Famous Russian composers
Updated: Jun 27, 2022
Russia has always been considered a country with a developed artistic culture. Especially the Russian musical education system is still considered one of the strongest and most prestigious in the world. In this article you can learn more about famous Russian composers, their biographies and the most famous pieces.
1. Sergey Prokofiev ( 1891-1953).
Prokofiev graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory as a pianist and composer. While still studying at the conservatory, Prokofiev has written his First Piano Concerto, which he performed with triumph at the final exam. He has five concertos for piano, two for violin and one for cello. In the opera, Prokofiev's greatest achievements are rightfully considered War and Peace (1943) after Leo Tolstoy and Betrothal in a Monastery (1940) based on R. Sheridan's Duenna. His "Romeo and Juliet" and "Cinderella" are recognized as masterpieces of ballet creativity!
He was repeatedly the winner of the USSR State Prize, and posthumously (1957) Prokofiev was awarded the Lenin Prize. Prokofiev died in Moscow in a communal flat in Kamergersky Lane from a hypertensive crisis on March 5, 1953.
2. Petr Tchaikovsky (1840— 1893)
Having shown a penchant for composing music, Tchaikovsky became a student at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. After graduating from the Conservatory, the composer Tchaikovsky was invited by Nikolai Rubinstein to the Moscow Conservatory as a professor. In 1878 he left the conservatory and went abroad. At the same time, Tchaikovsky was in close contact with Nadezhda von Meck, a rich fan of his music. She corresponded with him, supported him financially and morally.
During his two-year stay in Italy and Switzerland, new magnificent works by Tchaikovsky appeared: the opera "Eugene Onegin", the Fourth Symphony.
Tchaikovsky wrote many masterpieces that we admire to this day, among them: "The Seasons", the ballets "Sleeping Beauty" and "Swan Lake". "Children's Album" and his many great symphonies.
3. Sergey Rachmaninoff (1873–1943).
In 1882, nine-year-old Rachmaninoff entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory. In 1893, Sergei Vasilyevich graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in piano and composition with a gold medal. While studying at the Conservatory, Sergei Vasilyevich gained fame as a talented musician, but his popularity was interrupted after the unsuccessful premiere of the 1st Symphony.
In 1901 Rachmaninoff completed his 2nd Piano Concerto. From 1904 he worked as a conductor at the Bolshoi Theater. Since 1906, Sergei Vasilyevich travels the world, visits Italy, Germany, America, Canada. In 1909 he creates the 3rd Piano Concerto.
At the end of 1918, Sergei Vasilyevich leaves for the United States. Despite a stormy concert activity, at this time he practically did not create anything new. Only in 1926-1927 appeared the 4th piano concerto and a number of small pieces. In 1941, Rachmaninoff finished his greatest work - "Symphonic Dances".
Rachmaninoff Sergey died on March 28, 1943 in Beverly Hills in the USA. The great composer was buried in the Kensiko cemetery.
His works include numerous concertos for piano and symphonies, as well as several operas and instrumental music.