Eight striking facts from the life of Alexander Griboyedov. Lomonosov the polyglot, Mozart the mathematician and other unknown talents of famous people Griboedov and Pushkin

23.06.2020

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Unknown talents of famous people

With Sergei, Prokofiev could compete with the best chess players in the world, Alexander Griboyedov wrote amazing music, and the chemical reaction he discovered was named after Alexander Borodin. Yes, from this side our famous composers and writers are not familiar to everyone. It seems that the phrase “a talented person is talented in everything” was invented specifically about them.

Alexander Griboyedov - composer

Alexander Griboyedov. Illustration: stapravda.ru

According to the tradition of Russian noble families, little Griboyedov was taught music. Since childhood, he played the piano beautifully and knew music theory. Those around him noted the boy’s impressive performing skills. As an adult, Griboyedov continued to play music both as a soloist and as an accompanist. Thus, together with composer Alexei Verstovsky, he performed the romance “Black Shawl” for the first time.

Unfortunately, of all the musical works of the writer himself, only two have survived - Waltz in E minor and Waltz in A-flat major.

Waltz in E minor (1823)

Waltz in A-flat major (1832)

The first was created in the winter of 1823. At this time, Griboyedov was completing work on the comedy “Woe from Wit” and often attended balls, so that later in his work he could describe the life of Moscow society. He gave his melancholy musical creation to young Elizabeth, the sister of his friend Stepan Begichev, in whom he instilled a love of art, reading serious books, as well as a dislike for secular society.

The Waltz in A-flat major was given by Griboyedov to the famous Polish pianist Maria Szymanowska, whose concerts he attended several times.

Alexander Borodin - chemist

Alexander Borodin (fifth from left in the top row) among the founders of the Russian Chemical Society. Photo: chemsoc.ru

Tolstoy believed that any person could be trained, provided he renounced all coercion. An extremely important innovation in his system was the complete renunciation of violence - the most severe punishment was considered to be denial of access to classes. By the way, they were attended by about 40 children from local villages. Education was free and available to both girls and boys. Lessons started at eight in the morning. The teachers were Moscow and Tula seminarians, as well as the count himself. He strove to turn his students into a friendly family. Attendance was optional - and yet few people missed classes. In addition to subjects such as reading, history and mathematics, the curriculum included carpentry and agricultural work.

Lev Nikolaevich was not a strict teacher: he often organized games with the children, climbed gymnastic equipment and enjoyed sliding down ice slides. Once I held a lottery and gave the winner a horse.

Soon about twenty schools using Tolstoy’s methods appeared in the district. And the school in Yasnaya Polyana closed after three years of operation. Lev Nikolaevich returned to great literature.

1.Origin of the surname Griboedov was born in Moscow into a wealthy, noble family. His ancestor Jan Grzybowski moved from Poland to Russia at the beginning of the 17th century. The author's surname Griboyedov is nothing more than a peculiar translation of the surname Grzhibovsky.

2.Language skills Griboyedov was a true polyglot and spoke many foreign languages. This talent manifested itself in Alexander in childhood. At the age of 6, he was fluent in three foreign languages, in his youth already six, fluent in English, French, German and Italian. He understood Latin and ancient Greek very well. Later, while in the Caucasus, he learned Arabic, Persian and Turkish.

3.“I brought the manuscript! Comedy..." When Griboedov finished work on the comedy “Woe from Wit,” the first person to whom he went to show his work was the one whom he feared most, namely the fabulist Ivan Andreevich Krylov. With trepidation, Griboedov went to him first to show off his work.

