Role

:

Composer Performer

Birth

:

March 13, 1899 in Zürich, Switzerland

Death

:

September 8, 1978 in Bulgaria

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

Pancho Vladigerov was a Bulgarian composer, pianist, and conductor who was born on March 13, 1899, in Zurich, Switzerland. His father, Dobri Vladigerov, was a prominent Bulgarian composer, and his mother, Tatyana Vladigerova, was a pianist. Pancho Vladigerov grew up in a musical family and showed an early interest in music. He began playing the piano at the age of four and composed his first piece at the age of six. In 1905, the Vladigerov family moved to Sofia, Bulgaria, where Pancho Vladigerov continued his musical education. He studied piano with his mother and composition with his father. He also studied at the Sofia Conservatory, where he was a student of Dobri Hristov, a prominent Bulgarian composer. In 1919, Pancho Vladigerov went to Berlin to study piano with Ferruccio Busoni, a famous Italian pianist and composer. He also studied composition with Philipp Jarnach, a German composer. During his time in Berlin, Vladigerov became interested in Bulgarian folk music and began incorporating it into his compositions. In 1921, Vladigerov returned to Bulgaria and began his career as a composer and pianist. He became a professor at the Sofia Conservatory and founded the Bulgarian State Conservatory in 1948. He also founded the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1945 and served as its conductor until 1950. Vladigerov's music is characterized by its use of Bulgarian folk music and rhythms. He was one of the first Bulgarian composers to incorporate folk music into his compositions, and his music helped to establish a national style of Bulgarian classical music. His compositions include orchestral works, chamber music, piano music, and vocal music. One of Vladigerov's most famous works is his Piano Concerto No. 1, which he composed in 1926. The concerto is based on Bulgarian folk music and rhythms and is considered one of the most important works in Bulgarian classical music. The concerto has been performed by many famous pianists, including Sviatoslav Richter and Emil Gilels. Another famous work by Vladigerov is his Bulgarian Suite, which he composed in 1928. The suite is based on Bulgarian folk music and includes five movements: Rachenitsa, Melody, Elegy, Dance, and Horo. The suite has become a staple of Bulgarian classical music and is often performed by Bulgarian orchestras. Vladigerov's other notable works include his Symphony No. 1, which he composed in 1935, and his Piano Concerto No. 2, which he composed in 1942. His vocal music includes songs and choral works, many of which are based on Bulgarian folk music. In addition to his work as a composer, Vladigerov was also a renowned pianist. He performed extensively throughout Europe and the United States and was known for his virtuosic playing and his interpretations of Bulgarian folk music. He recorded many of his own compositions and also recorded works by other composers, including Chopin and Liszt. Vladigerov received many honors and awards during his lifetime, including the Order of Stara Planina, the highest honor in Bulgaria. He died on September 8, 1978, in Sofia, Bulgaria, at the age of 79. His legacy as a composer and pianist continues to be celebrated in Bulgaria and around the world.

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