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Contact:

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New books of

K.Kovalev-Sluchevsky

Another Rublevka

 Secrets of the Tsar's Road
(all secrets of Rublevka!!!)

New Zvenigorod's Annals (Chronicles of Zvenigorod)

Unusual history of Russia

Zvenigorod

and Zvenigorod’s Russia

The Treasures of

a Moscow Suburb.

Stories, essays and investigation
(Format of the encyclopedia,

more than 1000 illustrations)

Yuri Zvenigorodsky

Great Prince of Moscow

Book in a series "Life of outstanding people"

Savva Storozhevsky

Life: facts and myths,

legends and hypotheses.
Book in a series "Life of outstanding people"

 Bortniansky

Composer 18th century

Book in a series "Life of outstanding people"

Names and persons

of Russian culture

Saint Savva

and great battles

of Medieval Russia

 Visa to the end

of the Earth
Brief advice to the

 serious traveler

◊

Historical personnels

on a site (rus),

by Konstantin

Kovalev-Sluchevsky:

Balakirev Мilij

Beauharnais Eugène, de

Berdiaev Nicolai

Berezovsky Maxim

Borodin Alexander

Bortniansky Dmitry

Burtsev Vasily

Chekhov Anton

Derzhavin Gavriil

Dmitry Donskoy

Dmitry Krasny

Evdokija Moskovskaja

Glinka Mihail

Gogol Nikolai

Griboedov Alexander

Handoshkin Ivan

Hristianin Fedor

Karamzin Nikolai

Likhachov Dmitry
Lossky Nikolai

Lvov Nikolai

Men, Father Alexander

Mezenets Alexander

Mussorgsky Modest

Palamarchuk Petr

Pasternak Boris

Pushkin Alexander

Radischev Alexander

Raevsky Nikolai

Savva Storozhevsky, St.

Shmelev Ivan

Shtelin Jakob, fon

Suvorov Alexander

Trostnikov Viktor

Vasily I Dmitrievich

Vasily II Vasilievich

Yuri Zvenigorodsky

Konstantin Kovalev-Sluchevsky

 (Kovalev Konstantin Petrovich)

Konstantin P. Kovalev (literary pseudonym - Konstantin Kovalev-Sluchevsky) - writer, historian, television anchorman and host, culture expert and traveler. Professor of the Institute of journalism and creative writing - IZHLT, Moscow. (Born 09.27.1955, www.kkovalev.ru).

In particular - the author of the books:

- Starting point of the Russian music, life of composer Bortniansky

- Savva Storozhevsky. Life: facts and myths, legends and hypotheses

Description:

Life of Russian of 18th century composer Bortniansky introducing  and the achievement. Hiding in the shade of the masters of 19 centuries, it approaches to the real image of the musician who is not known excessively, searches the music circumstance of that time and the source of the Russian national theology.

SBN：4-7880-6105-8

 See also page of this site: All around Dmitry Bortniansky - here ›››

Konstantin Kovalev's other books:

Amazon.com - here ›››

Worldcatlibraries.org - here ›››

Ozon.ru - here ›››

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Dmitry Stepanovich Bortniansky
(1751-1825)

 
Russian composer, studied with Galuppi in St. Petersburg and Venice. After producing two operas in Italy, in 1779 he returned to St. Petersburg. There, in 1796, he became director of the Imperial Chapel Choir, for which he set a high standard. He wrote mainly church music, combining Russian church style and Italian style. In 1881, Tchaikovsky completed an edition of his church music, published in 10 volumes.

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-05.

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A wealth of glorious treasures, a magnificent bounty was left to us by the exuberantly generous, incredibly talented Russian musical 18th century. St.Petersburg… The glittering capital of 18th century Russia… The first Russian operas, small, but priceless gems – “Russian songs”, published in St.Petersburg in the mid-18th century, destined to speedily enchant all of Europe with their artless beauty, the birth of powerful instrumental music – a sensation, worthy of being entered into the Guinness Book of Records! The 18th century became an acknowledged summit in the evolution of Russian church music, the result of eight centuries of existence of this most ancient music genre in Russia.
The brilliant Russian composer Dmitry Bortnyansky… In just a matter of several dozen years ago, this name was almost the only one among the names of Russian composers of the 18th century which was familiar and acknowledged by the music world. What a remarkable paradox of history this is: the astoundingly rich, opulent Russian musical 18th century, which, in its time, had roused, with its exuberance and freshness, all of musical Europe – and then almost two centuries of oblivion for Russian art of that period. Many of Bortnyansky’s compositions are sensational discoveries, made in the second half of the 20th century, and one of the most generous sources of these are the archives of the St.Petersburg palaces.
Just several dozen years ago we were familiar with Dmitry Bortnyansky exclusively in the capacity of church composer. However, we are now wise to the fact that Bortnyansky authored over two hundred opuses, a major part of which are secular! To begin with, he acquired recognition as an opera composer. Incidentally, this fame began to take hold in Italy, where Bortnyansky studied for ten years. Later, he became court composer in the times of Catherine the Great. Still later, he worked at two courts: that of the Empress, and at the “minor court” – of the future heir Pavel.
All of Bortnyansky’s instrumental chamber music is written specifically for the minor court – for concerts at the Pavlovsk palace, the environs of St.Petersburg. Among those who performed his music, were, traditionally, the royalty themselves. For example, Pavel’s wife, Maria Fyodorovna, was quite an appreciable harp player…
Russian instrumental music of the 18th century is, perhaps, one of the most fascinating pages in the “history” of Russian music. After all, Russia is, traditionally, a vocal country. Of course, this doesn’t mean Russians didn’t have music instruments, but prior to the 18th century, these were exclusively folk. Throughout the entire period before that, professional art, in the course of some eight centuries, was strictly limited to the sphere of Russian church choral music a’capella.
At the beginning of the 18th century, Russian art embarked on a vibrant dialogue with Europe – as a result of which foreign “guests” ventured to make their way here – the clavichord, flute, French horn, cello…
It might seem practically inconceivable, but in under a century, Russia developed its own national instrumental school! This music doesn’t require condescending concessions due to time factor… And instrumental music of Maxim Berezovsky, another revelation of the 18th century which emerged just recently, is another proof to it. For two centuries nobody had an inkling of its existence, and Berezovsky was remembered, but vaguely, as a choral composer.
In the 18th century St.Petersburg and all of Russia were experiencing a musical boom. Quite a commendable fashion of the day, you have to agree: practically every person played at least some kind of music instrument. Moreover, believe it or not, but a great many people wrote music just for themselves. Listening to it, one can successfully gauge the general cultural atmosphere of the time...

The Voice of Russia

All about Bortniansky's hymn "Kol slaven" ("How Glorious is Our Lord")

          The well-known hymn - "Коль славен" ("Kol slaven" or "How Glorious is Our Lord in Zion"; considered up to now as the Hymn of Russian emigration) was written by the composer with the text of poet M.M. Heraskov - at the end of XVIII century (version - 1822). Printed notes of this hymn are known.

     Some time was considered as formal national hymn of the Russian state (served for a considerable time as the national anthem of the Russian empire). It was frequently executed in public places and at assemblies.

     The hymn also was very popular outside Russia.

     In XX century the Hymn was executed with choruses of Russian emigration. Sometimes the melody sounded in performance of orchestras. Record of Russian emigrants (the rare edition), execution of the Hymn by an orchestra under A.A. Skrjabin's management and under protection of Association Russian Imperial Horse Guards and Horse Artillery in Paris (1950-th) is known.
     The tune composer wrote for a hymn popular with freemasons, traveled to English speaking countries and came to be known by the names Russia, St. Petersburg or Wells; in Germany, the song was paired with a text by Gerhard Tersteegen (1697-1769; from one of his hymns), and became a well-known chorale and traditional closing piece to the military ritual Großer Zapfenstreich (the Ceremonial Tattoo).

Original German text:

Ich bete an die Macht der Liebe,
Die sich in Jesu offenbart;
Ich geb' mich hin dem freien Triebe,
Mit dem ich Staub geliebet ward.
Ich will, anstatt an mich zu denken,
Ins Meer der Liebe mich versenken.

Wie bist du mir so zart gewogen,
Und wie verlangt mein Herz nach dir;
Durch Liebe sanft und stark gezogen,
Neigt sich mein Alles auch zu dir!
Du traute Liebe, gutes Wesen,
Du hast mich und ich dich erlesen.

O Jesu, daß dein Name bliebe
Im Herzen tief gedrücket ein!
Möcht deine treue Jesusliebe
In Herz und Sinn gepräget sein!
Im Wort, im Werk und allem Wesen
Sei Jesus und sonst nichts zu lesen.

     Prior to the October revolution in 1917, the tune was played by the Moscow Kremlin carillon (in bell tower) every day at 15 o'clock and at 21 o'clock exactly.
     James Benjamin Blish (an American author of fantasy and science fiction), who novelized many episodes of the original series of Star Trek, noted in one story, Whom Gods Destroy, that Bortniansky's "Ich bete an die Macht der Liebe" was the theme to which all Starfleet Academy classes marched to their graduation.

     Konstantin Kovalev-Slushevsky

 More in Russian about hymn ›››

 (The text is written for publication)

The Title of the printed libretto of Bortniansky's opera "Creonte".
 The opera's premiere took place in Venice (theatre "San Benedetto", 1776).

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 Konstantin Kovalev. Savva Storozhevsky. Life: facts and myths, legends and hypotheses. - M.: Molodaja Gvardia, 2007. - 416 p.: ill.
(A series "Life of outstanding people" - ZZL: № 1078. 15000 copies).
ISBN 978-5-235-03055-8
Second edition - M.: 2008. - 416 p.: ill. (ZZL: № 1098. 5000 copies).
ISBN 978-5-235-03087-9

"Savva Storozhevsky"

Life: facts and myths, legends and hypotheses.

Book  in a series "Life of outstanding people"

by Konstantin Kovalev

A biography of one of the most prominent of Russian confessor. This is a readable account of the St. Savva life, based on scholarly research but intended for the general reader as well as those who are already connoisseurs of Russian history. The author has considered the various facts and myths, legends and hypotheses. In result the author offers new datings. The majority of the known historical dates connected to St. Savva name, demand revision and changes. The author puts forward two ten new hypotheses. Even the text, which is published at the end of the given page of a site, - already possible to name out-of-date.

The book is illustrated with virtually all the portraits and other pictures surviving which relate to St. Savva life. The book reflects Russian (Asian and European)  life at the end of the 14th and in the beginning of the 15th centuries.

The author worked in domestic archives and libraries for collecting materials for a spelling of the books about Savva Storozhevsky, about starting point and development of Russian state, church and cultural life in this epoch. The book about Savva Storozhevsky and his epoch was published in a series "Life of outstanding people" (ZSL, mass editions - 15000 copies). Now it is the thirst full and extensive biography, the main and capital works about the Russian confessor.

Spas Zvenigorodsky (Christ the Redeemer).

 Andrei Rublev icon discovered in the Zvenigorod in 1918-1919.
Now - in Tretyakov Gallery of Moscow

St. Savva Storozhevsky, fresco of 19 centuries from an altar of a cathedral of Birth of Virgin

The bell tower (clock-tower) of the Savva monastery

(boasting the clock that the czar had brought from the town of Smolensk, on 1655)

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Contacts

 e-mail:   kkovalev@mail.ru