Sources of Inspiration in Selected Piano Works by Sergei Slonimsky

Sergei Slonimsky is an important composer, without
whom Russian music would be incomplete and less
controversial. It is not easy to find composers who,
with the same success, utilize virtually every
existing classical and modern music genre in their
compositions.His vividly imaginative compositions
show a brilliant composer s mastery. His music
consists of a variety of images that contain an
abundance of artistic information. Included in the
work is a biographical background of the composer, a
description of his compositional style and
accomplishments. The work will focus on Slonimsky''s
piano pieces and the extra-musical stimuli that
inspired these compositions. The main emphasis of
investigation will be related to the works inspired
by music s sister arts painting and sculpture (the
suite Three Graces and Passing-by Beauty). The
visual and sound images and the message both the
artist and the composer try to convey will be
compared and contrasted. The literary aspect of
Slonimsky s piano work, his fascination with
Romanticism, and his continuation of the Russian
tradition of imitating bell sounds in music will also
be explored.

Autorentext

Yulia Kozlova is Associate Professor of Piano at Santa MonicaCollege in Santa Monica, California. She performs frequently in USand Russia. Yulia received her Bachelor's degree from NovgorodState College of Music, Russia, Master's Degree in Piano Pedagogyand Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from TheOhio State University.

Klappentext

Sergei Slonimsky is an important composer, withoutwhom Russian music would be incomplete and lesscontroversial. It is not easy to find composers who,with the same success, utilize virtually everyexisting classical and modern music genre in theircompositions.His vividly imaginative compositionsshow a brilliant composer's mastery. His musicconsists of a variety of images that contain anabundance of artistic information. Included in thework is a biographical background of the composer, adescription of his compositional style andaccomplishments. The work will focus on Slonimsky'spiano pieces and the extra-musical stimuli thatinspired these compositions. The main emphasis ofinvestigation will be related to the works inspiredby music's sister arts - painting and sculpture (thesuite Three Graces and Passing-by Beauty). Thevisual and sound images and the message both theartist and the composer try to convey will becompared and contrasted. The literary aspect ofSlonimsky's piano work, his fascination withRomanticism, and his continuation of the Russiantradition of imitating bell sounds in music will alsobe explored.