Russian Composers Glinka Glazunov Borodin and Shostakovitch Symphony

� This presentation discusses the life, music, adn influences of prominent 19 th and 20 th century Russian composers Mikhail Glinka, Alexander Glazunov, Alexander Borodin, and Dmitri Shostakovich.

Where in the World? � Russia is the largest country in the world by land mass (one-eighth of the world’s inhabited land area). � The capital of Russia is Moscow. � Russia spans most of the length of Europe and Asia, as well as 11 time zones!

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) � � � A dark period in Russia’s history lasted from 1922 -1991 when Russia belonged to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR): a communist empire formed after the defeat of the Russian Tsar in the February Revolution (1917). The empire was headed by the well-known and notorious dictator Josef Stalin until 1953. The Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 following changes in government, policy, and multiple referendums.

Russian Landmarks Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. Constructed in 1588, this UNESCO World Heritage site displays archetypal Russian architecture. Alexander Palace in St. Petersburg. This was the home of Tsar Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia, and his family.

Russian Landmarks Located in the region of Siberia, Lake Baikal is the world’s largest, deepest, and oldest freshwater lake. The UN has declared the lake a UNESCO World Heritage site. Peterhof Palace in St. Petersburg. A UNESCO World Heritage site, this palace is part of a network of gardens and palaces constructed on the orders of Peter the Great in the early 18 th century.

Russia and the Olympics Moscow was the host city of the 1980 Summer Olympics. Pictured above is a photo of the opening ceremonies. Sochi (a resort city in the southwest) hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics. Pictured above is Russia’s demonstration at the opening ceremonies.

Famous Russians Maria Sharapova, tennis player Mikhail Baryshnikov, dancer and actor Irving Berlin, composer and lyricist Alexander Ovechkin, NHL player Leo Tolstoy, author of War and Peace

Musical Eras � Glinka and Glazunov lived and composed during the Romantic era. � Borodin overlaps the Romantic and Modern eras. � Shostakovich lived and composed during the Modern era.

Fast Facts: Mikhail Glinka � � � Born in the small village of Novospasskoye, Russia in 1804. At age 13 he was sent to school in St. Petersburg where he studied piano and composition with John Field and Charles Meyer. In 1830, he enrolled at the Milan Conservatory and travelled throughout Western Europe learning various styles of music. He worked with noted composers of day, including Mendelssohn, Berlioz, and Liszt. After leaving the conservatory, he returned to St. Petersburg where he took a position as music director/instructor of the Imperial Chapel Choir. He died suddenly after a brief illness in February 1857.

Glinka’s Notable Compositions Glinka was a pioneer in Russian music, as he was the first Russian composer to break away from Western tradition and represent his unique Russian culture in his works including folk song influences, Russian history, and folk tales/themes. This foreshadowed the nationalist trend in Romantic music later in the 19 th century. Click on the links below to hear these works: � Three Russian Songs (for Violin, Cello, and Harp) Click here � Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila Click here � “The Lark” (from A Farewell to St. Petersburg) - transcription by Mily Balakirev Click here

Glinka and The Russian National Anthem � After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian government used Glinka’s Patriotic Song as the music to the new Russian national anthem. � This anthem was used from 1991 -2000 until it was replaced. � Click here to watch a video of a performance of this anthem in Moscow’s Red Square (translations provided in video).

Composition Spotlight: Overture to A Life for the Tsar � � � Glinka’s A Life for the Tsar is a tragic opera in four acts (with an epilogue) and was premiered on November 27, 1836 in St. Petersburg. Set in the early 17 th century and based on true historical events, the opera tells the story of Ivan Susanin, a peasant who bravely protects the new Tsar (Mikhail Romanov) from assassination by invading Polish troops. Susanin is killed in the attempt and is praised as a hero at the end of the opera. The overture sets the tone and mood for the entire opera, and conveys a sense of grandeur and drama, symbolizing Susanin’s heroic actions. Death of Ivan Susanin, painting by Mikhail Scotti, 1851

Activity: A Life for the Tsar � Click here to watch the Mikhailovsky Theatre Orchestra perform the Overture to A Life for the Tsar. Answer the question below. There are no right or wrong answers, just answer based on your impression of the piece How do you think Glinka musically conveys Susanin’s heroic actions in the piece? What instruments and/or musical elements (e. g. rhythm, melody, harmony, etc. ) does he use to achieve this?

Fast Facts: Alexander Glazunov � � � Glazunov was born in 1865 in St. Petersburg, Russia. He studied composition privately with Rimsky. Korsakov. In 1899 he was appointed professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and held the position of director from 1905 until his resignation in 1930. He was also a conductor and an alcoholic. Infamously, he conducted the disastrous premiere of Rachmaninoff’s First Symphony in 1897 while apparently heavily inebriated. His step-daughter, Elena, was a famous pianist at the time and was the soloist at the Paris premiere of his Second Piano Concerto. Glazunov died suddenly in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France in 1936 at the age of 70.

Glazunov’s Notable Compositions Glazunov’s musical style is characterized by a combination of Russian folk influences and the Russian Romantic traditions established by Tchaikovsky. Click on the links below to hear these pieces: � Concerto for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra, Op. 109 Click here � Symphony Click here � Violin No. 5 in B-flat Major, Op. 55 “Heroic” Concerto in A minor, Op. 82 Click here

Composition Spotlight: The Seasons (Autumn and Winter) � � � Composed in 1899, The Seasons is a ballet in four parts that allegorically depicts scenes from each season of the year. It was premiered in 1900 by the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia. The ballet is rarely staged today. However, the orchestral score has become one Glazunov’s most well-known works and is frequently performed in concert.

