Boris Alexandrovich Arapov
Encyclopedia
Boris Alexandrovich Arapov ' onMouseout='HidePop("14513")' href="/topics/Saint_Petersburg">Saint Petersburg
– 21 January 1992, Saint Petersburg) was a Russia
n composer
.
Arapov grew up in Poltava
in Ukraine
, and received there his first musical instruction. His first desire was to become a pianist. When he moved to Petrograd (formerly St. Petersburg) in 1921, he took piano lessons with Maria Yudina
. However, a hand disease later forced him to abandon this dream. His instruction in composition started in 1923 at the Leningrad Conservatory, where he was taught by, amongst others, Vladimir Shcherbachov
.
He later became a teacher at the conservatory, and a professor in 1940. In 1951 he became the director of the faculty for orchestration, and of the faculty of composition in 1976. He received, in his time the honours "people's artist of the USSR" (1976) and Order of Lenin (1986).
Arapov oriented himself first of all towards the officially desirable composition style and worked primarily with nationalist elements, mainly restricting his subject matter to Russian folklore. However, from around 1960, his compositional style started to become more experimental, introducing a more complicated harmonic, rhythmic and sound colour. As subject matter, he more often selected works of literature. Although this later work is generally tonal, the levels of internal discord are higher than previously. In his very last works, Arapov introduced a religious subject matter.
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
– 21 January 1992, Saint Petersburg) 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 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...
.
Arapov grew up in Poltava
Poltava
Poltava is a city in located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Poltava Oblast , as well as the surrounding Poltava Raion of the oblast. Poltava's estimated population is 298,652 ....
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...
, and received there his first musical instruction. His first desire was to become a pianist. When he moved to Petrograd (formerly St. Petersburg) in 1921, he took piano lessons with Maria Yudina
Maria Yudina
Maria Veniaminovna Yudina was an influential Soviet pianist.Yudina was born to a Jewish family in Nevel, Russia. She studied at the Petrograd Conservatory under Anna Yesipova and Leonid Vladimirovich Nikolayev. She also briefly studied privately with Felix Blumenfeld. Her classmates included...
. However, a hand disease later forced him to abandon this dream. His instruction in composition started in 1923 at the Leningrad Conservatory, where he was taught by, amongst others, Vladimir Shcherbachov
Vladimir Shcherbachov
Vladimir Vladimirovich Shcherbachov was a Russian composer of the Soviet era.He studied with Maximilian Steinberg, Anatoly Lyadov, and Jasep Vitols at the St. Petersburg Conservatory from 1908 to 1914. While there he also worked as a pianist for Sergey Diaghilev and taught theory...
.
He later became a teacher at the conservatory, and a professor in 1940. In 1951 he became the director of the faculty for orchestration, and of the faculty of composition in 1976. He received, in his time the honours "people's artist of the USSR" (1976) and Order of Lenin (1986).
Arapov oriented himself first of all towards the officially desirable composition style and worked primarily with nationalist elements, mainly restricting his subject matter to Russian folklore. However, from around 1960, his compositional style started to become more experimental, introducing a more complicated harmonic, rhythmic and sound colour. As subject matter, he more often selected works of literature. Although this later work is generally tonal, the levels of internal discord are higher than previously. In his very last works, Arapov introduced a religious subject matter.
Orchestral
- Symphony No. 1 in C minor (1947)
- Symphony No. 2 in D major (1959)
- Symphony No. 3 (1963)
- Symphony No. 4 for voices, choir and orchestra (1975)
- Symphony No. 5 (1981)
- Symphony No. 6 for voices, choir and orchestra Orchester (1983)
- Symphony No. 7 (1991)
- Concerto for orchestra (1969)
- "Tajik Suite" (1938)
- "Russian Suite" (1951)
- Violin Concerto (1963/64)
- Concerto for violin, piano, percussion and chamber orchestra (1973)
- "The Revelation of the Jews" for violoncello, piano, percussion and string orchestra (1989)
Stage works and other vocal music
- "Hodja NasreddinNasreddinNasreddin was a Seljuq satirical Sufi figure, sometimes believed to have lived during the Middle Ages and considered a populist philosopher and wise man, remembered for his funny stories and anecdotes. He appears in thousands of stories, sometimes witty, sometimes wise, but often, too, a fool or...
", comic opera (1944) - "The frigate "Victory", opera with text by Alexander Pushkin (1959)
- "Rain", chamber opera from W. Somerset MaughamW. Somerset MaughamWilliam Somerset Maugham , CH was an English playwright, novelist and short story writer. He was among the most popular writers of his era and, reputedly, the highest paid author during the 1930s.-Childhood and education:...
(1967) - "The Picture of Dorian GrayThe Picture of Dorian GrayThe Picture of Dorian Gray is the only published novel by Oscar Wilde, appearing as the lead story in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine on 20 June 1890, printed as the July 1890 issue of this magazine...
", ballet from Oscar WildeOscar WildeOscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
(1971)
Chamber music
- Trio with MongoliaMongoliaMongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
n themes, for clarinet, viola and piano (1938) - Violin Sonata (1978)
- Cello Sonata (1985)
- Horn Sonata (1981)
- Sonata for solo violin (1930)
- Quintet for oboe, horn, harp, viola and cello (1979)
Piano music
- Piano Sonata No. 1 (1970)
- Piano Sonata No. 2 (1976)
- Piano Sonata No. 3 (1987)
- Piano Sonata No. 4 (1990)
- Piano Sonata No. 5 "De profundis" (1992)