Shebalin, Vissarion (Yakovlevich)

Shebalin, Vissarion (Yakovlevich), Russian composer; b. Omsk, June 11, 1902; d. Moscow, May 28, 1963. He studied at the Moscow Cons. with Miaskovsky (1923–28), then began teaching there; in 1935, was appointed prof. of composition there, and from 1942 to 1948 he was its director. On Feb. 10, 1948, by resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, he was condemned (along with Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Miaskovsky, and others) for adhering to a “decadent formalism” in composition; but these strictures were removed in a corrective declaration of May 28, 1958, “restoring the dignity and integrity of Soviet composers.” In addition to his original compositions, Shebalin also completed Mussorgsky’s unfinished opera The Fair at Sorotchintsy, using only Mussorgsky’s own material (Leningrad, Dec. 21, 1931; version with supplementary materials, Moscow, March 19, 1952).

Works

DRAMATIC: Opera : The Taming of the Shrew, after Shakespeare (concert version, Oct. 1, 1955; stage version, Kuibishev, May 25, 1957); Sun over the Steppe (Moscow, June 9, 1958). Ballet: Festival (1958; unfinished); Reminiscences of a Bygone Day (1961). Musical Comedy: Bridegroom from the Embassy (Sverdlovsk, Aug. 1, 1942). ORCH .: 5 syms.: No. 1 (1925; Leningrad, Nov. 13, 1926), No. 2 (1929), No. 3 (1934; Moscow, Feb. 11, 1944), No. 4 (1935; Moscow, Feb. 27, 1936), and No. 5 (Moscow, Oct. 9, 1962); Overture on Mari Themes (1926); Horn Concertino (1930; rev. 1959); Violin Concertino (1931); 3 suites (1935; 1935, rev. 1961; 1963); Variations on Russian Folk Songs (1940); Violin Concerto (Leningrad, Oct. 29, 1940); Russian Overture (1941); Sinfonietta (1949); Cello Concerto (1950). CHAMBER : 9 string quartets (1923, 1934, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1947, 1960, 1963); Piano Trio (1924); Viola Sonata (1954); Violin Sonata (1958); Cello Sonata (1960); Guitar Sonatina (1963); also several piano sonatas. VOCAL : Lenin, symphonic poem for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1931; Leningrad, Jan. 21, 1934; rev. 1959); Moscow, cantata (Moscow, Dec. 14, 1946); songs.

Bibliography

I. Boelza, V. S, (Moscow, 1945); I. Boelza and V. Protopopov, eds., V.Y. S.: Articles, Reminiscences, Materials (Moscow, 1970); V. Protopopov, ed., V.Y. S.: Literary Heritage (Moscow, 1975).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire