Alshvang, Arnold Aleksandrovich

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ALSHVANG, ARNOLD ALEKSANDROVICH

ALSHVANG, ARNOLD ALEKSANDROVICH (1898–1960), musicologist and composer. Born in Kiev, Alshvang became involved in political activities and was exiled to northern Russia in 1914. On his return in 1915 he studied composition, theory, and piano at the Kiev Conservatory with Reingold Glier, Boleslav Yavorsky, and Heinrich Neuhaus. Graduating in 1920, he accepted a teaching post there in 1923. In 1930 he was appointed professor at the Moscow Conservatory. Having abandoned teaching after a serious illness, he devoted himself to writing. Among his works are books on Debussy (1935), Musorgsky (1946), Tchaikovsky (1951, 19592), and Beethoven (1952, 19772), articles on Scriabin and piano playing, and compositions: Symphony (1922), Symphonic Poem on Ukrainian Folk Themes (1927), piano pieces, songs, and choral works.

bibliography:

ng2, s.v.; V. Del'son, in: Sovetskaya muzyka, 2 (1960), 187–9; B. Bernandt and I.M. Yampol'sky, Kto pisal o muzyke ("Writers on Music," 1971).

[Marina Rizarev (2nd ed.)]