Dmitri Nikolaevich Smirnov (; 2 November 1948 – 9 April 2020) was a Russian-British composer and academic teacher, who also published as Dmitri N. Smirnov and D. Smirnov-Sadovsky. He wrote operas, symphonies, string quartets and other

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 ...

, and vocal music from song to

oratorio An oratorio () is a musical composition with dramatic or narrative text for choir, soloists and orchestra or other ensemble. Similar to opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguisha ...

. Many of his works were inspired by the art of

William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake has become a seminal figure in the history of the Romantic poetry, poetry and visual art of the Roma ...

Career

Smirnov was born in

Minsk Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...

into a family of opera singers: his parents were Nikolay Senkin-Sadovsky and Eugenia Smirnova. His family moved to

Ulan-Ude Ulan-Ude (; , ; , ) is the capital city of Buryatia, Russia, located about southeast of Lake Baikal on the Uda River, Buryatia, Uda River at its confluence with the Selenga River, Selenga. According to the Russian Census (2021), 2021 Census, 43 ...

and then

Bishkek Bishkek, formerly known as Pishpek (until 1926), and then Frunze (1926–1991), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is also the administrative centre of the Chüy Region. Bishkek is situated near the Kazakhstan ...

, where he spent most of his childhood. He studied 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 ...

from 1967 to 1972, composition with Nikolai Sidelnikov, instrumentation with Yuri Kholopov, and analysis with

Edison Denisov Edison Vasilievich Denisov (, 6 April 1929 – 24 November 1996) was a Russian composer in the so-called " Underground", "alternative" or "nonconformist" division of Soviet music. Biography Denisov was born in Tomsk, Siberia. He studied math ...

. He also studied privately with

Philip Herschkowitz Philipp Herschkowitz (; Russian: Филипп Гершкович, ''Filipp Gershkovich'') (7 September 1906 – 5 January 1989) was a Romanian-born composer and music theorist, pupil of Alban Berg and Anton Webern, who spent 47 years, from ...

, a pupil of

Anton Webern Anton Webern (; 3 December 1883 – 15 September 1945) was an Austrian composer, conductor, and musicologist. His music was among the most radical of its milieu in its lyric poetry, lyrical, poetic concision and use of then novel atonality, aton ...

. He worked as an editor for the music publishing house Sovietski Kompositor from 1973 to 1980, and then turned to freelance composing. He received first prize for his composition ''Solo for Harp'' at a competition of the International Harp Week in

Maastricht Maastricht ( , , ; ; ; ) is a city and a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. It is the capital city, capital and largest city of the province of Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg. Maastricht is loca ...

in 1976, which won him international recognition. In 1979, Smirnov was blacklisted as one of " Khrennikov's Seven" at the Sixth Congress of the

Union of Soviet Composers The Union of Russian Composers (formerly the Union of Soviet Composers, Order of Lenin Union of Composers of USSR () (1932– ), and Union of Soviet Composers of the USSR) is a state-created organization for musicians and musicologists created in 1 ...

for unapproved participation in some festivals of Soviet music in the West. Smirnov was one of the founders of Russia's new '' ACM - Association for Contemporary Music'', established in Moscow in 1990. From 1991, he lived in England. He was composer in residence at the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

's St John's College and at

Dartington Dartington is a village in Devon, England. Its population is 876. The electoral ward of ''Dartington'' includes the surrounding area and had a population of 1,753 at the 2011 census. It is located to the west of the River Dart, south of Dar ...

