Alexei Gorokhov
Encyclopedia
Aleksey Nikolaevich Gorokhov ' onMouseout='HidePop("64426")' href="/topics/Moscow">Moscow
- February 3, 1999) was a Russia
n violinist who lived most of his life in Ukraine
.
Many Ukrainian violinists are either his pupils or pupils of his pupils.
between 1934 and 1944. At the Conservatory he studied in the class of
Professor L.M. Tzeytlin, graduating in 1949. In 1955 he finished Post-Graduate study under the instruction of Professor A. I. Yampolsky. He was a contemporary of Rudolf Barshai
who also studied there under Tzeytlin and Yampolsky. In addition to his violin studies he received a degree in Musicology
.
Achieving prizes at several international violin competitions he toured extensively in the Soviet Union
as well as in Germany
, Poland
, Denmark
, Sweden
, Romania
, Portugal
and Korea
. Between 1949 and 1951 Gorokhov took part in several International Violin Competitions, among them the Bach Competition in Leipzig
in 1950 where he was awarded 2nd prize, and the Queen Elizabeth Competition in Brussels
in 1951 where he was awarded 7th Prize.
In 1957 he became a professor of the violin at the Kiev Conservatory
(later renamed Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music) and taught there until his death.
Gorokhov lived a simple, humble life. One of the primary factors in his decision to move to Kiev in 1956 was a disinterest in the politics of his Russian homeland. This may partly explain why, apart from being declared an "Honored Artist Worker of Ukraine", he was never given real status in either country.
Had he stayed in Russia, he may have become as well known a violinist as Leonid Kogan or David Oistrakh
.
In Kiev
, former students of Gorokhov carry on his tasteful, intimate tradition of playing.
, only the 2nd recording after Salvatore Accardo's
in the world.
To Ukrainian Radio
he left over 70 hours of recorded music, including Bach's Sonatas and Partitas, Paganini's 24 Caprices, 24 preludes by Shostakovich (Gorokhov's own arrangement), Violin Concertos by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn
, Brahms, and many others.
To mark Gorokhov's 70th Birthday he performed once again the 6 Paganini
Concertos within 2 days. The Concertos were presented in an original orchestration by Gorokhov, which most completely embodied the criteria of Paganini's virtuoso-romantic aesthetics in orchestra. This arrangement is intended for a string orchestra with solo instruments besides the solo violin such as: guitar, viola and double bass, making Gorokhov's orchestration unique.
His recordings of the Concertos recorded with the Ukrainian National Opera Theatre Orchestra between 1973 and 1978, were digitally remastered and re-released in 2006.
Gorokhov's 1952 recording of Édouard Lalo's
Spanish symphony
with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra
, conducted by Kyrill Kondrashin is also notable.
musicians including Pierre Fournier
, Jacques Thibaud, Joseph Szigeti
, David Oistrakh
and others.
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...
- February 3, 1999) was a Russia
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 violinist who lived most of his life in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
Many Ukrainian violinists are either his pupils or pupils of his pupils.
Biography
Aleksey Gorokhov studied at the Central Music School attached to the Moscow ConservatoryMoscow 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...
between 1934 and 1944. At the Conservatory he studied in the class of
Professor L.M. Tzeytlin, graduating in 1949. In 1955 he finished Post-Graduate study under the instruction of Professor A. I. Yampolsky. He was a contemporary of Rudolf Barshai
Rudolf Barshai
Rudolf Borisovich Barshai was a Soviet/Russian conductor and violist.Barshai was born in Stanitsa Lobinskaya, Krasnodar Krai, and studied at the Moscow Conservatory under Lev Tseitlin and Vadim Borisovsky. He performed as a soloist as well as together with Sviatoslav Richter, David Oistrakh, and...
who also studied there under Tzeytlin and Yampolsky. In addition to his violin studies he received a degree in Musicology
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
.
Achieving prizes at several international violin competitions he toured extensively in the Soviet Union
Soviet 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 well as in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. Between 1949 and 1951 Gorokhov took part in several International Violin Competitions, among them the Bach Competition in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
in 1950 where he was awarded 2nd prize, and the Queen Elizabeth Competition in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in 1951 where he was awarded 7th Prize.
In 1957 he became a professor of the violin at the Kiev Conservatory
Kiev Conservatory
The Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music is a Ukrainian state institution of higher music education. Its courses include postgraduate education.-History:...
(later renamed Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music) and taught there until his death.
Gorokhov lived a simple, humble life. One of the primary factors in his decision to move to Kiev in 1956 was a disinterest in the politics of his Russian homeland. This may partly explain why, apart from being declared an "Honored Artist Worker of Ukraine", he was never given real status in either country.
Had he stayed in Russia, he may have become as well known a violinist as Leonid Kogan or David Oistrakh
David Oistrakh
David Fyodorovich Oistrakh , , David Fiodorović Ojstrakh, ; – October 24, 1974, was a Soviet violinist....
