чайковский возвращается в Петербург. Здесь он проводит время с близкими ему людьми, с семьей брата Анатолия. Из Петербурга композитор едет в Москву.

25 сентября Чайковский с удовольствием уезжает в Клин. Ему хочется немного побыть в уединении. Ведь уже в октябре в Петербурге ему предстоит дирижировать своей новой симфонией.

В Клину Петр Ильич был рад привычному уюту. Он с усердием принимается за дела. До отъезда в Петербург хочется многое успеть. А вскоре он начинает серьезную работу. Инструментовка Третьего концерта идет очень легко и быстро. Этому концерту было суждено стать последним сочинением, над которым работал великий мастер. 3 октября фортепианный      концерт был полностью закончен.

В Петербург Чайковский ехал через Москву. Радостью были наполнены посещение консерватории, встречи   со старинными друзьями и соратниками.

И вот, наконец, Петербург. Премьера Шестой симфонии намечена на 16 октября. В день концерта зал Дворянского собрания был переполнен. Появление Чайковского публика встретила овацией. Композитор занял свое место за дирижерским пультом, и началось волшебство. С первых звуков фагота до заключительных аккордов в зале не было слышно ни малейшего шороха. Когда музыка закончилась, Чайковский не спешил поворачиваться к залу. Он даже не положил палочку на дирижерский пульт. Маэстро стоял, как будто забывшись, а вокруг — мертвая тишина. И лишь когда автор поднял голову и поклонился оркестру, аплодисменты взорвали зал.

Отзывы на новую симфонию были разноречивы. Некоторые критики называли ее не самой, сильной вещью Петра Ильича, Но передовые музыканты приняли новое сочинение мастера с восторгом. Тепло  отзывались об этом сочинении: М. Балакариев, Н. Римский-Корсаков, Г. Ларош, В. Стасов. Сам Чайковский, обычно очень требовательный к себе, говорил, что может гордиться этим произведением.

В Петербурге тогда началась эпидемия холеры. Так было суждено, что Чайковского в качестве почетного гостя пригласили в театр на спектакль «Горячее сердце». В ресторане, на банкете после представления, Чайковский страшно захотел пить, но кипяченой воды не оказалось. Петр Ильич раздраженно попросил официанта принести ему сырой и похолоднее. Брат Модест пытался остановить Петра Ильича, говорил, что в городе зарегистрированы случаи заболеваний холерой. Но Чайковский не послушался  и залпом выпил принесенный стакан.

На следующий день Чайковский не вышел к чаю. А еще через день стало ясно, что это холера. В ночь на 25 октября Чайковского не стало. Всех потрясла эта весть. Но сделать уже ничего было нельзя.

Петр Ильич Чайковский похоронен в Александро-Невской лавре. Великий мастер

Чайковский оставил после себя произведения во всех музыкальных жанрах. Его оперы до сих пор идут на известнейших  сценах мира. Не менее обширна была деятельность Чайковского как симфониста. Шесть его симфоний стали золотым фондом мировой симфонической музыки.

Талантливый композитор многое сделал и для камерной музыки. Иногда Чайковский расширял границы камерного жанра. Музыка его нередко представлялась довольно сложной для исполнителей. В области романса Чайковский — непревзойденный лирик. Какого бы рода музыки Пётр Ильич ни коснулся, всюду Он вносил элемент какогото только ему одному подвластного обаяния. 

Торжественная увертюра «1812 год», оп. 49

Это сочинение написано в 1880 году. Оно приурочено к семидесятилетию победы в Отечественной войне 1812 года и было исполнено в 1882 году. Это программное сочинение. Для создания образа врага Чайковский использовал основную тему французской песни «Марсельеза». Этой теме противостоят русские мелодии. Здесь Чайковский применяет интересный эффект: он вводит в партитуру настоящие ружейные выстрелы.

Сюита из балета «Щелкунчик», оп. 71

«Щелкунчик» — последний балет Чайковского. Он написан в начале девяностых годов и в 1892 году был впервые поставлен в Мариинском театре. Этот балет поражает красотой музыкальных номеров, но также он поражает и скрытым философским подтекстом, необычным, во многом новаторским подходом Чайковского к сюжетной композиции и сценическому действию. Для каждого танца композитор находит свою оркестровую и мелодическую краску. Он использует национальные мелодические и гармонические обороты для музыкальной характеристики культуры разных стран. В сюиту включены увертюра к балету и самые знаменитые танцы, в том числе и удивительный по полету музыкальной мысли «Вальс цветов».

 

Comprehension check, writing and speaking

 

Complete the table about the composers, talk about them.

         Mikhail Glinka    Petr  Tchaikovsky The time they lived in Families they came from 

Tapescript 3. Listen to 2 musical pieces.

Can you tell which of them is by Tchaikovsky and which one is by Glinka? What are the titles of the pieces? Can we call the Russians a musical nation?  Are Glinka and Tchaikovsky popular throughout the world? Do you personally like their music? Why?

 

Unit 5 THE OPERA WHICH HAS WON THE WORLD

 

When you skim a text (read it quickly for general meaning) you don’t have to understand every word or sentence. You should try to  understand important ideas

 

Pre-reading task

1.     What kind of  genre is opera?

2.     Are you an opera-lover? What attracts to and averts you from opera?

3.     What was the contribution to the opera genre of different countries?

 

Reading. Skim the text which is an extract from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Find out:

1.   If opera belongs only to the European culture

2.   How  Italian music influenced this genre

3.   Who were the most notable English operatic composers.

 

Text 9

OPERA

Opera is a form of theatre in which the drama is conveyed wholly or predominantly through music and singing . Opera emerged in Italy around the year 1600 and is generally associated with the Western classical music tradition. Opera uses many of the elements of spoken theatre such as scenery, costumes, and acting. Generally, however, opera is distinguished from other dramatic forms by the importance of song and conventions of vocal technique. The singers are accompanied by a musical ensemble ranging from a small instrumental ensemble to a full symphonic orchestra. Opera may also incorporate dance; this was especially true of French opera for much of its history.

Comparable art forms from various other parts of the world, many of them ancient in origin, exist and are also sometimes called "opera" by analogy, usually prefaced with an adjective indicating the region (for example, Chinese opera). These independent traditions are not derivative of Western opera, but are rather distinct forms of musical theatre. Opera is also not the only type of Western musical theatre: in the ancient world, Greek drama featured singing and instrumental accompaniment; and in modern times, other forms such as the musical have appeared.

England's first notable composer working in operatic formats was John Blow, the composer of Venus and Adonis (1683). often thought of as the first true English-language opera. Blow's immediate successor wras the better known Henry Purcell. Despite the success of his masterwork Dido and Aeneas (1689). in which the action is furthered by the use of Italian-style recitative, much of Purcell's best work was not involved in the composing of typical opera, but instead he usually worked within the constraints of the semi-opera format, where isolated scenes and masques are contained within the structure of a spoken play. The main characters of the play tend not to be involved in the musical scenes, which means that Purcell was rarely able to develop his characters through song. Despite these hindrances, his aim (and that of his collaborator John Dryden) was to establish serious opera in England, but these hopes ended with Purcell's early death at the age of 36.

Following Purcell, for many years Great Britain was essentially an outpost of Italianate opera. Handel's opera serias dominated the London operatic stages for decades, and even home-grown composers such as Thomas Arne wrote using Italian models. 'This situation continued throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, including Michael Balfe, except for ballad operas, such as John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, which spoofed operatic conventions, and late Victorian era light operas, notably the Savoy Operas of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. Sullivan wrote only one grand opera, Ivanhoe, but he did claim that even his light operas were to be part of an "English" opera school, intended to supplant the French operettas that dominated the London stage through the 1870s.

In the 20th century, English opera began to assert more Independence, with works of Ralph Vaughn Williams and in particular Benjamin Britten, who in a series of fine works that remain in standard repertory today, revealed an excellent flair for the dramatic and superb musicality. Today composers such as Thomas Ades continue to export English opera abroad.

Also in the 20th century. American composers like Gershwin. Gian Garlo Menotti. and Carlisle Floyd began to contribute English-language operas infused with touches of popular musical styles. They were followed by modernists like Philip Glass. Mark Adamo. John Coolidge Adams, and Jake Heggie.

 

Comprehension check, writing and speaking

 

Read the article again and complete the table, also using your background knowledge,  then talk on each of the operas or composers you know.

 

 

Pre-reading task

1.     What do you know about Georges  Bizet and his opera “Carmen”?

2.     Are you fond of this opera? What attracts you in it?

 

Reading. Skim the text which is an extract from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Find out:

1.                     If he got his first prize before the age of twenty

2.                     If he changed the places of living very often

3.                     If he composed something else, besides operas

4.                     If Carmen won the immediate success

5.                     Who praised his opera Carmen

6.                     If Bizet's music has been used in the twentieth century as the basis for other musical ideas

7.                     When and where the opera was premiered

8.                     Whose novel was the opera based on

9.                     Why the  discontent was voiced about the opera's plot

10.                 If a Mezzo-soprano was the only vocal type  used to perform the party of Carmen

11.                 Why  Carmen was so innovative in its drama

12.                 If Bizet uses Spanish music in the score

13.                 If Bizet  lived to see the success of his opera

14.                 What the most famous Russian fantasies are on Bizet’s music (for ideas:  also skim  texts 11(a), 11(b) and 12).

 

Text 10

Georges Bizet), a French composer and pianist of the romantic era. The best known for his opera Carmen.

Biography

Bizet was born in Paris, France at 26 rue de la Tc d'Auvergne. He was registered with the legal nar Alexandre-Cesar-Leopold Bizet, but was baptize Georges Bizet and was always known by the latter name. He entered the prestigious a fortnight before his tenth birthday.

In 1857 he shared a prize offered by Jacques Offenbach for a setting of the one-act operetta Le docteur Miracle and won the Prix de Rome, a competitive scholarship for promising artists and musicians. In accordance with the conditions of the scholarship, he studied in Rome for three years. There, his talent began to mature with such works as the opera Don Procopio. Besides this stay in Rome, Bizet lived in the Paris area for his entire life.

Following his stay in Rome, he returned to Paris where he dedicated himself to composition. Early into his return to Paris, Georges's mother died. In 1863 he composed the opera Lespecheurs de pedes (The Pearl Fishers) for the Theatre-Lyrique. During this period Bizet also wrote the opera La jolie fille de Perth, his well-known L'arlesienne (written as incidental music for a play), and the piano piece Jeux d'enfants (Children's games) He also wrote the romantic opera Djamileh, which is often seen as a precursor to Carmen. His first symphony, the Symphony in C Major, was written at the Paris Conservatory when he was only seventeen years old, evidently as a student assignment. It seems that Bizet completely forgot about it himself, and it was not discovered again until 1935, in the dusty archives of the Conservatory library. Upon its first performance, it was immediately hailed as a junior masterwork and a welcome addition to the early Romantic period repertoire. A delightful work (and a prodigious one, from a seventeen-year-old boy), the symphony is noteworthy for bearing an amazing stylistic resemblance to the music of Franz Schubert, whose work was virtually unknown in Paris at that time (with the possible exception of a few of his songs). A second symphony, "Roma" was not completed.

Bizet's best-known work is his 1875 opera, Carmen, which was based on an 1846 novel of the same name by Prosper Merimee. Influenced by Giuseppe Verdi, he composed the title role in Carmen for a mezzo-soprano. Not an immediate success, Bizet became despondent over the perceived failure, but praise came from such luminaries as Saint-Saens, Tchaikovsky, and Debussy, who recognized its greatness. Their views were prophetic, as the public eventually made Carmen one of the most popular works in operatic history.

Bizet's music has been used in the twentieth century as the basis for several important ballets. The Soviet-era "Carmen Suite" (1967) gave the fiery Bolshoi ballerina Maya Plisetskaya one of her signature roles; it was choreographed by Alberto Alonso and set to music drawn from Carmen by Plisetskaya's husband, the composer Rodion Schedrin. In the West the "l'Arlesienne" of Roland Petit is well-regarded, and the "Symphony in C" by George Balanchine is universally considered to be one of the great ballets of the twentieth century. It was first presented as "Le Palais de Crystal" by the Paris Opera Ballet in 1947, when Balanchine was guest choreographer there; under the name "Symphony in C" it concluded the first program of Balanchine's new New York City Ballet the following year and has been in the repertory there ever since. The ballet has no story; it simply fits the music, as a Balenciaga gown might fit Audrey Hepburn. Each movement of the symphony has its own ballerina, cavalier, and corps de ballet, all of whom dance together in the brilliant finale, which as it were overflows with joy. Dancers call it simply "Bizet."

Stage works

■   La pretresse, operetta (1854)

■  Le docteur Miracle, opera bouffe (1857)

■  Don Procopio, opera bouffe (1859)

■   Lespecheurs de pedes, opera (1863)

■   Ivan IV, grand opera (unfinished)

■  Lajoliefille de Perth, opera (1867)

■  Noe, opera by Fromental Halevy finished by Bizet (1869)

■  Numa (opera), opera (1871)

■  L'Arlesienne, 'musique de scene' (1872)

■   Djamileh, one-act opera (1872)

■   Carmen, opera (1875)

Carmen

The libretto was written by Meilhac and Halevy, based on the story of the same title by Prosper Merimee.

The opera was premiered at the Opera Comique of Paris on March 3, 1875. For a year after its premiere, it was considered a failure, denounced by critics as "immoral" and "superficial". Today, it is one of the world's most popular operas. In fact, Opera America claims it to be the fourth most-performed opera in North America.

The story concerns the eponymous Carmen, a beautiful gypsy with a fiery temper. Not careful with her love, she is responsible for the downfall of many men. She woos the corporal Don Jose, leading him to mutiny against his superior. His infatuation causes him to join a band of smugglers, of which Carmen is a member. He is happy with Carmen for a brief period, but is driven to madness when she turns from him to the bullfighter Escamillo.

Several well-known pieces from this opera have taken on a life separate to the work: the Prelude (overture), the Toreador Song, and the Habanera.

HISTORY

Du Locle, the artistic director of the Opera-Comique commissioned Bizet to write an opera based on Merimee's novel in early 1873 to be premiered at the end of the year. However. difficulty in finding a leading lady caused rehearsals not to begin until August 1874. Bizet bought a house at Bougival on the Seine, where he finished the piano score in the summer of 1874, and took a further two months to complete a full orchestration. The difficulty in casting the title role arose from the scandal that erupted when the libretto was published. The artistic community almost universally condemned the story, denouncing it as "immoral". The scandal led at least one famous (unnamed) singer to refuse the role. However, the famous mezzosoprano Galli-Marie accepted it in December without having seen the score. During rehearsals, Du Locle's assistant De Leuven voiced his discontent about the opera's plot, and pressured Bizet and the librettists to alter the tragic ending. De Leuven felt that families would not dare to go to see such a "debauched" opera. The Comique had a reputation as a family-friendly theatre, with many boxes used by parents to interview prospective sons-inlaw. The librettists agreed to change the ending, but Bizet refused, which led directly to De Leuven's resignation from the production in early 1874. Full rehearsals finally began in October, and continued for an unexpected five months. The Comique's orchestra declared the score unplayable, and the cast were having difficulty following Bizet's directions. However, the greatest opposition came from Du Locle, who liked Bizet personally, but hated the opera. At this stage, the Comique was in dire financial straits, leading Du Locle to believe the opera would topple the ailing company, which had failed to produce a true success since Gounod's Faust. The librettists, for whom Carmen was merely a sideshow, secretly tried to induce the singers to over-dramatise in order to lessen the impact of the work. However, much to Bizet's delight, the final rehearsals seemed to convince the majority of the company of the genius of the opera.

The first performance took place on March 3, 1875 the same day Bizet was presented with the Legion d'honneur. The four principals were:

■   Galli-Marie as Carmen

■  Lherie as Don Jose

■   Bouhy as Escamillo

■  Mile. Chapay as Micaela

According to Halevy's diary, the premiere did not go well. Act I was fairly well received and the entr'acte to Act II was applauded. However, with the exception of Micaela's aria in Act III, the Acts II, III and IV were greeted with deafening silence. The critics were scathing, claiming that the libretto was inappropriate for the Comique. Bizet was also condemned by the musical community for following Wagner in making the orchestra more important than the human voices. However, a few critics, such as the poet Theodore de Banville, praised the work for its innovation. Banville lauded the librettists for writing characters that were more realistic than those normally acted at the Comique. Nevertheless, the negative reviews caused the opera to only have 48 performances in its first year. Towards the end of its run at the Comique, the management was selling tickets wholesale in a vain attempt to make a profit. Afterwards, the principals, particularly GalliMarie, became unemployable.

Bizet did not live to see the success of his opera: he died on June 3, just after the thirtieth performance. Over the following century it has become a staple of the standard operatic repertoire.

Although the title role was written for a Mezzo-soprano, many famous sopranos have performed and recorded the role, causing much debate over the best vocal type for the role. Not only must the singer have a great range, capable of frequently going to the bottom of her voice range, but also exhibit superior dramatic skills in order to portray Carmen's complex character, and beyond all that be an extremely good dancer.

Synopsis

Setting: Seville, Spain c. 1830

Note: in the Oeser version, Acts III and IV are played as Act III scene i and Act III scene ii respectively

Act I

A beautiful square in Seville with a cigarette factory, a guard house, and a bridge. Morales and the soldiers are on guard, very bored ("Sur la place, Chacun passe"). Micaela appears seeking Jose, her fiance, but is accosted by the impudent soldiers who desire her company, causing her to run away . As Jose approaches with the new guard, he and the soldiers are imitated by the street-children ("Avec la garde montante"). The cigarette girls emerge from the factory, greeted by their men ("La cloche a sonne"). Carmen appears, and all the men ask her when she will love them ("Quand je vous aimerai?"). She replies that she loves the man that does not love her in the famous Habanera. ("L'amour est un oiseau rebelle").When asked to choose a lover, she throws a flower in front of Jose ("Carmen! sur tes pas, nous nous pressons tous!"). Jose is temporarily transfixed until Micaela brings him a letter and kiss from his mother ("Parle-moi de ma mere!"). Jose longingly thinks of his home. As soon as she leaves, screams are heard from the factory and the women run out, singing chaotically ("Au secours! Au secours!"). Don Jose and his superior, Zuniga find that Carmen has been fighting with another woman, and slashed her face with a knife. Zuniga attempts to interrogate Carmen who impudently sings a folk song, ignoring him ("Tra la la"). Zuniga instructs Jose to arrest her, and escort her to the gaol. Carmen seduces Jose with a Seguidilla ("Pres des remparts de Seville"), and convinces Jose to let her escape. Jose is arrested for letting Carmen escape.

Act II

Evening at Lillas Pastia's inn, frequented by smugglers. Carmen and her friends Frasquita and Mercedes sing and dance ("Les tringles des sist-res tintaient" Gypsy Song). Zuniga attempts to woo Carmen, but she can only think of Jose. The Matador Escamillo is greeted with great enthusiasm by the patrons ("Vivat, vivat le Torero"). He sings the Toreador song ("Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre") and also attempts to woo Carmen. Carmen refuses him as well. The smugglers Dancairo and Remendado discuss plans with Carmen and her gypsy friends ("Nous avons en tete une affaire" Quintet). Carmen refuses to accompany them, for she only can think of Jose. Jose arrives singing a folk song ("Halte la! Qui va la! Dragon d'Alcala!"), and he and Carmen are left alone. Carmen vexes him with stories of her dancing. She then dances for him alone ("Je vais danser en votre honneur...Lalala"), but is interrupted by the trumpets calling the soldiers to the barracks. Carmen's temper flares when Jose begins to leave, causing him to pledge his devotion to her in the Flower Song ("La fleur que tu m'avais jetee"). Carmen asks him to join the smugglers if he really loves her ("Non, tu ne m'aime pas"). He refuses and begins to leave when he is surprised by Zuniga. He draws his sword upon his superior officer, but the gypsies disarm both of them and take away Zuniga ("Mon cher monsieur"). Jose is forced to flee with Carmen ("La bas dans le montagne").

Act III

A rocky gorge, where the smugglers ply their trade. Jose arrives with the smugglers ("Ecoute, ecoute, compagnon"), but Carmen loves him no longer, realizing that he is not her match. She now turns to Escamillo. Carmen, Frasquita and Mercedes read the cards ("Melons! Coupons!"). Frasquita and Mercedes foresee love and romance, wealth and luxury in their cards; but Carmen's cards foretell death for her and Jose ("En vain pour eviter les reponses ameres"). The smugglers plan their actions ("Quant au douanier, c'est notre affaire"). Micaela arrives with a guide seeking Jose ("Je dis, que rien ne m'epouvante"), and hides in the rocks when she hears a gunshot. Escamillo arrives and tells Jose that he is infatuated with Carmen and tells Jose the story of her affair with a soldier, not knowing that Jose is the soldier. A fight between Jose and Escamillo over Carmen is narrowly averted by the smugglers ("Hola, hola Jose"). Escamillo leaves, but invites Carmen and the smugglers to the bullfights. Micaela emerges and tells Jose that his mother wishes to see him. At first he refuses to go ("Non, je ne partirai pas!"), until Micaela tells him that his mother is dying. Vowing that he will return to Carmen, he leaves. As he is leaving, Escamillo is heard singing in the distance. Carmen rushes to the sound of his voice, but Jose bars her way.

Act IV

A square before the arena at Seville. The general populace prepare for the bull fight ("A deux cuartos!") (occasionally played as a ballet with a different text: "Dansez, dansez") and they see the cuadrilla arrive ("Les voici! voici la quadrille"). Carmen and Escamillo are greeted by the crowds and celebrate love and victory, Carmen adding that she had never loved one so much ("Si tu m'aimes, Carmen"). Frasquita warns Carmen that Jose is in the crowd ("Carmen! Prends garde!), and that he intends to kill her, but Carmen says she will speak to him. Before she can enter the arena she is confronted by the pale and despairing Jose ("C'est toi! C'est moi!"). For the last time, half-crazed he demands her love and fidelity, even after she repeatedly explains that she loves him no longer. When she scornfully throws back the ring that he gave to her ("Cette bague, autrefois), he stabs her to the heart ("Eh bien, damnee") and she dies at the moment that Escamillo triumphs in the arena. The spectators exit the arena and Jose, completely broken, confesses his action to all, exclaiming: "Ah! Carmen! ma Carmen adoree!".

Dramatic elements

Carmen was extremely innovative in its drama: no longer was French Opera confined to one-dimensional comic characters. The two lead characters in the work are some of the most profound in all operatic literature. The descent of Don Jose from a faithful lover and soldier to an obsessed lunatic is wonderfully portrayed through both music and libretto. The music also ensures that Carmen does not become a destructive figure like Elektra or Lulu: she does not chase men, they run after her.  Because Bizet shied away from the traditional image of an operatic femme-fatale.

Carmen became a difficult character to understand (or portray on stage). She is fatalistic and hedonistic, living entirely in the present moment. Her beauty unintentionally entraps men, who are then led to their downfall by their own misguided ideas of love. Carmen's character is best illustrated in the card-playing scene, in which she accepts the premonition of death as unavoidable. Jose is ill-suited to Carmen's whims, desiring constancy in the form of fidelity: upon hearing that Carmen danced for the men in Act II, he becomes greatly distressed. The inconstancy of her character is anarchy to Jose, and being a soldier, he removes it.

Carmen and Jose have three duets, which represent three stages of their relationship. The first in Act I is the seduction, the second in Act II is the conflict, and the last in Act IV is the tragic resolution. Musically, the duets are not in the style of the traditional French or Italian duets, where two voices become one. They show the incompatibility of Carmen and Jose, as they almost never sing together.

The supporting characters, Micaela and Escamillo, are not as developed as the two protagonists, and are used to reflect upon the leads. Micaela represents Jose's naive past, whereas Escamillo represents Carmen's exciting future. Micaela is from Gounod's lyric operas, whereas Escamillo is from the traditional opera buffa. Micaela has a slight aria in Act III which shows her significance in the story is not great: she was created to be Carmen's opposite, but she also represents Jose's mother. Escamillo has the most well-known song in the score. Bizet knew that the song would be popular, but he secretly despised it, saying "They want their trash, and will get it".

Musical elements

When asked if he would visit Spain to research his score, Bizet replied "No, that would only confuse me." Bizet elegantly works elements of Spanish music into the score, though keeping the music obviously French. However, several pieces, especially the Seguidilla and the Gypsy Song make great use of the elements of flamenco music. Also, the Act IV entr'acte seems to be influenced by a Spanish song by Manuel Garcia, incorporating elements of gypsy music.

Bizet worked several popular Spanish songs directly into the score. These include El arreglito which became the habanera, and the folk-song Carmen impudently sings when interrogated by Zuniga; both written by Yradier. The habanera was written to replace an aria that Galli-Marie disliked, and Bizet supposedly wrote over ten revisions.

Bizet uses a very slight leitmotif system, preferring to use new material for each scene. There are two motifs associated with Carmen. The first is the Carmen Fate motif, and owes its augmented 2nds to Spanish music. It is ominously heard directly after the Prelude, and prefigures the ending of the opera. It is heard in this form when Carmen chooses Jose as her lover, at the beginning of the Flower Song, and during the opera's final moments. It is also heard, in a speeded up form, at the entrance of Carmen. This theme is more often heard in the strings, and is used when the slower version would stop the flow of the music. It is notably heard during the card playing scene.

The other theme associated with Carmen represents her influence over Jose. It is heard after Jose is chosen as Carmen's lover, and when Carmen is taken away by the police to Jose and Zuniga. This soaring theme is, like Carmen, both beautiful and tragic. In a sequence cut from the original edition, placed in the frenzied chorus of women in Act I, the two themes are played contrapuntally.

Revisions

Bizet's original design of Carmen had dialogue in place of recitative. After Bizet's death, the musical community felt it would be more appreciated in the form of Grand Opera rather than opera comique.

Bizet's friend Ernest Guiraud wrote recitatives for the Vienna premiere performance in 1875, that were used up until the 1960s. (Except at the Opera-Comique, where the dialogue Carmen remained in reperatory into the 1950s.) They are today seen as damaging to the work as a whole. The recitatives destroyed Bizet's careful pacing, and disrupted the process of characterization significantly. The recitatives do seem to be coming back into fashion in large theaters, like the Metropolitan, where spoken dialogue is difficult to project.

A new edition in 1964 edited by Fritz Oeser claimed to have restored Bizet's original vision by including material previously cut from the premiere as well as restoring the dialogue. Unfortunately, Oeser did not realise that a great deal was cut by Bizet himself, and subsequently included several sections that were not required. He also made great changes to the stage directions and rewrote some of the libretto. Today, the only adequate score is a vocal score by Bizet himself, published in 1875. There is still no accurate full score, and each production is judged on the skills of the conductor in choosing a score.

Fantasies

A number of classical composers have used themes from Carmen as the basis for works of their own. Some of these, such as Pablo de Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy (1883) for violin and orchestra, Franz Waxman's Carmen Fantasie for violin and orchestra and Vladimir Horowitz's Variations on a theme from Carmen for solo piano are virtuoso showpieces in the tradition of fantasias on operatic themes. Ferruccio Busoni wrote a Sonatina (No.6) for piano named Fantasia da camera super Carmen (1920), which uses themes from the opera. There are also two suites of music drawn directly from Bizet's opera, often recorded and performed in orchestral concerts. ■  Rodion Shchedrin wrote a Carmen ballet (1967) directly based on the opera.

■  The British comedy television series the Two Ronnies did a Cockney adaptation of the opera called Tooting Carmen.

■  As old as the subject it describes, is this parody: "Toreadori / Don't spit on the floor / Use the cuspidor / That's what it's for".

■  In the Nickelodeon children's series Hey Arnold!, there is an episode that is a direct spoof of Carmen, starring Arnold as Don Jose, Ruth MacDougal (and Helga G. Pataki) as Carmen, and Curly Gammelthorp as Escamillo.

■   Choreographer Matthew Bourne has created an updated version of Carmen, called The Car Man.

■   Fabulist Carol Emshwiller was inspired by Carmen in her classically biting parodic fable, Carmen Dog.

 

Text 11 (a)

Ж. Бизе — Р. Щедрин КАРМЕН-СЮИТА

 

Год создания «Кармен-сюиты» —1967-й — период для Родиона Щедрина счастливый и блистательный. Буквально рядом по времени были написаны  Вторая симфония (1965), Второй фортепианный концерт (1966), Второй концерт для оркестра «Звоны» (1968), «Поэтория» на стихи А. Вознесенского (1968). 

Очевидна широта творческих интересов автора. Очевидны и многообразие задач, целей и средств воплощения, стремление к всеохватности различных сфер жизни и искусства. Та страстность, та степень самоотдачи, с которой Щедрин решает поставленные перед собой художественные задачи, и те блистательные результаты, которых он добивается, утверждают подобную всеохватность как его духовную суть. 

Есть тем не менее и некий стержень — то глубоко личное, свойственное именно этому композитору, что ощутимо присутствует в каждом из этих непохожих друг на друга произведений и позволяет сразу же почувствовать манеру, стиль, индивидуальность Щедрина: дух мужества, полнокровное восприятие жизни, необычайной силы волевой импульс, масштабность мышления в сочетании с лаконизмом формы, логика музыкальных конструкций. Неожиданность в воплощении замысла, в отношении к первоисточнику — литературному или музыкальному, в построении образных характеристик, в принципах оркестровки, в рельефе мелодии воспринимается как черта творческого облика, ключ к пониманию творческой манеры... Неожиданным в какой-то мере было и появление «Кармен-сюиты» в круге изначально владеющих Щедриным творческих пристрастий, неизменно связанных с отечественной культурой, с национальной русской музыкальной сферой.

 Впрочем, именно эта национальная определенность и стала, возможно, одной из причин того, что основой для воплощения образа Кармен послужила «чужая» музыка. 

Другой причиной, внешне более очевидной, была (об этом неоднократно говорил сам автор) увековечившая себя в восприятии уже нескольких   поколений  ассоциация  литературного  образа   с   великой   и   бессмертной   музыкой Бизе.   «Возражать»   ей   созданием   нового      музыкального  материала  Щедрин   не  посчитал возможным и, сам бесконечно влюбленный в оперу Бизе, избрал путь транскрипции. В итоге же родилось соавторство: Бизе — Щедрин. Термин этот в данном   случае абсолютно уместен,  ибо при  всей корректности, даже целомудренности по отношению к Бизе, Щедрин создал свою «Кармен-сюиту», сочинение, принадлежащее теперь уже двум авторам, разделенным во времени столетием. 

Внутренним стимулом и одновременно внешним поводом к созданию «Кармен-сюиты» послужила давняя мечта великой балерины Майи Плисецкой воплотить тревожный и притягательно-чарующий образ Кармен на балетной сцене. Для нее же Щедрин позднее написал музыку балетов «Анна Каренина» и «Чайка». Постепенно эти сочинения обрели самостоятельную  жизнь — самостоятельную в той мере, в какой это определяется способностью музыки звучать в концертном зале. Да, балетная музыка Щедрина в высшей степени дансантна. Но она в то же время пронизана сквозным симфоническим развитием, отмечена личностным началом. И это делает ее,  в   равной   мере,   предназначенной   для жизни и на концертном эстраде: «КарменСюита», «Анна Каренина», «Романтическая музыка», «10 прелюдий и  постлюдия из балета «Чайка» сегодня занимают прочное место  в репертуарах ведущих советских оркестров.

«Кармен-сюита» в целом сохраняет музыкальную фабулу, драматургию и даже сюжетную канву оперы. Но изменилась «окраска» конфликта — усилен трагизм, во многом сместилась расстановка смысловых и чисто музыкальных акцентов. Изменения эти определены различием жанров оперы и балета.

 В аннотации к спектаклю «Кармен-сюита» в Большом театре автор писал: «Опера и балет — виды искусства, бесспорно, братские, но каждый из них требует своей закономерности. Балетный оркестр, мне кажется, должен всегда звучать на несколько градусов «горячее» оперного. Ему надлежит «дорассказать» куда больше, чем оркестру оперному. Да простят мне такое сравнение, но «жестикуляция» музыки в балете должна быть гораздо резче и заметнее». И еще: «Надо было решить, какие инструменты симфонического оркестра смогут достаточно убедительно компенсировать отсутствие человеческих голосов, какие из них ярче всего подчеркнут очевидную хореографичность музыки Бизе. В первом случае эту задачу, на мой взгляд, могли решить лишь струнные инструменты, во втором — ударные. Так сложился состав оркестра — струнные и ударные».

Итак, в самой музыке Бизе заложено зерно танцевальности. Ее естественную и гибкую пластику Щедрин не просто усиливает, развивает, но доводит до апогея. Повинуясь законам хореографического мышления, он трансформирует саму звучащую массу: оперное пение заменяют струнные — им безраздельно принадлежит царство роскошной мелодики. А ритм — этот звучащий адекват балетного жеста — укрупняется, подчеркивается многочисленными и самыми разнообразными ударными; он становится компонентом, не столько поддерживающим мелодию, сколько равнозначным ей (не случайно Щедрин назвал «Кармен-сюиту» транскрипцией для струнных и ударных). 

Отсутствие духовых инструментов, деление тембров на две резко контрастные звуковые сферы усиливает трагическое начало, ощущение фатального предопределения — все то, что связано с понятием «судьбы-рока». Резко контрастное противопоставление струнных и ударных сосуществует с органическим взаимопроникновением, взаимодействием этих звуковых масс. Сценарий тембральной драматургии и ее реальное воплощение производят сильнейшее впечатление. 

