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SMITURICH-KHLEBNIKOVS: ART TRADE RUNS IN THE FAMILY

By Y. Andrusenko
An exhibition of paintings by the Miturich-Khlebnikov dynasty of painters is under way at the Tretiakov Gallery in Moscow. All 4 painters have had personal exhibitions before, but it's the first time they put their works together for public display. Petr Miturich, his wife Vera Khlebnikova, their son May Miturich and their grand-daughter Vera Miturich-Khlebnikova are connected not only by family relationship but also by a special family style.
In 1916 painter Petr Miturich married a sister of the well-known Russian poet, a futurist and one of the leaders of Russian avant-gardism Velimir Khlebnikov. Struck by Khlebnikov's outstanding personality, Miturich adopted his artistic vision. In the 1920s he created futuristic paper composition with lines from verses by Khlebnikov and another futurist poet, Alexei Kruchenykh, inscribed on them. "The beautiful world is dying but we are immortal", one of them says. These words turned out to be prophetic: the Miturich family has managed to preserve something more fragile than paper fantasies - the atmosphere of creativity, freedom and love. Petr Miturich may well be regarded as the father of dimensional graphics. His ideas nearly perished in the cruelest and pragmatic-minded 20th century. His son May brought them back to life, using old photographs. The exposition begins with a wooden hoarse the 5-year-old Petya Miturich cut out from … his new leather sofa. His father liked it so much that he didn't punish the boy. One reason why there were more geniuses in the early 20th century may be that they can't evolve in a society in which a sofa is valued more than talent.
Of special interest are models of flight apparatuses and wave-boats invented by Petr Miturich. "My father noticed that all living creatures in this world moved according to an oscillation principle", May Miturich says. "Considering linear and rotating movement faulty to a certain extent, he sought to create apparatuses that could move on land, in water and air. But he never advanced beyond small-size models made out of old alarm-clocks and other waste materials. All his life he was convinced that the oscillation principle of movement - at present it is known as bionics - would conquer the future".
Miturich, who called himself the stern realist of the era of avant-gardism, agreed with Khlebnikov that nature was a constantly changing organism. Looking at his paintings and graphics, one feels the pulse of nature in every line and in every stroke. "A painter has a rich fantasy", Petr Miturich said. "He is absolutely free from pseudo-naturalism. His works are a product of abstract vision of real forms that exist in nature and human culture".
His wife Vera Khlebnikova devoted herself entirely to her family, which is reflected in the subjects of her paintings: an overcoat on a rack, washed linen during on a rope, views of places visited during rare trips together on summer vacations, portraits of close relatives. "Since my early childhood I was surrounded by painters", May Miturich recalls. "All our friends were painters, all talk was about art. Up to a certain age I thought that all people, except a yard-sweeper and a milk-seller, were painters".
"There is no exhausting the new in nature, the same as one can't reach the horizon", May Miturich admits. His mother's collages made of old letters, postal receipts and old stamps reflect a conviction that an artist must not necessarily be on the "trunk line" of history, but is free to build his own hierarchy of values.

MUSICAL PATHS OF SERGEI ZHUKOV
(to his 50th birthday)

By O. Bugrova
In October Moscow hosted a string of music events timed to the 50th birthday of the well-known Russian composer Sergei Zhukov. One of the concerts took place at the House Of Composers, another - at the "Glas" Theatre Zhukov has been cooperating with for several years.
A disciple of Mikhail Chulaki, a professor at the Moscow Conservatory and author of several wonderful ballets, he inherited his teacher's love of the theatre. Now Zhukov himself teaches music at the Conservatory and writes music to drama productions at the "Glas" center. He wrote three ballets and lots of chamber works in the so-called "instrumental theatre" manner - musicians move around the stage, while playing, the performance being accompanied by a recital of texts and quasi-improvised singing.
These "innovations" don't interfere with his serious music. As the composer himself admits, before setting down to work, he needs to dismiss all other thoughts, turn into a "clean sheet" and listen to himself and the sounds that arise from the depth of his soul.
When a child, he adored Chopin's waltzes. He remembers being frightened of the grand piano wondering how that large black box could be so full of sounds. A year ago Sergei wrote a piece entitled "The Mystery Of An Old Music Box". It was performed at the jubilee concert at the House Of Composers along with his other piece "Sempre sonare" for two grand pianos and the drums. Presenting his latter work, the composer said: "It's a largely unexpected work even for myself. For the first time, perhaps, I changed my style beyond recognition. I wanted to express the nature of the grand piano - a mysterious and, in some sense, unknown instrument".
Sergei Zhukov is a permanent participant in contemporary music festivals in Poland, the United States, Belgium and the Netherlands. His new works appear on the program of the current "Moscow Autumn" festival.

INTERNATIONAL PROJECT OF CARILLON MUSIC IN ST. PETERSBURG

N. Yakhontova
The St. Petersburg State Historical Museum, the St.Peter and St. Paul Fortress, is the venue for a major international musical project entitled " Crimson Ringing". In Russia these words stand for the tolling of church bells.
A carillion of 51 bells was installed on the bell tower of the St. Peter and St Paul Cathedral. The heaviest of the bells weigh three tons. This set of bells is controlled by a fragile young woman Marina Nevskaya, the first qualified musician-carillioner in Russia. Marina Nevskaya says that playing the carillon requires much physical effort and when you put too much passion into music you can even injure fingers, especially if the concert lasts long. Yet the beauty of music makes you forget about everything.
What should be noted is that there was a carillion in the St Peter and St Paul fortress since the time of Peter the First, that is, since the early 18th century. The bells have been preserved to the present-day. Some of them are connected to the time-counting chimes and can be heard. Several bells, as museum items, are exhibited in a niche of the bell-tower's staircases. There are always many visitors on the territory of the St. Peter and St Paul fortress and in the cathedral. Once the head of the Bell School and the International Institute of the Art of Bell Ringing in the Belgian city of Mehelen professor Io Hazen appeared there.
Marina Nevskaya says that she got acquainted with professor Io Hazen back in Mehelen where she took up a course of organ. He came to invite students to his concerts and suggested that they should visit the bell-tower to have a look at the renowned local carillion. The professor is fond of bells and believes they are his calling. On learning about an ancient carillion in St Petersburg that is not used the professor was gripped by the idea of restoring it. Io Hazen likes Russia and Russian culture; for 10 years now he has been studying the Russian language. He wrote a letter to the administration of the museum of St. Peter and St. Paul fortress offering his help. A special council was convened to consider the matter; it decided that it would be easier and cheaper to construct a new instrument.
And again professor Io Hazen took the initiative. He found sponsors, lovers of bell music in various countries, 352 persons all in all. Their names are engraved on the bells of the new carillion installed in the St Peter and St Paul Cathedral.
Carillion is an unusual instrument. An echo of any note lasts for over 30 seconds, therefore, any playing out of tune is absolutely excluded. The carillion is controlled by a keyboard and is played like an organ on manuals and pedals. Manuals are played with fists and pedals with feet. The sound is produced, as usual, by the strikes of the clapper which is connected with the keyboard by a whole system of levers and ropes. Marina Nevskaya says that in the carillion all bells are tuned chromatically. "A sounding of one bell is a divine music rich in overtones," she adds, "but they all ringing together is something that is very special."
Inside the St Peter and St Paul Cathedral there is a copper plate saying that the carillion on the bell-tower is the gift of Belgium. It is meant as a contribution to the restoration of musical traditions in the St. Peter and St Paul fortress which can be traced back to the time of Peter the First. The musical instrument was created under the supervision of the Royal School in Mehelen on donations of nationals from many countries. Let the bell music please residents and guests of St. Petersburg for many years being a token of friendship among nations."
This fall the first festival of carillion music was held in the St Peter and St Paul fortress. The public gathered on the square in front of the cathedral. On the program were compositions by the 18th-20th century composers. The festival was opened by Io Hazen, then his students performed. Among them was Marina Nevskaya who is not only a performer but a composer as well. Her composition was based on a popular Russian folk song.
 13.11.2001
 
 
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