, and visiting professor at

Keele University Keele University is a Public university#United Kingdom, public research university in Keele, approximately from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as the University College of North Staffordshire, it was granted uni ...

from 1993 to 1998. From 2003 he taught at

Goldsmiths College Goldsmiths, University of London, formerly Goldsmiths College, University of London, is a Member institutions of the University of London, constituent research university of the University of London. It was originally founded in 1891 as The G ...

at the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

. Many of Smirnov's works reflect his fascination with the poetry and art of

. He composed a

song cycle A song cycle () is a group, or cycle (music), cycle, of individually complete Art song, songs designed to be performed in sequence, as a unit.Susan Youens, ''Grove online'' The songs are either for solo voice or an ensemble, or rarely a combinat ...

based on Blake's ''The Season'' (1979), which grew into his first symphony, subtitled ''The Seasons''. His two operas '' Tiriel'' and ''

Thel The Tactical High-Energy Laser, or THEL, was a laser developed for military use, also known as the Nautilus laser system. The mobile version is the Mobile Tactical High-Energy Laser, or MTHEL. In 1996, the United States and Israel entered into a ...

'' on text by

were premiered in 1989, the first at the

Freiburg Freiburg im Breisgau or simply Freiburg is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fourth-largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, Mannheim and Karlsruhe. Its built-up area has a population of abou ...

Festival in Germany, and the second at the

Almeida Theatre The Almeida Theatre is a 325-seat producing house located on Almeida Street off Upper Street in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre opened in 1980, and produces a diverse range of drama. Successful plays are often transferred to West E ...

in London. His First Symphony was premiered the same year at the

Tanglewood Festival The Tanglewood Music Festival is a music festival held every summer on the Tanglewood estate in Stockbridge and Lenox in the Berkshire Hills in western Massachusetts. The festival consists of a series of concerts, including symphonic music, cha ...

and the

Southbank Centre Southbank Centre is an arts centre in London, England. It is adjacent to the separately owned National Theatre and BFI Southbank. It comprises the three main performance spaces – the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and Purcell R ...

in London. His orchestral ''Mozart-Variations'' were staged as a ballet in

Pforzheim Pforzheim () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city of over 125,000 inhabitants in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, in the southwest of Germany. It is known for its jewelry and watch-making industry, and as such has gained the ...

in Germany in 1992. Other premieres include the oratorio ''A Song of Liberty'' in

Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...

in 1993, played by the

BBC Philharmonic The BBC Philharmonic is a national British broadcasting symphony orchestra and is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The Philharmonic is a department of the BBC North Group division based at Media ...

, the Cello Concerto in

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

in 1996, the

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian language, Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal music, vocal Musical composition, composition with an musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, ty ...

''Song of Songs'' in

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

in 2001, and the Triple Concerto No. 2 for violin, double bass and harp, which was performed at the

Barbican Centre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London, England, and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings a ...

on 26 May 2004, combined with Mahler's Second Symphony "Resurrection", with Andrew Davis conducting the London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus. His work has been performed by many notable conductors, including:

Riccardo Muti Riccardo Muti (; born 28 July 1941) is an Italian conductor. He is current music director of the Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini. Muti has previously held posts at the Maggio Musicale in Florence, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, the ...

, Sir Andrew Davis,

Dennis Russell Davies Dennis Russell Davies (born April 16, 1944, in Toledo, Ohio) is an American conductor and pianist. He is chief conductor of the Brno Philharmonic and of the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra. Biography Davies studied piano and conducting at ...

, Peter Eötvös,

Oliver Knussen Stuart Oliver Knussen (12 June 1952 – 8 July 2018) was a British composer of contemporary classical music and conductor. Among the most influential British composers of his generation, his relatively few compositions are "rooted in 20th-cen ...

Vassily Sinaisky Vassily Serafimovich Sinaisky (Russian language, Russian: Васи́лий Серафи́мович Сина́йский, born in Abez camp, Komi Republic, April 20, 1947) is a Russian conductor and pianist. Biography Sinaisky studied conducting ...

, Pavel Kogan,

Gennady Rozhdestvensky Gennady Nikolayevich Rozhdestvensky, CBE (; 4 May 1931 – 16 June 2018) was a Soviet and Russian conductor, pianist, composer, and pedagogue. Biography Gennady Rozhdestvensky was born in Moscow. His parents were the noted conductor and pedagog ...

Gunther Schuller Gunther Alexander Schuller (November 22, 1925June 21, 2015) was an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, educator, publisher, and jazz musician. Biography and works Early years Schuller was born in Queens, New York City ...

, and

Yan Pascal Tortelier Yan Pascal Tortelier (born 19 April 1947) is a French conductor and violinist. Biography Born in Paris, Tortelier is the son of the cellist Paul Tortelier, and the brother of Maria de la Pau. Tortelier began piano and violin studies at age 4. A ...

. He composed ''Jacob's Ladder'' and ''River of Life'' for the

London Sinfonietta The London Sinfonietta is an English contemporary chamber music, chamber orchestra founded in 1968 and based in London. The ensemble has headquarters at Kings Place and is Resident Orchestra at the Southbank Centre. Since its inaugural concert ...

, String Quartets Nos. 3 and 6 for the

Brodsky Quartet The Brodsky Quartet is a British string quartet, formed in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, in 1972 as the "Cleveland Quartet", and subsequently named for Russian violinist Adolph Brodsky. Ian Belton and Jacqueline Thomas are original members, ...

, ''Song of Songs'' on a commission from the

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR) is a Swiss symphony orchestra, based in Geneva at the Victoria Hall. In addition to symphony concerts, the OSR performs as the opera orchestra in productions at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. History ...

, and ''Between Scylla and Charybdis'' for the string orchestras and the

English String Orchestra English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

Personal life

Smirnov was married to the composer

Elena Firsova Elena Olegovna Firsova (; also ''Yelena'' or ''Jelena Firssowa''; born 21 March 1950) is a Russian composer living in the UK. Life Firsova was born in Leningrad into the family of physicists Oleg Firsov and Viktoria Lichko. She studied music ...

. They moved to the United Kingdom in 1991, living in

St Albans St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major ...

near London from 1998. Their children are Philip Firsov (an artist and sculptor) and Alissa Firsova (a composer, pianist and conductor). He died on 9 April 2020 in

Watford Watford () is a town and non-metropolitan district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of Central London, on the banks of the River Colne, Hertfordshire, River Colne. Initially a smal ...

from the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

Works

Smirnov's works were published by

Hans Sikorski Internationale Musikverlage Hans Sikorski is an international music publishing company in Berlin, formerly headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. As of June 2019, Sikorski is a part of Concord. The music publishing firm of Hans Sikorski was founded in ...

in Hamburg,

Boosey & Hawkes Boosey & Hawkes is a British Music publisher (sheet music), music publisher, purported to be the largest specialist classical music publisher in the world. Until 2003, it was also a major manufacturer of brass instrument, brass, string instru ...

in London, and G. Schirmer in New York City. * Piano Sonata No. 1 (1967), No. 2 (1980), No. 3 (1992), No. 4 ''String of Destiny'' (2000), No. 5 (2001), No. 6 ''Blake-Sonata'' (2008) * Violin Sonata No. 1 (1969), No. 2 (1979), No. 3 "es ist .." in memory of Oleg Firsov (1998), No. 4 (2005) * Piano Concerto No. 1 (1971), No. 2 (1978) * ''Eternal Refuge'' for voice and piano trio (also orchestra version), text by

Mikhail Bulgakov Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov ( ; rus, links=no, Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков, p=mʲɪxɐˈil ɐfɐˈnasʲjɪvʲɪdʑ bʊlˈɡakəf; – 10 March 1940) was a Russian and Soviet novelist and playwright. His novel ''The M ...

(1972) * String Quartet No. 1 (1974), No. 2 (1985), No. 3 (1993), No. 4 (1993), No. 5 (1994), No. 6 (1998), No. 7 (2005), No. 8 ''Inferno'' (2007) * Clarinet Concerto (1974) * ''Pastorale'' for orchestra (1975) * ''Mirages'' for saxophone quartet (1975) * ''Solo for Harp'' (1976) * ''The Sorrow of past Days'' for voice, flute, percussion, violin and cello, text by

Alexander Pushkin Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin () was a Russian poet, playwright, and novelist of the Romantic era.Basker, Michael. Pushkin and Romanticism. In Ferber, Michael, ed., ''A Companion to European Romanticism''. Oxford: Blackwell, 2005. He is consid ...

