Ivan Alexandrovich Wyschnegradsky ( ; September 29, 1979), 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 ...

primarily known for his

microtonal Microtonality is the use in music of microtones — intervals smaller than a semitone, also called "microintervals". It may also be extended to include any music using intervals not found in the customary Western tuning of twelve equal interv ...

compositions. For most of his life, from 1920 onwards, Wyschnegradsky lived in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

Life

Ivan Wyschnegradsky 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 ...

on May 4, 1893. His father,

Alexander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here ar ...

, was a banker, and his mother, Sophie, wrote poems. His grandfather

Ivan Ivan () is a Slavic male given name, connected with the variant of the Greek name (English: John) from Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. It is associated worldwide with Slavic countries. The earliest person known to bear the name was the B ...

was a celebrated mathematician who served as the Minister for Finance from 1888 to 1892. After his baccalaureate, Wyschnegradsky entered the School of Mathematics. He studied

harmony In music, harmony is the concept of combining different sounds in order to create new, distinct musical ideas. Theories of harmony seek to describe or explain the effects created by distinct pitches or tones coinciding with one another; harm ...

composition Composition or Compositions may refer to: Arts and literature *Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography * Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include ...

, and

orchestration Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble, such as a concert band) or of adapting music composed for another medium for an orchestra. Also called "instrumentation", orch ...

with Nicolas Sokolov at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. In 1912, he entered the School of Law. In November 1916, Wyschnegradsky had a spiritual vision. It inspired the composition of ''La Journée de l’Existence'' for narrator with orchestra and chorus. He worked on it for several decades, and it would not be performed until 1978. Most of his later work germinated from this singular experience. He completed his law studies the day before the

revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...

in 1917. His father died that November. Wyschnegradsky moved to Paris in 1920.Criton, Pascale. "Vyschnegradsky ïshnegradsky Ivan."

Grove Music Online ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language '' Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', it is one of the largest reference works on the history and t ...

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...

, 2001. Three years later, he married Hélène Benois, the daughter of Alexandre Benois. It was her second marriage. Their son Dimitri was born in 1924. He grew up to become an influential

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

historian using the pen name Jacques Demêtre. Wyschnegradsky and Benois divorced in 1926. His second wife was Lucile Markov (Gayden). In 1942, Wyschnegradsky was arrested by the Germans and transferred to Royallieu-Compiègne internment camp, where he remained for two months. As an American, Lucile was interned at Vittel. After the war, he contracted

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 ...

and lived at the sanatorium of St. Martin-du-Tertre from 1947–50. Lucile passed away in 1970. Wyschnegradsky's senescence in his Paris apartment is often described as impoverished and austere.

Paul Auster Paul Benjamin Auster (February 3, 1947 – April 30, 2024) was an American writer, novelist, memoirist, poet, and filmmaker. His notable works include '' The New York Trilogy'' (1987), '' Moon Palace'' (1989), '' The Music of Chance'' (1990), ' ...

fictionalized his friendship with the composer in his 1986 novel '' The Locked Room''. In the novel, Wyschnegradsky is mentioned by name and given a refrigerator by his much younger friend. Wyschnegradsky died at the age of 86 in Paris on September 29, 1979.

Music career

Wyschnegradsky's first performed work was ''Andante religioso and funèbre'' in 1912. César Cui attended the concert and congratulated Wyschnegradsky "for his moderation".Ivan Wyschnegradsky
,

IRCAM IRCAM (French: ''Ircam, '', English: Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music) is a French institute dedicated to the research of music and sound, especially in the fields of Avant-garde music, avant garde and Electroacoustic ...

. November 3, 2024. Accessed January 25, 2025. He was enthusiastic about the Russian Revolution and set Vasily Knyazev's ''The Red Gospel'' to music. Wyschnegradsky was deeply influenced by

Alexander 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 ...

's mysticism and approach to tonality.Vyslouzil, Jiri.
Ivan Vyschnegradskij, kapitolaze zapomenutych hudebnich avantgard
, '' Opus Musicum'' 2.

