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BOSTON UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS

Dissertation

DISCOVERING THE FLUTE MUSIC OF MIECZYSŁAW WEINBERG

by

ALEXANDRA STRAUBINGER CONWAY

B.M., Oberlin College Conservatory, 2006


M.M., Boston University College of Fine Arts, 2009

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Musical Arts

2017
© 2017 by
ALEXANDRA STRAUBINGER CONWAY
All rights reserved
Approved by

First Reader ________________________________________________________


David Kopp, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Music, Music Theory

Second Reader ________________________________________________________


Jacquelyn Sholes, Ph.D.
Full-Time Lecturer, Musicology and Ethnomusicology

Third Reader ________________________________________________________


Lynn Eustis, D.M.
Associate Professor of Music, Voice

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my first reader David Kopp for his tireless assistance as

well as Jacquelyn Sholes and Lynn Eustis for their valuable insight. Thanks as

well to all my family and friends that helped with proofreading or just

encouragement. A special thanks to Gwen Klassen, Lauren Eselson, and the

Pender Island Flute Retreat without whom I may never have encountered this

wonderful music!

iv

DISCOVERING THE FLUTE MUSIC OF MIECZYSŁAW WEINBERG

ALEXANDRA STRAUBINGER CONWAY

Boston University College of Fine Arts, 2017

Major Professor: David Kopp, Associate Professor of Music, Music Theory

ABSTRACT

Composer Mieczysław Weinberg (1919–1996) was a Polish Jew who

emigrated to Soviet Russia in an effort to escape Nazi aggression during World

War II. Also known as Moisei Samuilovich Vainberg, he became a close friend

and colleague of the famous Soviet composer Dimitri Shostakovich. His prolific

compositional output includes four works for flute soloist: Twelve Miniatures

(1945), Five Pieces (1947), Flute Concerto No. 1, Op. 75 (1961), and Flute Concerto

No. 2, Op. 148 (1987). The two flute concerti were written for and dedicated to

the famous Russian flutist Alexander Korneyev (1930–2010). These four works

for flute are experiencing a resurgence in interest in recent years as Weinberg’s

music becomes more well-known. This document examines how these pieces fit

into Weinberg’s compositional canon and how they were influenced by flute

playing in the Soviet Union at the time. It analyzes the works from a theoretical

perspective, explores why they have been so seldom played, and assesses how

they fit into the modern flute repertoire. This document also examines the

Russian school of flute playing, focusing on the Moscow Conservatory, where

Korneyev both studied and taught. The Russian school is then compared to

American and French traditions. The purpose of this document is to illuminate

the contributions of Weinberg and Korneyev, and to introduce this literature to

new audiences.

vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................. iv

ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... v

TABLE OF CONTENTS ..............................................................................................vii

LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................ viii

LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... ix

NOTE ON TRANSLITERATION.............................................................................. xii

CHAPTER ONE............................................................................................................... 1

CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................ 17

CHAPTER THREE ........................................................................................................ 25

CHAPTER FOUR .......................................................................................................... 39

TWELVE MINIATURES OP. 29 (1945) ................................................................... 39

FIVE PIECES (1947) ................................................................................................... 64

CONCERTO NO. 1, OP. 75 (1961) ........................................................................... 75

CONCERTO NO. 2, OP. 148 (1987) ......................................................................... 98

CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................ 121

APPENDIX ................................................................................................................... 122

BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................ 123

CURRICULUM VITAE .............................................................................................. 127

vii

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Breakdown of Weinberg’s compositional periods based on Elphick

................................................................................................................................... 18

Table 2.2 Weinberg’s compositional periods with selected compositions and

biography................................................................................................................ 19

Table 4.1 Key scheme of Twelve Miniatures ............................................................ 40

Table 4.2 Etude harmonic content, measures 21–48 ................................................ 61

Table 4.3 Entrance of themes in Zweiter Tanz from Five Pieces .......................... 73

Table 4.4 Entrance of themes in Concerto No. 1, movement 1 ............................. 79

Table 4.4 Entrance of themes in Concerto No. 1, movement 3 ............................. 94

viii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 3.1 Degrees of Familiarity with Soviet Composers of Flute Music ........ 36

Figure 3.2 Degrees of Familiarity of US Trained Flutists with Soviet

Composers of Flute Music................................................................................... 37

Figure 3.3 Degrees of Familiarity of Internationally Trained Flutists with

Soviet Composers of Flute Music ...................................................................... 38

Figure 4.1, Twelve Miniatures Movement 1 ............................................................. 43

Figure 4.2, Twelve Miniatures Movement 2, 1–9 ..................................................... 45

Figure 4.3, Twelve Miniatures Movement 4, 1–8 ..................................................... 48

Figure 4.4, Twelve Miniatures Movement 4, 30–33 ................................................. 49

Figure 4.5, Twelve Miniatures Movement 5, 1–5 ..................................................... 51

Figure 4.6, Twelve Miniatures Movement 5, 18–23 ................................................. 52

Figure 4.7, Twelve Miniatures Movement 6, 1–10 ................................................... 53

Figure 4.8, Twelve Miniatures Movement 6, 46–62 ................................................. 54

Figure 4.9, Twelve Miniatures Movement 8, 1–14 ................................................... 57

Figure 4.10, Twelve Miniatures Movement 9, 52–57 ............................................... 59

Figure 4.11, Twelve Miniatures Movement 8, 16–20 ............................................... 59

Figure 4.12, Twelve Miniatures Movement 11, 14–15 ............................................. 62

Figure 4.13, Twelve Miniatures Movement 12, 49–56 ............................................. 63

Figure 4.14, Five Pieces Movement 1, 1–3 ................................................................. 68

ix

Figure 4.15, Debussy’s “La fille aux cheveux de lin” from Préludes, book I, 1–4

................................................................................................................................... 68

Figure 4.16, Five Pieces Movement 1, 7–11 ............................................................... 69

Figure 4.17, Five Pieces Movement 1, 36–43 ............................................................. 70

Figure 4.18, Five Pieces Movement 2, 46–61 ............................................................. 72

Figure 4.19, Concerto No. 1 Movement 1, 1–10 ........................................................ 80

Figure 4.20, Concerto No. 1 Movement 1, 15–37 ...................................................... 81

Figure 4.21, Concerto No. 1 Movement 1, 52–75 ...................................................... 82

Figure 4.22, Concerto No. 1 Movement 1, 108–125 .................................................. 83

Figure 4.23, Concerto No. 1 Movement 1, 239–253 .................................................. 85

Figure 4.24, Concerto No. 1 Movement 2, 1–2 .......................................................... 86

Figure 4.25, Concerto No. 1 Movement 2, 24–32 ...................................................... 88

Figure 4.26, Concerto No. 1 Movement 3, 1–24 ........................................................ 90

Figure 4.27, Concerto No. 1 Movement 3, 40–59 ...................................................... 92

Figure 4.28, Concerto No. 1 Movement 3, 279–320 .................................................. 96

Figure 4.29, Concerto No. 2 Movement 1, 3–10 ...................................................... 101

Figure 4.30, Concerto No. 2 Movement 1, 42–53 .................................................... 102

Figure 4.31, Concerto No. 2 Movement 1, 54–66 .................................................... 104

Figure 4.32, Concerto No. 2 Movement 1, 107–121 ................................................ 105

Figure 4.33, Concerto No. 2 Movement 1, 237–255 ............................................... 106

Figure 4.34, Concerto No. 2 Movement 2, 1–16 ...................................................... 108

Figure 4.35, Concerto No. 2 Movement 2, 21–32 .................................................... 110

Figure 4.36, Concerto No. 2 Movement 3, 51–57 .................................................... 112

Figure 4.37, Concerto No. 2 Movement 3, 1–32 ...................................................... 113

Figure 4.38, Concerto No. 2 Movement 3, 48–64 .................................................... 115

Figure 4.39, Concerto No. 2 Movement 3, 133–147 ................................................ 117

Figure 4.40, Concerto No. 2 Movement 3, 146–158 ................................................ 118

Figure 4.41, Concerto No. 2 Movement 3, 194–200 ................................................ 119

xi

NOTE ON TRANSLITERATION

The transliteration of Polish and Russian names in this document follows that of

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie and John

Tyrrell (London: Macmillan, 2001). In the case of Weinberg’s last name, a strict

transliteration from the Cyrillic would be “Vaynberg.” Debate continues around

a universally accepted spelling, with variations including “Vainberg” and

“Wajnberg,” the latter being the composer’s preferred version before his move

from Poland. This document opts for “Weinberg,” the spelling used by the New

Grove except in cases of direct citation. New Grove uses the first name given to

Weinberg after his immigration to Russia, “Moisey.” However, I have chosen to

use the original Polish name that he reverted to at the end of his life, Mieczysław.

There are also divergent spellings for the flutist Alexander Korneyev’s name.1 I

have chosen the version used by Melodiya in 2014 when re-releasing his

recording of the First Concerto, Op. 75, except in cases of direct citation.


1 Korneyev does not appear in The New Grove Dictionary.
xii
1

CHAPTER ONE

Life and Career



Mieczysław Weinberg was born in Warsaw, Poland on December 8, 1919.

Born into a musical family, from a very young age he often accompanied his

father, Shmuel Weinberg, to performances with a Jewish theatre group Shmuel

directed. 2 As Weinberg said,

Life was my first music teacher since I was born into a family where my
father had devoted himself to music since childhood. He was a violinist
and composer, but—how can I put it? – not on a very high professional
level. He travelled with touring Jewish theatre companies and wrote
music for them. During performances he would sit at the conductor’s
music desk, playing the violin and conducting. From the age of six I
tagged along behind him: I went to listen to all those less than top-quality,
but always very sincere melodies.3

Mieczysław was a self-taught pianist and occasionally substituted for his father

as the leader of the musical ensemble. His earliest compositions come from this

period. As Weinberg puts it:

What does writing music mean to a child? I simply took one of my father’s
music sheets and scribbled down something or other; some clefs, some
notes, without any intelligent meaning. But in this way I studied music
right from my birth, as it were. And when I wrote these “operettas” I
probably imagined myself to be a composer. But at the very beginning
there was my career as a pianist. At the age of ten or eleven I was already
playing the piano with my father at the theatre.4

After studying briefly with a local piano teacher, Mieczysław joined the Warsaw


2 Also Szmuel or Samuil (1882–1941).
3 David Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg: In Search of Freedom (Hofheim: Wolke, 2010), 17.
4 Ibid.

Conservatory in 1933, studying under the supervision of Josef Turczyński.5

While legendary virtuoso pianist Josef Hofmann was on tour in Warsaw,

Weinberg had the opportunity to play for him. Hofmann was so impressed that

he invited Weinberg to continue his piano studies in Philadelphia at the Curtis

Institute of Music, where Hofmann was the director. Unfortunately, the outbreak

of World War II and the Nazi invasion of 1939 prevented Weinberg from ever

visiting the United States. Ultimately, Weinberg never developed a career as a

piano soloist, but went on to play in chamber ensembles and to perform his

works and the works of others for the Soviet Composers’ Union.

Fearing for their safety as the Nazis invaded Poland, Mieczysław and his

sister, Ester, fled east, hoping to reach the Russian border. Some fifty years after

the event, Weinberg recalled:

All the time during the past days the Polish propaganda had assured us
that our army was fighting successfully. But suddenly the radio broadcast
an order: since the enemy… was approaching Warsaw, all men had to
leave the city. Mother and I panicked terribly. In the morning I left
eastwards with my little sister. She soon returned to Mother and Father,
because her shoes were hurting her feet badly, but I went on.6

This was the last Weinberg heard of his parents, although he wouldn’t learn of

their fate until much later. His family was sent to the Łodz ghetto, followed by

the Trawniki concentration camp, where they were murdered in November 1943.


5 Daniel Elphick, “The String Quartets of Mieczysław Weinberg: A Critical Study,” (PhD
diss., University of Manchester, 2016), 23.
Josef Turczyński was an internationally celebrated pianist and later the editor of the
Paderewski Chopin edition.
6 Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 21.

Weinberg was the sole survivor. Young Mieczysław, or “Metek” as he was

known to close friends and colleagues, continued on foot, dodging German

enemy fire, and eventually meeting up with other Polish refugees.

When he set out, Weinberg had no final destination in mind. At that point,

Eastern Poland was still free. However, as he traveled, the Polish forces were

pushed further and further back. Ultimately, the reality became clear; there was

nothing left for them in Poland and they must go to the USSR. As Weinberg

remembered,

On the one side stood Hitler’s soldiers, on the other the Soviet border
troops. In that moment we were filled with gratitude, and we blessed the
Red Army which could save us from death… So: the Germans were on
one side, their machine guns pointing at the line of demarcation, where
thousands of Poles and Jews were waiting for permission to enter Soviet
territory. On the other side there were mounted Soviet border guards. I
shall never forget how mothers with their children hugged the horses’
legs, pleading to be allowed to cross to the Soviet side as swiftly as
possible. And finally it happened: an order arrived to let the refugees
enter. Some kind of troupe was organized to examine the documents, but
it was done rather carelessly, because there were so many people around.
When it was my turn, I was asked: “Family Name?”— “Weinberg” –
“First name?” -- “Mieczysław”—” Mieczysław, what’s that? Are you
Jewish?” – “Yes, Jewish” – “Then Moisey it is.”7

After this arduous crossing, Weinberg continued to the Belorussian capital of

Minsk. For the majority of his life, Weinberg suffered from ill health, reported to

be caused by spinal tuberculosis.8 This allowed him to avoid Soviet military


7Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 23.
8Benjamin Ivry, “How Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s Music Survived Dictators,” The Forward,
November 17, 2010, http://forward.com/culture/133209/how-mieczyslaw-weinberg-s-
music-survived-dictato/.

4

service. 9 Instead, he was allowed to continue his musical studies at the

Conservatory in Minsk, where he was funded by the state, and where he focused

primarily on composition.10 Between 1939 and 1941 Weinberg received his only

formal compositional training. He studied with Vasily Zolotaryov (1872–1964), a

famed pupil of Rimsky-Korsakov. Although his time in Minsk was relatively

short, the support of the Russian government (which had given him full refugee

status) allowed Weinberg to pursue his love of music relatively unfettered. This

period of stability came to an end when the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union

occurred in June 1941, right around the time of his final examinations.11

Due to his health, evacuation was the only option for Weinberg, but this

was not easy. His personal documents did not give him permission to leave the

city, and there was no time to apply for a permit to leave. Weinberg’s final

destination was the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, some four thousand kilometers

southeast of Minsk. As a result of continued Nazi invasions, Tashkent quickly

became home to many musicians, writers, and actors all seeking refuge from the

long-distance planes of the Luftwaffe. Weinberg's shaky legal status initially

prevented him from finding work in Tashkent, but his talents were soon realized


9 Safak Ekinci et al., “Spinal Tuberculosis,” Journal of Experimental
Neuroscience (11/12/2015): 89–90, 10.4137/JEN.S32842. Spinal tuberculosis is a form of
TB that affects the spinal column; it can cause spinal deformity and paralysis, symptoms
include back pain, fever, general malaise and stiffness of the spine. It was a relatively
common disease of the young during the period in which Weinberg grew up.
10 Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 23.
11 Ibid.

and put to use by the Uzbek Opera Theatre. He began coaching young singers,

and through the opera met a community of other displaced musicians. During

this period, he became steeped in the culture of his new home, Uzbekistan.

