/ world today news/ Music has always accompanied life in the Bulgarian state since its creation. Bulgarian folk songs speak of the so-called “singers”, who expressed in music and text the victories of the Bulgarian kings from the time of Boris I the Baptist, Simeon the Great, Kaloyan, Ivan Asen II… Unfortunately, there are none left none of this musical creativity.
Bulgarian church music in the person of Ioan Kukuzel reaches great heights. His work has been studied by Professor Elena Toncheva and occupies a worthy place in the repertoire of Bulgarian choirs. His performance “Polielei na bulgarkata”, dedicated to his mother, remains an unsurpassed example of the eight-part Byzantine church music – the so-called “octoich”, studied by Maxim Berezovsky, D. Bortnyansky, P.I. Tchaikovsky, and also by the Bulgarian music researchers – Prof. Petar Dinev and Prof. Elena Toncheva.
Unfortunately, with the fall of Bulgaria under Turkish slavery, the development of Bulgarian music was interrupted. In the monasteries, the tradition of John Kukuzel is preserved, but without undergoing development.
The origin and first steps of the emerging Bulgarian music can be traced back to the 20s – 30s of the 19th century, they are connected with the era of romanticism and have a secular orientation. These first musical steps were taken in the circles of the Bulgarian emigration. Four centers were formed in which the development of Bulgarian music began.
1. Leipzig-Vienna Center – letters between Ivan Bogorov (publisher of the first Bulgarian newspaper “Bulgarian Eagle”) and Robert Schuman and his magazine “New Music Magazine”, circa 1840, have been preserved.
In Vienna, Teofan Rainov (son of Raino Popovich – teacher of G. Rakovski and Petar Beron) and Atanas Mihailov (rich merchant, who created the first publication for Bulgarian music, which printed the works of Eliza Bakalbasha and some works of the Mihailid brothers. The publication was called “Eckel”. Some of the above-mentioned works were also printed in “Letostruy” magazine.
2. Odessa Center – from him came Dobri Chintulov, who studied music in Odessa, Bishop Natanail, the first clergyman who studied at the Odessa Seminary, and Nikola Mutev, who can be considered the first Bulgarian professional composer. He studied singing in Milan and composition in Rome. He is known to have written four songs for voice and piano, but unfortunately they have not been discovered to this day.
3. Constantinople center – it is almost unstudied. It is known for the fact that in 1852 a notice was given for the first concert of its kind, in which two Bulgarian pianists took part – Anushka and Mariika, daughters of Stoya Chorbadzhi from Koprivshtitsa. They played with four hands. Only Verdi’s “Ernani” overture (for four hands) is mentioned in the program.
4. The Braille Center is the most developed. It was created by Anton Panov (1810-1850) – a famous violinist of his time, who is known to have given concerts in Vienna as well. G. Rakovski participated in the Braille Center. It is known that he organized a concert of the great singer Adelina Patti, which took place in 1867. After his death, Adelina Patti was accompanied by Eliza Bakalbasha.
At that time Braila was a cosmopolitan city with Italian and Austrian musicians. Since 1815, opera and ballet troupes have been visiting there.
Two musical societies are established in Braila:
“Rally” (the owner was a Bulgarian who owned a theater building) and “Muse” – a Bulgarian-Romanian musical society, in which the Mihailid family plays a leading role.
“Pàli” is known for organizing the visits of Italian opera companies (Laburno, Bili) and presenting operas by Rossini, Bellini, Verdi, accompanied by a piano or a small orchestra.
The Musical Society “Muse” established a music school. Among the most active members of the society are the cellist Konstantin Iv. Popov and Dobri Voinikov.
There is no competition between the two music societies, on the contrary, they cooperate and help each other. D. Voynikov presents music for his plays in the “Ràli” theater (today the Maria Filotti theater).
The music school is taught by the Bulgarian Maria Janin-piano, the French Pierre Kerbouly-violin, and the Czech Ladislav Petrak-conductor. There are reports that in 1868, 12-year-old Vasil Papazovich from Sliven (son of Georgi Papazovich) gave a concert where he collected money to continue his studies at the Prague Conservatory. He played violin and piano. Unfortunately, no other information remains about its further development.
The first Bulgarian opera singer who studied singing in Bucharest – Vasil Stoyanov Patamanski (born in Thessaloniki) is also known from this period, who is known to have given concerts with opera arias.
A very important place in Braila’s musical life is occupied by the Mihailid family, whose roots are from Sliven.
The first known representative of the family was Hadji Vasil (1770-1820). He was a big merchant in Constantinople. Married to Slavka – daughter of Hadji Mihail from Sliven (merchant of gulivo oil). Their son Michael, known as Michael the Magician, emigrated to Braila. In the same period, Milko Bakalbasha moved to Braila, who became the richest Bulgarian in the city around 1840.
Haji Mihail changed his name to Mihailidi. He has two sons, Vasil and Sider, whom he sends to study at the Sorbonne in Paris. Vasil studies finance, Sider – French philology.
Vasil probably also took music lessons, because when he returned to Braila, he played the cello and piano. Wrote the first Bulgarian officially published composition “Melody” for piano.
Vasil has three sons – Michael, Isidor, Georgi and one daughter – Maria. They all study piano, and Isidor studies double bass and trombone, Michael – violin, George – flute.
All of Mihailidis’ sons graduated in finance in Belgium and France, and Maria graduated from a Catholic boarding school in Paris.
Meanwhile, Eliza Bakalbasha’s father sent his daughter to study at the Paris Conservatoire, which she successfully graduated in 1869.
Milko Bakalbasha bought for the company “Muse” a “Bösendorfer Imperial” grand piano (such an instrument was owned by Brahms and Liszt), which is still kept in the Maria Filotti Theater (formerly “Ràli”). Milko Bakalbasha bought the same grand piano for his daughter Eliza. When they moved to Sofia, she donated it to the Opera Friendship. Unfortunately, the grand piano then disappears and all traces of it are lost.
The brothers Isidor and Mihail Mihailidi participate in the activities of both musical societies in Braila, as well as in the newly established Romanian musical society “Lira”. In addition, they also materially support the activities of these companies.
The Mikhailidi brothers, together with their father Vasil, participated in the Virtuous Squad and are co-founders of the Bulgarian Book Society. They provide their means and knowledge in the service of newly liberated Bulgaria, without seeking personal gain. They were real Awakeners.
Isidor was the head of the Tulchan provincial administration, and from 1878 he was a financial controller in the financial directorate – Varna.
From 1880, Isidor became the first director of the Bulgarian National Bank without receiving a salary. “I have enough joys to support myself!” he says.
In 1885, Isidor established a branch of the BNB in Ruse, and in 1886 in Varna. He died in 1895.
Georgi Mihailidi, Isidore’s brother, was the Minister of Public Buildings and Agriculture in 1882. In 1883, he was the head of construction in Bulgaria. In 1885 he died in Bucharest.
The musical activity of the Mihailidis family is primarily in Braila. From preserved posters it can be seen that they played the Kreutzer sonata, an arrangement of the overture by Ernani, an overture by Flotov.
Elisa Bacalbaşa, after her return from Paris, gave solo concerts and also with the Romanian baritone and composer Gavadia. It marked the beginning of chamber music in Braila and Bulgaria.
On all posters, the brothers Mihailidi and Eliza Bakalbasha state: Bulgarians by birth.
Unfortunately, the Bulgarian emigration does not always respond to their appearances. On this occasion, D. Voynikov wrote: “What gave the most overall impression of this concert was that our Bulgarians did not honor this musical party with their presence”.
The repertoire of the Mikhailidi brothers is little known. From what is reported, we learn that Isidore performs mostly Beethoven and Chopin and plays very musically. In 1866 he met Robert Fuchs (a pupil of Liszt), it is possible that he even met Liszt and Tlaberg.
Eliza Bakalbasha’s favorite composer is Chopin. There are reports that in 1891 she performed Second Rhapsody by Liszt and works by Thalberg. In 1896, after the death of her husband Isidor Mihailidi, she founded the first Bulgarian chamber ensemble, which included:
Eliza Bakalbasha – piano
Ivan Tanev – flute
Schwertner – first violin
At. Bozhanov – second violin
Creativity
Michal Mykhailidy
Shelf – Mazur Orevoir
Polka Eugenie
Polka Illusion
Souvenir waltz
Kri-kri regiment
Lucille Polka (lost)
Isidor Mihailidis
Shelf – Mazur Ame
Petzali Regiment
Reminiscent Regiment
Farfalla
Constance Polka – Mazur
Mathilde Polka
Esperance waltz
Eliza Bakalbaşa is the third female composer in Europe after the Renaissance, after Fanny Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann.
First Bulgarian nocturne – Nadezhda
A cycle of 6 waltzes
The work of the brothers Mihailidis and Eliza Bakalbasha was influenced by the dance genres prevailing in that period, which were very common in the works of Liszt, Chopin, Dvořák.
Eliza is not inferior to the two brothers in terms of professionalism in writing music, it can even be said that sometimes she surpasses them (for example, by writing a cycle of 6 waltzes). Her waltz “Miosotis” with its difficulty shows the high and professional piano training.
The musical work of the brothers Mihailidi and Eliza Bakalbasha belongs to our Renaissance era, and the formation of their musical taste and style is a result of the musical environment of that period in Paris and Vienna. Some characteristic features in their compositions show their national affiliation as Bulgarians. On the other hand, the way of composing is European, reflecting the characteristic musical language of the era.
Stylistically, the work of the Mihailidis brothers reflects the era of romanticism, but it does not lack elements of sentimentalism. They use the minor form (polka, waltz, nocturne). It is important to note that they do not receive material remuneration for their musical activity. This is also characteristic of Dobri Voinikov.
Regardless of the fact that the types of music-making abroad – home music-making, family concerts – are much more developed, the first steps in the field of composition and performing art of the brothers Mihailidi and Eliza Bakalbasha show the rapid inclusion and approach to the European musical style and aspiration in terms of music Bulgaria to be an inseparable part of Europe. These aspirations of theirs are very important for the creation of the first orchestras, the Bulgarian opera, the Bulgarian musical-pedagogical activity and its development after 1890 in free Bulgaria on the basis of urban musical culture.
Let’s give what is deserved to these worthy Bulgarians, who laid the foundations of professional music in our country, along with their high human and civil dignity, and let’s not allow their names to sink into oblivion. The time in which we live, so poor in terms of truly elevated personalities, has a particularly great need for our ancestral memory.
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