Alexander Glazunov
Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov was born August 10, 1865, in Saint Petersburg. He started piano lessons when he was nine and began composing when he was only eleven. In December of 1879 he was introduced to Rimsky-Korsakov who became his teacher and, later, his colleague. His first symphony premiered in 1884, which would launch him into his most creative period in the 1890s. He began his conducting career in 1888, which he would enjoy, but he would never be very good at it. In 1899 he became a professor at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory and then its director in 1905. He helped the institution handle the turbulent period of transition during World War 1 and the Russian Revolution. He would be the school's director until 1930, though his last two years under that title were spent abroad. He settled near Paris in 1929 and married Olga Nickolayevna Gavrivlova (1875-1978) and adopted her daughter Elena. He died in Neuilly-sur-Seine (near Paris) on March 21, 1936, and his remains were moved to Leningrad in 1972.
His musical style is very nationalistic, sometimes incorporating Russian melodies and folksongs. He was highly influenced by Borodin's music and even completed a couple of the works he left unfinished when he died. Once he reached his compositional height about the turn of the century, he was very reluctant to change his style or experiment with contemporary trends like those demonstrated by Debussy or the young Stravinsky. He was a master of orchestration and his works show it beautifully.
He composed 8 symphonies (he left one more unfinished at his death), 3 ballets (Raymonda, The Seasons, and Les Sylphides), 5 concerti (2 piano, 1 violin, 1 cello, 1 saxophone), 7 string quartets, 2 piano sonatas, some songs, and various other instrumental pieces.
His musical style is very nationalistic, sometimes incorporating Russian melodies and folksongs. He was highly influenced by Borodin's music and even completed a couple of the works he left unfinished when he died. Once he reached his compositional height about the turn of the century, he was very reluctant to change his style or experiment with contemporary trends like those demonstrated by Debussy or the young Stravinsky. He was a master of orchestration and his works show it beautifully.
He composed 8 symphonies (he left one more unfinished at his death), 3 ballets (Raymonda, The Seasons, and Les Sylphides), 5 concerti (2 piano, 1 violin, 1 cello, 1 saxophone), 7 string quartets, 2 piano sonatas, some songs, and various other instrumental pieces.
I learned about Glazunov from the following websites, which I accessed on June 15, 2016 (first 4) and August 15, 2022 (last 2). Feel free to find out more on your own.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Glazunov
http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/music/aleksandr-glazunov/
http://www.naxos.com/person/Alexander_Konstantinovich_Glazunov/26060.htm
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/alexander-glazunov-mn0001180258/biography
www.violaonline.com/unit4_11.html
http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/glazunov-elegie-op44.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Glazunov
http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/music/aleksandr-glazunov/
http://www.naxos.com/person/Alexander_Konstantinovich_Glazunov/26060.htm
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/alexander-glazunov-mn0001180258/biography
www.violaonline.com/unit4_11.html
http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/glazunov-elegie-op44.htm
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Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 82
I. Moderato II. Andante sostenuto III. Allegro Hilary Hahn, violin WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln Semyon Bychkov, conductor Elegy for Viola and Piano, Op. 44
Kathryn Severing, viola (pianist not listed) Elegy for Viola and Piano, Op. 44
(I have no idea what the performers names are...I don't read whatever language they're written in...sorry.) |
Concerto for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra in E flat major, Op. 109
Joseph Lulloff, alto saxophone Brevard Music Center Orchestra JoAnn Falletta, conductor Symphony no. 5, 3rd mvt.
Gstaad Festival Orchestra Edward Farmer, conductor Elegie for viola & piano
Duo Sabbah-Reyes Marc Sabbah, viola Eliane Reyes, piano Live recording at W:hall, Brussels, Belgium. October 10, 2019 |