Why Russian Classical music is unique

What is distinctive about Russian Classical Music? Let's try to find out...
If you wish to buy me a coffee, that would be appreciated:
www.buymeacoffee.com/classicalmk
_________________________________________________________
Borodin Polovtsian Dances: • Borodin - Prince Igor:...
Prokofiev Scythian Suite: • Prokofiev: Scythian Su...
Stravinsky Rites of Spring: • Stravinsky: Le sacre d...
Khataturian Sabre Dance: • Aram Khachaturian - Sa...
Rimsky-Korsakov Flight of Bumblebee: • Flight of the bumblebe...
There's also Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov for the Harmonics Title screen, and Shostakovich's Fifth for the Russian Soul Title..

[@karllieck9064]

You forgot to mention the uncanny gift the Russian composers had for creating unforgettable melodies.

[@konstantin1943]

A dangerous topic right now while the war is going on. But I'm glad you weren't scared. This video is for years, decades ahead. And I agree with a lot of your thoughts. My favorite composer is Rachmaninoff btw. Bless your channel!

[@nameq]

classical music has little to do with the modern state

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

Рахму многие не любят за отсутствие стиля и сильный технизм

[@potrelviewer9536]

Russian music doesn't belong just to Russia, the same way Mozart's music isn't just Austria's privileged music. Beethoven's 9th symphony is still played around the world, even if all the countries of the world aren't Germany itself.

[@charold3]

@@nameqNot exactly true. Silvestrov would not agree with you. Neither would Shostakovich while Stalin was alive. Strauss was apparently a committed Nazi.

[@charold3]

Russian lit is also very great, especially the nineteenth century. When I think of Mussorgsky and Stravinsky or Tolstoy and Chekhov, I don’t think of Putin but the sadness that the Russian people have had so many very bad leaders over centuries, czars, premieres, presidents-many of them beyond awful.

[@thearcticlord3920]

We may, or may not, agree with Russian politics and leadership; but, they are beautiful people, from a fabulous country, who have given the world great gifts in their music.

[@Ingkirilov]

WE DONT CARE IF YOU ARE NOT AGREE.

[@rossanopinelli5150]

Great work! And let’s not forget Anatoly Ljadov, a genius who was too insecure of his abilities and who was slow in writing, but who composed authentic masterpieces (and highly esteemed by Stravinsky).

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

I'm Rus and i don't like Liadov music(but impressionism is interesting), I had studying his in music school a long ago. Mussorgsky better and interested of course

[@ladymacbethofmtensk896]

Lyadov was Diaghilev's first choice for the Ballet Russe, but, surprise, surprise, he didn't produce a score, so Diaghilev approached a young unknown called Stravinsky who produced L'oiseau du feu.

[@AbigailPoirier]

My favorite classical pieces are almost all by Russian/Slavic composers. I've never noticed the rhythmic aspect, but maybe I will now. What stands out to me is the sweeping emotion of the music, which is one of the things you mentioned. Pathos is another word that comes to mind, especially with Tchaikovsky's Francesca da Rimini. But Borodin's strong quartets don't strike me as sad, just achingly beautiful. C. S. Lewis wrote "Have you not seen that in our days Of any whose story, song or art Delights us, our sincerest praise Means, when all's said, 'You break my heart'?" And I think this is what my favorite pieces have in common, whether they're in major or minor keys.

[@igarok6520]

russia is only covering as a Slavic, but is an asian in fact))))

[@the_major]

OMG YES! Russian classical music has always been my favorite and I'm pumped that you articulated it's qualities so well!

[@autoghg]

Great video as usual!! I really love the Russian classical music, such as Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich. Two of my top three pieces are from Russian composers, and the third one is by Dvořák, so also slavic. I also can't describes fully what I feel with Russian music, but there is this particular "something"... go on with your great work!! Can't wait for the next video :)

[@manfordsonstegard]

My piano students and I study Russian works. Love Russian harmony ♥️🎹!

[@alv2617]

Wow this is so fascinating - always knew Russian music was different but never thought to break down the actual reasons. Bravo!

[@Ziad3195]

nice video, please make one about, "Why French Classical Music is Unique."

[@enjoyclassicalmusic6006]

Check back in 6 months!

[@rembo96]

I remember searching for such a video a month ago, and only now it's released :) Thank you.

[@elenaprivet2934]

Thank you so much from my excited Russian heart ❤️ for such a great understanding of Russian classical music 👍

[@Kije.Jekyll]

Thank you for this inspiring video!

[@martinhaub6828]

Too often overlooked and not well-known are the other 19th C Russian composers who were not in the Balakirev circle. Rubinstein and Serov for example. While the Mighty Five may have a surer place in history, and for sure in performance, those others wrote some excellent music, too, that should not be excluded from any discussion of what is Russian.

[@suisiruy]

amazing video

[@alicebalan]

ignore what is happening right now, i really like russian classical music..

[@alecrechtiene558]

I don’t think it should be ignored. He mentioned Russia’s socio-political history is deeply tragic and complicated. Understanding that definitely is important in understanding the music.

[@phantasmal914]

We shouldn’t ignore it, we should vilify it. but we should not vilify the artists born and raised in the country, they have little to do with the current oligarchal nature of Russia.

[@donrunner]

@@phantasmal914We, russians, don`t care, about your morons thoughts. We still exists, our culture still exists, our enemy.....Oh..... Napoleons armies, Hitlers armies are still rotting.... and followers future is the same. Mother Russia protects her sons.

[@jdiwkall]

not to mention Blumenfeld, Bortkiewicz, Gliere, Polovinkin, Mosolov and many others

[@user-kn4zz9yq9n]

Thank you very much for the video, classical music is wonderful, and Russian classical music is very rich in great compositions! Excellent narration and wonderful images, paintings. Good luck in the development of the channel! ____ Спасибо тебе большое за видео, классическая музыка чудесна, а русская классическая музыка очень богата великолепными композициями! Отличное повествование и чудесные изображения, картины. Успехов в развитии канала!

[@sifridbassoon]

Melody over chord progressions. It's the reason that if you hear a totally new symphony movement, you can immediately peg it as Russian.

[@DmitriShostakovichDSCH]

hey thanks :)

[@karllieck9064]

Scriabin!

[@matheuscampos5674]

excelent video

[@Scoubidu-tj7lc]

Most 'contemporary western music' - the lasting ones - evolved from Rimski-Korsakov and Stravinsky, to name but two. None got anywhere near Prokofiev or Shostakovich, not to mention our eternal Rachmaninov.

[@arbaros22266]

“It’s not only ballet.” Proceeds to give more examples of ballet music. Great video!

[@enjoyclassicalmusic6006]

True

[@Noam_.Menashe]

It's also somewhat important to note that not every Russian composer composed "Russian" music. Some where definitely closer to contemporary western compositions.

[@michaelj1237]

Could you please cite examples?

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

След все равно присутствует, стравинский говорил это. Да и я за несколько лет хорошо это вижу, мотивы стоят в голове у каждого своя композитора. Сейчас Вагнера изучаю, там тоде должны быть немецкие мотивы и метрика

[@igarok6520]

​@michaelj1237 Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Prokofiev and so on...

[@igarok6520]

​@michaelj1237 there are only Rimski-Korsakov, Ipolitov-Ivanov, Balakiriev, who wrote true ruzzian music...

[@timothyj.bowlby5524]

The correct -- yes it its -- title for the Stravinsky "The Rite of Spring." And the lowercase "b" in "bIII" is actually a flat, so it's a "flat(ted) III," also called a lowered III

[@ContrapuntalComposer]

Probably that website that you showed with "bIII" means "flat three" rather than "B three", etc., for the other chords.

[@phobics9498]

I feel like someone that doesn't know that should not make videos about music theory. He was also incredibly vague in everything "ah the russian rhythm", decides not to say anything about what it supposedly is. Ah the "russian soul", talking about the emotions of the piece without saying how they are musically achieved.... the exact opposite of what an analysis is supposed to be. He talks more about russia than the music

[@marcfink5712]

Loving your videos. Have you heard of Sergei Bortkiewicz? Another russian that wrote beautiful music including three piano concertos and an amazing second piano sonata Op. 60

[@igarok6520]

Bortkiewicz has nothing to with ruzzia...

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

@@igarok6520 почему ты так мало пишешь? Больше нужно, больше хейть. Это повлияет на войну

[@enjoyclassicalmusic6006]

Thanks. I haven't, I'll investigate...

[@somethingoldish7696]

Just 3 days ago, I was interrogating my music teacher about this question.

[@faypappa]

what is the piece of 3/4 at the intro ?

[@JoeNaeem]

Who's the King at 3:13 or who is that painting by? Great video!

[@alejandrorossi5810]

Boris Godunov

[@JoeNaeem]

@@alejandrorossi5810 Thanks!

[@robertbradymusic]

Do one about England/Britain please.

[@windejnzin2162]

What musical piece is from 3:43 ?

[@enjoyclassicalmusic6006]

It's the opening of Shostakovich's Fifth...I've put the music used in the video description.

[@windejnzin2162]

@@enjoyclassicalmusic6006 Oops, I forgot about it... Well thanks for info and those videos!

[@markedwards1511]

Sorry, Rimsky-korsakov was in the Navy, not the Amy!

[@smaragdavellopoulou1756]

Land of Russia should have some kind of magical power to give birth to great artists !!!

[@radualexa1356]

Shostakovich is so badass in the thumbnail

[@Svinets_]

At 0:00 what kind of song was it?

[@user-sx3wy7mh9g]

Borodin, the opera "Prince Igor", the stage of Polovtsian dances.

[@Mazurking]

I never found Russian music to 'sound Russian'.

[@dariamamonova]

😮

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

Посмотрел ролик, норм, кароче

[@remont777]

Could we get a track list of the songs played

[@enjoyclassicalmusic6006]

They should be in the video description, but there's additionally Mussorsky's Boris Godunov leading the harmonic section, and Shostakovich's Fifth symphony leading the Russian Soul

[@tyrapowers7355]

Thank you for sharing this. My step mom plays many Russians songs when I was young, and I wish I had them on my phone! It’s sparked a curiosity in me with Russian music , but there isn’t many videos on the topic. The sugar plum fairy song is so nostalgic to me and it’s so cool hearing how amazing their classical music compared to I guess maybe “mainstream” Russian music that I’m used too

[@pablov1323]

Probably after Germany and Austria the country with more interesting composers, IMO

[@enjoyclassicalmusic6006]

I have a video on that...kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3iYlXR3aa-KirM

[@prototropo]

I'm surprised the comparison between Russia and America--a very young nation, perhaps--wasn't explored. That would reveal a 1) similar penchant for imperial expansion with a bulldozer style (unlike the "civilizing" missions of French and British colonialism), with the appropriation of indigenous cultures immensely enriching both nations. 2) Also, both Russia and America acquired enormous, continental territories with their expansionist projects, a victory for them if not for the Sioux or Siberians, adding the economic base necessary for a great culture to be patronized and funded. 3) And you can hear irrefutable affections in both national music cultures for big, open spaces--Copland's Appalachia, Borodin's Steppes, and for 4) manufactured mythologies--Oklahoma (whose land?) Scherezade (whose princess?), and 5) harmonies manufactured to resemble ancient modal traditions--the great open Fifths and Fourths of the American West, the Submediant delayed cadence of Rimsky-Korsakov's Petrograd Boy's Club (Only five allowed at one time). 6) Finally, there were unifying characters of immense cultural conviction, propelled by moral credibility and already anchored in music history: the music and musicians of Eastern European Jewry. By the millions, Russia relentlessly persecuted its old historic populations of the Diaspora, as did Poland, Lithuania, Hungary and Ukraine, until Jews decided that America, for all its native racism, was probably more survivable than Europe. And most grievously, they were shown correct. So came the grandparents, with violins in their bags, of Jule Styne, Rogers & Hammerstein, E. Y. Harburg, Irving Berlin, the Gershwins, Jerry Herman, Elmer Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Lerner and Lowe, Sophie Tucker, Barbra Streisand, Carole King, Stoller & Leiber, Burt Bacharach, Bette Midler, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and on, delightfully, to Ellis Island and Tin Pan Alley. Thus did the Klezmer band and the Broadway Musical, the "wall of sound" and ear-worm hits of the 60s & 70s, become Yankee heritage, alongside jazz, soul, girl groups and MoTown sound of African Americans, and Top Ten Hits of Rock & Roll for beefing up America's otherwise anemic, immature, unfermented brochure of advertising ditties, and leaving empty music scores in the Big Book of Famous Erasures as the approved cultural history of Russia. Even though Russia lost a treasury of art by censoring or exiling great artists like Stravinsky, Nabokov, Nureyev, Balanchine and Diaghilev, it still reveled in the achievements of Mussorgsky, Glinka, Prokofiev, Scriabin and Rachmaninoff, and the genius of minorities it cheered if they weren't disappeared, like Khachaturian (Armenian), Borodin (Georgian) and Tchaikovsky (gay). Both nations squeak by on the efforts of their despised margins. As Fran Leibowitz once said, if you remove the contributions of Jews, Blacks and Gay people from American cultural history, you'd be left holding a bunch of orange juice commercials.

