The role of Russian pianists in the formation of accompaniment art

Abstract

The Russian tradition of piano performance has been winning international recognition for several centuries. The names of S.V. Rachmaninoff, S.T. Richter, K.N. Igumnov, A.B. Goldenweiser and others, are inscribed in the history of the piano music and pedagogics. At the same time, such a sphere as accompaniment remains unheralded. The author of the research attempts to estimate the role of the above mentioned pianists in the formation of accompaniment art. Based on the analysis of the experience of performance and pedagogical work of the pianists, the author reveals their importance for the development of the Russian accompaniment tradition. This topic hasn’t been critically considered and analyzed. However, the history of piano music is rich in examples when concert pianists take on the role of accompanists. Their contribution to the practice of ensemble performance has influenced the development of accompaniment art. The work of S.V. Rachmaninoff, S.T. Richter, K.N. Igumnov, and A.B. Goldenweiser has influenced various aspects of accompaniment art: the extension of functions of an accompanist; the importance of the role of an accompanist in the interpretation of music pieces; the extension of the pedagogical function of an accompanist in the ensemble; the formation of a methodological background based on the accompaniment experience.