“I brought the manuscript! Comedy..." "Commendable. So what? Leave it." “I will read my comedy to you. If you ask me to leave from the first scenes, I will disappear.” “If you please, start right away,” the fabulist agreed grumpily. An hour passes, then another - Krylov sits on the sofa, hanging his head on his chest. When Griboedov put down the manuscript and looked questioningly at the old man from under his glasses, he was struck by the change that had occurred in the listener’s face. “No,” he shook his head. - The censors won't let this pass. They make fun of my fables. And this is much worse! In our time, the empress would have sent this play along the first route to Siberia.” 4. Involvement with the Decembrists In 1826, the author of the comedy was arrested and restricted in freedom for six months, but it was not possible to prove his involvement in the Decembrist conspiracy. Griboedov’s play was first staged in 1831 in Moscow, the first full publication took place only in 1862.

5. Composer The few musical works written by Griboedov had excellent harmony, harmony and conciseness. He is the author of several piano pieces, among which two waltzes for piano are the most famous. Some works, including the piano sonata - Griboedov's most serious musical work, have not reached us. Waltz in E minor of his composition is considered the first Russian waltz that has survived to this day. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, Griboedov was a wonderful pianist, his playing was distinguished by genuine artistry.

6.Identification mark Griboyedov was wounded in a duel: a bullet shattered his left hand. And only this wound became the only identifying mark. From it they were able to identify the writer’s corpse, disfigured beyond recognition in Tehran, where on January 30, 1829, Alexander Griboedov was torn to pieces by a rioting crowd of Islamic fanatics. Besides him, more than fifty people who served in the Russian embassy died.

7. Diamond The Persian prince Khozrev-Mirza, as an apology to Russia for the death of Griboedov, donated a huge Shah diamond weighing 87 carats to Nicholas I.

8. “...why did my love survive you?” Griboyedov's wife Nina Chavchavadze was only 16 years old at the time of the wedding. Until the end of her days she remained faithful to her husband. Griboedov was buried in Tiflis on Mount St. David. On the gravestone are the words of an inconsolable widow: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?”

On January 15, the world celebrates the anniversary of the birth of this incredibly talented personality. Sputnik Georgia decided to recall the most amazing and rare facts from the life and work of Alexander Griboyedov.

Bastard

When was Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov born? It would seem, of course, January 15th. But what year? This question still remains open, since in various service records he indicated either 1795 or 1793, and in the end he settled on 1790. The fact is that his mother, Anastasia Fedorovna Griboedova, got married in 1792. It turns out that it becomes obvious that Griboedov was a bastard, that is, an illegitimate child.

Photo: courtesy of Besik Pipiya

The identity of the father of the Russian poet and diplomat is not known for certain to this day. It must be said that Griboyedov was seriously worried about his “illegitimate birth,” so this topic remained closed for a long time.

Griboyedov - Grzhibovsky

Griboyedov was born in Moscow. And his ancestor Jan Grzybowski moved from Poland to Russia at the beginning of the 17th century. So the surname Griboedov is nothing more than a peculiar translation of the surname Grzhibovsky.

Crazy smart

As you know, Griboyedov was very smart and educated. Long before he came of age, the future luminary of Russia entered Moscow State University, where he not only studied - he graduated from three faculties at once. Alexander’s plans were to get to the doctorate, however, this failed because of Napoleon.

In 1812, seventeen-year-old Griboyedov volunteered to go to war, but Alexander Sergeevich did not take part directly in the battles - he served in the rear.

Polyglot

Alexander Griboyedov was a real polyglot - he spoke many foreign languages. This talent manifested itself in Alexander in childhood: at the age of six the boy was fluent in three foreign languages, in his youth already six, fluent in English, French, German and Italian. In addition, Griboyedov perfectly understood Latin and ancient Greek. And later, when he got to the Caucasus, he learned Arabic, Persian and Turkish.

Composer

As a pianist, Griboyedov often performed with close friends and at musical evenings. According to the memoirs of his contemporaries, he was a wonderful pianist, and his playing was distinguished by true artistry. But little is known about Griboyedov as a composer. Unfortunately, most of the plays composed by Griboyedov were not written down on music paper and are therefore irretrievably lost. Only two waltzes have survived

Written for piano, they exist in a large number of arrangements for various instruments: harp, flute, button accordion and others. Griboyedov's Waltz in E minor is the first Russian waltz that has survived to this day. It is popular, well-known by many and enjoys considerable love among music lovers.

Talent from God

They say that once the actor and playwright Pyotr Karatygin said to Griboedov: “Ah, Alexander Sergeevich, how many talents God has given you: you are a poet, a musician, you were a dashing cavalryman and, finally, an excellent linguist!” He smiled, looked at him from under his glasses and answered: “Believe me, Petrusha, whoever has many talents does not have a single real one.”

Avid Duelist

Alexander Griboyedov took part in duels many times. But in November 1817, an event took place that changed his life forever - the “quarter duel.” The event was rare even for that time, because immediately after the opponents the seconds had to shoot.

The opponents were Sheremetev and Zavadovsky, the seconds were Yakubovich and Griboedov. They shot because of a conflict based on jealousy towards the ballerina Istomina, who lived with Sheremetev for two years, but shortly before the duel accepted Griboyedov’s invitation and paid a visit to Zavadovsky. During the duel, Sheremetev was killed, and the second duel was postponed indefinitely. It took place in Tiflis in the fall of 1818.

Griboedov, who admitted his guilt for what happened last year, was ready to make peace, but Yakubovich was adamant. This is not surprising: he was an experienced raider. According to one version, Griboyedov was the first to shoot. Passed by on purpose. On the second, Yakubovich shot first. One way or another, the result of the duel was Griboyedov’s left hand being shot through. For him, as a musician, this was a serious injury. Before his death, the writer put a special cover on his shot finger, and after Griboyedov’s death, he was identified by this wound.

The literary heritage of Alexander Griboyedov is just one work, but it is immortal. The idea for the comedy "Woe from Wit" was born far from his homeland, when Griboyedov was on diplomatic service in Persia. Work on the work continued in Georgia and was completed in Russia. Its first critic was the famous fabulist Ivan Krylov.

Book "Woe from Wit"

The author himself read his work to the already elderly fabulist. He listened in silence for several hours, and then declared: “The censors won’t let this pass. They are making fun of my fables. But this is much worse! In our time, the empress would have sent her along the first route to Siberia for this play.”

Archive of the Griboedov Theater

Krylov was right: during Griboedov’s lifetime, not a single theater staged Woe from Wit. But they read it with rapture. Literary scholars have counted 45 thousand handwritten copies of this work, passed from hand to hand throughout the country.

Griboyedov and Pushkin

Griboyedov was personally acquainted with Pushkin. Alexander Sergeevich spoke of Griboyedov as one of the smartest people in Russia. Together with Pushkin, they served in the Collegium of Foreign Affairs. As Pushkin rightly noted, who knew the poet well and was even planning to write a novel about him, “Griboedov’s life was obscured by certain clouds: a consequence of passionate passions and powerful circumstances.”

Alexander Pushkin met peasants carrying a coffin on one of the mountain passes. When asked who you were taking, they answered: “Mushroom eater.” It was the coffin with the body of Alexander Griboedov, who was killed in Persia.

Freemasonry

Griboyedov was a Freemason. He was a member of the largest lodge in St. Petersburg called “United Friends”. It is noteworthy that Alexander Griboedov’s head was swarming with thoughts about its improvement: he was not satisfied, as it seemed to him, with the passion for ritual and external ritual things. He even called his experimental box “Blago”. For legitimation, Griboyedov turned to the Scottish lodges that were in Russia, and then to the Grand Provincial Lodge of Russia. But both times I was refused.

Griboyedov also demanded that the members of the lodge speak Russian and that they see their main task as spreading Russian literacy. But, unfortunately, this writer’s project was not destined to come true. Griboyedov remained a Mason until the end of his life: he did not leave the brotherhood, but gradually lost interest in the secret society.

Griboyedov - Decembrist?

It is interesting that Alexander Griboyedov was suspected of having connections with the Decembrists, for which he was arrested in 1826. However, he was soon released because the evidence given against him was insufficient. He, indeed, did not just maintain acquaintance with the Decembrists. But, being a diplomat, he tried to ease their fate.

Death of Griboyedov

But the most important secret of Griboyedov’s life is the mystery of his death. After the conclusion of the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty in April 1828, Alexander Griboyedov was appointed Russian Ambassador to Persia. According to the official version, in Persia, among other matters, the Russian minister was involved in sending captive Russian citizens to their homeland. An appeal to him for help by two Armenian women who had fallen into the harem of a noble Persian was the reason for reprisals against the diplomat. Reactionary Tehran circles, dissatisfied with the peace with Russia, incited a fanatical crowd against the Russian mission. On February 11 (January 30, old style), 1829, during the defeat of the Russian mission in Tehran, Alexander Griboyedov was brutally killed.

The diplomat's body, mutilated beyond recognition, was identified by the remains of an ambassador's uniform and an old wound received in a duel with Yakubovich in 1818. Together with the Russian ambassador, all embassy employees, except for secretary Ivan Maltsev, and the Cossacks of the embassy convoy died - a total of 37 people. According to another version, Griboyedov’s death was associated with a conspiracy by the British, who benefited from the death of the Russian envoy and the deterioration of Russian-Persian relations.

Diamond for death

After the bloody massacre, the Shah's ambassadors went to the Russian ruler with a gift. As compensation for the death of the diplomat, the Persian prince Khozrev-Mirza presented Emperor Nicholas I with a huge uncut Shah diamond weighing 87 carats.

The Shah Diamond is a diamond of Indian origin weighing 88.7 carats.

Nicholas I accepted it with the words: “I consign the ill-fated Tehran incident to eternal oblivion.” The conflict was resolved, the brutal murder of his subjects was forgiven and forgotten. This stone is kept in Moscow to this day.

Why did my love survive you?

Alexander Griboyedov got married a year before his death. The writer's wife was the Georgian princess Nina Chavchavadze, who was much younger than him. When they got married, Nina was 15 years old and he was 33. The wedding took place on August 22, 1828 in the Zion Cathedral in Tiflis. Their love was passionate, but from the very beginning it foreshadowed tragedy. According to legend, during the wedding the groom, suffering from a fever, dropped his wedding ring, which was considered a bad omen.

Besik Pipia

The grave of Alexander Griboyedov on Mount St. David, his wife Princess Nino Chavchavadze rests nearby.

Griboyedov was buried in Tiflis, in the Mtatsminda pantheon, near the Church of St. David. On the gravestone are the words of an inconsolable widow: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?” The news of Griboyedov's death led to Nina's premature birth and the death of their child. After the tragic death of the writer, Nina remained faithful to her husband until the end of her days, rejecting all advances. She was even called the Black Rose of Tiflis. Nina outlived Griboedov by 28 years and died in 1857, during the cholera epidemic that broke out in Tiflis.

History of Russian literature of the 19th century. Part 1. 1800-1830s Lebedev Yuri Vladimirovich

Personality of Griboyedov.

Often, both lovers of Russian literature and professional experts on it have a perplexed question: why such a gifted person, seemingly a great writer - in essence and by vocation - created only one comedy, “Woe from Wit,” which is included in the Russian and world classics literature, and put an end to that, devoting himself largely to other activities in the diplomatic field that were far from literature? Has his creative powers been exhausted? Or did he exhaust with this comedy everything he wanted to tell the Russian people about time and about himself?

There is no definite answer to these questions, although one suggests itself, related to the very nature of Russian literature and culture of the first half of the 19th century. First of all, what is striking about the Russian writers of this time is the breadth of creative interests and some kind of human universalism. Sometimes it is fully realized in artistic creativity, and sometimes it goes beyond it. Lermontov, for example, was not only a poet and prose writer, but also a promising painter, as evidenced by the landscapes and portraits painted by him that have come down to us. The fact that Pushkin was a wonderful draftsman is evidenced by his draft manuscripts. It is no coincidence that T. G. Tsyavlovskaya dedicated a special monograph “Pushkin’s Drawings” to them. But Griboyedov’s personality, even against this background, amazes with its encyclopedicism and rare breadth of activities and hobbies, which sometimes lead the author of “Woe from Wit” far away from literary interests.

Fate endowed Griboyedov, in his own words, with “insatiable soul,” “a fiery passion for new inventions, for new knowledge, for a change of place and activity, for extraordinary people and deeds.” In terms of the breadth of his spiritual needs and encyclopedic knowledge, he was a person reminiscent of the type of people of the Western European Renaissance. At the university he studied Greek and Latin, and later studied Persian, Arabic and Turkish. The gift of a musician also awakens in him: Griboyedov plays the piano, organ and flute, studies music theory and composes it. Much has been lost, but two waltzes belonging to him have survived. Griboyedov's musical abilities admired many of his contemporaries; his talent was highly appreciated by M. I. Glinka. Finally, by the grace of God, he is a diplomat, through whose skillful efforts a peace treaty was concluded with Persia, which amazed the emperor himself with its obvious benefit for Russia. The depth and breadth of Griboedov's knowledge in various branches of science amazed many of his contemporaries. Therefore, the literary vocation has always competed in Griboedov’s consciousness with many others. Unlike Pushkin, he was never able to become a professional writer. And his life, short and swift, turned into a continuous journey, distracting the author of “Woe from Wit” from concentration and intense desk work, without which the work of a writer is generally impossible.

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From the author's book

Woe from the mind. Composition by A. S. Griboyedov* Comedy in 4 acts, in verse<…>A tragedy or comedy, like any work of art, must represent a special, closed world in itself, that is, it must have a unity of action that does not come from the outside

