Traditional and folk music
The first professional musicians appeared at the court of Kiev in the 9th century. These skomoroki are distinguished by the originality of the instruments they use: the rozhok, a wind instrument, the gusli, with plucked strings and the volinka,
a kind of bagpipe. Russia's conversion to orthodoxy will condition the history of music for several decades. The latter, subject to the law of the Church, which tolerates only singing and considers all musicians as profane, is non-existent. Only the carillon was not banned, and it is understandable why the Russians became masters of this instrument. Thus, although traditional music varies from region to region, it often has the common core of being purely vocal (with exceptions here and there). Throughout the country, one finds mnogolossia ("several voices") polyphonies, byliny or tchastushka(sung poems). On the whole, traditional and folk music has been very well preserved through the ages and was particularly valued during the Soviet era as a symbol of Russian identity. One of the best ways to discover these songs and dances from all over the country is to visit the Nikolaevsky Palace. In this majestic building built by Emperor Nicholas I, folklore shows are now held all year round. One of the headliners of the program is the show "Feel Russian"(Potchuvstvuy sebya Russkim), a real tourist attraction in itself with its Cossack dances and songs and its many typical performances. In the same spirit, one can't recommend better than to attend the show of the Cossack musicians and dancers' ensemble "Bagatitsa" ("fire" in Cossack language). Installed in the prestigious Smolninskiy Hall (which hosts globally the best folklore shows of St. Petersburg and Russia), this unique show proposes to see descendants of authentic Cossack families interpreting the Cossack epics, soul and thought. All in dancing choirs and singing ballets, each scene of the show presents with great liveliness episodes from the life of the Cossacks. Designed to be understood by all audiences, no need to be a Russian speaker or a specialist in Russian history to fully enjoy the show. Given the quality of its proposals, the notoriety of the troupe has largely exceeded the Russian borders. The company even won the Grand Prix of the 2010 International FolkFest Festival, which recognizes the best folklore troupes in the world. Having adopted the Cossack motto "On the Guard of the Russian Soul! "Bagatitsa reveals this mysterious "Russian soul" better than anyone else by recreating it through song and dance. A must.Classical music
Immense, and of a richness equalled only by its beauty, it takes a lifetime to fully embrace Russian classical music. Inhabited by great minds and overwhelming works, the country's symphonic music has offered the world the splendour of Russian Romanticism by Piotr Tchaikovsky, the virtuosity of Rachmaninov and the classical modernity of Prokofiev. In short, classical music owes a great deal to Russia, and St. Petersburg alone has been home to a few giants of the genre. Forever linked to the city by his Seventh Symphony - which he dedicated to it in support of the German invader - Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) is the great musical figure of St. Petersburg. A native of the city and a pianist who graduated from the Leningrad Conservatory, he remains one of the greatest Russian composers of the 20th century. A unique artist whose work (notably fifteen magnificent symphonies) is marked by tormented beauty. Another fabulous personality of the city is Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), whose eternal avant-gardism shook the music world. An extraordinarily innovative composer and conductor, his works - and especially The Rite of Spring - caused a real scandal at their premiere. Inspired by his eventful life, Stravinsky left behind him a protean, constantly renewed creation in which all the acquisitions of the past are combined with the discoveries of the present. Other notable personalities of the city include Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857), the father of classical music in Russia; Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908), author of several symphonies, cantatas and romances, as well as fifteen operas, including Snegurochka ("Snow Daughter"); or Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881), who composed several operas in Saint Petersburg, including the popular dramas Boris Godounov and Khovanchtchina
