Mikhail Gnesin
Encyclopedia
Mikhail Fabianovich Gnesin was a Russia
n Jewish composer and teacher.
and came from a musical family. His sisters founded the Gnessin State Musical College
(now the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music), in Moscow in 1895. He studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory under Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
, Alexander Glazunov
and Anatoly Lyadov and in 1908 was one of the founders, with Lazare Saminsky
and others, of the Society for Jewish Folk Music.
Among Gnesin's early works was a 'symphonic fragment' (his Op. 4), based on Shelley
's poem Prometheus Unbound. But much of his work at this time and in the future was associated with Jewish traditional musical styles. from 1913 to 1923 Gnesin returned to Rostov to teach. From 1925 onwards he taught in both Moscow and St. Petersburg, until himself becoming head of the Gnesin Academy in 1945, a post he held until his death. He died in Moscow on 5 May 1957.
His teaching career, and the discriminatory politics of his era, meant that his compositions were less prolific after 1935. Before this, he had written two opera
s on Jewish topics, The Youth of Abraham
and The Maccabeans
. He also wrote a wide variety of songs, chamber music and orchestral works, some (such as his Symphonic Monument: 1905-1917, based on words by Sergei Yesenin
) meeting Soviet political requirements, many rooted in Jewish idioms.
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 Jewish composer and teacher.
Life
Gnesin was born in Rostov-on-DonRostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
and came from a musical family. His sisters founded the Gnessin State Musical College
Gnessin State Musical College
The Gnessin State Musical College and Gnessin Russian Academy of Music is a prominent music school in Moscow, Russia...
(now the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music), in Moscow in 1895. He studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory under Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as The Five.The Five, also known as The Mighty Handful or The Mighty Coterie, refers to a circle of composers who met in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in the years 1856–1870: Mily Balakirev , César...
, Alexander Glazunov
Alexander Glazunov
Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov was a Russian composer of the late Russian Romantic period, music teacher and conductor...
and Anatoly Lyadov and in 1908 was one of the founders, with Lazare Saminsky
Lazare Saminsky
Lazare Saminsky, born Lazar Iosifovich Saminsky, was a performer, conductor and composer, especially of Jewish music.-Life:...
and others, of the Society for Jewish Folk Music.
Among Gnesin's early works was a 'symphonic fragment' (his Op. 4), based on Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the major English Romantic poets and is critically regarded as among the finest lyric poets in the English language. Shelley was famous for his association with John Keats and Lord Byron...
's poem Prometheus Unbound. But much of his work at this time and in the future was associated with Jewish traditional musical styles. from 1913 to 1923 Gnesin returned to Rostov to teach. From 1925 onwards he taught in both Moscow and St. Petersburg, until himself becoming head of the Gnesin Academy in 1945, a post he held until his death. He died in Moscow on 5 May 1957.
His teaching career, and the discriminatory politics of his era, meant that his compositions were less prolific after 1935. Before this, he had written two 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...
s on Jewish topics, The Youth of Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
and The Maccabeans
Maccabees
The Maccabees were a Jewish rebel army who took control of Judea, which had been a client state of the Seleucid Empire. They founded the Hasmonean dynasty, which ruled from 164 BCE to 63 BCE, reasserting the Jewish religion, expanding the boundaries of the Land of Israel and reducing the influence...
. He also wrote a wide variety of songs, chamber music and orchestral works, some (such as his Symphonic Monument: 1905-1917, based on words by Sergei Yesenin
Sergei Yesenin
Sergei Alexandrovich Yesenin was a Russian lyrical poet. He was one of the most popular and well-known Russian poets of the 20th century but committed suicide at the age of 30...
) meeting Soviet political requirements, many rooted in Jewish idioms.