Drawing for an excerpt from the fresco of St. Sophia of Kyiv. Presentation, report by V. Kikt “Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv
On one of the piers between the windows of the central dome drum, the upper part of the mosaic figure of the Apostle Paul survived, and above the girth arches supporting the drum of the main dome - an image of Christ in the form of a Priest and a half-lost image of the Mother of God.
Of the four mosaic images in the sails of the dome drum, only one has survived - the Evangelist Mark on the southwestern sail.
In the girth arches of the central dome, 15 of the 30 mosaic images in the medallions of the Sebastian martyrs have been preserved. The lost mosaics were again painted in oil in the 19th century.
The central place in the interior decoration of St. Sophia of Kyiv is occupied by the mosaics of its main apse. Above the koiha there is a mosaic composition “Deesis”, arranged in the form of three medallions with half-figures, and on two pillars of the eastern arch in front of the apse there is a mosaic composition “Annunciation” in the form of full-length figures: the Archangel Gabriel in the north-east and the Virgin Mary in the south-east. eastern pillars. Classical clarity, plasticity, strict proportionality, and soft drawing of figures connect the artistic works of Sophia of Kyiv with the best examples of ancient Greek art.
A significant place in the decoration of the temple is given to mosaic ornaments that decorate the frame of the conch, the side parts of the main apse and its horizontal belts, window openings and the internal verticals of the girth arches. Both floral and purely geometric motifs were used. The conch of the central apse is framed by a colorful floral ornament in the form of circles with palmettes inscribed in them, and above the slate cornice separating the figure of Oranta from the composition of the “Eucharst” there is a very beautiful strip of ornament of a purely geometric nature. Thin white lines on a dark blue background shimmer with a mother-of-pearl effect. Other ornaments are also spectacular, each of which is original and beautiful.
Frescoes decorate the lower part of the walls of the vima and the pillars up to the slate cornice, extending beyond its limits only in the above-mentioned places, three branches of the central cross, all four aisles and choirs. This main core of the fresco decoration dates back to the era of Yaroslav, if not entirely, then at least in its main parts. We tend to consider the 60s of the 11th century to be the upper chronological limit of the latest frescoes from this complex. As for the frescoes of the outer gallery, baptismal chapel and towers, they belong to a different era - to the 12th century. The question of their exact date can only be resolved after a careful analysis of their style.
Among the frescoes of the Hagia Sophia, several images of non-ecclesiastical, secular content have been preserved. For example, two group portraits of the family of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Yaroslav the Wise and several everyday scenes - a bear hunt, performances of buffoons and acrobats.
The frescoes of St. Sophia of Kyiv, like most monuments of this kind, have their own long and suffering history. This story is a clear example of the barbaric attitude towards ancient monuments that often found its way into the 18th and 19th centuries. and as a result of which more than one hundred outstanding works of art were lost.
Fate Kyiv frescoes was continuously connected with the fate of the Church of St. Sofia. As the building deteriorated, so did its frescoes. They not only faded over time and received various mechanical damage, but also crumbled from the dampness of leaking roofs. In 1596, the cathedral was occupied by the Uniates, in whose hands it remained until 1633, when Peter Mogila took it away from the Uniates, cleaned it and restored it. From this time on, the era of repeated refreshing of the frescoes began. In 1686, the cathedral underwent a new renovation through the efforts of Metropolitan Gideon. There is a fairly widespread opinion that all the frescoes were whitewashed by the Uniates. (See, for example: N. M. Sementovsky. Op. op., p. 74; S. P. Kryzhanovsky. On ancient Greek wall painting in the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral. - “Northern Bee”, 1843, No. 246 (2. XI), pp. 983–984; No. 247 (3.XI), pp. 987–988.)
In 1843, in the altar of the chapel of St. Anthony and Theodosius, the upper part of the plaster accidentally collapsed, revealing traces of old fresco painting. The clerk of the cathedral, together with the keymaster, Archpriest T. Sukhobrusov, reported this discovery to the academician of painting F. G. Solntsev, who was at that time in Kyiv to observe the renovation of the great church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. In September 1843, he received an audience with Nicholas I in Kyiv and presented the sovereign with his short note about the St. Sophia Cathedral. This note proposed, in order to preserve the famous temple “in proper splendor,” to free the old fresco from plaster and “but to be able to restore [it], and then, where this would be impossible to do, then cover the walls and domes with copper and paint them again with images of the ancients.” sacred events of our church, especially those that took place in Kyiv.” Having examined the newly discovered frescoes in the St. Sophia Cathedral on September 19, 1843, Nicholas I ordered Solntsev’s note to be forwarded to the Synod, which received support there. Solntsev, who always acted as a major specialist in the field of restoration and an expert on ancient Russian art, was in fact a man of not only pronounced bad taste, but also very limited knowledge.
In July 1844, work began to clear the walls of new plaster and new paintings that lay on top of the old frescoes. These works were carried out in the most primitive way. In total, 328 individual wall frescoes were discovered in Sophia of Kyiv (including 108 half-length ones), and 535 were painted again (including 346 half-length ones) (Skvortsev. Op. cit., pp. 38, 49.)
After the “restoration” work of 1844–1853. The painting of Sophia of Kyiv has undergone minor changes. In 1888 and 1893, in connection with the repair of the iconostasis, single images untouched by restoration were discovered ( 8 figures on the pillars of the triumphal arch, among them the figure of the Great Martyr Eustathius, 6 figures in the side aisles). (See N.I. Petrov. Historical and topographical sketches of ancient Kyiv. Kyiv, 1897, p. 132; N. Palmov. Towards the proposed restoration of the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral. - “Proceedings of the Kyiv Theological Academy”, 1915, April, p. 581.)
The issue of new frescoes executed in the 17th–19th centuries was resolved much more simply. in addition to the old ones (in vim, central ship and other places). These frescoes, since they were in no way connected with the original iconographic system, it was decided to cover them with a neutral tone, which made it possible to more clearly identify the main architectural lines of the interior. This is how the ugliest “Cathedrals”, “Nativity of Christ”, “Candlemas” and other examples of painting turned out to be hidden from the eyes of the modern viewer, which is why internal view Sofia of Kyiv won endlessly. A researcher of the frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv must always remember that they cannot in any way stand comparison in terms of authenticity with mosaics.
The mosaics, especially after the last clearing, look more or less as they did in the 11th century. The frescoes have undergone many changes, their colors have weakened and faded from time to time, from whitewashing and from covering with hot drying oil, which was used as a kind of primer when painting in oil (This drying oil in many places so saturated the surface of the old fresco that it gave it a shiny, as if polished character.); they have a lot of mechanical damage - scratches, potholes, abrasions; The old original copybooks made al secco are often lost in them. To all this it should be added that a number of frescoes have retained (after the last restoration) later copy-pasting in oils, which, no matter how thin they are, still distort the original form. In general, the state of preservation of the frescoes is far from uniform: one comes across (though rarely) relatively well-preserved figures and faces, but much more often one has to deal with heavily damaged fragments. Apparently, the decisive role here was played by the “people” of Metropolitan Philaret and the “room painting master Vokht”, who mercilessly tore up the old painting. That is why the latter now looks more rustic and primitive than it was in its time. Due to the loss of al secco copybooks, the linear frame became stronger in it, but due to the fading of the colors and their impregnation with drying oil, it is now perceived as more monochrome.
The cathedral, founded in 1037 by the Grand Duke of Kyiv Yaroslav the Wise, has preserved to this day not only its wealth ancient architecture, but also picturesque decoration of the 11th century. IN Sofia of Kyiv Two types of monumental painting - mosaics and frescoes - are harmoniously combined. Mosaics highlight the main parts of the interior - the central dome and the altar. The rest of the five-nave space, the second floors ("polati", or choirs), both staircases and open galleries surrounding Temple of Sophia of Kyiv in ancient times, were decorated with frescoes. 260 square meters of original mosaics from the 11th century and about three thousand square meters of fresco painting have survived to this day.
The painting system, the choice of subjects and the placement of images are subordinated to a clear ideological plan, arising from the purpose of the cathedral as the main temple of the Old Russian feudal state. Dedicated to Sophia as a symbol of wisdom, Kyiv Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, its architecture and painting were, according to the plans of the customers, to affirm and strengthen the Christian faith, and with it feudal power. Religious and state ideas that were so important for that time were embodied in artistic images. Sofia of Kyiv and, like a leitmotif, pass through the entire system of its pictorial decoration. In the paintings, secular and religious principles are closely intertwined, merging into a solemn hymn to the power of the Old Russian state and its glory.
In the central dome and altar of the cathedral Sofia of Kyiv images of the main characters and scenes of Christian doctrine are posted. They are made using the mosaic technique, that is, they are assembled onto wet plaster from small cubes of glassy mass - smalt. A shimmering gold mosaic background enhances the vibrant, rich tones of the images. Mosaics of Sophia of Kyiv There are 177 color shades. Unfortunately, history has not preserved the names of the artists who perfectly mastered this rich palette.
At the zenith of the central dome St. Sophia of Kyiv, in the medallion, is a huge half-length image of Christ the Pantocrator. Four archangels were located around the medallion. Only one mosaic figure in a blue robe has survived, and the other three were added in oil in 1884 by M. A. Vrubel.
"Christ the Pantocrator" (Christ the Pantocrator. Mosaic image). Main dome:
Of the twelve life-size images of the apostles placed in the walls of the light drum, only the upper part of the mosaic figure of Paul has survived. Below, on the spherical sails supporting the central dome of the cathedral, there are four evangelists (only the image of Mark has been completely preserved). Fifteen mosaic medallions with images of Sebastian martyrs survived on the girth arches. On the two pillars of the eastern arch there is a mosaic scene of the Annunciation: on the left is the Archangel Gabriel, on the right is the Virgin Mary.
A wonderful ensemble of mosaics decorates the main altar Church of Sophia of Kyiv. The gaze of those entering the cathedral is captivated by the majestic monumental figure of the praying Mother of God - Orants(the wisdom of God), placed in the vault of the altar. The combination of the blue color of her robe and the warm golden background is the main principle of the coloristic design of the picturesque decoration of the cathedral.
"Oranta" Sofia Kyiv:
In the middle tier of the apse St. Sophia Cathedral The multi-figure composition “Eucharist” is widely deployed - a symbolic scene of the communion of the apostles, revealing the main dogma of the Christian doctrine. The religious frescoes on the walls of the central nave, transept and choir gravitate towards this scene.
Lower level of the apse St. Sophia of Kyiv occupied by images of the “church fathers” - saints and archdeacons (the mosaic survived only in the upper part of the figures). These are unsurpassed portraits in terms of perfection of execution, depth of characterization and psychological richness.
The images of all three tiers of the main altar are closely interrelated. Here one can read a single compositional and coloristic concept. The white omophorions on the shoulders of the saints correspond to the light robes of the apostles in the “Eucharist”, Blue colour The clothing of the Mother of God echoes the same color of Christ's cloak and the background of the ornament above the figures of the saints. The sound of blue and white tones in the apse is enhanced by the crimson color of the altar in the center of the Eucharist stage.
The decoration of the main altar of the cathedral is a high example of the synthesis of architecture and painting, which is generally characteristic of the entire ancient interior Sofia of Kyiv. Scenes and characters in mosaics are symbols that reveal the main provisions of Christian doctrine. They are perceived as a kind of epigraph to the subsequent pictorial story, presented using the fresco technique, that is, painted with water paints on wet plaster. On the scenes of the transept (the main transverse division of the temple) there are Gospel scenes of a narrative nature, of which the best preserved are “The Crucifixion”, “The Descent of Christ into Hell”, “The Appearance of Christ to the Myrrh-Bearing Women”, as well as the scene “The Descent of the Holy Spirit”, remarkable for its composition, unique style of writing and soft color scheme.
fresco "The Descent of Christ into Hell" ("Descent into Hell"). Transept. North side of Sofia Kyiv
Gospel stories are also presented in the choirs Sofia of Kyiv: "Miracle in Cana of Galilee", "Miracle of the multiplication of loaves", " last supper". Compositions are also written here that theologians associate with gospel legends: “The Meeting of Three Strangers by Abraham,” “The Hospitality of Abraham,” “The Sacrifice of Abraham,” “The Three Youths in the Fiery Furnace.”
"Abraham's meeting of three strangers":
Interesting cycle frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv, compositionally close to ancient miniatures, has been preserved in the side altars and naves of the cathedral. Here scenes from the “lives of the saints” are written in chronological order in each tier. The subjects are interpreted in a vital and truthful way: lively, expressive faces, free poses, gestures full of dynamics. The mournfully lyrical image of Anna ("Anna's Prayer"), the meeting of young women ("Kissing Mary and Elizabeth"), the touching figure of little Mary ("Introduction to the Temple") - all this, like other scenes, is conveyed deeply emotionally. On the walls, cross pillars and arches of the cathedral St. Sophia of Kyiv numerous figures and half-figures of saints are depicted. Ancient masters created a whole gallery of impressive images. Focusing on facial features, the artists convincingly embody the severity and grandeur, nobility and asceticism, fanaticism and youthful gentleness of the characters depicted.
"Kissing Mary and Elizabeth"
Northern aisle Sofia of Kyiv dedicated to Saint George - the spiritual patron of Yaroslav the Wise (George is the Christian name of the prince). The frescoes of the southern aisle tell about the exploits of the Archangel Michael, who was considered the patron saint of the princely squad and Kyiv. This reflects the direct connection between paintings of religious content and secular images, which occupy a prominent place in the paintings of the temple.
The main secular composition of the cathedral was a group portrait of the family of Yaroslav the Wise, painted on three walls of the central nave, opposite the main altar. It represented the grand entrance of the prince, his wife Irina, daughters - future queens of France, Norway, Hungary - and sons who became famous political figures of the Old Russian state in the second half of the 11th century. Yaroslav the Wise himself was depicted with a model of the foundation he laid down. Sofia of Kyiv. From this huge composition, only portraits of the prince’s sons and daughters partially survived.
Portrait of the family of Yaroslav the Wise:
1. Reconstruction by V. Lazarev: to the left of Christ is Princess Irina with her daughters, to the right is Yaroslav the Wise with his sons
2. Reconstruction of S. Vysotsky: to the left of Christ are Prince Volodymyr and Yaroslav with their sons, to the right are Princess Olga and Princess Irina with their daughters
3. Reconstruction by A. Poppe: to the left of Christ is Yaroslav with his sons and daughter; on the right - Princess Irina with her daughters
Unique ensemble frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv secular content preserved on the walls and pillars of two staircase towers St. Sophia Cathedral- princely passage to the “polati” (choir). These are various hunting scenes, figures of acrobats, musicians, dancers, wrestlers, horsemen, etc. The composition “Hippodrome” in the southern tower of the cathedral occupies a large place. Here are four horses ready for competition, stewards giving the signal for the start of the race, racing chariots and boxes at the hippodrome, where the Byzantine emperor and his retinue, and numerous guests are present.
"Hippodrome". Reconstruction by O. Radchenko:
"Hippodrome". Fragments:
Among the paintings in Sofia of Kyiv Often there are images of animals (cheetah, lion, bear, camel, donkey, boar, dog, hare), birds and various fantastic beasts. Of great interest are the figures of buffoons: a musician with a bowed instrument sitting on a roadside stone, flutists, musicians playing the harp and lute. The only image of an air organ known in ancient Russian art is preserved in the southern tower. An installation with pipes, an organist striking the keys with his hands, and two buffoons who, standing on bellows, pump air into the organ pipes, are clearly visible.
Organ in the scene "Buffoons". Reconstruction by S. Vysotsky and I. Totskaya:
"Buffoons". Fragments:
Frescoes in the towers St. Sophia Cathedral- an interesting source of information about the life of the princely court, about various aspects of life of that time. They are the only surviving collection of everyday monumental painting from the times of the Old Russian state of Kievan Rus.
Significant place in the picturesque decoration Church of Sophia of Kyiv occupy the ornaments that decorate window and doorways, frame individual fresco and mosaic compositions, and emphasize the main architectural lines of the interior. Most often they are of a plant nature and consist of stylized palmettes, vine shoots, curls and buds. Geometric ornamental structures are less common. Elegant and colorful, ornaments also introduce a secular element into common system murals Sofia of Kyiv.
Painting played a big role in the design of ancient facades. Masters of the 11th century highlighted all the ledges of niches, arches, curbs and other elements of architectural decor with a bright red stripe, filled many niches with paintings, and decorated the outer parts of window and door slopes with patterns. Open galleries painted with frescoes (built later) surrounded the building with a rich colored ribbon. Today in a niche on the western facade Sofia of Kyiv you can see a rather bright fresco with lush floral patterns. It gives some idea of the magnificent decoration of the past.
A large number of ancient Russian inscriptions - graffiti - have been preserved on the walls of the cathedral, which are the most important document for dating the paintings. Apparently, in the central part of the building the work was done in the 40s, and in the galleries - in the 60s of the 11th century.
Painting St. Sophia of Kyiv survived centuries-old history, closely associated with periods of devastation of the collection, with repeated restructuring. During overhaul At the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th century, the ancient murals were almost entirely plastered over, and new compositions were painted on the walls with oil paints. The existence of ancient frescoes was gradually forgotten. It was only in the 19th century that they were discovered by accident. In the 40s and 50s of the last century, the paintings of the St. Sophia Cathedral were cleared of later layers and again painted in oil. For a long time, the masterpieces of the St. Sophia Cathedral were hidden under a layer of soot, dust, and under later recordings with oil paints. Since the organization State Architectural and Historical Reserve "Sofia Museum"(1934) significant restoration work was carried out to clear and consolidate the ancient mosaics and frescoes of St. Sophia of Kyiv. Nowadays mural painting Kyiv Cathedral of Hagia Sophia completely freed from layers. Later paintings were left by restorers only in those places where the original paintings were lost forever. An ensemble of paintings from the 11th century, unique in beauty and harmony, opened before the eyes of our contemporaries.
Academician B. Grekov wrote: “Having crossed the threshold of Sofia, you immediately fall into the power of its grandeur and splendor. The majestic dimensions of the internal space, strict proportions, luxurious mosaics and frescoes captivate you with their perfection before you have time to peer and think about all the details and understand everything that the creators of this major work of architecture and painting wanted to say.”
Mosaics and frescoes of the Cathedral of St. Sophia of Kyiv meet the high requirements of monumental art. They are characterized by an organic connection with architecture, clarity and conciseness of artistic language, deep emotionality of images, compositional and coloristic integrity, and breadth of artistic thinking. The achievements of Kyiv monumentalists were carefully preserved by ancient Russian artists of subsequent generations. The best traditions of the picturesque decoration of the St. Sophia Cathedral live in the works of Andrei Rublev and Dionysius, in the frescoes of Novgorod and Pskov, in ancient Ukrainian icons, in the picturesque ensembles of the Moscow Kremlin, in the paintings of wooden churches in Ukraine.
Mosaics and frescoes of the Cathedral of St. Sophia of Kyiv- an outstanding monument of medieval monumental art. Along with the famous ensembles of Ravenna, Venice, Monreale, Daphne, Palermo, and ancient Constantinople, they occupy a prominent place in the treasury of world culture.
Main altar of St. Sophia of Kyiv
The story about Sofia of Kyiv in Kyiv photo history description, architecture interior painting system Mosaics, frescoes, graffiti, paintings, Reserve Museum Sofia of Kiev museum complex
Slide 2
Valery Grigorievich Kikta
Honored Artist of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, laureate of the Moscow City Hall Prize in the field of literature and art, laureate of the Union of Composers of Russia Prize, secretary of the board of the Union of Composers of Russia, member of the editorial board of the magazine "Ballet", chairman of the board of the Russian Harp Society, president of the Foundation. I.S. Kozlovsky - all these are the titles and positions of Valery Kikta.
Slide 3
A modern composer, born in Ukraine in 1941, and received his musical education in Moscow. In his major works, the composer turns to the intonations and images of Christian Slavic culture. He, like a chronicler, carefully preserves the events of antiquity for posterity, imbuing them with his own intonation.
