A romance is a small poem, a work put on music and performed with a musical instrument, usually a guitar or piano. Its history lasts more than one century, and genre diversity is truly inexhaustible.
The birthplace of romance was Spain. In the 12-14 centuries, wandering musicians, singers and poets created a new song genre, combining the techniques of recitative and melodious tunes. Unlike church chants performed in Latin, songs of Spanish troubadours were performed in their native language, which at that time was called romance. So the name "romance" arose, which defined a new type of vocal piece performed to the accompaniment of a musical instrument.
In the 15th century, thanks to the rapid development of court poetry, the first collections of romances began to be published in Spain, called the "romancero". Gradually, the romance approached the folk song, but retained the specific features of the genre. Unlike a song performed by both a soloist and a choir accompanied by musical instruments or without it, the romance was performed by one, less often - two singers with indispensable instrumental accompaniment. At court, romances sang under the viuela, popularly - under the Spanish guitar.
In other countries of Western Europe, the romance was initially perceived as a literary, poetic genre, but later it entered different cultures and as a musical work that incorporated features of national identity.
In the 18th century, a romance appeared in Russia. However, professional composers turned to this remarkable genre only in the 19th century; before that, romances were mainly written by amateurs. A special kind of genre was the so-called cruel romance. Its representatives were such famous masters of vocal music as Alexander Varlamov, Alexander Gurilev, Peter Bulakhov, who created their works in Russian folk style, in folk or their own words. At the beginning of the 20th century, composers appeared who managed to combine the intonations of Russian folk songs with the rhythms of gypsy vocals, creating another, very peculiar direction in the art of Russian romance.
In the 21st century, romance has not lost its popularity. To this day, works are created that continue the best traditions of the classic examples of the genre. Gypsy, "cruel", urban and modern lyric romances are also written. Many of today's performers, whose passion for vocal art began with gypsy and "cruel" romances, are gradually approaching the best examples of this most accessible and democratic genre of Russian vocal music.
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