Mitrofan Belyayev

Mitrofan Petrovich Belyayev (Russian Митрофан Петрович Беляев; *. 10.jul / February 22 1836greg in Saint Petersburg, .. . † December 22 1903jul / January 4 1904greg ) was a Russian music publisher and patron.

Life

Belyayev was the son of a wealthy Russian timber merchant and landowner, and a Swedish mother. Early on, he established himself as a successful businessman in the company of his father, of which he took 30 years. Seine - first private - but was passionate about music. Belyayev had learned even in school violin, viola and piano, and played in a string quartet for many years the viola. Later he joined the circle of Petersburg Chamber music lovers and undertook with the then leaders Ljadow and Borodin musical journeys through Russia and abroad, including to Bayreuth. Belyayev spoke several foreign languages ​​, including German.

Initial impetus for future Belyayev, major role as a patron of the Russian music scene in 1882, the encounter with the gifted almost 17 -year-old Alexander Glazunov, whose first symphony was premiered at that time. Belyayev growing commitment to the promotion of Russian composers led to a gradual withdrawal from his work as a timber merchant. In 1884, he was founder of the " Glinka prize", which was awarded annually. In the first years Borodin, Balakirev, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky -Korsakov, Cui and Ljadow were among the award winners.

Publishing establishment

1885 Belyayev founded the music publishing MP Belaieff in Leipzig. In this Publisher 1200 compositions ( the first publication was Glazunov Overture on Three Greek Themes ) already appeared in the following decade. The laid there works were edited with high quality standards, the authors obtained higher fees than usual at this time, and also retained full disposal of performance rights. This Belyayev made ​​important contributions to the promotion and dissemination of Russian music. Initially, Belyayev decided solely on the selection of works, later he consulted with a jury composed of Rimsky -Korsakov, Glazunov and Ljadow. Were included in the publishing program not only composers from St. Petersburg, but also more "Western" oriented Moscow composers such as Taneyev and Scriabin.

Also in 1885 called Belyayev in St. Petersburg, the " Russian Symphony Concerts ", and in 1891 in his home the weekly " quartet Fridays " ( " Les Vendredis " ) to life. Multiple enrolled funded by Belyayev composers musical contributions on this occasion, as was his 50th birthday a Community String Quartet composition by Rimsky -Korsakov, Borodin, Glazunov Ljadow and on the sequence of notes B -La -F ( baf ). 1886 created the eminent Russian painter Ilya Repin Portrait of a Belyayev.