Vasily Andreev - Russian musician, balalaika virtuoso, composer. He organized the first in Russian history orchestra of folk instruments and directed it. Andreev introduced the fashion for Russian folk instruments that have gained worldwide recognition, and provided them with distribution on the stage.
The biography of Vasily Vasilyevich began in 1861. He was born in Bezhetsk on January 3 (15) in the family of a merchant. The son did not continue the work of the father. He chose the music. Andreev is not just a composer. He is a great organizer and promoter of this art form.
Folk Orchestra Organizer
The musician assembled the first orchestra in St. Petersburg. He included miserable, balalaika, gusli, tambourines. After concerts throughout the country, a fascination with playing the balalaika began. The composer himself masterfully owned the instrument. In fact, he created a new area of musical creativity, the Russian folk instrumental art of written tradition. It included academic and folklore elements, so everything that Vasily Vasilyevich did was unique.
Balalaika has fascinated the boy since childhood. He enjoyed the original timbre, performing abilities. The composer was distinguished by outstanding determination. He liked the lively virtuoso performance, at the same time he remained a theorist who created many books on his favorite topic. Andreev was engaged in improving folk instruments since 1883. He did not leave the composer to study academic music.
He received a violin education for three years from the outstanding master Nikolai Galkin, a professor at the conservatory. Therefore, the requirements presented by Andreev to the balalaika are more characteristic of concert instruments. With the help of modal mobile sills, only diatonic scales could be created. Vasily Vasilievich took advantage of chromatic fixed temperament, making a reformatory contribution to improving the technique of execution.
In 1887, the musician created the chromatic balalaika with Franz Pasherbsky. She immediately gained popularity. In the summer, "School of playing the balalaika." For the first time, a folk instrument became an academic one, retaining all its characteristic features. There are prospects for the development of the classical heritage with its help.
Modernizer
It was Andreev who became the author of the improved and improved tool. Up to this point, the nationality was limited to ethnography of origin. Now the balalaika has become widespread.
The phenomenon in musical history is recognized as unique. Over the course of a decade, the balalaika has traveled a path centuries long. A lot of articles and a new performing technique created by Andreev determined the fashion of the era. An improved model has become more accessible for beginners. The sound acquired intonational sonority and distinctness, the form became more convenient, compactness appeared. At the same time, the tool retained simplicity of manufacture and low cost.
He was equally suitable for folk songs and temperamental dances. Attracted by these virtues, enthusiasts eagerly mastered the unknown musical art. The chromatic balalaika provided the composer with a huge number of students. Together with the teacher, they became the most popular orchestra in the city. The first concert was held on March 20, 1888.
Instrumental parts were duplicated, divided into bass, melody and chord accompaniment. Balalaikas played in unison. With eight people in the nineties, the orchestra expanded twice. Having gained fame in the capital, the already famous Andreev began to popularize. He organized circles in military units.
According to him, after demobilization, soldiers will start to arouse love for balalaika among relatives. Folklore revived, the aesthetic musical education of the broad masses began. The author’s plays were widely known. They were used as a base for training.
In 1897, the army established a teaching staff, engaged in the promotion of playing the balalaika. The students performed at the Mariinsky Theater. At the tenth anniversary of the Andreev team, about four hundred balalaika dancers performed. At first, many officials and the military apparatus had to be convinced that they were right.
After the triumph in St. Petersburg, folk orchestras began to appear throughout the country. The highest popularity was achieved by the student of the composer Nikolai Fomin. A conservatory student added academism and professionalism to circles. He wrote many arrangements and arrangements for a folk music orchestra. Fomin's works are recognized as classics. To a large extent, Vasily Vasilievich himself influenced the education of the student. Andreev's works “Faun”, “Meteor” turned into a guide for several musical generations.