Brno Brno ( , ; ) is a Statutory city (Czech Republic), city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava (river), Svitava and Svratka (river), Svratka rivers, Brno has about 403,000 inhabitants, making ...

, 1969. 36–40. Though he did not attend Mikhail Matyushin's

Futurist Futurists (also known as futurologists, prospectivists, foresight practitioners and horizon scanners) are people whose specialty or interest is futures studies or futurology or the attempt to systematically explore predictions and possibilities ...

opera '' Victory over the Sun'' in 1913, the brief use of quarter-tones in the score had a profound effect on his artistic development. In 1919, Wyschnegradsky provided incidental music for a production of ''

Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...

'' at the Bolshoi Drama Theater. Wyschnegradsky soon became convinced that equal temperament was inadequate for his work and began writing in microtones. All of the composer's early microtonal work was executed on two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart.Ivan Wyschnegradsky
. Huygens-Fokker.org. Accessed January 27, 2025. A primary motivation for his emigration in 1920 was the desire to develop instruments capable of playing microtones. He had every intention of returning to the Soviet Union, but it had changed too much by the time he was ready a few years later. Wyschnegrasky designed a quarter-tone keyboard with three manuals.Järvi, Elisa. "Kohti uutta neljäsosasävelaskelpianoa" in
KARTANOISTA KAIKKIEN SOITTIMEKSI II Pianonsoiton historiaa Suomessa
'. Taideyliopiston Sibelius-Akatemia, 2019. 175–188. :Partially translated at
Quartertone Piano
, Uniarts.fi. The quarter tone scale (24- tet: 50 cents) is the most frequent microtonality in his work. Wyschnegradsky also wrote one piece for Julián Carrillo's third-tone piano (18-tet: 66. cents). In purusit of what he called "ultrachromaticisim", Wyschnegradsky composed in even smaller divisions of the octave such as

sixth tone ''Sixth Tone'' () is a Chinese state-owned English-language online magazine published by Shanghai United Media Group. Name ''Sixth Tones name relates to the number of tones in Mandarin Chinese, but also is stated to carry more metaphoric ...

s (36-tet: 33. cents) and twelfth tones (72-tet: 16. cents).

Gustave Lyon Gustave Lyon (19 November 1857 – 12 January 1936) was a French piano maker, acoustician and inventor. He was head of Pleyel et Cie from 1887. Life Lyon was born in Paris in 1857, son of Jacob Lyon, a singing teacher, and his wife Fanny ''née'' ...

at Pleyel was sympathetic to Wyschnegradsky's ambitions. The firm manufactured a quarter-tone piano for him in 1921 that relied on the pneumatic Pleyela system in their

player piano A player piano is a self-playing piano with a pneumatic or electromechanical mechanism that operates the piano action using perforated paper or metallic rolls. Modern versions use MIDI. The player piano gained popularity as mass-produced home ...

s. The instrument produced inconsistent tone, making it undesirable for the composer. However, he did make extended use of punching

piano roll A piano roll is a music storage medium used to operate a player piano, piano player or reproducing piano. Piano rolls, like other music rolls, are continuous rolls of paper with holes punched into them. These perforations represent note contro ...

s to develop the sophistication of his music. There was more quarter-tone interest in Berlin where he went to work with Richard Stein,

Alois Hába Alois Hába (21 June 1893 – 18 November 1973) was a Czech composer, music theorist and teacher. He belongs to the important discoverers in modern classical music, and to the major composers of microtonal music, especially using the quarter-to ...

, Jörg Mager, and Willy von Möllendorff. In

Braunschweig Braunschweig () or Brunswick ( ; from Low German , local dialect: ) is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Lower Saxony, Germany, north of the Harz Mountains at the farthest navigable point of the river Oker, which connects it to the ...

, Hába and Möllendorff were advising

Grotrian-Steinweg Grotrian-Steinweg, known as Grotrian in the US, was a German manufacturer of prestige pianos. The company is based in Braunschweig, Germany, commonly known as Brunswick in English. Grotrian-Steinweg made premium grand pianos and upright pianos. ...

on a quarter-tone piano. There were many disagreements about the layout for the keyboard. Möllendorf had designed a Straube

harmonium The pump organ or reed organ is a type of organ that uses free reeds to generate sound, with air passing over vibrating thin metal strips mounted in a frame. Types include the pressure-based harmonium, the suction reed organ (which employs a va ...

with smaller keys for microtones. Wyschnegradsky found it effective enough to purchase one, but he knew keyboards like Möllendorf's and Paul von Jankó's did not afford enough kinetic potential to performers. Grotrian-Steinweg built a prototype and marketed it in the spring of 1924. The instrument is lost, but the firm still has a portion of the keyboard mechanism in their archive. Hába realized the project with August Förster in 1928 using a keyboard based on Wyschnegradsky's design. In 1929, one of the Förster upright quarter-tone pianos was delivered to Wyschnegradsky's apartment in Paris where he composed on it for the rest of his life. Even with a suitable quarter-tone instrument, Wyschnegradsky still found performing his music more feasible with separately tuned piano ensembles. Hába disapproved of the technique, preferring quarter-tone music to be performed on quarter-tone instruments. Wyschnegradsky reminded Hába that he designed the quarter-tone keyboard and that when two pianos of the same make are tuned correctly they sound like one instrument.Wyschnegradsky, Ivan.
Réponse à Hába
, ''La Revue musicale'', vol. 19, no 180. Janvier, 1938. 76–8. Though living in Paris, Wyschnegradsky's microtonal work was influential in Russia during the twenties. He maintained a correspondence with Georgy Rimsky-Korsakov ( Nikolai's grandson) who organized performances of his work on programs of microtonal music by young Soviet composers.

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 ...

often performed on these concerts.Ader, Lidia. �
Microtonal Storm and Stress: Georgy Rimsky-Korsakov and Quarter-Tone Music In 1920s Soviet Russia
” ''Tempo'' 63.250. October, 2009. 27–44. In 1932, he published a 24-page brochure about quarter-tones. In 1934, he composed ''Twenty-four Preludes in All the Tones of the Chromatic Scale Diatonicized with Thirteen Sounds'', for two pianos in quarter tones. As early as November 1918, Wyschnegradsky had begun working on ''Ainsi parlait Zarathoustra'' based on

Friedrich Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher. He began his career as a classical philology, classical philologist, turning to philosophy early in his academic career. In 1869, aged 24, Nietzsche bec ...

's sketch for the novel. His original ensemble was a standard orchestra with quarter-tone clarinet, harmonium, and piano. Its finished form was for four pianos, 2 tuned to 435

Hertz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or Cycle per second, cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in ter ...

and 2 tuned a quarter-tone higher. It was premiered along with several of his other works at the

Salle Pleyel The Salle Pleyel (, meaning "Pleyel Hall") is a concert hall in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France, designed by the acoustician Gustave Lyon together with the architect Jacques Marcel Auburtin, who died in 1926, and the work was completed i ...

on January 25, 1937. The concert was a success and led to friendships with fellow composers

Olivier Messiaen Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithology, ornithologist. One of the major composers of the 20th-century classical music, 20th century, he was also an ou ...

Henri Dutilleux Henri Paul Julien Dutilleux (; 22 January 1916 – 22 May 2013) was a French composer of late 20th-century classical music. Among the leading French composers of his time, his work was rooted in the Impressionistic style of Debussy and R ...

, and Claude Ballif. In October 1938, Wyschnegradsky directed the recording of the third movement of ''Zarathoustra''.Hill, Jen.
Microtonal piano sounds: a 1930s audio recording and a unique score of Ivan Wyschnegradsky’s Ainsi parlait Zarathoustra in Rare Music
, The University of Melbourne. June 23, 2017. After the war, Wyschnegradsky organized another concert of his work at the Salle Pleyel on November 11, 1945. The performers included several of Messiaen's students such as Yvonne Loriod,

Pierre Boulez Pierre Louis Joseph Boulez (; 26 March 19255 January 2016) was a French composer, conductor and writer, and the founder of several musical institutions. He was one of the dominant figures of post-war contemporary classical music. Born in Montb ...

