Dimitri Klebanov
Encyclopedia
Dmitri Lvovich Klebanov 1907 in Kharkiv
– 6 June 1987 in Kharkiv) was a renowned Ukrainian
composer
. He studied at the Kharkiv
Music and Drama Institute (graduated 1926) with S. Bogatyryov. He taught at the Kharkiv
Conservatory (professor, 1960). Among his students were Valentin Bibik, Vitaliy Hubarenko
, and Viktor Suslin
.
Ukrainian composer Dmitri Lvovich Klebanov (1907–1987) is one of a long row of Soviet composers who have more or less disappeared completely from sight. He composed in most genres, including operas and symphonies.
Klebanov studied music academically as a pianist
, violist
, conductor
, and composer
, and became a professor of composition at the Kharkov Conservatory. In the late 1930s and early 1940s a couple of ballets, a violin concerto, and a symphony received major performances in Moscow and Kiev. Unfortunately, the first symphony "In Memoriam to the Martyrs of Baba Yar" (1945) fell afoul of Stalinist critics who found it anti-patriotic. Being accused of distortion of the historic truth about the Soviet people and of national narrow-mindedness it was exiled for a life in archives. Stalin made his infamous attack on Soviet artists. The Soviet Composers' Union adopted the unwritten rule that one composer would be selected to take the heat for all of them—Klebanov was it. Although Klebanov was spared exile to Siberia, or worse, he was relegated to an obscure existence and spent most of this period composing politically correct works of "socialist realism" with titles like Ode for the Party and "First of May" Symphony. Following thirty years in de facto exile, Klebanov thawed out with the rest of the USSR in the 1980s.
In 1983 Mela Tenenbaum (violinist/violist) was in Kharkov, Ukraine to play a viola concerto written for her by a pupil of Klebanov, whom she met after the concert. Klebanov suggested Ms. Tenenbaum perform his own Violin Concerto, and after the success of that venture the following season, he wrote a viola concerto expressly for her. This work had a positive reception in several Russian cities and Klebanov found his long-stifled creative energies reviving. Another new work followed, Japanese Silhouettes for soprano, viola d'amore
and instrumental ensemble, based on haiku
texts translated into Russian. This work was recorded for Radio Kiev with soprano Natalia Kraftzova, and a "rehabilitation" of Klebanov seemed imminent. But the composer died in 1987, just short of his 80th birthday, and soon artistic chaos engulfed the disintegrating Soviet Union. His music disappeared and was thought to have been lost in a fire and flood which destroyed the Musical Foundation building where his scores were kept.
Ballet
Musical comedy
Orchestral
Concertante
Chamber music
Piano
Film score
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...
– 6 June 1987 in Kharkiv) was a renowned Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
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...
. He studied at the 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...
Music and Drama Institute (graduated 1926) with S. Bogatyryov. He taught at the 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...
Conservatory (professor, 1960). Among his students were Valentin Bibik, Vitaliy Hubarenko
Vitaliy Serhiyovich Hubarenko
Vitaliy Serhiyovich Hubarenko was a Ukrainian composer.-Life and works:...
, and Viktor Suslin
Viktor Suslin
Viktor Yevseyevich Suslin |Ural]], Russia ) is a Russian composer living in Germany as of 1981.-Biography:At the age of four , Suslin began to study piano and made his first attempts at composition. From 1950 to 1962 he attended Kharkiv Music High School, and from 1961 to 1962 at Kharkiv...
.
Ukrainian composer Dmitri Lvovich Klebanov (1907–1987) is one of a long row of Soviet composers who have more or less disappeared completely from sight. He composed in most genres, including operas and symphonies.
Klebanov studied music academically as a pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, violist
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, 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...
, and became a professor of composition at the Kharkov Conservatory. In the late 1930s and early 1940s a couple of ballets, a violin concerto, and a symphony received major performances in Moscow and Kiev. Unfortunately, the first symphony "In Memoriam to the Martyrs of Baba Yar" (1945) fell afoul of Stalinist critics who found it anti-patriotic. Being accused of distortion of the historic truth about the Soviet people and of national narrow-mindedness it was exiled for a life in archives. Stalin made his infamous attack on Soviet artists. The Soviet Composers' Union adopted the unwritten rule that one composer would be selected to take the heat for all of them—Klebanov was it. Although Klebanov was spared exile to Siberia, or worse, he was relegated to an obscure existence and spent most of this period composing politically correct works of "socialist realism" with titles like Ode for the Party and "First of May" Symphony. Following thirty years in de facto exile, Klebanov thawed out with the rest of the USSR in the 1980s.