Activity: Word Painting and The Seasons � � � Click here to watch a 1984 performance of the Winter scene by the Chicago City Ballet. Click here to listen to the Montreal Youth Symphony Orchestra (Philharmonie jeunesse de Montréal) perform the Autumn scene. Watch/listen to each scene. The text that Glazunov used when composing each scene is provided below. For both scenes, how does Glazunov musically depict the text (a technique known as “word-painting”)? Refer to specific musical devices in your answer (e. g. Melody, instrumentation, harmony, dynamics, etc. ). There are no right or wrong answers, just answer based on your impression of the scene. Winter: Winter is surrounded by his companions: Hoar-frost, Ice, Hail and Snow, who amuse themselves with a band of snowflakes. Two gnomes enter, and soon light a fire that causes all assembled to vanish. Autumn: “The Seasons take part in a glorious dance while leaves from autumn trees rain upon their merriment. ”

Fast Facts: Alexander Borodin � � � Born in 1833 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Borodin held a dual career as a chemist and a freelance composer. In 1862 he became a professor and chair of the chemistry department at the Medical-Surgical Academy in St. Petersburg. In the same year, he began composition lessons with Mily Balakirev. He is known today as one of the “Russian Five, ” a group of composers who sought to create a unique Russian Romantic style separate from Western tradition. After a series of heart attacks, Borodin died in February 1887.

Borodin’s Notable Compositions Borodin’s compositional output includes works written in traditional Western forms (absolute music) and programmatic works depicting Russian history and folklore. Click on the links below to listen to these works: � In the Steppes of Central Asia Click here � String Quartet No. 2 in D Major Click here � Symphony No. 2 in B minor Click here

Composition Spotlight: “Polovtsian Dances” (from Prince Igor) � � � Set in the year 1185, Prince Igor is an opera that tells the true story of the medieval Russian prince Igor Svyatoslavich as he defends his homeland against invading Polovtsian tribes. Borodin began composing the opera in 1869, but after setting it aside numerous times it was left incomplete at his death. Rimsky-Korsakov ultimately finished the work and it was premiered in St. Petersburg in 1890. Among the notable numbers in the opera is the “Polovtsian Dances” that appear in Act II. The dances are performed and sung by the captured Polovtsian tribes as they entertain Igor and his army. Performance of Prince Igor during the Mariinsky Theatre’s 2001 season in St. Petersburg.

Hear the Music! � Today, the “Polovtsian Dances” are often performed as a concert piece by orchestras throughout the world. � Click here to watch a performance of the “Polovtsian Dances” by the Stanisław Moniuszko School of Music Symphony Orchestra: a fantastic youth orchestra from Bielsko Biała, Poland.

Fast Facts: Dmitri Shostakovich � � � Born in 1906 in St. Petersburg, Russia. At age 13, he entered the Petrograd Conservatory studying piano and composition and graduated at age 19. Shostakovich lived the majority of his life under Soviet dictatorship and had a strained compositional career mainly due to the extreme censorship of music imposed by the regime. In addition to concert works, he wrote numerous film scores for Russian and Soviet-produced films. He died of lung cancer in August 1975.

Shostakovich and Censorship � � � During the era of the USSR, many composers were highly restricted in terms of the musical styles and content they could use. All music had to support the regime’s ideologies. Shostakovich is considered by many scholars to be a dissident, meaning that he deliberately wrote works against regime policy in protest. This was extremely dangerous as the Soviet government often assassinated outspoken critics of the regime. In January 1936, Shostakovich feared for his life after dictator Josef Stalin publically denounced his opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District in the communist newspaper Pravda. Click here to read this article. Original Pravda article, entitled “Muddle not Music, ” written by Stalin denouncing Shostakovich’s opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District. Published on January 28, 1936.

Shostakovich’s Notable Compositions Shostakovich’s is often referred to as a “polystylist” as his works showcase a variety of styles. For example, these styles include the high Romantic style of Mahler, atonalism, serialism, as well as Russian musical traditions established by Glinka, Borodin, and Mussorgsky. Click on the links below to listen to these works: � Symphony No. 10, Op. 93 , 2 nd movement (Click here) This movement is considered by some scholars to be a musical depiction of Josef Stalin, with it’s violent, dissonant, and furiously fast passages. � Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57 (Click here) A staple of the piano quintet repertoire, this quintet is written in a more Romantic and lush style, echoing Brahms (who also wrote a staple piano quintet). � “Oh I Don’t Feel Like Sleep Anymore” from Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District (Click here) The aria introduces the protagonist of the opera Katerina Izmailova, the wife of a poor flour merchant, as she discusses her unhappy marriage and life.

Composition Spotlight: Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 105 � � � Composed in 1959, Shostakovich wrote the concerto for his friend and virtuoso cellist Mstislav Rostropovich premiered the work in October 1959 with the Leningrad Philharmonic. Shostakovich musically autographed this work by deriving the main theme from his trademark DSCH motive (D, E-flat, C, Bnatural). Photograph of Shostakovich (left) and Rostropovich (right) taken in 1959, the same year of the premiere of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1.

Hear the Music! � Click here to watch a performance of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 by young cellist Victor Julien-Laferrière at the 2017 Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium.

Exit Activity Answer the following questions based on this presentation: 1. Where did Glinka work after leaving the St. Petersburg Conservatory? 2. Describe Glinka’s musical style. 3. Where did Glazunov teach for 25 years? 4. Which composer’s music is Glazunov’s style heavily influenced by? 5. What was Borodin’s non-musical job? 6. At what point in Borodin’s opera Prince Igor do the “Polovstian Dances” occur? 7. Where did Shostakovich study music? 8. Describe the artistic/musical censorship that occurred in the USSR under Stalin’s regime.