, and Serge Nigg.Ellenberger, Michel.
Biography
, ''Ivan-wyschnegradsky.fr''. Accessed January 26, 2025. In 1951, Pierre Boulez, Yvette Grimaud, Claude Helffer, and Ina Marika gave a performance of the composer's ''Second Symphonic Fragment'' in Paris. ''The Revue Musicale'' published a special issue on Ivan Wyschnegradsky and Nicolas Obouhow in 1972. 1977 saw special concerts of Wyschnegradsky's music organized at

Radio France Radio France () is the French national public radio broadcaster. Stations Radio France offers seven national networks: *France Inter — Radio France's "generalist media, generalist" station, featuring entertaining and informative talk mixed wi ...

by Martine Joste and in Canada by Bruce Mather. The composer also improvised on piano for one of Margaret Fisher's performances in Paris that year.Fisher, Margaret.
A Remembrance
. Ivan-Wyschnegradsky.fr. Accessed January 28, 2025. In 1978, Alexandre Myrat conducted the premiere of ''La Journée de l’Existence'' with the Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France. Ivan Wyschnegradsky was invited to the

DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program The DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program (German: Berliner Künstlerprogramm des DAAD) is a residential program for artists of all countries and ages run by the German Academic Exchange Service (German: 'Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst', DAAD) ...

. He could not go due to ill health. His last commission was from Radio France for a string trio. He died before he could complete it.

Theories

Throughout his career, Wyschnegradsky wrote theoretical articles in a variety of languages. He worked on a microtonality treatise for decades. Titled ''La Loi de la Pansonorité'' (The Law of Pansonority), it was not published in his lifetime. "Pansonority" was Wyschnegradsky's way of articulating the mystical experience he had in 1916. He realized that music represented a separation of sounds out of a continuous fabric that exists in the universe. Of this pansonority, Wyschnegradsky wrote in 1927:

"...isolated sounds do not exist...the entire musical space is filled with living sonorous matter. This state, absolutely incomprehensible to human reason, may be clearly felt, and sentiment can perceive or "hear" this sonority through a manner of inner intuition. But musical art operates through detached sounds, and because of this it is artificial and anti-continuous. Hence the primordial tragedy of music: the impossibility of attaining its ideal: Pan-sonority. And yet, in spite of this, the entire history of musical art is nothing but an attempt to reach the ideal.Wischnegradsky, Ivan. "Quartertonal music, its possibilities and organic sources ethod of notation. Harmonic implications. Concept of pan-sonority. ''Pro-Musica Quarterly'', Volume VI No. I. October, 1927. 19-31.

As evidence for pansonority, Wyschnegradsky would point to the inaccurate assignment of note names to

overtones An overtone is any resonant frequency above the fundamental frequency of a sound. (An overtone may or may not be a harmonic) In other words, overtones are all pitches higher than the lowest pitch within an individual sound; the fundamental i ...

. Partials like the 11th, 13th, and 14th are raised by an entire quarter-tone to fit into equal temperament. Since these quarter-tones are naturally occurring in the harmonic series, Wyschnegradsky posits that microintervals are organic and provide a richer tone world. In 1932, Wyschnegradsky published a brief but methodical brochure on microtonality, advancing the field beyond what had been written to date by composers like

Charles Ives Charles Edward Ives (; October 20, 1874May 19, 1954) was an American modernist composer, actuary and businessman. Ives was among the earliest renowned American composers to achieve recognition on a global scale. His music was largely ignored d ...

and

. ''Manuel d’harmonie á quarts de ton'' (Manual of Quarter-Tone Harmony) systematizes microintervals, albeit with idiosyncratic names. For instance, a major third that has been lowered by a quarter-tone is called "neutral" because it is neither major nor minor. A perfect fourth that has been raised by a quarter-tone is called "major". Part of Wyschnegradsky's mystical vision of pantonality corresponded to the color spectrum. As he aged, he spent more of his energy on producing chromatic drawings that resemble

mandala A mandala (, ) is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for establishing a sacred space and as an aid ...

s. The 12 pitches of the chromatic scale are assigned different colors and the microtones are related shades.Barthelmes, Barbara. ''Raum und Klang, das musikalische und theoretische Schaffen Ivan Wyschnegradskys''. Wolke Verlag, 1995. 203. Like Scriabin, Wyschnegradsky wanted to combine color and sound, and he envisioned the chromatic drawings as projections on a dome above the audience.Allende-Blin, Juan.
Ein Gespräch mit Ivan Wyschnegradsky
" in ''Aleksandr Skrjabin und die Skrjabinisten'', ed. Heinz-Klaus Metzger and Rainer Riehn. Munich: Edition Text + Kritik, 1983. 103–122.

