Music in the life and work of the Decembrists

Abstract

This paper analyzes the influence of the first Russian revolutionaries - the Decembrists - on the development of Russian musical culture. This work consists of four independent parts, each of which examines the Decembrists' views on music in general and on Russian music in particular. The Decembrists' transformative plans included a large place in the issues of musical creativity. They consciously set as their goal the struggle for an advanced culture, for the enlightenment of the people. This was reflected in the Decembrists' constitutional projects and in their ideological work. From the point of view of the Decembrists, music should be used in the education of personality as a kind of enrichment and deepening of feelings and the human mind, the improvement of its moral image. Decembrists sought to use these possibilities of music in various areas of application of their creative forces. Before the music set the task of forming not only high ethical qualities of personality, but also elevated aesthetic ideals. Also, the first Russian revolutionaries paid great attention to the folk song, which they valued for the artistic and educational possibilities. The Decembrists repeatedly emphasized that throughout the country's history, the song is a constant companion to the life of their countrymen. The paper emphasizes that the Decembrists' musical creativity also acquired features of enlightenment. They educated or had a decisive influence on the whole pleiad of Russian musicians. Due to Decembrists' pupils the ranks of progressive cultural figures were enlarged at the end of 19th century.