There is a nice little mansion still standing in Kazanskaya Street in the
very heart of St.Petersburg where Alexander Glazunov, the great 19th century
Russian composer, conductor, mentor and public activist was born
in July 1865 and lived most of his life. Breaking from a time-tested tradition,
Glazunov pursued a career that differed from that of his father who was
a hereditary book publisher.
Apparently inheriting his passionate love for music from his mother, a
brilliant pianist, the boy spent hours on end listening to her playing
and even trying to figure out the melodies on the keyboard.
Alexander started writing his own music at the still tender age of nine
and seven years later he proudly unveiled his first symphony in a premiere
that raised many eyebrows. It was the work of a perfectly mature composer
and people in the audience were very much surprised to see a greenhorn
clad in a school uniform coming out on stage to make his bows…
Everything he wrote immediately caught on with the people
because Glazunov’s music was always so melodic, warm, sincere and pure,
just like its author was…
His compositional maturity belying his young age, Glazunov usually got
along better with older people. Invariably friendly and interested, Glazunov
was the best student any teacher could only dream about. His venerable
mentors, Mily Balakirev and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, were happy to work
with him and very soon they both became good friends of Glazunov’s. Giving
up their private lessons these two geniuses of Russian music would often
get together with Glazunov to talk, listen to his music and give him professional
advice.
Their friendship lasted a whole lifetime and Balakirev and Rimsky-Korsakov
were always respectful, at times even more than that, of their young colleague
who eventually became one of the best-educated musicians Russia had ever
had…
In 1882 the Moscow composer Sergei Taneyev came to St.Petersburg only to
find the city’s music salons all abuzz praising the 17-year-old Glazunov
to the skies. Unable to hide his irony, Taneyev recalled: “I learned that,
first of all, Glazunov is a genius, his music is sheer perfection, that
his compositional technique is second to none and things like that. Everyone
said so… Rimsky-Korsakov even told me that the young Glazunov was a real
professor, that he always listened to other people’s music and said right
away what was wrong and what should be done to make it better…”
Soon after, Glazunov was introduced to Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Already a respected
authority, Tchaikovsky gave him a listen and was literally blown away by
the young composer’s talent. The two eventually became good friends and
the renowned maestro never missed a chance to heap praise on his younger
colleague’s work…
There is a very beautiful mansion on Nikolskaya Street in downtown St.Petersburg
once owned by the rich lumber merchant Mitrofan Belyayev who contributed
lavishly to Russia’s musical advancement. Belyayev founded and financed
the Russian Symphony Concerts and the Russian Quartet Concerts, regularly
organized composition contests and gave out annual awards for the best
Russian composition of the year. He also launched a music publishing
business specializing in new Russian music.
Alexander Glazunov became the darling of Mitrofan Belyayev who appreciated
his talent and regularly encouraged him with money awards for his new compositions.
Belyayev organized Glazunov’s first ever concert of his own works and published
all his compositions paying him exorbitant royalties. Glazunov’s
music was a common denominator at each and every Russian Symphony Concerts
program. The big-hearted art patron even took his much-loved young composer
on a European trip introducing him to the venerable Ferenz Liszt. That
was the beginning of Glazunov’s international career…
The marvelous hall of the Nobility Assembly was the regular venue of the
Russian Symphony Concerts, which unveiled many of Glazunov’s new works
to the capital’s concert going public. He would often take up the baton
himself, just like he did for the first time in 1888, his phenomenal musical
ear and hands-on knowledge of almost all instruments making it easy for
him to find a common language with the musicians.
Glazunov’s phlegmatic nature was a major hindrance in his work with big
orchestras though. He was neither demanding nor impulsive – two qualities
that prevented his compositional talent from coming to a full flower. For
all its strong points, Glazunov’s music was pretty much uneventful and,
therefore, a bit staid and zestless…
From the Mikhailovskaya Square we are now moving to Teatralnaya Square
dominated by the impressive bulk of the Mariinsky Theater where all of
Alexander Glazunov’s ballets, including “Raimonda,” his best, have since
been staged…
“Raimonda” premiered on January 7, 1898. The succulent stage adaptation
by the world-renowned choreographer Marius Petipa was fortified by equally
impressive scenery and costumes. “Raimonda” remains to this very day the
pride and glory of the Mariinsky internationally acclaimed ballet troupe.
Of all the houses Alexander Glazunov once went to, the Conservatory stands
out very prominently as the place where the composer came every single
day for almost 30 years. In 1899 Glazunov was invited to join the Conservatory’s
music theory faculty. Starting off teaching one definite subject, he quickly
went on taking up a raft of other subjects as well. His status was
rising every day and six years later he became the Conservatory’s director,
a position he held for almost a quarter century….
Adored and admired by his students and fellow Professors alike, Glazunov
was an indisputable authority always ready to hear out and help those who
thronged his spacious office at the Conservatory. Never giving up his teaching
chores, he showed up at each and every examination, never, missing on a
single budding talent in his whole life…
His directorship coincided with some of the most tragic years in Russian
history. Wars, revolutions, famine and general disrepair… One can only
wonder how this man possibly managed to preserve the Conservatory and keep
it going…
All those trials and tribulations, however, ultimately took a toll on his
health. Once a florid man, he was now pallid and very much fallen away…
In 1928 Alexander Glazunov went to Europe for treatment never to come back
again... He died in Paris on March 21, 1936 spending the final eight
years of his live away from Russia.
Glazunov’s remains have since been brought back to St.Petersburg and laid
to rest beside other great Russian musicians in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery…
And his name was given to the most beautiful concert hall of the St.Petersburg
Conservatory he steered through rain and shine for nearly a quarter century…
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