Weinberg also met his first wife, Nataliya Vovsi-Mikhoels, in Tashkent, to

which she had also fled with her family. Her father, Solomon Mikhoels, was a

prominent figure in the theatrical world and the head of a wartime organization

called the “Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee.” This made him one of the highest-

profile Jews in the Soviet-Union. 12 Solomon Mikhoels also held important posts

at the Uzbek Opera and Ballet Theatre, which may have helped to introduce him

to Weinberg. Marrying into this family was both a blessing and a curse for young

Mieczysław. His involvement with Solomon Mikhoels led directly to his personal

introduction to Shostakovich and, subsequently, his later imprisonment.

There are divergent stories on how Shostakovich initially became aware of

Weinberg. In an interview with Nataliya Vovsi-Mikhoels, she recounts,

Metek…gave my father…the score [of the First Symphony] to take with


him to Moscow, so that Shostakovich would listen to it. Shostakovich
liked it very much. Since it was wartime one needed a visa to enter
Moscow, and Shostakovich arranged it. …When my father brought the


12Shimon Redlich, "The Jewish Antifascist Committee in the Soviet Union." Jewish Social
Studies 31, no. 1 (1969): 25–36. http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.bu.edu/stable/4466454.
In the early 1940's some two million predominantly Polish Jews came under Soviet rule.
They were singled out as an “unreliable” element in the Soviet Society and around three
hundred thousand of them were deported to the interior of the USSR. Mikhoels and two
others were approached by the Soviet regime to "forget the past" and "contribute to the
combined struggle against Hitlerism;" this was to take the form of the Jewish Anti-
Fascist committee or JAC.

6

score to Moscow, my husband and Shostakovich didn’t yet know each


other personally.13

However, according to Weinberg, the intermediary was not Solomon Mikhoels,

but Yury Levitin, who either sent or took the score to Shostakovich in person.14

Whatever the method, Shostakovich did have access to the score and was

impressed enough to send an official invitation to the Weinbergs to come to

Moscow immediately.

Although their friendship is well-documented, and Weinberg expresses

his appreciation of Shostakovich's work, Weinberg was never a student of

Shostakovich. As Weinberg recounted;

Though many people think and have even written that I was a student of
Shostakovich, I never was one. But the Shostakovich school has been
fundamental for my artistic work. …Shostakovich helped me with many
things, some of which I am not even aware of myself. It seems that he took
steps to evoke sympathy towards my music. … I consider myself to be a
happy man, because I could show my works to the finest composer of the
twentieth century. This was an honour that subconsciously, so it seems,
activated my writing of music.15

Weinberg's peaceful time as a card-carrying member of the Composers’ Union in

Moscow was interrupted by Stalin’s rise to power in the Soviet Union. Although

Stalin himself was from an Ossetian Georgian minority background, he became

suspicious and eventually openly hostile to minorities in Soviet society, in

particular the Jewish population. Decrees began to come down from the

13 Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 40.
14 Ibid.
15 Ibid, 42.

government, and terms like "sycophancy,” “cosmopolitanism,” and “anti-

patriotism" were identified as undesirable. Stalin appointed officials to purge

artists who did not conform to his ideals of Soviet communist society. All

cultural works of art were to depict the positive sides of Soviet life and optimism

about the future, in a practice that came to be called ‘Socialist Realism.' Socialist

Realism put a priority on art forms that were accessible to a broad audience,

nationalistic, and free of avant-garde tendencies. It was also around this time that

Weinberg began to receive word of the possible fate of his family in Poland,

although his suspicions would not be confirmed for many years to come.16

Weinberg's first two works for the flute were published during this

uncertain period: Twelve Miniatures for flute and piano (1945), and Five Pieces for

flute and piano (1947). In the scores there is no dedication, and it is not clear if he

had yet met the flutist Alexander Korneyev, to whom his later flute concerti were

dedicated.17 In any case, it seems that Weinberg must have been familiar with the

high level of flute playing at the Moscow Conservatory, based on the musical

and technical content of these two works.

Weinberg was spared from the formal castigation that Shostakovich

received from Stalin during this period. However, the effect of censorship on


16 Despite Mikhoels’ connections with the JAFC, information concerning Weinberg’s
family was difficult to obtain. He would eventually hear that his family was sent from
Warsaw by train from a traveling jazz musician touring in Tashkent. (Ibid, 36.)
17 This seems unlikely, as Korneyev would only have been around fifteen years old

when the Miniatures were composed.



8

Soviet composers as a whole could not be ignored. In 1948 Shostakovich (who

was at the top of the list of persecuted composers) was removed from his post at

the Conservatory. It was in this climate that Mieczysław and his wife Nataliya

received word of her father’s death. Two bodies had been found in the street in

Minsk; one of them was later identified as Solomon Mikhoels. Initially, the cause

of death was ruled a car accident, and those who had seen the uninjured bodies

were arrested to prevent them from talking. It later emerged that Stalin himself

had had a hand in the murder, and Mikhoels was given a state funeral in

Moscow.18 Nataliya later said;

Father’s fate had been decided long before his physical annihilation,
because in order to liquidate Jewish culture in the USSR, it was above all
essential to get rid of its leading representatives. But as Comrade Stalin
was not only a great theoretician but also a practical person, his main aim
was to get a maximum of profit from Mikhoels’ position as ‘Chief Jew of
the Soviet Union’.19

Immediately following Solomon’s death, the Weinberg family home was put

under the surveillance of armed guards, which continued for the next five years

and culminated with Weinberg’s arrest in 1953.20 Weinberg’s charge was “Jewish

Bourgeois Cosmopolitanism.” Weinberg later reflected upon this period,

I would say five years (referring to his time in prison), because it was for
five years that they were following me, walking behind me. I wasn’t
allowed to travel, I was under surveillance, and the militia would appear
at my place regularly, or summon me to come to them. This was worse
than prison. When they finally put me away, I sighed with relief because I

18 Elphick, “The String Quartets of Mieczysław Weinberg,”25.
19 Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 61.
20 Elphick, “The String Quartets of Mieczysław Weinberg,”25.

knew it was going to happen. I remember that wherever I went, two of


them would follow me, take notes and write down the address.21

Compared to the treatment of other composers, Weinberg's official punishment

was relatively light. He would later reflect,

Was it a blow with the “sword of Damocles”… It was not, because of all
the composers they hardly locked up anyone at all—well except for
myself – and they didn’t shoot a single one… For me it was hard, because
for several years they didn’t buy anything from me, but somehow I still
worked a lot for the theatre and the circus… So that if there are composers
who claim today that they were persecuted, well, it may be that some
works weren’t played and maybe some were banned. But the whole thing
was by no means as dramatic as some well-known composers would have
it; they just say that to be shocking.22

Although he downplays his incarceration, Weinberg's imprisonment must have

had a great effect on him. His perspective on his persecution would have been

influenced by his knowledge of the fate that his family suffered in Poland.

Shostakovich wrote to the authorities on behalf of his friend, and Weinberg

remembered hearing during his incarceration and interrogation, "your little

friends are pleading for you.”23 Nina Varzar, Shostakovich’s wife, helped

Nataliya set plans into motion so that in the event of her arrest, their daughter

Victoria would be placed in the care of the Shostakovich family and not sent to

an orphanage. News of Stalin’s death in March of 1953 was slow to reach

Weinberg in prison. Weinberg noted that "the KGB all of a sudden became more


21 Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 61–62.
22 Ibid, 69–70.
23 Ibid, 87.


10

polite to him.”24 Upon his return from prison, Weinberg was described by a

friend in the following way:

He was shaven-headed, he had lost weight, but otherwise he was just as I


always saw him after the triumphant premieres of his works--quiet, with a
frightened beaming expression, concealing his large hands in the sleeves
of his jacket, all the time as it were cringing and quietly murmuring: “Well
then… well… it’s all right.”25

Returning to his life in Moscow, Weinberg continued to compose and to

associate with his cohort of composers in the Composers’ Union, including his

longtime friend Shostakovich. His output during the period after his

incarceration contained music in many genres that he favored in his earlier years,

including piano sonatas, string quartets, symphonies, solo sonatas, and song

cycles. It was also during this period, in 1961, that he composed his first flute

concerto, Op. 75 for flute and strings, written for and dedicated to Alexander

Korneyev.

In 1968 Weinberg separated from, and eventually divorced, his first wife.

He later married a much younger woman, Olga Rakhalskaya. 26 Weinberg

continued to suffer from spinal tuberculosis as well as Crohn’s disease

throughout the remainder of his life; these ailments were only exacerbated by the

poor conditions he endured during his imprisonment. 27 It was also around this


24 Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 88.
25 Ibid.
26 Elphick, “The String Quartets of Mieczysław Weinberg,” 26.
27 Ibid. Crohn’s disease is an auto-immune condition of the colon that often causes

weight loss and poor nutritional intake in sufferers.



11

time, in the early 1960’s, that Weinberg confirmed the fate of his parents. During

a guest appearance in Tashkent, jazz musician Eddie Rosner was able to report

that the Weinberg family had been sent away from Warsaw by train.28 After this

point many of Weinberg’s compositions became an homage in commemoration

of the Holocaust, its victims and survivors.

Weinberg’s largest works (symphonies and operas) made reference to his

homeland and the suffering of his people. His Requiem, Op. 96 (1965–1967) is

clearly informed by Britten’s War Requiem (which Weinberg knew well) in its

multinational texts and decidedly secular bent. The included texts of Dimitri

Kerin, Frederico Garcia Lorca, Sara Teasdale, Munetoshi Fukugawa, and Mikhail

Dudin speak out against war.29

Weinberg’s opera The Passenger (1967–1968), perhaps his most famous and

enduring work, deals with the horrors of life in a concentration camp. The

libretto was based on the Polish radio play Passenger from Cabin Number 45,

written by Polish concentration camp survivor Zofia Posmysz. The work was

officially commissioned by the Bolshoi Theatre, but was quietly dropped once

rehearsals began. Weinberg never saw his Requiem performed nor The Passenger

staged in his lifetime. This was due, in part, to his deferential personality.

Weinberg was never one to champion his own works. He stated: "So long as I am


Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 36.
28

Martin Anderson, "First Performances: Liverpool, Philharmonic Hall: Weinberg's


29

Requiem." Tempo - A Quarterly Review of Modern Music 64 (2010): 81–2. ProQuest. Web. 3
Apr. 2017.

12

writing the work interests me. When the piece is finished, it doesn't exist

anymore. Its fate is all the same to me."30

It wasn't all concert music during this period, however; Weinberg

composed scores for seventeen feature films and cartoons during the 1960s,

including the well-known Winnie the Pooh (1969) directed by Fyodor Khitruk. As

David Fanning puts it, “…from the harpsichord accompanying the opening

titles, through the delicately scored writing for harp and clarinet and the

wonderfully adaptable tune for Pooh’s songs, Weinberg matches the charm of

the narration and images to perfection. The film was deservedly an instant hit.”31

The 1970’s were a productive period for Weinberg. At the height of his

creative capabilities, and having recently completed of a number of grand

symphonies, as well as his Requiem and The Passenger, he continued to write for

films and cartoons, which relieved him of monetary concerns and helped fund a

prolific output of concert music. His divorce from Natalyia (and her resettlement

in Israel with their daughter) was not popular with the Moscow intelligentsia,

mostly because of the significance of Natalyia’s family. It is nearly impossible to

say what effect if any this might have had on Weinberg’s career. His second

daughter, Anna, by his second wife, was born in 1971, the same year he was

made an Honored Artist of the Russian Republic. He went on to receive the State


30 Elphick, “The String Quartets of Mieczysław Weinberg,” 30.
31 Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 123.

13

Prize of the USSR in 1990.32 His wife Olga recounted this prolific period,

He worked every single minute, day and night. If he wasn’t sleeping, he


was working. Even in his sleep. When he was dozing off he would often
drum his fingers without realizing it, as though they were grasping piano
keys. That’s why there are no memorable data in his biography: the only
important landmarks in his life are what he composed. And if two weeks
went by after he had finished a work before starting another, then he
would fall into depression, worried that he had ceased to be a composer.33

Weinberg later confirmed this by saying;

I believe that every moment in the life of a real artist consists in some
sense of work. Interesting, persistent, endless work. Work not only at the
writing desk but also work in observation, in the absorption of sounds,
colours, motion and the rhythms of reality into oneself. I am always
working.34

Life continued on this path until August 1975. Weinberg and Shostakovich had

remained close friends throughout. Weinberg remembers the last conversation

he had with his friend:

The last time Shostakovich called me was from hospital at the beginning
of August 1975. He asked: “Do I hear that you have written a new opera?”
I had indeed just completed my one act opera Pozdravlyayem [Mazel Tov],
after the play by Sholem Aleichem and Dmitry Dmitriyevich said: “I hope
to hear it soon.”35

Weinberg continued to vent his outrage against what came to be known as

the "Great Patriotic War" in his symphonies. His Twenty-First Symphony was

explicitly dedicated to the victims of the Warsaw ghetto. As Weinberg succinctly

put it:


32 Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 125.
33 Ibid, 125–126.
34 Ibid, 126.
35 Ibid.


14

Many of my works are connected with the issue of war. Alas, this was not
my own choice. It was dictated by my fate, and by the tragic fate of my
family. I see it as my moral duty to write about the war, and about the
terrible things that happened to people in our century.36

His output continued to be prolific, with the composition of operas, a song cycle,

many symphonic works, three solo sonatas for string instruments, and numerous

string quartets.

The 1980’s are labeled by Fanning as a “Retreat into Art.” Many friends

and performers who Weinberg had become friendly with had either died or

emigrated, but Weinberg's increasingly poor health, young family, and loyalty to

his adoptive country kept him from relocating. The tide of musical taste in Russia

was increasingly turning towards the avant-garde, with the compositions of

Schnittke, Gubaidulina, and Denisov gaining increasing popularity.37

Despite all this, Weinberg’s incredible pace of composition continued. The

Second Flute Concerto, Op. 148, was his last concerto for any instrument. Like

the first one, it was dedicated to famous Russian flutist, Alexander Korneyev.

The work was originally scored for full orchestra but was later reworked into a

string orchestra version (Op. 148bis). Fanning described the concerto as:

…classically pure as, say, Richard Strauss’s late concert works, and the
mood at the outset is straightforward and pastoral. Following the practice
of his cello and trumpet concertos, just after the halfway point in the
Allegretto finale, Weinberg slips in quotations from favourite pieces in the
flute repertoire: The ‘Dance of the Blessed Spirits’ from Gluck’s Orfeo and
Euridice and the ‘Badinerie’ from Bach’s Overture (Suite) No. 2 in B minor,

36 Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 129.
37 Ibid, 144.