Works

;Orchestral *''La Journée de l'existence'', for recitation, orchestra & choir ad. lib. (1916–1917, revised 1927 & 1939) *''Variations sans thème et conclusion'' (5), for orchestra, Op. 33 (1951–1952)○ *''Polyphonies spatiales'', for piano, harmonium, Onde Martenot, percussions & string orchestra, Op. 39 (1956)○ *''L'Éternel Étranger'', for voices, mixed choir, 4 pianos in quarter tones, percussions and orchestra (unfinished orchestration), Op. 50 (1940–1960)○ *''Symphonie en un mouvement'', for orchestra, Op. 51b (1969)○ ;Vocal *''L'automne'' (words by F. Nietzsche, translated to Russian), for bass-baritone & piano, Op. 1 (1917) Ed. Belaieff. *''Le soleil décline'' (words by F. Nietzsche), for bass-baritone & piano, Op. 3 (1917–1918) Ed. Belaieff. *''Le scintillement des étoile''s (words by Sophie Wyschnegradsky), for soprano & piano, Op. 4 (1918) *''L'Évangile Rouge'' (words by Vassili Kniaseff), cycle for voice & piano (1st version), Op. 8 (1918–1920) *''L'Évangile Rouge'', cycle for voice & 2 pianos in quarter tones (2nd version), Op. 8 (1918–1920)○ *''Chants sur Nietzsche'' (2), for baritone & 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 9 (1923)○ *''À Richard Wagner'', for baritone & 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 26 (1934)○ *''Chants russes'' (2), for bass-baritone & 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 29 (1940–1941)○ *''Le mot'', for soprano & piano, Op. 36 (1953) ;Keyboard *''Préludes'' (2), for piano, Op. 2 (1916) Ed. Belaieff. *''Quatre fragment''s, for piano (1st version), Op. 5 (1918) *''Prélude et fugue sur un chant de l'Évangile rouge'', for quartertone piano, version for string quartet (lost), Op. 15 (1927)○ *''Prélude'', for piano, Op. 38a (1956) *''Étude sur le carré magique sonore'', for piano, Op. 40 (1956) Ed. Belaieff. *''Étude ultrachromatique'', for Fokker 31-tone organ, Op. 42 (1959)+ *''Prélude et danse'', for Carrillo third tones piano, Op. 48 (1966)‣ *''Deux piéces'', for Carrillo twelfth tones piano, Op. 44b (1958)‡ *''Trauergesang'', ''Epigrammen'', ''Ein Stück'', for quartertone piano, without Op. (undated, found by M. Smolka in Alois Hába's archives in 1992)○ ;Chamber *''Chant douloureux et étude'', for violin & piano, Op. 6 (1918)§ *''Quatre fragments'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones (2nd version), Op. 5 (1918)○ *''Méditation sur deux thèmes de la Journée de l'existence'', for cello & piano, Op. 7 (1918–1919)§ *''Variations sur la note Do'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 10 (1918–1920)○ *''Dithyrambe'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 12 (1923–1924, revised vers. by Bruce Mather, 1991)○ *''String Quartet #1'', Op. 13 (1923–1924)○ *''Prélude et danse'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 16 (1926)○ *''Chant nocturne'', for violin & 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 11 (1927, revised 1971)§ *''Ainsi parlait Zarathoustra'', symphonie, for 4 pianos in quarter tones (sketches for orchestration in Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris), Op. 17 (1929–1930, revised 1936, Ed. L'Oiseau-Lyre)○ *''String Quartet #2'', Op. 18 (1930–1931)○ *''Études de concert''(2), for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 19 (1931)○ *''Étude en forme de scherzo'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 20 (1931)○ *''Prélude et fugue'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 21 (1932)○ *''Pièces'' (2), for 2 pianos in quarter tones, without Op. (1934)○ *''Préludes dans tous les tons de l'échelle chromatique diatonisée à 13 sons'' (24), for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 22 (1934, rev. 1960) Ed. Belaieff.