German Galynin

German Hermanovitch Galynin (Russian Герман Германович Галынин; born March 30, 1922 in Tula, † July 18, 1966 in Moscow) was a Russian composer.

Life

Galynins parents, workers in the munitions factory in Tula, died early. After a few years of wandering Galynin came under in an orphanage in Tula in 1934. There, his musical talent was discovered and promoted. From 1938 to 1941 he attended the Music School of the Moscow Conservatory. As a volunteer, he experienced the Second World War from 1941 to 1943 as a Soviet soldier. From 1944, he studied composition at the Moscow Conservatory with Nikolai Myaskovsky and Shostakovich. When his teachers were publicly branded in 1948 as formalists, also Galynin was not spared: as a student of Shostakovich formalist tendencies were found in his work. Tikhon Khrennikov especially criticized his First Piano Concerto; later, however, in 1957, he revoked this ruling. Nevertheless Galynin received the Stalin Prize in 1951 for his Epic Poem. In the 1950s, symptoms of schizophrenia disease occurred. This had the consequence that Galynin spent much of the rest of his life in hospitals and psychiatric institutions.

Tonal language

Galynin was based on the Russian tradition, and especially to his teacher Shostakovich. The influences of Sergei Prokofiev are detectable. The basic attitude of his remaining in the framework of extended tonality music is characterized neoclassical. Characteristic is next to a concise rhythm and often a slightly ironic tone. Already Galynins works from the Conservatory of time characterized by elegance and an unusual compositional maturity. His later works have a higher content of dissonance and often a rather sombre mood. However, its productivity has declined probably due to illness. Galynin is today largely unnoticed, only his first Piano Concerto enjoys a certain reputation.

Works

Orchestral works

• Suite for String Orchestra ( 1949)
• Epic Poem by Russian themes (1950 )
• Youth Overture ( 1951)
• Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major (1946 )
• Piano Concerto No. 2 in A minor (1965 )
• Aria for Violin and Strings ( 1959)
• Scherzo for Violin and Strings ( 1966)
• Music for the Stage

Vocal music

• " Fariset ", opera in one act (1949, mostly lost)
• "Death and the Maiden", oratorio for soloists, chorus and orchestra by Gorky (1950, rev., 1963 )
• Two choirs after Schtschipatschew (1948 )

Chamber Music

• String Quartet No. 1 in A minor (1947 )
• String Quartet No. 2 in F minor (1956 )
• Piano Trio in D minor (1948 )
• Violin Sonata (1956 )

Piano music

• " Sonata Triad " 3 -movement sonatas ( 1963-65 )
• Six early piano sonatas
• Suite ( 1945)
• Concerto Grosso (1964 )