Dmitry Borisovich Kabalevsky ( ; – 14 February 1987) was a Soviet composer, conductor, pianist and pedagogue of Russian
gentry
Gentry (from Old French , from ) are "well-born, genteel and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past. ''Gentry'', in its widest connotation, refers to people of good social position connected to Landed property, landed es ...
descent.
He helped set up the
Union of Soviet Composers in
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 ...
and remained one of its leading figures during his lifetime. He was a prolific composer of piano music and chamber music; many of his piano works were performed by
Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz (November 5, 1989) was a Russian and American pianist. Considered one of the greatest pianists of all time, he was known for his virtuoso technique, timbre, and the public excitement engendered by his playing.
Life ...
. He is best known in Western Europe for his
Second Symphony; the "Comedians' Galop" from ''
The Comedians'' Suite, Op. 26; and his
Third Piano Concerto.
Life
Kabalevsky was born in
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 1904, but moved to Moscow at a young age. His father was a mathematician and encouraged him to study mathematics, but he showed a fascination for the arts. He studied at the
Academic Music College in Moscow and graduated in 1922. He then continued his studies with Vasily Selivanov. In 1925, he then went on to study 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 ...
where he learned composition with first
Georgy Catoire, then
Nikolai Myaskovsky
Nikolai Yakovlevich Myaskovsky (; ; 20 April 18818 August 1950), was a Russian and Soviet composer. He is sometimes referred to as the "Father of the Soviet Symphony". Myaskovsky was awarded the Stalin Prize five times.
Early years
Myaskovsky ...
and piano with
Alexander Goldenweiser. By the age of 26 his list of compositions included the String Quartet, Op. 8,
Piano Concerto, Op. 9, Eight Children's Songs, Op. 17, and various works for solo piano.
[Daragan, Dina Grigor′yevna. "Kabalevsky, Dmitry Borisovich." ''Grove Music Online.'' Accessed 27 Sep. 2019.] In 1925 he joined PROKULL (Production Collective of Student Composers), a student group affiliated with Moscow Conservatory aimed at bridging the gap between the modernism of the
ACM and the utilitarian "
agitprop
Agitprop (; from , portmanteau of ''agitatsiya'', "agitation" and ''propaganda'', "propaganda") refers to an intentional, vigorous promulgation of ideas. The term originated in the Soviet Union where it referred to popular media, such as literatu ...
" music of the
RAPM. (add cit.) In 1932 he was appointed senior lecturer at the Moscow Conservatory and by 1939 was a full-time professor. He also worked as a music critic for the
All-Union Radio and as an editor for the
Sovetskaya muzïka and the publisher Muzgiz.
Kabalevsky was a prolific composer in many musical forms; he wrote symphonies, concertos, operas, ballets, chamber works, songs, theatre, film scores, pieces for children and some pieces for the
proletariat
The proletariat (; ) is the social class of wage-earners, those members of a society whose possession of significant economic value is their labour power (their capacity to work). A member of such a class is a proletarian or a . Marxist ph ...
.
During the 1930s he wrote music for the emerging genre of
films with sound. (
Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his Symphony No. 1 (Shostakovich), First Symphony in 1926 and thereafter was regarded ...
and
Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...
also wrote music for this genre.) Some of his film music became recognized in its own right. However, his biggest contribution to the world of music-making was his consistent effort to connect children to music. During 1925–1926 he worked as a piano teacher in a government school and was struck by the lack of proper material for helping children to learn music. He set out to write easy pieces that would allow children to conquer technical difficulties and to form their taste. His music focused on bridging the gap between children's technical skills and adult aesthetics. He also wrote a book on the subject, which was published in the United States in 1988 as ''Music and Education: A Composer Writes about Musical Education.''
He joined the Communist Party in 1940 and received the Medal of Honour from the Soviet government for his musical skill in 1941.
In 1948, when
Andrei Zhdanov
Andrei Aleksandrovich Zhdanov ( rus, Андрей Александрович Жданов, p=ɐnˈdrʲej ɐlʲɪkˈsandrəvʲɪdʑ ˈʐdanəf, a=Ru-Андрей Жданов.ogg, links=yes; – 31 August 1948) was a Soviet politician. He was ...
issued his
resolution on the directions and changes for Soviet music, Kabalevsky was originally on the list of composers who were allegedly the most guilty of "
formalism", but due to his connections within official circles, Kabalevsky's name was removed. Another theory states that Kabalevsky's name was only on the list because of his position in the leadership of the
Union of Soviet Composers.
His traditional stance as a composer, combined with his strong sense of civic duty expressed in his educational work, endeared him to the Soviet regime and earned him a long list of honours and awards, including the
Lenin Prize
The Lenin Prize (, ) was one of the most prestigious awards of the Soviet Union for accomplishments relating to science, literature, arts, architecture, and technology. It was originally created on June 23, 1925, and awarded until 1934. During ...
in 1972 and the
Hero of Socialist Labour
The Hero of Socialist Labour () was an Title of honor, honorific title in the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries from 1938 to 1991. It represented the highest degree of distinction in the USSR and was awarded for exceptional achievem ...
in 1974. This is a testament to his ability to work creatively in the same conditions in which so many of his contemporary composers had difficulties.
In general, Kabalevsky was not as adventurous as his contemporaries in terms of harmony and preferred a more conventional
diatonicism, interlaced with chromaticism and major-minor interplay.
The important role played by the subdominant and the frequent juxtaposition of thirds in Kabalevsky's works are features common to many Russian composers. His use of form is mostly conventional as he preferred symmetrical
rondo
The rondo or rondeau is a musical form that contains a principal theme (music), theme (sometimes called the "refrain") which alternates with one or more contrasting themes (generally called "episodes", but also referred to as "digressions" or "c ...
or
variation structures.
Unlike fellow composer
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...
, Kabalevsky embraced the ideas of
socialist realism, and his post-war works have been characterized as "popular, bland, and successful," though this judgement has been applied to many other composers of the time. Some of Kabalevsky's best-known "youth works" date from this era, such as the Violin Concerto and the First Cello Concerto. Kabalevsky wrote for all musical genres and was consistently faithful to the ideals of socialist realism. Kabalevsky frequently travelled overseas; he was a member of the
Soviet Committee for the Defense of Peace as well as a representative for the promotion of friendship between the Soviet Union and foreign countries.
In 1961, Kabalevsky made a recording of his ''Overture Pathetique'', ''Spring'', and ''Songs of Morning'', in which he conducted. It was released in the U.S. in 1975 on the Westminster Gold label.
Also in 1961, Kabalevsky orchestrated
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...
's well known
Fantasia in F minor, originally written for four hands on one piano, producing a virtuoso piece for a piano soloist playing with a symphony orchestra. This work has been recorded several times.
He was awarded a number of state honours for his musical works, including those given by the Soviet government. In regards to his teaching, he was elected the head of the Commission of Musical Aesthetic Education of Children in 1962, and was also elected president of the Scientific Council of Educational Aesthetics in the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of the USSR in 1969. Kabalevsky also received the honorary degree of the president of the International Society of Musical Education.
His notable students included
Leo Smit.
He died in Moscow on 14 February 1987.
Legacy
According to musicologist Marina Raku, "Through verbal commentaries on music the Soviet ideology ‘appropriated’ the classical musical heritage." In 1924,
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (; ), was a Russian and Soviet writer and proponent of socialism. He was nominated five times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Before his success as an aut ...
said that Soviet leader
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov ( 187021 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin, was a Russian revolutionary, politician and political theorist. He was the first head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 until Death and state funeral of ...
was a quasi-religious admirer of
Issay Dobrowen's performance of the "preterhuman music" of one of
Beethoven's 32 sonatas. Kabalevsky successfully developed and promoted that "quasi-religious" system and attitude towards musical education. The system included, at one stage, thousands of free, state-sponsored regional that offered an 8-year course promoting musical literacy and appreciation but not professional musicianship. The next stage included dozens of music schools training teachers for the previous stage, and conservatories training world-class performers. Classical music performers, like ballet dancers, were household names through their frequent appearances on Soviet TV. Kabalevsky's oft-quoted credo was "Beauty Evokes Kindness" (). The system was criticised for its alleged psychological violence towards the youth, e.g., threats that violin students would "be raped by the bow" unless they practice enough, and for being a "tortuous tool for the gender socialization of girls." After 1991, music teachers' salaries, said to be "microscopic", were below the
living wage in Russia.
After the
dissolution of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...
, the conservatories were "abandoned by the state to face the merciless fate". His idea to implement his system of musical education in secondary schools was abandoned long before the
clericalization of Russian society. As of 2015, 3,089 children's musical schools and arts schools with music departments survived in Russia.
Honours and awards
*
People's Artist of the RSFSR (1954).
*
People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to artists of the Soviet Union. The term is confusingly used to translate two Russian language titles: Народный арти ...
(1963).
*
Hero of Socialist Labour
The Hero of Socialist Labour () was an Title of honor, honorific title in the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries from 1938 to 1991. It represented the highest degree of distinction in the USSR and was awarded for exceptional achievem ...
(1974).
* Four
Orders of Lenin
The Order of Lenin (, ) was an award named after Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the October Revolution. It was established by the Central Executive Committee on 6 April 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration bestowed by the Soviet ...
(1964, 1971, 1974, 1984)
*
Order of the Red Banner of Labour
The Order of the Red Banner of Labour () was an order of the Soviet Union established to honour great deeds and services to the Soviet state and society in the fields of production, science, culture, literature, the arts, education, sports ...