15

BWV 1067, alternating fragments in such a way that they seem to be


glimpsed behind an impenetrable veil. 38

After his official recognition in 1990, which was conferred at a special

ceremony at the Kremlin, Weinberg’s acquaintances observed a change in him.

His mood became increasingly somber. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991

brought an end to the subsidy of the country’s musical institutions. In an

interview published on YouTube.com and featured on the Weinberg Society

website, Irina Shostakovich and Alexander Raskatov discuss how Weinberg was

tortured by the thought that "he did not achieve everything he aimed at during

his creative career.”39 Raskatov goes on to remember how "you could feel his

loneliness and his bitterness during his last years." Weinberg continued to write

film scores, but even the work that had sustained him for so long began to dry

up, with commissions going to younger composers.

In 1992, Weinberg suffered a fall in his apartment and broke his hip.

Although he was taken to hospital for treatment, he never fully recovered.

Mieczysław Weinberg passed away on February 26, 1996 at the age of seventy-

six.40

Although Weinberg did little to promote himself or his music, his


38 Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 153.
39 Linus Roth, Irina Shostakovich and Alexander Raskatov - a Conversation about Mieczysław
Weinberg, accessed April 21, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrYWvuP6gf4.
The Weinberg society can be found at www.weinbergsociety.com.
40 Shortly before his death, he converted to the Russian Orthodox faith, which he shared

with his second wife.



16

compositions have nevertheless survived, in part through the performances of a

few dedicated friends and colleagues, and are seeing a resurgence in recent

years. Luckily, Weinberg survived to see a 1994 release of his work on Olympia

Records. Olympia continued to release many more recordings after his death,

and by now his work has a fairly extensive recording history on multiple labels.

His opera, The Passenger, has been released on DVD. Many well-known

performers have championed his works, including Alexander Korneyev,

Mstislav Rostropovich, and most recently Gidon Kremer.

Notably, in January of 2017, Kremer performed a series of concerts with

the Boston Symphony Orchestra, playing Weinberg's Violin Concerto. Each

evening he performed a different encore from Weinberg's oeuvre. This was the

first time the Boston Symphony Orchestra had ever performed a composition of

Weinberg’s.

In the years following his death, Weinberg's music is currently

undergoing a significant resurgence around the world. It is a shame that

Weinberg never lived to see many of his works performed. A new generation of

performers is continuing to keep his spirit alive by performing and advocating

for his music.


17

CHAPTER TWO

Weinberg’s Works for Solo Winds



Mieczysław Weinberg was, by any measure, a prolific composer. His

works include twenty-two symphonies, seven operas, four cantatas, forty works

for voice and piano, three operettas, three ballets, ten concerti for soloist and

orchestra, seventeen string quartets, sonatas for various instruments,

unaccompanied works for bassoon, violin, viola, and bass, six piano sonatas (as

well as other solo piano works), and a large amount of music for film, as well as

works for the circus, radio, and theatre. Flutists are fortunate to have the largest

number of Weinberg works for any wind instrument: two concerti and two

substantial groups of pieces for flute and piano. Before delving more deeply into

those works, though, we will look at Weinberg's output for solo winds as a

whole.

Daniel Elphick, in his 2016 dissertation entitled “The String Quartets of

Mieczysław Weinberg: A Critical Study,” divided Weinberg’s output into style

periods:


18

Table 2.1
Breakdown of Weinberg’s compositional periods based on Elphick41

1937–1940 Early

1944–1946 Young Mastery

1957–1963 Shostakovich’s Shadow

1965–1970 Quartet Competition

1977–1979 Post Shostakovich

1981–1986 Late Masterpieces

Although these periods refer specifically to his string quartets, the object of

Elphick’s study, I believe they can shed light on Weinberg’s compositional

output as a whole. If we apply these categories more broadly and match them

with biographical events, we can better understand Weinberg’s output over time,

including the works for flute:


41Elphick, “The String Quartets of Mieczysław Weinberg,” 34. This table was produced
as a synthesis of Elphick’s text.

19

Table 2.2

Weinberg’s compositional periods with selected compositions and biography

1937–1941 Early Studies in Warsaw and Minsk Sonata No. 1 for


Piano (1940)
1941–1947 Young Mastery Time in Tashkent and initial Children’s Songs
contact with Shostakovich in (voice and piano)
Moscow (1943)

Aria, Op. 9 (string


quartet) (1942)

Capriccio, op. 10
(string quartet)
(1943)

Jewish Songs (voice


and piano) (1944)

Clarinet Sonata, Op.


28 (1945)

12 Miniatures (1945)

5 Pieces (1947)
1948–1955 Shostakovich’s Death of Shumel Mikhoels, Moldavian
Shadow Incarceration, "Socialist Realism." Rhapsody
(1949/1952)

“Over the Border to


Past Days," for voice
and piano (1951)
1956–1977 The Golden Recovery, re-commitment to Flute Concerto No. 1,
Years composition, recognition as a peer Op, 75 (1961)
of Shostakovich, news of the death
of his family Requiem (1965–1966)

Trumpet Concerto
(1966–7)

The Passenger (1967–


1968)

Clarinet Concerto,
Op. 104 (1970)


20

1977–1980 Post- Recovering from the death of a Trio, Op. 127, for
Shostakovich dear friend flute viola and harp
(1979)

1980–1996 Late Retreat into privacy Solo Bassoon Sonata,


Masterpieces Op. 133 (1981)

Flute Concerto No. 2,


Op. 148 (1987)

As shown in this chart, Weinberg wrote for flute throughout his career.

Nonetheless, the works bear many similarities. For example, Weinberg uses the

entire extended range of the flute to highly expressive effect. He also favors the

use of distantly related chords and keys. Although his music can be understood

tonally, it often features highly chromatic content and makes frequent use of

elements such as pedal tones and recognizable thematic material, rather than key

relationships, to create structure and aural coherence. Another favorite device in

the flute works, as we will see, is movement by a semitone both on small and

large scales. For example, the Twelve Miniatures are arranged in an ascending

chromatic series from D♭ major, alternating major and minor modes, until the

penultimate movements, where the rule is broken once to ensure that the piece

ends in major in keeping with the character of a Pastorale. Dance rhythms are also

a favorite of Weinberg’s, appearing in all his works for flute. Those for flute and

piano, particularly the Miniatures, treat the flute and piano as equals and often

create a kind of playful opposition between the parts. The relationship of the

flute to the orchestra in the concerti reflects a skilled orchestrator who


21

understood the unique timbral capabilities of the flute throughout its range.

Based on the relative number of compositions, the flute seems to have

been favored by Weinberg; it is featured in more works than any other

woodwind and plays prominent parts in his symphonies, operas, and the

Requiem. Other notable works for winds include the Clarinet Sonata, Op. 28

(1945), Clarinet Concerto, Op. 104 (1970), Trumpet Concerto, op. 94 (1966–1967),

and Bassoon Sonata, Op. 133.

The clarinet is second only to the flute in its presence in Weinberg’s wind

instrument compositions. The Clarinet Sonata makes frequent use of the Jewish

Klezmer idiom. As Fanning describes it:

…all three movements, especially the central Allegretto, are marked by


wistful permeability of major and minor modes, impulsive rhythmic
outburst and invitations to the clarinet to glide up to and between notes.
Mainly restrained in its tone, the Sonata nonetheless concludes on a note
of passionate protest, with a slow finale, a feature that would become
characteristic of Weinberg’s multi-movement works.42

Similar to the First Flute Concerto and the later reworking of the 12

Miniatures for Flute, the Clarinet Concerto is scored for soloist and strings in a

three-movement format. Fanning describes the concerto as “a gem awaiting

discovery.”43 According to the publisher, Sikorski, the premiere performance

took place in March of 2012 in Heidelberg, Germany, with Nikolaus Friedrich

(clarinet) and Matthias Metzger (conductor) with the Neuenheimer Chamber


42 Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 56.
43 Ibid, 128.

22

Orchestra.44 The conventional fast-slow-fast movement configuration, along with

a rhapsodic second movement and cheeky dance-like theme for the finale, are

also similar to Weinberg’s concerti for flute. The Clarinet Sonata was premiered

shortly after its completion, in April 1946, with Vasily Getman, clarinet, and the

composer at the piano.

Weinberg’s Trumpet Concerto, Op. 94 (1966–7) was dedicated to one of

the foremost trumpeters of the twentieth century, Timofey Dokshizer.45 The

work contains three movements: Etudes, Episodes, and Fanfares. It is described

by Fanning as

…one of the finest of its kind—certainly one of the most intriguing and
elusive—since the concertos of Haydn and Hummel. Though the
movement titles suggest fragmentation and playfulness, they are in many
ways belied by the music itself, whose strong sense of continuity and
nervous tension prompted Shostakovich to dub the work (with only a
little exaggeration) a “symphony for trumpet and orchestra.”46

In this concerto Weinberg again casts the movements in a traditional fast–slow-



44 SMP media GmbH, Hamburg & SMP systems GbR, Berlin -
http://www.smpmedia.net. "CONCERTO FOR CLARINET AND STRING
ORCHESTRA." Weinberg, Mieczyslaw: CONCERTO FOR CLARINET AND STRING
ORCHESTRA | Sikorski Music Publishers. February 01, 2013. Accessed April 05, 2017.
http://www.sikorski.de/475/en/0/a/0/orchestral_music/1006580_concerto_for_clarin
et_and_string_orchestra.html.
45 "Timofei Dokshizer, Biography." Timofei Dokshizer, Biography. Accessed April 05,

2017. http://www.dokshizer.com/eindex.html. Timofei Dokshizer was born in 1921 in


Nezin Ukraine to a musical family. He received his musical training at the Glazunov
Musical Academy, Central Music School, and the Moscow Conservatory graduating in
1957. After winning the international competition in Prague in 1947, Dokshizer toured
internationally as a soloist. He taught primarily at the Gnessin Musical Institute before
moving to Vilnius, Lithuania in 1990. Timofei Dokshizer passed away in March of 2005.
46 "Mieczysław Weinberg." American Symphony Orchestra. Accessed April 05, 2017.

http://americansymphony.org/concerto-for-trumpet-and-orchestra-op-94-1967

23

fast format. The second movement begins with a brooding character familiar

from the flute and clarinet concerti. The first and final movements feature

external quotations (similarly to the Second Flute Concerto) from several pieces

from the trumpet orchestral literature, including Mahler’s 5th Symphony; the

Wedding March from Mendelssohn’s Incidental Music to a Midsummer Night’s

Dream; two of Rimsky-Korsakov’s operas, The Golden Cockerel and The Tale of the

Tsar Saltan; “Choeur des gamins” from Bizet’s Carmen; and Stravinsky’s

Petrushka. According to Fanning, “Elements of all these ideas haunt the hobbling

waltz that seems destined to provide the main material of the finale but which

somehow never gets past its nervy testing of the water. This reluctance — and

ultimately failure — to deliver emerges as the Concerto’s main narrative thread,

and the work ends in a peremptory, poker-faced dismissal.”47

Weinberg’s penultimate work for a wind instrument, the Sonata for Solo

Bassoon, Op. 133 (1981), was written for and dedicated to Soviet bassoonist

Valery Popov.48 Despite Popov's fluency with extended techniques, this four-

movement work features more traditional virtuosic writing for the instrument.


47 "Mieczysław Weinberg." American Symphony Orchestra. Accessed April 05, 2017.
http://americansymphony.org/concerto-for-trumpet-and-orchestra-op-94-1967
48 "Valery Popov." Puchner Bassoons. Accessed April 05, 2017.

http://www.puchner.com/valeri-popov/frameeng.htm. Valery Popov was born in


1937 to a musical family. Initially he studied Trumpet but switched to bassoon in 1957.
Only two years later, in 1959, he received a professional appointment in the Opera-
Symphony State Radio and Television Orchestra. After graduating from the Moscow
Conservatory in 1960, he won first prizes in international competitions in Leningrad in
1963 and Budapest in 1965. He was appointed as a faculty member at the Moscow
Conservatory in 1991, where he continues to teach.

24

As he did in the flute pieces, Weinberg writes knowledgeably for the full range

of the instrument. While some dance-like rhythms appear in the thread of this

work, none of the movements are straightforward dances, as are frequently

found in the works for flute and clarinet.

Wind instrumentalists have an unfortunate lack of repertoire from other

more well-known Soviet composers of this period, Prokofiev's Flute Sonata being

a notable exception. These pieces represent a substantial addition to the

repertoire for all of these instruments. I hope that as Weinberg’s music continues

to be discovered and rediscovered, these pieces will gain the popularity they

deserve.


25

CHAPTER THREE

Alexander Korneyev and the Russian School of Flute Playing

American flute pedagogy and repertoire have necessarily been shaped by

the history of flute playing in the United States. As American musical traditions

were forming in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston, there was an influx of

French flutists trained at the renowned Conservatoire Nationale de Paris, many

under the auspices of the great performer and pedagogue, Paul Taffanel. Well-

known pedagogues and performers such as George Barrere, Charles Molé, Léon

Jacquet, André and Daniel Maquarre, and Georges Laurent were, at different

times, principals of the major American orchestras. They helped to found a

tradition of American flute playing that was heavily influenced by their French

heritage. 49 Similarly, although it was not as highly codified and developed as the


49"Georges Barrère - New York Flute Club." The New York Flute Club. Accessed April
05, 2017. https://www.nyfluteclub.org/about/history-and-archives/past-
presidents/1944/12/Georges-Barrre/ 49 Barrere was recruited from Paris in 1905 by
Walter Damrosch to play with the New York Symphony Orchestra. “Principal Musicians
of the Boston Symphony Orchestra." Boston Symphony Orchestra Principal Musicians.
Accessed April 05, 2017.
http://www.stokowski.org/Principal_Musicians_Boston_Symphony.htm. Molé was
recruited by Wilhelm Gericke to play with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1887.
Jacquet was recruited by Gericke to play with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1896.
George Laurent played with the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1918–1952. André
Maquarre played with the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1898–1918.
"A Chronological Listing." Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Musicians. Accessed April
05, 2017. http://www.stokowski.org/Philadelphia_Orchestra_Musicians.htm.
André’s brother, Daniel Maquarre, played with a number of American orchestras
including the Boston Symphony (1903–1909), the Philadelphia Orchestra (1910–1918),
the National Symphony of New York (1920–1921), and the New York Philharmonic
(1923–1924).

26

Parisian school, there was, and still is, a tradition of high-level flute instruction

being carried on in Moscow. Weinberg’s pieces for flute were heavily influenced

by this community of flutists, and therefore that community bears further

investigation.

The Moscow Conservatory was co-founded in 1866 by Nikolai Rubinstein

and Prince Nikolai Petrovich Troubetzkoy.50 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a

founding professor, and from 1940 onwards the conservatory has also borne his

name.

The first two flute professors at the conservatory, Ferdinand Büchner

(1866–1882) and Wilhelm Kretschmann (1882–1922), were Germans who had

trained in Germany and came to Moscow to work with the Bolshoi Theatre.51

Kretschmann was famous as an outstanding virtuoso performer and composer

for the flute. He was adamantly opposed to the Böhm system flute and continued

to play on his “simple system” flute, popular in Germany, throughout his

career.52 Bücher, on the other hand, brought the Böhm system to the Moscow

conservatory. He was the primary teacher of famous Russian pedagogue

Vladimir Tsybin, who described his teaching thus:

W. Kretschmann possessed beautiful and even sound, especially in the


low register and brilliant technique for the whole range of the flute…


50 Natalia Zhukova. The History of Flute-playing in Russia: From Joseph Guillou to Alexander
Korneev. Humanities Series. Saarbrücken, Germany: Av Akademikerverlag, 2013, 29.
51 Ibid, 30.
52 For a description of this flute type, see Nancy Toff. The Flute Book: A Complete Guide for

Students and Performers. 3rd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012), 46.

27

Kretschmann didn’t take in his flute class underprepared students. He


couldn’t help to pupil to develop embouchure technique. His method
consisted in two words; play in tune, play exactly.53

Vladimir Tsybin (1877–1949) was the first Russian-born and -trained

flutist to teach at the Moscow Conservatory. Although Tsybin was born into a

musical family, his father died when he was only nine years old. He was later

sent to a military orchestra, where he learned to play flute and piccolo. At twelve

he returned to Moscow and entered the conservatory as a student of

Kretschmann’s. He quickly joined his professor in the flute section of the Bolshoi

Theatre, eventually succeeding him as principal flute. In 1907, after the death of

Ernesto Köhler (another famous expatriate flute pedagogue and performer),

Tsybin took over as principal flute of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.

Through his work in St. Petersburg, Tsybin spent several summers in Paris at the

time when Sergei Diaghilev presented his historic Ballets Russes. From 1910–1914,

Tsybin returned to the conservatory to study composition with Alexander

Glazunov, Anatoly Lyadov and Alexander Tcherepnin. Upon the conclusion of

his studies, he was appointed professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. In

1920, he returned to Moscow, where he founded his own music school in

Pushkino.54 At this musical boarding school, he took in street children and


53Zhukova, The History of Flute-playing in Russia, 32.
54Inna Staneva. “The Russian Taffanel: The Significance of Vladimir Tsybin and His
Concert Allegro No. 3.” ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,
2014. http://search.proquest.com/docview/1725125502/, 15. At the end of the second

28

trained them in music; some went on to be notable performers. In 1921, he

returned to his previous position of principal flute in the Bolshoi Theatre, and in

1923, he was appointed flute professor at the Moscow Conservatory. Considered

by many to be the founder of the Russian flute school, Tsybin was also a prolific

composer, with an output that included numerous works for the instrument.55

He had great difficulty publishing his works, and although some of his concert

pieces for flute are popular in Russia, his works are very little known outside the

Russian community. 56 His teaching style was exacting, and he emphasized

playing in tune regardless of the quality of the instrument. One of his students,

Yuli Yagudin, remembered him as "a pedagogue who knew the secrets of his

trade, and could teach them to his numerous students. Tsybin had a talent for

identifying personal strengths and weaknesses of his students and helping them

overcome their problems successfully within a short period of time."57 Tsybin is

also credited with introducing the practice of vibrato to the students in Moscow,

saying "tone without vibrato is dry and unexpressive.”58 The technique of

expressive and soloistic flute playing was popular in Paris at the time, and

Tsybin may have heard it while performing in Paris with the Mariinsky Theatre.


Russian Civil War (1917–1922) there were close to four million orphaned children on the
street.
55 His output includes a method book entitled “Flute School,” Concert Etudes, Studies,

and some concert pieces.


56 Staneva, “The Russian Taffanel,” 10.
57 Ibid, 11.
58 Ibid, 13.


29

Tsybin’s students would form the next influential generation of Russian flutists

and pedagogues. Among them was Alexander Korneyev, who would later

become a notable professor of flute and a famous performer.

Alexander Korneyev (1930–2010) graduated from the Moscow

Conservatory in 1947 under the tutelage of Tsybin. Well-known as a soloist,

many Russian composers wrote for him, including Denisov, Tatakishvili,

Vasilenko, and Weinberg. Despite being a highly honored flutist, the details of

Korneyev’s biography are disputed. In her book The History of Flute Playing in

Russia, Natalia Zhukova lists Korneyev as "the owner of the diploma of the

international competition of musicians in Geneva."59 But a search of the

competition archives does not mention him.60 Perhaps he was selected as a

participant, which in itself is an achievement for a competition of this caliber.

Competition archives confirm that he took first prize in the Prague Spring

competition in 1953.61 In an email exchange with this author on January 25, 2017,

noted Russian/Crimean flutist Denis Bouriakov remembered Korneyev as

having "great artistry and stage manners."

In seeking to understand the composer’s relationship with Korneyev and

the manner in which flute performance was taught in Moscow, it is important to


59 Zhukova, The History of Flute-playing in Russia, 36.
60 Concours de Genève. Accessed April 14, 2017.
https://www.concoursgeneve.ch/list_laureates/search.
61 "Prague Spring archive." Pražské jaro. Accessed April 17, 2017.

http://www.festival.cz/en/archives/competition_news/1953.

30

understand a bit more about the Soviet musical system at that time. In Soviet

Russia, the all-encompassing slogan “Education is Entertainment” helps to

articulate the country’s system of government patronage.62 All artistic

institutions fell under the Commissar for Education. By the same token, all

artists, including students, were in a sense employed by the government and

subject to their oversight. As part of the government’s effort to “liquidate musical

illiteracy” and make citizens “musically self-active,” all music education from the

most basic to the most advanced was free.63 As part of the Union of Soviet

Composers (which also encompassed professional performers), members were

paid salaries by the government. This could be either through secondary

appointments or directly for their compositional output. Even failed

compositions were considered to be research or “study courses,” and honoraria

would still be paid to the composer.64 Students studying at the highest level

were paid a stipend for living expenses during their course of study, and as part

of the “planned economy,” all music school graduates were promised a position

after graduation. Entrance into the conservatory system was difficult, with many

entrance examinations and only a small number of spots available each year.

Prior to official conservatory training, most students trained for approximately

four years in “musical institutes,” where they continued non-musical schooling


62 W.H. Kerridge “The Union of Soviet Composers.” The Musical Times 75, no. 1102
(1934): 1073. doi:10.2307/919586.
63 Ibid.
64 Ibid, 1074.


31

and simultaneously studied music at a high level. Only then could prospective

students be considered for entrance into the Conservatory. Regardless of their

talent, students who did not succeed at the supplemental academic examinations

would not be admitted.65 Those students who were not accepted were

encouraged to continue their study on an amateur level and to select an

alternative career. Once accepted, students would spend up to five years at the

conservatory.66 In an interview with flutist Ludmila Koliago, she described her

training in St. Petersburg and Moscow in the following way: “You can stay in

high school until grade 9 or to grade 11. I left the high school at grade 9 and at

the age of 15 had spent four years at the musical institute. We studied

mainstream subjects-history, math, languages-but there was an emphasis on

music.”67 The year that she was accepted, fifteen students applied to the flute

class at the Moscow Conservatory and only three were accepted.68

In Moscow, the Composers’ Union had its own headquarters, which

served as a meeting place for many local musicians and composers. After his

visit in 1984, British flutist Trevor Wye described the building: "The building has

rest rooms, a restaurant (composers only), a bar and a medium-size concert hall


65 Trevor Wye. “The Flute, the Hammer and the Sickle.” Flutist Quarterly XI, no. 3
(Spring 1986):27
66 Ibid, 27.
67 "Russian Flutist attends the Wildacres Flute Retreat." Russian Flutists attends the

Wildacres Flute Retreat. Accessed April 05, 2017. http://us9.campaign-


archive2.com/?u=e626cc638f84abd3a975e94ff&id=c0671136f9.
68 Ibid.


32

with a Steinway grand, and a big platform serving the need for composers to

have their music performed."69 Shostakovich was unanimously elected as the

first Secretary of the Board in 1960, and the building itself was opened in 1964.70

It still stands today, being used as a performance space, recording studio and

music library in Moscow. During Wye’s visit, Alexander Korneyev performed a

sonata at the concert hall in the union headquarters. It is likely through

Weinberg’s connections with Shostakovich and the Composers’ Union that he

came to know Korneyev.

For European and American flutists, it may be a bit difficult to understand

the conditions that conservatory students endured in the Soviet Union during

this period. Perhaps the most glaring contrast concerns the instruments that the

students played on. During his 1984 visit Trevor Wye remarked, "Mostly they

play on Uebel from GDR but hanker after any Western flute. The black market is

rife…I tried a Uebel flute and found it mechanically heavy and the sound was

hard to find." Before leaving, Wye was asked to give his impressions, which

would appear in the Leningrad Press. With regard to the flutes, he said "I told

them that I would use such a flute to poke the fire. They thanked me for my

honesty. I wrote that without better flutes standards are handicapped."71 Koliago

describes her flutes the following way, “…my first flute was made in a


69 Wye. “The Flute, the Hammer and the Sickle,” 31.
70 "The History of the Moscow House of Composers." Ìîñêîâñêèé äîì êîìïîçèòîðîâ. Accessed
April 05, 2017. http://www.house-composers.ru/history.html.
71 Wye. “The Flute, the Hammer and the Sickle,” 28.


33

Leningrad factory and was terrible…When I got to high school we bought an

East German flute. It was a yellow metal and I called it ‘my cigar’. All my

instruments were open G# and the B natural and B flat keys are reverse to what

you have.”72 In Wye's opinion, the flute playing in general was gentle-toned and

had significantly less vibrato than he had been used to.73 He also remarked on

the diversity in the flute studio, which reflected the size of the Soviet Union.

Long tones were still a part of daily practice, but instead of the French tone

exercises familiar to many modern flutists around the world, a slow chromatic

scale was the basis of the long tone practice. The Taffanel and Gaubert exercises

that are a standard part of the American and French flute training, however, also

made up a large part of the Russian curriculum. Another significant difference

was the interpretation of Baroque music, particularly that of J. S. Bach. Sheet

music was difficult to come by, although most music was published in Russia.

According to Wye, contemporary music was largely absent in the standard

Russian flute repertoire, except for a few Soviet standards. Extended techniques

popular in European and American music were not frequently taught.74


72 "Russian Flutist attends the Wildacres Flute Retreat." Russian Flutist attends the
Wildacres Flute Retreat. Accessed April 05, 2017. http://us9.campaign-
archive2.com/?u=e626cc638f84abd3a975e94ff&id=c0671136f9. Images of this instrument
and more details can be found at
Marshall, Toby. "Ode to the Uebel “Cigar” (a unique Boehm flute)." Toby Marshall.
Accessed April 05, 2017. http://toby-marshall.com/music-stuff/ode-to-the-uebel-cigar-
a-unique-boehm-flute/.
73 British flutists are known for having strong sounds and for regular use of vibrato.
74 One extended technique appears in Weinberg's flute works. Interestingly, it is one

note of flutter tongue in the 12 Miniatures, his first piece, which is part of the unlikely

34

However, Soviet compositions that are unknown in the West were part of the

standard repertoire for these students. Wye polled Russian flute students

regarding works they thought Western flutists should be familiar with, and the

following list was constructed:

GLIERE Melody and Valse for flute and piano.


GORDELY Concerto. Flute and orchestra.
WEINBERG Concerto. Flute and orchestra (The last two being recent works.)
DENISOV Concerto for flute and orchestra.
DIMITRIEV Concerto for piccolo, flute, alto flute and orchestra.
ARATUNYAN Concerto for flute and orchestra. (An Armenian composer)
KRIVITSKY Concerto for flute and orchestra.
BANCHIKOV Sonata for flute and piano. (I already heard it in Leningrad and was given
a copy).
SMOLSKY Sonata for flute and piano. (A composer from Minsk).
KREIN Sonata for flute and piano.75

The inclusion of Tsybin’s flute works was also unanimously agreed upon by the

polled participants.76 It is interesting to note the inclusion of Weinberg’s flute

concerto on this list. Although his pieces for flute and piano were composed

earlier than his concerti, it is hard to say how well-known they were in Moscow.

Korneyev had performed and recorded the First Concerto by the time of Wye’s

visit, but the dates of the premiere performances of the Twelve Miniatures and

Five Pieces are unknown. It plausible that Weinberg’s pieces for flute and piano

works were unfamiliar, even to a local audience, given Weinberg’s hesitancy to

promote his own works.


quotation from Messiaen's “Le Merle Noir.”
75 Wye. “The Flute, the Hammer and the Sickle,” 30–31.
76 Ibid, 30.


35

Thirty-three years after Wye’s visit, many of these works are still

unknown in the United States. At present, Weinberg’s works are available only

through a German division of an international publisher, Peer Music, and are

somewhat difficult to procure. Although a few works of Tsybin are available

through the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP), none of the major

US flute music distributors carry his works.77 My personal, informal poll of

fellow American-trained flutists revealed that they were largely unaware of his

works. Moving down Wye’s list, the works of Gliére, Gordeli and Denisov are

widely available. Meanwhile, the works of Dimitriev, Aratunyan, and Banchikov

are completely absent. A search for Krivitsky revealed one performance available

on YouTube.com of a piece for flute and balalaika, but there are no entries for a

flute concerto, nor could any sheet music be found for sale. A search in the RILM

Abstracts of Music Literature returns no results for “Smolsky.” A Google search

for the same name currently reveals a Wikipedia page, but no evidence of his

sonata for flute.78 Finally, while a biography of Krein appears on the Universal

Editions web page, the page makes no mention of a sonata for flute and piano.79


77 "Category:Tsybin, Vladimir." Category:Tsybin, Vladimir - IMSLP/Petrucci Music
Library: Free Public Domain Sheet Music. Accessed April 17, 2017.
http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Tsybin,_Vladimir. Other sources searched include the
catalogues of Flute World, Carolyn Nussbaum music, Flutistry Boston, and Sheet Music
Plus.
78 "Dmitry Smolsky." Wikipedia. April 13, 2017. Accessed April 17, 2017.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dmitry_Smolsky.
79 AG, Universal Edition. "Alexander Krein." Universal Edition. Accessed April 17, 2017.

http://www.universaledition.com/composers-and-works/Alexander-
Krein/composer/2517.

36

Intrigued by this information, I took the data gathered by Wye and used it

as the basis of my own informal poll.80 The respondents, who are all professional,

classically trained flutists, ranked a number of Soviet flute composers from 1

through 5 in order of familiarity; with 1 meaning "not at all familiar" and 5

meaning "I have performed extensively."

Figure 3.1

Degrees of Familiarity with Soviet Composers of Flute Music

As seen in the chart, all of the composers on Wye’s list (including Tsybin) were

relatively unknown to the respondents, despite thirty-three years having passed


80The poll was sent to professional flutists known by the author. The results below were
drawn from their 15 anonymous responses.

37

since Wye’s initial visit. Prokofiev and Taktakishvili are best known, with

Prokofiev unsurprisingly being by far the best known of the composers in the

survey. If the responses are separated by nationality and location of training, a

different pattern emerges. For those who studied exclusively in the U.S., there is

a very similar distribution as above.

Figure 3.2

Degrees of Familiarity of US Trained Flutists with Soviet Composers of Flute


Music

However, for those who studied outside the US in either Canada, Europe, or

Russia for more than a semester, the results show a greater overall familiarity

with Soviet composers, with particular increases in their knowledge of Denisov,

Weinberg, Gordely, Tsybin, and Vasilenko.


38

Figure 3.3

Degrees of Familiarity of Internationally Trained Flutists with Soviet


Composers of Flute Music

From these results we can draw the informal conclusion that U.S.-trained

flutists are at a particular disadvantage regarding familiarity with Soviet works

for flute. This may be due in part to our country’s complicated political history

vis-à-vis the Soviet Union, as well as our relative geographic distance. A more

formal and detailed poll would need to be conducted to draw any more specific

conclusions from this data, but these results support the hypothesis that U.S.

trained flutists have a very limited knowledge of and access to Russian flute

music, including that of Mieczysław Weinberg.


39

CHAPTER FOUR

TWELVE MINIATURES OP. 29 (1945)

The Twelve Miniatures for Flute and Piano was the first of Weinberg’s flute

works to be completed. Published as Op. 29, it was written during the early years

during which Weinberg lived in Moscow with Shostakovich. Composed

between November 29th and December 6th, 1945, the Miniatures were written

during a period of high compositional output, including many string quartets

and songs with piano, and directly after the Clarinet Sonata Op.28.81 Weinberg’s

inspiration is not known, although after a few years in Moscow it is likely that he

was exposed to the work of Tsybin and his students. Unlike the Clarinet Sonata,

which was premiered not long after its composition in 1946 with the composer at

the piano, there is no record of a premiere performance of the Miniatures. Later in

life, Weinberg came back to the Miniatures, arranging them for flute and string

orchestra in 1983 as Op.29bis. The Miniatures have seen a resurgence recently,

with many live performances available on YouTube.com. Two commercial

recordings of the 12 Miniatures are currently available. 82

The Miniatures are atypical of the traditional flute and piano literature.

Arranged in ascending chromatic order, beginning in D♭ major and ending in C

major, each movement has a distinct character, but there are stylistic threads that

81 M. Vaĭnberg, Zwölf Stücke Für Flöte Und Klavier, Op. 29: (Miniaturen) (New York;
Hamburg: Peermusic Classical, 2011).
82 See the Appendix for publication information on commercial recordings of Weinberg’s

pieces for flute soloist.



40

connect the work as a whole. The interaction between the flutist and pianist is

distinctive, with some movements featuring the flute nearly exclusively, and

others featuring the piano with only small contributions from the flute. Often one

instrument will enter a movement that is otherwise dominated by the other to

reinforce a pitch center or to re-establish a key. Although the music can be highly

chromatic, the key scheme is easy to discern:

Table 4.1

Key scheme of Twelve Miniatures

Movement Number Title Key/Mode

1 Improvisation D♭ Major

2 Arietta D minor

3 Burleske E♭ Major

4 Capriccio E minor

5 Nocturne F major

6 Walzer F♯ minor

7 Ode G major

8 Duett G♯ minor

9 Barkarole A major

10 Etüde B♭ minor


41

11 Intermezzo B minor

12 Pastorale C major

The modes alternate as the Miniatures rise chromatically, until movements 10 and

11, which proceed without pause through the end of the piece. Here Weinberg

breaks the pattern of alternating major and minor modes to allow the tonal

journey to end in C major with the Pastorale. Although each movement is

centered on a key area, the harmonies do not often function in a traditional tonal

sense. Instead, Weinberg uses a sense of “home” (the central note or harmony of

a movement) and “away” (a chromatic passage or a distantly related tonal area).

Often the idea of “home” will be juxtaposed with “away” through the use of

pedal tones or repeated harmonies. These “home” harmonies or tones provide a

sense of harmonic stability despite the use of highly dissonant and chromatic

elements. Once distant tonal territory has been reached, Weinberg often makes

use of a series of semitones to return to the original tonality or pitch center. These

opposing poles help to structure the music in the same way that a traditional

dominant/tonic relationship would in a more conventional tonal work.

The linkage of distantly related harmonies as well as the use of a repeated

note to provide coherence throughout the movement can be found in the first

movement. Entitled Improvisation, it is, as the title suggests, without meter until

the final bar. In this movement, the flute plays nearly completely alone, with the


42

piano only reinforcing the tonic harmony in the final bar. The movement begins

and ends with D♭ major, moving through many other triadic harmonies as the

movement unfolds, without reference to tonal syntax. For slightly more than half

of the Improvisation, there is a succession of seemingly unrelated chords, except

for three toward the end arranged in a chromatic descent: D♭ major; G major; C♭

m7; A minor; A♭ major; G major; E major. In what we will discover is one of

Weinberg’s signature moves, he then inserts a series of descending semitones.

This reintroduces D♭ as tonic pitch and helps to tie the movement together. We

can see the expectation of D♭ major’s return set up by a restatement of the

beginning of the opening figure, but Weinberg thwarts expectations by

introducing an E♭ minor harmony instead. This is followed by another attempt to

establish D♭ that leads to another distant harmony, B major, before the music

finally works its way back to D♭ major in the last line. This movement is a fitting

start to a very unique set of small pieces for flute and piano featuring unusual

harmonic journeys and non-traditional dialogues between the flute and piano.


43

Figure 4.1, Twelve Miniatures Movement 1

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


44

The second movement, Arietta, has a plaintive D minor melody and is

primarily for piano. Though the tonic is D, the piece features an A4 sounding

almost continuously throughout the movement, which helps to ground the

sometimes chromatic harmonies. The flute enters primarily to reinforce the

constant A and then to provide the tonic note at the end of the movement. The

simple melody introduced by the piano in the first few bars, as shown in Figure

4.2, is developed throughout the movement through the expressive use of

semitones, which serve its plaintive quality. Although the character of this

movement is overall quite mournful, a few glimpses of D major glow through

even in this short format.


45

Figure 4.2, Twelve Miniatures Movement 2, 1–9

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The third movement, Burleske, in E♭ major, serves as a breath of fresh air

after the aggressive and highly chromatic first movement in D♭ major and the

plaintive D minor Arietta. The Burleske’s opening gesture is an upward E♭ major

ninth chord arpeggiated in an off-beat figure in the piano, against a soaring

dancelike melody in the flute part. Although the E♭ tonality is refreshing, the

ambiguous meter, obscured downbeat, and immediate use of a ninth chord give

this opening an unstable character that continues throughout. The movement has


46

only one main theme, introduced in the flute at the opening. The piano plays

mostly arpeggiated chords, alternating between the E♭ ninth and an A♭ major

seventh chord. At rehearsal 1, the flute melody comes back with a similar off-

beat E♭ ninth arpeggiated figure in the piano. At rehearsal 2, Weinberg breaks

this pattern by harmonizing the familiar flute melody with a descending A♭

seventh chord figure. The change in direction of the arpeggio, as well as the

change in harmony, brings variety to the melody. A rest in the piano followed by

a change in direction of the arpeggiated figure and a high point in the flute part

signal a new section of highly chromatic music at measure 39. At rehearsal 3, the

flute sustains an F over a restatement of the piano figure from the opening,

signaling a return to the E♭ sonority. Subsequent E♭ arpeggiated figures in the

flute (beginning in measure 51) are answered by quicker, isolated off-beat

arpeggiated chords in the piano, winding down the short movement to what we

expect will be a last statement of the E♭ ninth “home” chord. In a signature move,

Weinberg thwarts these expectations by giving the flute an A♭ as the last note.

These “wrong note” endings are somewhat common in the Miniatures. The

placement of this final A♭ an octave lower than the previous note and at the end

of a diminuendo makes it sound even more surprising.

The following Capriccio in E minor has a very contrasting military

character. The tempo marking, “Marziale marcatissimo", coupled with repetitive


47

snare drum-like rhythms, seen in Figure 4.3, also helps to set the character for

this movement. Like the previous movements, this Capriccio features one main

thematic idea, with the piano adding increasing harmonic and melodic

complexity through its interjections. The E minor tonality is established

unambiguously by the flute and piano in distinct registers, with the flute playing

the melody and the piano punctuating it with low secco triads. Weinberg adds

dissonance in measure 5 through a characteristic descending chromatic line in

the flute, and by replacing the piano’s low G with its neighbors F# and A. In

measure 7, the E minor triad returns, modified by a D# lower neighbor that

provides a similar effect. These secco chords continue throughout the movement,

alternately providing rhythmic stability and harmonic grounding and

destabilization. At rehearsal 1, a jagged chromatic line is added in the right hand

of the piano, while the flute ascends to its highest register so far, increasing the

tension of this climactic section. At measure 17, the opening music returns in the

flute part, now accompanied by C major seventh chords (built by adding a low C

to the original E minor triad, still secco. Trills in the right hand of the piano also

decorate this return of the opening melody. After some chromatic runs in the

flute, the opening melodic figure returns again, this time two octaves higher with

the original harmonization. This is followed by a return of the piano’s chromatic

line from rehearsal 1, accompanied by E minor and A minor triads and loud,

accented low E’s in the flute part. This last line, seen in Figure 4.4, feels like a


48

battle between the flute and piano parts which, due to the register and rhythmic

convergence, is won by the piano. This “sandwiching” of chromatic material

between more diatonic music in the outer registers will emerge as a typical

Weinberg technique.

Figure 4.3, Twelve Miniatures Movement 4, 1–8

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


49

Figure 4.4, Twelve Miniatures Movement 4, 30–33

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The F major Nocturne contrasts in nearly every way to the dark E minor

Capriccio. A light, airy F major tonality, long sustained phrases, and placement in

the middle range for both instruments all contribute to the contrast. Unlike the

Burleske, which featured an arpeggiated ninth chord at the beginning, the

arpeggiated F major harmony at the start of this movement provides a calmer

statement of tonic. As seen in Figure 4.5, the flute melody begins with a rising

semitone figure (E♭, E, F) that becomes a recognizable motive. The piano echoes

this rising figure in the second bar with an F#, G, A figure. The use of melodic

semitones (mostly semitones here), as has been noted, is a common thread

through music of Weinberg’s music. The second statement of this opening theme

occurs at rehearsal 1 as an exact repetition in the flute with a different

harmonization in the piano, another common characteristic of these movements

and, as will be shown, a trend in Weinberg’s flute music generally. The



50

arpeggiated bass at rehearsal 1 now outlines B♭ major instead of tonic F major.

The melody in the right hand of the piano, which begins the same as in measure

1, deviates slightly to better accommodate the change in harmony. The last

repetition of the opening melody occurs at rehearsal 2 with a different

accompaniment in the piano and a return of tonic harmony, but with only F’s

and C’s in the bass against neighbor figures around the minor third (G, B♭), in

the right hand. This can be seen in Figure 4.6. Although the A that completes the

tonic triad is present, it is obscured by the presence of all its neighbors and its

secondary role in the figure. The final harmony (C, F, G, B♭) has a similar “wrong

note” quality as the end of the Burleske movement, but like the Burleske

movement, it is set up by the neighbor figure that precedes it, and incidentally is

the same chord type as the second piano chord of the Burleske.


51

Figure 4.5, Twelve Miniatures Movement 5, 1–5

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


52

Figure 4.6, Twelve Miniatures Movement 5, 18–23

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The following Waltz movement begins with a traditional waltz

accompaniment figure that alternates tonic F♯ minor with A major ninth chords,

as seen in Figure 4.7. Unlike many of the other pieces in the set, this Miniature

contains two contrasting themes. At measure 18, a sustained C major harmony

abruptly stops the waltz rhythm, while the right hand of the piano and flute

trade melodic fragments that lead to the contrasting melody at measure 22,

played four octaves apart in the flute and piano. In measure 38, the original waltz

melody returns in the flute, with a new idea in the piano, ending at measure 43

on a shared F♯ minor harmony obscured by a sustained G in the right hand of the


53

piano. The flute then reprises the contrasting melody against a simple

descending bass line that implies an arrival at F♯ in the piano. Instead, the

“wrong note” tendency continues, and while the movement ends on the

expected F♯ in the flute, the piano plays a G♯ half-diminished seventh chord. As

seen in Figure 4.8, this harmony is prepared in the flute melody in the preceding

measures.

Figure 4.7, Twelve Miniatures Movement 6, 1–10

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


54

Figure 4.8, Twelve Miniatures Movement 6, 46–62

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The G major Ode that follows is another movement primarily for piano.

Occurring roughly halfway through the piece, it is the emotional climax of the


55

Miniatures. Beginning squarely in G major, harmony becomes increasingly

chromatic through the first statement of the melody. This nostalgic, anthem-like

melody occurs over a descending fifth progression passing through C major at

measure 5 and arriving at F major in measure 6. Typical for Weinberg, an

identical repetition in the piano right-hand part is harmonized in a much more

chromatic way, the melody itself changing only in measure 14 to accommodate

an upcoming shift from repeated A♭’s to repeated D’s in the right hand,

preparing an eventual return to G major. The emotional tension of the movement

builds to measure 14, where wide, dramatic spacing forces the pianist to break

the chords. In measure 16, the spacing contracts, and the opening melody returns

for one last time, featuring some chromatic harmonies, before resolving

forcefully in G major with a plagal progression and the last-minute participation

of the flute in a registral expansion.

In contrast to the emotional pathos of the Ode, the next movement, Duett,

in G♯ minor, sets up a character of expectation. This movement primarily

features a sinuous flute line with interjections in the piano. Initially, the piano

interjection serves to confirm the G♯ minor tonic that the flute establishes, but

departs from the tonic at rehearsal 1 with similar figuration but slightly altered

pitches, notably G♮, as seen in Figure 4.9. At measure 15, the piano also begins

the work of reintroducing G♯ minor, which the solo flute continues through

rehearsal 3. The flute ends this movement alone, outlining the G# minor triad

56

faintly in the lowest register at an extremely quiet dynamic. This ending

establishes a sense of uncertainty, and although it does not proceed attacca to the

next movement, the final D♯ is placed in the same register as the opening C♯ and

E in the next movement, creating a sense of continuity between them.


57

Figure 4.9, Twelve Miniatures Movement 8, 1–14

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The Barkarole begins with a simple 6/8 accompaniment in parallel thirds

in the right hand of the piano, giving an air of childlike simplicity. Although the


58

opening contains no chromatic pitches, the absence of bass notes and the

insistence on parallel thirds in the piano prevents a strong sense of A major tonic.

By measure 10, the music has wandered from this tenuously introduced tonality.

