This year the Tchaikovsky musical contest turns 40 years old. Russia's
Culture Ministry gave a news conference in connection with the anniversary
and with the upcoming 11th Tchaikovsky competition.
The 1st international Tchaikovsky Contest opened in March, 1958. Since
that it presents more and more talented musicians to the world once every
four years. At first it involved only pianists and violinists, but later
cellists and vocalists joined it. This year the third contest of violin
makers will be held in the framework of the 11th Tchaikovsky competition.
Speakers at the news conference included composer Tikhon Khrennikov,
chairman of the contest's Organizing Committee. "The Tchaikovsky competition
is an art relic in this country. Since the very first time it was held
in 1958 it has acquired such international prestige that all concert halls
in the world are open to its laureates. The name it bears contributed to
the prestige of the contest, of course, since Piotr Tchaikovsky is the
world's most popular composer. The fact that it was initiated by an outstanding
composer of our times, Dmitry Shostakovich, who led its Organizing Committee
till his death in 1975, also contributed to its fame. Its panel of judges
has always included prominent musicians from different countries, and this
tradition is continued."
Tikhon Khrennikov pointed to the importance of state support to be
given to the contest on instructions from the Russian government.
This year the greatest number of young musicians - 532 - pianists,
violinists, cellists and vocalists from 54 countries, and over 120 violin
makers from 19 countries - have expressed their wish to join the competition.
The Russian participants have already been selected. Under the terms of
the contest the panel of judges has the right to carry out such a selection
among participants from abroad too. There are legends as to the complexity
of the contest programs. The competition has been won by musicians who
supplemented the elite of world performers. It's enough to say that pianists,
for instance, are to present in the first round a 45-minute solo program,
and in the second round a 60-minute program to demonstrate their virtuosity
in all styles and creative individuality.
The 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition will be held from the
9th through the 30th of June. The concluding concert of laureates will
be given in the Grand Hall of Moscow Conservatory on the 1st of July.
PRINCE IGOR'S MEMOIRS?
Alla Proschenko reports:
When literary epos is mentioned, what comes to memory is such epics,
as "Mahabharata", "Nibelungen", "Manas",
"Kalevala", "Song of Roland". All these works belong
to different nations, and to world literature at the same time. They include
the old Russian epic "The Song of Igor's Host" written in the
late 12th century. Linguists and historians in Russia and abroad have tried
to unriddle the mystery of this legend since 1800, when the manuscript
was discovered among old monastery chronicles, translated into contemporary
Russian and published for the first time.
In our times the most authoritative student of "The Song of Igor's
Host" is Academician Dmitry Likhachev. But even his detailed research
doesn't dot all the i's in the study of the epic, as some specialists believe.
The main thing has not been established - who wrote "The Song of Igor's
Host".
In the late 12th century the Russian Prince Igor, who ruled in the
northern princedom of Novgorod, launched a campaign against the nomadic
Polovtsian tribes, who frequently raided his lands. His campaign was a
failure. The prince was defeated and taken prisoner, but he managed to
escape. However all this played a positive role - the need to unite Russian
lands in the face of a common enemy was raised.
This is what "The Song of Igor's Host" speaks about. It was
translated not only into modern Russian, but also into other languages.
A new book sensationally entitled "The Song of Igor's Host. A New
Interpretation. Author Unknown" was published in Moscow. It poses
a new translation into modern Russian and speculations as to who wrote
"The Song". They are put forward not by a linguist, but by a
well-known sculptor, Vladimir Buinachev, participant in international exhibitions
and the author of works purchased by many Russian museums. This is his
first literary venture that does not pretend to be a strictly scientific
research.
Here's what the author has to say: "In my childhood I often listened
to the radio. This is how I heard of "The Song of Igor's Host"
for the first time. All began with Borodin's opera "Prince Igor"
based on the legend. The opera stunned me; I learned its fragments by heart.
As I matured, I tried to read its original in old Russian, but failed.
And suddenly I saw the light. I began to understand the work, since I recalled
the dialect used by my father and grandfather. In old times my ancestors
from the area of Novgorod, where Igor used to rule, moved to the Urals
and preserved their old dialect. My father spoke such an intricate language,
that it provoked laughter. And his dialect proved very similar to the language
of "The Song of Igor's Host".
And here's the main sensation - Vladimir Buinachev believes that he
knows who wrote "The Song" - Prince Igor himself. He cites Igor's
statement: "The time has come for me to say my word." Vladimir
Buinachev explains that many years passed between Igor's campaign and the
time when "The Song" was written. There were many rumours about
his inglorious battle with the Polovtsy, about his captivity and his escape
from the enemy's camp. A lot of fiction was added to the truth, and the
prince decided to say his word, to restore the truth. That is why the narrative
is so impassioned.
