Sviridov, Georgi (Vasilevich)

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Sviridov, Georgi (Vasilevich)

Sviridov, Georgi (Vasilevich), Russian composer and pianist; b. Fatezh, near Kursk, Dec. 16, 1915; d. Moscow, Jan. 6, 1998. After studies in Kursk (1929-32), he was a student of Yudin (composition) at the Leningrad Central Music Coll. (1932-36) and of Shostakovich (composition and orchestration) at the Leningrad Cons, (graduated, 1941). From 1945 he made appearances as a pianist but devoted much time to composition. In 1970 he was made a People’s Artist of the U.S.S.R. His Oratorio pathétique (1959) was one of the most successful works by a Soviet composer as per the tenets of socialist realism.

Works

dramatic: Othello, incidental music to Shakespeare’s play (1944); Twinling Lights, operetta (1951); film scores. ORCH.: Sym. for Strings (1940); Music for Chamber Orch. (1964). CHAMBER: String Quartet (1945); many piano pieces. VOCAL: The Decembrists, oratorio (1955); Oratorio pathétique (1959); Poem About Lenin for Bass, Chorus, and Orch. (1960); 5 Songs About Our Fatherland for Voices, Chorus, and Orch. (1967); numerous solo songs.

Bibliography

D. Frishman, ed., G. S. (Moscow, 1971); A. Sokhor, G. S.(Moscow, 1972).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire