Nikita Koshkin
Encyclopedia
Nikita Koshkin is a classical guitar
ist and composer
born in Moscow
. His early influences included Stravinsky
, Shostakovich
and Prokofiev
, as well as rock music
. As with those composers his music is characterised by rhythmic appeal, immediacy and wide range of colours, and well-thought-out dramatic content.
Koshkin first came to prominence with his suite "The Prince's Toys," completed in 1980 and first performed by the Czech-born guitarist Vladimir Mikulka. It depicts the fairytale world of a child in which his toys come to life and, eventually, abduct him to some other dimension. The suite incorporates numerous sound-effects on the guitar to paint images: the so-called 'snare drum' effect, for example, created by holding down crossed B and E (or low-E and A) strings with the left hand, to imitate the drums of toy soldiers. Other extended techniques include scraping the strings with the fingernails; a large variety of percussive effects; 'playing' the strings between the tuning heads and nut, or the knotted sections of the strings on the bridge; 'hammer-on
s', where the left hand fingers suddenly depress the string against the fingerboard without the intervention of the right hand; and so on.
Koshkin's most celebrated guitar work is "Usher-Waltz," a piece inspired by the Edgar Allan Poe
story he Fall of the House of Usher], and written for the famed guitarist Vladislav Blaha.]. Cast in a single movement, it is a motoric waltz
whose careering harmonic progression around A minor threatens, and ultimately succeeds, in tearing the music apart. Its climax is an extraordinarily effective sequence of pounded right-hand chords, 'Bartok pizzicato
' (where the strings are deliberately snapped back against the fingerboard), and then ghostly harmonics. Like much of Koshkin's work it has an immediate appeal to a wide audience who are both astonished at the visceral impact of the piece, and at the range of sounds coaxed from the guitar, which sounds "bigger than it really is". It was made famous by John Williams
' performance, in the 'Seville Concert' CD, in 1993. Other famous performers of Koshkin's work include The Assad Duo and The Zagreb and Amsterdam Trios.
His set of variations "The Porcelain Tower" is another substantial and rewarding work for listeners, and for players of good intermediate or advanced standard, as is the "Andante quasi Passacaglia e Toccata: The Fall of Birds" (composed in 1978).
Besides writing works for solo guitar, Koshkin has composed guitar-ensemble music as well; in addition to numerous pieces for guitar duo, he has written two works for guitar quartet: Changing the Guard (1994), and Suite for Four Guitars (composed for the Georgia Guitar Quartet
, 2007).
Koshkin studied classical guitar at The Moscow College of Music, under Georgi Emanov, and later at the Gnessin Institute under Alexander Frauchi, with compositional teaching from Victor Egorov.
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
ist and 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...
born in Moscow
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...
. His early influences included Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
, Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
and Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
, as well as rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. As with those composers his music is characterised by rhythmic appeal, immediacy and wide range of colours, and well-thought-out dramatic content.
Koshkin first came to prominence with his suite "The Prince's Toys," completed in 1980 and first performed by the Czech-born guitarist Vladimir Mikulka. It depicts the fairytale world of a child in which his toys come to life and, eventually, abduct him to some other dimension. The suite incorporates numerous sound-effects on the guitar to paint images: the so-called 'snare drum' effect, for example, created by holding down crossed B and E (or low-E and A) strings with the left hand, to imitate the drums of toy soldiers. Other extended techniques include scraping the strings with the fingernails; a large variety of percussive effects; 'playing' the strings between the tuning heads and nut, or the knotted sections of the strings on the bridge; 'hammer-on
Hammer-on
Hammer-on is a stringed instrument playing technique performed by sharply bringing a fretting-hand finger down on the fingerboard behind a fret, causing a note to sound. This technique is the opposite of the pull-off...
s', where the left hand fingers suddenly depress the string against the fingerboard without the intervention of the right hand; and so on.
Koshkin's most celebrated guitar work is "Usher-Waltz," a piece inspired by the Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
story he Fall of the House of Usher], and written for the famed guitarist Vladislav Blaha.]. Cast in a single movement, it is a motoric waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
whose careering harmonic progression around A minor threatens, and ultimately succeeds, in tearing the music apart. Its climax is an extraordinarily effective sequence of pounded right-hand chords, 'Bartok pizzicato
Pizzicato
Pizzicato is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of stringed instrument....
' (where the strings are deliberately snapped back against the fingerboard), and then ghostly harmonics. Like much of Koshkin's work it has an immediate appeal to a wide audience who are both astonished at the visceral impact of the piece, and at the range of sounds coaxed from the guitar, which sounds "bigger than it really is". It was made famous by John Williams
John Williams (guitarist)
John Christopher Williams is an Australian classical guitarist, and a long-term resident of the United Kingdom. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award win in the 'Best Chamber Music Performance' category with Julian Bream for Julian and John .-Biography:John Williams was born on 24 April 1941 in...
' performance, in the 'Seville Concert' CD, in 1993. Other famous performers of Koshkin's work include The Assad Duo and The Zagreb and Amsterdam Trios.
His set of variations "The Porcelain Tower" is another substantial and rewarding work for listeners, and for players of good intermediate or advanced standard, as is the "Andante quasi Passacaglia e Toccata: The Fall of Birds" (composed in 1978).
Besides writing works for solo guitar, Koshkin has composed guitar-ensemble music as well; in addition to numerous pieces for guitar duo, he has written two works for guitar quartet: Changing the Guard (1994), and Suite for Four Guitars (composed for the Georgia Guitar Quartet
Georgia Guitar Quartet
The Georgia Guitar Quartet began in 1996 in Athens, Georgia at the behest of John Sutherland, instructor of guitar studies at the University of Georgia and pupil of Andres Segovia. The quartet still comprises all four original founding members: Kyle Dawkins, Brian Smith, Phil Snyder, and Jason...
, 2007).
Early life
Koshkin received his first guitar from his grandfather, along with a recording of Segovia's, which inspired him to become a guitarist, despite his parents forecasting a diplomatic career for him.Koshkin studied classical guitar at The Moscow College of Music, under Georgi Emanov, and later at the Gnessin Institute under Alexander Frauchi, with compositional teaching from Victor Egorov.
As performer
- The Prince's Toys: Koshkin Plays Koshkin. SR 1011. Soundset Recordings, 1998.
- The Well-Tempered Koshkin. SR 1015. Soundset Recordings, 2001.
Solo
- 1974 - Rain
- 1978 - Andante quasi Passacaglia e Toccata: The Fall of Birds
- 1980 - The Prince's Toys
- 1980 - Piece with Clocks
- 1983 - Avalon
- 1983 - Merlin's Dream
- 1984 - Usher-Valze
- 1986 - Guitar
- 1987 - Prelude and Waltz: Homage to Segovia
- 1987 - Mascarades Vol. 1
- 1988 - Mascarades Vol. 2
- 1988 - Suite Six Cordes
- 1989 - Les Elfes (Suite)
- 1992 - Pieces (3)
- 1992 - Prelude and Valse
- 1994 - Jouets Du Prince (6 pieces)
- 1996 - Marionette
- 1997 - Sonata for Guitar Solo
- 1998 - The Porcelain Tower
- 1998 - The Ballads
- 2004 - Introduction et Vivace
- 2005 - Nominativus Singularis (24 easy pieces)
- ? - Zapateado
- ? - Happy Birthday Vol. 1, 2, 3 and 4
- ? - Trois Pieces Op. 1
- ? - Romance
- ? - Parade
- ? - Pulcinella
- ? - Les Elfes (Suite)
- ? - Da Capo
- ? - Three Stations on One Road
- ? - Pierrot et Arlequin
- ? - Les pas -Foot steps
- ? - Poposhka
Guitar Duo
- ? - Cambridge Suite
- 1992 - Berceuse (Milkulka)
- 2000 - Prelude by Bach
- ? - Returning Of Winds