The most famous Russian conductors. Famous conductors of the world. Requirements for a choral conductor

The name of Herbert von Karajan in the world consciousness is inseparably linked with Salzburg. The conductor, born in 1908 in Salzburg, for decades shaped cultural life city ​​of Mozart and was at the head of events.

In the conductor's footsteps
Walking around the city of Salzburg, you constantly find yourself in places associated with the life and work of the outstanding conductor. The life-size bronze statue, located in the center of Salzburg's Old Town, next to the Makart pedestrian bridge, in the garden of the Raiffeisen Bank, is reminiscent of Herbert von Karajan. An inscription on a plaque in a nearby building states that Karajan was born in this house on April 5, 1908. The city of Salzburg honored its famous son by naming one of the notable squares in the Festival District Herbert von Karajan Platz.

His grave is located in the cemetery in Anif - a small place near the city of Salzburg, where Herbert von Karajan lived for many years. Over time, the grave became a place of pilgrimage for admirers of Karajan’s talent from all over the world.

Herbert von Karajan and the Salzburg Summer Festival
IN post-war years The era of Herbert von Karajan began in Salzburg. In 1948, he conducted the opera production of Gluck's Orpheus for the first time, and in 1956 he was appointed artistic director, in 1957 he made his debut as a director in Beethoven's opera Fidelio.
In 1960, Herbert von Karajan inaugurated the new building of the Great Festival Hall of the theater complex with a production of Richard Strauss's opera Der Rosenkavalier and proclaimed the beginning of a new era. Even when Karajan, starting from September 1960, was no longer the sole artistic director, but since 1964 was on the board of directors, he still always remained the one who holds the threads of the enterprise in his hands and makes the most important decisions: as “the last autocratic lord,” referring to a saying in one of his obituaries after his death in 1989.

In 1967 he founded the Salzburg Easter Festival, which he directed until his death: every year he staged an opera production in collaboration with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, made available by the Berlin Senate, and subsequently organized concerts in Salzburg during the Holy Trinity.

Era of Karajan
Karajan contributed to the provision of Salzburg Summer Festival international status. If in previous decades the ensemble of the Vienna State Opera was at the head of the cast of performers, now Salzburg has become a meeting place for multilingual world stars who, as free artists feel at home on famous stages from Milan to New York.

This began to attract numerous guests from abroad.
For many decades in a row, the conductor, like no one else, not only personified music scene, but also accelerated the development of musical documentation. IN last years Throughout his life, with great interest and energy - mainly under his own leadership of the orchestra - he collected and documented musical masterpieces for the world.

Itai Talgam

Renowned Israeli conductor and consultant helping leaders in business, education, government, medicine and other fields become “conductors” of their teams and achieve harmony through collaboration.

Itay Talgam argues that leadership skills are universal, and the communication styles of a conductor with an orchestra are in many ways similar to the relationship between a boss and employees in a company. But there is no universal principle for organizing such relationships. The author shares observations about the methods of orchestra management observed by great conductors and divides them into six conventional categories.

1. Dominance and control: Riccardo Mutti

Italian conductor Riccardo Mutti has an eye for detail and is very meticulous in managing the orchestra both during rehearsals and performances. All the nuances of the game are concentrated in his gestures: he notifies the musicians of the changing tone long before they have to rebuild. Mutti controls every step of his subordinates, no one and nothing remains without his attention.

Total control is due to the fact that the conductor himself feels pressure from the top management: the board of directors or the ever-present spirit of the great composer. Such a leader is always subject to condemnation from the ruthless super-ego.

The dominant leader is unhappy. His subordinates respect him, but do not love him. This was especially clearly demonstrated in the example of Mutti. Between him and the top management of Milan opera house"La Scala" there was a conflict. The conductor outlined his demands to his superiors, and if they were not met, he threatened to leave the theater. He hoped that the orchestra would take his side, but the musicians declared a loss of confidence in the leader. Mutti had to resign.

In your opinion, this conductor's stand is a throne? For me, this is a desert island where loneliness reigns.

Riccardo Mutti

Despite this, Riccardo Mutti is considered one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century. Itai Talgam says that at seminars on personnel management, the majority of students said that they would not want such a manager. But to the question: “Is his leadership effective? Can he force his subordinates to do their jobs?” - Almost everyone answered in the affirmative.

