Lokshin, Alexander
Lokshin, Alexander
Lokshin, Alexander, Russian composer; b. Biisk, Altai Region, Sept. 19, 1920; d. Moscow, June 11, 1987. He studied with Miaskovsky at the Moscow Cons. (graduated, 1941). The major portion of his output is devoted to his 11 syms., 10 of them vocal, which promote their often poetic and profound expressions through a unique blend of lyricism and contemporary compositional techniques.
Works
orch.:Wait for Me, symphonic poem for Voice and Orch. (1943); Hungarian Fantasia for Violin and Orch. (1952); 11 syms.: No. 1, Requiem, for Chorus and Orch. (1958), No. 2, Greek Epigrams, for Voices and Orch., after ancient Greek poets (1963), No. 3 for Baritone, Men’s Chorus, and Orch., after Kipling (1966), No. 4, Sinfonia stretta (1967), No. 5, Sonnets for Shakespeare, for Baritone, Harp, and Strings (1969), No. 6 for Baritone, Chorus, and Orch., after Alexander Blok (1971), No. 7 for Contralto and Chamber Orch., after Japanese poets of the 7th to the 13th century (1972), No. 8 for Tenor and Orch., after Pushkin (1973), No. 9 for Baritone and Strings, after Martynow (1975), No. 10 for Contralto, Organ, and Orch., after Zabolotsky (1976), and No. 11 for Soprano and Chamber Orch., after Camoëns (1977); Speaking Out Loud, symphonic poem for Bass, Organ, and Orch., after Mayakovsky (1968). chamber:Variations for Piano (1953); Clarinet Quintet (1955); String Quintet (1978). vocal:The Giant Cockroach, comic oratorio (1962); Songs of Margaret for Soprano and Chamber Orch., after Goethe’s Faust (1973); Mater dolorosa, cantata (1977).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire