Anton Stepanovich Arensky (; – ) was a Russian composer of Romantic classical music, a pianist and a professor of music.

Biography

Arensky was born into an affluent, music-loving family in

Novgorod Veliky Novgorod ( ; , ; ), also known simply as Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the oldest cities in Russia, being first mentioned in the 9th century. The city lies along the V ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

. He was musically precocious and had composed a number of songs and piano pieces by the age of nine. With his mother and father, he moved to

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

in 1879, where he studied composition privately with Karl Karlovich Zikke (1850-1890) and later at the

Saint Petersburg Conservatory The N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory () (formerly known as the Petrograd Conservatory and Leningrad Conservatory) is a school of music in Saint Petersburg, Russia. In 2004, the conservatory had around 275 faculty member ...

with

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov. At the time, his name was spelled , which he romanized as Nicolas Rimsky-Korsakow; the BGN/PCGN transliteration of Russian is used for his name here; ALA-LC system: , ISO 9 system: .. (18 March 1844 – 2 ...

. After graduating from the Saint Petersburg Conservatory in 1882, Arensky became a professor at the

Moscow Conservatory The Moscow Conservatory, also officially Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory () is a higher musical educational institution located in Moscow, Russia. It grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in musical performance and musical research. Th ...

. During his twelve years of a professorship at Moscow, Arensky counted

Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of ...

Scriabin Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin, scientific transliteration: ''Aleksandr Nikolaevič Skrjabin''; also transliterated variously as Skriabin, Skryabin, and (in French) Scriabine. The composer himselused the French spelling "Scriabine" which was a ...

, Glière, Grechaninov, Goldenweiser and

Medtner Nikolai Karlovich Medtner (; – 13 November 1951) was a Russian composer and pianist. After a period of comparative obscurity in the 25 years immediately after his death, he is now becoming recognized as one of the most significant Russian com ...

, along with the celebrated pianist Igumnov, among his students. In 1895, Arensky returned to Saint Petersburg as the director of the Imperial Choir, a post for which he had been recommended by

Mily Balakirev Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev ( , ; ,BGN/PCGN romanization of Russian, BGN/PCGN romanization: ; ALA-LC romanization of Russian, ALA-LC system: ; ISO 9, ISO 9 system: . ; – )Russia was still using Adoption of the Gregorian calendar#Adoption in E ...

. He retired from this position in 1901, living off a comfortable pension and spending his remaining time as a pianist, conductor, and composer. Arensky died of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

in a sanatorium in

Perkjärvi Kirillovskoye (; ) is a settlement on Karelian Isthmus, in Vyborgsky District of Leningrad Oblast, near the European route E18, and an important station of the Saint Petersburg-Vyborg railroad, being the final destination of many electric pas ...

, in what was then the Russian-administered

Grand Duchy of Finland The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed from 1809 to 1917 as an Autonomous region, autonomous state within the Russian Empire. Originating in the 16th century as a titular grand duchy held by the Monarc ...

, at the age of 43. While very little is known about his private life, Rimsky-Korsakov alleges that drinking and gambling undermined his health. He was buried in the

Tikhvin Cemetery Tikhvin Cemetery () is a historic cemetery in the centre of Saint Petersburg. It is part of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, and is one of four cemeteries in the complex. Since 1932 it has been part of the , which refers to it as the Necropolis of the ...

. The

Antarctic The Antarctic (, ; commonly ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the South Pole, lying within the Antarctic Circle. It is antipodes, diametrically opposite of the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antar ...

Arensky Glacier Arensky Glacier () is an Antarctic glacier, lying east of Alyabiev Glacier and flows south from Beethoven Peninsula, Alexander Island, into the north end of Boccherini Inlet. The glacier was named by the USSR Academy of Sciences in 1987, afte ...

was named after him.

Music

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popula ...

was the greatest influence on Arensky's musical compositions. Indeed,

Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov. At the time, his name was spelled , which he romanized as Nicolas Rimsky-Korsakow; the BGN/PCGN transliteration of Russian is used for his name here; ALA-LC system: , ISO 9 system: .. (18 March 1844 – 2 ...

said, "In his youth, Arensky did not escape some influence from me; later, the influence came from Tchaikovsky. He will quickly be forgotten." The perception that he lacked a distinctive personal style contributed to long-term neglect of his music, though in recent years, a large number of his compositions have been recorded. Especially popular are the '' Variations on a Theme of Tchaikovsky'' for string orchestra, Op. 35a - arranged from the slow movement of Arensky's 2nd string quartet, and based on one of Tchaikovsky's ''Songs for Children'', Op. 54. Arensky was, perhaps, at his best in the genre of

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...

, in which he wrote two

string quartet The term string quartet refers to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two Violin, violini ...

s, two

piano trio A piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in European classical music, classical chamber music. The term can also ...

s, and a

piano quintet In classical music, a piano quintet is a work of chamber music written for piano and four other instruments, most commonly (since 1842) a string quartet (i.e., two violins, viola, and cello). The term also refers to the group of musicians that ...

