(1904 - 1987)
Kabalavsky was a Russian composer who worked hard to realise the musical potential of Socialist-Realism during the Soviet era. His music for children has been loved and played by young musicians all over the world. He studied at Moscow Conservatoire under Goldenweiser for piano and Myaskovsky for composition. Kabalevsky became a Conservatoire professor in 1932 and a founder-member and official of the Union of Composers in 1938. He was a prolific composer of repertoire for childrens music and his output includes many piano works and three concertos ‘dedicated to Soviet youth. His 24 Piano Preludes, based on Russian folksongs from the Rimsky-Korsakov collection, were frequently played by Vladimir Horowitz . Kabalvesky's lively opera Colas Breugnon, set in 17th century France and based on a novel by Romain Rolland, uses French folk idioms in a fresh but traditional way and a suite from the opera has reached a wide audience. His Requiem in 1963 is a secular work to poems by Robert Rozhdestvensky ‘in memory of those who died in the fight against fascism’ and reflects the recent impact of Britten’s War Requiem.
Dmitry Kabalevsky Composition Timpani and Percussion Requirements
Colas Breugnon (Overture)
Timpani + 6 percussion
Tambourine, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, snare drum, xylophone, triangle
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The Comedians - Complete Suite
Timpani + 4 percussion
1) xylophone, 2) snare drum, tambourine, suspended cymbal, 3) clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, 4) orchestral bass drum, triangle
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