Slide 4
Concert symphony for harp and orchestra "Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv" by V. Kikta
The “frescoes” were created in the seventies, during the era of stagnation, when the very fact of turning to the temple in creativity was quite bold, as it could entail serious consequences. Similar topics became fashionable much later. The appearance of this work could have been solely an internal need of the composer, caused by the indelible impression of the fresco cycle in the Church of Hagia Sophia in Kyiv. "Frescoes" is a modern artist's view of ancient events. The author pursues the idea of the eternity of the living past through the convergence of the arts - music and ancient painting.
Slide 5
"Frescoes" is a work with features of mixed genres. The subtitle - "concert symphony for harp and orchestra" - captures the concerto and symphonic nature of the concept. The type of composition resembles a suite (nine-movement work):
1 Ornament 1 2 The beast attacks the rider 3 Ornament 2 4 Group portrait of the daughters of Yaroslav the Wise 5 St. Michael's chapel 6 Mummers' fight 7 Musician 8 Buffoons 9 Ornament 3
Slide 6
No. 1, No. 3, No. 9 “Ornament”
The motley string of musical paintings and images, in which the unity of the heavenly and the earthly is revealed, is held together by the musical theme “Ornament”. It sounds in “Frescoes” several times. These are the feelings that cover you when you are present in this temple: this is the feeling that Yaroslav the Wise was here, that central events related to history took place here Kievan Rus. “Ornament” is beauty, uniqueness, and changeability...
Slide 7
No. 4 “Group portrait of the daughters of Yaroslav the Wise”
There are two layers of sound in this fragment. The first is the descending melodic chants of the violins, the tremolo of which creates a quivering, unsteady, graceful sound. The second is the repeated five-note descending intonations of the harp, which sound vague, unclear, like flickering candles. This is how the composer paints images of mysterious and sophisticated girls - the daughters of the prince, depicted by unknown master painters on the frescoes of the cathedral, the future queens of France, Norway and Hungary.
Slide 8
No. 6 “Mummers’ Fight”
In “The Mummers' Struggle,” harsh short rhythms of the xylophone in different registers are interspersed with the tense murmur of the harp. The fast tempo of the music and its non-stop movement enhances the bright, joyful and anxious character of the piece.
Slide 9
No. 7 “Musician”
One of the most dramatic movements of the symphony. The music paints the image of a lonely violinist. The composer uses the timbre of a solo viola, which imitates the sound of an ancient string instrument - the gudok, the ancestor of the modern violin. The background for the main theme of this part is a monotonous long sound and echoes of the harp.
Slide 10
No. 8 “Buffoons”
In “Skomorokhs” the composer paints a “carefree tribe of cheerful tramps.” This part is built on short dance-like repeated intonations with buffoonery, mockery, non-stop movement, jangling of string instruments, ringing of bells, imitation of balalaika and pipe tunes.
Slide 11
According to the composer, “Frescoes” express the whole gamut of feelings evoked by the image of his native Kyiv with its unique artistic heritage. This work is deeply personal. It was created with the desire to capture the moment when the frescoes came to life and sounded for the composer under the dome of the temple. All the more interesting is the fact that “Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv” have become incredibly popular and are constantly heard in concert performances, on television and radio.
Slide 12
Saint Sophie Cathedral
founded in 1037 by the great Russian prince Yaroslav the Wise, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity in Rus', it has preserved to this day not only the wealth of ancient architecture, but also the picturesque decoration of the 11th century. Sophia of Kyiv harmoniously combines two types of monumental painting - mosaics and frescoes. Mosaics highlight the main parts of the interior - the central dome and the altar. The rest of the five-nave space, the second floors, both staircases and open galleries were decorated with frescoes. 260 square meters of mosaics and about three thousand square meters of fresco painting have survived to this day.
Slide 13
The paintings, subjects, and placement of images are subordinated to a clear ideological plan, resulting from the purpose of the St. Sophia Cathedral of Kiev as the main temple of the Old Russian feudal state. Dedicated to Sophia as a symbol of wisdom, the Kiev Cathedral of St. Sophia, its architecture and painting were supposed to affirm and strengthen the Christian faith, and with it feudal power.
Slide 14
Most of the frescoes of St. Sophia of Kyiv, among which individual images of saints predominate, are executed in a bold and energetic manner. In the faces, the artists in every possible way emphasize the large eyes fixed intently on the viewer. Since Greek masters worked side by side with Russians in Sophia of Kyiv, it is not difficult to explain the presence of Russian features in a number of images.
Slide 15
Frescoes of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv
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Topic: Visualization in music
1.ComposerValery GrigorievichKikta "Symphony Concertante for harp and orchestra"
Today we will continue talking about"bell" in Russian music. You know that all Russian composers have addressed this topic. Modern composers also develop this tradition in their musical works. In this lesson you will get acquainted with the work of V.G. Kikta, who uses concepts from the field of painting in the titles of his musical works:ornament, fresco, portrait.
Composer Valery Grigorievich Kikta (b. 1941), a “child” of two Slavic cultures - Ukrainian and Russian, was born in Ukraine, studied at the Moscow Conservatory. In his musical compositions, he talks about events of hoary antiquity or the recent past: in his musical frescoes there is always room for subtle landscape sketches and psychological portraits. In dialogue with the voices of bygone times, he remains a convinced romantic lyricist. He intently... listens to the sound aura of a particular era; penetrating into its core, he extracts intonations or entire melodies that are beautiful in their simplicity and builds on this solid foundation his own, original musical and architectural composition - either a temple with domes rising into the sky, or a modest chapel, or a medieval knight's castle.
Valery Grigorievich Kikta wrote a concert symphony for harp and orchestra “Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv”. It is dedicated to the 1500th anniversary of Kyiv.
The composer composed it under the impression of the beauty and grandeur of the Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. Orthodox church Ancient Rus', erected at the behest of the Russian prince Yaroslav the Wise at the beginning of the 11th century.
In 1st grade, you were introduced to a fragment of the concert symphony for harp and orchestra “Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv” - “Ornament1”.
Fresco - Wall painting, in ancient times they called wall painting on wet plaster.
Ornament - A pattern based on repetition and alternation of its constituent elements.
Portrait - Reproduce something line by line, image
or a description of a person or group of people.
This part is similar to the genre of Russian musical folklore - epic. The composer imitates in this theme the Russian folk musical instrument - Gusli. Such genre echoes of the 1st movement of the symphony with folklore are not accidental - this is how the composer reflects the era Ancient Rus' and my perception of the ancient monument of Russian architecture.
2.Task 1
Answer the questions:
1. What genre of Russian folklore is this part based on?
2. What musical instrument of Ancient Rus' does the harp imitate?
3. Why is this part called “Ornament” and repeated three times in the symphony?
3. Portrait in music and frescoes
The snow-white carving of the altar, the gold of the mosaic vaults, the multi-colored frescoes and wall paintings of the cathedral inspired the composer with beautiful, vivid images. This is not an ordinary symphony: it has not four parts, as is customary, but nine. In them, the composer refers not only to the spiritual images of the temple (“Ornaments”, “Group portrait of the daughters of Yaroslav the Wise”, “Mikhailovsky Chapel”), but also to images of folk life “The Beast Attacks the Horseman”, “The Mummers’ Struggle”, “The Musician” , "Buffoons").
The shimmering mosaics of the Temple of Sophia and its frescoes are a unique creation of Greek and Russian masters. These frescoes were in the 19th century. barbarously recorded in oil paints, and the “restoration” carried out distorted a number of images and much was irretrievably lost.
The theme of the frescoes included not only scenes from the Gospel (“Good News” about the life of Jesus Christ), but also scenes of games at the Constantinople hippodrome.
On the frescoes you can see the Byzantine emperor, chariots, musicians, buffoons in caps, mummers, baiting bears, wolves, wild boars... The portrait of Yaroslav in the painting has not been preserved, but you can recognize his four daughters, harmoniously performing in a row with candles in their hands. The participation of Russian masters in this fresco painting is more than likely. This is evidenced by the life-affirming motifs in the gospel figures, big-eyed female faces, strong, squat figures, and in the scenes of the hippodrome - the animals of our forests and even purely Russian hunting techniques. This is how the “heavenly and earthly” were combined in the art of fresco painting of the Kyiv Cathedral.
“Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv” by V. Kikta is a kind of large instrumental epic, which the composer himself called a “concert symphony”.
View ancient frescoes and listen to the 4th movement of the concert symphony for harp and orchestra
The frescoes depict ghostly female figures walking one after another, most likely in a temple. The spirituality of the figures and the leisurely pace of their steps indicate a certain emotional state that a person who comes to church to pray may experience. There is more mystery, fantasy, and fabulousness in the depiction of girls than reality.
What features does the musical fresco have? Listen to the constantly repeating accompaniment - the monotonous sound of the harp. Against this background, the upper registers sound wary and mysterious.
violin trills. The downward movement of sustained sounds is constantly repeated in this piece, which creates a feeling of immobility, ghostliness of sound, and adds a touch of mystery to it.
4.Task 2
Find similar and different features of the artistic embodiment of images in fresco painting and in the music of the 2nd part of the symphony - “Group portrait of the daughters of Yaroslav the Wise.”
5. The picturesqueness of music
The 8th movement of the symphony will serve as a contrast to the 4th movement - Listen to the intonation that sounds at the beginning of the piece. In it you heard dance rhythms and bright accents. You were able to verify that the main intonations are constantly repeated, sounding at different pitches, with different timbres. The fast tempo enhances the impression of fiery movement. The composer skillfully imitates the sound of such Russian folk instruments as pipes (flute in a symphony orchestra), gusli (harp), balalaikas (strings). Percussion instruments also play a great role in this part; their ringing, clanking timbres create a feeling of fun and festivity.
Pay attention to the fact that the sound of the repeated “buffoon” theme is intruded by a song melody, which is reminiscent of the theme of “Ornament”. It sounds twice. The first time was distant, against the backdrop of an accompanying harp. The rapid upward movement of the main intonation leads to the climax of the part. And here again the broad song melody sounds. She completes this genre scene. The picturesqueness of music is achieved by the composer different ways: the appearance of such sonorities that resemble bright, colorful spots, creating the effect of removing the “crowd of cheerful tramps” (buffoons) at the end of the work.
To sum up our lesson, we can conclude: professional music is based on folk origins. Each composer consciously or unconsciously reflects in his works the spirit of his people, his time, turning to the unshakable spiritual values that many generations of Russian people have strived to follow. It is this kind of music that becomes close and understandable to us and future generations.
6. Task 3
Answer the questions:
1.Why did the composer introduce symphony, dedicated to the St. Sophia Cathedral, images of folk merrymakers and jokers - buffoons?
2. What features of the musical language can be noted in the 8th part of “Skomorokha”?
Sound-visualism in the works of Russian composers of the classical school is discussed in music lessons in the 6th grade. “Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv” - a symphony for harp and orchestra by composer Valery Kikta - is given as an example of the author’s use of the so-called imitation of a bell or “bell-likeness”.
About the composer
Valery Georgievich Kikta, who wrote the symphony “Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv,” most often turned to themes of Russian history and literature in his work. It seems that fate itself predetermined this direction of his activity. This composer was even born in a significant year for the history of our country - 1941. He spent his early childhood in one of the villages of Ukraine. At the age of ten, his mother took him to Moscow to enter the Choir School, which was directed by the choirmaster Sveshnikov, famous throughout the Union. While studying at this institution, the boy is already in childhood became acquainted with works of Russian sacred music.
He first saw the frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv during his studies at the Choir School. During the tour of the Moscow choir, led by Sergei Sveshnikov, students also took part in performances. One of the cities that I had to visit then was Kyiv. Sveshnikov himself took his charges to the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, as well as to the Hagia Sophia Cathedral. He told the students about the frescoes and mosaics that they were able to see.
Sveshnikov managed to instill in students a love of national history which remains with them for the rest of their lives. Later, Valery Georgievich visited Kyiv more than once. Thus, during one of his visits to this city, the author of the symphony “Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv,” while on an excursion to the cathedral, saw a fresco in the temple’s vault that depicted the holy princess Olga. The face made such a strong impression on him that the composer immediately set about creating an oratorio dedicated to this ruler of Ancient Rus'.
About the people who influenced the composer’s work
The author of the concert symphony for harp and orchestra, V. G. Kikta, after graduating from the Moscow Choir School, entered the capital's conservatory in the composition department. His teacher at this educational institution was Tikhon Nikolaevich Khrennikov. He instilled in the young composer an extraordinary sense of style, as well as respect for the achievements of the great masters of the past.
Echoes of this influence were manifested in the fact that in the work of Valery Georgievich, side by side there are traditions of Russian classical music, sacred works for choir, as well as many techniques characteristic of modern music. For example, a composer has a piece written for a synthesizer with a symphony orchestra. In addition to Tikhon Khrennikov, Ivan Kozlovsky, whom Kikta was lucky enough to meet during his years of study at the Moscow Conservatory, had a huge influence on the development of a creative personality.
This famous tenor was a great connoisseur of Russian and Ukrainian folklore. It was he who inspired Valery Georgievich to create many works based on the traditions of Ukrainian folk music. The young man visited his older friend several times. There he saw some icons and paintings by recognized masters of painting.
Favorite instruments
The symphony "Frescoes of St. Sophia of Kyiv" was written for harp and symphony orchestra. It is not for nothing that the author chose this instrument as a solo instrument. After all, it is he who is able to imitate the sound of ancient Russian gusli, which helps create the necessary musical flavor.
Vladimir Georgievich Kikta is the chairman of the Russian harp society. He has also given presentations on the use of this instrument in Russian classical music at international seminars.
The author of "Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv" also created many works for the organ. For the first time, a work dedicated to the artistic genre of frescoes appears for this instrument. The choice of these two instruments is determined by the fact that they are best suited for historical themes, which are central to the composer’s work.
Features of the music "Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv"
The work is written in the genre of a concert symphony. That is, this composition combines the features of two types of musical works: a concert and a symphony. The composer departs from the classical four-part form, characteristic of most examples written in this genre. His symphony consists of nine sections. This is due not to the author’s simple desire to create something innovative, but to the nature of the temple’s painting, which contains many parts.
There are three types of sections in this work. The author calls some of the parts frescoes; they are dedicated to certain images on the walls of the cathedral.
The next type is ornament. The ornament does not carry any specific figurative content, but is a kind of decoration. Such ornaments are present next to the frescoes of the Cathedral of St. Sophia of Kyiv.
The third type of musical parts of this work is an everyday sketch depicting some fragment of life from the times when the paintings on the walls of the temple were created.
The author about his work
Valery Georgievich Kikta admitted in an interview that his concert symphony does not contain any religious message. It is dedicated to purely artistic images that the composer repeatedly saw on the walls of the famous temple. According to his deep conviction, even in works of spiritual themes, artists first of all have the task of conveying the external characteristics of the heroes.
Mosaics and frescoes of St. Sophia of Kyiv
It is worth saying a few words about the painting that inspired the composer to create such a monumental symphonic work. The Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv was built almost a thousand years ago by order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise.