○ *''Premier fragment symphonique'', for 4 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 23a; for orchestra, Op. 23c (1934, orch. vers. 1967)○ *''Deuxième fragment symphonique'', for 4 pianos in quarter tones, timpani & percussions, Op. 24 (1937)○ *''Poème'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones, without Op. (1937)○ *''Cosmos'', for 4 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 28 (1939–1940) Ed. Belaieff.○ *''String Quartet #3'', Op. 38b (1945–1958) *''Prélude et fugue'', for 3 pianos in sixth tones, Op. 30 (1945)† *''Troisième fragment symphonique'', for 4 pianos in quarter tones & ad. lib. percussions, Op. 31 (1946)○ *''Fugues'' (2), for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 32 (1951)○ *''Transparence I'', for Onde Martenot & 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 35 (1953)○ *''Arc-en-ciel'', for 6 pianos in twelfth tones, Op. 37 (1956)‡ *''Études sur les densités et les volumes'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 39b (1956)○ *''Quatrième fragment symphonique'', for 4 Ondes Martenot & 4 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 38c (1956)○ *''Poème'', for Carrillo sixth tones piano, Op. 44a (1958)† *''Dialogue'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones, 8 hands, without Op. (1959)○ *''Sonate en un mouvement'', for viola & 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 34 (1945–1959)○ *''Composition en quarts de ton'' for string quartet Op. 43 (1960) Ed. Belaieff.○ *''Composition II'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 46b (1960)○ *''Études sur les mouvements rotatoires'', for 3 pianos in sixth tones & orchestra, Op. 45b (1961)† *''Composition I'', for 3 pianos in sixth tones, Op. 46a (1961)† *''Études sur les mouvements rotatoires'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones, 8 hands, Op. 45a.; for chamber orchestra, Op. 45c (1961) Ed. Belaieff.○ *''Intégrations'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 49 (1962)○ *''Transparence II'', for Onde Martenot & 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 47 (1962–1963)○ *''Composition'', for Ondes Martenot quartet, Op. 52 (1963)○ *''Dialogue à deux'', for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 41 (1958–1973)○ *''Dialogue à trois'', for 3 pianos in sixth tones, Op. 51 (1973–1974)† *''Méditations'' (2), for 3 pianos in sixth tones, without Op. (undated)† *''Œuvre sans titre'', for 3 pianos in sixth tones & piano in quarter tones, without Op. (undated) *''String Trio'', Op. 53 (1979, unfinished, completed by Claude Ballif)○ ;Choral ''Chœurs'' (2, words by A. Pomorsky), for mixed choir, 4 pianos in quarter tones & percussions, Op. 14 (1926)○ ;Theatrical *''Linnite'', pantomime in 1 act & 5 scenes, for 3 voices & 4 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 25 (1937)○ *''Acte chorégraphique'', for bass-baritone, mixed choir, 4 pianos in quarter tones, percussions & ad. lib. instruments (viola, clarinet in C & balalaika), Op. 27 (1937–1940)○