A dominant leader does not believe in the ability of employees to self-organize. He takes full responsibility for the result, but demands unquestioning obedience.

When it works

This tactic is valid if there are problems with discipline in the team. The author gives an example from Mutti's biography and talks about his experience working with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. This is a wonderful team, but its style of work was formed at the intersection of European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures. The diversity of traditions led to a lack of formal discipline within the orchestra.

At that moment, when Mutti's baton froze in the air in anticipation of the first notes, one of the musicians decided to move his chair. There was a creak. The conductor stopped and said: “Gentlemen, I don’t see the words ‘creaking of a chair’ in my score.” From that moment on, only music sounded in the hall.

When it doesn't work

In all other cases, and especially when the employees’ work is related to. Mutti's management style eliminates the possibility of mistakes, which often lead to new discoveries.

2. The Godfather: Arturo Toscanini

Star conductor Arturo Toscanini showed maximum participation in the life of the orchestra at rehearsals and on stage. He did not mince words and scolded the musicians for mistakes. Toscanini became famous not only for his talent as a conductor, but also for his professional temper.

Toscanini took every failure of his subordinates to heart, because the mistake of one is the mistake of everyone, especially the conductor. He was demanding of others, but no more than of himself: he came to rehearsals in advance and did not ask for privileges. Each musician understood that the conductor was sincerely concerned about the result, and was not offended by insults for inaccurate playing.

Toscanini demanded full dedication from the musicians and expected impeccable performance. He believed in their talent and was focused at concerts. It was clear how proud he was of his “family” after a successful performance.

An important motivator for employees of such a team is the desire to work well “for their father.” Such leaders are loved and respected.

When it works

In cases where the team is ready to accept the three basic principles of family culture: stability, empathy and mutual support. It is also important that the leader has authority, is competent in his field, and has professional achievements. Such a leader should be treated like a father, so he must be smarter and more experienced than his subordinates.

This management principle is often resorted to when the team is going through difficult times. During the period of strengthening of trade unions large companies they introduce slogans like “We are one family!” Management strives to improve working conditions, gives employees the opportunity to receive additional education, conducts corporate events and provides subordinates with a social package. All this is aimed at motivating employees to work for the sake of the bosses who care about them.

When it doesn't work

In some modern organizations, where relationships between people are sometimes more important than formal hierarchy. In such groups, deep emotional involvement is not implied.

Such a management principle requires not only the authority and competence of the leader, but also the ability of subordinates to meet the expectations placed on them. Itay Talgam talks about his experience studying with conductor Mendy Rodan. He demanded a lot from the student and perceived his every failure as a personal defeat. This pressure, coupled with abuse, depressed the author. He realized that such a teacher would help him get a diploma, but would not cultivate a creative personality in him.

3. According to instructions: Richard Strauss

The author says that many managers present at his seminars were only amused by Strauss’s behavior on stage. Visitors chose him as a potential leader only on the basis that with such a boss they wouldn’t have to bother themselves much with their work. The conductor's eyelids are lowered, he himself looks distant and only occasionally glances at one or another section of the orchestra.

This conductor does not aim to inspire, he only restrains the orchestra. But if you take a closer look, it becomes clear what is the basis of such a management principle - following instructions. Strauss is not focused on the musicians, but on the notes, even if the orchestra is playing his work. By this, he shows how important it is to strictly follow the rules and clearly perform the work, without allowing one’s own interpretations.

It is worth understanding that the lack of interpretations and discoveries in music is not a bad thing. This approach allows us to reveal the structure of the work and play it as the author intended.

Such a leader trusts his subordinates, requires them to follow instructions and believes that they can comply with them. Similar attitude flatters employees and motivates them, they gain self-confidence. The main disadvantage of the approach is that no one knows what will happen if a situation arises that is not specified in the instructions.

When it works

A similar management principle works in different cases. Sometimes it is as comfortable as possible for calm professionals who are accustomed to working according to the letter of the law. Sometimes providing employees with mandatory instructions is simply necessary, for example when interacting different groups subordinates.

