Alexander Egorovich Varlamov
Encyclopedia
Alexander Egorovich Varlamov (or Aleksandr Yegorovich Varlamov; ; 27 November 1801 – 28 October 1848) was a Russia
n composer
.
Varlamov was born in Moscow
in 1801. He was a choirboy at the court in St. Petersburg
from 1811, and studied under its director, Dmitry Bortniansky. He left the court in 1818 and served as director of the Russian Ambassador's chapel choir in The Hague
from 1819 to 1823. Returning to St. Petersburg later that year, he taught singing intermittently for the remainder of his life, and also was the kapellmeister
for the Moscow Imperial Theater from 1832 to 1845. He died in St. Petersburg in 1848. He is the great-grandfather of composer Alexander Vladimirovich Varlamov
.
Among Varlamov's compositions are two ballet
s, incidental music
, piano pieces, and songs. Between 1861 and 1864 a Complete Works edition of his music was published in St. Petersburg under the title Polnoye sobraniye sochineniy.
Perhaps his best known work - although it is not as well known that he wrote it - is the song The Red Sarafan
. This is often assumed to be a genuine folk song
. The melody was quoted
by Henryk Wieniawski
in his fantasy for violin and piano, Souvenir of Moscow, Op. 6.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Varlamov was born in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in 1801. He was a choirboy at the court in St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
from 1811, and studied under its director, Dmitry Bortniansky. He left the court in 1818 and served as director of the Russian Ambassador's chapel choir in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
from 1819 to 1823. Returning to St. Petersburg later that year, he taught singing intermittently for the remainder of his life, and also was the kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
for the Moscow Imperial Theater from 1832 to 1845. He died in St. Petersburg in 1848. He is the great-grandfather of composer Alexander Vladimirovich Varlamov
Alexander Vladimirovich Varlamov
Alexander Vladimirovich Varlamov was a Russian composer, arranger, and conductor. He played an instrumental role in popularizing jazz music in Russia during the 1930s, notably leading one of the nation's best jazz orchestras...
.
Among Varlamov's compositions are two ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
s, incidental music
Incidental music
Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, film or some other form not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the "film score" or "soundtrack"....
, piano pieces, and songs. Between 1861 and 1864 a Complete Works edition of his music was published in St. Petersburg under the title Polnoye sobraniye sochineniy.
Perhaps his best known work - although it is not as well known that he wrote it - is the song The Red Sarafan
Sarafan
A Sarafan is a traditional Russian long, shapeless jumper dress worn as Russian folk costume by women and girls.Chronicles first mention it under the year 1376, and since that time it was worn well until the 20th century. It is now worn as folk costume for performing Russian folk songs and folk...
. This is often assumed to be a genuine folk song
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
. The melody was quoted
Musical quotation
Musical quotation is the practice of directly quoting another work in a new composition. The quotation may be from the same composer's work , or from a different composer's work ....
by Henryk Wieniawski
Henryk Wieniawski
Henryk Wieniawski was a Polish violinist and composer.-Biography:Henryk Wieniawski was born in Lublin, Congress Poland, Russian Empire. His father, Tobiasz Pietruszka, had converted to Catholicism. His talent for playing the violin was recognized early, and in 1843 he entered the Paris...
in his fantasy for violin and piano, Souvenir of Moscow, Op. 6.
Source
- Don Michael RandelDon Michael RandelDon Michael Randel is a prominent American musicologist, the fifth president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and a member of the editorial board of Encyclopaedia Britannica...
, The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music. Harvard, 1996, p. 940.