• Unknown Weinberg: Cantata “Hiroshima five-line stanzas”. Timbral poetics

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2021-3-42-60

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Yuri B. Abdokov

Cand. Sc. in Arts Studies, Professor of the Orchestration Department of the Scientific and Composer Faculty at Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Artistic Director of International Creative Laboratory Terra Musica, Сhairman of the Arts Council of the Society to promote study and conservation of Boris Tchaikovsky artistic heritage “The Boris Tchaikovsky Society”
Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory
Moscow, Russia
E-mail: abdokovgeorg@mail.ru

Unknown Weinberg: Cantata “Hiroshima five-line stanzas”. Timbral poetics

Abstract

The works of Moisey Samuilovich Weinberg (1919-1996) – one of the primary figures in Russian music at the second half of the 20th century – includes almost all genres and forms of academic and incidental music. Sixth symphony, piano quintet, operas “The Passenger” and “Idiot” – these works have already become an essential part of the world musical canon. Meanwhile, many works by the composer – even those that were played by great performers during his lifetime – are unknown among modern listeners. There are also the compositions that have never been performed and have not been published. One can rectify this situation both with memorial hommage (jubilee concerts, festivals, conferences and so on), and by intentional researching of his music, filling performance and editorial gaps in his creations, making qualitative recordings and publishing unknown scores. For these reasons one of the best Russian ensembles, “Russian conservatory”, conducted by Nikolay Khondzinsky, under the initiative of the International Art Workshop “Terra musica” and with the assistance of Weinberg’ relatives, has made World premiere recordings of two never performed Weinberg cantatas: “Pyotr Plaksin” on the words of Julian Tuwim and “Hiroshima Five-line Stanzas” on poems by Mutenosi Fukagava. The article reflects detailed research of the score and the performance experience of the second cantata. Timbral poetics looked as a phenomenological category reflecting style and ethos of the work, gives an opportunity to understand composer’s intentions and their design.

Keywords

Moisey Weinberg, Mutenosi Fukagava, Nikolay Khondzinsky, “Russian Сonservatory”, cantata, timbral poetics

For citation

Abdokov Y.B. Unknown Weinberg: Cantata “Hiroshima five-line stanzas”. Timbral poetics. In: Theatre. Fine Arts. Cinema. Music. 2021, no. 3, pp. 42–60.

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2021-3-42-60

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Received: 19.06.2021

Accepted: 11.08.2021