Selected works

Opera

*''Сон на Волге'' (''Son na Volge'' / ''

Dream on the Volga ''Dream on the Volga'' (Russian: Сон на Волге) is an opera in four acts composed by Anton Arensky. The libretto was adapted by Arensky from Alexander Ostrovsky's melodrama ''Voyevoda''. The opera premiered on January 2, 1891 at the Bol ...

''), Op. 16 (1888), libretto by Anton Arensky after

Alexander Ostrovsky Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky (; ) was a Russian playwright, generally considered the greatest representative of the Russian realistic period. The author of 47 original plays, Ostrovsky "almost single-handedly created a Russian national repe ...

's play ''Voyevoda'', premiere: January 2, 1891 S December 21, 1890

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

Bolshoy Theatre The Bolshoi Theatre ( rus, Большо́й теа́тр, r=Bol'shoy teatr, p=bɐlʲˈʂoj tʲɪˈat(ə)r, t=Grand Theater) is a historic opera house in Moscow, Russia, originally designed by architect Joseph Bové. Before the October Revolutio ...

*''Рафаэль'' (''Rafael'' / ''

Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), now generally known in English as Raphael ( , ), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of paintings by Raphael, His work is admired for its cl ...

''), Op. 37 (1894), libretto by A. Kryukov, premiere: May 6 S April 24 1894,

, Conservatory *''Наль и Дамаянти'' (''Nal' i Damayanti'' / ''Nal and Damayanti''), Op. 47 (1903), after

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

n epos "

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...

", libretto by

Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky (; –) was a Russian people, Russian dramatist, opera librettist and translator. Early life Modest Ilyich was born in Alapayevsk, Verkhotursky Uyezd, Perm Governorate, the younger brother of the composer Pyotr Ilyich ...

after the novel by

Vasily Zhukovsky Vasily Andreyevich Zhukovsky (; – ) was the foremost Russian poet of the 1810s and a leading figure in Russian literature in the first half of the 19th century. He held a high position at the Romanov court as tutor to the Grand Duchess Alexan ...

, premiere: January 22, S January 9 1904,

)

Ballet

*'' Egyptian Nights'' () a.k.a. ''Une Nuit d'Égypte'' or ''Nuits égyptiennes'' (1900). Divertissement-Ballet in one act. Originally composed for the

Imperial Ballet The Mariinsky Ballet () is the resident classical ballet company of the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, the Mariinsky Ballet is one of the world's ...

, St. Petersburg. Choreography by

Lev Ivanov Lev Ivanovich Ivanov (; 2 March 1834, Moscow – 24 December 1901, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer and later, Second Balletmaster of the Mariinsky Ballet, Imperial Ballet. As a performer with the Mariinsky Ballet, ...

. Production was never given due to the death of the choreographer before completion. **revival by

Mikhail Fokine Michael Fokine ( – 22 August 1942) was a Russian choreographer and dancer. Career Early years Fokine was born in Saint Petersburg to a prosperous merchant and at the age of 9 was accepted into the Saint Petersburg Imperial Ballet Sch ...

for the Imperial Ballet.

Imperial Mariinsky Theatre The Mariinsky Theatre (, also transcribed as Maryinsky or Mariyinsky) is a historic opera house in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th-century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces ...

, . **revival by Mikhail Fokine as ''

Cléopâtre ''Cléopâtre'' is an opera in four acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Louis Payen. It was first performed at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo on 23 February 1914, nearly two years after Massenet's death. ''Cléopâtre'' is one of three o ...

'' for the

Ballets Russes The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Russian Revolution, Revolution ...

Théâtre du Châtelet The Théâtre du Châtelet () is a theatre and opera house, located in the place du Châtelet in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. One of two theatres (the other being the Théâtre de la Ville) built on the site of a ''châtelet'', a ...

, Paris, 2 June 1909. Additional music by

Alexander Glazunov Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov ( – 21 March 1936) was a Russian composer, music teacher, and conductor of the late Russian Romantic period. He was director of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory between 1905 and 1928 and was instrumental i ...

Mikhail Glinka Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka ( rus, links=no, Михаил Иванович Глинка, Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka, mʲɪxɐˈil ɨˈvanəvʲɪdʑ ˈɡlʲinkə, Ru-Mikhail-Ivanovich-Glinka.ogg; ) was the first Russian composer to gain wide recognit ...

Modest Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (; ; ; – ) was a Russian composer, one of the group known as "The Five (composers), The Five." He was an innovator of Music of Russia, Russian music in the Romantic music, Romantic period and strove to achieve a ...

