Edison Denisov

Edison Vasilievich Denisov (Russian: Эдисо́н Васи́льевич Дени́сов) (April 6, 1929, Tomsk, Russia — November 24, 1996, Paris, France) was a Russian composer of so called "Underground" – "Anti-Collectivist," "alternative" or "nonconformist" division in the Soviet music.

Biography
Denisov was born in Tomsk, Siberia into the family of radio-physicist, who gave him the very unusual first name Edison, in honour of the great American inventor. He studied mathematics before deciding to spend his life composing. This decision was enthusiastically supported by Dmitri Shostakovich, who gave him instructions in composition.

In 1951-56 Denisov studied at the Moscow Conservatory - composition with Vissarion Shebalin, orchestration with Nikolai Rakov, analysis with Viktor Zuckerman and piano with Vladimir Belov. In 1956-59 he composed an opera Ivan-Soldat (Soldier Ivan) in three acts on a subject from Russian folk fairy tales.

After graduating from the conservatory, he worked there as a professor and gave private instruction in composition to Evgeni Kostitsyn. He began his own study of scores, which were difficult to obtain in the USSR at that time, including music ranging from Mahler and Debussy to Boulez and Stockhausen. He wrote a series of articles giving a detailed analysis of different aspects of contemporary compositional techniques and at same time actively experimented as a composer trying to find his own way.

The cycle for soprano and chamber ensemble Le soleil des Incas (1964), setting the poems by Gabriela Mistral and dedicated to Pierre Boulez, gave him an international recognition. This happened after the series of successful performances of the work in Darmstadt and Paris (1965). Igor Stravinsky liked the piece, discovering the "remarkable talent" of its composer. However, the piece was harshly criticised by the Union of Soviet Composers for its "western influences", "erudition instead of creativity", and "total composer's arbitrary" (Tikhon Khrennikov). Aftern that, performances of his works were often banned in the Soviet Union.

Later he wrote a flute concerto for Aurèle Nicolet, a violin concerto for Gidon Kremer, works for the oboist Heinz Holliger, clarinettist Eduard Brunner and a sonata for alto saxophone and piano for Jean-Marie Londeix, that became highly popular among saxophone players.

In 1979 he was blacklisted as one of the "Khrennikov's Seven" at the Sixth Congress of the Union of Soviet Composers for unapproved participation in some festivals of Soviet music in the West.

His sombre but striking Requiem, setting a multi-lingual text (English, French, German and Latin) based on works by Francisco Tanzer, was given its first performance in Hamburg in 1980.

Among his major works are the operas L'écume des jours after Boris Vian (1981), Quatre Filles after Pablo Picasso (1986) and ballet Confession after Alfred de Musset.

Denisov became a leader of the ACM - Association for Contemporary Music reestablished in Moscow in 1990. Later Denisov moved to France, where after an accident and long illness he died in Paris hospital in 1996.

Selected Works
1956-9 Soldier Ivan (Russian: Иван-солдат opera in three acts after motifs from Russian folk fairy tales
1964 Le soleil des Incas (Солнце инков — The Sun of Incas), text by Gabriela Mistral for soprano, flute, oboe, horn, trumpet, two pianos, percussion, violin and cello
1964 Italian Songs, text by Alexander Blok for soprano, flute, horn, violin and harpsichord
1966 Les pleurs (Плачи — Lamentations), text of Russian folksongs for soprano, piano and three percussionists
1968 Ode (in Memory of Che Guevara) for clarinet, piano and percussion
1968 Musique Romantique (Романтическая музыка — Romantic Music) for oboe, harp and string trio
1968 Autumn (Осень) after Velemir Khlebnikov for thirteen solo voices
1969 String Trio
1969 Wind Quintet
1969 Silhouettes for flute, two pianos and percussion
1969 Chant des Oiseaux (Пение птиц) for prepared piano (or harpsichord) and tape
1969 DSCH for clarinet, trombone, cello and piano
1970 Two Songs after poems by Ivan Bunin for soprano and piano
1970 Peinture (Живопись — Painting) for orchestra
1970 Sonata for alto saxophone and piano
1971 Piano Trio
1972 Cello Concerto
1973 La vie en rouge (Жизнь в красном цвете — The Life in Red), text by Boris Vian for solo voice, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion
1974 Piano Concerto
1974 Signes en blanc (Знаки на белом — The Sighs on White) for piano
1975 Flute Concerto
1977 Violin Concerto
1977 Concerto Piccolo for saxophone and six percussionists
1980 Requiem after liturgian texts and poems by Francisco Tanzer for soprano, tenor, mixed chorus and orchestra
1981 L'écume des jours (Пена дней — The Foam of Days), an opera after Boris Vian
1982 Tod ist ein langer Schlaf (Смерть - это долгий сон — Death is a Long Sleep) - Variations on Haydn's Canon for cello and orchestra
1982 Chamber Symphony No. 1
1984 Confession (Исповедь), a ballet in three acts after Alfred de Musset
1985 Three Pictures after Paul Klee for viola, oboe, horn, piano, vibraphone and double bass
1986 Quatre Filles (Четыре девушки — The Four Girls), an opera in one act after Pablo Picasso
1986 Viola Concerto
1986 Oboe Concerto
1987 Symphony No. 1
1989 Clarinet Concerto
1989 Four Poems after G. de Nerval for voice, flute and piano
1991 Guitar Concerto
1992 History of Life and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christus according to St. Matthew for bass, tenor, chorus and orchestra
1993 Sonata for clarinet and piano
1993 Concerto for flute, vibraphone, harpsichord and string orchestra
1993 Completion of Debussy's opera Rodrigue et Chimène
1994 Chamber Symphony No. 2
1994 Sonata for alto saxophone and cello
1995 Morning Dream after seven poems of Rose Ausländer for soprano, mixed chorus and orchestra
1995 Choruses for Medea for chorus and ensemble
1995 Completion of Schubert's opera-oratory Lazarus oder Die Feier der Auferstehung (Лазарь и торжество Воскрешения) D689
1995 Trio for flute, bassoon and piano
1995 Des ténèbres à la lumière (From Dusk to Light) for accordion. Publ.: Paris, Leduc, 1996. Dur. 15'.
1996 Symphony No. 2 (March)
1996 Three Cadenzas for Mozart's Concerto for flute and harp (April-May)
1996 Sonata for two flutes (May)
1996 Concerto for flute and clarinet with orchestra (July)
1996 Femme et oiseaux (The Woman and the Birds) homage to Joan Miro for piano, string quartet and woodwind quartet (July-August)
1996 Avant le coucher du soleil for alto flute and vibraphone (the last work, completed 16th of August).