Jāzeps Vītols

Jāzeps Vītols ( German Joseph Wihtol; born July 26, 1863 in Valmiera, † April 24, 1948 in Lübeck) was a Latvian composer.

Life

Jāzeps Vītols, the son of a teacher began in 1880 to study composition at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory with Nikolai Rimsky -Korsakov. After completing his studies in 1886 he remained at the Conservatoire and became a teacher of composition. From 1901 he worked at the same institute as a professor of composition. Among his students count Nikolai Myaskovsky Petersburg and Prokofiev. 1918 Vītols returned back to Latvia and became conductor at the Latvian National Opera in Riga. In 1919 he founded the Latvian Conservatory, which was later renamed in his honor in " Latvian Academy of Music Jāzeps Vītols ". From 1919 to 1944 he headed the Conservatory and its composition class. His most prominent students of this period were Jānis Ivanov and Ādolfs Skulte. In 1923 he was co-founder of the Latvian Composers' Union. In 1944, he fled with his wife Annija to Germany, where he lived in Flensburg. He died in 1948 in a hospital in Lübeck. His remains were transferred to Riga 1993. Vītols was not only active as a composer and teacher. In addition to his conducting activities, he has also performed as a pianist and wrote his life numerous music critics.

Style

Jāzeps Vītols regarded as the founder of the Latvian national music, as he was the first Latvian composer format. Stylistically, he is clearly assigned to the national romanticism. His compositions can not deny the influence of his teacher Rimsky -Korsakov. This is not least the brilliant orchestration, which can also think of Vītols ' friend Alexander Glazunov. Also during his time in Russia, he was very interested in the Latvian Folklore - he headed at the same time the Latvian choir in St. Petersburg. Therefore, its melody contributes significantly Latvian trains, often using the Daina. His symphonic works are always composed in sonata form and shall be exemplified as dramatic. Overall Vītols was a more conservative composer who had a solid compositional technique.

Works

• Orchestral works Symphony in E minor ( 1886-88 )
• " Ligo ", symphonic poem, Opus 4 (1889 )
• Dramatic Overture op.21 (1895 )
• " Sprīdītis ", symphonic poem op.37 (1907 )
• "Precious Stones", suite for orchestra, Op 66 (1924 )
• " Autumn Song ", symphonic ballad (1928 )
• Fantasy on Latvian folk songs for violin and orchestra op.42 ( 1908-10 )

• Vocal music " The Bard of Beverina " ballad for baritone and orchestra op.28 (1891, rev., 1900)
• "The Song ", cantata for soprano, chorus and orchestra op.35 (1908 )
• "Northern Lights ", Cantata op.45 (1914 )
• " The Sermon on the Mount ," Easter cantata for baritone, female choir, organ and orchestra (1943 )
• " 200 Latvian folk tunes with piano accompaniment " (1906 ), with adaptations of the Latvian texts by Rūdolfs Blaumanis and Hans Schmidt Paul Neldner Verlag, Riga appeared,
• About 100 songs
• About 100 choirs
• 300 folksong arrangements

• Chamber and piano music String Quartet (1899 )
• Sketch for cello and piano op.12
• Piano Sonata in B flat minor op.1 (1886 )
• Sonatina for piano in B major op.63
• 8 Latvian folksongs for piano op.32 (1905 )
• Numerous Character Pieces for Piano

• Composer ( romance )
• Latvian composer
• Latvian musicians
• University teachers (Saint Petersburg Conservatory )
• Born in 1863
• Died in 1948
• Man