.
In Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, former students of Gorokhov carry on his tasteful, intimate tradition of playing.
Discography
- 2008: Spanish Violin by Aleksey Gorokhov
- 2008: Fritz Kreisler by Aleksey Gorokhov
- 2008: Niccolo Paganini by Aleksey Gorokhov
Notable works
During 50 years of creative work Gorokhov recorded a great number of disks, being the 1st person in the Soviet Union to record the 6 Paganini Violin ConcertosViolin Concerto No. 1 (Paganini)
The Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 6, was composed by Niccolò Paganini in Italy, probably between 1817 and 1818. The concerto reveals that Paganini's technical wizardry was fully developed...
, only the 2nd recording after Salvatore Accardo's
Salvatore Accardo
Salvatore Accardo is an Italian violin virtuoso and conductor.He is highly regarded for his interpretations of Paganini, J. S. Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, contemporary works, chamber music, and opera conducting....
in the world.
To Ukrainian Radio
Radio Ukraine
The National Radio Company of Ukraine is the publicly-funded radio broadcaster in Ukraine.- Current broadcasting :The National Radio Company of Ukraine broadcasts 97.5 hours daily on its three home channels and "Radio Ukraine International"...
he left over 70 hours of recorded music, including Bach's Sonatas and Partitas, Paganini's 24 Caprices, 24 preludes by Shostakovich (Gorokhov's own arrangement), Violin Concertos by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
, Brahms, and many others.
To mark Gorokhov's 70th Birthday he performed once again the 6 Paganini
Concertos within 2 days. The Concertos were presented in an original orchestration by Gorokhov, which most completely embodied the criteria of Paganini's virtuoso-romantic aesthetics in orchestra. This arrangement is intended for a string orchestra with solo instruments besides the solo violin such as: guitar, viola and double bass, making Gorokhov's orchestration unique.
His recordings of the Concertos recorded with the Ukrainian National Opera Theatre Orchestra between 1973 and 1978, were digitally remastered and re-released in 2006.
Gorokhov's 1952 recording of Édouard Lalo's
Édouard Lalo
Édouard-Victoire-Antoine Lalo was a French composer.-Biography:Lalo was born in Lille , in northernmost France. He attended that city's music conservatory in his youth. Then, beginning at age 16, Lalo studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Berlioz's old enemy François Antoine Habeneck...
Spanish symphony
Symphonie Espagnole
The Symphonie espagnole in D minor, Op. 21, is a work for violin and orchestra by Édouard Lalo.-History:The work was written in 1874 for violinist Pablo de Sarasate, and premiered in Paris in February 1875....
with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra
State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation
The State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation is a Russian orchestra based in Moscow...
, conducted by Kyrill Kondrashin is also notable.
Quotations about Gorokhov
Gorokhov's playing received high praise from a number of prominent contemporarymusicians including Pierre Fournier
Pierre Fournier
Pierre Fournier was a French cellist who was called the "aristocrat of cellists," on account of his elegant musicianship and majestic sound....
, Jacques Thibaud, Joseph Szigeti
Joseph Szigeti
Joseph Szigeti was a Hungarian violinist.Born into a musical family, he spent his early childhood in a small town in Transylvania. He quickly proved himself to be a child prodigy on the violin, and moved to Budapest with his father to study with the renowned pedagogue Jenő Hubay...
, David Oistrakh
David Oistrakh
David Fyodorovich Oistrakh , , David Fiodorović Ojstrakh, ; – October 24, 1974, was a Soviet violinist....
and others.
- "...The sound reminds one of the best time of KreislerFritz KreislerFriedrich "Fritz" Kreisler was an Austrian-born violinist and composer. One of the most famous violin masters of his or any other day, he was known for his sweet tone and expressive phrasing. Like many great violinists of his generation, he produced a characteristic sound which was immediately...
...the beauty of the 'piano' and 'pianissimo'PianissimoPianissimo is an Italian word, meaning "very soft". It can mean:*Pianissimo, refers to the volume of a soft sound or soft note.*Pianissimo Peche, a brand of Japanese cigarettes made by Japan Tobacco....
is extraordinary..." - from Fournier's letter to Gorokhov.
- "...Gorokhov's playing cast a spell on me..." - Jacques Thibaut.
- "...There were very positive references...[made to] the nobility and tasteful playing of A. Gorokhov" - from 'A conversation with D. Oistrakh' in 'Novoye Vremia' magazine.
- "...Listeners were struck...by the noble simplicity and modesty in conjunction with perfect playing skill, which was typical to A. Gorokhov..." - Alexander Svechnikov, 'Sovietskoye Iskustvo' magazine.
- "...There are 2 great violin players whose sound is unmistakable and will stay in history - they are Kreisler and Gorokhov." - Abram Shtern.