Neoclassicism in music and its representatives

Neoclassicism in music is a special term that designates the direction in academic music of the last century. Its representatives imitated the style of musical compositions of the 17th and 18th centuries. Especially popular were the works of composers of early classicism, as well as late Baroque. This style of musicians of the 20th century tried to oppose unnecessarily, in their opinion, the music of late Romanticism, which is overloaded with complex technical methods. The most popular this direction enjoyed in 1920-30-ies.

Characteristics of Neoclassicism

Neoclassicism in music in its style is very similar to the neo-baroque direction. The border between them is very blurred. In many respects this was due to the fact that the composers themselves often mixed the stylistic and genre features of both historical periods.

In our time the term "neoclassicism" in music is very common. So experts define, firstly, stylized baroque and Viennese classics, as well as the so-called aesthetic reconstructions from other historical periods, different from romanticism.

According to musicologist Levon Hakobyan, current researchers sometimes unjustifiably expand the concept of neoclassicism, including most of the music that was written in the 20th century. And often it does not fit into the notion of either avant-garde or modernism.

Representatives of neoclassicism in music

The ancestors of such a direction as neoclassicism are composers who represented a moderate branch of late romanticism in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. Among them - Johannes Brahms, Camille Saint-Saens, Alexander Glazunov.

Some famous composers begin to imitate the classical style already in the second half of the 19th century. Similar trends are observed in "Intermezzo in the classical style" Modest Mussorgsky, "Ancient Minuet" by Maurice Ravel.

The first representatives of neoclassicism in the music of the 20th century were Sergei Prokofiev with the "Classical Symphony", as well as Erik Sati, who wrote the "Bureaucratic Sonatine" in which the sonatina of Muzio Clementi is parodied.

Neoclassicism interpretations

Many musicologists, for example, the domestic specialist Galina Filenko, interpret neoclassicism as the embodiment of the "ancient theme", not perceiving it as a stylization of the Viennese classics.

At the same time, Filenko remarks that the so-called spirit of antiquity was recreated by composers using the Gregorian psalmody. This is her own term, which she refers to as Gregorian singing - this is a single-voiced performance, popular in the Roman Catholic Church.

An example of neoclassicism

At one time was very popular neoclassicism in music. Representatives of this trend left a notable mark in the development of music. One of the brightest representatives of neoclassicism is Erik Sati and his symphonic drama "Socrates". In this work the eccentric French composer concluded a vocal cycle for a soprano with an orchestra, which includes fragments translated into French from Plato's philosophical work Dialogues.

Experts point out that the musical language used by Sati is clear and laconic in expressive means. In the work a chamber orchestra is involved, quite small, composed almost entirely of stringed instruments. With his help, the parts of the vocalists sound fresh, not at all violating the strict and harsh nature of the sound.

The music of Sati is also distinguished by the fact that it does not seek to coincide in detail with the text. The composer transmits only the general atmosphere and environment. At the same time, the average temperature of emotions is constantly maintained throughout the drama.

In these manifestations, Satie is close to the artists of the Renaissance. For example, Sandro Botticelli, Fra Beato Angelico. And also to the painter of the XIX century Puvi de Chavanne, whom he considered his favorite, especially in his early youth.

All these artists, just like Sati, only in painting, solved the problems of unity of the image, eliminating restless contrasts, small strokes, symmetrical arrangement of figures.

Eric Satie's style

Sati is a vivid representative of neoclassicism and classical avant-garde in music. He creates his own, unique style, which is characterized by extremely restrained emotions almost throughout his main musical work - "Socrates".

He often uses various expressive means, which regularly alternate and repeat. Here, both textures and smooth harmonic sequences. Motifs and education composer divides into very small cells - one or two bars. In this case, the repetitions are symmetrical at a very small distance from each other. In the future this constructive-emotional way was used by many other followers of Sati, representatives of neoclassicism in music. Composers rightfully considered the Frenchman one of the founders of this direction.

The search for neoclassicism

It should be noted that in its development the music of neoclassicism, the countries in which it was cultivated, constantly changed. For example, if at first it was the destiny of the European state, by the beginning of the 20th century many representatives of this direction appeared on the territory of Russia.

The same applies to the variability of style. And he was engaged in the very founder of musical neoclassicism Sati. In 1917 he released his famous and scandalous ballet "Parade". To participate in this production, many celebrities of the time have put their hand: the libretto was written by Jean Cocteau, Pablo Picasso worked on the scenography, Leonid Miasin and Lydia Lopukhova played the main parts.

The subject of this work was a description of the performance of the artists of the circus circus. They are trying their best to attract the public so that she sees their performance, which is organized in a circus tent.

The symphonic drama "Socrates", released a year later, differs markedly from the "Parade". Sati declares that he is ready to present a fundamentally new work to the world, ultimately officially declaring that in Socrates he decided to finally return to classical simplicity in everything, but at the same time retaining modern sensitivity.

The premiere of "Socrates" was held in 1918. At that time it became a new word in modern classical music. Many connoisseurs of art enthusiastically accepted this new work of Sati.

The development of neoclassicism

Perceive neoclassicism in music as an art direction began in earnest in 1920. It was then that the Italian composer Ferruccio Busoni published a programmatic article "New Classicism." He did this in the form of an open letter, in which he turned to the popular musicologist Bekker. This article has become software for this musical direction.

Strong development in the culture of neoclassicism was received from the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. Especially it was manifested in his bright and memorable works - "The Rake's Adventures", "Pulcinella", "Orpheus", "Apollo Musaget". Also, the French composer Albert Roussel attached his hand to the popularization of neoclassicism. It is with respect to his music that this term was first officially used. It happened in 1923.

In general, many composers of the first half of the 20th century worked in similar styles. Paul Neo-classical Neoclassicism in German neoclassical music was developed by Paul Hindemith. In France, they were Darius Miyo and Francis Poulenc, in Italy - Ottorino Respighi and Alfredo Casella.

Application in non-academic music

In recent years, the direction of neoclassicism in music is almost never returned. Although in the 21st century this term began to occur more often in the pages of music newspapers and magazines. However, this is erroneous. Nowadays, musical neo-classicism is increasingly called a special synthesis of a harmonious combination of classical music with electronics, pop and rock.

At the same time, the most popular contemporary representatives of such music, as in the times when neoclassicism only revived, from Italy and France.