Sergei Prokofiev died on March 5th, 1953 from a cerebral haemorrhage. The unusual thing however, is that it happened on the same day that the death of Joseph Stalin was … Continue reading Was It Just A Strange Coincidence?
“…much drama and emotion.”
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)
Life and music
An adored only cild with a highly musical mother, Prokofiev had composed two operas by his 11th birthday. From 1905 he studied at the St Petersburg Conservatory, where he gained a reputation for being an arrogant and rebellious modernist composer. After the Bolshevik revolution Prokofiev left for what he believed would be a short trip. However, it would be an eighteen year sojourn for which two years were spent in the US. He soon become a popular pianist and got commission for The Love Of Three Oranges, the only one of his operas to win international fame during his lifetime. In 1921 his ballet Chout was a success in Paris, and not long after he moved to Bavaria and then Paris. As well as composing Prokofiev made many lucrative tours as a pianist in the US, Europe and the Soviet Union. He started to accept commissions from the Soviet Union and in 1935 Prokofiev returned to the Soviet Union, which was under control by Stalin. In the late 1940s he was criticised for being too formalist by the authorities.
Key works
Visions Fugitives, OP.22 (1915, keyboard)
Violin Concerto No.1, OP.19 (1916, concerto)
Romeo And Juliet, OP.64 (1935, ballet)
Alexander Nevsky (1938, choral)
Symphony No.5, OP.100 (1944, symphony)
Personal thoughts
I believe there to be much drama and emotion utilised in Prokofiev’s music. Whether people do criticise his later work for being too formalist during the Soviet Union. There is still a lot of vibrancy and vitality. Romeo And Juliet will has long been a concert favourite. The football team Sunderland AFC even use the ‘Dance Of The Knights’, taken from Romeo And Juliet as their entrance music.
Symphonic Poem: Also known as a ‘tone poem’, it is an extended symphonic work often describing landscape or literary works. One example would be Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss.
“…never far from controversy.”
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
Life and music
Thanks to Stanley Kubrick and 2001 A Space Odyssey, the opening passage of Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss is firmly embedded in pop culture history. A lot of people may not realise that it is only a small part of Strauss’s thirty-five minute tone poem. Strauss seemed to lead a career that was never far from controversy. His operas such as Salome and Elektra caused scandal among critics because of their subject matter and possible decadent use of morals. Elektra did however, bring him in to contact with the poet Hugo Von Hofmannsthal with whom he would create five further operas. It was his tone poems which first gave Strauss his success. In 1908 he was able to build a villa at Garmisch in Germany because of his affluence. He soon became a recognised conductor and held a post as a conductor at the Royal Berlin Opera. Strauss later resigned in 1918 to become joint director of the Vienna Opera the following year. In 1933 when the Nazi Party came to power he was appointed president of the Reichmusikkammer. He however, lost the position two years later because of a collaboration with the Jewish librettist Stefan Zweig. Strauss spent much of World War II in Vienna, before returning to Garmisch where he died in 1949.
Key works
Also Sprach Zarathustra (1896, orchestral)
Ein Heldenleben , OP.40 (1897, orchestral)
Der Rosenkavalier, OP.59 (1909, opera)
Ariadne Auf Naxos, OP.60 (1916, opera)
Four Last Songs (1948, vocal music)
Personal thoughts
I must admit after the euphoric opening of Also Sprach Zarathustra I think the rest of the piece didn’t have the same sense of elation. Whether it is the fault of 2001 A Space Odyssey or not it failed to grip me. I personally found the tone poem Ein Heldenleben a more moving and evocative work. There seems to be a lot of deep sensuality and passion within Strauss’s music. This is perfectly encapsulated by the ‘Dance Of The Seven Veils’ taken from Salome. I haven’t listened to the whole opera Der Rosenkavalier however, the suite had much vibrancy and the waltzes that appear in the opera have become concert favourites.
The Nutcracker: Although The Nutcracker has long become a festival favourite it wasn’t met with such admiration when it was first premiered. Some critics remarked that the “Dance Of The Sugar … Continue reading
Suicide Or Natural Causes?
Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Life and music
The facts surrounding Tchaikovsky’s death have long been shrouded in mystery. There are some who believe he died of Cholera, where others believe it to be suicide to prevent a homosexuality scandal. Whether you agree with one theory or the other pieces such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker have long become concert favourites. The plot of Swan Lake was adapted into the film Black Swan by Darren Aronofsky.
