Denisov, Edison

Denisov, Edison , notable Russian composer and teacher; b. Tomsk, April 6, 1929; d. Paris, Nov. 23,1996. He received training in mathematics before studying at the Moscow Cons, with Shebalin (composition), Rakov (orchestration), Zuckerman (analysis), and Belov (piano). In 1959 he joined its faculty as a teacher of form and orchestration, becoming a composition teacher in 1992. He became director of the Assn. of Contemporary Music in Moscow in 1990. In 1990–91 he worked at IRC AM in Paris. He was made an Officier des Arts et Lettres of France in 1986, and in 1993 he was awarded the Grand Prize of the City of Paris. In his extensive output, Denisov demonstrated a remarkable command of a wide variety of contemporary techniques and procedures in creating scores of a pronounced individuality.

Works

DRAMATIC Soldier Ivan, Opéra (1959); L’ecume des jours, Opéra (1981; Paris, March 15, 1986); Confession, ballet (Tallinn, Nov. 30, 1984); Quatre Jeunes filles, Opéra (1986; Moscow, May 24, 1990); incidental music to plays; film music. ORCH.: 2 syms.: No. 1 (1955) and No. 2 (1987; Paris, March 2, 1988); Sinfonietta on Tadzhik Themes (1957); Crescendo e diminuendo for Harpsichord and 12 Strings (1965; Zagreb, May 14, 1967); Peinture (Weiz, Oct. 30, 1970); Cello Concerto (1972; Leipzig, Sept. 25, 1973); Aquarelle for 24 Strings (1974; Paris, June 12, 1975); Piano Concerto (1974; Leipzig, Sept. 5, 1978); Flute Concerto (1975; Dresden, May 22, 1976); Violin Concerto (1977; Milan, July 18, 1978); Concerto for Flute, Oboe, and Orch. (Cologne, March 24, 1979); Partita for Violin and Orch. (Moscow, March 23, 1981); Tod ist ein langer Schaffoi Cello and Orch. (Moscow, May 30, 1982); Musique de chambre for Viola, Harpsichord, and Strings (1982; Moscow, May 7, 1983); 2 chamber syms.: No. 1 (1982; Paris, March 7, 1983) and No. 2 (Tokyo, July 13, 1994); Concerto for Bassoon, Cello, and Orch. (1982; Como, Sept. 24, 1984); Epitaphe for Chamber Orch. (Reggio Emilia, Sept. 11,1983); Concerto for 2 Violas, Harpsichord, and Strings (1984; Amsterdam, June 24, 1991); Confession, suite after the ballet (Moscow, Oct. 22, 1985); Caprices de Paganini for Violin and Strings (1985; Moscow, Feb. 5, 1986); Happy End for 2 Violins, Cello, Double Bass, and Strings (1985; Kaliningrad, Dec. 4, 1989); Viola Concerto (Berlin, Sept. 2, 1986); Oboe Concerto (1986; Cologne, March 4, 1988); Es ist genug for Viola and Chamber Orch. (1986; Lucerne, Sept. 3,1989; also for Viola and Piano); Glocken im Nebel (Moscow, Aug. 19, 1988); Clarinet Concerto (Liibeck, July 9, 1989); Guitar Concerto (Stuttgart, Nov. 30, 1991); Concerto for Flute, Vibraphone, Harpsichord, and Strings (Lucerne, Aug. 17, 1993); Postludio (in memoriam Witold Lutoslawski) for Chamber Orch. (Warsaw, Sept. 21,1994). CHAMBER : Flute Sonata (1960; Moscow, March 27, 1962); String Quartet No. 2 (1961); Music for 11 Winds and Timpani (1961; Leningrad, Nov. 15, 1965); Concerto for Flute, Oboe, Piano, and Percussion (1963; Warsaw, Sept. 24, 1964); Violin Sonata (1963; Moscow, April 11, 1972); Ode for Clarinet, Piano, and Percussion (1967; Moscow, Jan. 22,1968); 3 Pieces for Cello and Piano (1967; Moscow, May 