Isaac Levitan

Isaac Ilyich Levitan, the great Russian artist, became the first painter of the Russian scenery, who revealed all its beauty. He continued and developed the traditions of painters of the Russian realistic school – Savrasov, Polenov, Serov. Levitan found significant meaning and poetry in what would seem the most everyday subjects.

He is a very individual sort of painter. He deeply felt what he wished to express and his brush transferred these feelings to the canvas. It is interesting to note that a master of landscape, he never introduced figures into it.

For his life and painting he chose Plyoss – a small beautiful town on the Volga. His paintings "The Evening", "Golden Plyoss", reflect his love for nature. All his paintings are very emotional, lyrical and realistic.

In the closing years of his life Levitan made several journeys abroad to France, Italy and Germany where he painted a number of landscapes, although his best works of the period were devoted to Russia. He was only 40 when he died in 1900.

Levitan's influence on the painters of lyrical landscapes was great. His feelings for nature, his great love for his native land, his ability to reveal and depict the poetry of the Russian land have won his paintings the love and gratitude of people.

Vocabulary:

although [`o:lðəu] – хотя

brush – кисть

canvas – холст, полотно

closing years – последние годы (жизни)

countryside [`kΛntrisaid] – сельская местность

figure [`figə] – зд.: фигура, силуэт

gratitude – благодарность

individual sort of painter – художник, отличающийся своей индивидуальностью

indifferent – безразличный, равнодушный, холодный

landscape – пейзаж

loneliness [`ləunlines] – одиночество

lyrical [`lirikəl] – лирический

realistic – реалистический

remote – отдалённый

scenery ['sinəri] – пейзаж

significant [sig`nifikənt] – важный, значительный

to bring out – выявлять, обнаруживать

to develop – развивать, совершенствовать

to devote to – посвящать (кому-л., чему-л.)

to depict – изображать, рисовать

to express – выражать, отражать

to introduce – вводить, представлять, вносить

to influence – влиять

to reveal – открывать, обнаруживать

to reflect – отражать

to transfer – переносить

to win (won) – завоёвывать

Questions:

1. What is Levitan famous for?

2. Levitan is a very individual sort of painter. Can you prove it?

3. What traditions did Levitan continue and develop?

4. What place did Levitan choose for his life and painting?

5. Did the Volga influence his art?

6. How old was Levitan when he died?

7. Why do so many people like his pictures?

8. Who is your favourite Russian painter?

• Composers

Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is one of the greatest composers ever born. Thousands of books have been written about Mozart, and yet he is one of the most mysterious figures in the world.

Mozart was born in 1756 in Salzburg, Austria. He began playing the piano at the age of 4, and when he was 5 years old, he already composed serious music. Then the prodigy ripened into genius. The genius conquered Vienna and the world. Mozart's fame was great. But then he suddenly fell from favour. The Vienna aristocracy grew tired of him. He lost pupils and contracts, had to move from his comfortable house in the centre to a modest flat in the suburbs. The genius was forgotten.

Mozart died in 1791, when he was only 35 years old. There's a legend that Mozart was poisoned by his rival composer Antonio Salieri. There's no truth in this legend, though it inspired many great poets, writers and composers. But it has been proved that in the last months of his life Mozart really believed that he was pursued by a spirit, who appeared and ordered him to write a requiem. In a state of depression Mozart imagined that he was to write the requiem for himself.

His works include 41 symphonies, nearly 30 piano concertos, 19 operas, a vast quantity of band and other instrumental music, and volumes of church music (he wrote it mostly for financial reasons). His most famous operas are Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute and The Marriage of Figaro.

Vocabulary:

Questions:

1. When and where was Mozart born?

2. When did he begin playing the piano?

3. How old was he when he began composing serious music?

4. How did he spend the last years of his life?