Writings

*"Liberation of sound" (in Russian). ''Nakanune''. Berlin. January 7, 1923. *"Раскрепощение ритма" (Liberation of rhythm).
Nakanune
', Berlin. March 18 & 25, 1923. 6–7, 8–9. *"Quelques considérations sur l'emploi des quarts de ton en musique". ''Le monde musical''. Paris, 30 juin 1927. *"Quartertonal music, its possibilities and organic Sources", ''Pro Musica Quarterly''. New York, 19 octobre 1927. 19–31.
Musique et Pansonorité
. ''La revue Musicale'' IX, Paris, décembre 1927, pp 143. *''Manuel d'harmonie à quarts de ton''. Paris: La Sirène Musical, 1932. ::Translated by Ivor Darreg.
Xenharmonikôn
' 6, Summer 1977. ::Reissued b
Éditions Max Eschig
1980.
Translated by Rosalie Kaplan
New York: Underwolf Editions, 2017. *"Etude sur l'harmonie par quartes superposées". '' Le Ménestrel''. 12 Avril 1935
125–6
19 Avril 1935
135–6
*"La musique à quarts de ton et sa réalisation pratique". ''La Revue Musicale 171'', 1937. *"L'énigme de la musique moderne". ''La Revue d'esthétique'', Janvier-mars 1949, pp 67–85 et avril-juin 1949, pp 181–205. *"Préface à un traité d'harmonie par quartes superposées". ''Polyphonie'' 3,1949. 56–62. *"Problèmes d'ultrachromatisme". ''Polyphonie'' 9–10, 1954. 129–142. *"Les Pianos de J. Carrillo". ''Guide du concert et du disque'', Paris, 19 janvier 1959. *''Continuum électronique et suppression de l'interprète''. Cahiers d'études de Radio Télévision, Paris, Avril 1958, pp 43–53. *"L'ultrachromatisme et les espaces non octaviants", ''La Revue Musicale'' #290–291. 71–141, Ed. Richard-Masse, Paris, 1972. *
La Loi de la Pansonorité
' (Manuscript, 1953), Ed. Contrechamps, Geneva, 1996. Preface by Pascal Criton, edited by . . *''Une philosophie dialectique de l'art musical'' (Manuscript, 1936), Ed. L'Harmattan, Paris, 2005, edited by Franck Jedrzejewski. . *
Libération Du Son : Écrits 1916-1979
'. Symétrie, 2013.

Recordings

* Ivan Wyschnegradsky.
Ainsi Parlait Zarathoustra
' (third movement), op. 17. L'Oiseau-Lyre Editions, 1938. * Mather-Lepage.
Piano Duo
'. McGill University Records 77002. 1977. ::''Concert Etude Nos. 1 & 2'', op. 19; ''Fugue Nos. 1 & 2'', op. 33; ''Integration Nos. 1 &2'', op. 49. * Ivan Wyschnegradsky.
Vierteltonmusik
'. Editions Block, Berlin, 2 LP, EB 107/108. 1983. ::Nr. 14,16,17,18,19 Aus ''24 Préludes Dans Tous Les Tons De L'Échelle Chromatique Diatonisée À 13 Sons'', op. 22; ''Prélude Et Étude'', op. 48; ''Étude Sur Les Mouvements Rotatoires'', op. 45; ''Méditation Sur 2 Thèmes De La Journée De L'Existence'', op. 7; ''Étude Sur Le Carré Magique Sonore'', op. 40; ''Prélude Et Fugue'', op. 21; ''Troisième Fragment Symphonique'', op. 32; Interview with composer. *
Music for Three Pianos in Sixths of Tones
'. McGill University Records, 83017. 1985. ::''Dialogue à trois'' op. 51; ''Composition'' op. 46, no. 1; ''Prélude et Fugue'', op. 30. * Ivan Wyschnegradsky.
Vingt-quatre Préludes opus 22, Intégrations opus 49
'. Fontec records, FOCD 3216. 1988. * Arditti String Quartet.
Ivan Wyschnegradsky
'. Edition Block, Berlin, CD-EB 201. 1990. ::''String Quartet # 1–3'', op. 13, 18, 38bis; ''Composition for String Quartet'', op. 43; ''Trio for strings'', op. 53. * American Festival Of Microtonal Music Ensemble,
Between The Keys: Microtonal Masterpieces Of The 20th Century
'. Newport Classic, NPD 85526. 1992. ::''Meditation On Two Themes From The Day Of Existence, Op. 7'', transcribed for bassoon and piano by Johnny Reinhard. *
Hommage à Ivan Wyschnegradsky
'. Société Nouvelle d'Enregistrement, SNE-589-CD. 1994. ::''Transparencies I & II''; ''3 Compositions en quarts de ton''; ''Cosmos''. * Martin Gelland/Lennart Wallin.
Lyrische Aspekte unseres Jahrhundert
'. Vienna Modern Masters, VMM 2017. 1995. ::''Chant Douloureux Für Violine Und Klavier'', op. 6; ''Chant Nocturne Für Violine Und 2 Klaviere Im Vierteltonabstand'' *
25 Jaar Nieuwe Muziek In Zeeland
'. BV Haast Records/Nieuwe Muziek, CD 9501/02. 1995. ::''Ainsi Parlait Zarathoustra'', op. 17. *
Acte Choreographique Opus 27
'. Mikroton, 1999. *
Wyschnegradsky
'. 2e2m Collection 1001, 1995. ::''Etudes Sur les Mouvements Rotatoires'', op. 45c' ''Sonate'', op. 34; ''Dialogue''; ''Etudes sur les Densités et les Volumes'', op. 39bis; ''Deux Chants sur Nietzsche'', op. 9; ''Dithyrambe'', op. 12. *

