I would like to start by saying that there are a lot
of kinds of arts: literature, music, dancing, painting and drawing, sculpture,
architecture, theatre, cinema and others. Russia is famous for its great
literature, visual arts, cinema, a high standard of theatre and ballet. Moscow
is connected with music and ballet, St Petersburg with literature.
The early primitive art began in prehistoric times. Speaking
about prehistoric art we usually mean early dancing and the first drawings that
prehistoric people made. All primitive people all over the world made music of
some sort. It was usually music that had some religious meaning. When it was
performed, the spectators usually danced, drummed or clapped hands and sang to
the music.
Speaking of ancient art we
usually mean Greek theatre and singing and Greek and Roman architecture. By
Renaissance art we usually understand the visual arts, theatre and literature
of this period. When we speak about classical art we usually mean the arts of
the 18th and 19th centuries, and by modern art we
understand the arts of this century.
I have always been fond of music, especially …………
(e.g. pop music). Pop means popular music. It was born in the USA in the 50’s.
There existed all kinds of music in the USA in those days: blues, jazz, rock
and roll and others. Pop appeared, in fact, at the time Elvis Presley began
singing. Elvis became the first pop star. He was different and boys and girls
wanted to be like him and different from their parents. Pop songs tell us about
love and our feelings, having a good time and growing up, dating and dancing.
The music makes us happy or sad, it sounds strange or amusing.
especially …………
(e.g. rock music). The 60’s were a time when young people believed that rock
music could give love and peace to the world. There were many prominent
musicians and singers in America, but it was English groups that changed pop
music: the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. It should be noted that
some great rock musicians died of drugs, though.
especially ……………. (e.g. jazz). Jazz is a type of music and the only art
form that was created in the United States. It was created by black Americans.
Many blacks were brought from Africa to America as slaves. Different native
songs were sung by the black slaves and the music of their homeland was played
in America. Jazz is made up of the music of West Africa, the work songs of the
slaves and religious music. Jazz music is created on the spot, that’s why a
jazz song can sound a little different each time it is played. The first jazz
bands were formed at the end of the 19th century; today jazz is
played all over the world. On every continent special festivals are held where
jazz musicians from the United States, Asia, Africa, South America and Europe
meet and share their music.
I enjoy any genre of music; the kind of music I listen
to depends on my mood. When I am sad, I listen to classical music, when I am
happy, I prefer something more energetic.
Theatre is a popular kind of arts, too. There are a
lot of theatres in Moscow. If you like opera you should go to the Bolshoy. The
tickets are rather expensive, though. The Maly, which is also world famous,
stages dramas and plays based on classical novels.
The first theatrical performances took place in
ancient Greece. Theatrical drama, as we understand it today, is based on three
things. First there must be an actor or actors speaking or singing. Second,
there must be some dramatic conflict (or different relations) between actors.
The two sides can be enemies, they can be friends that can’t agree with each
other, or they may be divided by misunderstanding. Third, and just as important
as the other two, there must be an audience following the progress of the
drama.
As for me, I can’t say that I’m a theatre-goer.
Nowadays theatres are becoming less popular, and cinema has got great
popularity instead. Modern films are full of special effects and people go to
the cinema to enjoy them. Lots of people buy TV-sets with large flat screens
and special sound equipment, Home Theatres or Home Cinemas, and watch films at
home.
Cinema is much younger than theatre. The first people
who showed the first movies to a paying public were the Lumiere Brothers of
France. The first cinema shows appeared at the end of the 19th
century and showed moving people and transport or newsreels of processions and
short comedies. The Russian film industry produced such great films as
Protazanov’s The Queen of Spades,
Eisenstain’s The Battleship “Potemkin”,
Podovkin’s Mother, Dovzhenko's Earth and others. In 1927 Warner
Brothers made the first film in which an actor sang and spoke, Jazz Singer, which opened a new era in
films – the era of the ‘talkies’. The first colour films were made in the
1930s, but the black-and-white films are made even today.
There are different kinds of films: a feature film, a
tragedy, a comedy, a drama, a science fiction film, a documentary, a western, a
musical, a crime film, a war film, a horror film, a cartoon. I’m fond of ………………..
e.g., historical films and thrillers. The one I’ve seen recently is ………….. ,
starring …………….. . It’s a ………………… e.g. film about space travel and life in an
imaginary future, / in which mysterious and frightening things happen, / a film
with lots of music and dance, / about cowboys and life in the Wild West, / a funny
film with a happy ending. I can strongly recommend it. It was on at the ……….. .
To round off my topic, I must say that arts brighten
people’s lives. They teach us to understand life and people better and to
admire beauty. There’s a popular English saying “All work and no play makes
Jack a dull boy”, and I truly believe so. As I said, I personally like music, it
helps me unwind after a tiring day; arts help people relax and enjoy their
lives. Without arts our world would be quite a dull place, wouldn’t it.
