M.I. Glinka "Aragon Khota": history, video, content

M.I. Glinka "Aragon Hota"

The theme of Spain was one of the most fashionable in the era of Romanticism. In literature, art and theater of that time, this wonderful sunny country with ancient history and colorful traditions was glorified every now and then. Not spared her attention and M.I. Glinka. The composer never hid his love for foreign countries, since from childhood he had dreamed of visiting far away countries. But among others, Spain attracted him most. He embodied his enthusiastic impressions of being in a southern state in two Spanish Overtures. The first is the magnificent and solemn "Aragon Jota".

History of creation

For the first time about the creation of the “Brilliant Capriccio for a Large Orchestra on the Aragon Jota”, and this symphonic work was originally called that, Glinka thought in 1844 - early 1845s, when he was in Paris. In the French capital, the composer constantly met with G. Berlioz, who personally acquainted him with his creations. One evening he presented to the court of Mikhail Ivanovich the "Rome Carnival". Listening to this program overture reminded Glinka of his Italian journey, and he decided by all means to compose concert pieces for an orchestra called “Painted Pictures”. He promised to start writing the first composition of this cycle immediately upon arrival in Spain, and local folklore had to help him in this, which he intended to study carefully.

In 1845, on his birthday, Mikhail Ivanovich set off on a journey through Spain. On the way to Madrid, Glinka visits Valladolid, where he receives the first, most vivid impressions of Spanish culture. Most of all, the Russian composer was surprised at how the residents of this city spent their evenings - the neighbors gathered with their whole families, played musical instruments, sang and danced. During one of these meetings, the son of a local entrepreneur Felix Castillo played the Aragon hotu on a guitar. Glinka was so impressed with the work he heard that he kept it in his memory, along with all the variations that the young man performed. Arriving in Madrid, the composer immediately sat down to create the "Brilliant Capriccio".

Initially, Glinka meant that his capriccio would sound in the Madrid theater. From time immemorial, there existed a tradition of performing symphonic plays before a performance, and Mikhail Ivanovich hoped that his work would be an overture or an interlude to any dramatic performance. However, this intention did not come true - the premiere of his work took place only in 1850 in St. Petersburg. Only then did it have a different headline - "Aragon Jota". Conducted them KF Albrecht.

Interesting Facts

• At the heart of Glinka's "Khoty" is the most popular melody of Spanish folk dance. Together with Glinka, F. Liszt worked on this topic in his work, putting it at the heart of his work under the title “Great Concert Fantasy”. It was created in 1845, and then was reworked into the Spanish Rhapsody. The same melody sounds in "Spanish Rhapsody" by M. Ravel, as well as in S. Dargomyzhsky's romance "Dressed with the fog of Grenada".

• After listening to the "Brilliant Capriccio", V. F. Odoyevsky made Glinka several remarks on the orchestration and composition of the play. The composer listened to the opinion of a friend, whom he considered to be the greatest musician, and took up the reworking of his work. The updated work was released in 1850 already with a new name.
• Many researchers of Glinka believe that the tonality of the overture - Es-dur - he was not chosen by chance. It is believed that by this he decided to emphasize the link between Khota and L. Beethoven’s Heroic Symphony, which are united not only by a courageous, strong-willed tone, but also by symphonic methods.
• In 1916, choreographer Fokin put on a unique ballet to the music of Glinka's Khoty. He created a sensation on the stage, and even ardent critics of Fokine art highly appreciated this work. At present, this performance is not being staged anywhere in Russia.
• During his stay in Spain, the composer carefully studied the local folklore. He spent days and days walking and horseback riding through the streets and environs of the city in order to comprehend the customs, traditions and culture of the southern country, and then faithfully translate all this into his music. And he could do it. According to the composer’s biographers, after Glinka left the country, an experiment was conducted there - local residents were offered to listen to him at the Aragon Hotu. They called this music authentic Spanish, and did not believe that it was written by a Russian composer.
• The first piano transcription of "Khoty" was made by M. Balakirev. In his treatment, he tried to preserve the nature of the orchestral sound as much as possible, and at the same time make it technically complex. While working on the transcription, the composer relied on the works of Liszt and Beethoven. At present, only piano virtuosos perform Balakirev’s processing.
• Autographs, drafts and even the drafts of the "Spanish Overtures" by Glinka in Russia have not survived. Only a copy of Khoty, made by an unidentified person, is kept in the Russian National Library in St. Petersburg.
• In 1855, Glinka made handwritten copies of his Spanish Overtures and presented them to his Spanish friend Don Pedro. Subsequently, these scores were deposited in the Paris National Library, where they are kept to this day.