However, in a signature move, Weinberg reintroduces the A major music in the

original texture before rehearsal 1, adding an ostinato comprised of scale degrees

1 and 5 in the left hand of the piano before rehearsal 1. These repeated notes

provide a harmonic grounding that was lacking in the opening six measures. The

flute writing in this movement is some of the most virtuosic in the miniatures. At

measure 39 it outlines the opening Barkarole melody in octaves, with added trills

and flourishes. The conclusion of this moment features a Mixolydian G♮, or ♭7,

in the flute part against tonic and minor dominant harmony in the piano, as

shown in Figure 4.10. This Mixolydian G♮ is well prepared, having first been

introduced in measure 18, as shown in Figure 4.11, where the flute emphasizes a

G♮ after outlining a tonic triad in the previous measure. Further prominent

instances of ♭7 occur throughout the movement, notably in measure 52,

foreshadowing the flute’s G♮ three measures later.


59

Figure 4.10, Twelve Miniatures Movement 9, 52–57

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

Figure 4.11, Twelve Miniatures Movement 8, 16–20

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

Continuing the theme of contrast between movements, the tenth

movement, Etude, begins in the dark key of B♭ melodic minor. The addition of a

C on the downbeat of the first bar creates a dissonant semitone sonority from the

outset. An exercise-like quality characterizes the opening scales in the flute and


60

in the piano interlude in measure 9, which is doubled in octaves. At rehearsal 1,

the opening idea is repeated in subdominant E♭ minor, one of the few

conventional key relations found in the Miniatures. In a change of roles, the piano

begins to outline an A♭ major scale at rehearsal 2, which sets off a series of

alternating ascending and descending scalar passages and arpeggios that rise

chromatically, ending in F minor at rehearsal 3. Table 4.5 shows the frantic pace

of harmonic motion between rehearsals 2 and 3. The harmony changes nearly

every bar, often rising or falling by semitone, with only a few brief periods of

respite. The flute line resolves on F on the third beat of measure 48. The piano

then adds a pungent dissonant G♭, impelling the harmony forward to tonic B♭

minor. The movement ends with the piano rising to meet the flute in the highest

register, followed by a dramatic low attack on B♭ octaves, leading attacca into the

next movement.


61

Table 4.2

Etude harmonic content, measures 21–48

Measure Harmony

21–24 A♭ major scale in bass
25 A major
26 B♭ major
27 B major
28 C major
29 D♭ major
30 D major
31 E♭ major
32 E major
33–36 F minor
37–43 G melodic minor
44 E minor
45 E♭ diminished
46 D diminished
47 F
48 B♭ melodic minor

The Intermezzo movement again features the piano. Its key of B minor

represents the break in the major/minor alternation scheme. A syncopated bass

ostinato that leads to the downbeats, combined with related, quicker rhythmic

motives in the right hand of the piano, plus the 3/4 meter, all give a dancelike

feel at the opening, which is interrupted by changes in meter and adjustments to

the ostinato beginning in measure 5. At rehearsal 1, the music settles into a

mixture of dominant and tonic harmony, with the flute tracing ascending scale

fragments. As illustrated in Figure 4.12, the flute line culminates with a

descending arpeggiated B minor triad, coming to rest on a G♮ upper neighbor.


62

Although this non-chord tone is surprising in the moment, it returns and

resolves an octave lower in the following measure. The flute then slides

downward through three chromatic semitones to C, anticipating the pedal tone

of the final movement, providing continuity as the music proceeds attacca.

Figure 4.12, Twelve Miniatures Movement 11, 14–15

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The final movement, a Pastorale, begins with a C pedal in the lowest

register of the flute, linking it with the preceding Intermezzo and now becoming

the tonic. The piano, not the flute, takes the lead in measure 2 with a simple

melody, accompanied by the low C pedal in the flute (eventually taken up by the

piano’s left hand in measure 7). While some brief moments of chromaticism in

the piano create interest, the flute sustains the tonic pedal throughout. At

measure 12, the roles reverse, with melodic activity in the flute and ostinato and

pedal tones in the piano. The original texture is restored at rehearsal 2. At

rehearsal 3, the flute presents previous melodic material in F major while the


63

piano part accompanies with figures centered on B♭. The subdominant nature of

these two harmonies lends a calm, pleasing attribute to this somewhat

disorienting combination. At rehearsal 4, the flute outlines F major and C major

harmonies against a C major melody in the piano, retaining the subdominant

flavor while returning to the tonic. A wandering scale passage in the piano

finally concludes with typical descending chromatic motion in measure 52,

directed toward the flute’s low C as shown in Figure 4.13. The piece ends

peacefully, with a decorated C major chord in the piano, accompanied by a C

major arpeggio in the flute.


Figure 4.13, Twelve Miniatures Movement 12, 49–56

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


64

The brevity of these twelve movements allows Weinberg to showcase the

technical and expressive range of this combination of instruments. Although the

melodies and harmonies take some unexpected twists and turns, analysis shows

mastery in preparing even the most incongruous-seeming “wrong note”, or

peculiar twist of melody, so that it sounds oddly familiar. Like so many of the

best works for soloist and piano, these pieces allow the flutist and pianist to

stand as equals on the stage, not merely as soloist and accompanist.


FIVE PIECES (1947)

Weinberg’s second work for flute, the Five Pieces for flute and piano, is

dated 1947 in Weinberg’s official catalog of works, making it his second work for

flute and piano after the Twelve Miniatures were completed in 1945.83 A number

of works from this period survive without opus numbers; some survive only in

manuscript, while others do not survive in any form. Like the Twelve Miniatures,

there is no evidence of a premiere performance of this work, and it bears no

dedication. It was published by the Soviet Composers’ Union in 1948, the same

year that Weinberg and his wife received word that Solomon Mikhoels was

murdered and the surveillance of their family began.84


83 M. Vaĭnberg, Fünf Stücke für Flöte und Klavier (1947) = Five pieces for flute and piano
(1947) (Hamburg: Peermusic Classical, 2015).
84 Mimi Stillman, “Into the Light: Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s Five Pieces for Flute and

Piano,” Flutist Quarterly, Volume 41, no. 2 (Winter 2016): 23.



65

As a busy composer, Weinberg is known to have reworked a number of

his own pieces, republishing them later with different instrumentation. We have

already seen an example of this in the later orchestration of the 12 Miniatures.

These Five Pieces are no exception. The first and second movements, entitled

Landschaft or “Landscape,” and Erster Tanz or “First Dance,” are original

compositions, while the last three movements are all taken from other earlier

works of Weinberg’s. The longest movement of the set, Zweiter Tanz or “Second

Dance,” and the following Melodie or “Melody,” are arranged verbatim from his

string quartet pieces Capriccio, op. 11, and Aria, Op. 9, respectively. The final

movement, Dritter Tanz, or “Third Dance,” was taken from the Gigue finale of his

Orchestral Suite, Op. 26.85

Of Weinberg’s works for flute, these were the last to be rediscovered.

Flutist and scholar Mimi Stillman came across them in August of 2011, when she

met with musicologist Bret Werb of the Holocaust Memorial Museum in

Washington, D.C. in preparation for a project on the music of the Holocaust.86

Werb showed her a facsimile of a work for flute and piano that he had picked up

in St. Petersburg. Stillman was “instantly captivated by the beauty and depth of

the piece”.87 She went on to spend the next four years on a journey of

exploration, culminating with the United States premiere of the Five Pieces in


85 Vaĭnberg, Fünf Stücke für Flöte und Klavier (1947) = Five pieces for flute and piano (1947)
86 Stillman, “Into the Light: Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s Five Pieces for Flute and Piano,” 21.
87 Ibid.


66

Philadelphia in 2013, followed by performances around the USA, including at

the National Flute Association Convention in 2014.88 Her CD Freedom: Works by

Weinberg, Finko and Danielpour, which features the Five Pieces, was released on the

Innova label in 2015.89

As evidenced in the earlier Twelve Miniatures, Weinberg writes

idiomatically for the flute. He takes advantage of the full range of both the flute

and the piano, and finds innovative ways to balance both in whatever range he

writes. Unlike in the Twelve Miniatures, the flute and piano have a relationship

that fulfills more traditional soloist and accompaniment roles.90 All five

movements feature both instruments, and the piano texture is thicker in general

than in the Miniatures, in many cases taking over three of the four voices of the

pre-existing string quartet texture. Some interesting parallels can be drawn

between the Five Pieces and the Twelve Miniatures, although they are quite distinct

in compositional style.

The first movement, Landschaft or “Landscape,” begins with the flute

alone, just as the 12 Miniatures did. However, the mood of this movement is

completely different. The Improvisation of the 12 Miniatures begins in a loud

dynamic with short note values and works its way from the bottom register of

the flute to the top in a short amount of time. In this “Landscape” movement, a


88 Stillman, “Into the Light: Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s Five Pieces for Flute and Piano,” 21.
89 Mimi Stillman & Charles Abramovic - Freedom, Audio CD (Innova, 2015).
90 These more traditional roles are seen in other contemporaneous works such as the

Tysbin Concert Pieces and even the Prokofiev Sonata for flute and piano.

67

familiar tune is presented quietly and remains in the middle range of the flute,

giving it a more docile quality and evoking, through a particular association, a

kind of “landscape.” The similarity to the opening of Debussy’s “La fille aux

cheveux de lin” (Préludes, Book I) is striking, as we can see in Figures 4.14 and

4.15. Weinberg’s music beings a semitone higher on D5 rather than D♭5 as in the

Debussy, and leaps an octave on the fourth sixteenth note of the second measure,

before going off in its own direction. We know that Weinberg did enjoy quoting

himself and others throughout his career.91 Among the most striking examples is

his Second Flute Concerto, whose first movement is a reworking of a violin

sonata, and whose last movement features direct quotations at pitch of famous

flute melodies at the end. Debussy’s influence on flute literature through his

compositions Syrinx and the Trio for flute, viola and harp is undeniable. Who

better to emulate in a flute piece than he?


91 Fanning, Mieczysław Weinberg, 122.

68

Figure 4.14, Five Pieces Movement 1, 1–3

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

Figure 4.15, Debussy’s “La fille aux cheveux de lin” from Préludes, book I, 1–4

The movement continues with a contrasting “capriccioso and rubato” theme that

provides some needed variety and serves as a springboard for virtuosity that is

again reminiscent of the Improvisation from the Twelve Miniatures, as seen in

Figure 4.16.


69

Figure 4.16, Five Pieces Movement 1, 7–11

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

Similar to some of the longer movements in the Twelve Miniatures, this movement

is based around two contrasting themes. The opening “Debussyesque theme”

and the later “capriccio theme” both appear in fragments and multiple keys

throughout the movement. After working his way back to the opening melody in

measure 35, first on altered pitches and then finally on the original pitches,

Weinberg approaches the cadence through a series of seemingly unrelated triads,

landing on an ethereal ascending D♭ ninth chord plus a culminating G-D fifth


70

that initiates the return of tonic G major. The succession of seemingly unrelated

harmonies preceding the arpeggio is a familiar occurrence from the Improvisation

of the Twelve Miniatures. The progression of the altered flute melody, arpeggiated

harmonies in the flute, and final cadence on G major can be seen in Figure 4.17.

Figure 4.17, Five Pieces Movement 1, 36–43

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The next movement, Erster Tanz, or First Dance, is a short movement with

a playful character, only about one and a half minutes long. It is centered on D

minor, with two sections suggesting a secondary key area of B♭ major. It begins

in D minor with the dance melody in the piano. As the music progresses,


71

Weinberg includes more and more non-diatonic notes to create harmonic

interest. In the middle section, beginning in measure 17, the flute punctuates the

melody with low Ds reminiscent of the low C pedal in the Pastorale movement of

the Twelve Miniatures. Here, instead of independently emphasizing the tonic,

they are chord tones participating in the B♭ major cadences in the piano. This can

be seen in Figure 4.18, which shows a similar section occurring at the end of the

movement. In measure 32, the flute returns with a fragmented version of the

piano’s D minor melody from the beginning, along with chromatic scales in the

piano. The B♭ major cadences from the middle section return at measure 48, after

which the music reorients to tonic D minor by measure 53, finally coming to rest

in a series of descending gestures leading to a tonic triad in low register, as

shown in Figure 4.18.


72

Figure 4.18, Five Pieces Movement 2, 46–61

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The following movement, Zweiter Tanz or “Second Dance,” is by far the

longest movement of the Five Pieces at nearly six and a half minutes in length. A

transcription of Weinberg’s Capriccio Op. 11 (1943), this movement has elements

of rondo form, evidenced in the return of fragments of the opening theme

throughout the movement. However, that theme is not the only one that repeats;


73

in fact, all of the themes from this movement repeat in a dizzying array of

contrasting ideas that seem to flow from one to the other with little in the way of

modulation. Table 4.3 shows the entrances of each of the five themes throughout

the movement.

Table 4.3

Entrance of themes in Zweiter Tanz from Five Pieces

Waltz Scherzando Agitato 5/16 Folk Dance


1 15 36 49 103
29 59 59 203 243
92 169 73
157 213 191
183
237
270

As illustrated, the Waltz theme from the opening returns most often, which lends

the impression of a rondo. Although all the themes have contrasting

characteristics from the opening Waltz, the most striking is the “Folk Dance”. It

is in 5/8 meter and features a pedal tone and a characteristic repeating rhythm.

Following the first appearance of this theme, a fortissimo piano interlude at

measures 120–130 provides more harmonic and textural interest but preserves

the folk qualities by never breaking from the melody’s characteristic rhythm.


74

Weinberg transcribed the Melodie movement from his Aria, Op. 9 (1942),

also for string quartet. In contrast to the often frenetic and scattered nature of the

previous dance movement, this lyrical movement features a steady piano

accompaniment with a constant eighth note pulse, above which the melodic line

soars in both the flute and piano parts. The movement begins with a songlike

flute melody accompanied by D minor harmonies in the piano. Although

Weinberg introduces chromatic harmonies beginning on the fourth beat of

measure 4, the relative predictability of the chromatic motion in the bass line, soft

dynamic, and eighth note pulse prevent this chromaticism from adding too

much tension. There is little textural contrast in this movement, with the flute

remaining a solo voice throughout, and the piano maintaining the

accompanimental texture, occasionally presenting a melodic line in dialogue

with the flute. The descending bass line from the opening returns in measure 51,

eventually leading to a D major final chord. Although the movement ends in

major, the open spacing of the chord and the use of the extreme low register of

both the flute and the piano leave the listener without the typical uplift created

by Picardy third endings.

The final movement, Dritter Tanz or Third Dance, is surprisingly short at

only two and half minutes in length, especially when compared with the lengthy

second dance and given its position at the end of the piece. It is a playful dance

originally called “Gigue,” borrowed from the end of the Orchestral Suite No. 26


75

(1939–1945). It contains only one principal theme, which is tossed back and forth

between flute and piano without break for the duration of the movement. The

short, light articulations in both the flute and piano, coupled with the continuous

motion, give this movement a breathless quality that propels it forward to a

dramatic ending.

These Five Pieces have a unique character reflective of Weinberg’s style,

but feature elements that set them apart from his Twelve Miniatures. As they have

only recently become a part of flutists’ collective consciousness, it remains to be

seen how they will settle into the modern flute repertoire.

CONCERTO NO. 1, OP. 75 (1961)

Weinberg’s Flute Concerto No. 1, op. 75, for flute and string orchestra,

was completed in 1961, during a period of high productivity. This period,

coming after Weinberg’s surveillance and imprisonment, saw a recommitment to

his art with the production of new compositions in many of his favored genres.

His previous works for flute and piano were written before his surveillance and

incarceration; none were written during that period. This is his first flute work in

its aftermath. Unlike his earlier works for flute, which bear no dedication, the

First Concerto is dedicated to “Alexander Wassiljewitsch Kornejew.” It was

premiered by Korneyev on November 25th, 1961 in the Great Hall of the Moscow

Conservatory, with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra conducted by Rudolf


76

Barshai.92 A recording with the same performers was later issued on LP and

eventually CD. It can currently be purchased on a Melodiya compact disc.93

The Concerto bears similarities to Weinberg’s earlier works for flute in its

abrupt change of keys, use of highly chromatic harmonies, and idiomatic (if

extremely virtuosic) writing for the flute. Its dedication and premiere reflect a

new relationship between Weinberg and Korneyev that was likely forged

through their time together in Moscow and almost certainly took place at least in

part in the Hall of Composers in Moscow. This three-movement work displays

stark contrasts between the frenzied first movement, the lyrical and nearly static

second movement, and the playful, dance-like third movement. Despite a large

number of themes and considerable amounts of contrasting material, a

performance of all three movements takes only about fifteen minutes. This is

significantly shorter than Weinberg’s violin and cello concerti, both containing

four movements, which range from about twenty-five to thirty minutes in length.

This disparity in length also reflects Weinberg’s understanding of the flute’s

strengths and capabilities as a solo instrument.

The first movement showcases both the technical prowess of the flutist

and the technical capabilities of the flute. Flutes in Russia at this time were


92 M. Vaĭnberg, Konzert Nr. 1 op. 75 für Flöte und Streichorchester = for flute and string
orchestra, Klavierauszug (piano reduction). (New York; Hamburg: Peermusic Classical,
2014.)
93 Mstislav Rostropovich, Leonid Kogan, and Alexander Korneyev, Weinberg: Concertos,

Compact Disc (Melodiya, 2014).



77

mostly East German, and as detailed in Chapter Three, mechanically

substandard. One of the great marks of a professional-quality flute is its ability to

project in all ranges. Weinberg seems to be particularly aware of the potential for

balance issues when using “local” flutes even just within the confines of a string

orchestral accompaniment. The first movement features the flute primarily in its

highest range, where it is most likely to project above a string orchestra. There

are a few instances in which the flute does come down into the middle register,

and Weinberg is careful to accompany with only short articulations in the low

strings. The second movement features a long, sinuous, and soulful flute line

reaching down to the lowest notes on the instrument, where its ability to project

is the weakest. To accommodate this low register, Weinberg provides an

accompaniment of low muted strings in a repetitive texture that allows the flute

to sing out despite the handicap. The final movement exploits the instrument’s

full range, with sparse accompaniments for lower-register flute melodies and,

later on, thicker orchestrations for the same melodies, with the flute in its highest

register.

As in his earlier flute music, Weinberg does not rely on traditional forms

or harmonic structures to organize his material. In the first movement, although

the music can loosely be understood in terms of chromatic tonal harmony, the

thematic material is what ties the music together. The first movement, centered

on D minor, contains four main themes, all of which feature the interval of the


78

fourth, highlighted in each theme in Figures 4.25–4.28. This common element

helps to bring continuity to an otherwise frenetic and somewhat fragmented

movement. This movement also displays some elements of sonata form. As

illustrated in the table below, the movement can be analyzed in three main

sections. The opening A section introduces three of the four themes (“falling

fourth,” “repeated note,” and “door knocking,”) with some thematic

development. The central B section features the orchestra with the introduction

of the fourth, contrasting “legato” theme. The final A’ section reprises all four

themes, including the “legato” theme, which appears for the first time in the flute

in this section. The organization of these sections is similar to the exposition,

development, and recapitulation of a sonata form. In a departure from the strict

model, the A’ section returns with the themes in a different order, with the

“falling fourth theme” at a different pitch level than the opening.


79

Table 4.4

Entrance of themes in Concerto No. 1, movement 1

Name of Theme Where it Occurs What Instrument(s) Section


falling 4th beginning flute A
falling 4th rehearsal 1/ measure 8 orchestra
repeated note rehearsal 2/ measure 16 flute
repeated note rehearsal 3/ measure 35 flute
falling 4th measure 47 orch/picked up by flute in 51
door knocking measure 56 flute
door knocking rehearsal 5/ measure 73 orchestra
measure 95 Repeat
falling 4th rehearsal 6/ measure 96 flute B
falling 4th measure 102 orchestra
door knocking measure 112 flute
legato theme measure 112 orchestra
legato theme rehearsal 8/ measure 126 orchestra
repeated note rehearsal 9/measure 140 orchestra

falling 4th rehearsal 11/ measure 173 flute A'


falling 4th measure 180 orchestra
door knocking rehearsal 12/ measure 187 introduced by orch/ flute
door knocking measure 188 orchestra
falling 4th measure 218 flute
repeated note rehearsal 15/ measure 226 flute
legato theme rehearsal 15/ measure 226 orchestra
legato theme rehearsal 16/ measure 240 flute (first time)
door knocking measure 242 orchestra
falling 4th rehearsal 17/ measure 254 flute
falling 4th measure 262 orchestra

The “falling fourth” theme is illustrated in Figure 4.19, measures 1–8.


80

Figure 4.19, Concerto No. 1 Movement 1, 1–1094

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The “repeated note” theme is illustrated in Figure 4.20, measures 18–34.


94Musical examples for the concerti are displayed either in piano reduction or in full
score in order to best illustrate the analytic points and for ease of reading.

81

Figure 4.20, Concerto No. 1 Movement 1, 15–37

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


82

The “door knocking” theme is illustrated in Figure 4.21, measures 56–73.

Figure 4.21, Concerto No. 1 Movement 1, 52–75

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


83

The final “legato” theme is illustrated in Figure 4.22, measures 110–125.

Figure 4.22, Concerto No. 1 Movement 1, 108–125

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The interplay between these four melodic ideas is what propels the

movement forward in constant motion. As shown above, the flute introduces the

first three themes, while the orchestra introduces the final one, which


84

subsequently appears only once in the flute. Each of the other themes appears a

number of times in both parts. The final “legato” theme is notable because it

appears first in the orchestra, after the first repeat, and after several repetitions

and some development of the first three themes. In its unusual placement, the

new theme provides some much needed contrast to the first three themes, which

are more fragmented and virtuosic in nature. The “legato” theme is also the first

instance of an extended melodic line in the entire movement. It enters very late in

the flute, measure 240, in the instrument’s highest range, marked “molto

espressivo”. This late entrance, along with the strikingly high tessitura, gives the

impression of reluctance on the part of the flutist to participate in this thematic

material. Unlike previous entrances of this theme, it is accompanied by “door

knocking” references in the violas, helping to tie together multiple themes while

heading into the climactic conclusion of this movement. The entrance of the flute

with the “legato” theme, measures 240– 253, is shown in Figure 4.23.


85

Figure 4.23, Concerto No. 1 Movement 1, 239–253

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

After this frenetic, scherzo-like opening movement, Weinberg provides

some much-needed contrast in the second movement. His choice of A♭ minor as

the tonal center (a tritone away from the D minor of the first movement),


86

extensive use of the low register of the flute, and exclusively quiet dynamics

project a completely different sonic world from the first movement. The string

orchestra provides a repeated, two-measure, passacaglia-like homophonic chord

progression that lasts through the entire movement, over which the flute spins a

mournful, lyrical melody. Typical of Weinberg’s style, this progression provides

a tonal grounding interspersed with striking chromaticism. An opening A♭

minor triad moves unexpectedly to F major, which initiates a cycle of descending

fifths, through a B♭ minor harmony that first resolves first deceptively, and then

to an open fifth sonority on E♭ (decorated by chromatic mediant motion and

progressing to a sixth), finally resolving to tonic A♭ minor at the downbeat of

measure 3. This all represents an elegant elaboration and adaptation of a

conventional cadential formula. A reduction and analysis of this harmonic

progression is illustrated in Figure 4.24.

Figure 4.24, Concerto No. 1 Movement 2, 1–2


87

Following the introduction of the repeating progression in the piano, the

flute enters with a highly expressive, sweeping line that consistently outlines

tonic and dominant harmonies, elaborated by an ever-changing local

chromaticism. The movement continues with ongoing repetition in the orchestral

part and near-constant eighth-note motion in the flute through m. 20, after which

the flute motion slows appreciably. As illustrated in Figure 4.25, the flute melody

winds down into its final moments beginning in m. 25, sliding downward

chromatically (in one of Weinberg’s signature moves) to the lowest possible note

on the instrument. This apparent end to the flute melody allows the orchestra to

crescendo without fear of overpowering the flute, reaching forte at measure 28

and simultaneously breaking the cycle of repetition. The orchestra then replays

and holds the open fifth on E♭, over which the flute introduces the main theme

from the next movement, which proceeds attacca.


88

Figure 4.25, Concerto No. 1 Movement 2, 24–32

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

Like the first movement, the third and final movement of the First Flute

Concerto is driven primarily by thematic material rather than a formal or tonal

structure. There are three main themes in this movement. The first one, the

“fiddler”, is illustrated in Figure 4.26, measures 1–8. This theme is so named


89

because it is introduced by a solo violin after being prepared by the flute at the

end of the previous movement.


90

Figure 4.26, Concerto No. 1 Movement 3, 1–24

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


91

The second theme, named the “wanderer,” is introduced in the flute directly

after the “fiddler” theme. It is illustrated in Figure 4.26, measures 12–23. The

name derives from its propensity for chromatic wandering. For the first entrance

of the “wanderer,” Weinberg uses a pedal D in the second violin to maintain a

sense of the D minor center of this movement, while the flute and first violin play

more chromatic passages. This technique was common in both the 12 Miniatures

and the Five Pieces during chromatic passages. The final thematic idea for this

movement I have called the “repeated note.” It is illustrated in Figure 4.27,

measures 42–57. In contrast to the more lyrical beginnings of the first two

themes, this theme uses repeated notes throughout, with a distinctive rhythm to

punctuate legato passages and help to differentiate the thematic idea aurally

from the previous two.


92

Figure 4.27, Concerto No. 1 Movement 3, 40–59

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


93

Although the movement’s material consists primarily of these themes,

there is an interesting interlude a little more than halfway through the

movement, where the thematic motion stops and the flutist breaks off, in

measure 191, into a passage of rapidly articulated notes later echoed by the first

violin. The “fiddler” theme is brought back by the viola twenty-seven bars later.

This articulated idea, paired with the “fiddler” theme, returns later in the

movement and provides some structure to what is otherwise just a series of

themes. The table below illustrates the succession of themes through the course

of the movement and the placement of the final coda, which contains new

melodic material.


94

Table 4.4

Entrance of themes in Concerto No. 1, movement 3

What
Name of Theme Where it Occurs Instrument(s)
fiddler beginning orch/violin
wanderer rehearsal 21/ measure 12 flute
fiddler rehearsal 22/ measure 24 flute
wanderer measure 34 orch/violin
repeated note rehearsal 23/ measure 42 flute
repeated note/ fragment rehearsal 24/ measure 58 orch/violin
fiddler measure 61 flute
fiddler rehearsal 26/ measure 85 flute
combination of fiddler and repeated note rehearsal 28/ measure 108 orch/violin
fiddler rehearsal 29/ measure 119 flute
repeated note rehearsal 30/ measure 136 flute
fiddler rehearsal 31/ measure 153 orch/violin
repeated note rehearsal 31/ measure 153 flute
fiddler measure 161 flute
wanderer rehearsal 32/ measure 168 flute
wanderer measure 174 orch/violin
fiddler rehearsal 33/ measure 181 orch/violin
flute and later
interlude of virtuosic articulation rehearsal 34/ measure 191 orch
fiddler measure 218 orch/violin
wanderer/fragmented measure 227 flute
repeated note rehearsal 36/ measure 235 flute
Fiddler rehearsal 37/ measure 257 orch

virtuosic articulation returns rehearsal 37/ measure 257 flute


fiddler measure 272 flute
coda measure 39 driven by flute


95

This somewhat eccentric movement concludes with a flute-driven coda,

with the soloist’s line reaching up to the instrument’s highest notes, against a

lushly orchestrated backdrop of strings. Having sustained a series of chromatic

forays throughout the concerto, the music ends triumphantly on D major, as

illustrated in Figure 4.28, measures 279–320.


96

Figure 4.28, Concerto No. 1 Movement 3, 279–320


97

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd


98

In this concerto, Weinberg displays a deep understanding of the flute and

its capabilities as a solo instrument. Although it bears some similarities to the

pieces for flute and piano that came before it, the concerto also breaks new

territory, showing off the lyrical and virtuosic capabilities of the player. In

addition to the premiere recording mentioned earlier, there is one other

commercial recording of this work, featuring Anders Jonhall and the Gothenburg

Symphony Orchestra.95 It is my hope that as Weinberg’s music continues to

experience a resurgence in the coming years, more recorded interpretations of

this work will become available, and more audiences will have the opportunity

to experience it.


CONCERTO NO. 2, OP. 148 (1987)

Weinberg’s final piece for flute was his Flute Concerto No. 2 Op. 148,

completed in October of 1987. Like his first concerto, this work is dedicated to

“Alexander Wassiljewitsch Kornejew”. The work is scored for oboe, four

clarinets (including bass clarinet), bassoon, contrabassoon, three horns, timpani,

percussion, harp, and full strings. Weinberg later re-orchestrated it for string

orchestra as Op. 148bis. This concerto is in three movements and lasts about

twenty minutes, just a few minutes longer than the first concerto. For

comparison, both flute concerti are shorter than the three-movement Clarinet


95Anders Jonhall, Weinberg, M.: Clarinet Concerto / Flute Concerto No. 2 / Flute Concerto /
Fantasia, 2000.

99

Concerto, Op. 104, which is about twenty-five minutes long, and similar to the

three-movement Trumpet Concerto, Op. 94, which is about twenty minutes in

length. As we have already seen with the Five Pieces for flute and piano,

Weinberg was prone to integrating some of his previous works into his flute

music. The first movement of the second flute concerto, an Allegro, is a virtual

transcription of the first movement of his Sonata No. 2 for violin and piano, Op.

15 (1944)96. The other two movements of the concerto are original to the piece.

The second movement, a Largo, exhibits a brooding and mournful character that

is familiar from the first concerto and some of the Miniatures. The Allegretto

finale has a dance-like character common to many of Weinberg’s works, but in a

surprise near the ending, Weinberg slips in quotations from some of the best-

known flute melodies in the literature, specifically the “Dance of the Blessed

Spirits” from Gluck’s opera Orfeo ed Euridice, and the “Badinerie” movement

from J. S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067. This type of

quotation was not unique to the flute concerto or even to Weinberg in his milieu;

in fact, it seemed to be in fashion in Russia around this time. For example,

Weinberg had included similar types of quotation in his Trumpet Concerto (Op.

