Journal archive

Abstract: Pedagogical activity of Vasily Safonov (1852–1918) occupies the most important place in the history of Russian professional music education. In this article his pedagogical principles are derived on the basis of the study of the collection of exercises "The New Formula" and the generalization of the facts set forth in the memoirs of his disciples of different years. According to psychology, professional personality structure contains the following functional components: psychological, epistemological, axiological, and emotional-volitional. The individual proportional relationship of these components in Safonov's personality largely determines the identity, direction and results of his pedagogical activity. Therefore, its pedagogical principles are analyzed from the point of view of object-subject relations. The psychological component determines the student's ability and readiness for future professional activity. This component of the teacher's personality consists in the correct prediction of the pupil's abilities and the choice of the individual trajectory of their development. Safonov possessed this quality. The central element of the epistemological component is professional thinking. Safonov's professional thinking was distinguished by a certain universalism. He combined both romantic and classicistic features. Safonov's views on the education of the pianist's technique were progressive. They were based on the idea of intellectual and auditory control of the process of exercise. The axiological component was the leading one; it was also a system-forming principle of Safonov’s professional personality. All fruitful activity ща ершы artist, musician, performer, teacher and administrator is permeated with the idea of serving the arts. He tried to teach his students the same attitude to art. A pronounced emotional-volitional component allowed Safonov to achieve high results in various spheres. His contemporaries point to his authoritarianism and voluntarism in communicating with colleagues as side effects of this quality. These negative elements lose their significance in the historical perspective. The study of the methods of Safonov’s teaching and their projection on the problems of modern life will help preserve the identity of Russian performing art in the globalization process.