German Okunev
Encyclopedia
German Grigoryevich Okunev (b. Leningrad
12 June 1931, d. Leningrad 12 June 1973) was a Soviet
Russian composer
, pianist
and teacher.
From 1957 to 1960 Okunev taught music at Frunze, (now Bishkek
), in Kirghiz SSR. In the 1964 he returned to the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory to study with Dmitri Shostakovich
as a post-graduate pupil. Shostakovich had a high opinion of Okunev and later assisted him in obtaining performances for his works.
In 1968 Okunev narrowly escaped from drowning in an accident on Lake Ladoga
. On 27 May 1973 Okunev and his wife were involved in a serious traffic accident from which Okunev died 17 days later, on his 42nd birthday.
After his death, an asteroid
was named for him ('10990 Okunev') by its discoverer, N. S. Chernykh.
His compositions include two symphonies
, a variety of chamber music
, concertos for the oboe
and for two piano
s, a trumpet
sonatina
and music written for children, including the suite 'Raduga' ('Rainbow'). An adagio and scherzo
for trombone
and piano have been recorded in Western Europe: other recordings of his music made during the Soviet period are not currently available.
Okunev's First Symphony (1962–1964) was written whilst studying with Shostakovich. It received its first performance in April 1966 in Irkutsk
. His Second Symphony, a concise but effective and carefully crafted work, perhaps his greatest, was first performed in 1972 in Leningrad. Its second performance came only after his death, in 1974 in Yaroslavl
.
At the time of his death Okunev was working on a ballet based on The Overcoat
by Gogol; this was completed and orchestrated
after his death by V. Sapozhnikov.
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
12 June 1931, d. Leningrad 12 June 1973) was a Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Russian 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...
, 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...
and teacher.
Life
Okunev's father was an engineer; his mother was a dressmaker. From the age of 8 he attended a musical school in Leningrad. He graduated from the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in Leningrad, where he studied with O. Yevlakov and Boris Klyuzner, in 1956.From 1957 to 1960 Okunev taught music at Frunze, (now Bishkek
Bishkek
Bishkek , formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and the largest city of Kyrgyzstan.Bishkek is also the administrative centre of Chuy Province which surrounds the city, even though the city itself is not part of the province but rather a province-level unit of Kyrgyzstan.The name is thought to...
), in Kirghiz SSR. In the 1964 he returned to the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory to study with Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
as a post-graduate pupil. Shostakovich had a high opinion of Okunev and later assisted him in obtaining performances for his works.
In 1968 Okunev narrowly escaped from drowning in an accident on Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
. On 27 May 1973 Okunev and his wife were involved in a serious traffic accident from which Okunev died 17 days later, on his 42nd birthday.
After his death, an asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
was named for him ('10990 Okunev') by its discoverer, N. S. Chernykh.
Music
Okunev developed an individual style which became strongly, if indirectly, influenced by the music he became acquainted with in Kirghizia. His early three-act ballet 'Kuiruchuk' (1961) is base on Kirghiz themes.His compositions include two symphonies
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
, a variety of chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
, concertos for the oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
and for two piano
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...
s, a trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
sonatina
Sonatina
A sonatina is literally a small sonata. As a musical term, sonatina has no single strict definition; it is rather a title applied by the composer to a piece that is in basic sonata form, but is shorter, lighter in character, or more elementary technically than a typical sonata...
and music written for children, including the suite 'Raduga' ('Rainbow'). An adagio and scherzo
Scherzo
A scherzo is a piece of music, often a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony or a sonata. The scherzo's precise definition has varied over the years, but it often refers to a movement which replaces the minuet as the third movement in a four-movement work, such as a symphony, sonata, or...
for trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
and piano have been recorded in Western Europe: other recordings of his music made during the Soviet period are not currently available.
Okunev's First Symphony (1962–1964) was written whilst studying with Shostakovich. It received its first performance in April 1966 in Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
. His Second Symphony, a concise but effective and carefully crafted work, perhaps his greatest, was first performed in 1972 in Leningrad. Its second performance came only after his death, in 1974 in Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow. The historical part of the city, a World Heritage Site, is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl Rivers. It is one of the Golden Ring cities, a group of historic cities...
.
At the time of his death Okunev was working on a ballet based on The Overcoat
The Overcoat
"The Overcoat" is the title of a short story by Ukrainian-born Russian author Nikolai Gogol, published in 1842. The story and its author have had great influence on Russian literature, thus spawning Fyodor Dostoyevsky's famous quote: "We all come out from Gogol's 'Overcoat'." The story has been...
by Gogol; this was completed and orchestrated
Orchestration
Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
after his death by V. Sapozhnikov.