Alexander Glazunov Free Sheet Music, Program Notes, Recordings and Biography

The Phenomenon with the Photographic Ear

In 1881, a 16-year-old boy presented his first symphony to a circle of Russia’s most important composers. Mily Balakirev, the group's demanding leader, was astonished by the work's maturity. The composer, he was told, was Alexander Glazunov, a student of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Balakirev was so impressed that he programmed the symphony for a concert the following year, where it was a resounding success. Later, when the great composer Alexander Borodin died leaving his epic opera Prince Igor unfinished, it was Glazunov, still a young man, who was entrusted with the monumental task of completing and orchestrating it. How? He had heard Borodin play the unfinished sections on the piano only once, and he reconstructed them almost perfectly from memory. This phenomenal photographic ear belonged to a man who would become a living legend—a bridge between the generations of Russian music and a titan of orchestration.

A Prodigy's Rapid Rise

Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov was born in St. Petersburg in 1865 to a wealthy, book-publishing family. His musical talents were recognized early, and he began piano studies at age nine. In 1879, Mily Balakirev heard the boy play and immediately recognized his extraordinary potential. He recommended Glazunov to his colleague, the master orchestrator Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, for private lessons. The speed of Glazunov's progress was astounding. Rimsky-Korsakov would later write, "His musical development progressed not by the day, but literally by the hour." In less than two years, Glazunov had mastered what would normally constitute an entire conservatory course in composition. It was this rapid development that led to the premiere of his Symphony No. 1, subtitled the "Slavonian Symphony," when he was just 16. The work was a public sensation, launching the teenager into the top ranks of Russian composers.

The Belyayev Circle and a Bridge Between Worlds

Glazunov's early success caught the attention of Mitrofan Belyayev, a timber merchant and wealthy arts patron. Belyayev took the young composer under his wing, becoming his publisher and lifelong champion. He founded a publishing house in Leipzig to promote Russian music abroad and established the Russian Symphony Concerts in St. Petersburg. Glazunov became the central figure of the "Belyayev Circle," a group of younger composers that included figures like Anatoly Lyadov and Nikolai Tcherepnin. This group represented a new direction in Russian music. While the older generation of "The Mighty Handful" (including Mussorgsky and Borodin) had often prioritized raw nationalistic character over formal training, Glazunov and his circle sought to reconcile this Russian spirit with the technical polish and formal structures of the Western European tradition, particularly the work of Johannes Brahms. In this, Glazunov became a great synthesizer, creating music that was undeniably Russian in its soul but universal in its craftsmanship.

Musical Style and Masterworks

Glazunov was a master of orchestration and form. His music is characterized by its lyrical warmth, brilliant instrumental color, and epic, sweeping gestures. While he composed eight complete symphonies, his reputation today rests largely on three iconic works.

• The Seasons, Op. 67 (1899): This one-act ballet is Glazunov's most popular work. A series of vivid character dances depicting Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn, the score is a masterpiece of colorful orchestration. From the frosty introduction of "Winter" to the fiery "Bacchanale" of "Autumn," it is a continuous delight and a staple of the concert hall.

• Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 82 (1904): This is one of the great concertos of the Romantic violin repertoire. Written in a single, continuous movement subdivided into three sections, it is celebrated for its glorious, long-breathed melodies and its fiendishly difficult but brilliantly written solo part. It remains a favorite of virtuosos and audiences around the world.

• Saxophone Concerto in E-flat major, Op. 109 (1934): Composed late in his life, this was one of the first major concertos written for the classical saxophone. Its elegiac and soulful character helped to establish the instrument's credibility on the concert stage.

Director of the Conservatory and the Soviet Revolution

In 1905, in the midst of political turmoil, Glazunov was appointed director of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. This was the role that would define the second half of his life. He proved to be a dedicated and brilliant administrator, defending the autonomy of the institution, raising standards, and supporting his students fiercely. When the revolution of 1917 threw the country into chaos, Glazunov fought tirelessly to protect the Conservatory and its students from hardship, ensuring that it could continue to function. He personally auditioned and looked after a young Dmitri Shostakovich, recognizing his genius and ensuring he received a stipend during a time of famine. Shostakovich would later remember Glazunov with immense respect and affection.

However, the immense administrative burden took its toll on his compositional life, and his output slowed considerably. He also struggled to adapt to the new political and artistic climate of the Soviet Union.

Exile and Final Years

In 1928, Glazunov took an opportunity to travel to Vienna as a delegate for a Schubert festival. He never returned to Russia. He toured Europe and the United States before finally settling in Paris in 1932. He found himself somewhat of a relic, a representative of a bygone Romantic era in a world now dominated by the modernism of Stravinsky and Schoenberg. His creative inspiration largely faded, and he died in Paris in 1936.

Legacy

Alexander Glazunov was a monumental figure in Russian music. He was the ultimate successor to the nationalist cause, who managed to imbue the Russian spirit with a formal perfection and brilliant orchestration that earned it international respect. As a teacher and director, he was the guardian of a great tradition, personally mentoring a new generation of composers who would go on to define the Soviet era. While some of his symphonic works have faded from the standard repertoire, the soaring melodies of his Violin Concerto and the dazzling colors of The Seasons ensure that the music of this phenomenal prodigy will never be forgotten.

Section 4: References and Further Reading

• Figes, Orlando. Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia. Metropolitan Books, 2002.

• Taruskin, Richard. On Russian Music. University of California Press, 2009.

• Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai. My Musical Life. Translated by Judah A. Joffe, Faber & Faber, 1989.

• Schwarz, Boris. Music and Musical Life in Soviet Russia, 1917-1981. Indiana University Press, 1983.