Content

When he first heard the Aragonese version of the hota, Glinka took it as the most typical expression of the Spanish character - this dance became for him a symbol of Spain itself. In his work he tried to embody the true spirit of this great country and the fiery temperament of its inhabitants.

For the Aragon Jota, Glinka chose a slender classical sonata form, and the trowels managed to combine the principles of sonata and variance in it. Such an interpretation of the form seems quite natural, because the work is based on a genuine popular theme, which is originally characterized by variation techniques. The main contrast in the work is created between the solemn, strict introduction, and the flying, jubilant themes of the sonata allegro.

In the interpretation of the introduction of musicologists somewhat diverge. Some see in the draft fanfare and subsequent focused narrative gathering on the feast of the crowd, while others interpret the image of the entry is much wider, associating them with the distant past of Spain with its knights, ancient castles and picturesque mountain landscape. The composer seems to draw a huge space created by the mountain heights and endless distances - the woodwind echo of the octave unison of strings, transforming into a heroic exclamation of French horns and trumpets.

After a harsh opening before the viewer, an elegant dance scene unfolds: the themes of the main part appear - the melody of the Aragonese hota and the canted passionate tune of the woodwind. The main theme is made up of voiced passages imitating the sound of a guitar - performed by its harp and two solo violins on the background of pizzicato strings. The second theme, although performed by the low timbres of strings, harp, woodwind and clarinet, creates a vivid one pictorial sketch, which is rich in the whole score of the overture. The secondary part is akin to the main one — it is a sophisticated, scherzo image based on the same dance rhythm-intonations.

In the development of the theme they gain courageous, volitional expression, and sound with a special scale - the Spanish character reveals hidden military fervor. In the reprise, the themes of the overture merge in a whirlwind of victorious dance, and the entire grandiose picture of the dance completes the final touch - again there are recruiting fanfare that invited the people to the feast.

Ballet "Aragon Jota"

The idea to create a Spanish ballet arose from M. Fokin in 1914, when he was in Spain. The culture of this people seemed to him amazing and charming, not at all the way it was represented on the imperial ballet scene. In his modern Russia, the Spaniards looked somehow ominous, there was absolutely no vitality and fun in them. It is for this reason that he decided to create a Spanish ballet and show the Spanish people as they really are. The ideal work in this regard for him just became "Aragon Jota" Glinka.

The premiere of the ballet on the Glinka Overture took place on January 29, 1916 at the Mariinsky Theater. The production artist was Alexander Golovin, who became famous for his love of Spanish subjects. He made strict and very simple scenery for the “Hote” - clear sky with clouds scattered over it, bright sun, grassy hill, a bridge and the roofs of peasant houses. The uniqueness of the production was that the horizon was very low, and the audience saw all the dancers against the background of the air. All critics in one voice admired the performance, praising every dramatic component of it. The ballet expert A. Volynsky gave a very capacious description of this production: "The diamonds of real art of dance are strung on the golden thread of Glinka's melody."

Despite the fact that "Aragon Khota" is entirely woven from Spanish folk motifs, musicologists insist that Glinka still left a distinctly audible Russian sign in it. Allegedly, the composer, with all his love for Spanish romance, never for a moment left the thought of his roots, and that is why in the final composition he stressed that it was written by the Russian composer. Listen to the last cadence of the overture, for it is precisely in it that the characteristic feature of domestic music is hidden — it is a plagual one.