Valery Viktorovich Zhelobinsky
Encyclopedia
Valery Viktorovich Zhelobinsky ' onMouseout='HidePop("97285")' href="/topics/Tambov">Tambov
, 27 January 1913 – Leningrad
, 13 August 1946) was a Russian composer
and pianist
.
as a soloist. He returned to Tambov in 1942 where he taught at the College of Music and was Chairman of the Composers' Union.
For his short career, Zhelobinsky's output was large. His four operas, which include The Peasant of Kamarino (Комаринский мужик), produced in Leningrad in 1933, and Mother (Мать), 1938, based on the novel by Maxim Gorky
), were well received. He also wrote orchestral music including six symphonies
, and three piano concerto
s. His Romantic Poem for violin
and orchestra was premiered in Leningrad together with the first performance of Shostakovich's Sixth Symphony in November 1939.
From his numerous piano works, the 'Six short etude
s' were introduced to the United States
by
Vladimir Horowitz
and were published there in 1946. Two of these etudes were recorded by Oscar Levant
.
Shostakovich thought highly of Zhelobinsky, and argued in a 1951 letter to Chukali, secretary of the Union of Soviet Composers
, that he should be included in a proposed list of 100 Russian composers, pointing out that 'dying at a very young stage of [his] development, [he] never reached the peak of [his] composing talents'.
Tambov
Tambov is a city and the administrative center of Tambov Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Tsna and Studenets Rivers southeast of Moscow...
, 27 January 1913 – Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
, 13 August 1946) was a Russian 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...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
.
Life and works
Zhelobinsky studied music firstly at Tambov and then from 1928 to 1932 at the Leningrad Conservatory with Vladimir Shcherbatov. He performed across the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as a soloist. He returned to Tambov in 1942 where he taught at the College of Music and was Chairman of the Composers' Union.
For his short career, Zhelobinsky's output was large. His four operas, which include The Peasant of Kamarino (Комаринский мужик), produced in Leningrad in 1933, and Mother (Мать), 1938, based on the novel by Maxim Gorky
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov , primarily known as Maxim Gorky , was a Russian and Soviet author, a founder of the Socialist Realism literary method and a political activist.-Early years:...
), were well received. He also wrote orchestral music including six symphonies
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
, and three piano concerto
Piano concerto
A piano concerto is a concerto written for piano and orchestra.See also harpsichord concerto; some of these works are occasionally played on piano...
s. His Romantic Poem for violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and orchestra was premiered in Leningrad together with the first performance of Shostakovich's Sixth Symphony in November 1939.
From his numerous piano works, the 'Six short etude
Étude
An étude , is an instrumental musical composition, most commonly of considerable difficulty, usually designed to provide practice material for perfecting a particular technical skill. The tradition of writing études emerged in the early 19th century with the rapidly growing popularity of the piano...
s' were introduced to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by
Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz was a Russian-American classical virtuoso pianist and minor composer. His technique and use of tone color and the excitement of his playing were legendary. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Life and early...
and were published there in 1946. Two of these etudes were recorded by Oscar Levant
Oscar Levant
Oscar Levant was an American pianist, composer, author, comedian, and actor. He was more famous for his mordant character and witticisms, on the radio and in movies and television, than for his music.-Life and career:...
.
Shostakovich thought highly of Zhelobinsky, and argued in a 1951 letter to Chukali, secretary of the Union of Soviet Composers
Union of Soviet Composers
The USSR Union of Composers or Union of Composers of the USSR , , was a professional organisation of composers in the Soviet Union...
, that he should be included in a proposed list of 100 Russian composers, pointing out that 'dying at a very young stage of [his] development, [he] never reached the peak of [his] composing talents'.
Sources
- Grove Dictionary of Music and MusiciansGrove Dictionary of Music and MusiciansThe New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart, it is the largest single reference work on Western music. The dictionary has gone through several editions since the 19th century...
, Zhelobinsky, Valery Viktorovich. - Ernö BaloghErno BaloghErnő Balogh was a Hungarian pianist, composer, editor, and teacher. He was born on April 4, 1897 in Budapest, Hungary and died on June 2, 1989 in Mitchellville, Maryland, USA.-Biography:...
, Introduction to Six Short Etudes by Valarie Jelobinsky, New York, 1946. - Nicolas SlonimskyNicolas SlonimskyNicolas Slonimsky was a Russian born American composer, conductor, musician, music critic, lexicographer and author. He described himself as a "diaskeuast" ; "a reviser or interpolator."- Life :...
, Soviet Music and Musicians, in 'Slavonic and East European Review', vol. 22 (December, 1944) - Dmitri Shostakovich, ed. I. A. Bobikina, Dmitri Shostakovich v pis'makh i dokumentakh, Moscow 2000. ISBN 9795875790293.