[@manfordsonstegard]

I am reading Voltaire's essays on England. Maybe you would enjoy that type of history......

[@prototropo]

@@manfordsonstegard Thanks for the note, Steve. I have intended to read those, actually, so here's my cue!

[@manfordsonstegard]

@@prototropo : I remember Voltaire saying that while France was making pretty snuff boxes; England was conquering the world. So funny!

[@user-sx3wy7mh9g]

No one expelled Stravinsky, Nabokov, Balanchine and Diaghilev from Russia. They did not return to Russia because there was a revolution in 1917. To say that Borodin was a Georgian is not entirely correct. Borodin's mother is Russian. Apart from the family legend, there is no documentary evidence that the family of the Princes Gedianov (Borodin's father) is of Georgian origin. Biographers of Borodin consider the most likely assumption that one of his father's ancestors was married to a Georgian princess, this would explain the existence of the legend. In addition, to the Princes Gedevanishvili (judging by their pedigree), L.S. Gedianov had no relationship. It looks like you're using unverified sources.

[@addictfull1999]

👍🏽

[@LucasHagemans]

2:26 FACE PALM: "bIII" is a way to refer to a flat III chord. The b looks like a flat. I suggest you take a harmony course before lecturing about this in a youtube vid.

[@mgorshkoff7929]

Insultingly superficial “analysis” of the topic. Broad statements based on famous Russian stereotypes and few shiny examples that don’t really say anything. So, try this: 4-minute video called “why German music is great” with these points: - These Germans like to sing, Schubert alone composed more than 600 songs - These Germans like to dance, listen to Mahler’s ländler - And also these Germans like to drink beer, just listen to Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge which is impossible to comprehend unless you’re drunk And bIII, bVII………

[@Fakeslimshady]

Demonitized in 3...

[@00billharris]

No, Russian harmonics was taken from Turkic influences --the makam in oarticular with regards to scaling. This made it easy for composers to sound 'exotic' and ideologically, un-western.

[@hoangkimviet8545]

The pity was Russians did not have contributions in the Baroque and Classical period.

[@hape3862]

Berezovsky, Vedel and Bortniansky: "Are we a joke to you?"

[@hoangkimviet8545]

@@hape3862 Well, still small.

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

Ну ты дурачок, потому что у нас старались ориентироваться на национальные мотивы, даже глинка говорил очень правильные слова, что музыку делает народ, а композитор-это просто аранжировщики.

[@igarok6520]

@@hape3862 They as ukrainians😐: are we a joke to you? Where have you read that they belongs to russian musical culture?(soiler: it do not exist)

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

@@igarok6520 you fool. Russian and Ukrainian musical motif is same. Tchaikovsky done arrangement of Vesnyanka , etc.

[@rubeng9092]

German music tho

[@ThePianoFortePlayer]

Khachaturian is Armenian by the way

[@enjoyclassicalmusic6006]

Yes, I say this towards the end of the video at 4:30

[@ThePianoFortePlayer]

@@enjoyclassicalmusic6006 Why did you list him as a Russian composer though? Don't get me wrong, I love the Russian composers but it's confusing to include Khachaturian in a video describing Russian Classical music

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

@@ThePianoFortePlayer cause he has Russian musical tradition

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

@@ThePianoFortePlayer ivazovski too is not rus?

[@igarok6520]

​@@cinemagraphymahivara2000He is Ukrainian... Open your eyes

[@NancyLebovitz]

Now I'm wondering how much great are came partly from nationalism-- Lord of the Rings is another one.

[@jeremykeller211]

Classical music in the 19th century? Classical music was not composed in the 19th century!...nor in the 17th or 18th centuries. Have you studied music?

[@Ziad3195]

What the hell are you saying? You are embarrassing yourself.

[@marspalk7611]

Churchill was no expert on Russia. Churchill was opinionated and brags about all culture and religion.

[@Galova]

When you do not understand anything, do not know anything and have nothing to say, such a video is usually made

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

Ничего уникального, дурачье, после поляка Глинки и Мусоргского ту музыку нельзя называть национальной. Это просто какая-то чушь, то, что пытался делать Чайковский, это 100% пиликания, основанные на некоторых, разных национальностей, мотивах. Все эти аранжировки веснянок и т д, тоже такое себе от него, много материала, а толку и сути нема. Стравинский еще что-то пытался, уважение, аранжировка дубинушки после февральской революции чертика Керенского очень хороша, затем его партитура к Орфею вообще идеально изобразила его стиль и подход к музыке, который очень честный, правдивый, но также и в массе своей красивый, и имеет насыщение разных школ, но остается неизменным и чистым, а национальный мотив тоже там есть, да-да, даже в Орфее, широта точно слышится, и нет этого дебильного Вагнеровского романтизма и ориентализма тоже; Корсакову отдельно тоже уважения. Ну а в основе мусор, да

[@1258-Eckhart]

Wenn Sie nunmal russisch schreiben wollen, dann bitte zumindest grammatisch. Unten die von Ihnen ausgelöste Übersetzung: "Es ist nichts Einzigartiges, nach dem polnischen Glinka und Mussorgsky herumzualbern, dass Musik nicht national genannt werden kann. Es ist einfach Unsinn, was Tschaikowsky versucht hat, es ist 100 Prozent pylanische Musik, basierend auf verschiedenen nationalen Motiven. Strawinsky hat etwas anderes versucht, Korsakow hat den gleichen Respekt bekommen." - Also, im Grunde alles Unsinn, ja "pylanisch" mit "gleichem Respekt" - haha. Und was ist denn (pylanisch) "Unsinn"? Darauf kam der Übersetzer leider nicht.

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

@@1258-Eckhart у меня переводчик временно не работает. Потому, немчура, кыш из Сталинграду.. 🤭🙊

[@1258-Eckhart]

@@cinemagraphymahivara2000 "Сталинград" = "Киев", понятно. Русская классическая музыка глубоко европейская, это не отразилось в вашем вкладе. Поэтому я и вмешался. Но я скорее имел в виду, что ваш русский был настолько коряв, что его невозможно было правильно перевести - пожалуйста, почти тривиальный вопрос между двумя тривиальными индивидуумами Европы.

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

@@1258-Eckhart Господи, какой же ты дурак... Ты по переводчику судишь мое правописание и орфографию

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

@@1258-Eckhart а че твой прадед забыл на земле русских свиней, а, человек, которому всё "понятно"? Украинцы наши братья, киев всегда был нашей землей

[@ahakobyan1700]

Khachaturian is not russian composer😊🇦🇲

[@igarok6520]

Khachaturian is armenian, not russian........ AND CRIMEA IS UKRAINE

[@karmacounselor]

Yes the -Ian ending on names is Armenian, like Zildjian as well.

[@enjoyclassicalmusic6006]

I say this in the video, at 4:30

[@karmacounselor]

@@enjoyclassicalmusic6006 yes thank you! I posted my comment before I heard that part. I love this video and shared it on Facebook. We played a lot of these composers’ works in concert band years ago and they are really in a vibrant category all their own, as you so aptly pointed out!! Thanks!

[@adleryyadler121]

Most important, 82% of Crimea's population supported Crimea's accession to Russia.

[@thebeltingbalaclava4798]

Ukraine is a puppet state for the Zionist Global American Empire.

[@igarok6520]

"mysterious russian soul"🤮

[@cinemagraphymahivara2000]

Передай привет Ревуцкому, который под Сталина лег по твоей логике. Даже довженко под советами работал. Ну иди поной теперь чё

[@gmfrunzik]

Politiku ne nada smeshavats v eto