Veniamin Basner
Encyclopedia
Veniamin Efimovich Basner was a Russian
composer
, born at Yaroslavl
on 1 January 1925, who died in St Petersburg on 3 September 1996. He was recognized by the Soviet Union
as a People's Artist of Russia and a State prize-winner. An asteroid called 4267 Basner
, discovered in 1971, was named in his honour. He was a member of the St Petersburg Union of Composers
.
from the age of six and graduated from the Leningrad Conservatory in 1949 with the violin as his principal instrument.
Basner made his first experiments in composition at the age of fifteen.
In 1955 he was a prize-winner, for his Second String Quartet, at the International Composers' Competition in Warsaw
. Uteshev has remarked that this marked the start of his most intense period of creative activity.
Another in his circle of friends was Mieczysław Weinberg who, as revealed by Lusha Basner, entrusted his archive to Basner after he was released from his arrest in 1953. At the time Basner held an influential position in the Composers’ Union
- and “Weinberg trusted him.”
Much later, Basner and Weinberg were amongst the six friends of Shostakovich (the others being Kara Karayev, Yury Levitin, Karen Khachaturian, and Boris Tishchenko
) who rejected the controversial Testimony
(Свидетельство), said to be the “authenticated memoirs of Dmitri Shostakovich.” (As stated in the article Testimony
).
, symphonic suites, three symphonies
, vocal symphonic cycles, two concerto
s and five quartet
s, which have been performed to critical acclaim in Russia and beyond. At a more popular level, he became widely known, reaching millions of people through his film music - for more than a hundred productions - and his over three hundred song compositions.
He drew particular inspiration from the events and pathos of the Second World War
in works which, as Uteshev puts it, express simultaneously the “confession of a lonely soul as well as a voice of national grief.” The Fourth Quartet and Violin Sonata particularly evoke the pain of personal loss - as does, for example, the song On The Nameless Height
(На безымянной высоте), based on a real event and is about three soldiers, fifteen of whose friends had died in battle. Melodies from his well-known songs are woven into more substantial works such as the Second Symphony and the Fifth Quartet.
The most important and impressive quality of Veniamin Basner's music, suggests Uteshev, is “an inspired lyricism [which] powerfully permeates all his art.”
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
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...
, born at 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...
on 1 January 1925, who died in St Petersburg on 3 September 1996. He was recognized by the Soviet Union
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....
as a People's Artist of Russia and a State prize-winner. An asteroid called 4267 Basner
4267 Basner
4267 Basner is a main-belt asteroid discovered on August 18, 1971 by T. M. Smirnova at Nauchnyj.- External links :*...
, discovered in 1971, was named in his honour. He was a member of the St Petersburg Union of Composers
St Petersburg Union of Composers
The St. Petersburg Union of Composers, is a professional and creative musical association with its headquarters at the former mansion of the Princess Vera F. Gagarina at 45 Bolshaya Morskaya Street, St Petersburg, Russia...
.
Early life and initial success
Veniamin Basner had been playing the violinViolin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
from the age of six and graduated from the Leningrad Conservatory in 1949 with the violin as his principal instrument.
Basner made his first experiments in composition at the age of fifteen.
In 1955 he was a prize-winner, for his Second String Quartet, at the International Composers' Competition in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. Uteshev has remarked that this marked the start of his most intense period of creative activity.
Basner and Shostakovich
Veniamin Basner, while still a student, met Dmitry Shostakovich, under whose advice his formation as a professional composer was furthered. They became personal friends. Basner’s widow, Lusha Basner, has elaborated on how Basner became Shostakovich’s student: “Basner wanted to take composition lessons from Shostakovich, but didn’t dare to approach him. Shostakovich, who was a sensitive person, noticed this and helped Basner by asking him to light his cigarette. That’s how Shostakovich became Basner’s teacher.”Another in his circle of friends was Mieczysław Weinberg who, as revealed by Lusha Basner, entrusted his archive to Basner after he was released from his arrest in 1953. At the time Basner held an influential position in the Composers’ Union
St Petersburg Union of Composers
The St. Petersburg Union of Composers, is a professional and creative musical association with its headquarters at the former mansion of the Princess Vera F. Gagarina at 45 Bolshaya Morskaya Street, St Petersburg, Russia...
- and “Weinberg trusted him.”
Much later, Basner and Weinberg were amongst the six friends of Shostakovich (the others being Kara Karayev, Yury Levitin, Karen Khachaturian, and Boris Tishchenko
Boris Tishchenko
Boris Ivanovich Tishchenko was a Russian and Soviet composer and pianist.-Life:...
) who rejected the controversial Testimony
Testimony (book)
Testimony is a book that was published in October 1979 by the Russian musicologist Solomon Volkov. He claimed that it was the memoirs of the composer Dmitri Shostakovich...
(Свидетельство), said to be the “authenticated memoirs of Dmitri Shostakovich.” (As stated in the article Testimony
Testimony (book)
Testimony is a book that was published in October 1979 by the Russian musicologist Solomon Volkov. He claimed that it was the memoirs of the composer Dmitri Shostakovich...
).
Compositions
Basner’s musical output spanned a wide spectrum in terms of genre and emotional substance. It encompasses, at the more academic end, thirteen works for musical theatreMusical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, symphonic suites, three 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...
, vocal symphonic cycles, two concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
s and five quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
s, which have been performed to critical acclaim in Russia and beyond. At a more popular level, he became widely known, reaching millions of people through his film music - for more than a hundred productions - and his over three hundred song compositions.
He drew particular inspiration from the events and pathos of the Second World War
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
in works which, as Uteshev puts it, express simultaneously the “confession of a lonely soul as well as a voice of national grief.” The Fourth Quartet and Violin Sonata particularly evoke the pain of personal loss - as does, for example, the song On The Nameless Height
On The Nameless Height (song)
On The Nameless Height is a Soviet song about World War II. The text was written by Mikhail Matusovskiy in 1963 and music by Veniamin Basner. The song was based on the real history and is about three soldiers, fifteen friends of whom died in the battlefield...
(На безымянной высоте), based on a real event and is about three soldiers, fifteen of whose friends had died in battle. Melodies from his well-known songs are woven into more substantial works such as the Second Symphony and the Fifth Quartet.
The most important and impressive quality of Veniamin Basner's music, suggests Uteshev, is “an inspired lyricism [which] powerfully permeates all his art.”
Recordings
Recordings include:- Suites for Films The Immortal GarrisonThe Immortal GarrisonThe Immortal Garrison is a 1956 Soviet war film directed by Zakhar Agranenko and Eduard Tisse.- Cast :*Vasili Makarov as Baturin*Vladimir Yemelyanov as Kondratiev*Nikolai Kryuchkov as Kukharkov...
, "The Leningrad Symphony", Destiny of a ManDestiny of a ManDestiny of a Man Is a 1959 Soviet film adaptation of the novel by Mikhail Sholokhov, and also the directorial debut of Sergei Bondarchuk...
– performed by the Academic Symphonic Orchestra of the Leningrad Philharmonic.
- String Quartets recorded by the Taneyev Quartet.
- Valery GavrilinValery GavrilinValery Aleksandrovich Gavrilin was Russian composer, Honoured Artist of Russia, People's Artist of the USSR and a recipient of the USSR State Prize.-Biography:...
recorded a ‘’First German Notebook’’ in 1981, with Sergei LeiferkusSergei LeiferkusSergei Leiferkus is an operatic baritone from Russia, known for his dramatic technique and powerful voice particularly in Russian and Italian language repertoire. He is most notable for his roles as Scarpia in Tosca, Iago in Otello, Grand-prétre de Dagon in Samson et Dalila and Simon Boccanegra...
(baritone) and Irina Golovnyova (piano), Sound-producer Gerhard Tses. Included are recordings of songs by Vladimir ShcherbachovVladimir ShcherbachovVladimir 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...
, Veniamin Basner, Yuri Falik. Compozitor, St. Petersburg
- In 2004 the Amsterdam-based Jewish Music Projects compiled (2004) a programme Zun mit a regn (Sun and Rain) - the JewishJewish musicJewish music is the music and melodies of the Jewish People which have evolved over time throughout the long course of Jewish History. In some instances Jewish Music is of a religious nature, spiritual songs and refrains are common in Jewish Services throughout the world, while other times, it is...
element in the music of Mieczyslaw WeinbergMieczyslaw WeinbergMieczysław Weinberg was a Soviet composer of Polish-Jewish origin....
, Veniamin Basner and Dmitri ShostakovichDmitri ShostakovichDmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
. Basner’s 1950 Poem for violin and piano (Opus 7 No 1) was featured. The programme was originally inspired by an invitation to participate in a St Petersburg festival commemorating the 80th anniversary of the birth of Veniamin Basner. CDs have subsequently been produced, in 2009, which also include three Russian songs by Basner from the 1994 musical Yevreiske Styastye (Jewish Luck) after the novel Mendel Marantz, by David FreedmanDavid FreedmanDavid Freedman was a Romanian-born American playwright and biographer who became known as the "King of the Gag-writers" in the early days of radio....
, libretto by Boris Pantser.