The phenomenon is the talent of A.S. Griboyedov. Life path and character of A.S. Griboyedov
This man's talent was truly phenomenal. His knowledge was enormous and multifaceted, he learned many languages, was a good officer, a capable musician, an outstanding diplomat with the makings of a major politician.
But despite all this, few would have remembered him if not for the comedy “Woe from Wit,” which put Griboedov on a par with the greatest Russian writers.
There are many mysteries and gaps in Griboyedov’s biography, especially regarding childhood and youth. Neither the year of his birth (1794 or 1795; although the day is precisely known - January 4), nor the year of admission to the university noble boarding school is known with certainty. The widely spread version, according to which Griboedov graduated from three faculties of Moscow University and only because of the War of 1812 did not receive a doctorate, is not supported by documents.
One thing is certain: in 1806 he entered the Faculty of Literature, and in 1808 he graduated from it. If Griboyedov was really born in 1795, as most biographers believe, he was then 13 years old.
More reliable information about Griboedov’s life, starting in 1812. During the invasion of Napoleon, Alexander Sergeevich, like many Moscow nobles, enlisted as an officer in the militia. But he never had the chance to take part in battles: the regiment was in the rear.
After the war, the future writer served in Belarus. Griboyedov spent his youth stormy. He called himself and his fellow soldiers, the Begichev brothers, “stepchildren of common sense” - their pranks were so unbridled.
There is a known case when Griboyedov once sat down at the organ during a service in a Catholic church. At first he played sacred music for a long time and with inspiration, and then suddenly switched to Russian dance music.
Griboedov also played pranks and mischief in St. Petersburg, where he moved in 1816 (he spent a year in retirement, and then became an official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). But by this time he had already begun to study literature seriously. From Belarus Griboedov brought the comedy (translated from French) “The Young Spouses”.
It was staged in the capital not without success. Then Griboyedov participated as a co-author in writing several more plays. The stage became his real passion. He became friends with the director of the St. Petersburg theater, playwright Shakhovsky, and especially close with the talented poet and theater expert Pavel Katenin.
In collaboration with Katenin, Griboyedov wrote the best of his early works - the comedy in prose “Student” (1817). During Griboedov’s lifetime, it did not appear either on stage or in print. Perhaps the attacks on literary opponents (Zhukovsky, Batyushkov, Karamzin), whose poems were parodied in the play, seemed indecent to the censors.
No less than the author's fame, Griboyedov was seduced and attracted by the behind-the-scenes life of the theater, an indispensable part of which were affairs with actresses. One of these stories ended tragically.
Two friends of Griboyedov, revelers Sheremetev and Zavadovsky, competed over the ballerina Istomina. The well-known duelist in the city, Alexander Yakubovich (the future Decembrist), fanned the quarrel, and accused Griboedov of ignoble behavior. Sheremetev had to fight with Zavadovsky, Yakubovich - with Griboedov.
Both duels were to take place on the same day. But while after the first duel they were providing assistance to the mortally wounded Sheremetev, time had passed. The next day, Yakubovich was arrested as the instigator and exiled to the Caucasus. Griboedov was not punished, but public opinion considered him guilty of Sheremetev’s death. The authorities decided to remove from St. Petersburg the official “involved in history.”
Griboyedov was offered to take the place of secretary of the Russian mission either in the United States of America or in Persia. He chose the latter, and it sealed his fate.
On the way to Persia, Griboedov stayed in Tiflis for almost a year. There the postponed duel with Yakubovich took place. Griboyedov was wounded in the arm - for him, as a musician, this was very sensitive.
Griboyedov served in Persia for three years, then moved as a “diplomatic official” to the staff of the Chief Administrator of Georgia, General A.P. Ermolov. Service in Tiflis under this extraordinary man gave him a lot.
Griboyedov spent 1823-1824 on vacation in Moscow, in the village of the Begichevs, in St. Petersburg. His new work - the comedy "Woe from Wit" - created a sensation.
The comedy was conceived back in Persia, started in Tiflis, and finished in the village of the Begichevs. The author read the play in many literary salons. But he failed to publish or stage “Woe from Wit.”
It’s unlikely that the comedy was skipped because of its political urgency: there are not many places in “Woe from Wit” that are dubious in this regard; they would not be difficult to remove or soften. But the play had a flavor of scandal: many Muscovites recognized themselves in its characters (usually mistakenly). It was the censorship who wanted to prevent the scandal. The authorities even banned a performance that theater school students wanted to present in a small circle.
In the almanac “Russian Waist for 1825” only the second half of the first act and the entire third were published. The full text was distributed in thousands of handwritten copies.
In January 1826, after the Decembrist uprising, Griboyedov was arrested on suspicion of involvement in a conspiracy. After some time, he was not only released, but also received another rank, as well as an allowance in the amount of an annual salary.
There really was no serious evidence against him, and even now there is no documentary evidence that the writer somehow participated in the activities of secret societies.
On the contrary, he is credited with a disparaging description of the conspiracy: “One hundred warrant officers want to turn Russia over!” But, perhaps, Griboyedov owes his acquittal to the intercession of a relative - General I. F. Paskevich, a favorite of Nicholas I.
In 1828, Griboyedov was appointed envoy plenipotentiary to Persia. On the way, in Tiflis, he fell passionately in love with Princess Nina Chavchavadze, the daughter of his old friend, the Georgian poet Alexander Chavchavadze, and married her.
The marital happiness was immeasurable, but it soon ended. A month after the wedding, the young couple left for Persia. Nina stopped in border Tabriz, and Griboyedov moved further - to the capital of Persia, Tehran.
Just a month later, tragedy unfolded there. On January 30, 1829, the embassy was destroyed and everyone in it was killed. Only one person was saved.
Griboyedov was buried in his beloved Tiflis, in the monastery of St. David on Mount Mtatsminda. At his grave, the widow erected a monument to him with the inscription: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?”
The life of A. S. Griboyedov is interesting and instructive. From his biography we learn what representatives of the advanced educated nobility were like and how they behaved.