Grigory Samuilovich Frid, also known as Grigori Fried (, 22 September ^N.S. 1915 – 22 September 2012), was a Russian

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

of music written in many different genres, including chamber opera.

Early life and education

Born in

Petrograd Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...

, now

St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...

, Frid studied in 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 ...

with Heinrich Litinsky and

Vissarion Shebalin Vissarion Yakovlevich Shebalin (; 29 May 1963) was a USSR, Soviet composer, music pedagogue. Rector of the Moscow Conservatory (1942-1948). People's Artist of the RSFSR (1947). Biography Shebalin was born in Omsk, where his parents were school t ...

. He was a soldier in the Second World War.

Career

Frid was a prolific composer. His most notable works are his two chamber operas, both to his own libretti. '' The Diary of Anne Frank'' is a

monodrama A monodrama is a theatrical or operatic piece played by a single actor or singer, usually portraying one character. In opera In opera, a monodrama was originally a melodrama with one role such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau's '' Pygmalion'', which w ...

in 21 scenes for soprano and chamber orchestra, lasting about one hour. It was composed in 1968 and given a first performance with piano

accompaniment Accompaniment is the musical part which provides the rhythmic and/or harmonic support for the melody or main themes of a song or instrumental piece. There are many different styles and types of accompaniment in different genres and styles of m ...

at the All-Union House of Composers in Moscow on either 17 or 18 May 1972.Sikorski
The Diary of Anne Frank
/ref>New Grove Dictionary of Opera. "Grigory Frid", volume II, page 303. '' The Letters of Van Gogh'' is a mono-opera in two parts for baritone and chamber ensemble, based on the letters of Vincent Van Gogh to his brother Theo. The opera was composed in 1975 and given its premiere in concert form at the same venue, on 29 November 1976.Sikorski
The Letters of Van Gogh
He wrote three symphonies (1939, 1955, 1964), a series of instrumental concertos including a Concerto for viola, piano and string orchestra (1981), music for theatre and cinema including stage music for ''

Phèdre ''Phèdre'' (; originally ''Phèdre et Hippolyte'') is a French dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677 at the theatre of the Hôtel de Bourgogne in Paris. Composition and premiere With ...

'' by

Jean Racine Jean-Baptiste Racine ( , ; ; 22 December 1639 – 21 April 1699) was a French dramatist, one of the three great playwrights of 17th-century France, along with Molière and Corneille, as well as an important literary figure in the Western tr ...

(1985), vocal and chamber music including a cycle ''Poetry'' (1973) for voice and chamber ensemble to poems by

Federico García Lorca Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca (5 June 1898 – 19 August 1936) was a Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27, a g ...

, a Piano Quintet (1981), a Fantasia for cello and piano (1982), ''Fedra'' (''

'', 1985) - a piano quintet with solo viola, and Five Songs to poems by

Luís de Camões Luís Vaz de Camões (; or 1525 – 10 June 1580), sometimes rendered in English as Camoens or Camoëns ( ), is considered Portugal's and the Portuguese language's greatest poet. His mastery of verse has been compared to that of William Shakes ...

(1985). The style of Frid's early music may be explained as conventional, written in the tradition of so-called " Socialist realism". At the age of 55 he changed his style radically, turning to the

twelve-tone The twelve-tone technique—also known as dodecaphony, twelve-tone serialism, and (in British usage) twelve-note composition—is a method of musical composition. The technique is a means of ensuring that all 12 notes of the chromatic scale ...

and other more contemporary techniques of

music composition Musical composition can refer to an original piece or work of music, either vocal or instrumental, the structure of a musical piece or to the process of creating or writing a new piece of music. People who create new compositions are called ...

. Frid was known as having been a music propagandist and organiser of a series of lectures-concerts for young people at the "Moscow House of Composers" that were popular in the 1970s. He was also a visual artist, having had a series of exhibitions of his paintings. Frid authored a few volumes of recollections, two of which first were published in Moscow in 1987 and 1991. In 1986 Grigory Frid received the title of Honoured Art Worker.

Selected works

;Stage * '' The Diary of Anne Frank'' (Дневник Анны Франк), Monologue-Opera in 2 acts for soprano and chamber orchestra, Op. 60 (1969); version II (1999) for soprano and chamber ensemble; libretto by the composer * ''Van Gogh's Letters'' (Письма Ван-Гога), Monologue-Opera in 2 acts for baritone and chamber ensemble, Op. 69 (1975); libretto by the composer based on letters from

Vincent van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade, he created approximately 2,100 artworks ...

to his brother

Theo Theo is a given name and a hypocorism. Greek origin Many names beginning with the root ''Theo-'' derive from the Ancient Greek word (), which means God, for example: *Feminine names: Thea, Theodora, Theodosia, Theophania, Theophano and The ...

;Orchestral * Overture No. 1 (1936) * Symphony No. 1 (1939) * ''Piece'' (Пьеса) (1939) * ''Northern Lights'' (Северное сияние), Suite (1946) * ''3 Marches'' (Три марша) (1947) * ''Nature's Calendar'' (Календарь природы) after

Mikhail Prishvin Mikhail Mikhailovich Prishvin (; 4 February 1873 – 16 January 1954) was a Russian and Soviet novelist, prose writer and publicist. Prishvin himself defined his place in literature this way: " Rozanov is the afterword of Russian literature, and I ...

(1947); also a version for violin and piano * Overture No. 2 (1950) * ''All Year Round'' (Круглый год) after

Samuil Marshak Samuil Yakovlevich Marshak (alternative spelling: Marchak) (; 4 July 1964) was a Soviet writer of Belarusian Jewish origin, translator and poet who wrote for both children and adults. He translated the sonnets and some other of the works of Willi ...

(1951); also for piano * Sinfonietta (Симфониетта) (1951) * ''Merry Suite'' (Веселая сюита) (1954) * Symphony No. 2 ''"Lyric"'' (Лирическая) (1955) * ''Rhapsody on Slovak and Moravian Themes'' (Рапсодия на словацкие и моравские темы) (1956) * ''Festive Overture'' (Праздничная увертюра) (1957) * ''On the Shores of Cheptsa'' (На берегах Чепцы), Poem in Memory of

Vladimir Korolenko Vladimir Galaktionovich Korolenko (, ; 27 July 1853 – 25 December 1921) was a Russian writer, journalist and humanitarian of Ukrainian origin. His best-known work includes the short novel '' The Blind Musician'' (1886), as well as numerous shor ...

(1959) * ''Заре навстречу'' (1960) * Overture No. 3 (1961) * ''2 Inventions'' (Две инвенции) for string orchestra, Op. 46a (1962); original for piano * Symphony No. 3 for string orchestra and timpani, Op. 50 (1964) * ''Overture'', Op. 56 (1967) ;Concertante * ''Fantasia Concertante'' (Концертная фантазия) for violin and orchestra (1955) * Concerto for viola and chamber orchestra, Op. 52 (1967) * Concerto for trombone and orchestra (1968) * Concerto for viola, piano and string orchestra, Op. 73 (1981) * ''Romance'' (Романс) for cello, piano and chamber ensemble (1981); also for solo cello, 4 cellos and piano; music from the film '' Lenin in Paris'' ;Chamber music * ''Prelude and Fugue'' (Прелюдия и фуга) for string quartet (1940) * String Quartet No. 1 (1936) * Sonata No. 1 for violin and piano (1946) * String Quartet No. 2 (1947) * ''Nature's Calendar'' (Календарь природы), Cycle of 10 pieces after

for violin and piano (1947, 1948) (1947); original for orchestra * Sonatina for oboe and piano (1949) * String Quartet No. 3 (1949) * Sonata No. 1 for cello and piano (1951) * ''Aria'' (Ария) for cello and piano (1952) * Sonatina for flute and piano (1952) * Sonata No. 2 for cello and piano (1957) * String Quartet No. 4 (1958) * ''Aria and Intermezzo'' (Ария и интермеццо) for cello and piano (1962) * ''Concert Fantasy on Themes of Three Folk Songs of Western Ukraine'' (Концертная фантазия на темы трех песен народов Западной Украины) for trumpet and piano (1963) * ''8 Pieces'' (Восемь пьес) for cello and piano (1963) * ''Romance'' (Романс) for flute and piano (1963) * Sonata No. 2 for violin and piano (1964) * Sonata No. 1 for clarinet and piano (1966) * Sonata No. 3 for violin and piano (1968) * ''Divertimento'' (Дивертисмент) for violin and piano (1969) * Sonata for oboe and piano (1971) * Sonata No. 2 for clarinet and piano (1971) * Sonata for viola and piano, Op. 62 No. 1 (1971) * ''6 Pieces'' (Шесть пьес) for string quartet, Op. 64 (1972) * Sonata for 3 clarinets (1974) * String Quartet No. 5 (1977) * Piano Quintet, Op. 72 (1981) * ''Romance'' (Романс) for solo cello, 4 cellos and piano (1981); also for cello, piano and chamber ensemble; music from the film '' Lenin in Paris'' * ''Fantasia'' (Фантазия) for cello and piano (1982) * Sonata No. 3 for clarinet and piano (1982) * ''Phèdre'' (Федра; Phaedra) for viola solo, 2 violins, cello and piano, Op. 78 (1985) * Sonata No. 2 for viola and piano (1985); second version of ''Phèdre'' ;Piano * ''Toccata'' (Токката) (1935) * ''Variations'' (Вариации) (1937) * ''All Year Round'' (Круглый год), 12 Pieces after

(1951); also for orchestra * ''Children's Album'' (Детский альбом) (1961) * ''Inventions'' (Инвенции), Op. 46 (1962); also for orchestra * ''Hungarian Album'' (Венгерский альбом), 14 Pieces (1966) * Sonatina (1971) * Sonata No. 1 (1973) * Sonata No. 2 (1974) * Sonata for 2 pianos (1985) * ''A Day in the Country'' * ''Youthful Adventures'' * ''Russian Tales'' ;Vocal * ''6 Songs'' for voice and piano (1949); words 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 ...

* ''7 Songs on Words of Armenian Poets'' (Семь романсов на cлова армянских поэтов) (1949) * ''5 Sonnets 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 ...

'' (Пять сонетов У. Шекспира) for voice and piano (1959) * ''4 Songs'' for voice and piano (1961); words by

* ''Prison Diary'' (Тюремный дневник), Song Cycle for voice and piano (1962); words by

Ho Chi Minh (born ; 19 May 1890 – 2 September 1969), colloquially known as Uncle Ho () among other aliases and sobriquets, was a Vietnamese revolutionary and politician who served as the founder and first President of Vietnam, president of the ...

* ''Before the Storm'' (Перед бурей), Song Cycle for voice and piano (1958) * ''Poetry'' (Поэзия), Cycle for 2 voices, clarinet, cello, piano and percussion (1973); words by

* ''5 Songs'' for voice and piano (1985); words from ''Winter'' (Зима) by

;Choral * ''Rainbow'' (Радуга), Cycle for chorus and chamber orchestra (1963); words by Samuil Zalmanovich Galkin ;Film scores * ''Smoke in the Forest'' (Дым в лесу) (1955); directed by Yevgeny Karelov and Yuri Chylyukin * ''Circus Festival'', documentary film (1958) * ''Timur and His Command'', also ''Timur and His Team'' (Тимур и его команда) (1976); directed by Alexander Blank and Sergei Linkov * ''Marshal revolyutsii'' (Маршал революции) (1978); directed by Sergei Linkov * ''Krik gagary'' (Крик гагары) (1980); directed by Sergei Linkov * '' Lenin in Paris'' (1981); directed by

Sergei Yutkevich Sergei Iosifovich Yutkevich (, 28 December 1904 – 23 April 1985) was a Soviet film director and screenwriter. He was a People's Artist of the USSR (1962) and a Hero of Socialist Labour (1974). Life and career He began work as a teen do ...

* ''Bereg yevo zhizni'' (Берег его жизни) (1984); directed by Yury Solomin * ''The Best Years'' (Лучшие годы) (1994); directed by Sergei Linkov

Discography

* ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (Das Tagebuch Der Anne Frank), Monologue-Opera; World Premiere Recording; Sandra Schwarzhaupt (soprano); Hans Erik Deckert (director); Emsland Ensemble; Profil PH04044

Bibliography

* Фрид, Григорий: ''Музыка. Общение. Судьбы: О Московском молодежном музыкальном клубе: Статьи и очерки''; Автор предисловия И. Нестьев 237, с. ил. 22 см, М. Сов. композитор 1987 * Фрид, Григорий: ''Музыка! Музыка? Музыка... и молодежь'', 213, с. ил., нот. ил. 26 см, М. Советский композитор 1991

References

External links

Grigory Frid pages at Sikorski
biography, worklist, performance schedule *
Interview

Notice of Death

Encompass Opera Theatre's production in New York and Cleveland

, Berliner Kammeroper's 2005 production {{DEFAULTSORT:Frid, Grigory 1915 births 2012 deaths Composers from Saint Petersburg People from Sankt-Peterburgsky Uyezd Russian Jews Communist Party of the Soviet Union members Russian opera composers Russian male opera composers Pupils of Vissarion Shebalin Russian classical musicians Soviet military personnel of World War II Soviet composers Moscow Conservatory alumni