Georgi Shagunov

Georgi Shagunov

Georgi Petrov Schagunow (also Georgi Petrov Shagunov written Bulgarian Георги Петров Шагунов , * 15. March 1873 in Plovdiv , † 10. November 1948 in Burgas ) was a Bulgarian composer and one of the first Bulgarian conductor . He was closely connected with the development of the Bulgarian march music and the musical life in the port city of Burgas and author of the Edin Sawet march . Shagunov is an honorary citizen of the city of Burgas .

Life

Georgi Schagunow was born in Plovdiv as the son of a wealthy family on Kalofer. His mother was Greek and his father was Bulgarian. Until he was 16, Shagunov went to the Catholic-French College of St. Augustine in his native town. In 1889 his father sent him to Lyon to continue his education at the Lycée Sent Jan. After graduating from the Lycée, his father wanted him to study medicine at the University of Lyon . Instead, Georgi Shagunow enrolled at the State Conservatory in Lyon, where he studied French horn and cornet , as well as the theory of music and conducting. During his studies he was appointed assistant conductor of the Municipal Philharmonic Orchestra of Lyon .

In 1895 Georgi Shagunov returned to Bulgaria and was initially military bandmaster of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment in his hometown. After six months he became Kapellmeister of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Lom in 1896 . From 1897 Shagunov lived in the port city of Burgas until his death. There he was conductor of the military orchestra of the 24th Infantry Regiment until his retirement in 1930. In addition, Schagunow founded the Rodni swuzi music association and was the conductor of the association's plucked instrument orchestra . He also led the wind instruments course at the music school in Burgas. Shagunov took part in the First World War as Kapellmeister of the 30th Shipka Infantry Regiment. In 1946 Shagunov donated his archive to the city of Burgas.

Georgi Shagunov died on November 10, 1948 in Burgas. His descendants later emigrated to Greece, where his son worked as a doctor.

Works

In addition to the active participation in musical life in Burgas, Shagunov is best known as an author of chamber, symphony and marching music. Most of his works have names from Bulgarian history. In over 50 years Shagunov wrote about 2000 works, including the independence hymn. A large part of his works is lost today, because in the 1950s his works were considered fascist-bourgeois and were destroyed by the rulers of the time. After his rehabilitation in the 1980s, some of his works, including 250 marches, were saved and transferred to the State Archives in Burgas.

For symphony orchestras:

• Symphonies № 1 “Балканите” (1931)
• Symphonies № 2 “Mariza” (1931)
• Symphonies № 3 “The Journey in Dreams” (1933)
• Symphonies № 4 (1935)
• Symphonies № 5 (1946)
• Symphonies № 6 (1948)
• Fantasy “Christo Botew” (1922)
• Тържествена увертюра (1926)
• Симфонична сюита “Българка” (1927)
• Увертюра “Родни звуци” (1945)

For wind orchestra:

• Кавал (1900)
• “Герда” (1905)

Overtures:

• “Makedonka” (1903)
• “Slavyanka” (1904)
• “Emanuil Manolow” (1907)
• Overture (1915)
• Overture (1932)

Fantasies:

• “Christo Botew” (1914)
• “Botewi Spomeni” (1926)
• “Indsche Wojdowa” (1926)
• “Liljana” (1927)
• “P. Joworow ”(1944)
• Allegro moderotto (1915)
• “Поздрав на Витоша” (1943)

Chamber music:

• Sextet "The Last Hour" (1901)
• Wind Quintet (1948)
• Quintet "Burgas" (1948)
• Fantasy for violin and piano “Мила родино” (1942)

Marches:

• “Химн за Н. В. Царя ”(1908)
• “Независимостта” (1908)
• Маршове за пиано (1921)
• “Юнаци Балканци” (1926)
• “Маестро Михайлов” (1931)
• “Родна песен” (1932)
• “Гвардейци музиканти” (1934)
• “Един завет” (1934)
• “Юнак” (1935)
• “Марш на българите” (1939)
• “Ний идем” (1939)
• “Боже, царя ни пази”
• “Царят ни зове напред” и др.

Trivia

In 1905 the Burgas Sports Cycling Club was founded, and Shagunov was one of its founders. One of the club's first athletes was Georgi Shagunov, who came to Burgas from Plovdiv by bike. Over the next few years, Shagunov composed the march Бургаски колоездач / The Cyclist from Burgas. After the First World War, Shagunov was chairman of the cycling club.

Web links

Commons : Georgi Schagunow  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Short biography (Bulgarian) on www.burgasmuseums.bg
• Short biography (bulg.) On Union of Bulgarian Composers