Concerts of spritial music in the russian province in the early 20th century (with towns of the Middle and Lower Volga region)

Abstract

The article examines some aspects of the musical and educational activities carried out at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. provincial church-singing communities of various Christian denominations. As an example, the cities of Saratov, Samara, Simbirsk and Syzran are covered - the largest economic and cultural centers of the Middle and Lower Volga regions. The authors analyze the concert activity of the represented provinces in several directions: concerts of pra-glorious liturgical chants, spiritual concerts with mixed programs, concerts of sacred music in Catholic and Protestant churches, and also separately highlight examples of the premiere performance of author's spiritual works in provincial temples. Thus, the work highlights the educational concert and educational work of the professor of the Saratov Conservatory I.V. Lipaev, the Saratov Bishops' Choir under the direction of N.M. Dmitriev, Simbirsk Bishop's Choir (choir director S.P. Yagodinsky). The authors provide examples of touring performances by leading choral groups of the Russian Empire in the Volga cities, in particular, the Moscow Synodal Choir (conducted by N.N. Tolstyakov) in Saratov and the choir of the St. Samara. In addition, the article touches on the problem of interaction between Orthodox and co-religion communities, the performance of joint services by them (possible within the framework of the same-faith Liturgical practice), as well as the preservation of the Volga region of a living tradition of using the znamenny chant. As a result of the research carried out, the article traces the idea of the continuity of the ideas of the New direction in Russian sacred music by the Volga choir directors, as well as the active inclusion of the latter in the general process of development of Russian church singing art.