The sophistication of its decoration and grandiose size of the temple should have surpassed all existing churches of Kievan Rus at that time. The artistic design of the room is based on the use of two types of visual techniques: mosaics and frescoes. The first of these were to decorate the main parts of the temple - the dome and the altar. The main figures of the Orthodox faith were embodied in the mosaic.
In the center of the so-called “sky,” that is, the artistically designed dome of the cathedral, is the face of Jesus Christ. The Lord's left hand touches the holy scripture, and his right hand is raised. The Savior's fingers are folded in a certain way, characteristic of the gesture of blessing. Such images of Jesus Christ are usually attributed to a special iconographic type called “Pantocrator”. Main feature and value interior design the temple is that most of The frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv, as well as the mosaics, are genuine creations of artists of the eleventh century.
Works by great known and unknown masters
Unfortunately, the names of the artists who painted the walls and dome of Hagia Sophia, as well as created mosaic paintings, have not survived to this day. However, those parts of the frescoes and mosaics that were lost over time were restored by famous painters.
For example, the figures of angels, of which there were originally four, but by the nineteenth century only one had survived, were subsequently completed by the classic of Russian painting Mikhail Vrubel. In total, more than two hundred square meters of the cathedral are covered with mosaics. The area of the frescoes is several thousand square meters.
Secular motives
Among the frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv there are not only images of religious subjects and characters from the Old and New Testaments, but also some details social life eleventh century. For example, the walls of the staircase passages in the towers, which led to a special box where Prince Yaroslav and his family were during church services, are painted in exactly this style. These sketches were embodied in Kikta's concert symphony "Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv".
“Musician” is the name of this part of this work. Among the wall paintings of the cathedral there are numerous images of artists playing various instruments. The painting of greatest interest is a portrait of an organist. This is the only known image of this instrument in the entire ancient Russian artistic culture. Also on the walls of the towers of St. Sophia Cathedral you can see many buffoons playing horns and other musicians. In addition to human figures, you can find some animals here - both real and mythological.
These paintings, in addition to their own artistic value, are of great interest to historians. They are one of the few illustrations of the life of the princely court and sketches of the secular amusements of the common people that have survived to this day.
Painting door and window openings
Hagia Sophia in Kyiv has many windows, the openings of which are decorated with exquisite ornaments. Typically, they consist of plant parts such as flowers, buds, stems and so on. Geometric patterns are much less common among the ornaments of this temple.
These painting details interior space cathedrals serve to frame door and window openings, as well as to highlight individual significant parts of the building’s architecture. In Valery Kikta's symphony "Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv" the ornament is presented several times. This is the name given to the individual parts of this work, which serve to frame other sections of the composition.
The story of the restoration of the masterpiece
As already mentioned, the Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv was created by order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise back in the eleventh century. Then they worked on the interior decoration of the temple the best masters Rus', as well as painters who came from Byzantium. By the 16th and 17th centuries, the wall paintings had become very dilapidated and required restoration.
Since such work, as a rule, was not carried out at that time, it was decided to carry out a new painting on top of the old ancient Russian decoration of the temple.
These frescoes of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were not distinguished by the elegance and masterful execution that were characteristic of the ancient Russian versions. Subsequently, the walls of the cathedral were changed many times appearance. Therefore, by the 19th century, only a few people who were interested in ancient Russian history knew about the existence of ancient paintings on the walls of the temple, which were preserved under a multi-layer coating. Interest in original wall paintings only arose in the second half of the 19th century. At the end of the century, several craftsmen were hired to restore and reconstruct some of the mosaics and frescoes. At the same time, the famous artist, Mikhail Alexandrovich Vrubel, who later became famous for his own paintings on religious themes, was invited to carry out these works.
A new stage in the restoration of ancient Russian painting on the walls of the temple began in the thirties of the 20th century. Despite the general policy of destruction of religious buildings and relics Orthodox faith, it was decided to restore the ancient masterpieces of painting preserved on the walls of the cathedral. Work to restore and consolidate the surviving paintings was carried out over several decades. On this moment All fragments of ancient Russian wall decoration that have survived to this day have undergone restoration.
Other works by Valery Kikta
Currently, the work of composer V. G. Kikta “Frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv” is included in the program of the school subject “Music”. As a rule, in lessons dedicated to this symphony, while listening to audio material, students are shown reproductions of the paintings on the walls of a Kyiv temple.
In addition to this musical work, the composer wrote more than 10 ballets. Among the most famous of them are the following: “Dubrovsky”, “Vladimir the Baptist” and many others. He also created numerous instrumental works for symphony orchestra, for example, “Ukrainian Carols, Shchedrivkas and Vesnyankas”. Of great interest to fans of academic music are his works for choir and vocal cycles for solo performance. Valery Kikta is the author of music for several films, as well as animated films. The most famous of them is the 1973 cartoon "Vasilisa Mikulishna".
And today the composer does not stop his creative and teaching activities. He heads the Department of Instrumentation at the Moscow Conservatory. Valery Georgievich teaches the subjects "Reading symphonic scores" and "Instrumentation". He is scientific supervisor several graduate students. Many of his former students later became famous composers. Among the latest creations of Valery Georgievich Kikta, it is worth noting the ballet “Andrei Rublev”.