94, 1966–67) and his 24 Preludes for Solo Cello (Op. 100, 1969). His friend and


96Although the violin part does not match the flute part exactly (sometimes the flute
melody is in the orchestra or vice- versa) the two movements are nearly identical until
measure 233, at which point the movements diverge significantly. The violin sonata
makes use of double stops and pizzicatos in this final section, ending quietly with
pizzicatos. The flute concerto ends more triumphantly, with a sustained high A in the
flute at a fff dynamic.

100

confidant Shostakovich famously incorporated some quotations into the outer

movements of his Fifteenth Symphony (1971), while fellow Soviet composer Boris

Chaykovsky used quotations in his Second Symphony (1967).

Following the first movement of the Violin Sonata No. 2 nearly verbatim

until the very end of the movement, the first movement of this concerto is

organized around thematic material rather than tonal or formal structures, in a

manner similar to that of the first flute concerto. However, the calmness of the

opening “pastorale” theme, as illustrated in Figure 4.29, is in stark contrast to the

frenzied opening of the first concerto.


101

Figure 4.29, Concerto No. 2 Movement 1, 3–10

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

It is often heard against a dotted rhythm in the accompaniment, which outlines

the tonic triad in rising and falling arpeggiated figures that enhance the pastoral

quality of the melody. The end of this theme is a bit difficult to discern, as it often

leads directly into the next idea, but the characteristic descending octave always

signals the beginning.

The second, “anxiety” theme, shown in Figure 4.30, is quite contrasting,

with quicker note values and frequent chromatic neighbor tones. As the figure

102

shows, the flute introduces the thematic idea, which is quickly taken up by the

orchestra (here the oboe).

Figure 4.30, Concerto No. 2 Movement 1, 42–53

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


103

Following in the same anxiety-ridden vein, the third main thematic idea of

the movement occurs in the flute at m. 56, while the orchestra continues with the

second theme. This “descending fourth” theme is seen overlaid with the anxiety

theme in Figure 4.31.


104

Figure 4.31, Concerto No. 2 Movement 1, 54–66

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

105

The fourth thematic idea is again based on the idea of a repeated note;

thus I have dubbed it the “hammering” theme, illustrated in Figure 4.32. After

long lines in the first three themes, this theme dramatically alters the texture and

gives it a much more vertical, angular character.

Figure 4.32, Concerto No. 2 Movement 1, 107–121

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


106

These themes continue to develop though the movement, and in what

might be dubbed a “Weinbergian twist,” a new countermelody to the “pastorale”

theme appears more than halfway through the movement. This ostinato-like line

in the flute is accompanied by a dramatic change in texture and the re-

introduction of the “pastorale” theme in the viola. This juxtaposition can be seen

in Figure 4.33.

Figure 4.33, Concerto No. 2 Movement 1, 237–255


107

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The ending of the first movement seems to suggest a return to the G major tonic,

with G’s and D’s in the orchestra. However, the flute ends on an A, producing a

G major ninth chord as the closing harmony. Similarly to the “wrong note”

endings in some of the Miniatures, this dissonant ninth lends an unexpected,

incomplete quality to the flute’s final arrival.

The Largo second movement sets a somber tone with a lyrical melody

introduced nearly immediately in the flute, accompanied by a running eighth

note accompaniment in muted violas. This striking texture is shown in Figure

4.34.

108

Figure 4.34, Concerto No. 2 Movement 2, 1–16

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


109

This allows the flute to sing out despite being in its low register. This primary

“lullaby” theme is central to the movement, occurring multiple times in both the

flute and the orchestra, always paired with its eighth-note countermelody. The

flute alone plays the secondary “tenuto” melody, seen in Figure 4.35, which

could be paired with the primary melody as related phrases, since they have

little significant contrast, unlike many other themes present in this concerto.


110

Figure 4.35, Concerto No. 2 Movement 2, 21–32

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


111

The movement begins in F♯ minor, but the flute’s final harmony is a C♯ major

triad. This open ending also features very quiet dynamics, increasing its

mysterious quality. Unlike in the first concerto, the second and third movements

are not meant to continue attacca. Therefore, ending on the dominant gives an

effect of incompleteness, further magnified by the G major triad articulated next

by the lower winds, and the lingering major seventh sonority at the end. This

move is not entirely unprepared. Throughout the movement, Weinberg has set

up the quality of the final harmonies with a recurring motive. The first two

instances of this motive are displayed in Figure 4.34. It is characterized by a

descending perfect fifth followed by an ascending major third, outlining a major

triad. It first appears at the end of the lullaby melody in m. 9 (preceded by a

similar three-note figure in m. 8) and is immediately echoed in the orchestra. It

occurs six more times at various pitch levels in the movement, including at the

end of the second “tenuto” theme, seen in Figure 4.35. The final two instances

occur at the very end, culminating on the C♯ and G♯ major triads described

above. These are illustrated in Figure 4.36.


112

Figure 4.36, Concerto No. 2 Movement 3, 51–57

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The last movement of Weinberg’s Flute Concerto No. 2 features a

characteristic dance-like melody. The main theme, seen in Figure 4.37, strongly

evokes the feeling of dance in 2/4 meter.


113

Figure 4.37, Concerto No. 2 Movement 3, 1–32


114

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The drama in this movement comes from the interplay between two themes, and

the surprising introduction of quotations near the end of the movement. A

secondary theme area, seen in Figure 4.38, is reminiscent of the “anxiety” theme

from the first movement because of its frequent use of semitones and tight

melodic contour.


115

Figure 4.38, Concerto No. 2 Movement 3, 48–64

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The quotations appear simultaneously, seeming to creep in unheard. As

mentioned earlier, three melodic ideas are quoted: two from Gluck’s “Dance of

the Blessed Spirits,” from his opera Orfeo and Euridice, plus the opening of the


116

“Badinerie” from J. S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite in B minor. The “Dance of the

Blessed Spirits” theme is introduced by the flute, while the distinctive Bach

quote, a fragment, is first introduced by the clarinet before being taken up by the

flute in diminution at a different pitch level. The clarinets and bassoon then take

up the “Badinerie” theme, while the bass clarinet, muted horn, and oboe echo the

Gluck. The introduction and development of these themes can be seen in Figures

4.39 through 4.41. For clarity, material taken from the Bach quotation is

indicated in red, while material from the Gluck quotation is indicated in blue.


117

Figure 4.39, Concerto No. 2 Movement 3, 133–147

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.


118

Figure 4.40, Concerto No. 2 Movement 3, 146–158

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The oboe then restates the opening dance-like melody, bringing the piece back

on track until the flute returns, thirty-eight bars later, with a further quote from

the Dance of the Blessed Spirits, seen in Figure 4.41.


119

Figure 4.41, Concerto No. 2 Movement 3, 194–200

Used by Permission of Peermusic Classical GMBH


Administered by Songs of Peer, Ltd.

The movement ends with a deconstructed version of the opening melody in the

flute, and finally resolves on a peaceful G major triad.

A significantly later work than the First Concerto, the Second Concerto

demonstrates Weinberg’s continued interest in the flute throughout his career. It

focuses more on the flute’s melodic rather than virtuosic capabilities, displaying

Weinberg’s deep understanding of the instrument’s potential. The piece is

distinctively orchestrated, with a large wind section frequently engaging in a


120

dialogue with the flute soloist. In addition, the use of quotations stands out

within the flute literature.


121

CONCLUSION

Mieczysław Weinberg was a prolific composer of works for flute which

until recently were very much underrepresented in the flute music canon. This

was due to his deferential personality as well as the repression he suffered as an

immigrant and a member of a religious minority within Russia. As demonstrated

in my poll in Chapter Three, American flutists have been particularly unaware of

his works (as well as the works of many other Soviet composers) due to our

country’s complicated history with Russia and the Soviet Union, as well as the

relative geographic distance from Moscow, where Weinberg spent the majority

of his career. Through the course of this document I have examined the

composer as an individual, his compositional output for woodwinds as a whole,

his flute influences in Russia, and his works for solo flute in some detail, in an

effort to introduce Weinberg and his great works to a new audience. In recent

years since the publication of Stillman’s article in Flutist Quarterly, and as

Weinberg’s music becomes more well-known generally, more and more flutists

from around the world are performing and recording these works. In the early

months of 2017, two more commercial recordings of the works of Weinberg have

been released by Polish and German flutists, and Weinberg’s music is gracing

international concert stages with increasing frequency. I look forward to an even

greater prominence for Weinberg’s music, in particular his works for the flute, in

upcoming years.


122

APPENDIX

Commercial Recordings of Weinberg’s Flute Works

Flute Concerto No. 1


Alexander Korneyev, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, cond. Rudolf Barshai
Canada, 2014, Melodiya, RDCD 1101

Flute Concerto No. 1, Flute Concerto No. 2


Anders Jonhäll, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, cond. Thord Svedlund
UK, 2008, Chandos CHSA 5064

12 Miniatures Op. 29
Henrik Wiese, Elisaveta Blumina
Germany, 2012, CPO, CPO 777 630-2

5 Pieces
Mimi Stillman, Charles Abramovic
US, 2015, Innova, Innova 935

12 Miniatures Op. 29, Flute Concerto No. 1, and Flute Concerto No. 2
Antonina Styczen, Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Wojciech Rajski
Poland, 2017, Tacet, Tacet232

Flute Concerto No. 2


Kathrin Christians, Württembergisches Kammerorchester, Ruben Gazarian
Germany, 2017, Hänssler, HC16099


123

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124

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———. Konzert Nr. 1 op. 75 für Flöte und Streichorchester = for flute and string
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———. Zwölf Stücke Für Flöte Und Klavier, Op. 29: (Miniaturen). New York ;
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———. Konzert Nr. 1 op. 75 (1961) für Flöte und Streichorchester = for flute and string
orchestra score. New York: Hamburg: Peermusic Classical, 2007.

———. Konzert Nr. 2 op. 148 für Flöte und Kammerorchester = for flute and chamber
orchestra score. New York: Hamburg: Peermusic Classical, 2010.

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127

CURRICULUM VITAE

Alexandra Straubinger Conway


www.alexconway.net
(917)494-4413

Education

Degrees/Diplomas
2012–2017 Doctor of Musical Arts, Boston University
2007–2009 Master of Music, Boston University
2002–2006 Bachelor of Music, Oberlin Conservatory of Music

Principal Teachers
2012–2016 Linda Toote Boston University
2007–Current Cynthia Meyers Privately /Boston Symphony Orchestra
2007–2009 Elizabeth Ostling Boston University/BSO
2005–2009 Martha Aarons Aspen Music Festival and School
2002–2006 Michel Debost and Kathleen Chastain Oberlin Conservatory

Performing

Orchestral
2016–Present Boston Lyric Opera Substitute Musician
2013–Present Bangor Symphony Orchestra Piccolo
2015 East Coast Scoring Orchestra Flute
2015 Boston Microtonal Society Flute
2012–Present Commonwealth Lyric Theatre Principal flute
2014–Present Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Substitute Musician
2012–2015 Boston Opera Collaborative
2012–Present Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra Substitute Musician
2010–Present Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra Substitute Musician
2010 Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra Substitute Musician
2009–2012 Chicago Civic Orchestra Associate Musician
2008–Present Symphony Nova (Formerly Neponset Valley Symphony)
2007–2010 New World Symphony Semi-Finalist
2007 Boston Pops Orchestra Substitute Musician
2006–2007 Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra


128

New England Chamber Players


June 2017 NECP at Plymouth Library Plymouth Public Library
March 2017 Wind Quintet Stella Concert Series
December 2016 Music for Guitar and Winds Loring-Greenhough House
November 2016 Music for Wind Quintet and Piano JP Concerts Series
July 2016 French Music for Winds Plymouth Public Library
February 2016 Music for Winds, Harp and Viola Loring-Greenhough House
November 2015 Fairy Tales Plymouth Public Library
October 2015 Music for Winds and Guitar Christ Presbyterian Church
September 2015 Music for Winds and Guitar Kings Chapel Boston
May 2015 A Concert for Spring JP Concert Series
May 2015 A Concert for Spring Plymouth Public Library
December 2014 Peter and the Wolf Plymouth Public Library
October 2014 Peter and the Wolf JP Concert Series
February 2014 Music for Voice, Winds, and Strings Plymouth Public Library
January 2014 Music for Solo Winds with Strings Kings Chapel Boston
January 2014 Music for Voice, Winds and Strings Boylston Place

Public Recitals and Solo Performances


April 2017 Lecture Recital on the Music of Weinberg
Boston University
March 2017 Solo Performance and Master Class at
University of Memphis
May 2015 Doctoral Solo Recital
Boston University
January 2014 Public Final Round
34th Annual Pappoutsakis Flute Competition
December 2013 Doctoral Solo Recital
Boston University
January 2013 Public Final Round
33rd Annual Pappoutsakis Flute Competition
May 2013 Doctoral Chamber Recital
Boston University
January 2012 Cantata Performance
Emmanuel Music Bach Institute
April 2009 Master’s Recital Solo Recital
Boston University
Summer 2009 Spotlight Solo Recital
Aspen Music Festival and School
February 2008 Master’s Recital Solo Recital
Boston University


129

July 2006 Solo Performance


Academie Internationale D’ete de Nice
February 2006 Senior Recital
Oberlin Conservatory
March 2005 Junior Recital
Oberlin Conservatory

Awards and Recognition


2017 Ester B. and Albert S. Kahn Career Entry Award
2016 Induction into Pi Kappa Lambda Musical Honors Society
Alpha Kappa Chapter
2016 Departmental Award Winner for Excellence Winds, Brass and
Percussion at Boston University
2014 Alternate Semi-Finalist in the Myrna Brown Flute Competition
2013–2014 Bill Grass Memorial Prize winner in 34th and Finalist in 33rd
Annual Ja mes Pappoutsakis Flute Competition
2013 Honorable Mention in the Alexander Buono International Flute
Competition
2013 Co-Founder, Executive and Artistic Director of New England
Chamber Players
2013 Semi-Finalist in New York City Ballet Second Flute/Piccolo
Audition
2010 Semi-Finalist in Portland Symphony Piccolo Audition
2010 Semi-Finalist in Rhode Island Philharmonic Piccolo Audition
2010 Finalist in Air Force Band of Liberty Flute/Piccolo Audition
2008, 2012–17 Boston University Scholarship Recipient, Graduate Assistant
2008 Participant in National Flute Association Young Artists
Competition
2005 Oberlin Conservatory Concerto Competition Finalist
2002 Mannes Preparatory Division Concerto Competition Winner
2002 Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Young Musician's
Competition
2002 Gabriel Kosakoff Award winner for Instrumental Excellence
2001 ASCAP Ira Gershwin Award for Excellence in Orchestral
Playing

Affiliations
National Flute Association
American Federation of Musicians
Boston Musicians Association
Pi Kappa Lambda

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