Firsova, Elena (Olegovna)

Firsova, Elena (Olegovna), Russian composer and teacher; b. Leningrad, March 21, 1950. She was a student of Pirumov (composition) and Kholopov (analysis) at the Moscow Cons. (1970–75), and also profited from further studies with Denisov. From 1979 her works were heard abroad. In 1993 she became a prof, and composer-in-residence at the Univ. of Keele in England. In 1972 she married Dmitri Smirnov. In her works, she has developed an intimate style notable for its poetic handling of both harmony and melody.

Works

DRAMATIC Opera : Feast in Plague Time, chamber opera (1972); The Nightingale and the Rose (1991). ORCH.: 5 Pieces (1971); Chamber Music for Strings (1973); 2 cello concertos: No. 1 (1973; Moscow, June 10, 1975) and No. 2, as Chamber Concerto No. 2 (Moscow, Oct. 17, 1982); Stanzas (1975); 2 violin concertos (1976, 1983); Postlude for Harp and Orch. (1977; Moscow, Feb. 22, 1978); Chamber Concerto No. 1 for Flute and Strings (1978; Moscow, March 10, 1980), No. 3 for Piano and Orch. (1985), No. 4 (1988), No. 5 (n.d.), and No. 6 (1997); Autumn Music for Chamber Orch. (1988); Nostalgia (1989); Cassandra (1992). CHAMBER: Scherzo for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and Piano (1967); 10 string quartets (1970, 1974, 1980, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999); Cello Sonata (1971); Piano Trio (1972); Capriccio for Flute and Saxophone Quartet (1976); Sonata for Solo Clarinet (1976); 3 Pieces for Xylophone (1978); Sphinx for Harp (1982); Spring Sonata for Flute and Piano (1982); Mysteria for Organ and 4 Percussion (1984); Music for 12 (1986); Monologue for Bassoon (1989); Odyssey for 7 Players (1990); Verdehr-Terzett for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano (1990); Far Away for Saxophone Quartet (1991); Meditation in the Japanese Garden for Flute, Viola, and Piano (1992); You and I for Cello and Piano (1992); Starry Flute for Flute (1992); Vigilia for Violin and Piano (1992); Otzvuki for Flute and Guitar (1992); Phantom for 4 Viols (1993); Monologue for Alto Saxophone (1994). VOCAL: 3 Poems by Osip Mandelstam for Chorus (1970); Petrarca’s Sonnets for Voice and 8 Instruments (1976); The Bell for Chorus (1976; in collaboration with D. Smirnov); Night for Voice and Saxophone Quartet (1978); Tristia for Voice and Chamber Orch. (1979); Shakespeare’s Sonnets for Voice and Organ (1981); The Stone for Voice and Orch. (1983); Earthly Life for Soprano and 10 Instruments (1986); Augury for Chorus and Orch. (1988); Stygian Song for Soprano and Ensemble (1989); 7 Haiku for Voice and Lyre (1991); Sea Shell for Voice and Ensemble (1991); Whirlpool for Voice, Flute, and Percussion (1991); Silentium for Voice and String Quartet (1991); Secret Way for Voice and Orch. (1992); Distance for Voice and Ensemble (1992).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire