Symphony No. 13 (Myaskovsky)

• I Andante moderato
• II Agitato molto e tenebroso
• III Andante nostalgico

Or

• Andante moderato - Agitato molto e tenebroso - Andante nostalgico

The Symphony in B flat minor, Op 36 is the 13th Symphony the composer Nikolai Yakovlevich Myaskovsky.

Genesis

In the wake of the decision of the CPSU on 23 April 1932, the organizing committee for an association of Soviet composers was formed in the summer of the same year, chaired by Reinhold Gliere, which also Myaskovsky and some of his students joined. During this time, Myaskovsky was very hard to put together a musical culture, he organized, for example, radio and philharmonic concerts, founded a solid orchestra, a choir and an opera studio at the Conservatory and drove the establishment of a State Museum of Musical Culture ahead. Through its contacts ( among other things Prokofiev ) he promoted further performances of works by young composers abroad. He not only encouraged his own students, there are known cases in which he emphasized the works of his pupils from programs because other pieces seemed more promising. During this time he wrote his Symphony No. 13, which he outlined in a single night in February 1933. The completion of the symphony was not so rapid as it is already sketched ideas for the 14th and 15th symphony. S. Gulinskaya suspected that also resulted in a personal, but not handed down, the creation event of the symphony, as he later wrote of the work:

" My Symphony No. 13 is from the need for a certain discharge pent-up subjective impressions that I have constantly and are still unlikely to eradicate my age, emerged - a very pessimistic plant bearing very content. This symphony is a kind of page from my diary ... "

Analysis

The symphony is significantly different from its predecessor and successor work. It ties in their musical language rather of the symphonies of the 1920s, and is thus clearly against the attempts to adapt to the new Soviet culture. It represents a certain extent a counterpoint to the conversion Mjaskowskis is that it took place at this time in his music, and especially for the rural idyll of the twelfth symphony. The author Maya Pritsker speaks here of a " departure from modernism and experimentation ." The symphony she sees as one of Mjaskowskis best compositions.

The one-movement (in some sources also referred to as three movements ) business is one of the shortest and at the same time the most experimental symphonies Mjaskowskis. In his autobiographical remarks by 1936, he wrote that the work was a "linear -constructivist attempt to destroy the tonality ". The mood of the symphony is grim and bleak and reminiscent of the mood in Sibelius ' Fourth Symphony. It begins with a slow introduction, which is backed up with a concise rhythm of the drum. The following is a sonata form with the first theme in B-flat minor and the second in D-flat major. The implementation is becoming a fugal in B Minor, before the recapitulation begins. The subsequent coda ends with a b- minor chord with an additional a and c ( Septnonakkord ) which, accompanied with the initial rhythm of the drum, fades in ppp.

Reception and criticism

The premiere took place in Chicago and Moscow almost simultaneously. Others has claimed that she was listed only in autumn 1935 in Winterthur, this performance was loud S. Gulinskaya but instead only after the first performance. Mjaskowski itself was very satisfied with the work. The symphony is - apart from the 21 - the last one that has been proven to her time abroad had success outside Russia and came to the performance. Besides Mjaskowski his friend Prokofiev and his advocate Frederick floor were satisfied with the work. Over hill wrote Prokofiev:

" In Chicago, you got a glowing admirer in the person of the chief conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Frederick Stock: In any given year, saute ' it at least two of your symphonies and has now seemingly all by ... "

From a letter Stocks, in which he expresses his admiration for the music Mjaskowskis, also shows that he dedicated this work:

" My dear Mr. Myaskovsky, I have not yet replied to your kind letter of March 29th. I wish to say I did greatly admire you for the splendid work you are doing as a composer of excellent music. I did feel the time will come whenyour symphonies will be just as well known as any of Those by Tchaikovsky or any of your predecessors. I accept with gratitude the dedication of your Thirteenth Symphony and Shall repeat this and several of your major works on my programs in Chicago as well as on tour falling on the coming year. Our mutual friend Prokofieff joins me in my highest estimation and admiration of your genius and I hope it will be possible for me before long to pay you a visit in Moscow did so I may have the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with you. In the mean time, I am, with Renewed expressions of highest esteem and most cordial greetings, very sincerely yours, Frederick A. Stock "

"Dear Mr. Myaskovsky, I have not replied until now to your letter of March 29. I would like to tell you that I you in the highest degree for the excellent work that you accomplish as a composer excellent music, admire. I believe that once the time will come when your symphonies will be as well known as the Tchaikovsky or any of your predecessors. With gratitude I accept the dedication of your Symphony No. 13 and would like to include this and other of your major ( major ) works in my programs in Chicago and next year's tour. Our Mutual Friend Prokofiev shares my high opinion and admiration of your genius and I hope it will soon be possible for me, you pay a visit to Moscow, so I shall have the pleasure of a personal acquaintance. In the meantime, I remain, with a renewed sign of respect and warm regards, Yours faithfully, Frederick A. Stock "

Myaskovsky was aware that this work is not necessarily equivalent to those of the party, so he waited with the pressure of the score to 1945 Prokofiev wanted Mjaskowski persuade them to correct with a performance in Paris the image of Soviet music and wrote.:

" In Paris they cherish against the Soviet music somewhat different expectations than in Moscow: while you put mainly on freshness value in Moscow, is this Soviet freshness for a long time no longer drawn in Paris in doubt, but often expressed the fear that behind their depth of content is missing ... Here comes your, Thirteenth ' just in time to help close the gap occurred! "

Myaskovsky, however, declined because he disliked that the event had been organized by some workers' associations. He feared that this audience would not understand his work.

Later Myaskovsky wrote about the twelfth and 14th Symphony, they were a " flop ". It is thus obvious that the Symphony No. 13 represents a final attempt to defy the requirements of the regime and to compose as it popular him. On the basis of source location, the true motives Mjaskowskis hardly reproduces as with the sixth and twelfth symphony, it is quite possible that S. Gulinskajas conclusions as to the pressure of the score and the concert was canceled in Paris do not apply. The correspondence with Frederick Stock is only printed in their Mjaskowski - biography in the text he is not mentioned, is also missing in her catalog raisonné the dedication. A statement as to whether or if not, why all the later works were not initially be listed outside the Soviet Union, it remains guilty.