(1976) * Triple Concerto No. 1 for saxophone, piano, double bass, strings & percussion (1977) * Piano Trio No. 1 (1977), No. 2 (1992), No. 3 "Tri-o-Tri" (2005) * Cello Sonata (1978) * ''The Seasons'', song cycle for voice, flute, viola and harp, text by

(1979) * Symphony No. 1 ''The Seasons'' (1980) * Symphony No. 2 ''Destiny'' for four soloists, mixed chorus & orchestra, text by

Friedrich Hölderlin Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin (, ; ; 20 March 1770 – 7 June 1843) was a Germans, German poet and philosopher. Described by Norbert von Hellingrath as "the most German of Germans", Hölderlin was a key figure of German Romanticis ...

(1982) * ''The Night Rhymes'' cantata for voice & orchestra, text by

(1982) * '' Tiriel'', opera after William Blake (1983–1985) * ''

'' (or ''The Lamentations of Thel''), chamber opera after William Blake (1986) * ''Mozart-Variations'' for orchestra (1987) * ''The Visions of Coleridge'' for voice and 10 players, text by S. T. Coleridge (1987) * ''Songs of Love and Madness'' for voice, clarinet, celesta, harp & string trio, text by William Blake (1988) * ''The Seven Angels of William Blake'' for piano (1988) * ''Blake’s Pictures'' (ballet): ''The Moonlight Story'' (1988), ''Jacob's Ladder'' (1990), ''Abel'' (1991), ''The River of Life'' (1992) * ''Eight-line Poems'' for voice, flute, horn, harp and string trio, text by

Osip Mandelstam Osip Emilyevich Mandelstam (, ; – 27 December 1938) was a Russian and Soviet poet. He was one of the foremost members of the Acmeist school. Osip Mandelstam was arrested during the repressions of the 1930s and sent into internal exile wi ...

* Violin Concerto No. 1 (1990), No. 2 (1995). No. 3 (1996) * ''A Song of Liberty'', oratorio for four soloists, mixed chorus and orchestra, text by William Blake (1991) * Piano Quintet for piano, violin, viola, cello & double bass (1992) * Cello concerto (1992) * ''Ariel Songs'' for voice, 2 recorders, cello & harpsichord, text by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

(1993) * ''The Guardians of Space'' for orchestra (1994) * Symphony No. 3 ''Voyages'' for orchestra (1995) * ''The Music of the Spheres'' for piano (1995) * ''The Bride in her Grave'', opera, libretto by Ruth Fainlight (1995) * ''Elegy in memory of Edison Denisov'', in two versions: (a) for solo cello, (b) for sixteen players (1997) * ''The Bird of Time'' for orchestra (1997) * ''Song of Songs'', cantata for soprano, tenor, mixed chorus & orchestra, text by

King Solomon King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a constitutional monarch if his power is restrained by f ...

(1997) * ''Between Scylla and Charybdis'' for string orchestra (1997) * ''Mass'' for mixed chorus (1998) * ''Opus 111'' for clarinet, cello & piano (1998) * ''Twilight'' for soprano and six players, text by

James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (born James Augusta Joyce; 2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influentia ...

(1998–2000) * ''Portrait'' in memory of

Dmitri 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 First Symphony in 1926 and thereafter was regarded as a major composer. Shostak ...

, for wind octet & double bass (1999) * ''Concerto Piccolo'' (to

Mstislav Rostropovich Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich (27 March 192727 April 2007) was a Russian Cello, cellist and conducting, conductor. In addition to his interpretations and technique, he was well known for both inspiring and commissioning new works, which enl ...

