Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Russia

Birth

:

March 22, 1842 in Hrynky, Ukraine

Death

:

November 6, 1912 in Kiev, Ukraine

Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

 

Vocal

 

Mykola Lysenko was a Ukrainian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist who is considered one of the most important figures in Ukrainian classical music. He was born on March 22, 1842, in the village of Hrymailivka, in the Poltava region of Ukraine. His father was a village priest, and his mother was a talented singer who introduced him to Ukrainian folk music at a young age. Lysenko showed an early aptitude for music and began studying piano with his mother when he was just five years old. He later studied with several prominent musicians, including the composer and pianist Franz Liszt, who he met while studying in Vienna in the 1860s. Lysenko's early compositions were heavily influenced by Ukrainian folk music, and he became known for his use of traditional Ukrainian melodies and rhythms in his works. He was also interested in the music of other cultures, and he incorporated elements of Russian, Polish, and Hungarian music into his compositions. One of Lysenko's most famous works is his opera "Taras Bulba," which is based on the novel by Nikolai Gogol. The opera premiered in 1918, several years after Lysenko's death, and has since become a staple of the Ukrainian opera repertoire. Lysenko was also a prolific composer of choral music, and his works in this genre are still performed by choirs around the world. One of his most famous choral works is "Eternal Memory," which is a tribute to the victims of the Ukrainian famine of 1932-33. In addition to his work as a composer, Lysenko was also a respected pianist and music educator. He taught at several music schools and conservatories throughout his career, and his students included some of the most important Ukrainian composers of the 20th century. Lysenko was a passionate advocate for Ukrainian culture and language, and his music played an important role in the development of Ukrainian national identity. He died on November 8, 1912, in Kiev, Ukraine, and is remembered as one of the most important figures in Ukrainian classical music.

More....