Yevgeny Svetlanov

Yevgeny Fyodorovich Svetlanov ( born September 6, 1928 in Moscow, † May 3, 2002 ) was a Russian conductor, composer and pianist.

Life

Svetlanov was born into a musical family whose members were employed at the Bolshoi Theatre. Early on, he decided on a career as a musician and studied composition, conducting and piano at the Moscow Conservatory, where he had received lessons in composition, among others, Alexander Gauk conducting lessons and Yuri Shaporin to 1955, and at the Gnessin Institute, where Mikhail Gnessins taught him to 1951 in Composition. Already in the late 1940s made ​​Svetlanov as a composer attention to itself. In 1953 he conducted his first opera at the Bolshoi Theatre and began a two-year commitment to the Moscow radio. In 1955 he was hired as an assistant at the Bolshoi Theatre, where he made a brilliant career and eventually became chief conductor from 1962 to 1965 and 1999 Honorary Conductor. In 1965 he took over as chief conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR. This orchestra, which today is called the Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation, was under his leadership, finally one of the leading symphony orchestras of the Soviet Union. Svetlanov managed it for 35 years and was his most important and influential art director.

In 1979 he was Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, principal conductor of the 1992 Residence Orchestra The Hague. Other foreign orchestras he conducted regularly. His magnificent career as Chief Conductor of the Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation in 1999 brought an abrupt end in Swetlanows dismissal by the Russian Minister of Culture. This was justified by the lack of presence and provided great indignation in the Russian music scene. Svetlanov in 1972 received the Lenin Prize in 1983 and the State Prize of the Soviet Union. In addition, he was in 1968 awarded the People's Artist of the USSR and in 1978 with the Order of Lenin and had received a high Russian state medal on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

Svetlanov conducting

Svetlanov is one of the most important Russian conductors of all time. At an early age he decided to take up an anthology of Russian orchestral music. This project, he realized as chief conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR comprehensively through countless recordings of Russian music. Hardly a Russian orchestral works of the 19th and early 20th century has not added Svetlanov. Even the newer repertoire, he was extremely receptive to, conducted numerous world premieres and played the works also. Outstanding projects included the recording of the complete symphonies of Tchaikovsky, which also caused a furore in the West, as well as the first and only complete recording of all 27 symphonies and other orchestral works Nikolai Mjaskowskis, a composer who Svetlanov especially at heart.

But he was not limited to Russian music, but also led numerous works from other countries. Especially his recordings of the symphonies of Gustav Mahler found this much attention. Swetlanows conducting style was characterized by extensive plant knowledge and care. He explored the works always to their limits intensively. Characteristic of his interpretations intensity of expression, dramatic power and hands- Swetlanows, rousing approach to music. Overall Svetlanov took alone with the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR at almost 2000 works.

Svetlanov as a composer

Svetlanov was a very conservative composer and represented in his own works often significantly less advanced positions as in the works of other composers, which he brought to the performance. His works are deeply rooted in the Russian tradition, and often inspired by Russian folk music. In some works, Svetlanov was also interested in the folk music of other countries such as Spain. The instrumentation is always rich and skillfully. Harmony and shaping are more traditional, such as Svetlanov generally newer techniques of composition rather avoided. He remained rooted in a provided with occasional sharpening tonality. In his own words he was guided by Nikolai Myaskovsky - although he clearly effect a fuller and more effective audience style used than that - to Sergei Rachmaninoff and the rhythmic conciseness Dmitri Shostakovich, whose influence but otherwise remained rather marginal. Svetlanov always saw himself primarily as a composer and was disappointed that the public perceived him primarily as a conductor.

Svetlanov as a pianist

Svetlanov was also a brilliant pianist. He devoted himself above all the creation Nikolai Medtner and his own compositions. However, he only appeared sporadically as a pianist to the public. In his composer colleagues, he was very popular when it came to imagine piano scores of new orchestral works with the Soviet Composers' Union. His meticulousness and emotion that characterized him as a conductor, were also found in his piano playing again.

Works

  • Orchestral works Symphony in B minor, op.13 (1956 )
  • " Preludes. Six Symphonic Reflections" (1966 )
  • "Pictures of Spain", Rhapsody No.1 (1954 )
  • Rhapsody No.2 ( 1978)
  • " Daybreak on the fields", symphonic poem (1949 )
  • " Daugava ", symphonic poem (1952 )
  • " The Red Snowball ", symphonic poem (1975 )
  • " Romantic ballad " (1974)
  • Piano Concerto in C minor (1950, rev. 1976)
  • Poem for Violin and Orchestra in memoriam David Oistrakh (1975 )
  • "Russian Variations" for Harp and Orchestra ( 1975)
  • "Home fields ", cantata ( before 1950 )
  • Three Russian Songs for Voice and Orchestra ( 1950)
  • Songs
  • String Quartet in D major (1948 )
  • Wind Quintet "A Day in the Country" (1975 )
  • Violin sonata
  • 2 Sonatinas for Violin and Piano
  • Five Melodies in memoriam Mikhail Gnessins
  • Cello Sonata (1946 )
  • 3 sonatas
  • 5 Sonatinas
  • "Orient " Rhapsody
  • " Children's Album "
  • 24 Preludes in all the keys (1950 )
  • Smaller pieces
List of Russian composers Orchestration Integrated Authority File
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