Evgeny Svetlanov is a conductor who controls Music

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Evgeny Fedorovich Svetlanov (1928 - 2002) - an outstanding conductor, composer and pianist. For 45 years he worked at the Bolshoi Theater, combining this huge creative activity with the leadership of the USSR State Orchestra.

Brief information from childhood

Both the father and mother of the future musician of the rarest talent were opera singers. Or rather, the soloists of the Bolshoi Theater. And his childhood was connected, like his subsequent work, with theater rehearsals and music, which he began to study at the age of six. Yevgeny Svetlanov sang in the choir, took part as a mime in performances, and even once climbed into a chair, having heard the music, and began to conduct. This was noticed by A. Nezhdanova and conductor N. Golovanov. They laughed heartily and predicted that such a boy would definitely become a conductor.

Youth

She rushed swiftly, passing in her studies at the Institute. Gnesins. As a performer in his student years, Yevgeny Svetlanov impressed with a new deep reading, revealing the intentions of the authors of the works that he performed.

With success he also studied composition. His compositions are built on the basis of Russian classics. Most of all he was influenced by S. Rachmaninov. In parallel, he tried his hand as a conductor. And from the fourth year he has been working next to his teacher in the All-Union Radio Orchestra. The work of a conductor combines and synthesizes all the acquired knowledge of a pianist and composer.

Behind the control panel of the Bolshoi Theater

In 1955 Evgeny Svetlanov performed for the first time at the Bolshoi. It was the opera "Pskovityanka". The singers considered his work exceptionally worthy. And the dancers noted that under his hands the orchestra sounded in such a way that it gave creative strength to the performer.

He had an amazing sense of choreography. Dance and music were inseparable. Performers gained freedom, confidence and inspiration.

Anthology of Russian Symphonic Music

In the sixties, this ascetic colossal work begins. And it has not stopped for thirty years. Evgeny Svetlanov carried this business through his creative life as a mission. The beginning was laid by the recording of Tchaikovsky's symphonies. A total of one hundred and ten discs were recorded.

Recognized abroad

For the first time in 1964, together with the Bolshoi, he performed in Italy at La Scala. The success was enormous. He was equated with such great conductors as A. Toscanini, B. W alter and Karoyan.

Evgeny Svetlanov: personal life

The first marriage took place while working at the Bolshoi with soloist Larisa Avdeeva (mezzo-soprano). Their son Maxim was growing up. A young journalist from radio "Mayak" Nina Nikolaeva in 1974 came to interview the great musician. She was also a musicologist by profession. Notonly by virtue of her speci alties, but also at the behest of her soul, she attended the concerts of the great maestro. The door was opened by his wife, Svetlanova Larisa Ivanovna, and Evgeny Fedorovich himself came out behind her. He was dressed in a stunningly beautiful blue robe with black satin lapels and slippers on his bare feet. All the little things of the first meeting were forever engraved in the memory of Nina Alexandrovna, because she fell in love at first sight. She was divorced but her dream was out of reach.

Continuation of the novel

During one of the interviews, the conversation veered off topic, and it turned out that both of them are passionate fishermen. Then the great conductor went somewhere and brought a Japanese fishing rod of amazing beauty. They agreed to meet after work. Nina Alexandrovna could not believe that the meeting could take place. And yet, Evgeny Fedorovich came and invited me to dinner at the Minsk restaurant. But for some reason it was closed. Then Nina offered to go to a small quiet restaurant where no one would recognize the musician. They had a quiet dinner and talked about everything. And the next day, Svetlanov came to her in Davydkovo, on the outskirts of Moscow, in a five-story building without an elevator and stayed all night. He was exhausted and just asleep. And in the morning he knelt down and said that he would never forget this.

Parting and meeting again

Their relationship did not develop easily. For more than a year, Svetlanov did not make himself felt. And suddenly a call and a question: “Are you surprised? Can I come to you? They met and stayed together for twenty-five years. His wife Nina devoted her whole life to him. Children were not thought of at first, and then it became too late.

Sickness and death

A tumor appeared on my thigh, which practically did not bother me. But the tests showed - oncology. The doctors demanded an operation. There were ten of them, and then 25 chemotherapy sessions. For 7 months Svetlanov walked on crutches and waited for the eleventh operation. He patiently endured the most excruciating pain. And on the last day he received 11 injections. But the pain didn't go away. She was unbearable and he screamed. And then, saying that it seemed to be getting better, fell asleep. In the morning he looked with a kind of detached look. He died in the evening, at 19 o'clock, on a bright May day on the eve of Easter.

Funeral

He asked to be buried at the Vagankovsky cemetery, because it is more democratic than Novodevichy.

Anyone can visit it there. Svetlanov wanted some of his compositions to be performed. Perhaps, as he said, this will be the last time.

Evgeny Svetlanov is a titan conductor. He suffered not only from severe physical pains, but also because of his beloved offspring - the State Orchestra. The break with him due to the economic troubles of the 90s turned Svetlanov into a lonely persecuted artist. The last concert, about two weeks before his death, Svetlanov Evgeny Fedorovich gave in London. The symphony "Winter Dreams" by P. Tchaikovsky and "The Bells" by Rachmaninov were performed with the BBC Orchestra.