Emils Darzinš
Encyclopedia
Emils Darzins, in Latvian
Emīls Dārziņš, (November 3, 1875 – August 31, 1910) was a Latvian
composer
, conductor and music critic. Dārziņš' work bears a distinct romantic
character, with a strong trend towards national
themes. His main musical authorities and influences were Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Jean Sibelius
. Dārziņš musical contribution is mainly to vocal music
(choral and art song
s), but he also composed orchestra
l music, though only one piece, "Melanholiskais valsis" (Melancholic waltz) has survived. His only opera
, "Rožainās dienas" (Rose days) remained unfinished after his early death at the age of 34.
Dārziņš spent his childhood in the country and attended various local schools. During those years he became familiar with the music of Beethoven and Mozart. At the age of 16 Dārziņš moved to Riga, where he continued his studies in music and composed his first choral piece "Jūs, kalni, jūs, lejas" (You, mountains, you, lowlands). This song received favourable mention from the well-known Latvian composer, Jāzeps Vītols
, who had been a pupil of Rimsky Korsakov. Dārziņš's attendance at the 4th Latvian Song Festival in Jelgava finally strengthened his determination to become a musician.
In 1897 Dārziņš began study at the Moscow Conservatory
, but was forced to leave because of an abrupt sickness. He finally entered St Petersburg Conservatory, in the organ class. Due to financial hardship Dārziņš was forced to give music lessons, yet that was not enough to cover his living expenses. In spring 1901, not having finished his studies, Dārziņš returned to Riga where he started to work as a music critic, teacher, choir conductor and pianist. "To work for my nation and its art - that will be my motto!" - he wrote in one letter at that time.
In November 1903 Dārziņš married Marija Deidere, yet the marriage was not a happy one, partially due to endless material difficulties, also due to the composer's growing addiction to alcohol. The latter was apparently exarcebated by the especially hostile attitude that other Latvian musicians apparently displayed towards him.
In the beginning of 1908 two orchestral pieces by Dārziņš were performed in Riga, yet these met with fierce negative criticism from other Latvian composers. P. Jurjāns called him "a dilettante and a boasting critic" and even accused him of plagiarism. Dārziņš objected and asked for an independent opinion of an authoritative professor Alexander Glazunov
, who found the criticisms unfounded. Yet Jurjāns had obtained a letter from Sibelius which apparently supported his biting criticism. Having received this strong moral blow, Dārziņš decided to destroy all his orchestral works. The well known "Melanholiskais valsis (Melancholy waltz)" was restored after his death.
At the end of the same year Dārziņš started work on opera "Rožainās dienas", which, however, was left unfinished. The composer died on August 31, 1910, in an accident the causes of which are still the subject of controversy. It is believed that he committed suicide by falling under a train.
The Emīls Dārziņš Music School is named after him.
Latvian language
Latvian is the official state language of Latvia. It is also sometimes referred to as Lettish. There are about 1.4 million native Latvian speakers in Latvia and about 150,000 abroad. The Latvian language has a relatively large number of non-native speakers, atypical for a small language...
Emīls Dārziņš, (November 3, 1875 – August 31, 1910) was a Latvian
Latvians
Latvians or Letts are the indigenous Baltic people of Latvia.-History:Latvians occasionally refer to themselves by the ancient name of Latvji, which may have originated from the word Latve which is a name of the river that presumably flowed through what is now eastern Latvia...
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...
, conductor and music critic. Dārziņš' work bears a distinct romantic
Romantic music
Romantic music or music in the Romantic Period is a musicological and artistic term referring to a particular period, theory, compositional practice, and canon in Western music history, from 1810 to 1900....
character, with a strong trend towards national
Nationalism (music)
Musical nationalism refers to the use of musical ideas or motifs that are identified with a specific country, region, or ethnicity, such as folk tunes and melodies, rhythms, and harmonies inspired by them...
themes. His main musical authorities and influences were Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
. Dārziņš musical contribution is mainly to vocal music
Vocal music
Vocal music is a genre of music performed by one or more singers, with or without instrumental accompaniment, in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Music which employs singing but does not feature it prominently is generally considered instrumental music Vocal music is a genre of...
(choral and art song
Art song
An art song is a vocal music composition, usually written for one voice with piano or orchestral accompaniment. By extension, the term "art song" is used to refer to the genre of such songs....
s), but he also composed orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l music, though only one piece, "Melanholiskais valsis" (Melancholic waltz) has survived. His only opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, "Rožainās dienas" (Rose days) remained unfinished after his early death at the age of 34.
Biography
Dārziņš was born on November 3, 1875, in a rural teacher's family. Both his parents were very musical and facilitated Emīls's first musical education. His father, being an amateur musician and conductor of a local choir, taught his son to play the piano. Dārziņš's attachment to music became stronger after he almost lost his eyesight at the age of 3, as a result of overstraining it while reading. He was also diagnosed allergic to sunlight, so for 5 years he was living in a comepletely dark room. He could go back to normal life when he was eight. Since then he also was going to school.Dārziņš spent his childhood in the country and attended various local schools. During those years he became familiar with the music of Beethoven and Mozart. At the age of 16 Dārziņš moved to Riga, where he continued his studies in music and composed his first choral piece "Jūs, kalni, jūs, lejas" (You, mountains, you, lowlands). This song received favourable mention from the well-known Latvian composer, Jāzeps Vītols
Jazeps Vitols
-Biography:Vītols, the son of a schoolteacher, began his studies in composition in 1880 at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. After graduating in 1886, he remained at the Conservatory to teach composition and reached the rank of Professor in 1901. His pupils there...
, who had been a pupil of Rimsky Korsakov. Dārziņš's attendance at the 4th Latvian Song Festival in Jelgava finally strengthened his determination to become a musician.
In 1897 Dārziņš began study at the Moscow Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
, but was forced to leave because of an abrupt sickness. He finally entered St Petersburg Conservatory, in the organ class. Due to financial hardship Dārziņš was forced to give music lessons, yet that was not enough to cover his living expenses. In spring 1901, not having finished his studies, Dārziņš returned to Riga where he started to work as a music critic, teacher, choir conductor and pianist. "To work for my nation and its art - that will be my motto!" - he wrote in one letter at that time.
In November 1903 Dārziņš married Marija Deidere, yet the marriage was not a happy one, partially due to endless material difficulties, also due to the composer's growing addiction to alcohol. The latter was apparently exarcebated by the especially hostile attitude that other Latvian musicians apparently displayed towards him.
In the beginning of 1908 two orchestral pieces by Dārziņš were performed in Riga, yet these met with fierce negative criticism from other Latvian composers. P. Jurjāns called him "a dilettante and a boasting critic" and even accused him of plagiarism. Dārziņš objected and asked for an independent opinion of an authoritative professor Alexander Glazunov
Alexander Glazunov
Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov was a Russian composer of the late Russian Romantic period, music teacher and conductor...
, who found the criticisms unfounded. Yet Jurjāns had obtained a letter from Sibelius which apparently supported his biting criticism. Having received this strong moral blow, Dārziņš decided to destroy all his orchestral works. The well known "Melanholiskais valsis (Melancholy waltz)" was restored after his death.
At the end of the same year Dārziņš started work on opera "Rožainās dienas", which, however, was left unfinished. The composer died on August 31, 1910, in an accident the causes of which are still the subject of controversy. It is believed that he committed suicide by falling under a train.
The Emīls Dārziņš Music School is named after him.