One of the brightest composers of the Soviet period is Dmitry Kabalevsky. The biography of this person significant for the cultural heritage of our country is presented in detail in this article.
Briefly about D. B. Kabalevsky
Dmitry Borisovich wrote seven instrumental concerts, five operas, four symphonies, many vocal and chamber works, as well as music for theater and cinema. Composer, pianist, professor, conductor, doctor of art history, teacher - all this is Dmitry Kabalevsky. A brief biography of him, perhaps, should begin with the following facts:
- date of birth - December 30, 1904;
- place of birth - St. Petersburg.
The most basic facts from the life of an exceptionally talented person are connected with Moscow. Kabalevsky’s biography, a photo of the composer and interesting facts about him are presented in this article.
Childhood and youth
As already mentioned above, the composer was born in St. Petersburg, where he began to study at the city three-year school at the 1st classical gymnasium (in our time, such educational institutions replace the elementary grades of a comprehensive school). Further biography of D. Kabalevsky already connected with Moscow. Together with his parents, the future composer moved to live in the capital. There he continued his education and graduated from school No. 35. Year of graduation - 1922. Dmitry Borisovich studied music at music school No. 3. Then he graduated from the A.N. Scriabin. D. Kabalevsky received his higher education at the Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory. His teachers were A.B. Goldenweiser on Piano and N.Ya. Myaskovsky - by composition.
Professional activity
In 1930, composer Kabalevsky graduated from the conservatory. His biography, which tells about the period of life after receiving an education, gives an idea of ​​how talented and versatile the personality of Dmitry Borisovich was. He was a conductor, accompanist, performed with his works. Two years after graduating from the conservatory, the composer was already a teacher in his alma mater. And in 1939, he already became a professor. But even before that, he already had experience in teaching, as he combined higher education with teaching at the A.N. Scriabin, who also graduated earlier. For most of his life, the composer has held leading positions in the Union of Composers and the Ministry of Culture of our country. For 21 years he was a deputy. He represented the Soviet Union in international cultural organizations. D.B. Kabalevsky was a member of the World Council and vice president of the workers' choral society in England, was an honorary professor at the Conservatory in Mexico City, and was in charge of the music sector at the Institute of Art History of the Soviet Union. He chaired the commission on musical and aesthetic education, took an active part in the creation of music school No. 65 in the city of Magnitogorsk. Kabalevsky was also the organizer and head of the Laboratory for Music Education and was the chief editor of several Soviet magazines, one of which he founded.
Composer's works
Dmitry Borisovich Kabalevsky, whose biography and creativity are studied in all primary, secondary and higher musical educational institutions of our country, wrote music mainly on patriotic themes. He gave the world 5 operas: “On Fire”, “Cola Bruyon”, “Nikita Vershinin”, “The Taras Family”, “Sisters”; ballet "Golden Ears"; the operetta "Spring sings"; the cantata "Song of the morning, spring and peace", as well as the "Requiem" to the poems of Robert Rozhdestvensky, dedicated to those who died in the struggle against fascism; symphonic dedication "In memory of the heroes of Horlivka"; musical sketches for the tragedy of W. Shakespeare "Romeo and Juliet." D. Kabalevsky is also the author of a large number of works for a symphony orchestra, including: concerts, 4 symphonies, a pathetic overture, pieces for piano, as well as for cello and violin. He wrote symphonic poems “To the Eternal Flame in Bryansk”, “Spring”; cantatas “Leninists”, “Great Motherland”, “Song of the morning, spring and peace”, “On the native land”; suites “People’s Avengers”, “Comedians”, music for the play “Inventor and Comedian”, as well as 10 sonnets of W. Shakespeare, a cycle of romances to verses by Rasul Gamzatov, songs for children. IN
during the war, he wrote many military songs: “Across the Severe Seas”, “Our Enemy Attacked our Homeland”, “Hero’s Son”, “Four Friendly Guys”, “Hitler Ribbentrop Calls”, “New School Year” and others. D. Kabalevsky is the author of music for the performances and films Petersburg Night, Dawns of Paris, Mussorgsky, Schors, Hostile Whirlwinds, The Eighteenth Year, Romeo and Juliet, The Devil's Bridge, Volnitsa ”,“ Dombey and Son ”,“ Academician Ivan Pavlov ”,“ Cheerful Tailor ”,“ Death of the Squadron ”,“ Sisters ”,“ Glory ”,“ First Grader ”,“ Jokers ”,“ School of Slander ”,“ Mstislav Udaloy ” and many others.
Music DB Kabalevsky is distinguished by good taste, professionalism, national color, in his works the composer turns mainly to the means of expression traditional for the 19th century.
Awards and titles
D.B. Kabalevsky, whose biography is significant for our country, was awarded a large number of awards. In 1954, he received the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR, and in 1963 - the USSR. He was awarded four times the Order of Lenin (in 1964, 1971, 1974 and 1984). He deserved the Order of the Red Banner of Labor in 1966. For his works he received the Lenin Prize in 1972, several prizes for the best film music. In 1946, 1949 and 1951 he was awarded the Stalin Prize for his works. He was a Hero of Labor. For achievements in raising children, he was awarded the Lenin Komsomol Prize in 1984.
D. Kabalevsky - for children
A great contribution to the musical education of the younger generation was made by Dmitry Borisovich Kabalevsky. A biography for children getting acquainted with his works, as well as for adults, is really important and interesting, because its facts help to better know the personality of the famous composer. D.B. Kabalevsky believed in a brighter future: that children would forget how to cry and would only laugh loudly. He composed many plays for the children. Most of them are performed by students of music schools around the world to this day. He wrote a lot for children of songs. They are all about friendship, about pioneers, about school, about kindness, about mutual assistance, about the homeland. We all know such songs as “School Years” to the words of E. Dolmatovsky, “Our Land” to the words of A. Aliens. They have already become classics. The cycle of songs was created by the composer about the camp "Artek" in the Crimea. Dmitry Borisovich has written many books on music for children: “The Beautiful Awakens the Good,” “About the Three Whales and much more. The book is about music ”,“ Education of the mind and heart. A book for the teacher ”,“ How to tell children about music? ” and many others. They are still relevant. In 1973, the composer taught music lessons to first-graders at a Moscow comprehensive school at number 209, although at that time he was already a professor at the conservatory. Dmitry Borisovich led the contest of young talents in the Volga region, supported the creation of a choral studio in the city of Zheleznodorozhny, actively participated in art festivals in the pioneer camp "Orlyonok".
Second half of life
The biography of DB Kabalevsky, describing his mature and advanced years, will also be highlighted in our article. The main brainchild of the composer at that time was the Laboratory for Musical Education, which he created and headed. Kabalevsky compiled an educational program for the study of music in schools. Musician teachers have been testing it for 7 years. Gradually, she proved her effectiveness and became popular. In the last year of his life, the composer taught children music in thousands of schools of the Soviet Union. And to this day it is used in our country. The composer lectured on art and music in the Tretyakov Gallery. Dmitry Borisovich Kabalevsky died on February 14, 1987. He was buried in Moscow, at the Novodevichy cemetery.
Genius parents
The biography of D. Kabalevsky is inseparable from the story of his parents. The composer's mother is Nadezhda Aleksandrovna Novitskaya. She graduated from a female gymnasium in Tsarskoye Selo (now the city of Pushkin) and received a home teacher diploma. Such an education helped her in raising her own children. The composer's father, Boris Klavdievich, was a mathematician and founded the Soviet insurance system. Grandfather - Klavdiy Egorovich - military engineer, the first head of the cartridge factory in Lugansk, for his services he received the nobility. The Kabalevsky family has always sounded music. She accompanied the future composer from birth. Dmitry Borisovich's father sang folk songs and played the guitar. Mother was passionate about the theater and played the piano. V.I. Belsky - librettist of the great composer N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, was a colleague of father D. Kabalevsky and was a frequent guest in their house.
Wives
Composer D. Kabalevsky was twice married. The biography of the first wife - Edward Iosifovna Bluman, whose marriage did not last long, is also associated with art. She was born in 1911, and died a few years later D. Kabalevsky. He married Edward Joseph at a very young age. The first wife of the composer graduated from the Institute of Foreign Languages ​​and was a teacher of English. She also translated fiction. In total, there are about forty of her works. The most famous example is “Dandelion Wine” by Ray Bradbury. The second wife D.B. Kabalevsky, with whom he lived his whole future life, is Larisa Pavlovna Chegodaeva. She was not just a wife to the composer, but his assistant and the most faithful friend.
Children
Composer Dmitry Kabalevsky, whose biography is presented in this article, was the father of two children. He had a son from his first marriage - Yuri Dmitrievich. And in marriage with his second wife, his daughter Maria was born. She became the director of the Dmitry Borisovich Kabalevsky Musical Cultural and Educational Center.
Interesting facts from the life of the composer
The biography of D. Kabalevsky would be incomplete if there were no story about what this brilliant composer and teacher was fond of. The most important hobby for him, of course, was music. In addition to her, he was very fond of playing chess, and also collected stamps. There was also a period in his life when he was a member of the editorial board of the Philately of the USSR journal. Among the friends of Dmitry Borisovich there were many prominent artists, including the great composers Aram Khachaturian and Dmitry Shostakovich. It is noteworthy that D. B. Kabalevsky began to seriously engage in music only at the age of 15. But despite this, he achieved success very quickly - he graduated from the technical school and conservatory perfectly.