Yakov Eshpay

Yakov Andreyevich Eschpai (Russian Яков Андреевич Эшпай; orig Ишпайкин / Ischpaikin, * 18.jul / October 30 1890greg in Kokschamara, .. . † February 20, 1963 in Moscow) was a Russian composer, folk music researcher and educator from the people of Mari.

Eschpai attended the music school in Kazan and studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Georgi Conus. From 1913 he was a singing teacher in Ufa, from 1918 he taught music theory in Kokschamara and from 1924 in Kosmodemjansk. Since 1931 he was a research associate at the Scientific Research Institute of the Autonomous Soviet Republic of Mari. In his works he worked motifs of the folk music of the Mari. He published several collections of folk songs of Mari.

His son Andrei Eschpai (* 1925) is one of the most famous Soviet composer.

Works

• Songs of Mari people
• Melodies of the mountain and meadow Mari
• Mari folksongs