Anatoly Alexandrov

'If Myaskovsky is a thinker, and Feinberg a psychologist, then Alexandrov is, before anything else, a poet.' - Viktor Belyaev, 1926

Russian and Soviet composer, pianist and teacher Anatoly Alexandrov, not to be confused with the Russian physicist of the same name, was born in Moscow on 25 May 1888. His teachers at the Moscow Conservatory included Sergei Taneyev.

His early music, influenced by that of Nikolai Medtner and Alexander Scriabin, showed signs of mysticism, but he later de-emphasised this to align his output with the official socialist realist doctrine of the Soviet era.

His output includes two symphonies and some other orchestral music, operas, songs for voice and piano, four string quartets, a cello sonata, fourteen piano sonatas and much other piano music.

In addition to his own compositions, he edited many of Russian composer Alexei Stanchinsky's works for publication.

From 1923 he taught at the Moscow Conservatory.

Anatoly Alexandrov died in Moscow on 16 April 1982, aged ninety-three.

 

A selection of articles about Anatoly Alexandrov

Spotlight. Fine and Sadly Neglected - Geoff Pearce discovers the music of Anatoly Alexandrov. 'Technically and musically, Clarisse Teo is certainly up to the demands of the music ...'