) for cello and orchestra (2001) * ''Innocence of Experience'' for tape, text by William Blake (2001) * ''Metaplasm'' No. 1 for piano (also for orchestra, 2002), No. 2 for piano (2002) * Triple Concerto No. 2 for violin, harp, double bass and orchestra (2003) * ''Dream Journey'' for voice, flute clarinet, vln, cello and piano, text by

Matsuo Bashō ; born , later known as was the most famous Japanese poet of the Edo period. During his lifetime, Bashō was recognized for his works in the collaborative '' haikai no renga'' form; today, after centuries of commentary, he is recognized as th ...

(2003–2004) * ''Red Bells'' in memory of

, the first movement of ''Family Concerto'' for piano and ensemble of seven players, composed jointly with his wife and daughter,

and Alissa Firsova (2005) * ''Requiem'' for four soloists, mixed chorus and orchestra (2006) * ''Amore sola'' for solo violin (2006) * ''Proverbs of Hell'' for voice and piano, text by William Blake (2006) * ''The Lonely Wanderer'' for voice and cello, text by

Lermontov Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov ( , ; rus, Михаи́л Ю́рьевич Ле́рмонтов, , mʲɪxɐˈil ˈjʉrʲjɪvʲɪtɕ ˈlʲerməntəf, links=yes; – ) was a Russian Romantic writer, poet and painter, sometimes called "the poet of ...

(2007) * ''Duo in Green'' for 2 violins (2008) * ''Space Odyssey'' for large orchestra (2008) * ''From the Pine to the Moon'' for voice and cello, text by Lermontov (2009) * ''The Book of Constellations'' for ensemble (2009–) * ''The Last Trumpet'' for trumpet and timpani (2010) * ''Kubla Khan: A Vision in a Dream'' for tenor (or soprano), bajan, violin and cello, text by S. T. Coleridge, composed jointly with Firsova and Firsova (2010/2011) * ''Zodiac'' for orchestra (2010–2013) * ''Canisi-Variations'' for violin and piano (2011) * ''Papageno-Variations'' for orchestra (after Beethoven's 12 Variations for cello & piano, Op. 66) (2012) * ''Visionary Heads'' (after '' Visionary Heads'', pictures by William Blake) for piano (2013) * ''Farewell. In Memory of Alexander Ivashkin.'' For solo cello (2014) * ''Pro et contra'', two pieces for viola and piano (2014) * ''The Silly Moon'', 8 haiku for voice and piano, text and music by Smirnov (2014) * ''Solo for Viola'' (2014) * ''The China Travel'', 20 songs for voice and piano on poems by Olga Sedakova, composed with V. Gorodetskaya (2014) * ''Four Eight-line Poems'' for voice and piano on poems by Sedakova (2014)

Recordings

* Fish Ear FECD621. Peter Sheppard, Violin: Winter Journey / Smirnov: ''partita'' * Megadisc MDC 7818. an Introduction to Dmitri Smirnov. ''Elegy, String of Destiny, Es ist…, Piano Trio 1, Cello sonata, Postlude'' * Metier MSV CD92028. Peter Sheppard, Violin: Etude Philharmpnique / Smirnov: ''Two Fugues'' * Mobile Fidelity MFCD 906. Works by Modern Composers of Moscow / Smirnov: ''Solo for Harp'' * Olympia OCD 282. Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble, Vol.2 / Smirnov: ''Sonata for fl and harp'' * Conifer 75605 51252-2, reissued on RCA/Catalyst 82876 64283-2.

Chilingirian Quartet The Chilingirian Quartet is a British string quartet. It gave its first public concert in Cambridge in 1972. By the time the quartet celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, there had been various changes in the line-up. However, it has continued t ...

/ Smirnov: ''Second Quartet'' * Vanguard Classics 99154. Aurelia Saxophone Quartet: Four generations of Russian composers / Smirnov: ''Fantasia'' (also on Challenge Classics CC 72039) * Vanguard Classics 99212. Brodsky Quartet: Beethoven Op18 and six more / Smirnov: ''Quartet 6'' (also reissued on Challenge Classics, CC 72009) * NBE CD 021 Nederland Blazers Ensemble: ''La ligubre gondola'' & ''Legende No. 2'' / Liszt/Smirnov * Vista Vera VVCD-00232 by Lev Mikhailov and partners / Smirnov: ''Mirages'' for saxophone quartet * Visto: 2121 CD – Proyecto Mockba / Smirnov: ''Serenade op. 34,'' para obeo, saxofón alto y violonchelo. ''Tiriel op. 41b,'' para saxofón barítono y piano * Meridian CDE 84586: Primrose Piano Quartet / Smirnov Piano Quintet; * Vivat: 109: Russian Émigrés – Alissa Firsova, piano / Smirnov: ''Sonata No. 6 "Blake Sonata", Op. 157 (2008)''

Bibliography

* ''A Geometer of Sound Crystals: A Book on Philip Herschkowitz''. (Ernst Kuhn, Berlin 2003) * ''The Anatomy of Theme in Beethoven's Piano Sonatas''. (Ernst Kuhn, Berlin 2008)

References

Sources

* Yuri Kholopov: ''Russians in England: Dmitri Smirnov,

.'' Article, in: Music From the Former USSR. Issue 2. Moscow: Composer, 1996, pp. 255–303 (in Russian); also in «Ex oriente...I» Ten Composers from the former USSR.

Viktor Suslin Viktor Yevseyevich Suslin (; 13 June 1942 – 10 July 2012) was a Russian composer. An associate of Sofia Gubaidulina's, together with her and Vyacheslav Artyomov he formed the improvisatory ensemble 'Astraea' in 1975. He emigrated to Germany ...

, Dmitry Smirnov,

Arvo Pärt Arvo Pärt (; born 11 September 1935) is an Estonian composer of contemporary classical music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs tintinnabuli, a compositional technique he invented. Pärt's music is in p ...

Yury Kasparov Yuri Sergeyevich Kasparov (born 8 June 1955, in Moscow, —his name is variously transliterated) is a Russian composer, music teacher and a professor at the Moscow Conservatory where he had studied for his doctorate under Edison Denisov. Under t ...

Galina Ustvolskaya Galina Ivanovna Ustvolskaya ( ) (17 June 1919 – 22 December 2006), was a Russian composer of classical music. Known as 'the lady with the hammer', her music has been described as demanding "everything from the performer", uncompromising in h ...

, Nikolai Sidelnikov,

Vladimir Martynov Vladimir Ivanovich Martynov (Russian: Владимир Иванович Мартынов) (Moscow, 20 February 1946) is a Russian composer, known for his compositions in the concerto, orchestral music, chamber music, and choral music genres. Life ...

Andrei Eshpai Andrei Yakovlevich Eshpai (15 May 19258 November 2015) was a Soviet composer. He was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1981. Biography Eshpai was born at Kozmodemyansk, Mari ASSR, Russian SFSR to a Mari father and Russian ...

, Boris Chaikovsky. Edited by Valeria Tsenova (studia slavica musicologica, Bd. 25), Verlag Ernst Kuhn – Berlin. pp. 207–266 (in English) *Gerard McBurney: ''Dmitri Smirnov''. Entry in Grove Dictionary of Music

External links

*
A Complete List of Works
(in Russian) *

* * Robert Hugill

planethugill.com 14 August 2015 {{DEFAULTSORT:Smirnov, Dmitri 1948 births 2020 deaths 20th-century British composers 20th-century British male musicians 20th-century Russian classical composers Soviet classical composers 21st-century British composers 21st-century British male musicians 21st-century Russian classical composers British classical composers British male classical composers British opera composers Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in England Russian male opera composers Moscow Conservatory alumni Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom Russian opera composers Soviet emigrants to the United Kingdom