Russian underground composer Andrey VOLKONSKY dies
Aix-en-Provence -
Two days ago Russian composer and harpsichordist Andrey VOLKONSKY (Андрей ВОЛКОНСКИЙ,1933-2008) died.
Volkonsky was born into a famous noble Russian family who had emigrated to Switzerland before moving to Paris in 1945.
There he received lessons from Nadia Boulanger (composition) and Dinu Lipatti (piano), but these were interrupted when the family - blinded by promises of the Soviet government - returned to the Soviet Union in 1947.
Volkonsky studied composition with Yury Shaporin at the Moscow Conservatory until - in 1954 - he was expelled for posessing scores by Schoenberg and Stravinsky.
By writing Musica Stricta (1956), the first Russian piano piece in Schoenbergian dodecaphonic style and in founding Madrigal, an ensemble performing ancient music Volkonsky was declared a cultural dissident. As a result performance of his music was in practice banned.
Volkonsky on the Second Viennese School: If the performer does not understand Schoenberg and Webern he cannot understand Mozart and Beethoven is my deep belief. Why? Schoenberg and Webern have finished certain musical "theses" stated by Beethoven, to their full end and consequence.
In 1973 Volkonsky emigrated to the Western Europe, where he worked as a keyboard player. He lived in Aix-en-Provence since 1987.
Andrey Volkonsky died at the age of 75.
Sources
Laatste aanpassing op Thursday 18 September 2008
