Rodion Shchedrin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rodion Shchedrin
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| Родион Щедрин | |
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Rodion Shchedrin in 2009
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| Born | 16 December 1932 Moscow, Soviet Union
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| Occupation | Composer, pianist |
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Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin (born December 16, 1932) is a famous Russian composer and pianist. He has won many important awards, like the USSR State Prize, the Lenin Prize, and the State Prize of the Russian Federation. He was married to the legendary ballerina Maya Plisetskaya from 1958 until she passed away in 2015. Shchedrin is also a citizen of Lithuania and Spain.
About Rodion Shchedrin
Shchedrin was born in Moscow, Russia, into a family that loved music. His father was also a composer and taught music. Rodion studied music at the Moscow Choral School and the Moscow Conservatory, where he learned about composing and playing the piano.
His early music often used folk tunes and had bright, colorful sounds. As he grew as a composer, he started to experiment with different and more modern musical styles.
Famous Musical Works
Rodion Shchedrin has created many different types of music. Some of his most well-known works include:
- Ballets: The Little Humpbacked Horse (1955), Carmen Suite (1973), Anna Karenina (1971), and Lady with a Lapdog (1985).
- Operas: Not Only Love (1961), Dead Souls (1976), and The Enchanted Wanderer (2002).
- Piano music: He wrote a set of 24 Preludes and Fugues, similar to those by another famous composer, Dmitri Shostakovich.
He has also written five special pieces called Concertos for Orchestra. His first one, sometimes called Naughty Limericks, helped him become famous around the world. The second one, The Chimes, was first played by the New York Philharmonic orchestra.
A Talented Performer
Shchedrin is not just a composer; he is also a very skilled pianist and organist. He often played the piano himself when his own piano concertos were first performed. In 1974, he played all three of his piano concertos in one concert, which was recorded.
After the Soviet Union ended, Shchedrin was able to travel more and work with musicians from different countries. He now spends his time between Munich, Germany, and Moscow, Russia.
In 2009, he was honored at the Rheingau Musik Festival in Germany, where his music was featured. He and his wife, Maya Plisetskaya, attended the concerts.
Major Compositions
Rodion Shchedrin has a long list of musical works. Here are some of his most important pieces, organized by type.
Stage Works
These are works meant to be performed on a stage, like operas and ballets.
Operas
- Not Love Alone (1961)
- Dead Souls (1976)
- ... (1993) - based on a novel.
- The Enchanted Wanderer (2001–2002)
- Boyarina Morozova (2006)
- The Left-Hander (2013)
- A Christmas Tale (2015)
Ballets
- The Little Humpbacked Horse (1956)
- Carmen Suite (1967)
- Anna Karenina (1971)
- The Seagull (1979)
- The Lady with the Lapdog (1985)
Orchestral Works
These are pieces written for a full orchestra.
Symphonies
- Symphony No. 1 (1958)
- Symphony No. 2 "Twenty-Five Preludes" (1962–1965)
- Symphony No. 3 "Scenes of Russian Fairy Tales" (2000)
Concertos for Orchestra
- Concerto for Orchestra No. 1 "Naughty Limericks" (1963)
- Concerto for Orchestra No. 2 "The Chimes" (1968)
- Concerto for Orchestra No. 3 "Old Russian Circus Music" (1989)
- Concerto for Orchestra No. 4 "Round Dances (Khorovody)" (1989)
- Concerto for Orchestra No. 5 "Four Russian Songs" (1998)
Concertos for Solo Instrument with Orchestra
Shchedrin has written many concertos where one instrument plays a solo part with the orchestra.
- Piano Concertos: He has written six piano concertos (1954, 1966, 1973, 1991, 1999, 2003).
- Other Instruments: He has also written concertos for trumpet (1993), cello (1994, 2001), viola (1997), violin (1997), and oboe (2010).
Vocal Music
This includes music for singers, sometimes with a chorus and orchestra.
For Soloist, Chorus and Orchestra
- Poetoria (1968)
- Lenin Is Amongst Us (1969)
- Prayer (1991)
Choruses without accompaniment
- The Sealed Angel (1988) - a Russian church service piece for choir.
- Maya Plisetskaya — Eternal memory: Mass of Remembrance (2019)
Piano Works
Shchedrin has composed many pieces just for the piano.
- Piano Sonata No. 1 (1962)
- Twenty-Four Preludes and Fugues (Volume 1 in 1964, Volume 2 in 1970)
- Polyphonic Notebook (1972)
- Notebook for the Youth (1981) - a collection of 15 pieces.
- Piano Sonata No. 2 (1997)
- Diary, seven pieces for piano (2002)
Chamber and Instrumental Works
These are pieces for a small group of instruments.
- Suite for clarinet and piano (1951)
- Sonata for cello and piano (1996)
- Menuhin Sonata for violin and piano (1999)
Awards and Honors
Rodion Shchedrin has received many important awards and recognitions for his contributions to music:
- Order of Merit for the Fatherland (2nd and 3rd class)
- State Prize of the Russian Federation (1992)
- Lenin Prize (1984)
- USSR State Prize (1972)
- People's Artist of the RSFSR (1976) and People's Artist of USSR (1981)
- Shostakovich Award (1992)
- Crystal Award of the World Economic Forum (1995)
- He is an honorary member of several academies and societies, including the Berlin Academy of Arts.
- He has received honorary professorships from major conservatories and universities.
- He won the German music award Echo Klassik in 2008 for his opera Boyarina Morozova.
- He won the Russian National Theatre Award "Golden Mask" in 2009 for The Enchanted Wanderer.
- He was named Composer of the Year by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 2002.
- He has been nominated for Grammy Awards for his compositions.
- An asteroid, 4625 Shchedrin, was named after him!
See also
In Spanish: Rodión Shchedrín para niños
