II. Read and translate the text: People of Culture and Science of Kazakhstan Culture

The land of Chinghiztau gave the mankind a lot of talented people – poets, writers, musicians, painters. The most ancient works of art on the territory of Kazakhstan are the petroglyphs of animals in the Karatau mountains. Otrar earthenware with elegant ornament is referred to the samples of decorative applied art. This tradition has been kept up to now – yurtas, household articles are decorated with original ornaments.

The history of painting began in the XIX century when Russian painters visited Kazakhstan. They made drawings reflecting the life of the Kazakh people. Nickolay Khludov (1850 – 1935), a Russian painter, graduated from Odessa art school and lived in Kazakhstan for 50 years. He dedicated all his works to the Kazakh land and people.

Abylkhan Kasteev (1904-1973) was one of the first Kazakh painters to devote his whole life to painting professionally; combining the traditions of European art with specific Kazakh features. His Art, which is genuinely national has played an important role in the development of Kazakh and Central Asian Art.

His first works date back to 1927 and mark the beginning of a long artistic career during which he produced more than 1,000 pictures in a variety of genres. The lack of an academic education was offset by his sincerity, hard work, curiosity and perseverance.

Abylkhan Kasteev’s art, in all its diversity, is full of authentic talent and spiritual purity, of love for his homeland and its people. His landscapes are characterized by subtle harmony and all-pervading poetry. In his portraits, either of ordinary people or of eminent personalities, Kasteev sought historical accuracy and adopted a monumentalist approach to the depiction of the character which was extremely expressive.

Kazakhstan’s Museum of Art has been named after him and his works are to be found in museums in the Commonwealth of Independent States and in private collections abroad.

Magnificent art of the artistAibek Begalin from Karaganda for a long time attracts attention of art critics, collectors defining his place in cultural space of the modern fine arts of Kazakhstan and even throughout the world. His works are exhibited in Russia, France, Italy, Vatican, Israel and other countries.

Aibek Begalin was born in 1963 in Tselinograd in the family of the geologist. In 1974 the family settled in Karaganda. Here he received initial art education in the fine art studio of the Palace of pioneers, then at Children's art school. He graduated from V.I.Surikov Art Institute in Moscow. In 1990 he joined the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan, now he is a member of Board of Karaganda organization of the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan. The main point for understanding the conception of his art works.is philosophical theme which is out of time and space. There is a creative cycle of his life devoted to the history and traditions of the native land. Some of his works are creations on the theme "Apocalypse" (27 big canvases) - one of the main creative lines of 1990 - 2000: “Seven Lights”, “Three Apostles”, “Heavenly Jerusalem”, “The Struggle of Jakob”, “The Last Supper”, “The Crucifixion”, “The Ark”, “The Falling of the Star” and others.

The gold horseman Winter in Karaganda

The Kazakh national music has a long history and rich traditions. Unknown akyns created the folk-lore closely connected with the working life and the struggle for independence. The first place belonged to a song – everyday, ritual, lyrical, shepherd, a song-story. The people’s wisdom, philosophy, moral are commemorated in a song. Music would accompany the life of nomads. They were ingenious people and used to make their instruments practically of any material that could be found in the steppe: rush, wood, clay, leather, bone, horns, hoofs. The Kazakh people have more than 20 musical instruments – dombra, kobyz, sybyzgy, daulpaz and othersThe Kazakh national music has a long history and rich traditions. Unknown akyns created the folk-lore closely connected with the working life and the struggle for independence.

One of the greatest Kazakh composers wasKurmangazy. He was the founder of the national instrumental music. He was a genius, a proud and brave son of the Great steppe. He was optimistic, full of human qualities and had a remarkable talent of a composer. He is famous for creating a bright original style of the dombra playing. He created more than 60 kuys full of steppe sounds, smell and colours, fresh air, rhythm and harmony.

Evgeny Brusilovsky (1905 – 1981) was an outstanding composer who created the first Kazakh opera “Kyz-Zhibek” in 1934. He devoted his life and talent to the Kazakh musical culture and will never be forgotten in the country. He graduated from Leningrad Conservatory and came to Kazakhstan where he plunged into studies of national musical wealth. A passionate talent inspired Brussilovsky to concerts, symphonies, cantatas, songs and romances, pearls like romantic elegy "Two Swallows". "Kyz Zhibek", "Er Targyn" and "Dudarai" are widely recognized as peaks of national music. Eugeny Brussilovsky is one of the authors of National Anthem of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Akhmet Zhubanov (1906 – 1968) was a talented composer, a conductor, teacher and promoter of young musicians. His best works “Abai”, “Kazakh dances”, “Kurmangazy” were highly appreciated by the audience.

Akhmet Zhubanov got down in Kazakh culture history as the founder of Kurmangazy Orchestra - a company of world standards. He graduated from Leningrad Conservatory and returned home. He is an author of "Abai" opera (with Latiff Khamidi as co-author), choral and instrumental compositions, romances and music for movies, creator of cultural masterpieces. He was Doctor of Art, academician, a friend of Zatayevic (collector of Kazakh music folklore), the author of "Kurmangazy", "Life and Creative Work of Kazakh National Composers", "Century Strings " and "Nightingales". Akhmet Zhubanov made an invaluable contribution to Kazakh musical heritage - 28 national kuys were recorded by him.

Before the 19th century, Kazakhstan had no written language of its own. Literature took the form of long oral poems, recited by akyns in a song-like chant and accompanied by traditional instruments like drums and a dombra. Recitals and aitys are still very popular.

The founder of modern Kazakh literature isAbay Kunanbaev (1845 – 1904), a great poet, educator and akyn. He translated works by Pushkin, Lermontov, Göthe, Tolstoy and other poets and writers into Kazakh. His works urge people to labour and to struggle for reorganization of life. A lot of his poems are dedicated to a new attitude to the family, to the parents’ duty, to the education of a young generation. His most famous philosophic work, "Words of edification", is said to be a spiritual commandment to the Kazakh nation. His main contribution to Kazakh culture and folklore is his poetry, which expresses strong feelings and grew out of Kazakh folk culture.

Shakarim Kudaiberdiev was Abai’s nephew and was brought up by his great uncle. He traveled a lot, learnt languages. Shakarim translated the works by Pushkin, Tolstoy, Beecher Stow, Fizuli, Navoi, Lermontov, Nekrasov and Byron. He wrote the novel “Chronicle of Kazakh Khans”, the philosophical treatise “Mohammedanism”. He returned boundless freedom to the Kazakh literary language. There is a peculiar charm and a fascinating ease in his lines.

Mukhtar Auezov (1897 – 1961) was a distinguished Kazakh writer, playwright and statesman. He wrote over 20 plays, many short stories and novels. His writing career began with the play “Enlik-Kebek” (1917), based on the folk legend of tragic love which bears a great resemblance to Romeo and Juliet. His works are translated into many languages and have enormous influence on the Kazakh literature.

Later Auezov changed his focus to writing novels. Two novels – “Abay” and “The Path of Abay” - dealing with the life of Kazakh poet Abay Kunanbaev were the product of the last twenty years of his life. Auezov's other projects included drawing and translating literature into the Kazakh language. His translations of Tolstoy, Gogol, Chekhov, Shakespeare, London are masterpieces that greatly enriched the Kazakh literature.