Такого результата может добиться только мастер, обладающий врожденным оркестровым мышлением: это не инструментовка, не переложение, но воссоздание щедевра прошлого в новом, современном осмыслении. Некоторая перемонтировка тем — по отношению к коллизиям сюжета, изменение ритмических акцентов, а порой и размера, остроумный и неожиданный, абсолютно оригинальный прием пропуска отдельных фраз, как бы призывающий слушателей включиться в эту звуковую игру и «допеть» «про себя» любимую мелодию, подключение к музыкальному действию инструментария нашего времени (например, маримбы, вибрафона) — все это суть приметы современности, те нюансы, которые, меняя окраску музыки Бизе, преподносят нам ее в облике по-прежнему прекрасном, но и обновленном.

 Традиция — понятие живое, а следовательно, способное к движению, к изменению, к тем естественным духовным трансформациям, в результате которых каждое следующее поколение открывает новые грани Прекрасного в Шекспире, Толстом, Чехове, Рафаэле, Бахе, Моцарте...

Из всех искусств музыка в высшей степени «вещь в себе». Многое в наших ощущениях ее разнится в зависимости от личных склонностей. Но есть в каждом истинном произведении искусства главное, непреходящее — то, чего не может не почувствовать каждый. Высокий артистизм и высокий эмоциональный тонус, которые вообще свойственны натуре Щедрина, в «Кармен-сюите» раскрылись с особенной какой-то, властной и покоряющей силой. И думается, что именно это главное поняли и бережно, как дар, преподнесли нам исполнители: Государственный камерный оркестр «Виртуозы Москвы», Государственный камерный ансамбль Армении, группа ударных (В. Гришин, А. Огородников, В. Шубинский, С. Ветров, С, Прозоров)    и   дирижер   Владимир   Спиваков.

В интерпретации Спивакова ощутимы трепетность и увлеченность, вдохновленность красотой и понимание ее сущности. Запись запечатлела пластичность, гибкость звука и штриха, благородную сдержанность, сильный ритмический стержень, атмосферу предопределенного судьбой трагического исхода — и пиршество оркестровых красок. В едином ключе с исполнителями работали звукорежиссеры И. Вепринцев и Е. Бунеева; они сумели выявить главное в этой партитуре — полифонию звуковых пластов, эмоциональную сущность и смысл драматургии оркестровых тембров...

(Ф. Фахми, 1984 г.)

 

Text 11 (b)

G. Bizet — R. Shchedrin/ CARMEN-SUITE

1967 — the year when Rodion Shchedrin wrote "Carmen-Suite" — was a happy and successful time in the composer's artistic career. Almost at the same time he created the Second Symphony (1965), Second Piano Concerto (1966), Second Concerto for Orchestra "Chimes" (1968), "Poetory" to A. Voznesensky's verses (1968). They are testimony of the author's wideranging creative interests, of the multitute and diversity of his aims, tasks and devices, of his striving to embrace various spheres of life and art.

The impetus and cause for the creation of "Carmen-Suite" was the cherished dream of great ballet dancer Maya Plisetskaya to depict the highlystrung and riveting character of Carmen in a ballet. The music of ballets "Anna Karenina" and "Seagull" was written   by the composer also tor Plisetskaya.

 Gradually  these   works   acquired  an   independent existence in the sense that they came to  be performed on a concert platform. No doubt,  Shchedrin's  music  is  easy to  dance  to,  but it is built on a symphonic principle and has a profound personal imprint. It is this that makes the music suitable for performance on a concert platform: "Carmen-Suite", „Anna Karenina", "Romantic Music", "Ten Preludes and a Postlude" from the "Seagull" ballet today are an  integral  part of repertoires of   major Soviet orchestras.

In  the  emotional  and   sound expressivity of   "Carmen-Suite",   in   the   elegance   of   its

structure, the endless, flowing melodies and  sudden, motion-picture-like sound stills one can almost physically sense the dancer's plasticity.   Plisetskaya's   poses   and   movements  seem  at times  fixed   in   music,   like   a   kind of "code of sound gesture".

Great artistry and high emotional tension generally typical  of  Shchedrin  in   „Carmen-Suite" are  revealed  with  an amazingly  striking force.  It seems that this has been well understood   by   the   performers — Chamber  Orchestra    "Moscow   Virtuosi",   the   Chamber Ensemble of Armenia, Percussion Ensemble  (V. Grishin,    A. Ogorodnikov,    V. Shubinsky, S. Vetrov, S. Prozorov) and conductor Vladimir Spivakov,  who  have succeeded  in  projecting the essence of this work with great musical honesty.

In   Spivakov's  inspired   interpretation   we sense exultation, fervor, the enchanting beauty of music and the understanding of its source. The recording captures with the plasticity, flexibility of sound and nuances, noble  poise, powerful rhythms, the atmosphere of  fatality predicting the tragic denouement — and the opulence of orchestral colours.  Recording  engineers   I. Veprintsev  arid  E. Buneyeva  have  greatly  contributed to  the  interpretations;   they   succeeded   in   bringing   out the score's most important feature — the  polyphony of sound layers and the meaning  of dramaturgy of orchestral timbres.

(F. Fahmi, 1984)

 

Text 12 ТАТЬЯНА ТАРАСОВА ПРАЗДНУЕТ ЮБИЛЕЙ

1. Ученики Тарасовой завоевали семь золотых олимпийских медалей. В парном катании.  Это  - Ирина Роднина и Александр Зайцев (1976,1980 годы), в одиночном катании - Илья Кулик (1998 год) и Алексей Ягудин (2002 год), в танцах на льду - Наталья Бестемьянова и Андрей Букин (1988), Марина Климова и Сергей Пономаренко (1992) Оксана Грищук и Евгений Платов (1998), сообщает РИА "Новости".

(Коммерсантъ. Спорт)                  2. Замысел олимпийской программы в голове генератора идей танцевальной пары Татьяна Навка-Роман Костомаров - тренера и мужа партнерши Александра Жулина, если верить словам Татьяны Навки, сформировался уже два года назад. Во всяком случае, на чемпионате мира в Дортмунде, где Навка с Костомаровым выиграли свою первую золотую медаль, Татьяна уверенно говорила, что точно знает, в каком именно образе предстанут они с Романом в Турине. Может, конечно, с тех пор все трое поменяли свое первоначальное решение, но сегодня ясно одно - на Олимпиаде под оригинальную музыку Бизе мы увидим Татьяну в роли цыганки Кармен. А вот кого изобразит Роман - солдата Хозе или тореадора Эскамильо, станет понятно на их первом официальном старте сезона - этапе Гран-при в Пекине. Навка утверждает, что, прослушав какое-то безумное количество аудиозаписей, она точно поняла, что ни одна из них, кроме оперы "Кармен", причем не в обработке, а именно в классическом звучании, не затронула струн ее души. И это ее собственное ощущение не может не передаться зрителям. Прошлогодняя же "Тоска", как фигуристы ни пытались это скрыть, не слишком нравилась им самим, поэтому, судя по всему, не задела за живое и никого другого.

(Коммерсантъ. Спорт)                 

 

3. Вторую произвольную программу для Коэн к финалу Тран-при" вы сделали новую?

- Отчасти. Взяли прошлогоднюю олимпийскую композицию "Кармен" и сильно ее перекроили. Сначала у меня была идея использовать музыку Нино Рота из кинофильма "Ромео и Джульетта". Осенью даже сделали на ее основе интерпретированную постановку, с которой Саша выступала в нескольких турнирах. Причем каталась так, что зал плакал. Она любит эту музыку, понимает ее. Но для любительского спорта такая программа не совсем годится. Поэтому и остановились на "Кармен". Кое-какие части программы остались прежними. Я намеренно их сохранила – чтобы Саша поуютнее и поспокойнее себя чувствовала.

(Спорт Экспресс / Татьяна Тарасова.  

Жалеть о чем-то-то мне просто некогда)

 

Comprehension check, writing and speaking

 

Complete the table about George Bizet,   talk about him.

Tapescript 4.

A.             Listen to the three  versions of the famous Habanera which is an area of Carmen. The first one is from the original staging in New York Metropolitan Opera  of 1978, the second one is an excerpt from the transcription by R. Shchedrin, recorded in 1984, and the last one is the arrangement by Walter Muller, performed by the German Orchestra ORGEL in 1979.  In which ways do the pieces  differ? Which of the versions do you like best? Why?

B.              The prominent Russian philosopher Nickolai Berdyaev thought that most of the human sexual energy should be transformed into  creative one. Many poets and musicians, Robert Burns, Marina Tsvetayeva among them, found a close connection between Love, Poetry and music. Many religions teach that sexual relations should be strongly regulated, the Orthodox Church among them. Don’t you think there could be far less tragedies, broken lives and crimes in the society, if people knew how to transform superfluous sexual energy into creative work. Should Love replace the whole world or is it only a part, though the basic one, of our existence? Do you personally prefer the cruel beauty of tragic passions? Why did Carmen get disappointed in Jose so quickly? What is the purpose of the human life?

 

Unit 6 THE BEATLES

 

When you skim a text (read it quickly for general meaning) you don’t have to understand every word or sentence. You should try to  understand important ideas

 

 

Pre-reading task

Have you ever heard about the Beatles? What did they mean for the elder generations? What musical style do they belong to? Do you know any of their songs? Are they still up-to-date? What else do know about them?

 

Reading

Skim the text which is an extract from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Find out:

1.       What country and town they came from

2.       Who the members of the group were

3.       When they started their musical carrier

4.       Where their musical style was rooted

5.       How the group was formed

6.       If the Beatles were the best-selling musical act of the 20th century

7.       What theories are as to the origin of the name of the group

8.       Who the drummers of the band were

9.       What scandal they were involved in Hamburg

10.   When the first recordings of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr together were made

11.   How The Beatlemania  started in the USA

12.   What scandal they got involved   in  the  Philippines

13.   How Lennon’s opinion about Christianity which “was dying and that The Beatles were "more popular than Christ now" was accepted throughout the world

14.   What musical styles they worked in

15.   Who of them has still survived

16.   Who of them visited Russia in 2006

17.   Why they were so popular and, probably, still are, in spite of their scandalous reputation.

 

Text 13

 

(The Beatles were an English rock band from Liverpool, comprised of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are among the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed popular music bands in history, and their innovative music and cultural impact helped define the 1960s.

The Beatles were the best-selling musical act of the 20th century. In the United Kingdom, they released more than 40 different singles, albums, and EPs that reached number one. This commercial success was repeated in many other countries: their record company, EMI, estimated that by 1985 they had sold over one billion discs or tapes worldwide. The Recording Industry Association of America certified The Beatles as the highest selling band of all time based on American sales of singles and albums.

The Beatles were a major part of the mid-1960s musical 'British Invasion' into the United States. Although their initial musical style was rooted in 1950s rock and roll, the group explored a great variety of genres ranging from Tin Pan Alley to psychedelic rock. Their clothes, hairstyles, and statements made them trendsetters, while their growing social awareness saw their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s.

 

 

Background information

Origin             Liverpool, England

Genre(s)          Rock and roll

Pop Psychedelic rock

Years active     1960-1970

(Partial reunion: 1995)

Label(s)           Parlophone

Capitol Apple Vee-Jay Polydor

Members

John Lennon (1960-1970) Paul McCartney (1960-1970) George Harrison

(1960-1970)

Ringo Starr (1962-1970) Former members

Pete Best (1960-1962) Stuart Sutcliffe (1960-1961).

 

1957-1960: Formation

In March 1957, John Lennon formed a skiffle group called the Quarrymen whilst attending Quarry Bank Grammar School in Liverpool. Lennon and the Quarrymen met guitarist Paul McCartney at the Woolton Garden Fete held at St. Peter's Church on 6 July 1957.

On 6 February 1958, the young guitarist George Harrison was invited to watch the group (who played under a variety of names) at Wilson Hall, Garston, Liverpool. McCartney had become acquainted with Harrison on the morning school bus ride to the Liverpool Institute, as they both lived in Speke. At McCartney's insistence, Harrison joined the Quarrymen as lead guitarist after a rehearsal in March 1958, overcoming Lennon's initial reluctance   because of Harrison's young age.  Members continually joined and left the lineup during that period. Harrison was followed by Lennon's art school friend, Stuart Sutcliffe, on bass.

The Quarrymen went through a progression of names — "Johnny and the Moondogs", "Long John and the Beatles", "The Silver Beetles" (derived from Larry Parnes' suggestion of "Long John and the Silver Beetles") — and eventually decided on "The Beatles". There are many theories as to the origin of the name and its unusual spelling; it is usually credited to Lennon, who said that the name was a combination word-play on the insects "beetles" (as a nod/compliment to Buddy Holly's band, the Crickets) and the word "beat". Cynthia Lennon suggests that Lennon came up with the name Beatles at a "brainstorming session over a beer-soaked table in the

Renshaw Hall bar...". Lennon also said,

"If you turn it round it is 'les beat', which sounds French and cool." Lennon — who was well known for giving multiple versions of the same story —joked in a 1961 Mersey Beat magazine article that "It came in a vision — a man appeared on a flaming pie and said unto them, 'From this day on you are Beatles with an A'

In May 1960, The Beatles toured northeast Scotland as a back-up band with singer Johnny Gentle. They met Gentle an hour before their first gig. and McCartnev referred to the tour as a great experience for the band.  For the tour the often drummerless group secured the services of Tommy Moore, who was considerably older than the others. Soon after the tour, however, feeling the age gap was too great Moore left the band and went back to work in a bottling factory as a fork-lift truck driver.  Norman Chapman was the band's next drummer, but was called up for National Service in a few weeks. His departure posed a significant problem as the group's unofficial manager, Allan Williams, had arranged for them to perform in clubs on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, Germany.

 

1960-1970: The Beatles Hamburg

On 15 August 1960, McCartney invited Pete Best to become the group's permanent drummer after watching Best play with the Blackjacks in the Casbah Club. This was a cellar club operated by Best's mother Mona, in West Derby, Liverpool, where The Beatles had played and often visited.  In the documentary The Compleat Beatles, Williams said that Best "played not too cleverly, but passable."

The Beatles started in Hamburg by playing in the Indra and Kaiserkeller bars. They were required to play six or seven hours a night, seven nights a week. Shortly after they began performing at a new venue, the "Top Ten Club", Harrison was deported for having lied to the German authorities about his age. Soon after, having started a small fire at their living quarters while vacating it for more luxurious rooms, McCartney and Best were arrested, charged with arson, and deported. Finally, Lennon and Sutcliffe returned to Liverpool in December.

The reunited Beatles played their first engagement on 17 December 1960 at the Casbah Club and returned to Hamburg in April 1961. While playing at the Top Ten they were recruited by singer Tony Sheridan to act as his backing band on a series of recordings for the German Polydor Records label,    produced by famed bandleader Bert Kaempfert. Kaempfert signed the group to its own Polydor contract at the first session on 22 June 1961. On 31 October Polydor released the recording "My Bonnie (Mein Herz ist bei dir nur)", which appeared on the German charts under the name "Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers", a generic name used for whoever happened to be in Sheridan's backup band. In addition to the legend that this record led to the group's eventual meeting with Brian Epstein, it also resulted in their first mention in the American press. Around the beginning of 1962, Cashbox mentioned "My Bonnie" as the debut of a "new rock and roll team, Tony Sheridan and the Beatles". A few copies were also pressed under the Decca label for U.S. disc jockeys, as American Decca had a distribution deal with Polydor parent Deutsche Grammophon (This was ironic, considering that by this time the then-unaffiliated British Decca had turned down the group's attempt to gain a recording contract.) Sutcliffe stayed with Astrid Kirchherr when it was time to go back to Liverpool, so McCartney took over bass duties.

Their third stay in Hamburg was from 13 April to 31 May 1962, when they opened The Star Club. Upon their arrival they were informed of Sutcliffe's death from a brain haemorrhage.

Brian Epstein — manager of the record department at NEMS, his family's furniture store — took over as the group's manager in January 1962 and led The Beatles' quest for a British recording contract. 

 

Record contract

The first recordings of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr together were made as early as 15 October 1960, in a series of demonstration records privately recorded in Hamburg while acting as the backing group for singer Lu Walters. Starr played on The Beatles' second EMI recording session on 4 September 1962, but Martin hired session drummer Andy White for their next session on 11September.

Their recording contract paid them one penny for each single sold, which was split amongst the four Beatles — one farthing per group member. This royalty rate was further reduced for singles sold outside the UK, on which they received half of one penny (again split between the whole band) per single. Martin said later that it was a "pretty awful" contract. Their publishing contract with Dick James Music (DJM) was also standard for the time: songwriters received the statutory minimum of 50% of the gross monies received, while the publisher retained the other 50%.

