Nikolai Malko
Encyclopedia
Nicolai Andreyevich Malko was a conductor.
. His father was Ukrainian, his mother Russian. He studied philology
at St Petersburg University. He published articles on music criticism in the Russian press and performed as a pianist and later a conductor. In 1906 he completed his studies in history and language at the Saint Petersburg University
and in 1909 the Saint Petersburg Conservatory
. He included Rimsky-Korsakov
, Glazunov
and Lyadov among his teachers. In 1909 he became a conductor at the Mariinsky Theatre
and, six years later, the head conductor there. From 1909 he studied conducting in Munich under Felix Mottl
. In 1918 he became the director of the conservatory in Vitebsk
and from 1921 taught at the Moscow Conservatory
. From 1921 to 1924 he shuttled between Vitebsk, Moscow, Kiev
and Kharkiv
conducting in each of these cities. In 1925 he became a professor of the Leningrad Conservatory. He became conductor of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra in 1926 and conducted the world première of the Symphony No. 1 by his pupil, Dmitri Shostakovich
that same year and the premiere of Shostakovitch's Symphony No. 2, dedicated to him, in 1927. Malko also conducted the premiere of Nikolai Myaskovsky
's 5th Symphony. Myaskovsky's 9th Symphony
was dedicated to Nikolai Malko.
He was succeeded as director of the Leningrad Philharmonic by his pupil Yevgeny Mravinsky in 1928, and continued to teach at the conservatory. In 1929, invited to appear in the West, he and his wife left the Soviet Union, and did not return for thirty years, until a US State Department sanctioned invitation from the Soviet Ministry of Culture brought him back to conduct in Moscow, Leningrad, and Kiev. Once in the West, Malko lived in Vienna
, Prague
and in Copenhagen where he helped establish the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra with the title Permanent Guest Conductor.
With the outbreak of World War II in 1940, Malko settled in the United States
, where he also taught conducting. His thoughts on conducting technique were gathered together and published in a volume entitled, The Conductor and his Baton (1950); a handbook on conducting currently available in the United States (Elizabeth A. H. Green: The Modern Conductor, 1996) is explicitly based on the principles set forth in Malko's book.
Malko recorded extensively for EMI
in Copenhagen
and then with the Philharmonia
, in London. In 1951 he premiered Vagn Holmboe
's 7th Symphony with the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra
. In 1954 he came to Britain as principal conductor of the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra
. In 1956 he moved to Australia
, becoming chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
. In 1960, Kind Frederick IX named Malko a Knight of the Order of Dannebrog. Malko continued in his position as Musical Director of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra until his death in Sydney
in 1961.
He was a National Patron of Delta Omicron
, an international professional music fraternity.
Biography
Malko was born in Semaky, UkraineUkraine
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...
. His father was Ukrainian, his mother Russian. He studied philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
at St Petersburg University. He published articles on music criticism in the Russian press and performed as a pianist and later a conductor. In 1906 he completed his studies in history and language at the Saint Petersburg University
Saint Petersburg State University
Saint Petersburg State University is a Russian federal state-owned higher education institution based in Saint Petersburg and one of the oldest and largest universities in Russia....
and in 1909 the Saint Petersburg Conservatory
Saint Petersburg Conservatory
The N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory is a music school in Saint Petersburg. In 2004, the conservatory had around 275 faculty members and 1,400 students.-History:...
. He included 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...
, Glazunov
Alexander Glazunov
Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov was a Russian composer of the late Russian Romantic period, music teacher and conductor...
and Lyadov among his teachers. In 1909 he became a conductor at the Mariinsky Theatre
Mariinsky Theatre
The Mariinsky Theatre is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces of Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov received their premieres. The...
and, six years later, the head conductor there. From 1909 he studied conducting in Munich under Felix Mottl
Felix Mottl
Felix Josef von Mottl was an Austrian conductor and composer. He was regarded as one of the most brilliant conductors of his day. He composed three operas, of which Agnes Bernauer was the most successful, as well as a string quartet and numerous songs and other music...
. In 1918 he became the director of the conservatory in Vitebsk
Vitebsk
Vitebsk, also known as Viciebsk or Vitsyebsk , is a city in Belarus, near the border with Russia. The capital of the Vitebsk Oblast, in 2004 it had 342,381 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth largest city...
and from 1921 taught at the Moscow Conservatory
Moscow 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...
. From 1921 to 1924 he shuttled between Vitebsk, Moscow, 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....
and Kharkiv
Kharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
conducting in each of these cities. In 1925 he became a professor of the Leningrad Conservatory. He became conductor of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra in 1926 and conducted the world première of the Symphony No. 1 by his pupil, Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
that same year and the premiere of Shostakovitch's Symphony No. 2, dedicated to him, in 1927. Malko also conducted the premiere of Nikolai Myaskovsky
Nikolai Myaskovsky
Nikolai Yakovlevich Myaskovsky was a Russian and Soviet composer. He is sometimes referred to as the "father of the Soviet symphony".-Early years and first important works:...
's 5th Symphony. Myaskovsky's 9th Symphony
Symphony No. 9 (Myaskovsky)
Nikolai Myaskovsky wrote his Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 28, between 1926 and 1927. It was dedicated to Nikolai Malko.The symphony is in four movements:#Andante sostenuto #Presto #Lento molto #Allegro con grazia...
was dedicated to Nikolai Malko.
He was succeeded as director of the Leningrad Philharmonic by his pupil Yevgeny Mravinsky in 1928, and continued to teach at the conservatory. In 1929, invited to appear in the West, he and his wife left the Soviet Union, and did not return for thirty years, until a US State Department sanctioned invitation from the Soviet Ministry of Culture brought him back to conduct in Moscow, Leningrad, and Kiev. Once in the West, Malko lived in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and in Copenhagen where he helped establish the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra with the title Permanent Guest Conductor.
With the outbreak of World War II in 1940, Malko settled in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he also taught conducting. His thoughts on conducting technique were gathered together and published in a volume entitled, The Conductor and his Baton (1950); a handbook on conducting currently available in the United States (Elizabeth A. H. Green: The Modern Conductor, 1996) is explicitly based on the principles set forth in Malko's book.
Malko recorded extensively for EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
and then with the Philharmonia
Philharmonia
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
, in London. In 1951 he premiered Vagn Holmboe
Vagn Holmboe
Vagn Gylding Holmboe was a Danish composer and teacher who wrote largely in a neo-classical style.-Life:At the age of 16, Holmboe began formal music training at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen on the recommendation of Carl Nielsen. He studied under Knud Jeppesen and Finn Høffding...
's 7th Symphony with the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Danish National Symphony Orchestra
The Danish National Symphony Orchestra , is a Danish orchestra based in Copenhagen. The DNSO is the principal orchestra of DR...
. In 1954 he came to Britain as principal conductor of the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra
Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra
The Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra was an orchestra based in Leeds. It was active from its establishment in 1947 until its demise in 1955, and was based in the Leeds Town Hall. Maurice Miles was the orchestra's Principal Conductor, followed by Nicolai Malko....
. In 1956 he moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, becoming chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra , commonly known as the Sydney Symphony, is an Australian symphony orchestra based in Sydney...
. In 1960, Kind Frederick IX named Malko a Knight of the Order of Dannebrog. Malko continued in his position as Musical Director of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra until his death in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1961.
He was a National Patron of Delta Omicron
Delta Omicron
Delta Omicron is a co-ed international professional music honors fraternity whose mission is to promote and support excellence in music and musicianship.-History:...
, an international professional music fraternity.