Tchaikovsky was born into a large middle-class family in provincial Russia. He first studied law in St Petersburg and became a civil servant. Although Tchaikovsky studied music in private he showed little talent. However, he left his job to study at the St Petersburg Conservatory. His ability soon grew after being taught for five years by Anton Rubinstein. Tchaikovsky moved to Moscow where he enjoyed life in artistic and homosexual circles. At the age of 37 he entered into a marriage of convenience with a besotted student called Antonina Miliukova. They did soon divorce though because it affected Tchaikovsky’s emotional state and his ability to compose. He spent the next fourteen years being financially supported by a rich widow known as Nadezhda Von Meck whom he apparently never met. By his early 50s Tchaikovsky had fell into a depression and it wouldn’t be long before he died.
Key works
Piano Concerto No.1 (1874, concerto)
Symphony No.4 (1878, symphony)
Violin Concerto (1878, concerto)
1812 Overture (1880, orchestral)
Souvenir De Florence (1887, chamber music)
The Queen Of Spades (1890, opera)
Symphony No.6 (1893, symphony)
Personal thoughts
I find that there is much emotional depth and richness within a lot of Tchaikovsky’s music. Even when it becomes bombastic such as the cannon sounds used in the 1812 Overture. He still manages to combine the pomposity with moments that seem intimate. Other pieces such as the “Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy” from The Nutcracker I find overly whimsical. I am more fond of works such as Souvenir De Florence or Symphony No.4 because they have a lyrical quality as well as an emotional intensity.
Prince Igor: Borodin’s ‘Prince Igor’ remains a landmark of Russian opera. It was however, completed by both Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov because he failed to finish it before his death.
“…melodies flow with a natural ease.”
Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936)
Life and music
Glazunov was born into a wealthy merchant family and showed much musical promise from a young age. His Symphony No.1 was premiered when he was merely sixteen. Glazunov spent a lot of his adult life as professor, and then director of the St Petersburg Conservatory. His exploits as a teacher were remembered for being stringent however, he also exuded genuine concern for his students. Glazunov was a musical conservative and this would clash with his students progressive ideas. He famously walked out of Sergei Prokofiev’s first symphony who was his student at the time. Glazunov’s own music although seen as a little regressive was still popular at the time. A lot of his work was premiered by Mily Balakirev who was the leader of the Russian nationalist school of music.
Key works
Symphony No.5 (1895, symphony)
Violin Concerto (1904, concerto)
Personal thoughts
Some people might criticise Glazunov’s work for being unchallenging and outmoded however, there is much too praise. His music seems to be highly polished and the melodies flow with a natural ease. If shouldn’t really matter if it is groundbreaking or not as long as the music touches you.
Sesame Street: It might be hard to believe but, Philip Glass did compose music for Sesame Street in 1977.
“music with repetitive structures”.
Philip Glass (1937-)
Life and music
Philip Glass supposedly prefers the term “music with repetitive structures” rather than being labelled minimalist. Even though he has long been considered part of the minimalist movement alongside Terry Riley, Steve Reich and John Adams, Glass has tried to distance himself from it.
Philip Glass showed early musical promise on the violin and flute and graduated from the University Of Chicago aged nineteen. He then studied in Paris with Nadia Boulanger and during this two year period became introduced to Indian music through Ravi Shankar. Philip Glass also mentions it was during this time that he converted to Tibetan Buddhism. On returning to America in 1967 he worked as a cab driver and plumber. In the 1970s Glass managed to found the Philip Glass Ensemble made up of seven players including keyboards, woodwinds and amplified vocals. Philip Glass had his first large scale triumph with the opera Einstein On The Beach in 1976. He has since gone on to create more operas, symphonies, concertos and soundtracks for The Hours, Koyaanisqatsi and The Thin Blue Line.
Key works
Music In Twelve Parts (1971, chamber music)
Einstein On The Beach (1976, opera)
Violin Concerto (1987, concerto)
Symphony No.5 (1999, symphony)
Personal thoughts
It possible to notice Philip Glass’s impact throughout contemporary music not just classical. Electronic musicians such as Aphex Twin for example bear his influence. Minimalism has become one of those styles or techniques that splits people down the middle. Some find it hypnotic where others see it as frustrating. I personally find some of it arresting and other pieces can be described as repetitively dull. Philip Glass’s Violin Concerto is uplifting where I do deem his Music In Twelve Parts a little exasperating.
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