Ru
EnD. Dedyukhin
Concert compositions for brass band in the creative heritage by N. Myaskovsky
The published article is devoted to the little-studied genre sphere of N. Myaskovsky’s creative work, which includes both small concert pieces (Two Marches, composed in 1930; Two Marches op. 53), and large-scale works (the Nineteenth Symphony, “Dramatic Overture” op. 60). The most important motives that contributed to the formation of the composer’s steady interest in wind orchestral music at the turn of the 1930s–1940s are indicated. In addition, the author of the article identifies two organically interrelated tendencies predetermined the general direction of the works listed above. On the one hand, a pronounced desire for the “democratization” of individual style prevails here, dominating in the work by N. Myaskovsky of the pre-war decade. On the other hand, there is a tendency to “academization” the concert repertoire of brass bands, based on the very significant artistic possibilities of the appropriate instrumental staff. This motivates not only the creation of major opuses in traditional “symphonic” genres (overture, cyclic symphony), but also unique experiences of “cyclization” realized in individual readings of “popular” genres (march “diptychs”). This is also the source of the unconditionally positive attitude of the composer towards the newly carried out and planned transcriptions of his works for brass band (the Eighteenth and Twenty-third Symphonies), similar to the instrumentation of symphonic music by other Russian masters (D. Shostakovich, A. Khachaturian, D. Kabalevsky, etc.). Thus, during the specified period of N. Myaskovsky’s creative activity, the composer considers the intensive and multifaceted renewal of the concert repertoire of brass bands as a rather significant professional stimulus for him, as well as a significant factor in musical enlightenment that favors a full-fledged dialogue between a modern artist and a mass audience.
Key words
N. Myaskovsky, works for brass band, genres of academic music, “democratization” of individual style, transcriptions of symphonic works.
For citation
Dedyukhin D. Concert compositions for brass band in the creative heritage by N. Myaskovsky // South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2023. No. 2. Pp. 105-112.