Sergei Taneyev Sergey Ivanovich Taneyev (, ; – ) was a Russian composer, pianist, teacher of musical composition, composition, music theorist and author. Life Taneyev was born in Vladimir, Russia, Vladimir, Vladimir Governorate, Russian Empire, to a cultur ...

, and

Nikolai Tcherepnin Nikolai Nikolayevich Tcherepnin (Russian: Николай Николаевич Черепнин; – 26 June 1945) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. He was born in Saint Petersburg and studied under Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov at t ...

Orchestral

* (1881) * (1883) *Suite No. 1 in G minor, Op. 7 (1885) *Intermezzo in G minor, Op. 13 (1882) *Symphony No. 2 in A major, Op. 22 (1889) *Suite No. 2 'Silhouettes', Op. 23 (originally for 2 pianos, 1892) *Suite No. 3 'Variations in C major', Op. 33 (originally for 2 pianos, 1894) * Variations on a Theme of Tchaikovsky, Op. 35a, for string orchestra (1894) *Fantasia on Themes of Ryabinin, Op. 48, for piano and orchestra (1899), also known as Fantasia on Russian Folksongs *Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in A minor, Op. 54 (1891) * Pamyati Suvorova (To the Memory of

Suvorov Count Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov-Rymniksky, Prince of Italy () was a Russian general and military theorist in the service of the Russian Empire. Born in Moscow, he studied military history as a young boy and joined the Imperial Russian ...

, 1900)

Chamber

*String Quartet No. 1 in G major, Op. 11 (1888) *Serenade, Op. 30, No. 2, for violin and piano * Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32 (1894) * String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 35 (1894), scored either for standard string quartet or for violin, viola and two cellos *Piano Quintet in D major, Op. 51 (1900) *Two Pieces, Op. 12, for cello and piano *Four Pieces, Op. 56, for cello and piano * (1905)

Piano

(for solo piano unless otherwise specified) *Suite for Two Pianos No. 1 in F major, Op. 15 (1888) *Suite for Two Pianos No. 2, Op. 23, "Silhouettes" (1892), also orchestral version *Four ''Morceaux'', Op. 25 (1893) *Six ''Essais sur des rythmes oubliés'', Op. 28 (ca. 1893) *Suite for Two Pianos No. 3 in C major, Op. 33, "Variations" (pub. 1894), also orchestral version *24 ''Morceaux caractéristiques'', Op. 36 (covering all 24 major and minor keys) (1894) *Four Etudes, Op. 41 (1896) *Three ''Morceaux'', Op. 42 (1898) *Six Caprices, Op. 43 (1898) *''Près de la mer'', six esquisses (sketches), Op. 52 (1901) *Six Pieces, Op. 53 (1901) *Suite for Two Pianos No. 4, Op. 62 (1903) *Twelve Preludes, Op. 63 (1903) *Twelve Pieces for

Piano four hands Piano four hands (, , ) is a type of piano duet involving two players playing the same piano simultaneously. A duet with the players playing separate instruments is generally referred to as a ''piano duet, piano duo''.Bellingham, Jane"piano du ...

, Op. 66 (1903) *Arabesques (suite), Op. 67 (1903) *Twelve Etudes, Op. 74 (1905)

Choral

*''Cantata for the Tenth Anniversary of the Sacred Coronation of Their Imperial Highnesses'', Op. 25 (1893) *''The Fountain of Bakhchisarai'', Op. 46, cantata *Three Vocal Quartets, Op. 57, with cello accompaniment *''The Diver'', Op. 61, cantata

Solo vocal

*Romances (4), for voice and piano, Op. 17

Arrangements of Arensky's music

*Tempo di Valse from the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in A minor, Op.54, arranged for violin and piano by

Jascha Heifetz Jascha Heifetz (; December 10, 1987) was a Russian-American violinist, widely regarded as one of the greatest violinists of all time. Born in Vilnius, he was soon recognized as a child prodigy and was trained in the Russian classical violin styl ...

References

External links

*
Biography on Dr. Estrella's Incredibly Abridged Dictionary of Composers
* ttp://www.editionsilvertrust.com/music-a-to-b.htm Anton Arensky Chamber Music discussion of works and soundbitesbr>Brief overview of his life and information about Opus 35
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Arensky, Anton 1861 births 1906 deaths People from Veliky Novgorod People from Novgorodsky Uyezd Opera composers from the Russian Empire Russian string quartet composers Composers for piano Romantic composers from the Russian Empire Russian male classical pianists Russian male opera composers Ballet composers from the Russian Empire Pianists from the Russian Empire 19th-century classical composers from the Russian Empire 19th-century Russian classical pianists 20th-century Russian classical composers 20th-century Russian classical pianists Pupils of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov 20th-century deaths from tuberculosis Tuberculosis deaths in the Russian Empire Burials at Tikhvin Cemetery Academic staff of Moscow Conservatory Saint Petersburg Conservatory alumni Ballets Russes composers