The author gives an example of his experience working with the orchestra and rock band Natasha’s Friends. The problem arose because the band members arrived at the end of the second hour of a three-hour rehearsal. They were confident that nothing would prevent them from devoting the rest of the day to music, without thinking about the fact that orchestra rehearsals are subject to stricter time frames.

When it doesn't work

The principle of management based on following instructions does not work where creativity and the creation of new ideas should be encouraged. Like absolute obedience to the leader, following instructions implies the absence of mistakes, leading to new discoveries. It can also deprive employees of their professional enthusiasm.

The author gives an example from the biography of conductor Leonard Bernstein. The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, under his direction, rehearsed the finale of Mahler's symphony. When the conductor gave the signal for the brass to enter, there was silence in response. Bernstein looked up: some of the musicians had left. The fact is that the end of the rehearsal was scheduled for 13:00. It was 13:04 on the clock.

4. Guru: Herbert von Karajan

Maestro Herbert von Karajan hardly opens his eyes on stage and does not look at the musicians. He just expects his subordinates to magically consider his wishes. This was preceded preliminary work: The conductor carefully explained the nuances of the game during rehearsals.

The Guru did not specify a time frame for the musicians or set a rhythm; he only listened carefully and conveyed the softness and depth of sound to the orchestra. The musicians were perfect for each other. They became interdependent conductors themselves and over and over again improved their skills in playing together.

Such an approach speaks of the leader’s arrogance: he acts bypassing accepted postulates and is always confident of success. At the same time, team members depend much more on each other than on the instructions of management. They have the power to directly influence the results of work. They are entrusted with additional responsibility, so being in such a team can be a psychologically difficult test for some. This management style is similar to Mutti dominance in that the leader is also unavailable for dialogue and imposes his vision of the organization on his subordinates.

When it works

When the work of a team is related to the creativity of employees, for example in the field of art. American artist Sol LeWitt hired young artists (several thousand in total), explained the concepts and gave some guidance. After which the subordinates set off to create without Levitt’s control. He was interested in the result, not submission in the process. A reasonable and wise leader, he understood that joint creativity only enriches the project. This is what made him the most exhibited artist in the world: throughout his life he held more than 500 solo exhibitions.

When it doesn't work

In each team, the appropriateness of this management principle depends on many individual factors. This approach often leads to failure, which is why, for example, Cadbury & Schweppes created the Cadbury Code of Corporate Governance, which describes procedures designed to protect the company from excessive managerial ego and convey important information to all participants in the process.

The author also tells cautionary tale from my own experience. He wanted to start his work with the Tel Aviv Symphony Orchestra with a big innovation. Itai Talgam divided the string section into quartets and placed the winds between them. He suggested that this way each of the musicians could feel like a soloist. The experiment was a failure: the participants were unable to maintain communication while being far away from each other, so they performed extremely poorly.

5. Leader Dance: Carlos Klaiber

Carlos Kleiber dances on stage: he stretches out his arms, jumps, bends and sways from side to side. At other times, he leads the orchestra with just his fingertips, and at other times he simply stands and listens to the musicians. On stage, the conductor shares joy and multiplies it. He has a clear vision of the form and leads the musicians, but does this not as a leader, but as a solo dancer. He constantly requires subordinates to participate in interpretations and does not burden his instructions with details.

Such a leader manages processes, not people. It provides subordinates with space to introduce innovations and encourages them to create on their own. Employees share power and responsibility with the leader. In such a team, a mistake can be easily corrected and even transformed into something new. “Dancing” managers value ambitious employees, preferring them to those who are able to conscientiously carry out their work according to instructions.

When it works

A similar principle applies when an ordinary employee may have more relevant information than the boss. As an example, the author cites his experience working with counter-terrorism agencies. Agent in field conditions must be able to make decisions independently, sometimes violating direct orders from command, because he has the most complete and up-to-date knowledge of the situation.

When it doesn't work

When employees are not interested in the fate of the company. The author also claims that such an approach cannot be artificially imposed. This will only work if you are able to sincerely rejoice in the success of your employees and the results of their work.

6. Finding Meaning: Leonard Bernstein

The secret of Leonard Bernstein's interaction with the orchestra is revealed not on stage, but off it. The conductor did not want to separate emotions, life experience and aspirations from music. For each of the musicians, Bernstein was not only a leader, but also a friend. He invited not a professional, but a person to creativity: in his orchestras, music is performed, listened to and composed primarily by individuals, and only then by subordinates.

Bernstein performed for the musicians main question: "For what?" This was the point: he did not force people to play, but made it so that the person himself wanted to play. Everyone had their own answer to Bernstein’s question, but everyone equally felt involved in the common cause.

When it works

A dialogue between management and employees and giving their activities meaning will benefit any organization where the work of team members is not reduced to a set of similar actions. An important condition in this case is that employees must respect the leader and consider him competent.

When it doesn't work

Itai Talgam talks about a situation where he tried to apply Bernstein's method, but met only misunderstanding from his subordinates. The reason was that many of the musicians of the Tel Aviv Symphony Orchestra were much older and did not know him at all. The first rehearsal did not go very well. “Something is wrong,” Talgam told the orchestra. - I just don’t know what. Tempo, intonation, something else? What do you think? What can be fixed? One of the elderly musicians stood up and said: “Where we came from, the conductor did not ask us what to do. He knew what to do."

In The Ignorant Maestro, Itai Talgam not only talks about the management principles of great conductors, but also reveals three important qualities of an effective leader: ignorance, giving meaning to empty spaces, and motivational listening. The author talks not only about what a leader should be, but also about the role of subordinates in work communications. There is no universal management principle; every effective leader develops it independently. And you can learn something and adopt some techniques from the six great conductors who are written about in this book.

Carlos Kleiber has been named the best conductor of all time.
According to the results of a survey conducted by an English magazine BBC Music Magazine, Carlos Kleiber recognized as the best conductor of all time. The survey was conducted among 100 leading conductors of our time, such as Sir Colin Davis, Gustavo Dudamel, Valery Gergiev, Maris Jansons and others, to find out which of their colleagues they admire most (who is an inspiration to them). Carlos Kleiber, the Austrian maestro who performed only 96 concerts and about 400 opera performances in his 74 years, beat out Leonard Bernstein and Claudio Abbado, who came in second and third place respectively.

Susanna Mälkki, Finnish conductor of the French Ensemble Intercontemporain and one of the survey participants, commented on the results: “Carlos Kleiber brought incredible energy to the music... Yes, he had about five times more time for rehearsals than modern conductors can afford, but he deserves it because his vision for music is amazing, he knows exactly what he wants and his attention to to the smallest details really inspiring."

So, 20 Best Conductors of All Time based on a BBC Music Magazine survey conducted in November 2010 and published in March 2011.

1. Carlos Kleiber (1930-2004) Austria
2. Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) USA
3. (born 1933) Italy
4. Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) Austria
5. Nikolaus Harnoncourt (born 1929) Austria
6. Sir Simon Rattle (born 1955) UK
7. Wilhelm Furtwangler (1896-1954) Germany
8. Arturo Toscanini (1867-1957) Italy
9. Pierre Boulez (born 1925) France
10. Carlo Maria Giulini (1914-2005) Italy
11. John Eliot Gardiner (born 1943) UK
12.
13. Ferenc Fricsay (1914-1963) Hungary
14. George Szell (1897-1970) Hungary
15. Bernard Haitink (born 1929) Netherlands
16. Pierre Monteux (1875-1964) France
17. Evgeny Mravinsky (1903-1988) Russia (USSR)
18. Colin Davis (born 1927) UK
19. Thomas Beecham (1879-1961) UK
20. Charles Mackerras (1925-2010) Australia

Biographical information:
Carlos Kleiber, full name Karl Ludwig Kleiber - Austrian conductor. Born on July 3, 1930 in Berlin, the son of the famous conductor Erich Kleiber. Grew up in Argentina, 1949-1950. studied chemistry in Zurich. Music career started in 1951 as a tutor in Munich. Kleiber's conducting debut took place in 1954 in Potsdam. Then he worked in Düsseldorf, Zurich and Stuttgart. In 1968-1973. worked at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich and remained its guest conductor until 1988. In 1973 he performed for the first time at the Vienna State Opera. He performed at La Scala, Covent Garden (since 1974), Metropolitan Opera (since 1988) and other theaters; participated in the Edinburgh Festival (since 1966). He has collaborated with the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras. Last performance conductor took place in 1999. Died on July 13, 2004 in Slovenia.

L.V.Beethoven. Symphony No. 7 op.92.
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Netherlands). Conducted by Carlos Kleiber.

1. Hello! I am an educator additional education, teacher of choir class, voice and piano. I work in the center children's creativity Avtozavodsky district of Nizhny Novgorodbased on school No. 63with in-depth study of music.
2. Let me introduce to you computer presentation"Russian conductors of our time"
3. First I will tell you who a conductor is.
   "Conductor" - French word and it means “to lead.” Accordingly, a conductor is the leader of an orchestral, operatic, and also choral group.Conducting is one of the most complex species musical performance. The conductor owns the artistic interpretation of the work. The choral conductor needs to monitor the formation of the choir, the correct and simultaneous pronunciation of the text, the correct start and entry. Conducting as an independent profession appeared in the second half of the 19th century. The conductor is the soul of the ensemble!
4. The conductor can lead choir group, as well as opera and symphony. Another name for a choir conductor is a choirmaster.
5. I would like to introduce you to some Russian conductors of our time.
6. Pavel Kogan is one of the most famous conductors in our country. His creative career began more than 40 years ago. Kogan was born in musical family. His parents, Leonid Kogan and Elizavet Gilels, are violinists. Kogan's debut as a conductor took place in 1972 with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra. Since 1989 he has been the artistic director and chief conductor of the MGASO (Moscow State Symphony Orchestra). Kogan also works with the best orchestras in the world. The conductor is a laureate of the State Prize of Russia and bears the title “People’s Artist of Russia.” In addition to the prize, Kogan has many Russian and international awards.
7. Gergiev Valery Abisalovich was born on May 2, 1953 in Moscow. Grew up in North Ossetia. At the age of twelve he entered the Leningrad Conservatory to study conducting. As a student I participated in international competition conductors in Berlin Herberg von Karajan. There he took an honorable second place. After graduating from the conservatory, Gergiev was accepted as an assistant at the Kirov Theater. In 1978 he conducted Prokofiev's opera War and Peace. Gergiev later led the State Symphony Orchestra of Armenia. In 1988 he took the place of chief conductor of the Kirov Theater. Gergiev organized his own festival dedicated to Mussorgsky’s operas, and subsequently thematic festivals under the direction of the conductor became a tradition. Gergiev is also the chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. He is the winner of international and Russian awards.
8. Spivakov Vladimir Teodorovich was born in 1944 in the city of Ufa. His mother, Ekaterina Osipovna Weintraub, graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in piano. In 1955 Spivakov studied at music school at the Moscow Conservatory. In 1968 he graduated from the conservatory, and in 1970 he graduated from graduate school under the guidance of Yuri Yankelevich. In 1979 he founded the Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra and continues to direct it to this day. Spivakov is also the leader music festival in Colmar. In 2001, in Moscow, Vladimir Teodorovich organized the Moscow international festival. He has worked with many American and European orchestras. In 1994 he foundedVladimir Spivakov International Charitable Foundation . He is an Honored Artist of the RSFSR, People's Artist USSR, People's Artist of Ukraine, etc.
9. Bashmet Yuri Abramovich was born on January 24, 1953 in Rostov-on-Don. He studied at the Lviv Special Music School. In 1976 he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory. He is the creator chamber orchestra"Moscow Soloists". Yuri Bashmet is also a violist. Since 1996 he has been a professor at the Moscow Conservatory. In 1996creates and heads the “Experimental Viola Department” at the Moscow Conservatory. Since 2002 he has directed and conducted the State Symphony Orchestra " New Russia" He has worked with the Berlin, New York Philharmonic, Chicago and London Symphony Orchestras. He is a People's Artist of the USSR and a laureate of four State Prizes of the Russian Federation.
10. I would like to end my methodological report with a quote from Valery Filatov: “If a choir does not have a conductor, everyone tries to “outshout” the other.”
    Conductor, it's like a hint, it's like Magic wand, who with gestures says where and who needs to join, where to pause, he seems to help the orchestra (choir), inspires him and gives him his positive energy.
11. Thank you for your attention!

The Soviet era was generous with talent. The history of world culture includes the names of brilliant Soviet pianists, violinists, cellists, singers and, of course, conductors. At this time it was formed modern performance about the role of the conductor - leader, organizer, master.

What they were like, music leaders Soviet era?

Five portraits from the gallery of outstanding conductors.

NIKOLAI GOLOVANOV (1891–1953)

Already at the age of six, during a walk, Nikolai tried to conduct a military orchestra. In 1900, the young music lover was admitted to the Synodal School. Here his vocal, conducting and composing abilities were revealed.

Having already become mature master, Golovanov s great love will write about his years of study: “The Synodal School gave me everything - moral principles, life principles, the ability to work hard and systematically, instilled sacred discipline.”

After several years of working as regent, Nikolai entered the composition class of the Moscow Conservatory. In 1914 he graduated with a small gold medal. Throughout his life, Nikolai Semenovich wrote spiritual chants. He continued to work in this genre even when religion was proclaimed “the opium of the people.”

Fragment of the performance of Tchaikovsky's overture "1812"

In 1915 Golovanov was accepted into Grand Theatre. It all started with a modest position as an assistant choirmaster, and in 1948 he became the chief conductor. Relations with the famous theater were not always smooth: Nikolai Golovanov had to endure many insults and disappointments. But it is not they who remain in history, but the brilliant interpretations of Russian opera and symphonic classics, bright premieres works by contemporary composers and the first radio broadcasts of classical music in the USSR with his participation.

Conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky recalls the master this way: “He couldn’t stand the middle. The indifferent middle. And in nuance, and in phrasing, and in attitude to the matter.”

Although Golovanov had no student conductors, his interpretations of Russian classics became models for young musicians. Alexander Gauk was destined to become the founder of the Soviet conducting school.

ALEXANDER GAUK (1893–1963)

Alexander Gauk studied at the Petrograd Conservatory. He studied composition in the class of Alexander Glazunov, conducting in the class of Nikolai Cherepnin.

In 1917, the musical and theatrical period of his life began: he worked at the Petrograd Theater musical drama, and then at the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater.

In the 1930s, symphonic music became the center of Gauck's interests. For several years he led the symphony orchestra of the Leningrad Philharmonic, and in 1936 he headed the newly created State Symphony Orchestra THE USSR. He didn’t miss the theater, he only regretted that he never had a chance to stage his favorite “ Queen of Spades» Tchaikovsky.

A. Honegger
Pacific 231

In 1953, Gauk became the chief conductor of the Great Symphony Orchestra of the USSR State Television and Radio. This work was very intense and interesting. The orchestra played programs, as they say, in live. In 1961, the maestro was “politely” sent into retirement.

Gauk's joy was pedagogical activity. Evgeny Mravinsky, Alexander Melik-Pashaev, Evgeny Svetlanov, Nikolai Rabinovich - all of them were students of the maestro.

Evgeniy Mravinsky, himself already a renowned master, will write to his teacher in congratulatory letter: “You are our only conductor who carries the traditions of a truly great culture.”

EVGENY MRAVINSKY (1903–1988)

Mravinsky's entire life was connected with St. Petersburg-Leningrad. He was born into a noble family, but in difficult years he had to deal with “non-noble” affairs. For example, work as an extra at the Mariinsky Theater. An important role in his fate was played by the personality of the theater director, Emil Cooper: “It was he who introduced into me that “grain of poison” that connected me with the art of conducting for the rest of my life.”

For the sake of music, Mravinsky left university and entered the Petrograd Conservatory. At first, the student worked hard at composition, and then became interested in conducting. In 1929, he came to Gauck’s class and very quickly mastered the basics of this complex (or “dark”, as Rimsky-Korsakov said) business. After graduating from the conservatory, Mravinsky became an assistant conductor of the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater.

In 1937, the conductor's first meeting with the music of Dmitry Shostakovich took place. Mravinsky was entrusted with the premiere of his Fifth Symphony.

