Gnessin, Mikhail (Fabianovich)

Gnessin, Mikhail (Fabianovich), Russian composer and pedagogue; b. Rostov-na-Donu, Feb. 2, 1882; d. Moscow, May 5, 1957. After lessons with O. Fritch in Rostov, he studied with Rimsky-Korsakov and Liadov at the St. Petersburg Cons. (1901-5; 1906-9). He later went to Moscow, where he was a prof. of composition at the Gnessin Academy (from 1923) and at the Cons, (from 1925); after serving as a prof, at the Lenin-grad Cons. (1935-44), he returned to Moscow and was head of the Gnessin State Inst. for Musical Education (1944-51). Most of his works composed after 1914 reflect his interest in Jewish themes. He publ. his reflections and reminiscences of Rimsky- Korsakov in Moscow in 1956.

Works

DRAMATIC Opera : Yunost Auraama (Abraham’s Youth) (1921-23). ORCH.: Iz Shelli (1908); Mourning Dances from “Elegy to Adonais” (1917); Symphonic Fantasy (1919); The Jewish Orchestra at the Ball in Nothingtown (1926). CHAMBER: Requiem for Piano Quintet (1914); Variations on a Jewish Theme for String Quartet (1917); Songs of a Knight Errant for String Quartet and Harp (1917); Violin Sonata (1928); Adïgeya for Clarinet, Horn, and Piano Quartet (1933); Elegia-pastoral for Piano Trio (1940); Piano Trio (1943); Sonata-Fantasia for Piano Quartet (1945); Theme with Variations for Cello and Piano (1953); piano pieces. VOCAL: Vrubel for Voice and Orch. (1911); The Conqueror Worm for Voice and Orch. (1913); 1905-1917 for Chorus and Orch. (1926); choruses; about 50 songs; folk song arrangements. OTHER: incidental music; film scores.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire