Nikolay Sokolov (composer)

This article is about the Russian composer and teacher. For the violinist and conductor, see Nikolai Sokoloff.

Nikolay Alexandrovich Sokolov (Russian: Никола́й Алекса́ндрович Соколо́в; 26 March [O.S. 14 March] 1859 – 27 March 1922) was a Russian composer of classical music and a member of the circle that grew around the publisher Mitrofan Belyayev.

Career

Sokolov was born in Saint Petersburg in 1859. A student of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, he taught Alexander Tcherepnin, Dmitri Shostakovich and Yuri Shaporin^[1] at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory.

He was the posthumous dedicatee of Shostakovich's Theme and Variations in B-flat major for orchestra, Op. 3.^[2][3]

Sokolov's recorded works include his contributions to several collaborative projects of the "Belyayev circle", including the set of character pieces for string quartet known as Les Vendredis as well as a set of variations for piano and orchestra on a Russian theme.

Other works include a Quintet, Op. 3, also arranged for string orchestra as a serenade; final chorus from Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy's Don Juan, Op. 5; choruses for women's voices, Op. 12 (published 1892); piano variations, Op. 25; Variations on a popular Russian theme for string quartet (published 1899). There are also three string quartets, in F major, A major and D minor, and a string trio in D minor, his Op. 45 (published in 1916). All of these were published by Belyayev's firm.

It is possible that, when Sergei Diaghilev was looking for a composer for The Firebird, Sokolov was considered before Igor Stravinsky was settled on.^[4][5]

He died in Petrograd in 1922, aged 63.

Selected worklist

• Orchestral music
  • Elegie, for orchestra (pub. 1888)^[6]
  • Four pieces for strings, Op. 18^[7]
  • Second Serenade for strings, Op. 23^[8][9]
  • Caressante polka, for string orchestra, Op. 38.^[10]
  • Divertissement, Op. 42^[9][11]
  • Music for Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, for large orchestra, Op. 44^[12]
  • Ballet 'Les Cygnes Sauvages' Op.40 Suite for Orchestra Belaieff 1902 pl.#2353-2355
• String quartets
  • No. 1 in F major, Op. 7^[9][13]
  • No. 2 in A major, Op. 14^[9][14]
  • No. 3 in D minor, Op. 20^[9][15]
• Other chamber music, and piano music.
  • Elegie, for violin with piano accompaniment, Op. 17.^[16]
  • Variations for piano, Op. 25.^[17]
  • String trio in D minor, Op. 45^[9][18]
  • Romance for Cello and Piano, Op. 19^[9]
• Vocal music
  • Four lieder from Op. 1^[19]
  • Three-part chorus "Printemps"^[20]
  • Autumn for women's chorus and piano^[9]
  • Four romances on words of Apollon Korinfsky with piano accompaniment, Op. 24 (pub. 1895)^[21]
  • Choruses for Men's Voices, Op. 6^[9]
  • Choruses for Men's Voices, Op. 15^[9]

Books

• Sokolov, N. Prakticheskoe rukovodstvo k izucheniiu akkordov, vkhodiashchikh v kurs II-go klassa solfedzhio Petrogradskoi konservatorii. 1897, reprinted 1916. Izd. M.P. Bieliaeva. (18 pages.^[22])
• Sokolov, N. Imitatsii na cantus firmus; posobie pri izuchenii kontrapunkta strogogo stilia. Leningrad: Izd. Gosudarstvennoi konservatorii. 1928. (62 pages, of which pages 23–62 are score.)

Notes

1. van Rijen, Onno. "Yuri Shaporin". Retrieved 2015-09-08.
2. Fay, Shostakovich: A Life, p.19
3. van Rijen, Onno. "Compositions by Dmitri Shostakovich: Childhood and Youth (1906-1924)". Retrieved 2015-09-08.
4. Taruskin, Stravinsky and the Russian Traditions: A Biography of the Works Through Mavra, p.579
5. Walsh, Stravinsky: A Creative Spring: Russia and France, 1882-1934, unspecified page
6. OCLC 54114695: Elegie : pour orchestre (WorldCat.org) at worldcat.org
7. OCLC 47631252: 4 pʹesy dli︠a︡ skripki, soch. 18 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
8. OCLC 54114728: 2me sérénade : pour orchestre à cordes, op. 23 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
9. This work is available in score or parts at IMSLP.
10. OCLC 54114653: Caressante polka : pour orchestre d'archets, op. 38 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
11. OCLC 54114676 Divertissement : pour grand orchestre, op. 42 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
12. OCLC 54114747 Musique pour "Le conte d'hiver" de Shakespeare : pour grand orchestre, op. 44 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
13. The Research Libraries of The New York Public Library /All Locations at catalog.nypl.org
14. OCLC 18586235 2me quatuor (en la majeur) pour deux violons, alto et violoncelle, op. 14. (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
15. OCLC 4600820 Troisième quatuor (en re mineur) : pour deux violons, alto et violoncelle, op. 20 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
16. OCLC 50010828: Elégie pour violon avec accompagnement de piano, op. 17 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
17. OCLC 70697009 Variations pour piano ... Op. 25 ... (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
18. Cornell Permanent Link
19. Mirlyn – Ann Arbor and Flint – Full Record at mirlyn.lib.umich.edu
20. OCLC 11849725: Spring = Printemps : three-part chorus for women's voices (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
21. OCLC 20242043: Chetyre romansa na slova Apollona Korinfskago s soprovozhdeniem fortepiano ... soch. 24 ... (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
22. The Research Libraries of The New York Public Library /All Locations at catnyp.nypl.org

References

• Fay, Laurel (1999). Shostakovich: A Life. Oxford University Press. p. 19. ISBN 0-19-513438-9.
• Taruskin, Richard (1996). Stravinsky and the Russian Traditions: A Biography of the Works Through Mavra. Oxford University Press. p. 579. ISBN 0-19-816250-2.
• Walsh, Stephen. Stravinsky: A Creative Spring: Russia and France, 1882-1934. New York : A.A. Knopf, 1999. ISBN 0-679-41484-3.

External links

• The Lieder Database Sokolov entry
• Review of a recording of Les Vendredis A review of a collaborative production of the Belyayev circle.
• Notes to a recording of the Variations Contains biographical information. (This is one source for the assertion that Sokolov taught Shostakovich.)
• Free scores by Nikolay Sokolov (composer) at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)

Davis-Beattie, Richard 'Beauty of Belaieff' p. 288-290 ISBN 978-1-905912-14-8