At first, Shostakovich was even frightened by the conductor’s method of work: “About every measure, about every thought, Mravinsky subjected me to a genuine interrogation, demanding from me an answer to all the doubts that arose in him. But already on the fifth day of our work together, I realized that this method was absolutely correct.”

After this premiere, Shostakovich’s music will become a constant companion in the maestro’s life.

In 1938, Mravinsky won the First All-Union Conducting Competition and was immediately appointed director of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. Many of the orchestra's artists were much older than the conductor, so they did not hesitate to give him “valuable instructions.” But very little time will pass, a working atmosphere will be established at rehearsals, and this team will become proud national culture.

Rehearsal of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra

It is not so often in the history of music that we come across examples where a conductor works with one ensemble for several decades. Evgeny Mravinsky led the Philharmonic Orchestra for half a century, his younger colleague Evgeny Svetlanov led the State Orchestra for 35 years.

Dmitri Shostakovich, Symphony No. 8

EVGENY SVETLANOV (1928–2002)

For Svetlanov, the Bolshoi Theater was home in a special sense of the word. His parents are soloists of an opera troupe. The future maestro made his debut on the famous stage at a tender age: he played little son Cio-Cio-san in Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly.

Almost immediately after graduating from the conservatory, Svetlanov came to the Bolshoi Theater and mastered all the theater classics. In 1963 he became the theater's chief conductor. Together with him, the troupe goes on tour to Milan, to La Scala. Svetlanov brings “Boris Godunov”, “Prince Igor”, “Sadko” to the demanding public.

In 1965, he headed the USSR State Symphony Orchestra (the same one that his teacher Alexander Gauk once led). Together with this team, which became academic in 1972, Svetlanov implemented a large-scale project - “Anthology of Russian symphonic music in the recording." The significance of this work was very precisely defined music director Radio France Rene Goering, who worked a lot with the conductor: “This is a real feat of Svetlanov, another evidence of his greatness.”

M. Balakirev, symphony No. 2, finale

When working with the State Conservatory, the conductor does not forget about the Bolshoi Theater. In 1988, the production of “The Golden Cockerel” (directed by Georgy Ansimov) became a real sensation. Svetlanov invited the “non-opera” singer Alexander Gradsky to play the extremely complex role of the Astrologer, which added even more originality to the performance.

Concert “Hits of the Outgoing Century”

Among the most important achievements of Evgeniy Svetlanov is the introduction wide range listeners to the music of the outstanding composer Nikolai Myaskovsky, which was very rarely performed by Soviet orchestras.

The return of little-known works to the concert stage has become one of the key tasks for maestro Gennady Rozhdestvensky.

GENNADY ROZHDESTVNSKY (BORN 1931)

Conductors playing instruments or composing music are not uncommon. But conductors who can talk about music are rare. Gennady Rozhdestvensky is a real unique person: he can talk and write fascinatingly about musical works different eras.

Rozhdestvensky studied conducting from his father, the famous conductor Nikolai Anosov. Mom, singer Natalya Rozhdestvenskaya, did a lot for development artistic taste son. Not yet graduating from the conservatory, Gennady Rozhdestvensky was accepted into the Bolshoi Theater. His debut was Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty. In 1961, Rozhdestvensky headed the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra Central television and radio broadcasting. At this time, the conductor's repertoire preferences emerged.

He mastered the music of the twentieth century with great interest, and also introduced the public to “non-hit” compositions. Musicologist, Doctor of Art History Viktor Tsukkerman admitted in a letter to Rozhdestvensky: “I have long wanted to express my deep respect and even admiration for your selfless, perhaps even ascetic activity in performing either undeservedly forgotten or little-known works.”

A creative approach to the repertoire determined the maestro’s work with other orchestras - well-known and not so well-known, youth and “adult” ones.

All aspiring conductors dream of studying with Professor Rozhdestvensky: for 15 years now he has been heading the department of opera and symphony conducting at the Moscow Conservatory.

The professor knows the answer to the question “Who is a conductor?”: “This is a medium between the author and the listener. Or, if you like, a kind of filter that passes through itself the flow emitted by the score, and then tries to transmit it to the audience."

Film "Triangles of Life"
(with fragments of the conductor's performances), in three parts