Vladimir Buinachev says: "In my view, the very title of the work
in its full version - "The Song of the Host of Igor, Son of Svyatoslav,
Grandson of Olga" - suggests its authorship. Many old Russian chronicles
were named under such principle.
If we accept Buinachev's version, we can say that "The Song of
Igor's Host" is one of the oldest samples of the genre of memoirs.
The Donskoy Monastery
Marina Zelenkova repots
Over centuries the old Russian monasteries, erected as defensive structures,
have been silent witnesses of dramatic events in the life of the country.
Many survive to this day as masterpieces of national architecture.
In our previous programs we have described some of the monasteries
that formed a belt of fortresses around Moscow and others that protected
Russia's remote borders. One of the youngest, the Donskoy Monastery in
the south-west of the capital, Moscow's guard for more than four centuries,
has had a rich and tragic history.
The road to the main gates of the Donskoy Monastery runs through a
shady park. As you enter this quiet and deserted spot in the center of
a busy city, you get into a tranquil and pensive mood. The structures of
the architectural ensemble with the verdure of boulevards and gardens around
the monastery walls produce a peaceful atmosphere. The spacious lawns,
the overgrown cemetery and the orchard with young apple trees, either covered
with snow in the winter or lit by the sun in the summer, make you feel
inclined to quiet meditation.
The birth of the monastery has to do with an event that became historic
for this country. It was on this very site that in 1591 the Russian troops
crushed the Crimean Khan Kyzy-Girei. The troops carried with them the icon
of Our Lady of the Don honored as a protectress of the Russian lands. Since
then the icon is believed to have inspired the Russians to that victory.
The monastery and its first church, the Small Cathedral, were erected to
commemorate the remarkable event. Since then the Cathedral has had in its
possession the miracle working icon of Our Lady of the Don. Shortly after
it was built, the monastery became a stronghold in the south-west of Moscow.
In the first decades of its existence, the Donskoy Monastery was not
big at all. It took it centuries to develop into the architectural ensemble
we can see today. Many outstanding architects were engaged in erecting
fortress walls and towers, various structures and auxiliary buildings,
all reflecting various architectural styles existing in their time. Take,
for example, the oldest structure - the Small Cathedral in the name of
the icon of Our Lady dating from the 16th century. There are just a few
churches in Moscow of the same age and this one outstands for its engineering
design, which was very advanced for its time. The cathderal has one dome,
a very rare feature for cathedrals in general. The top raised on the little
arches, called kokoshniki, is most likely meant to display the architect's
desire to make the cathedral look taller. This and other of its architectural
features served later as a basis for the composition of pillar-like stone
structures. As the years passed the monastery grew and the Grand Cathedral
and some other structures were erected. Eventually, the defensive structure
turned into a religious cloister, the favorite place of the tsar family
and members of the Moscow nobility. These used to come here for religious
services and contributed generous donations. It was a great honor to retire
to the monastery. For decades it retained the reputation of one of the
richest and most privileged monasteries in the country. It also played
an important role in the political life of the country.
During the many centuries of its history the monastery has seen prosperity
and decline. In the years of atheistic communist government, it preserved
its privileged character and was not destroyed along with thousands of
other churches and monasteries across the country. On the contrary, icons
and church plate were brought here from the other, destroyed, churches.
From 1922 the monastery housed an anti-religious museum. Contrary to the
purpose of the museum, however, many people did their best to preserve
the cultural treasures in its possession.
In 1925 the monastery was closed down altogether and persecutions against
the monks were launched. Most of the monks had no place to go and tried
to find odd jobs on the premises. All the cells were now occupied by industrial
workers. In the 1930s the government found a new use for the six hectars
of the monastery's territory. In the premises of the Theological College
a tannery was opened, the Coach-house was given to collective-farmers who
used it to keep their cows. When the construction of metro was launched,
the Small Cathedral was turned into a hostel for metro workers. The other
churches housed laboratories and offices.
For years, cows and monuments, former monks and industrial workers
lived side by side. This, certainly, did a lot of damage to the architectural
monument. The years of the Second World War also did it serious damage
when the Grand Cathedral was hit by a bomb.
As the years passed, more and more people became aware of the importance
of this holy sight. In 1989 the old monastery saw an unexpected change
in policy when the Soviet government ordered that the monastery be transferred
back to the Russian Orthodox Church. Since then a lot has been done to
revive it: the iconostasis and murals in the Grand Cathedral have been
restored. The Cathedral holds services again. The monastery garden is revived,
with beautiful roses blossoming at the entrance. The other structures are
also under repair. A Sunday school is operating. The monastery is regaining
its former religious role. As before, it provides refuge to all those suffering.
And, most important, it has its old spirit back, the spirit of peace and
quiet.