.The contemporary period is not exempt from revered Petersburg figures in the classical period, quite the contrary. The embodiment of this modern, passionate and intense Russian style, Valery Gergiev is one of the ten best conductors of his generation. A talent that has led him to conduct the Rotterdam and Munich Philharmonic Orchestras, the London Symphony Orchestra and the New York Metropolitan. Excelling in the Russian repertoire, he is the face of the Mariinsky Theatre, to which he has restored its prestige. To see him conduct an opera on the spot is an unforgettable (and particularly popular) experience. Mariinsky is, along with the Bolshoi in Moscow, one of the testimonies of the imperishable musical quality in Russia. Founded in 1860, opposite the great Kamenny Theatre and named in honour of Empress Mary, wife of Alexander II, the Mariinsky Theatre was the first to present works by Glinka, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov or Prokofiev (to name but a few). It has welcomed the greatest performers, including Rostropovich or Richter, and the most famous Russian dancers such as Istomina, celebrated by Pushkin, Pavlova, Nijinsky and many others. From 1870 onwards, the Mariinsky Ballet Company was directed by the French choreographer Marius Petitpa, to whom the Russian ballet school owes its formidable development, and whose work with the composer Tchaikovsky marked the history of ballet. In 1895, the premiere of Swan Lake, the Eternal Swan Lake
, to the music of Tchaikovsky, took place here. This was followed by European tours, Diaguilev's famous Russian ballets, starring Nijinsky and the Pavlova. All this was before the difficult years of the USSR, when the Mariinskyy became the Kirov and lost its prestige to the Bolshoi, the capital's theatre promoted by Soviet power. Today the Mariinsky Theatre has regained all its prestige and even welcomed in 2013, a little sister soberly named Mariinsky-2. Linked to the first by a footbridge, this annex with very contemporary architecture can accommodate up to 2,000 people on 7 levels and offers exceptional acoustics. Less well-known, but almost as fabulous, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic is the magnificent home of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra - the oldest in Russia at 135 years old - conducted by the venerable Yuri Temirkanov. A place steeped in history, it was here in the past that all Shostakovich's symphonies were inaugurated. The Glinka Hall, where recitals and competitions are held, is also a place that has been graced with a little sister, the Glinka Hall, where recitals and competitions are held. Otherwise, any self-respecting music lover, and one who visitsSt. Petersburg in winter, must attend the Arts Square WinterFestival, one of the best of the year, presenting the best contemporary performers in the magnificent setting of the Philharmonic.Russian rock
From Victor Tsoï, an eternal icon, to the hyper-popular Lyube - of which Vladimir Putin is the first fan - Russians love rock. And consequently produce a lot of it. If the history of the genre in the country goes back to perestroika with the psychedelic rock of Yuri Morozov in the 1960s, it is during the 1980s that the scene explodes with, chance or not, groups mostly from St. Petersburg: Akvarium, DDT, Zoopark and especially the mythical Kino. Absolute legend of Russian rock, led by its iconic leader Viktor Tsoï, the band Kino and its dark and sweet new wave remain as popular as ever among the children of the 2000s and one can feel their influence on recent rock charts such as Motorama or Pinkshinyultrablast.
It's undeniable, a rock'n'roll soul floats in St Petersburg. Maybe it's due to the plethora of dedicated places in the city. Starting with Fish Fabrique, the mythical concert hall of the 1990s, which is housed in the Museum of Non-Conformist Art and welcomes both the pillars of the alternative rock scene and the new names in the genre. Another very good address, the Griboedov has been offering rock concerts (but not only) almost every night since 1996 with a quality program. More design and trendy - but just as good - the Produkty and its 1960s suburban café-rock atmosphere exudes a crazy charm. Retro jukeboxes, Formica furniture, white tiles - it's all there, not to mention concerts by the new rock stars. Otherwise, calmer and bluer, it's always a good idea to check out the Money Honey's programming and rummage through theCosmonaute (КОСМОНАВТ), a modern concert hall that regularly invites headliners. And for the more adventurous, the Serguei Kouryokhine International Festival (a tribute to Serguey Kouryokhine, one of the leaders of the Leningrad underground scene from the 1970s to the 1990s) offers the cream of experimental music.