(1966)
*
Order of the Badge of Honour
The Order of the Badge of Honour () was a civilian award of the Soviet Union.
It was established on 25 November 1935, and was conferred on citizens of the USSR for outstanding achievements in sports, production, scientific research and socia ...
(1940)
*
Lenin Prize
The Lenin Prize (, ) was one of the most prestigious awards of the Soviet Union for accomplishments relating to science, literature, arts, architecture, and technology. It was originally created on June 23, 1925, and awarded until 1934. During ...
(1972) – a new version of the opera "Colas Breugnon" (1968)
*
Stalin Prizes
: first class (1946) – for the String Quartet No. 2 in G minor Op. 44 (1945)
: second class (1949) – Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (1948)
: second class – for the opera "Taras Family" (1950)
*
USSR State Prize
The USSR State Prize () was one of the Soviet Union’s highest civilian honours, awarded from its establishment in September 1966 until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. It recognised outstanding contributions in the fields of science, mathem ...
(1980) – for the 4th Concerto for Piano and Orchestra ("Prague") (1979)
*
Glinka State Prize of the RSFSR (1966) – for "Requiem" for soloists, two choirs and orchestra (1962)
*
Lenin Komsomol Prize
Lenin Komsomol Prize () was a Soviet Union, Soviet annual award for the best works in science, engineering, literature or art carried out by young authors of age not exceeding 33 years. Komsomol was the abbreviated name of The Communist Union of ...
(1984)
Selected filmography
* ''
A Petersburg Night'' (1934)
* ''
Aerograd'' (1935)
* ''
Dawn of Paris'' (1936)
* ''
Shchors'' (1939)
* ''
Anton Ivanovich Is Angry'' (1941)
* ''
First-Year Student'' (1948)
* ''
Ivan Pavlov
Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (, ; 27 February 1936) was a Russian and Soviet experimental neurologist and physiologist known for his discovery of classical conditioning through his experiments with dogs. Pavlov also conducted significant research on ...
'' (1949)
* ''
Mussorgsky'' (1950)
* ''
Hostile Whirlwinds'' (1953)
*''
The Sisters'' (1957)
Works
* See
List of compositions by Dmitry Kabalevsky
References
Sources
*Anon. "Obituary: Dmitry Kabalevsky". ''The Musical Times'' 128, no. 1731 (May 1987): 287.
*Abraham, Gerald. 1944. ''Eight Soviet Composers''. Great Britain: Oxford University Press. pp. 70–73.
*Leonard, Richard Anthony. 1957. ''A History of Russian Music''. New York: The MacMillan Company. pp. 354–355.
*Daragan, Dina Grigor'yevna. 2001. "Kabalevsky, Dmitry Borisovich", ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' edited by S. Sadie and J. Tyrrell. London: Macmillan. Also in
Grove Music Online'', ed. L. Macy (accessed 23 October 2007) (Subscription Access)
*Schwarz, Boris. 1983. ''Music and Musical Life in Soviet Russia'', enlarged edition 1917–1981. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
*Maes, Francis. 2002. ''A History of Russian Music: From Kamarinskaya to Babi Yar''. Translated by
Arnold J. Pomerans and Erica Pomerans. Berkeley: University of California Press.
External links
*
Kabalevsky International Research Centre*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kabalevsky, Dmitry
1904 births
1987 deaths
20th-century Russian classical composers
20th-century male pianists
20th-century Russian conductors (music)
20th-century Russian male musicians
Composers from Saint Petersburg
Academicians of the USSR Academy of Pedagogical Sciences
Communist Party of the Soviet Union members
Academic staff of Moscow Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory alumni
Seventh convocation members of the Soviet of Nationalities
Eighth convocation members of the Soviet of Nationalities
Ninth convocation members of the Soviet of Nationalities
Tenth convocation members of the Soviet of Nationalities
Eleventh convocation members of the Soviet of Nationalities
Heroes of Socialist Labour
People's Artists of the RSFSR
People's Artists of the USSR
Recipients of the Stalin Prize
Recipients of the Lenin Prize
Glinka State Prize of the RSFSR winners
Recipients of the Lenin Komsomol Prize
Recipients of the Order of Lenin
Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
Recipients of the USSR State Prize
Composers for piano
Russian male opera composers
Male operetta composers
Modernist composers
Pupils of Nikolai Myaskovsky
Russian ballet composers
Russian communists
Russian film score composers
Russian male conductors (music)
Russian music educators
Russian opera composers
Russian pianists
Soviet conductors (music)
Soviet film score composers
Soviet male classical composers
Soviet music educators
Soviet opera composers
Soviet pianists
Burials at Novodevichy Cemetery