Andrei Jakowlewitsch Eschpai

Andrei Eschpai (2015)

Andrei Jakowlewitsch Eschpai ( Russian Андрей Яковлевич Эшпай ; born May 15, 1925 in Kosmodemjansk , Republic of Mari El ; †  November 8, 2015 in Moscow ) was a Russian composer .

Life

Andrei Jakowlewitsch Eschpai received his first music lessons from his father Jakow Andrejewitsch Eschpai , who was also a composer and an important folklore collector. The family lived in Moscow from 1928 . From 1934 to 1941 Eschpai received piano lessons at the Gnessin Institute . In 1943 he went to the Second World War as a volunteer . After the war he first studied at the Moscow Music School. From 1948 he attended the Moscow Conservatory, where he took lessons from such prominent teachers as Vladimir Sofronitsky (piano), Nikolai Myaskovsky , Evgeny Golubew and Nikolai Rakow . In 1953 he completed his studies, but remained until 1956 as part of an aspirant course with Aram Chatschaturjan at the Conservatory. After that, Eschpai mainly worked as a freelance composer. Only from 1965 to 1970 did he teach at the Moscow Conservatory. He worked as a high functionary in both the Russian and Soviet composers' associations, but often supported younger composers whose works are characterized by modern tonal language. Eschpai enjoyed high recognition in Russia and, among many other awards, he received the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1975, the title of People 's Artist of the USSR in 1981 and the Lenin Prize in 1986 .

style

Eschpai belonged to the Mari people , which had a decisive influence on his music. Not only his works that explicitly refer to the music of this people, but almost his entire oeuvre draws on Mari folklore. Eschpai thus followed in the footsteps of his father, who was particularly committed to this culture. Other composers who influenced Eschpai were Béla Bartók , Aram Khachaturyan , Sergei Prokofiev and Nikolai Myaskovsky . But it is precisely in the concise rhythm of many works that elements of jazz music can also be identified. All in all, his music is very vital, often dance-like and has a concertante notation, which manifests itself in Eschpai's extensive preoccupation with the genre of the concert. Later works make use of religious, particularly biblical, themes.

In the compositions after 1990 there was a greater degree of harshness and a higher degree of dissonance. Nevertheless, his music is always committed to tonality , even if its limits are sometimes explored.

In addition to his work as a composer, Eschpai also attracted attention as a pianist , although he limited himself to interpreting his own works.

Works

• Orchestral works
  • Symphony No. 1 in E flat minor (1959)
  • Symphony No. 2 in A minor "Praise to the Light" (1962)
  • Symphony No. 3 "In Memory of My Father" (1964)
  • Symphony No. 4 "Symphony-Ballet" (1980/81)
  • Symphony No. 5 (1985)
  • Symphony No. 6 "Liturgical" for baritone, choir and orchestra (1989)
  • Symphony No. 7 (1991/92)
  • Symphony No. 8 (2000)
  • Symphony No. 9 "Four Verses" for narrator, choir and orchestra (1998/99?)
  • Concerto for orchestra No. 1 "Concerto grosso" (1967)
  • Concerto for Orchestra No. 2 "Games" (1997)
  • Symphonic Dances on Mari Themes (1951)
  • Songs of the Mountain and Meadow Mari (1983)
  • " Suworow's crossing of the Alps", fantasy overture (1996)
  • Film music
• Concerts
  • Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor (1954)
  • Piano Concerto No. 2 (1972)
  • Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor (1956)
  • Violin Concerto No. 2 (1977)
  • Violin Concerto No. 3 "Bartók-Concerto" (1990–92)
  • Violin Concerto No. 4 (1994)
  • "Hungarian Wise Men", rhapsody for violin and orchestra (1952/53)
  • Viola Concerto (1987)
  • Violoncello Concerto (1989)
  • Double bass concert (1994/95)
  • Soprano Saxophone Concert (1986/87)
  • Flute Concerto (1992)
  • Oboe concerto (1982)
  • Clarinet Concerto (1994)
  • Bassoon Concerto "Opus singularis" (2001)
  • Concerto for Trumpet, Trombone and Orchestra (1994/95)
  • Horn Concerto in F major (1995)
  • Tuba Concert (2001)
• Stage works and vocal music
  • "There is no happier person than me", operetta (1968/69)
  • "Love is forbidden", musical (1973)
  • "Angara", ballet (1974/75)
  • "The Circle", ballet (1979/80)
  • " Lenin is with us", cantata for choir and orchestra (1968)
  • "From the 1st Letter of Paul to the Corinthians ", choir concert (1988)
  • Songs and choirs
• Chamber and piano music
  • "Concordia-discordans" for string quartet (1992–95)
  • 2 violin sonatas (1966, 1970)
  • Violoncello Sonata (1990)
  • smaller piece for various instrumentations
  • Sonatina for piano No. 1 in D minor (1950)
  • Sonatina for piano No. 2 in G major (1971)
  • "Songs and Dances of Mari", 29 piano pieces (1948–71)
  • further piano pieces and cycles

Web links

• Biography and catalog raisonné
• Works by and about Andrej J. Espaj in the catalog of the German National Library