Source: USSR information bulletin, volume VIII no. 3, Feb. 11, 1948
ALEXANDER DARGOMYZHSKY, one of the most remarkable of the Russian composers of the nineteenth century, was born 135 years ago, on February 14, 1813. His operas Russalka or The Water-Sprite and The Stone Guest, as well as his many vocal compositions, marked an epoch in the history of Russian music.
From what we know of the composer’s biography, his musical talent appeared very early. At eleven he was composing ballades and piano pieces. When he grew up he did not, however, choose music as his profession, but for many years held a post in one of the ministries in St. Petersburg. It was not until he was thirty years of age that he gave up his post in the ministry to devote himself to composing music.
His creative life was a struggle for Russian national art. Like Mikhail Glinka, who preceded him and was the founder of Russian classical music, he realized that true art can be built up solely on a thorough understanding and profound insight into folk art. He made an exhaustive study of Russian folk songs and dances, which later served as the basis of much of his work.
The democratic nature of his compositions was seen in his approach to Russian national songs, and we find that many of his original songs follow the folk song construction. National folk motifs are present in his symphonic compositions, too.
He was the creator in Russia of the dramatic and satiric song, new genres for his time. He was the first to introduce satire, ridiculing hypocrisy and sanctimoniousness, into Russian vocal art. His song The Worm is an example of this.
The opera The Water-Sprite, which was completed in 1855, was an event in Russian music. This is a musical drama based on the poem by Alexander Pushkin. At times lyrical, at others intensely dramatic, the music has touches of purely national humor.
The Stone Guest was written in the last year of the composer’s life and sums up, as it were, his creative work. He was attracted by the idea of writing a musical drama free of operatic conventions. The subject was taken from Pushkin’s poem. Dargomyzhsky departed from the traditional forms, the arias, duets and ensembles, and while preserving the verse intact, strove to reveal its deep-lying content. A master of melodic declamation, he has succeeded in merging verse and melody.
Dargomyzhsky’s compositions did not gain acknowledgment from aristocratic audiences, but were warmly welcomed by democratic circles.
His works are well known abroad. In the mid-nineteenth century Franz Liszt wrote a brilliant pianoforte transcription of Dargomyzhsky’s Tarantella. The Water-Sprite was performed on opera stages all over the world. The works of Alexander Dargomyzhsky, particularly this opera and most of his songs, though they are nearly a hundred years old, are still performed at Soviet opera houses and concert-halls, and awaken warm response in the hearts of millions.
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