'. Stichting Huygens-Fokker, 1999. ::''Etude Ultrachromatique pour l'orgue tricesimoprimal'', op.42 * Ivan Wyschnegradsky/Bruce Mather.
L'Evangile rouge
' (The Red Gospel). Société Nouvelle d'Enregistrement, SNE-647-CD. 1999. ::''L'Evangile Rouge'', op. 8; ''Deux Chants sur Nietzsche'', op. 9; ''Deux Chants Russes'', op. 29; ''À Richard Wagner'', op. 26 *
Etude Sur Les Mouvements Rotatoires/24 Préludes
'. Col Legno, 20206. 2002. ::''Etude Sur Les Mouvements Rotatoires'', op. 45a; ''24 Préludes Dans L'Échelle Chromatique Diatonisée À 13 Sons'', op. 22 *
Quarter-Tone Pieces
'. hat owRT 143, 2006. ::''Preludes In Quarter-Tone System'' (excerpts); ''Etude Sur Le "Carré Magique Sonore"'', op. 40 *
La Journée de l'existence
'. Shiiin, 4. 2009. * Thomas Günther,
Klavierwerke Um Den Russischen Futurismus Vol. 1
'. Cybele, 160.404. 2009. ::''Deux Préludes Pour Piano'', op. 2; ''Etude Sur Le Carré Magique Sonore'', op. 40 *
Pianos Quart De Ton
'. Shiiin, 10. 2018. ::''4e Fragment Symphonique Op.38c Pour Ondes Martenot Et 4 Pianos''; ''Ainsi Parlait Zarathoustra'', op.17; ''Méditation Sur Deux Thèmes De La Journée De L'Existence'', op.7

Sources

Notes

References

External links

* Skinner, Myles L.
Toward a Quarter -Tone Syntax: Analyses of Selected Works by Blackwood, Hába, Ives, and Wyschnegradsky
'.

State University of New York at Buffalo The State University of New York at Buffalo (commonly referred to as UB, University at Buffalo, and sometimes SUNY Buffalo) is a public research university in Buffalo and Amherst, New York, United States. The university was founded in 1846 a ...

. New York, 2007. * Beaulieu, Marc.
Cyclical Structures and Linear Voice-Leading in the Music of Ivan Wyschnegradsky
. ''Ex Tempore'', Vol. V/2: Fall 1991. * Dixon, Gavin

''Gavindixon.info''. 2009. * Kaplan, Noah and Rosie Kaplan.
Notes from Underground: Ivan Wyschnegradsky’s Manual of Quarter-Tone Harmony
, New Music USA.
Quartertone Piano Simulator
University of the Arts Helsinki

at the Paul Sacher Stiftung.
Recordings of Wyschnegradsky's music
via Cafechange. {{DEFAULTSORT:Wyschnegradsky, Ivan 20th-century Russian classical composers Soviet classical composers 1893 births 1979 deaths Microtonal composers Russian opera composers Russian male opera composers Composers from Saint Petersburg 20th-century Russian male musicians