Famous Ukrainian composers: list of names, brief overview of works

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

Most of us love music, many admire and understand it, and some people have a musical education and have mastered the ability to play musical instruments. However, the smallest percentage of the most talented members of the human race are able to compose melodies that fit through the ages. Some of these people were born in Ukraine, in its picturesque corners. In the article we will talk about Ukrainian composers of the 20th century, and not only, who glorified Ukraine to the whole world.

Valentin Silvestrov (1937)

The famous Ukrainian composer was born in 1937 and still lives in Kyiv. The genius of musical art is famous all over the world. We hear his music in pictures:

• "Two in one";
• "Adjuster";
• "Chekhov's motives";
• "Three stories".

Estonian colleague Theodor Adorno considers him the most interesting ofall composers of the modern world. In his work there are requiems, poems for orchestra, symphonies, and his "Four Songs on the Verses of Mandelstam" are known and appreciated all over the world. Experts consider the piece of music to be unique in its simplicity.

Miroslav Skorik (1938)

77-year-old modern Ukrainian composer lived a hard life, but managed to keep the strength of mind and sense of beauty that imbued his works.

He wrote melodies for the legendary film "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors", created a musical cycle called "In the Carpathians". His Carpathian Rhapsody for Violin and Piano made him famous as one of the best Ukrainian composers of the 20th century in the whole world.

Miroslav's parents were intellectuals and were educated in Vienna. Skoryk is the great-nephew of Solomiya Krushelnitskaya, which he is immensely proud of.

Nikolai Kolessa (1903-2006)

Ukrainian composer, who was born in the city of Sambir, Lviv region, lived to be one hundred and two years old! This man is amazing in his versatility. In his youth, he graduated from the Medical University in Krakow. On this, his education did not end, he enters the faculty of philosophy and Slavic studies at a higher educational institution in Prague. Kolessa was also trained by the legendary Italian Marietta de Gelli, who is a world famous pianist.

Whoever was Nikolai Filaretovich during his long life. He conducted at the Lviv Philharmonic and Theateroperas. Under his authorship, many methodological manuals have been published. Nikolai Kolessa also wrote the melody for the painting "Ivan Franko".

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

He was a truly outstanding Ukrainian composer. The classics, on which his mother, a talented pianist, brought up, influenced the filigree of his works. Mom started teaching Sergei how to play the piano at the age of five. He wrote his first operas - "The Giant" and "On the Deserted Islands" - at the age of nine.

Sergey Prokofiev is world famous for his operas:

• "A Tale of a Real Man";
• "Love for three oranges";
• War and Peace.

He also wrote music for the ballet "The Tale of the Stone Flower", "Cinderella" and "Romeo and Juliet".

Nikolai Leontovich (1877-1921)

There are few instruments that this Ukrainian composer did not own: piano, violin, wind instruments… He can be safely called a "man-orchestra". In his youth, in the village of Chukovi, where he lived with his family, he independently created a symphony orchestra.

Ukrainian carol thanks to this man sounded in many foreign films. This is the famous "Shchedryk", which is known all over the world as Carol The Bells. The melody has many arrangements and is rightfully considered a Christmas anthem.

Reinhold Gliere (1874-1956)

He comes from the family of a Saxon subject and a citizen of Kiev by passport. Gliere grew up in a musical environment. The men in his family were engaged in the manufacture of musical instruments. ArtworksGliera sound all over the world. Austria, Denmark, Germany, France, Greece applaud him. One of the music schools in Kyiv bears the name of this composer.

Nikolai Lysenko (1842-1912)

Lysenko was not only a composer, he also made a great contribution to musical ethnography. In the collection of Nikolai there are a lot of folk songs, rituals, carols. In addition to music, he was fond of pedagogy, believing that there is no one more important than children.

There was a period in his life of teaching at the Kiev Institute of Noble Maidens. 1904 was a landmark year for him - he opened his own School of Music and Drama.

Most of all, Lysenko glorified his "Children's Anthem". Now it is known all over the world as "Prayer for Ukraine". In addition, Nikolay took an active civic position and took part in social activities.

Mikhail Verbitsky (1815-1870)

Verbitsky was a deeply religious person. Religion occupied a leading place in his life. He was the director of the choir in the seminary, he composed musical works for worship. His creative heritage also includes romances. Verbitsky played the guitar perfectly and adored this instrument. He has created numerous pieces for strings.

He also authored a string instrument manual called "Hitara's Teachings".

Fame came to Verbitsky after he wrote the music for the anthem of Ukraine. The lyrics for the anthem were composed by Pavel Chubinsky. The exact date of writing the song "Ukraine has not died yet" is unknown. There is information that it was the period of 1862-1864.

For the first time, the future hymn sounded on March 10, 1865 in the city of Przemysl. It was the first concert in the lands of Western Ukrainians dedicated to the work of Taras Grigorovich Shevchenko. Verbitsky himself at the concert was in the choir, the conductor of which was Anatoly Vakhnyanin. Young people liked the song, and for a long time many considered it folk.

Artemy Vedel (1767-1808)

Artemy, in addition to the composer's gift, had a wonderful high voice and sang in the choir. In the capital of Ukraine, in 1790, he became the head of the choir of "soldiers' children and free people."

For eight years he taught vocals at the Kharkov Collegium, in addition, he led the choirs of church singers.

He created 29 choir concertos for the church. At performances, he often led tenor solos himself. Wedel's works were greatly influenced by folk song.

Dmitry Bortnyansky (1751-1825)

He received an excellent education as a child. Little Dmitry was lucky. He graduated from the legendary Glukhov school. Dmitry had a truly beautiful voice. He had a great treble. His voice was amazingly clear and flowed like a stream. The teachers loved and appreciated Bortyansky.

In 1758 he was sent with choristers to the chapel of St. Petersburg. The mother crossed her son, gave him a modest bundle of food and kissed him. Seven-year-old Dima never saw his parents again.

His talent allowed him to study abroad. To comprehend the basics of musical skill, he went to Venice, Naples, Rome.

Alas, the majoritysecular works of Bortnyansky did not survive to this day. They were kept in the archives of the St. Petersburg Singing Chapel, which refused to put them on public display. The archive was disbanded, and the works of the legendary author simply disappeared in an unknown direction.