The Beatles' first EMI session on 6 June did not yield any releasable recordings but the September sessions produced a minor UK hit, "Love Me Do", which peaked on the charts at number 17. ("Love Me Do" reached the top of the U.S. singles chart over 18 months later in May 1964.) This was swiftly followed by their second single and first number-one hit, "Please Please Me". Three months later they recorded their first album (also titled Please Please Me). The band's first televised performance was on a programme called People and Places transmitted live from Manchester by Granada Television on 17 October 1962J! In November 1963, The Beatles appeared on the Royal Variety Performance and were photographed with Marlene Dietrich, who also appeared on the show.

 

 

 

America

Although the band experienced huge popularity in the record charts in the UK from early 1963, Parlophone's American counterpart Capitol Records (owned by EMI) declined to issue the singles "Please Please Me" and "From Me to You" in the United States. Vee-Jay Records, a small Chicago label, issued the singles as part of a deal for the rights to another performer's masters. Art Roberts, music director of Chicago powerhouse radio station WLS, placed "Please Please Me" into radio rotation in late February 1963 making it the first time a Beatles record was heard on American radio. Vee-Jay's rights to The Beatles were later cancelled for non-payment of royalties.

In August 1963, the Philadelphia-based Swan label released "She Loves You", which also failed to receive airplay. A testing of the song on Dick Clark's TV show American Bandstana 'resulted in laughter from American teenagers when they saw the group's distinctive hairstyles. 

 In early November 1963, Brian Epstein persuaded Ed Sullivan to commit to presenting The Beatles on three editions of his show in February, and parlayed this guaranteed exposure into a record deal with Capitol Records. Capitol committed to a mid-January release for "I Want to Hold

Your Hand", On 7 December 1963 a clip of The Beatles was shown on the CBS Evening News, inspiring a teenage girl in Washington, D.C. to request a Beatles song on a local radio station. The station secured an imported copy of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" — forcing Capitol Records to release the song ahead of schedule on 26 December. Several New York radio stations — first WMCA, then WINS and WABC — began playing "I Want to Hold Your Hand" on its release day. 

The Beatlemania that had started in Washington was duplicated in New York and quickly spread to other markets. The record sold one million copies in just ten days, and by 16 January, Cashbox magazine had certified the record number one (in the edition marked 23 January). On 3 January 1964 a film of The Beatles performing "She Loves You" was aired on the latenight Jack Paar Program.

 

Beatlemania

As The Beatles' fame spread, the frenzied adulation of the group, predominantly from teenage female fans, was dubbed 'Beatlemania'. On 7 February 1964, a crowd of four thousand fans at Heathrow Airport waved to The Beatles as they took off on Pan Am flight 101 for their first trip to America as a group. They were accompanied by photographers, journalists (including Maureen Cleave) and Phil Spector, who had booked himself on the same flight. The pilot had radioed ahead, and as they prepared to land said, "Tell the boys there's a big crowd waiting for them." Kennedy International Airport had never experienced a crowd of that size before, estimated to be about 3,000 screaming fans. 

Their first live American television appearance was on the The Ed Sullivan Show on 9 February 1964. The next morning practically every newspaper had comments that The Beatles were nothing more than a "fad", and "could not carry a tune across the Atlantic".

In mid-1964 the band undertook their first appearances outside of Europe and North America, touring Australia and New Zealand (without Ringo Starr who was ill and temporarily replaced by session drummer Jimmy Nicol). In Adelaide they were greeted by over 300,000 people who turned out to see them at Adelaide Town Hall.

On 26 October 1965, Queen Elizabeth II appointed The Beatles Members of the Order of the British Empire, or MBEs. The band was nominated by Prime Minister Harold Wilson, who also was the M.P. for Huyton, Liverpool.    The award — at that time primarily given to military veterans and civic leaders — sparked some conservative MBE recipients to return their insignia in protest. The first two were returned on 14 June, before The Beatles received theirs on 26 October 1965. On 15 August that year, The Beatles performed the first stadium concert in the history of rock, playing at Shea Stadium in New York to a crowd of 55,600.

 

Backlash and controversy

In July 1966, when The Beatles toured the Philippines, they unintentionally snubbed the nation's first lady, Imelda Marcos, who had expected the group to attend a breakfast reception at the Presidential Palace. When presented with the invitation, Brian Epstein politely declined on behalf of the group, as it had never been the group's policy to accept such "official" invitations.  The group soon found that the Marcos regime   unaccustomed to accepting "no" for an answer. After the   'snub' was broadcast on Philippine television and radio, all of The Beatles' police protection disappeared. The group and their entourage had to make their way to Manila airport on their own. At the airport, roadie Mai Evans was beaten and kicked, and The Beatles themselves were pushed and jostled about by a hostile crowd. Once the group boarded the plane, Epstein and Evans were ordered off, and Evans said, "Tell my wife that I love her. " Epstein was forced to give back all the money that the band had earned while they were there before being allowed back on the plane.

Almost as soon as they returned from the Philippines, an earlier comment by Lennon made in March that year launched a backlash against The Beatles from religious and social conservatives in the United States. In an interview with British reporter Maureen Cleave, Lennon had offered his opinion that Christianity was dying and that The Beatles were "more popular than Christ now." Afterwards, a radio station in Birmingham, Alabama, ran a story on burning Beatles records, in what was considered to be a joke. However, many people affiliated with rural churches in the American

South started taking the suggestion seriously. Towns across the United States and South Africa started to burn Beatles records in protest. Attempting to make light of the incident, McCartney said, "They've got to buy them before they can burn them." Under tremendous pressure from the American media, Lennon apologised for his remarks at a press conference in Chicago on August 11, the eve of the first performance of what turned out to be their final tour.

 

The studio years

Upon their return, Lennon and McCartney went to New York to announce the formation of Apple Corps. The middle of 1968 saw the band busy recording the double album The Beatles, popularly known as The White Album because of its plain white cover. These sessions saw deep divisions opening within the band, with Starr temporarily walking out. The band carried on, with McCartney recording the drums on the songs "Martha My Dear", "Wild Honey Pie", "Dear Prudence" and "Back in the USSR".

Among the other causes of dissension were that Lennon's new girlfriend, Yoko Ono, was at his side through almost all of the sessions, and that the others felt that McCartney was becoming too dominating. 

Internal divisions within the band had been a small but growing problem during their early years; most notably, this was reflected in the difficulty that George Harrison experienced in getting his own songs onto Beatles albums.

On the business side, McCartney wanted Tee Eastman, the father of his wife Tinda Eastman, to manage The Beatles, but the other members wanted New York manager Allen Klein. All past Beatles' decisions had been unanimous, but this time the four could not agree. Tennon, Harrison and Starr felt the Eastmans would put McCartney's interests before those of the group. In 1971 it was discovered that Klein, who had been appointed manager, had stolen £5 million from The Beatles' holdings. Years later, during the Anthology interviews, McCartney said of this time, "Looking back, I can understand why they would feel that he [Tee Eastman] was biased against them."

Their final live performance was on the rooftop of the Apple building in Savile Row, London, on 30 January 1969, the next-to-last day of the difficult Get Back sessions. Most of the performance was filmed and later included in the film Let It Be. While the band was playing, the local police were called because of complaints about the noise. Although the group was simply asked to end their performance, the band members later remarked in the Anthology video that they were disappointed they were not arrested — pointing out that the police hauling the band members off in handcuffs would have been "an appropriate ending" for the film.

The Beatles recorded their final album, Abbey Road, in the summer of 1969. The completion of the song "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" for the album on 20 August was the last time all four Beatles were together in the same studio.

Their final new song was Harrison's "I Me Mine", recorded 3 January 1970 and released on the Let It Be album. It was recorded without Lennon, who was in Denmark when the song was recorded.    

 

Breakup

John Tennon announced his departure to the rest of the group on 20 September 1969 but was talked out of saying anything about it publicly.

In March 1970 the Get Back session tapes were given to American producer Phil Spector, who had produced Lennon's solo single "Instant Karma!" Specter's "Wall of Sound" production was against the original intent of the record, which had been to record a stripped-down live performance. McCartney was deeply dissatisfied with Specter's treatment of "The Tong and Winding Road", and unsuccessfully attempted to halt release of Specter's version of the song. McCartney publicly announced the break-up on 10 April 1970, a week before releasing his first solo album, McCartney. Pre-release copies included a press release with a self-written interview explaining the end of the Beatles and his hopes for the future/ On 8 Mav 1970. the Specter-produced version of Get Back was released as Let It Be, followed by the documentary film of the same name. The Beatles' partnership was finally dissolved in 1975.

 

After The Beatles

Shortly before and after the official dissolution of the group, all four

Beatles released solo albums, including Lennon's John Lennon/Plastic Ono

Band, McCartney's McCartney, Starr's Sentimental Journey, and Harrison's All Things Must Pass. Some of their albums featured contributions by other former Beatles; Starr's Ringo (1973) was the only one to include compositions and performances by all four, albeit on separate songs.

Other than an unreleased jam session in 1974 (later bootlegged as A Toot and a Snore in 74), Lennon and McCartney never recorded together again. Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman on 8 December 1980 in New York City. Harrison died of cancer on 29 November 2001.

In 1981, after Lennon's murder, the three surviving Beatles reunited to record "All Those Years Ago", released as a George Harrison solo single. Its original lyrics had been rewritten as a tribute to John Lennon.

The BBC has a large collection of Beatles recordings, mostly comprising original studio sessions from 1963 to 1968. Much of this material formed the basis for a 1988 radio documentary series The Beeb's Lost Beatles Tapes. In 1989, many outtakes from the Beatles sessions appeared on the radio series The Lost Lennon Tapes. Later, in 1994, the best of the BBC sessions were given an official EMI release on Live at the BBC.

In 1988 The Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a group (not as individual performers) during their first year of eligibility. On the night of their induction, Harrison and Starr appeared to accept their award along with Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and his two sons. McCartney stayed away, issuing a press release citing "unresolved difficulties" with Harrison, Starr, and Lennon's estate. Solo Beatles later inducted were Lennon in 1994, McCartney in 1999 and Harrison in 2004.

In February 1994, the three surviving Beatles reunited to produce and record additional music for a few of Lennon's home recordings. "Free as a Bird" premiered as part of The Beatles Anthology series of television documentaries and was released as a single in December 1995, with "Real Love" following in March 1996. These songs were also included in the three Anthology collections of CDs released in 1995 and 1996, each of which consisted of two CDs of never-before-released Beatles material. Klaus Voormann, who had known the Beatles since their Hamburg days and had previously illustrated the Revolver album cover, directed the Anthology cover concept.

450,000 copies of Anthology 1 were sold on its first day of release. In 2000, a compilation album named 1 was released, containing almost every number-one single released by the band from 1962 to 1970. The collection sold 3.6 million copies in its first week (selling 3 copies a second) and more than 12 million in three weeks worldwide. The collection also reached number one in the United States and 33 other countries and had sold 25 million copies by 2005 (about the ninth best selling album of all time). More recently, in 2006/2007, George and Giles Martin remixed original Beatles recordings to create a soundtrack to accompany Cirque du Soleil's adaptation of Love.

Musical evolution

The Beatles' constant demands to create new sounds on every new recording, combined with George Martin's arranging abilities and the studio expertise of EMI staff engineers such as Norman Smith, Ken Townshend and Geoff Emerick, all played significant parts in the innovative sounds of the albums Rubber Soul (1965), Revolver (1966) and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967).

The Beatles continued to absorb influences long after their initial success, often finding new musical and lyrical avenues by listening to their contemporaries. Among those influences were Bob Dylan, who influenced songs such as "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)". Other contemporary influences included the Byrds and the Beach Boys, whose album Pet Sounds was a favourite of McCartney's.

Along with studio tricks such as sound effects, unconventional microphone placements, tape loops, double tracking and vari-speed recording, The Beatles began to augment their recordings with instruments that were unconventional for rock music at the time. These included string and brass ensembles as well as Indian instruments such as the sitar and the swarmandel. They also used early electronic instruments such as the Mellotron, which supplied the flute voices on the intro to "Strawberry Fields Forever", and the ondioline, an electronic keyboard that created the unusual oboe-like sound on "Baby You're A Rich Man".

Beginning with the use of a string quartet (arranged by George Martin with input from McCartney) on "Yesterday" in 1965, the Beatles pioneered a modern form of art song, exemplified by the double-quartet string arrangement on "Eleanor Rigby" (1966), "Here, There and Everywhere" (1966) and "She's Leaving Home" (1967). A televised performance of Bach's Brandenberg Concerto No. 2 directly inspired McCartney's use of a piccolo trumpet on the arrangement of "Penny Lane". The Beatles moved towards psychedelia with "Rain" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" from 1966, and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "I Am the Walrus" from 1967.

Discography Official CD catalogue

In 1986-1987, EMI released all 12 of The Beatles' studio albums — as originally released in the UK — on CD worldwide. (North American releases were on EMFs American subsidiary Capitol Records). It was a considered decision by Apple Corps to standardise the Beatles catalogue throughout the world. Because there were tracks that had been released in the UK on singles and EPs that had not been released on the original UK albums, in order for all their recordings to be available on CD it was necessary to create three further CDs that would contain the missing tracks.

One CD was of a 1967 US compilation album that featured the 6-track 1967 UK EP Magical Mystery Tour and the various singles released in that year. The other two CDs were new compilations that gathered together all the other singles, EP tracks and recordings from 1962-1970 that had not been issued on the original British studio albums.

■  Magical Mystery Tour - 8 August 1987

■  Past Masters, Volume One -7 March 1988

■  Past Masters, Volume Two - 7 March 1988

According to EMI and the Guinness Book of Records, The Beatles have sold in excess of one billion units (1,010,000,000, including cassettes, records, CDs and bootlegs). The only other artist to come close is Elvis Presley.

Beginning in 2004, the US album configurations were released as a series of box sets from Capitol Records (The Capitol Albums, Volume 1 & Volume 2); these included both stereo and mono versions based on the mixes that were prepared for vinyl at the time of their original 1960s releases.

Song catalogue

Hit singles ( Lennon-McCartney)

Audio samples

1965

"Help!" "Yesterday" "Drive My Car" "Nowhere Man" "In My Life"

1966

"Taxman"

"Eleanor Rigby"

"I'm Only Sleeping"

"Got To Get You Into My Life"

1967

"Strawberry Fields Forever"

"Penny Lane"

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"

"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"

"When I'm Sixty-Four"

"A Day in the Life"

"Magical Mystery Tour"

"I Am the Walrus"

1968

"Blackbird" "Mother Nature's Son" "Helter Skelter" "Revolution 1"

1969

Comprehension check, writing and speaking

 

Complete the table about The Beatles,   talk about them.

Members

of the group

Formation

Musical styles

Scandals

Albums

Influence

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tapescript 5. Listening and discussion

 

Listen to the song, performed by The Beatles. Have you ever heard it before? Who wrote it? How is it called? What musical style does it belong to?

Do you like it? Do you think it will survive through years and years? Why?

UNIT 7 CONTROVERCY ABOUT ROCK

 

When you skim a text (read it quickly for general meaning) you don’t have to understand every word or sentence. You should try to 

understand  important ideas

 

Pre-reading task

1.       What are the characteristics of rock?

2.       Is rock connected with hyper activity, loud music and strong emotions? Why?

3.       Is rock homogeneous? How can it be connected with other musical styles?

 

Reading

Skim the text which is an extract from “Soratnic”, an edition of the Russian Sobriety Union. Find out:

1.        If music is considered to be a powerful weapon, which can bring both good and evil

2.        If the author connects rock-music with the epidemics of suicides, drug-taking and sexual revolution

3.        Why the author speaks about rock addiction

4.        How the rock rhythm influences the bodies and the minds of human beings

5.        What facts prove that rock music produces a harmful effect even on animals and unliving objects

6.        How the power of  rock  have increased since The Beatles’ times (in watt)

7.        What role beat, noise, light and some magic rituals play at the modern stage of rockmania

8.        What role subconscious messages play at the third stage of rock development

9.        How the author connects the rockmania with the moral degradation of the modern society and Satanism.

10.   How,  in the author’s opinion, the Satanic influence can be opposed

 

Text 14

М. И. Светов

 

РОК-МУЗЫКА НА СЛУЖБЕ У САТАНЫ

Сегодня человечество зашло в экологический и духовнонравственный тупик, чреватый торжеством биоробота, "недочеловека" (Достоевский) или "одномерного человека" (Маркузе), и даже исчезновением человека как такового. Наряду с этим особенно зримым становится обострение борьбы добра и зла во всех сферах жизни. В этой статье мы коснемся самой тонкой сферы культуры – музыки. Ведь не секрет, что она может быть как мощнейшим орудием духовнонравственного совершенствования, так и инфернально-демонического обольщения человека. Поэтому не может не тревожить распространение в наше время музыкальной эпидемии, известной как рок-музыка (хотя уже можно  говорить о рок-культуре). Само появление рокмузыки в 50-х годах ознаменовалось вспышкой самоубийств и поистине психической эпидемией, разрушающей те моральные барьеры, которые призваны сдерживать животные и низменные наклонности человека. Особенно это коснулось интимной сферы жизни. Начало рок-эпидемии стало началом наркоэпидемии и так называемой сексуальной революции, или революции разврата. Покончено с подавлением плотских инстинктов и различными нравственными запретами. Все позволено! Чтобы закрепить это в сознании молодежи, произошла революция в одежде, жизненных привычках, интересах и т.п.                    

Серьезно увлекающихся рок-музыкой (рокеров) нередко сравнивают с наркоманами. И это не случайно. Они уже не могут отказаться от рок-музыки, причем во все увеличивающихся дозах. Один японский рокоман бесхитростно признался; "Рок — это как наркотик, только не преследуется законом и значительно дешевле". 'Возникает необходимость слушать постоянно все новые и новые записи. Для производителя подобного зелья – это идеальный покупатель, рынок ему обеспечен, и, главное, во все увеличивающихся размерах. Рокер, как и наркоман, идет на все, чтобы получить свою "порцию" рока. Поэтому головокружительно набирает  оборот рок-индустрия, дающая возможность поддерживать музыкальную "дозу". Без рок-подпитки рокзависимые превращаются в социально опасные элементы, на чем превосходно играют определенные экстремистские силы. Не случайно медики задумались над новым диагнозом – музыкальный наркоман. А некоторые американские ученые говорят однозначно: "Рок не является безобидным времяпрепровождением, это — наркотик не менее смертельный, чем героин, обрывающий жизнь нашей молодежи". В нашей прессе уже писалось о 14-летней девочке из Калифорнии, которая стала убийцей собственной матери. Она нанесла ей несколько ножевых ранений. На суде было установлено, что в момент преступления девочка находилась в состоянии сильного нервного возбуждения от прослушанной музыки в стиле «тяжелый рок».

Каким образом достигается влияние рок-музыки на человека? Вся техника рок-музыки взята из древних и современных тайных черномагических обществ и братств. Ритм и частота чередования света и тени, нагромождение звуков — все направлено на разрушение человеческого существа, его насильственного перелицовывания, на слом всех механизмов самозащиты, инстинкта самосохранениянравственных устоев. Ритм, как уже было сказано, приобретает наркотические свойства. Если он кратен, например, полутора ударам в секунду и сопровождается мощным давлением сверхнизких частот (15-30 герц), то способен вызвать у человека экстаз. При ритме же равном двум ударам в секунду и на тех же частотах слушающий впадает в танцевальный транс, который сродни наркотическому.

Современные рок-группы работают в диапазонах от 80 тысяч герц до 20 и даже ниже. Были случаи, когда переизбыток высоких или низких частот серьезно травмировал мозг. На рок-концертах нередки контузии звуком, звуковые ожоги, потеря слуха и памяти. Громкость плюс частота достигли разрушительной силы настолько, что в 1979 году во время концерта Пола Маккартни в Венеции рухнул деревянный мост, а группа Пинк-Флойд сумела разрушить мост в Шотландии. Этому же ансамблю принадлежит и еще одно документально засвидетельствованное "достижение": концерт на открытом воздухе привел к тому, что в соседнем озерце всплыла оглушенная рыба. Как ритм, так и частота ведут к зависимости от них: у человека появляется потребность во все более высоких частотах, приближающихся к ультразвуку. А это уже чревато летальным исходом, и смертность была зафиксирована американскими врачами. Также растет потребность в увеличении темпа ритма.               

 В свое время группа "Битлз" играла на уровне мощности 200600 ват.  К концу 60-х годов "Дорз" достиг  1000 ватт. А уже несколько лет спустя стали нормой 20-30 тысяч ватт. А такие известные группы, как "Дип Перпл", "Эмерсон Лейк энд Палмер" выдавали и больше. Ныне "Зе Ху", "Квин" и группа Пола Маккартни выжимают по 50 тысяч, а "Эй Си Ди Си" работают на уровне 70 тысяч. Но и это не предел: ведутся эксперименты по достижению 100-тысячного рубежа. Много это или мало? Весьма много, потому что даже ватт в небольшом зале может повлиять на способность человека мыслить и анализировать. Погружение в звуковой мешок действует на умение ориентироваться,  принимать самостоятельные решения.

Советские ученые зафиксировали следующее: после 10-минутного прослушивания рока семиклассники на некоторое время забывали таблицу умножения. А японские журналисты в крупнейших рок-залах Токио произвольно задали зрителям всего три простых вопроса: «Как вас зовут? Где вы находитесь? И  какой теперь год?» И ни один из опрошенных не ответил на них. По мнению западно-германского профессора Б. Рауха, такая музыка вызывает выделение так называемых стресс-гормонов,  которые  стирают часть запечатленной в мозгу информации. Человек не просто забывает что-то из того, что с ним было или что он изучал. Он умственно деградирует. Не так давно швейцарские  медики доказали, что после рок-концерта  человек ориентируется и реагирует на раздражитель в 3,5 раза хуже, чем обычно. 

Мы имеем дело с управляемой рок-нарко-эпидемией. Вторая фаза ее пошла за счет  усовершенствования ритма (бита), громкости и неистовства ударов. Рок воспринял и полный набор всех магических ритуалов, имитирующих интимные отношения, заклинаний и заговоров с тем, чтобы наиболее точно воспроизвести следующие друг за  другом ритмы, которые приводят аудиторию  к сладострастному переживанию. Бит настойчиво будоражит все эмоциональные,  физические и физиологические пульсации, вызывая сильное возбуждение нервной системы и паралич мыслительного процесса. Интенсивность звука доходит до 120 децибелов, хотя человеческий слух настроен на  среднюю интенсивность — 55 децибелов. Это уже решительный штурм всей личности, направленный по царственному пути слухового нерва. К возбуждающим пульсациям бита добавляется околдовывающий эффект раздражающего шума, который по своей  природе приводит к нервному перенапряжению. Создается атмосфера высшего напря-  жения, чтобы затем дать выход СИЛЬНЫМ  страстям, влекущим за собой их стихийное  удовлетворение. Барабанный бой, цымбалы, трубы, электронные синтезаторы, световые эффекты, пронзительные крики, телодвижения — все это врывается со всей своей  силой и пронизывает чувствительный человеческий организм.

Не безобидно и такое техническое оснащение как мигание света. Ускорение чередования света и темноты приводит к значительному ослаблению ориентации, снижению рефлекторной остроты  реакции. При определенной скорости вспышки света начинают взаимодействовать с мозговыми альфа-волнами, которые контролируют способность к концентрации внимания. При дальнейшем росте частоты происходит  потеря всякого контроля.                                       

Итак, весь технический арсенал рока направлен  на то, чтобы играть на человеке, как на музыкальном инструменте. Музыка оказалась в состоянии тотально изменить индивидуальные характеристики человека.   

Физиологические нарушения — это изменение пульса и дыхания, бездействие на центры спинного мозга вегетативной нервной системы, связанной с бессознательной сферой личности), изменение зрения, внимания, слуха, содержания сахара в крови, повышение секреции эндокринных желез. Медицинская группа Боба Лирсена категорически утверждает: "Низкочастотные колебания, созданные усилением бас-гитары, к которым добавляется повторяющееся действие бита, в значительной мере влияет на состояние спинно-мозговой жидкости. Эта жидкость, в свою очередь, непосредственно влияет на железы, регулирующие секреты гормонов. В результате нарушается равновесие половых и надпочечниковых гормонов, так что различные функции контроля нравственного торможения снижаются ниже порога терпимости или целиком нейтрализуются.

Восприятие  музыкального ритма связано и с функциями слухомоторного аппарата. А вспышки света. Следующие одна за другой в ритме музыки, стимулируют механизмы, связанные с галлюцинаторными явлениями, головокружением, тошнотой. Но основное воздействие направлено на мозг и рассчитано на подавление сознания. Оно аналогично тому, которое достигается наркотиками. Доминирующий ритм сначала захватывает двигательный центр мозга, затем стимулирует некоторые гормональные функции эндокринной системы. Но главный удар направлен на те участки мозга, которые тесно связаны с половыми функциями человека. Барабанным грохотом доводили себя до неистовства вакханки| которые, уже ничего не соображая, на части разрывали живых юношей. У многих народов с помощью подобных ритмов, отбиваемых на большом барабане, осуществляли казнь.

Невозможно в течение длительного времени подвергать себя   воздействию рока и не получить глубокие психо-эмоциональные травмы. При этом возникает утрата контроля над способностью к сосредоточению; значительно ослабляется контроль над умственной деятельностью и волей; необузданные порывы ведут к разрушению, вандализму и бунту, особенно на больших сборищах.

Не менее сильному воздействию подвергается способность к здравому суждению, она оказывается сильно притупленной, а иногда даже вообще нейтрализованой. И именно в этом состоянии умственнонравственного замешательства дается зеленый свет наиболее диким, до того сдерживаемым страстям, таким как ненависть, гнев, ревность, мстительность, блуд. Все вместе взятое означает, что разрушаются барьеры нравственности, исчезают автоматические рефлексы и механизмы естественной защиты. И все это направлено на то, чтобы увлечь человека подсознательными сообщениями, записанными на пластинках.

Итак, наступила третья фаза развития рок-музыки — Рок-сатанизм. Еще в начале 50-х годов серьезное предупреждение миру было дано во время изгнания бесов на западе Канады пастором из Ленгбиго. Демон, прежде чем покинуть одержимую им девушку, возвестил следующее: "Я — князь, и я прихожу. Мы все приходим, чтобы завладеть поколением, молодежью Америки". Двери ада приоткрылись еще более просторно. Можно было предположить, что уже достигнуты все пределы, но это было бы недооценкой диавольского гения. Ему нужно было перешагнуть, последний барьер — порог оккультизма, ведущий к сатанинскому культу. Начало этой фазы было положено еще группой "Битлз", когда в 1968 году они выпустили свой "Дьявольский  белый альбом". Впервые в истории индустрии грамзаписи появились подсознательные сообщения для передачи "Евангелия от сатаны".                           

Подсознательное сообщение — такая информация, которая воспринимается личностью за порогом ее сознания, то есть подсознанием. Такие сообщения никак не могут быть выявлены с использованием возможностей сознания, ибо установлено, что только седьмая часть информации воспринимается сознанием, а шесть седьмых  частей воспринимается подсознанием. Подсознательные сообщения минуют слух, зрение, внешние чувства и проникают в самую глубину подсознательного. В том случае, когда мозг в течение продолжительного времени подвергается воздействию направленного на подсознание звукового сигнала, в нем происходит биохимическая реакция, аналогичная той, которую вызывает укол морфия. А когда человек находится в наркотическом трансе, подсознательные сообщения (тем более, если они еще прошли черномагические ритуалы) превращаются в программы, обязательные для исполнения. Происходит тотальное коллективное оболванивание.

Истинные авторы подсознательных сообщений знают, что делают и какую цель преследуют, а именно: произвести глубокую антиморальную, антихристианскую, оккультно-сатанинскую, сексуальнонаркотическую революцию, способную смести все преграды на пути освобождения преисподней и ее князя. И главная опасность в том, что беззащитная аудитория совершенно не подозревает, что испытывает это глубочайшее вторжение в святая святых своего существа — в область сознания, подсознания и сверхсознания. Уловленные в области подсознательного сообщения расшифровываются, реконструируются, чтобы быть переданными через память сознательному "я", пройдя через барьеры и пороги, связанные с накопленным нравственным опытом, минуя индивидуальные и коллективные архетипы. Подсознательные сообщения в рок-н-ролле несут следующие установки: 1) всевозможные виды блудных извращений; призывы к бунту против установленного порядка; 3) побуждение к самоубийству; 4) подстрекательство к насилию и убийству; 5) посвящение злу и сатане.

Для более тонкой и менее заметной передачи подсознательных сообщений фразы вставляют наоборот, т.е. таким образом, что они становятся слышимыми, когда запись проигрывается в обратную сторону. Проводимые в настоящее время исследования позволяют выдвинуть гипотезу, состоящую из двух положений: подсознание может  уловить фразу, записанную наоборот, и расшифровать сообщение, выраженное на неизвестном аудитории языке.

 Итак, открылся широкий путь диавольского совращения. Это произошло благодаря появлению техники подсознательного сообщения, а также посвящению самих рок-певцов сатане и финансовой поддержке мощных черно-окультных лож, в частности, Илюминатов, Всемирного агентства колдунов ICCA, Уэльского общества  ведьм. Но это еще не предел! Развитие рок-эпидемии входит в четвертую фазу — в 80-х годах появляется панк-рок (в Англии словом "панк" изначально называли проститутку обоих полов).

Философия и цель панк-рока заключены в том, чтобы непосредственно привести слушателей к самоубийству, коллективному насилию и систематическим преступлениям. Высшим "достижением" панка в сфере человеческом и музыкальном является возможность нанести кровавую рану партнеру лезвием бритвы, вшитой в джинсы или и рубашку, и избиение его, уже раненого, браслетом, покрытым шипами и гвоздями.

Что касается информации, рассчитанной на восприятие подсознанием, то ее содержание, кроме пропаганды насилия, с одной стороны, наполнено богохульством, а с другой - прославлением адских сил. Так, группа "Лед Зеппелин" в песне "Лестница в небо" поет: "Еще есть время сменить тот путь, по которому вы идете". Этот фрагмент, проигранный в обратном направлении, состоит из такой фразы: "Мой милый сатана, никто другой не проложил путь..." В песне Гимн" группы "Раш" есть следующее сообщение:' "О, сатана, именно ты сияешь... стоны сатаны..стоны жертвы... Я знаю, что ты — тот, которого я люблю". А вот отрывок из песни: "Бог грома" группы "Кисс": "Я был воспитан демоном. Подготовлен к тому, чтобы править, как и он. Я — господин пустыни, современный железный человек. Я собираю темноту, чтобы доставить себе удовольствие. И я приказываю тебе встать на колени. Перед богом грома, богом рок-н-ролла". Само слово "Кисс" составлено из начальных букв слов "короли на службе сатаны". На колдовском языке королями называют посланников, принимающих участие в культе сатаны. Эта панк-группа стремится, прежде всего, к восхвалению насилия, садомазохизма (садизм, совмещенный с желанием самому испытать  боль), всей символики зла и ничем несдерживаемых блудных извращений. Эта группа не только использует подсознательные сообщения, но также систематически сочиняет песни, прославляющие сатану и приветствующие наступление его мирового владычества.

Панк-группа жесткого рока "Эй Си/Ди Си" восхваляет колокола ада: "Я грохочущий гром, изливающийся дождь, я прихожу, как ураган, мои молнии сверкают по всему небу! Ты еще молод! Но ты умрешь! Я не буду брать пленников, я не пощажу ничьей жизни, и никто не воспротивится мне! Я обрел свои колокола, и я возьму тебя в ад, я обрету тебя! Сатана обретет тебя! Адские колокола! Да! Адские  колокола!"("Адские колокола") Группа, главным образом, сосредоточивается на прославлении сатаны и ада и призывает к посвящению себя сатане для того, чтобы обрести счастье в аду в течение вечности. Эта группа наиболее разрушительная, извращенная и сатанинская. Сам знак "Эй Си/Ди Си" обозначает "Антихрист". Ей принадлежат и песни "Столбовая дорога в ад", "Стреляй, чтобы убивать".

В песне панк-группы "Мертвый Кеннеди", озаглавленной "Я убиваю детей", сообщается: "Бог сказал, чтобы я скальпировал тебя живым. Я убиваю детей. Я люблю видеть их умирающими. Я убиваю детей. Я заставляю рыдать их матерей. Давлю их автомобилем. Я хочу услышать их крик, кормлю их отравленным леденцом".

И не случайно, что сами же рок-артисты, околдованные подсознательными черномагическими сообщениями-заклинаниями, устраивают вакханалии и дебош на сцене. Элис Купер швырял в зал змей, Джон Леннон разбивал на сцене гитары и т.д. Элис Купер также часто в копдовских гритуальных целяха симулировал смертную казнь через повешение, играл котлом, наполненным кровью животного, кишками и потрохами, бросал их в аудиторию без предупреждения.  Панкгруппы считали особым шиком справить на сцене нужду. Року нужен экзальтированный зал, мини-психическая эпидемия. Беснование рокгрупп передавалось аудитории. В результате, в 1965 году на концерте "Битлз", а США убито и задавлено насмерть 100 человек, а в 1981 году на концерте "Зе Ху" в США убито 11 и ранено 42 человека. В Мельбурне на фестивале рока серьезные ранения получили более 1000 человек. И таких примеров можно было бы привести великое множество.

Нужны ли нам еще доказательства адского стимулирования эпидемии? Пожалуйста! Имеются сотни доказательств, что "великие" сверхзвезды и простые бесенята рок-эпидемии свободно и добровольно посвятили себя сатане.   Вот свидетельство Элиса   Купера (истинное имя Винсент Фунньер): "Несколько лет тому назад я посетил сеанс спиритизма, на котором Норман Бакли умолял "дух" откликнуться. В конце концов дух появился и. заговорил со мной. Он обещал мне и моей музыкальной группе славу, власть над миром в рок-музыке и неслыханное богатство. Единственное, что потребовал от меня — это отдать ему мое тело.  В обмен на обладание  моим телом я стал известен во всем мире.  Для того, чтобы достичь этого, я принял то имя, которым он представился во время сеанса". Так Винсент Фунньер получил псевдоним Элис Купер — имя ведьмы, умершей веком раньше. Он специализировался на расхваливании всех форм  извращений. Известен его альбом «Элис Купер идет в ад».

Мик Джаггер из группы "Роллинг Стоунз" рассматривал себя как "воплощение Люцифера". Три его песни – «Симпатия к диаволу», «Их сатанинским величествам», «Заклинания моего брата-демона» - это явным образом подтверждают.

Оззи Озборн из группы "Блэк Саббат" признается, что он всегда сочинял музыку, находясь в состоянии медиумического транса. Эта группа изучала все разветвление оккультизма и сатанизма, начиная с «черной мессы» и кончая человеческими жертвоприношениями. В их альбомах представлены многочисленные оккультные и сатанинские символы, например, число 666, относящееся к Антихристу.        

И не случайны открыто наглые, вызывающие высказывания "звезд", и "звездочек", и последователей рок-эпидемии. Грэм Нэш утверждает: "Поп-музыка является тем средством общения, которое обусловливает личную мысль того, кто ее слушает. Мне также представляется, что через эту музыку музыканты обретают фантастическое превосходство. Мы можем дирижировать миром. Мы имеем в своем распоряжении необходимую силу". Тот же Мик Джаггер, называющий себя Люцифером рока, заявляет: "Наши усилия всегда направлены к тому, чтобы управлять мыслью и волей людей; большая часть других групп» занимается тем же".

И все становится на свои места: во все времена колдовство практиковалось под звуки бита, идентичного как в культах черного оккультизма и мистики, так и в рок-музыке. Примечательно и то, что все значительные производители рок-индустрии—Давид Кросби, Нил Янг, Грэм Нэш и другие — являются членами сатанинской церкви, а большинство рок-групп—той или иной люциферовой религии. И всегда, когда они выпускают пластинку или сочиняют новую песню, они просят первожрецов и первожриц сатанинского храма околдовать эти произведения, с тем, чтобы они обрели успех. После ритуалов посвящения, когда на пластинки накликана порча, огромному количеству демонов вменяется в обязанность влиять на слушателей этих записей. В связи с этим обстоятельством всякий раз, когда человек покупает или приносит к себе в дом альбом таким образом околдованных пластинок, он навлекает на себя и колдовство демонов, связанных с этим произведением. Не является удивительным, что слушателями ощущается демоническое влияние: раздражительность, стремление к бунту непристойная речь, богохульные высказывания, склонность к самобийству. Нет ни одного колдуна или рок-музыканта, который мог бы раскаяться и освободиться от демонов, ранее не уничтожив все имеющиеся у него пластинки с записями рока.      

Поскольку тайны пола непосредственно, уходят в святая святых человека, в духовные измерения, эта сфера издавна эффективно использовалась сатанистами и колдунами в своих черномагических целях. И не случайно в 1973 году в Нью-Йорке возникает феномен диско, т.е. появляются организации, занимающиеся прокатом пластинок (затем распространилось название "дискотека"); Такая организация первоначально возникла в среде американских гомосексуалистов. В то время никто не мог посещать зал диско без того, чтобы не быть постоянным членом клуба пользователей, 1977 год в этой сфере стал настоящим ураганом как в США, так и во всем мире. Число подобных заведений воз росло от сотни до 18 тысяч.      

Пропитывающая  мир диско-философия утилитаризма, вещизма, потребительства, развращенности все больше пропитывает общество. Феномен диско ставит перед собой очень конкретную цель: дать возможность испытать в чистом виде "низменные эмоции" в атмосфере всеобщей терпимости и музыкального рок-шабаша. Каждый может без ложного стыда заявлять о своей двойственной сексуальности и практиковать ее без малейшего комплекса вины.

С каждым годом рок-сатанизм набирает все большую силу. Пакеты пластинок становятся все более и более недвусмысленными в использовании черно-оккультных, эротических и сатанинских рекомендаций и символов. На них можно уже увидеть перевернутые треугольники, пирамиды, пентаграммы, гексаграммы, магические круги и все многообразие колдовских символов. Не останавливаются и перед изображением откровенно сатанинских символов, таких как число 666 или его перевертыш — 999, сцен человеческих жертвоприношений, черных месс и адских представлений.

В заключение нужно сказать, что все мы стали свидетелями беспрецедентной глобальной атаки сатанизма. И атака пришлась, прежде всего, на нашу молодежь. Поэтому нечего удивляться, что ее как будто подменили, что она как бы очумела, сорвалась с цепи. Выдержать эту тщательно разработанную сатанинскими холодным умом атаку (именно сатанинским, а не человеческим) мало кто сможет. Атака направлена на физическое, душевное и духовное существо человека. Выстоять человеку одному, без покровительства Сил Небесных, трудно, да и не реально. Но есть упование в словах Господа нашего Иисуса Христа: "Человекам это невозможно, Богу же все возможно" (Мф. 19, 26). Только с помощью Божией в Церкви, молитве, покаянии и можно отразить эту адскую атаку.

 

Comprehension check, writing and speaking Complete the table on the article,   talk about rock music and its influence on the modern youth

 

of the style        rock development

1.                     Who are fans?

2.                     Have you ever heard about the phenomenon of fanatism in the past? Can it be connected only with music?

3.                     Have you ever been a fan yourself? How did you feel about this?

3. Comment on one of The Old Testaments commandments: You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under

the earth (The Ten Commandments: DEUTERONOMY 4:44) 

 

Text 15

Дарья Аптекарева

ФАНАТКИ БЕЗ ОГЛЯДКИ Reading

Skim the text which is an extract from “Argumenti I facti”, one of the most popular Russian weeklies. Find out:

1. What  the difference is between the words “fans” and “fanatics”

1.     What kind of teen-agers become fanatics

2.     What way of life fanatics  live

3.     What risks  fanatics themselves run Are they dangerous for the performers and the society? Why?

4.     What responsibility musicians should take upon themselves not to provoke inadequate behavior from fanatics

5.     What the recommendations of a psychologist to parents are.

 

ЛЮБОВЬ К КУМИРУ ТОЛКАЕТ ПОДРОСТКОВ 

НА САМОУБИЙСТВА.  КАК ИЗБЕЖАТЬ ЭТОГО?

Комната 14-летней Лены выглядит как типичное обиталище  фаната: все стены увешаны плакатами, рядом с особенно любимыми фотографиями стоят свечи, над кроватью – импровизированный "иконостас", на котором лежит вырванная с тканью пуговица от I концертного костюма кумира.

Девочка с плеером

 "СНАЧАЛА я радовалась, что  моя девочка увлеклась музыкой, - рассказывает мама Лены. - Думала,  пусть лучше слушает дома свои кассеты, чем шатается по улицам. Как- то раз дочь закатила истерику, вычитав в каком-то журнале, что ее| любимый певец женится. Плакала  до икоты, кричала... А потом зажгла  свечки рядом с его фотографиями,  легла ничком на кровать и не выходила из комнаты все выходные. Я ей  прямо сказала: "Либо ты прекращаешь беситься и выкидываешь свое  барахло - плакаты, кассеты, либо я с тобой перестану разговаривать". Лена выбрала второе. За закрытыми  дверями ее детской кипели недетские страсти.

"Я купила книжку по магии и решила приворожить его, но он  так и не ответил ни на одно из моих писем. Чем больше я  слушала его голос в плеере,  тем     больнее мне было. Обычно я брала булавку  и до крови царапала на запястье его  имя, чтобы хоть так перестать думать о нем. Весной на одном из его  концертов мне сломали руку - прижало толпой к железному ограждению. Но я все равно достояла до конца выступления, мне даже приятно было страдать из-за него..."

В сентябре, когда Лена вернулась с дачи и пошла в школу, должен был  состояться еще один концерт. Нина  Васильевна отказалась дать дочери денег на билет. "В тот день я пришла в школу в балахоне с его фотографией, - вспоминает Лена. - Ребята в классе начали издеваться надо мной, говорить, что только лохушки слушают попсу. А на уроке физкультуры, пока я бегала кросс, кто-то прожег сигаретой мой балахон, который лежал в раздевалке". Получив вечером отказ от матери, Лена молча удалилась в свою комнату. С утра девочка вела себя на удивление тихо - позавтракала и отправилась в школу. "Я стояла за углом и ждала, когда мама уйдет на работу. Проводив ее до автобуса, вернулась домой и наглоталась таблеток", - рассказывает девочка. От гибели  Лену спасло  только то, что Нина Васильевна, забывшая в прихожей счета за телефон, решила за ними вернуться:"Я увидела в коридоре ботинки дочери и поняла, что она дома. Сама Лена лежала голой на полу в своей комнате, вокруг горели свечи и были разбросаны пустые упаковки из-под таблеток".

Эпидемия суицида

"Я И ПРЕДСТАВИТЬ не могла, что у Лены все так серьезно..." – не устает повторять Нина Васильевна. Тем временем самоубийства фанатов - давно известное явление. В 1994 г. смерть лидера группы "Нирвана" спровоцировала целую эпидемию суицида (многие фэны группы до сих пор считают своим долгом засунуть в рот дуло пистолета, достигнув 27 лет - возраста, когда застрелился Курт Кобейн). В течение месяца после гибели Виктора Цоя общее количество самоубийств увеличилось на 30%, в основном за счет подростков. На почве любви к погибшему солисту «Иванушек Интернэшнл" Игорю Сорину девушки в возрасте 12-15 лет выпрыгивали из окон. Что говорить, если даже поклонники Сергея Есенина не раз стрелялись на его могиле. Фанатизм - явление вечное. На смену одному кумиру приходит другой, и, к сожалению, у подростка всегда найдется, ради кого вскрыть себе вены. Другой вопрос - как удержать ребенка от этого шага?

 Комментарий психолога

Тревогу нужно бить, когда подросток самоизолируется от мира, живет от концерта до концерта и не интересуется ничем, кроме любимого музыканта. Помимо этого он обесценивает все, что имеет: пытается вести себя, говорить и одеваться, как его кумир, даже ее ли ему это не идет. Фанатизм - наркотик. Он полностью забирает жизнь человека, поглощает все его прошлые интересы. Психологи сходятся во мнении, что в фанатизме подростков виноваты не общество и школа, а семья и сами звезды.

Кто виноват?

 Ребенок социально беспомощных родителей - потенциальный фанат, - рассказывает психолог Александра СУЧКОВА. Подросток не испытывает радости  от жизни по вине взрослых – они и сами не умеют радоваться, поэтому и его не научили. Дети "тревожных семей", где родители чрезмерно озабочены и угнетены, мечтают  о ярком и успешном примере для подражания. Лицо из телеэкрана, становится для них идеальным образом.

Как бы ни пытались музыканты снять с себя ответственность за фанатские безумства, они сами программируют подростков на неадекватное поведение.

 Любая песня, исполненная со, сцены, - это не просто набор слов и  рифм, а некое сообщение, посылаемое аудитории, - объясняет психолог.  Таким образом, некоторые артисты провоцируют фанатов. Многое зависит и от репертуара: спокойные лирические композиции заставляют ребенка сопереживать,  вспоминать, думать, обращаясь  внутрь себя, а не вовне. Агрессивные песни, содержащие призыв к  действию, наоборот, толкают ребенка на экстремальные поступки. Чем более неадекватно артист ведет себя на сцене, тем безумнее у него фанаты.

     Желание музыкантов быть ближе к народу, заигрывания с поклонниками также крайне опасны. Контактируя с особо настойчивыми фанатами, артист дает им надежду, поддерживает иллюзию своей доступности. В то же время остальные поклонники убеждаются,  что общения со звездой можно добиться только неадекватным поведением.

Что делать?

Даже если вы не разделяете увлечений своего ребенка, нужно непременно говорить с ним об этом. Тактично и аргументировано выскажите свою точку зрения и выслушайте ребенка. Такими разговорами вы добьетесь трех важных вещей: во-первых, поймете, чего именно ему не хватает в реальной жизни, во-вторых, дадите своими словами повод для сомнений в идеале, а в-третьих, убедите подростка, что он не одинок. Большинство фанатов решают покончить с собой именно в тот момент, когда они осознают степень своего одиночества.

Не смейтесь над чувствами дочери, влюбленной в музыканта. Уважайте ее хотя бы за то упорство, с каким она добивается его автографа. Огромное значение имеют отношения девочки с отцом: похвала папы, адресованная красивому платью или прическе, поможет ей почувствовать собственную привлекательность. У "папиных дочек" изначально формируется иммунитет к фанатизму хотя бы потому,  что они знают себе цену и не боятся быть не любимыми. Ведь страсть к недосягаемому объекту, по сути, самая безопасная: не получая ответа, ты не можешь быть отвергнут.

Не нужно отказывать ребенку в покупке билетов на концерт или плакатов - лучше заключите с ним  договор: если он хорошо учится и  регулярно посещает спортивную секцию, вы даете ему возможность ходить на выступления и покупаете журналы. Этой сделкой вы добьетесь того, что деликатно расширите круг его интересов. Читая книги и занимаясь спортом, подросток гарантированно не будет тратить по шесть часов в день на любование плакатом своего кумира.

 

Comprehension check, writing and speaking

 

Complete the table on the article,   talk about the phenomenon of fanatism and the ways of overcoming it.

Characteristics of  fanatics’ behavior

Ill-effects and risks of fanatics’ behavior

Ways of prevention and overcoming this mania

 

 

 

 

Unit 8 MUSIC AT THE ENGLISH LESSON

 

When you skim a text (read it quickly for general meaning) you don’t have to understand every word or sentence. You should try to  understand important ideas

 

Pre-reading task

1.                     Do your English teachers ever use music in the classroom? If they do, do you like it? Why?

2.                     Is it necessary for an English teacher to be himself musical?

3.                     What is your idea of using a song at the lesson?

 

Reading

Skim the text which is a research on the use of a song by an English language teacher. Find out:

1.                If the efficacy of using songs and music for teaching purposes is now widely recognized by EL teachers

2.                If there are both advantages and disadvantages of using songs and music for teaching purposes.  What are they?

3.                What two ways to use songs could be distinguished

4.                How a song should be dealt with at the lesson if a song is considered to be a "variation" of a text accompanied by music

 

 

 

Text 16

By A.Kuzmenkov, J. Kuzmenkova

WHAT’S  THERE in a SONG for an ENGLISH  LANGUAGE TEACHER?

 

I want to give a brief overview of the current state of the art of using music in the classroom. I also want to encourage those EL teachers who are hesitant to integrate songs into the syllabus to find a niche that suits their particular needs best. Usually "newcomers" in the field make inquiries about quite a number of things, the range of interest often centering round the following: Why songs? What songs? How to deal with songs? To exploit songs efficiently it is necessary first to answer why, what and how.

So, why songs? The efficacy of using songs and music for teaching purposes is now widely recognised by EL teachers. The reasons have been repeatedly discussed both by methodologists and practising teachers all over the world. It is interesting to analyse here some of the results of a survey by a British magazine "English Teaching Professional" where different pro’ s and contra’s could be summed up as follows.

 Advantages                              Disadvantages songs are too demanding

Let's consider these benefits and drawbacks of using songs for ELT purposes in greater detail,

1.       The majority of teachers are inclined to consider songs highly motivating and it is possible to state that even a couple decades ago here in Russia songs proved to be a powerful stimulus for language learners. In those times, due to the scarcity of authentic teaching materials, many of those who were guided in their studies by a desire to get to know what their favourite pop or rock singers actually sang about, made better progress at the lessons. Moreover, quite a number of songs are personal, in a sense that they refer to "eternal" topics, like "love", that are close to people irrespective of their age or location, often making them identify with the lyrics.

Of course, some twenty years ago there were few enthusiasts who would risk to introduce, say, folk songs or The Beatles (then available) in the classroom - not only for the lack of artistic talent or appropriate equipment. Teachers often used to think that songs were too demanding and they did not feel quite confident to create their own materials to incorporate songs in the programme. Besides, among those teachers who can't sing there seems to persist an opinion that songs "are not for them" - thus automatically exchiding their students. It is necessary to emphasise that this activity doesn't require perfect singing, and the objection "you're asking too much" usually masks unwillingness to make an effort to view the process differently. In fact, there are lots of ways of presenting songs when the teacher doesn't sing at all, enjoying the "habitual role" of a tutor while supervising students singing with a cassette. Still, other teachers sometimes argue that the very process of finding the necessary songs is too time consuming. In this case you might turn to your "students who will be only too happy to fetch a recorder or find the appropriate materials to suit your purposes. Now that there is access to quite a variety of song collections for everybody, and with the_advent of modern technology, the right equipment and songs are easily found.

2.       Sometimes we hear teachers complain that songs are too noisy. The opinion is probably voiced by those who rarely employ chorus work or work in pairs - known to raise a certain level of noise which is indispensable for those activities. But at the same time - even if it be at the expense of "quietness" - the teacher's efforts at making students remember particular language items are rewarded by far better results. Songs are said to easily lodge in our short-and long-term memory, and we are all familiar with "the song stuck in my head" phenomenon. Moreover, mere repetitiveness - either within a song or of the song itself - doesn't seem artificial; songs, part and parcel of our life, accompany us almost everywhere in our daily routine, so it is but natural to bring them in the classroom.

3.       It cannot be denied that songs often contain poor quality language, including incomprehensible  accents, bad and unusual grammar and slang. But, after all, there is always the option of a proper choice which, apart from the "language correctness", offers a great variety of topics to be selected to suit the demands of practically any audience. Some songs supply examples of everyday language, ranging from conversational to more complex, involving complicated philosophic reasoning. And the choice here cannot be separated from the underlying topic, so that you can extend teaching beyond the boundaries of the language proper to sustain culture, beliefs, patriotic feelings. Songs also prove to be an invaluable source of teaching material bringing up "taboo" topics which for this or that reason seldom  appear in print and are to be dealt with delicately. 

4.       Thus approached, songs could hardly be considered as "not serious", and it is probably due to a sort of inertia that teachers, sometimes discouraged by their school/college authorities, cannot do away with this stereotypical attitude. It is the proper attitude towards this classroom activity (based upon the approach mentioned above) that could transform seemingly wasted time into a useful teaching procedure. It is true, songs make you loosen the  disciplinary "strings"; but at the same time they are powerful tension-relievers and barrier-breakers. The  unforgettable feeling of wellbeing associated with the possibility of having a good time at an English lesson is a worthy compensation and - implemented regularly - promises to form a new stereotype. It is also true that songs make you step aside from course book-oriented or teacher-centred routine; but it is also obvious that they add another dimension to the lesson, introducing the elements of fun, novelty and variety so longed for and so vital for effective language learning. There remains only one thing  not to be neglected, namely that songs should be  dealt with in moderation, so as not to lose the delicate balance between seriousness and fun.

Now, what songs? With respect to the teaching goals pursued, two ways to use songs could be distinguished: poly- and mono-functional. The  former involves using a particular song for a complex of different purposes (see below), while the latter presupposes focusing (preferably) on one thing at a time - both employ quite a variety of tasks for practising skills. If in the first case" it is possible to choose from a great variety of songs, the regulating factor being the topic (especially essential for promoting further discussion), the second category calls for a more differentiated approach, the criterion here being the song's correlation with a certain language aspect. Sometimes the task entails creating songs specifically for a particular purpose, e.g. a frequently-used language structure, or tense form, the existing “grammar songs" and chants, serving as possible examples.  In this case songs are more efficient if used for reinforcement and revision of a certain grammar rule (and not as a means of its introduction) –thus enabling the audience to concentrate on a few near words before listening.

How to deal with songs? If we could view a song as a "variation" of a text accompanied by music, then we could consider it as just another source of language material for presenting or illustrating the language aspects (pronunciation and vocabulary, grammar and syntax) and developing or consolidating the basic skills. Thus, songs depending on the lyrics, sometimes not even versed) could be dealt with as any other text  materially intended for listening/reading comprehension but also involving activities to promote speaking and writing.

Commonly, there are three stages of those activities – pre-study, during study and-study.

 Pre-listening is a preparatory stage aiming at establishing students' motivation, promoting interest, and at the same time eliminating possible difficulties, thus facilitating the ensuing listening comprehension. One of the main tasks here is to pre-teach the necessary vocabulary to help students understand the song. New vocabulary could be dealt with in two ways - depending on the time available and on the general purpose of a lesson. If the work is planned as a five-minute activity, then you might simply introduce the unfamiliar words and - when necessary - translate them. If time permits, the introduction of new words or fragments of the text might serve as a springboard to initiate discussions to develop ideas about the topic. For further enlarging students' vocabulary you could also pick out a word and ask them to build a lexical row or draw their attention to word formation, pointing at the interesting word combinations to be remembered, etc. Still a number of other new words might merely be translated.

While-listening activities focus on providing adequate understanding of the song and might include listening for gist and listening for detail. Dealing with the song proper, students are engaged in performing tasks (often parallel, like "listen and find") connected with the detailed exploitation of the song. Listening to answer comprehension questions of different types, or to take dictation, as well as gap-filling exercises are quite common. Here visual aids or their absence might be a regulating factor for different levels of students' preparation; thus at lower levels you might use pictures, while   at higher levels students might reconstruct the text using    a list containing more words than they need.

The final stage of follow-up activities commonly; involves practising the productive skills of speaking and writing. For further consolidation and revision a number of tasks for creative written or oral activities  is usually employed to stimulate students to work individually and then to communicate the results for a class discussion. Songs could also be a useful means for chorus drilling and an interesting test of comprehension (the latter might be a team activity, each team scoring points for every correct answer). Repetition of verses with familiar language structures while singing helps to make those structures sound more natural and students are said to find it a more real activity. Listening to music in the classroom and the ensuing chorus singing is a valuable aid for removing mental barriers against language learning some students might have - it assists in overcoming shyness and boredom, and in establishing the atmosphere of interest and cooperation.

 And, finally, to establish a sort of feedback, you might use the "test" below, compiled by our overseas colleagues, to see how well the particular song "worked". (Of course, you might introduce all kinds of corrections to suit the needs of a certain audience.)

How would you describe this song? Circle the number of your choice

(ranging from l=not at all to 5=very much)

 

 

 

simple

1

2

3

4

5

repetitive

1

2

3

4

5

Stage

Aspect

Skill

Types of Exercises

pre-

lexis

speaking

1. brainstorm

                    the vocabulary that might be associated with the topic

                    ideas about the topic

 

pre-

lexis

speaking

2. predict

                    the content of the song by its title/the pictures related to the topic

                    what might happen next

                    possible vocabulary items that may ap-pear in the text

 

while post-

lexis

listening speaking

3. discuss

                    what was predicted earlier •  the choice of photo-

graphs/(describe)pictures related to the topic

                    an overall title for the song

 

pre-while

lexis,

grammar

reading listening

4. reconstruct the gapped text by

                    choosing the correct word from the list •  filling in the blanks

                    identifying the missing words replaced with relevant drawings

 

while post-

lexis,

phonetics grammar syntax

reading listening

5. identify

                    the meaning of words/expressions as used in the text

                    stress, rhythm and intonation patterns

 

 

 

•  deliberate mistakes

 

while post-

lexis

grammar syntax

 

6. order

                    photographs/cartoon pictures

                    the words/letters of the title of the text •   jumbled sentences (lines cut from the text)

 

while

lexis

grammar

listening speaking

7. extract the information to

                    spot certain language structures used in the song

                    give a summary

                    give a title for each verse

                    answer multiple choice/comprehension questions, etc.

 

post-

lexis

grammar

writing speaking

8.create

                    a gap-fill task for others by deleting words

                    multiple choice/comprehension ques-tions for others

                    charts or diagrams about the text

                    posters relating to the topic or promot-ing the song

 

post-

lexis

grammar

pronunciation

speaking

9. perform/roleplay

                    the song

                    the recording of your singing the song

                    the interview with one of the characters

                    a dialogue between the characters •  (parts of) the situation as described in the text

post-

lexis

writing

10. make up

                    a speech/an essay relating to the topic •  the version of the text from another character's point of view

                    a letter to or from one of the characters

                    a reply to the author/singer

                    lyrics to the tune of the song

Comprehension check, writing and speaking

 

Read the article again and complete the table, then speak on how to use a song at the English lesson

 

A. Do a library or an Internet research about the song “We shall overcome” and one of its first performers Pete Seeger. Record the song for your groupmates. You can view the song both as a "variation" of a text accompanied by music and a song for singing at the lesson. Firstly, make up pre-listening, while listening and post-listening tasks. Be ready to give a micro lesson to your groupmates. Secondly, just sing it, following the singing tips below. Here is the song itself.

 

WE SHALL OVERCOME

With quiet determination

Words and music arranged by Guy Carawan, Frank Hamilton, Zilphia

Horton and Pete Seeger

 

We shall overcome, we shall overcome,  We shall overcome someday.  Oh, deep in my heart I do believe  That we shall overcome someday.

 

We shall live in peace, we shall live in peace, We shall live in peace someday.  Oh, deep in my heart I do believe  That we shall overcome someday.

 

We'll walk hand in hand, we'll walk hand in hand, 

We'll walk hand in hand someday.  Oh, deep in my heart I do believe  That we shall overcome someday.

Singing Tip: Singers may sit or stand in a circle with the right arm crossed over the left and each singer holding the hand of the partners on the left and on the right. Bodies sway gently to the slow, rocking beat of the song. Start singing the first verse softly "with quiet determination" and gradually increase the singing volume until in the final verse you are singing with intense determination.

 

B. Read the text below about the history of the song “Mary had a little lamb” and the lyrics after the text.  Prepare another micro lesson on this song in accordance with the recommendations, given above. Also sing it. 

 

 

Text 17

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Sarah Josepha Hale was a remarkable woman. For forty years, she was one of die most successful magazine editors this country has ever known. She ate grapes every day of her life (for health, she claimed). She nagged Presidents Fillmore, Pierce, and Buchanan and finally convinced Abraham Lincoln to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. She wrote, in her long, long lifetime, coundess articles, books, and poems, including one that began "Mary had a little lamb”.

Written in 1830 for a small volume titled Poems for Our Children, "Mary's Lamb" quickly became something of a fad. It was set to music, printed on silk handkerchiefs, and produced as a print by Currier and Ives. But, in 1837, when the poem became Lesson XLVII in McGuffey's famous "Reader," its fame was assured. Children in schools all over the country began to recite "Mary had a little lamb..."

The poem's exact wording, original spacing, gender, and punctuation from 1830 are used in this edition. In 1878, nearly fifty years after "Mary's Lamb" was first published, a controversy began. A Mrs. Mary Sawyer Tyler claimed that she was the Mary of the poem and that the real author of the first twelve lines was John Roulstone. Mrs. Tyler said that Roulstone, when a young man in 1817, had presented her with the lines when her pet lamb followed her to school in Sterling, Massachusetts. Roulstone had long since died, and Mrs. Tyler could not produce the original poem, so the controversy soon quieted down - and would have ended, except that in 1925, Henry Ford heard about Mary Sawyer Tyler. He tracked down what he thought was the schoolhouse in Sterling and had it moved to Sudbury, Massachusetts, where it became a tourist attraction. The controversy still continues.

Most   of  the   evidence, however,   points   to   Sarah Josepha Hale as the one and true author. As a matter of fact, in 1878, die year before she died, Mrs. Hale directed her son to write the following: "What can have given rise to die impression that some part of this particular poem was written by another person, she does not know. There is no foundation for it, whatever”. 

 

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Lyrics by Sarah Josepha Hale

 

Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb, Mary had a little lamb, Its fleece was white as snow.

 

Everywhere that Mary went, Mary went, Mary went, Everywhere that Mary went, The lamb was sure to go.

 

It followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day, It followed her to school one day That was against the rule.

 

It made the children laugh and play, laugh and play, laugh and play. It made the children laugh and play To see the lamb at school.

 

Why does the lamb love Mary so, Mary so, Mary so? Why does the lamb love Mary so? - The eager children cry.

 

Mary loves the lamb, you know, lamb, you know, lamb, you know. Mary loves the lamb, you know, - The teacher did reply.

 

 

References

 

1.                Аптекарева Дарья. Фанатки без оглядки. Аргументы и факты. – 2005. – №41. – С.29.

2.                A. Kuzmenkov , J. Kuzmenkova. What’s There in a Song for a EL Teacher? /English/22/2002 page 15.

3.                Практический курс английского языкаю 4 курс: учеб. Для студ. Высш. учеб. Заведений /В.Д. Аракин и др. ; под ред. В.Д Аракина. - 5-е изд., перераб. и доп. – М.: Гуманитар. изд.  центр ВЛАДОС, 2004. – С. 137-138.

4.                Светов М.И. Рок-музыка на службе у сатаны // Соратник. – 1996. – №17. – С.3-4.

5.                Шедевры мировой классической музыки. Петр Ильич Чайковский. № № 38-39. Идея серии De Agostini UK Limited, London, England, OOO «Мир книги»

6.                Шедевры мировой классической музыки. Михаил Иванович Глинка. №25. Идея серии De Agostini UK Limited, London, England, OOO «Мир книги».

7.                The Oxford-Duden Pictorial English Dictionary. Special edition. Oxford University Press. Oxford Bibliographisches Institute, Mannheim, Russki Yasyk, Moscow. – 1985. – pp. 322-325.

 

Internet sites

8.                http://www.babkina.ru/pokrovsky/index.html

9.                http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Purcell

10.            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Elgar

11.            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bizet

12.            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen

13.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The Beatles

14.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_genre

15.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_genre

16.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk music

17.http://www.britannica.corn/eb/article-9066573/Pete-Seeger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix 1.  Musical instruments

 

Musical Instruments I

1          lur, a bronze trumpet

2          panpipes (Pandean pipes, syrinx)

3          aulos, a double shawm

4          aulos pipe

5          phorbeia (peristomion, capistrum, mouth band)

6          crumhorn (crummhorn, cromorne, krumbhorn, krummhorn)

7          recorder (fipple flute)

8          bagpipe ;sim.: musette

9          bag

10     chanter (melody pipe)

11     drone (drone pipe)

12     curved cornett (zink)

13     serpent

14     shawm (schalmeyes); larger: bombard (bombarde, pommer)

15     cythara (cithara) ; sim. and smaller: lyre

16     arm

17     bridge

18     sound box (resonating chamber, resonator)

19     plectrum, a plucking device

20     kit (pochette), a miniature violin

21     cittern (cithern, cither, cister, citole), a plucked instrument; sim.:

pandora (bandora, bandore)

22     sound hole

23     viol (descant viol, treble viol), a viola da gamba; larger: tenor viol, bass viol (viola da gamba, gamba), violone (double bass viol)

24     viol bow

25     hurdy-gurdy (vielle a roue, symphonia, armonie, organistrum) 26  friction wheel

27     wheel cover (wheel guard)

28     keyboard (keys)

29     resonating body (resonator, sound box)

30     melody strings

31     drone strings (drones, bourdons)

32     dulcimer

33     rib (resonator wall)

34     beater for the Valasian dulcimer

35     hammer (stick) for the Appenzell dulcimer

36     clavichord; kinds: fretted or unfretted clavichord

37     clavichord mechanism

38     key (key lever)

39     balance rail

40     guiding blade

41     guiding slot

42     resting rail

43     tangent

44     string

45     harpsichord (clavicembalo, cembalo), a wing-shaped stringed keyboard instrument; sim.: spinet (virginal)

46     upper keyboard (upper manual) 47  lower keyboard (lower manual)

48              harpsichord mechanism

49              key (key lever)

50              jack

51              slide (register)

52              tongue

53              quill plectrum

54              damper

55              string

56              portative organ, a portable organ; larger: positive organ (positive)

57              pipe (flue pipe)

58              bellows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musical Instruments II

1-62 orchestral instruments 1-27 stringed instruments, bowed instruments

1          violin

2          neck of the violin

3          resonating body (violin body, sound box of the violin)

4          rib (side wall)

5          violin bridge

6          F-hole, a sound hole

7          tailpiece

8          chin rest

9          strings (violin strings, fiddle strings): G-string, D-string, A-string, Estring

10     mute (sordino)

11     resin (rosin, colophony)

12     violin bow (bow)

13     nut (frog)

14     stick (bow stick)

15     hair of the violin bow (horsehair)

16     violoncello (cello), a member of the da gamba violin family

17     scroll

18     tuning peg (peg)

19     pegbox

20     nut

21     fingerboard

22     spike (tailpin)                      ~*

23     double bass (contrabass, violone, double bass viol, Am. bass)

24     belly (top, soundboard)

25     rib (side wall)

26     purfling (inlay)

27     viola

28-38 woodwind instruments (woodwinds)

28  bassoon; larger: double bassoon (contrabassoon) 29  tube with double reed

30     piccolo (small flute, piccolo flute, flauto piccolo)

31     flute (German flute), a cross flute (transverse flute, side-blown flute)

32     key

33     fingerhole

34     clarinet; larger: bass clarinet

35     key(brille)

36     mouthpiece

37     bell

38     oboe (hautboy); kinds: oboe d'amore; tenor oboes: oboe da caccia, cor anglais; heckelphone (baritone oboe)

39-48 brass instruments (brass)

39     tenor horn

40     valve

41     French horn (horn, waldhorn), a valve horn

42     bell

43     trumpet; larger:Bb cornet; smaller: cornet

44     bass tuba (tuba, bombardon); sim.: helicon (pellitone), contrabass tuba

45     thumb hold

46     trombone; kinds: alto trombone, tenor trombone, bass trombone

47     trombone slide (slide)

48     bell

49-59 percussion instruments

49     triangle

50     cymbals

51-59 membranophones

51     side drum (snare drum)

52     drum head (head, upper head, batter head, vellum)

53     tensioning screw

54     drumstick

55     bass drum (Turkish drum)

56     stick (padded stick)

57     kettledrum (timpano), a screw-tensioned drum; sim.: machine drum

(mechanically tuned drum)

58     kettledrum skin (kettledrum vellum)

59     tuning screw

60     harp, a pedal harp

61     strings

62     pedal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musical Instruments III

1-46 popular musical instruments

(folk instruments) 1-31 stringed instruments

1        lute; larger: theorbo, chitarrone

2        resonating body (resonator)

3        soundboard (belly, table)

4        string fastener (string holder)

5        sound hole (rose)

6        string, a gut (catgut) string

7        neck

8        fingerboard

9        fret

10    head (bent-back pegbox, swan-head pegbox, pegbox)

11    tuning peg (peg, lute pin)

12    guitar

13    string holder

14    string, a gut (catgut) or nylon string

15    resonating body, (resonating chamber; resonator, sound box)

16    mandolin (mandoline)

17    sleeve protector (cuff protector)

18    neck

19    pegdisc

20    plectrum

21    zither (plucked zither)

22    pin block (wrest pin block, wrest plank)

23    tuning pin (wrest pin)

24    melody strings (fretted strings, stopped strings)

25    accompaniment strings (bass strings, unfretted strings, open strings)

26    semicircular projection of the resonating sound box (resonating body)

27    ring plectrum

28    balalaika

29    banjo

30    tambourine-like body

31    parchment membrane

32    ocarina, a globular flute

33    mouthpiece

34    fingerhole

35    mouth organ (harmonica)

36    accordion; sim.: piano accordion, concertina, bandoneon

37    bellows

38    bellows strap

39    melody side (keyboard side, melody keys)

40    keyboard (keys)

41    treble stop (treble coupler, treble register)

42    stop lever

43    bass side (accompaniment side, bass studs, bass press-studs, bass buttons)

44    bass stop (bass coupler, bass register)

45    tambourine

46    castanets

 

47-78 jazz band instruments (dance

band instruments) 47-58 percussion instruments 47-54 drum kit (drum set, drums)

47    bass drum

48    small tom-tom

49    large tom-tom

50    high-hat cymbals (choke cymbals, Charleston cymbals, cup cymbals)

51    cymbal

52    cymbal stand (cymbal holder)

53    wire brush

54    pedal mechanism

55    conga drum (conga)

56    tension hoop

57    timbales

58    bongo drums (bongos)

59    maracas; sim.; shakers

60    guiro

61    xylophone;form.: straw fiddle; sim.: marimbaphone (steel marimba), tubaphone

62    wooden slab

63    resonating chamber (sound box)

64    beater

65    jazz trumpet

66    valve

67    finger hook

68    mute (sordino)

69    saxophone

70    bell

71    crook

72    mouthpiece

73    struck guitar (jazz guitar)

74    hollow to facilitate fingering

75    vibraphone (Am. vibraharp)

76    metal frame

77    metal bar

78    tubular metal resonator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musical Instruments IV

1        piano (pianoforte, upright piano, upright, vertical piano, spinet piano, console piano), a keyboard instrument (keyed instrument); smaller forms: cottage piano (pianino);

earlier form .pantaleon, celesta, with steel bars instead of strings

2-18 piano action (piano mechanism)

2        iron frame

3        hammer; collectively: striking mechanism

4-5 keyboard (piano keys)

4        white key (ivory key)

5        black key (ebony key)

6        piano case

7        strings (piano strings) 8-9 piano pedals

8        right pedal (sustaining pedal, damper pedal; loosely: forte pedal, loud pedal) for raising the dampers

9        left pedal (soft pedal; loosely: piano pedal) for reducing the striking distance of the hammers on the strings

10    treble strings

11    treble bridge (treble belly bridge)

12    bass strings

13    bass bridge (bass belly bridge)

14    hitch pin

15    hammer rail

16    brace

17    tuning pin (wrest pin, tuning Peg)

18    pin block (wrest pin block, wrest plank)

19    metronome

20    tuning hammer (tuning key, wrest)

21    tuning wedge

22-39 key action (key mechanism)

22    beam

23    damper-lifting lever

24    felt-covered hammer head

25    hammer shank

26    hammer rail

27    check (back check)

28    check felt (back check felt)

29    wire stem of the check (wire stem of the back check)

30    sticker (hopper, hammer jack, hammer lever)

31    button

32    action lever

33    pilot

34    pilot wire

35    tape wire

36    tape

37    damper (damper block)

38    damper lifter

39    damper rest rail

40    grand piano (horizontal piano, grand, concert grand); smaller: baby grand piano, boudoir piano; sim.: square piano, table piano

41    grand piano pedals; right pedal for raising the dampers; left pedal for softening the tone (shifting the keyboard so that only one string is struck 'una corda')

42    pedal bracket

43    harmonium (reed organ, melodium)

44    draw stop (stop, stop knob)

45    knee lever (knee swell, swell)

46    pedal (bellows pedal)

47    harmonium case

48    harmonium keyboard (manual)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musical instruments Y

1-52 organ (church organ) 1-5 front view of organ (organ

case) [built according to classical principles] 1-3 display pipes (face pipes)

1        Hauptwerk

2        Oberwerk

3        pedal pipes

4        pedal tower

5        Riickpositiv

6-16 tracker action (mechanical action); other systems: pneumatic action, electric action

6        draw stop (stop, stop knob)

7        slider (slide)

8        key (key lever)

9        sticker

10    pallet

11    wind trunk

12-14 wind chest, a slider wind chest; other types: sliderless wind chest (unit wind chest), spring chest, kegellade chest (cone chest), diaphragm chest

12    wind chest (wind chest box)

13    groove

14    upper board groove

15    upper board

16    pipe of a particular stop 17-35 organ pipes (pipes)

17-22 metal reed pipe (set of pipes: reed stop), a posaune stop

17    boot

18    shallot

19    tongue

20    block

21    tuning wire (tuning crook)

22    tube

23-30 open metal flue pipe, a salicional

23    foot

24    flue pipe windway (flue pipe duct)

25    mouth (cutup)

26    lower lip

27    upper lip

28    languid

29    body of the pipe (pipe)

30    tuning flap (tuning tongue), a tuning device

31-33 open wooden flue pipe (open wood), principal (diapason)

31    cap

32    ear

33    tuning hole (tuning slot), with slide

34    stopped flue pipe

35    stopper

36-52 organ console (console) of an electric action organ

36    music rest (music stand)

37    crescendo roller indicator

38    voltmeter

39    stop tab (rocker)

40    free combination stud (free combination knob) 41  cancel buttons for reeds, couplers etc.

42    manual I, for the Ruckpositiv

43    manual II, for the Hauptwerk

44    manual III, for the Oberwerk

45    manual IV, for the Schwellwerk

46    thumb pistons controlling the manual stops (free or fixed combinations) and buttons for setting the combinations

47    switches for current to blower and action

48    toe piston, for the coupler

49    crescendo roller (general crescendo roller)

50    balanced swell pedal

51    pedal key [natural]

52    pedal key [sharp or flat]

53    cable (transmission cable)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX 2. TAPESCRIPTS

Unit 1. Tapescript 1. Listen to the sounds of these musical instruments and number the pictures in the order you hear them. Answer Key:

1  guitar          4 drums         7 harmonica

2  violin           5 harp            8 electric bass

3  piano          6 banjo            

 

Unit 2. Tapescript 2. Listen to some of the songs of the Russian folk singer, People’s Artist of Russia, Nadezhda Babkina.  What are the names of the songs?

Answer Key:

1.    A little fir-tree is so cold in winter.

2.    The common work association people.

3.    My sweet-heart.

 

Unit 4.  Tapescript 3.  Listen to 2 musical pieces, which of them is written by M.Glinka and which one is by P. Tchaikovsky? What are the names of the pieces?

Answer Key:

1.    M.I. Glinka.  Reminiscences about a summer Spanish night.  Spanish overture No. 2.

2.    P.I. Tchaikovsky. The Nutcracker. The waltz of flowers.

 

Unit 5. Tapescript 4. Listen to the three  versions of the famous Habanera,  which is an area of Carmen.

   

Unit 6. Tapescript 5. Listen to the song “Yesterday”,  performed by John Lennon.

   

Unit 8. Tapescript 6.  Listen to the song Mary had a little lamb” and learn it.

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       

 

 

 

APPENDIX 3. THEMATIC VOCABULARY

                                 

      1. Musical genres (styles): classical music (instrumental, vocal, chamber, symphony), opera, operetta, musical, ballet, blues, ragtime, jazz, pop, rock folk (country) music, electronique music, background music, incidental music.

     2, Musical forms: piece, movement, sonata, area, fantasy, suite, rapsody, concerto, solo, duet, trio, quartet, quintet, sixtet (etc.), chorus.  

3.   Musical rhythms: polka, waltz, march, blues, ragtime, jazz, swing, bassanova, sambo, disco, rock.

4.   Musical instruments: (string group): violin, viola, celo harp; (wind group): flute, oboe, clarinet, basson; (brass group):! pet, French horn, tuba; percussion, piano, accordion, guitar, phone, synthesizer, acoustic, electronique, electric instruments.

5.   Music makers: composer, conductor, musician, soloist, virtuoso, minstreller group, team, band, orchestra.

6.   Music making: to write authentically Russian, Afro-American etc. music, to compose, to arrange, to transcribe, to make music, to perform, to improvise, to interpret, to accompany, to complete. 

7.   Musical equipment: tape-recorder, video cassette-recorder,tunner, amplifier, player, equalizer, deck, (loud) speaker, turn-table.

8.   Musical events: (made up) concert, recital, jam session, festival, competition.

9.   Miscellany: major, flat, baton, bow, drum sticks, under the button, single, album, track, record jacket (sleeve), music sheet, score, spiritual, beat, video-clip, sincopation, harmony.

 

 

МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И НАУКИ

МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И НАУКИ

Елец – 2007 УДК 37

Елец – 2007 УДК 37

Елецкий государственный университет им

Елецкий государственный университет им

Несмотря на то, что студентам предложено несколько русских источников, все задания даются и выполняются только на английском языке

Несмотря на то, что студентам предложено несколько русских источников, все задания даются и выполняются только на английском языке

If the term rhythm and blues often refers to any contemporary black pop music 6

If the term rhythm and blues often refers to any contemporary black pop music 6

Gospel Gospel is a musical genre characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) referencing lyrics of a religious nature, particularly

Gospel Gospel is a musical genre characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) referencing lyrics of a religious nature, particularly

Jazz was a direct influence on

Jazz was a direct influence on

Funk and soul music evolved into contemporary

Funk and soul music evolved into contemporary

The Clash, The Ramones, and the

The Clash, The Ramones, and the

John Cage, Pierre Schaeffer and

John Cage, Pierre Schaeffer and

Jamaican dancehall, that was named utilizing quick tempos with sampled break beats, most notably the amen break and the funky drummer),

Jamaican dancehall, that was named utilizing quick tempos with sampled break beats, most notably the amen break and the funky drummer),

Other major categories of melodic music include music hall and vaudeville, which, along with the ballad, grew out of

Other major categories of melodic music include music hall and vaudeville, which, along with the ballad, grew out of

West Coast Hip-Hop, based out of

West Coast Hip-Hop, based out of

Comprehension check, writing and speaking

Comprehension check, writing and speaking

Simon Reynolds. Another example of this is video game music, which while defined by its media, can also represent its own style, as well as…

Simon Reynolds. Another example of this is video game music, which while defined by its media, can also represent its own style, as well as…

Unit 2 FOLK MUSIC When you skim a text (read it quickly for general meaning) you don’t have to understand every word or sentence

Unit 2 FOLK MUSIC When you skim a text (read it quickly for general meaning) you don’t have to understand every word or sentence

Pre-reading task Work in small groups and discuss the following questions

Pre-reading task Work in small groups and discuss the following questions

Folk music arose, and best survives, in societies not yet affected by mass communication and the commercialization of culture

Folk music arose, and best survives, in societies not yet affected by mass communication and the commercialization of culture

Cecil Sharp (1907), A.L. Lloyd (1972)

Cecil Sharp (1907), A.L. Lloyd (1972)

Gregorian chant, which before its invention was taught as an oral tradition in monastic communities

Gregorian chant, which before its invention was taught as an oral tradition in monastic communities

Regional variation While the loss of folk music in the face of the rise of popular music is a worldwide phenomenon, it is not one…

Regional variation While the loss of folk music in the face of the rise of popular music is a worldwide phenomenon, it is not one…

For example, Jean Ritchie was the youngest child of a large family from

For example, Jean Ritchie was the youngest child of a large family from

The tanchaz movement spread to ethnic

The tanchaz movement spread to ethnic

Vietnam War, and likewise expressed in song their support for the

Vietnam War, and likewise expressed in song their support for the

In Hungary, the group Muzsikas and the singer

In Hungary, the group Muzsikas and the singer

Some, such as Lavin and Wheeler, inject a great deal of humor in their songs and performances, although much of their music is also deeply…

Some, such as Lavin and Wheeler, inject a great deal of humor in their songs and performances, although much of their music is also deeply…

Folk music is still popular among some audiences today, with folk music clubs meeting to share traditional-style songs, and there are major folk music festivals…

Folk music is still popular among some audiences today, with folk music clubs meeting to share traditional-style songs, and there are major folk music festivals…

Rambling Syd Rumpo and Bill Oddie to the deft and subtle artistry of

Rambling Syd Rumpo and Bill Oddie to the deft and subtle artistry of

Очень большой советский артист»

Очень большой советский артист»

Видимо, тут все связано, потому что любое другое движение капитально сбивает дыхание

Видимо, тут все связано, потому что любое другое движение капитально сбивает дыхание

И не только. Все стали петь, как она, - один в один

И не только. Все стали петь, как она, - один в один

Этот Леша Баулин отвязный был парень

Этот Леша Баулин отвязный был парень

Я давай рассказывать, что в наших местах живет очень много русских, украинцев, казахов, калмыков - каких только нет национальностей и сословий!

Я давай рассказывать, что в наших местах живет очень много русских, украинцев, казахов, калмыков - каких только нет национальностей и сословий!

What English world famous writers, painters and composers do you know?

What English world famous writers, painters and composers do you know?

Purcell incorporated Italian and

Purcell incorporated Italian and

Gostling's voice, beginning on the upper

Gostling's voice, beginning on the upper

D'Urfey's play, The Fool's Preferment

D'Urfey's play, The Fool's Preferment

Frances Purcell, all my estate both real and personal of what nature and kind soever

Frances Purcell, all my estate both real and personal of what nature and kind soever

Text 5 Sir Edward Elgar, 1st

Text 5 Sir Edward Elgar, 1st

In many ways, his years as a young

In many ways, his years as a young

Elgar is probably best known for the five

Elgar is probably best known for the five

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra

Discussion England is world famous for its literature, painting, theatre, but not for its great composers

Discussion England is world famous for its literature, painting, theatre, but not for its great composers

What families they came from 2

What families they came from 2

Text 6 ГЛИНКА - ПЕРВЫЙ РУССКИЙ

Text 6 ГЛИНКА - ПЕРВЫЙ РУССКИЙ

После выхода из пансиона Глинка пробует свои силы как сочинитель музыки

После выхода из пансиона Глинка пробует свои силы как сочинитель музыки

Наконец, в 1836 году в Петербурге была поставлена первая опера

Наконец, в 1836 году в Петербурге была поставлена первая опера

Руслан и Людмила» — самая лучшая опера в мире, царь-опера»

Руслан и Людмила» — самая лучшая опера в мире, царь-опера»

ПЕТР ИЛЬИЧ ЧАЙКОВСКИЙ (1840-1893)

ПЕТР ИЛЬИЧ ЧАЙКОВСКИЙ (1840-1893)

В семье Чайковских отношения между детьми были очень теплыми

В семье Чайковских отношения между детьми были очень теплыми
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01.05.2017