Alexander Tikhonovich Gretchaninov[1] (Russian:Алекса́ндр Ти́хонович Гречани́нов,IPA:[ɐlʲɪˈksandrɡrʲɪtɕɐˈnʲinəf]; 25 October [O.S. 13 October] 1864 – 3 January 1956) was a RussianRomantic composer.
Gretchaninov started his musical studies rather late, because his father, a businessman, had expected the boy to take over the family firm. Gretchaninov himself related that he did not see a piano until he was 14 and began his studies at theMoscow Conservatory in 1881 against his father's wishes and without his knowledge. His main teachers there wereSergei Taneyev andAnton Arensky. In the late 1880s, after a quarrel with Arensky, he moved toSt. Petersburg where he studied composition and orchestration withNikolai Rimsky-Korsakov until 1893. Rimsky-Korsakov immediately recognized Gretchaninov's extraordinary musical imagination and talent and gave him much extra time as well as considerable financial help. This allowed the young man, whose parents were not supporting him, to survive. Out of this came an important friendship, which only ended in 1908 with Rimsky's death. As such, it is not surprising that Rimsky's influence can be heard in Gretchaninov's early works, such as his String Quartet No. 1, a prize-winning composition.
Around 1896, Gretchaninov returned to Moscow and was involved with writing for the theatre, the opera and theRussian Orthodox Church. His works, especially those for voice, achieved considerable success within Russia, while his instrumental works enjoyed even wider acclaim. By 1910, he was considered a composer of such distinction that the Tsar awarded him an annual pension.
Though Gretchaninov remained in Russia for several years after the Revolution, he ultimately chose to emigrate, first toFrance in 1925, and then, at the age of 75, to theUnited States in 1939. He remained in the U.S. the rest of his life and eventually became an American citizen. He died in New York at the age of 91 and is buried outside the church atRova Farms, a Russian enclave inJackson Township,Ocean County,New Jersey.
Gretchaninov wrote fivesymphonies, the first premiered by Rimsky-Korsakov; fourstring quartets, the first two of which won important prizes, twopiano trios, sonatas for violin, cello, clarinet, piano and balalaika, severaloperas, song cycleLes Fleurs du Mal, op. 48 (setting lyrics byBaudelaire) and much other music.
LikeVladimir Rebikov's, his position in the history of Russian music was mainly transitional, his earlier music belonging firmly in that earlier Romantic tradition while his later work is influenced by some of the streams that also affectedIgor Stravinsky andSergei Prokofiev.
Sketches for an unfinished sixth symphony from the 1940s exist.
He also composed a number of small scale piano pieces.
Some of the information on this page appears on theAlexander Gretchaninov page of theEdition Silvertrust website. Permission has been granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.