11, 1968); Musique romantique for Oboe, Harp, and String Trio (1968; Zagreb, May 16, 1969); D.S.C.H. for Clarinet, Trombone, Cello, and Piano (Warsaw, Sept. 26, 1969); Silhouettes for Flute, 2 Pianos, and Percussion (Baden-Baden, Oct. 5, 1969); Wind Quintet (Amsterdam, Oct. 10, 1969); String Trio (Paris, Oct. 23, 1969); Alto Saxophone Sonata (Chicago, Dec. 14, 1970); Canon in Memory of Igor Stravinsky for Flute, Clarinet, and Harp (1971); Solo for Oboe (1971); Cello Sonata (Royan, April 8, 1971); Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1971; Moscow, Oct. 30, 1972); Solo for Flute (1971; Witten, April 29, 1973); Solo for Trumpet (1972); Sonata for Solo Clarinet (1972; Moscow, Jan. 24, 1974); 3 Pieces for Harpsichord and Percussion (1972; Moscow, Oct. 8, 1983); Prelude et air for Flute and Piano (1973); 4 Pieces for Alto Saxophone and Piano (Bordeaux, June 1974); Choral varie for Trombone and Piano (1975; Venice, Aug. 27, 1976); 4 Pieces for Flute and Piano (1977; Paris, April 21, 1978); Sonata for Flute and Guitar (1977; Moscow, Dec. 25,1978); Concerto piccolo for 4 Saxophones and Percussion (1977; Bordeaux, April 28, 1979); Sonata for Solo Violin (Hamburg, Oct. 19, 1978); 3 Pieces for 3 Instruments (1978; London, July 3, 1984); Sonata for Solo Guitar (Moscow, Dec. 14,1981); Trio for Oboe, Cello, and Harpsichord (Donaueschingen, Oct. 1981); Sonata for Solo Bassoon (Moscow, Nov. 1, 1982); Sonata for Violin and Organ (1982; Leningrad, March 26, 1983); Sonata for Solo Flute (1982; Munster, Feb. 15, 1984); 5 Etudes for Bassoon (1983); Sonata for Flute and Harp (1983; Moscow, Jan. 7,1984); 4 Pieces for Flute (1984); 3 Pictures of Paul Klee for Viola and 5 Instruments (1984; Moscow, Jan. 27, 1985); In deo speravit cor meum for Violin, Guitar, and Organ (Kassel, Nov. 1, 1984); Sextet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1984; Cheltenham, July 15, 1985); Es ist genug for Viola and Piano (1984; also for Viola and Chamber Orch., Lucerne, Sept. 3,1989); Paysage au Clair de Lune for Clarinet and Piano (1985; Saarbriicken, May 30, 1987); Duo for Flute and Viola (1985; Moscow, March 28, 1990); Variations on a Theme of Schubert for Cello and Piano (Moscow, March 8, 1986); Paysage Hivernal for Harp (1987); Quintet for 2 Violins, Viola, Cello, and Piano (Bristol, May 24, 1987); Quintet for Clarinet, 2 Violins, Viola, and Cello (Saarbriicken, May 30, 1987); 3 Pieces for 3 Percussionists (Moscow, April 14, 1989); Quartet for Flute, Violin, Viola, and Cello (Trento, Nov. 7, 1989); Variations on a Theme of Mozart for 8 Flutes (1990; Munich, Jan. 25, 1991); 4 Pieces for String Quartet (1991); Dedicace for Flute, Clarinet, 2 Violins, Viola, and Cello (1991; London, Feb. 6, 1992); Quintet for 4 Saxophones and Piano (1991; Paris, Feb. 20,1993); Clarinet Sonata (Cologne, Dec. 27, 1993). KEYBOARD : Piano : Variations (1961; Copenhagen, March 28, 1965); Pieces for Piano, 4-Hands (1967; London, Feb. 16,1968); Signes en blanc (Warsaw, Sept. 26,1974); Variations on a Theme of Handel (1986; Leningrad, March 26, 1987); Points et lignes for 2 Pianos, 8-Hands (Amsterdam, Oct. 2,1988); Pieces pour enfants (1989); Pour Daniel (1989); Reflets (Glasgow, Nov. 23, 1989). H a r p s i c h o r d : Feuilles mortes (1980; Berlin, Oct. 8,1983). VOCAL: Canti di Catullo for Bass and 3 Trombones (1962; Moscow, March 18, 1982); Chan-sons italiennes for Soprano, Flute, Horn, Violin, and Harpsichord (1964; Leningrad, May 10, 1966); Le Soleil des Incas for Soprano and Ensemble, after Mistral (1964; Leningrad, Nov. 30, 1966); 5 Geschichten vom Herrn Keuner for Tenor and 7 Instruments, after Brecht (1966; Berlin, Feb. 20, 1968); Les Pleurs for Soprano, Piano, and 3 Percussionists (1966; Brussels, Dec. 17, 1968); Automne for 13 Solo Voices (1968; Royan, March 30, 1969); 2 Poems of Ivan Bounine for Soprano and Piano (1970; Halle, April 3, 1971); Chant d’automne for Soprano and Orch., after Baudelaire (Zagreb, May 16, 1971); La Vie en rouge for Voice, Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (Zagreb, May 1973); Blatter for Soprano and String Trio (1978; Moscow, Jan. 28, 1980); 5 Poems of Baratynsky for Voice and Piano (1979; Moscow, Jan. 28,1980); Douleur et silence for Mezzo-soprano, Clarinet, Viola, and Piano, after Mandelstam (1979; Moscow, Jan. 28, 1980); Requiem for Soprano, Tenor, Chorus, and Orch. (Hamburg, Oct. 30, 1980); Ton image charmante for Voice and Piano, after Pushkin (Moscow, Dec. 8, 1980; also for Voice and Orch., Moscow, Oct. 30, 1984); For Flore for Voice and Piano (1980; Moscow, Nov. 1, 1982); Sur le bucher de neige for Voice and Piano, after Blok (1981; Moscow, April 12, 1982); Colin et Chloe, suite for Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, Tenor, Chorus, and Orch., after the Opéra L’ecume des jours (1981; Moscow, Oct. 17,1983); Le Cahier bleu for Soprano, Reciter, Violin, 2 Cellos, and Piano (1984; Rostov-naDonau, April 11, 1985); Venue du printemps for Chorus (1984; Moscow, Nov. 7, 1986); Wishing Well for Mezzo-soprano, Clarinet, Viola, and Piano (N.Y., March 1, 1986); Au plus haut des cieux for Voice and Chamber Orch. (1986; Paris, May 11, 1987); Eternal Light for Chorus (1988; Tallinn, Jan. 30, 1989); Legends des eaux souterraines for 12 Solo Voices (1989); 4 Poemes de Gerard de Nerval for Voice, Flute, and Piano (Davos, July 22, 1989); Etoile de noel for Voice, Flute, and String Orch., after Pasternak (Moscow, Dec. 28, 1989); 3 Extraits du nouveau testament for Countertenor, 2 Tenors, Baritone, Flute, and Bells (1989; Bale, Dec. 7,1990); The Story of the Life and Death of Our Saviour Jesus Christ for Tenor, Bass, Chorus, and Orch. (1992; Frankfurt am Main, Sept. 14, 1994); Morgenstraum for Soprano, Chorus, and Orch. (1993; Diisseldorf, Jan. 19, 1995). E l e c t r o a c o u s t i c : Chant des oiseaux for Prepared Piano and Tape (1969; Dubna, Dec. 20, 1970); Sur la nappe d’un etang glace for 9 Instruments and Tape (1991; Paris, Feb. 24, 1992). O r c h e s t r a t i o n s : WORKS by Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Mussorgsky, Mossolov, and Debussy, including the latter’s unfinished Opéra Rodrique et Chimene (Lyons, May 15, 1993).

Bibliography

J. P. Armengaud, Entretiens avec E. D.; Un compositeur sous le regime communist (Paris, 1993); I. Kholopov, E. D. (Moscow, 1993).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire