Alfred Schnittke: let film music come first

Music today penetrates into all areas of our lives. Rather, we can say that there is no such area where music does not sound. Naturally, this fully applies to cinematography. Long gone are the days when films were shown only in cinemas and the pianist-illustrator complemented what was happening on the screen with his playing.

Silent films were replaced by sound films, then we learned about stereo sound, and then 3D images became commonplace. And all this time, music in films was constantly present and was a necessary element.

But moviegoers, absorbed in the plot of the film, do not always think about the question: . And there is an even more interesting question: if there are a lot of films, yesterday, today and tomorrow, then where can we get so much music so that there is enough of it for dramas, tragedies with comedies, and for all other films?

 About the work of film composers

There are as many films as there is music, and you can’t argue with that. This means that music must be composed, performed and recorded in the soundtrack of any film. But before the sound engineer starts recording the soundtrack, someone needs to compose the music. And this is exactly what film composers do.

Still, you need to try to decide on the types of film music:

• illustrative, emphasizing events, actions, and in essence – the simplest;
• already known, once heard, often a classic (maybe popular);
• Music specially written for a particular film may include illustrative moments, individual instrumental themes and numbers, songs, etc.

But what all these types have in common is that music in films still does not occupy the most important place.

These arguments were needed in order to prove and emphasize the difficulty and certain artistic dependence of the film composer.

And then the scale of the composer’s talent and genius becomes clear Alfreda Schnittke, who managed to express himself loudly, first through his work as a film composer.

 Why did Schnittka need film music?

On the one hand, the answer is simple: studies at the conservatory and graduate school are completed (1958-61), teaching work is not yet creativity. But no one was in a hurry to commission and perform the music of the young composer Alfred Schnittke.

Then there is only one thing left: write music for films and develop your own language and style. Fortunately, there is always a need for film music.

Later, the composer himself would say that starting from the early 60s he “would be forced to write film music for 20 years.” This is both the elementary work of a composer to “get his daily bread” and an excellent opportunity for research and experimentation.

Schnittke is one of the composers who managed to step beyond the boundaries of the film genre and at the same time create not only “applied” music. The reason for this is the master’s genius and enormous capacity for work.

From 1961 to 1998 (year of death), music was written for more than 80 films and cartoons. The genres of films with Schnittke’s music are extremely diverse: from high tragedy to comedy, farce and films about sports. The style and musical language of Schnittke in his film works are extremely diverse and contrasting.

So it turns out that Alfred Schnittke’s film music is the key to understanding his music, created in serious academic genres.

About the best films with Schnittke’s music

Of course, they all deserve attention, but it’s difficult to talk about them all, so it’s just worth mentioning a few:

• “Commissar” (dir. A. Askoldov) was banned for more than 20 years for ideological reasons, but viewers still saw the film;
• “Belorussky Station” – a song was composed especially for the film by B. Okudzhava, which also sounds in the form of a march (the orchestration and the rest of the music belong to A. Schnittka);
• “Sport, sport, sport” (dir. E. Klimov);
• “Uncle Vanya” (dir. A. Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky);
• “Agony” (dir. E. Klimov) – the main character is G. Rasputin;
• “The White Steamer” – based on the story by Ch. Aitmatov;
• “The Tale of How Tsar Peter Married a Blackamoor” (dir. A. Mitta) – based on the works of A. Pushkin about Tsar Peter;
• “Little Tragedies” (dir. M. Schweitzer) – based on the works of A. Pushkin;
• “The Tale of Wanderings” (dir. A. Mitta);
• “Dead Souls” (dir. M. Schweitzer) – in addition to the music for the film, there is also “Gogol Suite” for the Taganka Theater performance “Revision Tale”;
• “The Master and Margarita” (dir. Yu. Kara) – the fate of the film and the path to the audience were difficult and controversial, but a version of the film can be found online today.

The titles give an idea of ​​the themes and plots. More astute readers will pay attention to the names of the directors, many of them well-known and significant.

And there is also music for cartoons, for example “Glass Harmonica,” where, through the children’s genre and music by A. Schnittke, director A. Khrzhanovsky begins a conversation about masterpieces of fine art.

But the best thing to say about A. Schnittke’s film music is his friends: directors, performing musicians, composers.

 On the national beginning in Schnittke’s music and polystylistics

This is usually associated with nationality, family traditions, and a sense of belonging to a certain spiritual culture.

Schnittke’s German, Jewish and Russian origins merged into one. It’s complicated, it’s unusual, it’s unusual, but at the same time it’s simple and talented, how can a brilliant creative musician “fuse” it together.

The term is translated as: In relation to Schnittke’s music, this means that a variety of styles, genres and movements are reflected and shown: classics, avant-garde, ancient chorales and spiritual chants, everyday waltzes, polkas, marches, songs, guitar music, jazz, etc.

The composer used the techniques of polystylistics and collage, as well as a kind of “instrumental theater” (characteristic and clear definition of timbres). Precise sound balance and logical dramaturgy give target direction and organize the development of extremely varied material, distinguishing between the genuine and the entourage, and ultimately establishing a high positive ideal.

About the main and important

             Let’s formulate ideas:

• through an event film, an allegory film, Alfred Schnittke’s music makes you think about the important, the main thing in the life of an individual, society, nation, all of humanity;
• Schnittke once said that music is “the overheard cries of time.” And it doesn’t matter at all for what reason this is said. It is much more important that the Master understands, explains and translates the “screams, cries, words and whispers” of his contemporaries into musical sounds. This means that contemporaries and descendants will hear what sounded in our souls;
• Schnittke talks to his listener in the language of music about important things. But one must learn to understand this language, only then will an understanding of the composer’s thoughts come;
• Schnittke’s film music can help in understanding, because there is a video sequence, because listening and watching at the same time is a little easier.

And then – a meeting with the music of Alfred Schnittke, a genius of the 2nd half of the 20th century. No one promises that it will be easy, but it is necessary to find the person within you to understand what should be important in life.