In 1983 Mela Tenenbaum (violinist/violist) was in Kharkov, Ukraine to play a viola concerto written for her by a pupil of Klebanov, whom she met after the concert. Klebanov suggested Ms. Tenenbaum perform his own Violin Concerto, and after the success of that venture the following season, he wrote a viola concerto expressly for her. This work had a positive reception in several Russian cities and Klebanov found his long-stifled creative energies reviving. Another new work followed, Japanese Silhouettes for soprano, viola d'amore
Viola d'amore
The viola d'amore is a 7- or 6-stringed musical instrument with sympathetic strings used chiefly in the baroque period. It is played under the chin in the same manner as the violin.- Structure and sound :...
and instrumental ensemble, based on haiku
Haiku
' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...
texts translated into Russian. This work was recorded for Radio Kiev with soprano Natalia Kraftzova, and a "rehabilitation" of Klebanov seemed imminent. But the composer died in 1987, just short of his 80th birthday, and soon artistic chaos engulfed the disintegrating Soviet Union. His music disappeared and was thought to have been lost in a fire and flood which destroyed the Musical Foundation building where his scores were kept.
Selected works
Opera- By One Life (Единой жизнью) (1947)
- Vasily Gubanov (Василий Губанов) (1966)
- The Communist (Коммунист) (1967); revision of Vasily Gubanov
- Red Cossacks (Красные казаки) (1971)
- The Baby Stork (Аистенок), Children's Opera (1934)
Ballet
- The Baby Stork (Аистенок) (1936)
- Svetlana (Светлана) (1939)
Musical comedy
- The Amur Guest (Амурский гость) (1938)
- To Your Health (За ваше здоровье) (1941)
- My Guard (Мой гвардеец) (1942)
- My Boy (Мой мальчик) (1947)
Orchestral
- На западе бой, Poem for orchestra (1931)
- Ukrainian Concertino (Украинское концертино) (1940)
- Symphony No.1 "In Memoriam to the Martyrs of Baba Yar" (1945)
- Ukrainian Suite (Украинская сюита) (1949)
- Symphony No.2 (1952)
- Symphony No.3 (1956)
- Symphony No.4 (1958)
- Symphony No.5 (1959)
- Suite No.1 for chamber orchestra (1971)
- Four Preludes and Fugues (Четыре прелюдии и фуги) (1975)
- Героическая поэма, посвященная 30-летию победы в Великой Отечественной войне (1975)
- Suite No.2 for chamber orchestra (1976)
- Symphony No.6 (1981)
- Symphony No.7 (1982)
- Symphony No.8 "Poeme about bread" for soprano, bass and orchestra (1983)
Concertante
- Concerto No.1 for violin and orchestra (1939)
- Poem-Fantasia on a Theme of Nishchinsky (Поэма-фантазия на тему Нищинского) for cello and orchestra (1950)
- Concerto No.2 for violin and orchestra (1951)
- Concerto for flute, harp, string orchestra and percussion (1974)
- Concerto for viola and orchestra
- Japanese Silhouettes for viola d'amoreViola d'amoreThe viola d'amore is a 7- or 6-stringed musical instrument with sympathetic strings used chiefly in the baroque period. It is played under the chin in the same manner as the violin.- Structure and sound :...
, soprano and ensemble (1983)
Chamber music
- String Quartet No.1 (1925)
- Nocturne and Canzonetta (Ноктюрн и канцонетта) for violin and piano (1926)
- String Quartet No.2 (1926)
- String Quartet No.3 (1933)
- Song (Песня) for violin and piano (1943)
- String Quartet No.4 (1946)
- String Quintet (1953)
- Melody and Waltz (Мелодия и вальс) for violin and piano (1958)
- Piano Trio (1958)
- String Quartet No.5 (1966)
- String Quartet No.6 (1968)
Piano
- 4 Pieces (4 пьесы) (1957)
Film score
- Secrets of Counter-Espionage or Secret Agent (Подвиг разведчика), fiction, 92 minutes (1947)