A concertmaster is what a profession? Work, duties, instructions of the accompanist

The music world offers a variety of different professions, one of them is an accompanist. It is, in fact, an accompanist, but the range of his duties is great, as well as the spectrum of skills and abilities. Great role of the accompanist in pedagogical activity, in the work of ensembles, special duties fall on his shoulders in opera. Let's talk about what the concertmaster's work consists of, and about what qualities he should have.

The concept of "accompanist"

There is an opinion that an accompanist is a simple profession, into which people who are not able to become soloists go. But in fact, these musicians should have a much greater arsenal of abilities and skills, as they do not just have to be good performers, but you also need to have a sense of the ensemble, be able to effectively present the soloist, etc. The concertmaster accompanies other musicians, pupils, musical performances. Already the very name of the profession says that this person is a master of concerts, he is the unifying beginning of the concert action.

Profession history

Formation of the profession of accompanist takes place in the 17th century, when there are special pianists who accompany the performances of singers. This specialization grows from the practice of home concerts, when chamber concerts of musicians were held in the living rooms and accompanied by specially trained pianists. Gradually, the profession crystallizes and acquires new nuances and responsibilities. Accompanists are in demand in musical pedagogy, in opera, in symphony orchestras. Today, the accompanist is an assistant conductor and the administrator of the concert. Gradually formed several varieties of this profession: the actual accompanist, pianist, accompanist, teacher and opera concertmaster. Let us consider the specifics of each species.

Accompanist

The concertmaster accompanying the vocalist provides him with a musical background. However, this is a simple profession only at first glance. On the shoulders of the accompanist lies the task of finding a harmonious coexistence of a key accompaniment and a solo voice or instrument. The concertmaster of this variety solves the problem of creating an acoustic ensemble, for this he needs to be a co-leader of the soloist, his partner. But if necessary, the accompanist should become the leader, the head of the concert, he directs the vocalist, leads him and simultaneously emphasizes the beauty of the sound of the soloist. The concertmaster must be at the level of talent and skill not lower than the soloist, they should have a single breath. Often the accompanist helps the vocalist, helps him in unforeseen and difficult situations. Not in vain, many vocalists are looking for their "own" accompanist and for years working with the same partners.

Concertmaster-pianist

A concertmaster is always a virtuoso musician, because he has to solve several creative tasks simultaneously. Often the accompanists work and as pianists, but not everyone, even a very talented, the performer can become an accompanist.

From the second half of the 19th century, when professional performing art begins to form, a separate specialty is singled out - a pianist, at the same time specific criteria for assessing the skill of the accompanist begin to be formed. And it was not possible to combine these two professions. There are philistine ideas that anyone who owns pianistic technique can easily become an accompanist. Of course, they do not correspond to reality. A concert pianist, who often works in an orchestra or ensemble, must feel the group creativity subtly, be able to direct the parties of other musicians, and control the flow of the melody.

The formation of the Russian school of accompanists was greatly promoted by outstanding composers: M. Glinka, S. Rachmaninov, M. Mussorgsky, A. Rubinshtein. They introduced into the culture of concertmanship such features as smooth sound production, imagery, ideal technique. Thanks to their activities, the significance of the accompanist's figure and his skill is reassessed. From a secondary character, he becomes a full-fledged partner of the ensemble.

Concertmaster-teacher

Historically, the activity of the accompanist was also connected with pedagogy. Accompanying on lessons of a vocal and a choreography is a special skill and art. The concertmaster is an important figure in the pedagogical process. The subtle hearing of the accompanist allows you to catch the student's mistakes. The pianist helps the student to better show the possibilities of his voice, reveal the depth of the work, find the right interpretation. The accompanist-teacher should not only possess technique and musical instincts, but also pedagogical abilities, he must be able to penetrate the student's psychology, find contact with him.

Concertmaster of the opera

Another important role of the accompanist is working in the opera. In this status several roles merge. Firstly, the accompanist is the tutor for the singer, helps him to find the right sound, controls the accuracy of performance. Therefore, he must have a fine ear and a great musical erudition. Secondly, he is the head of the string band in the orchestra, the assistant and the support of the conductor. The conductor of the creative intention of the director for the orchestra is also the accompanist. Notes are just an invoice, which you still need to play with a certain tempo, mood, soul. This is the deep content and passes the accompanist and clearly controls his support during the performance.

Qualifications of the accompanist

So many duties of the accompanist require special qualities from him. In addition, he must masterfully master the instrument, he must have a good ear, he must possess ensemble technique, have ideas about singing art. A good accompanist should not only easily play sheet music, but also follow the melody, be able to direct the soloist along the right path. Also, the accompanist needs patience, the ability not to put his ambitions above the general interest.

A good accompanist necessarily has intuition, has a quick reaction and the ability to instantly rebuild. After all, in the case of a soloist's mistake during a concert, he must quickly adapt to the artist, without knocking down the rhythm of the performance. The concertmaster must be a contact person. When working with an ensemble or soloist, interaction between participants is extremely important. During the concert the musicians are guided not only by the movements of the conductor, but also by the views and facial expressions of the accompanist.

The demand for accompanists

The profession of accompanists remains prestigious and in demand on the market. This is due to the fact that a good accompanist is piece goods, a unique combination of talent and school. Today, the concertmaster's rate is in every educational musical institution, in theaters, orchestras, and concert organizations. Numerous performers want to work with personal accompanists who are well aware of their manner and capabilities. Therefore, good specialists often go hunting and fighting.

Job instructions of the accompanist

In different organizations, the accompanist has different responsibilities. However, in general, the job description of an accompanist includes such requirements as the ability to read from a sheet, transpose music, pedagogical skills. The accompanist must know the parties in which he participates, observe discipline and bear responsibility for the performance of his duties. Organizing, pedagogical and psychological duties are assigned to the accompanist.

Famous Accompanists

As we found out, the concertmaster's work is creative, complex, multitasking. Not every performer can become a good accompanist, that's why the specialists are worth their weight in gold. Many singers for years work with some accompanists, they have friendly, almost family relations. The most famous representatives of this profession are M. Bichter, D. Moore, B. Mandrus, D. Ashkenazi, M. Nemenova-Lunts.