Nikolay Sokolov (composer)

Nikolay Alexandrovich Sokolov (26 March 1859 – 27 March 1922) was a Russian composer of classical music and a member of the circle that grew around the publisher Mitrofan Belyayev.

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

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

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

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

It is possible that, when Sergei Diaghilev was looking for a composer for The Firebird, Sokolov was considered, after Anatoly Lyadov had failed to deliver, and before finally Igor Stravinsky was settled on.^[4][5]

Selected worklist

• Orchestral music
  • Elegie, for orchestra (pub. 1888)^[6]
  • Four pieces for strings, Op. 18^[7]
  • Second serenade for strings, Op. 23^[8]
  • Caressante polka, for string orchestra, Op. 38.^[9]
  • Divertissement, Op. 42^[10]
  • Music for Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale", for large orchestra, Op. 44^[11]
• String quartets
  • No. 1 in F major, Op. 7^[12]
  • No. 2 in A major, Op. 14^[13]
  • No. 3 in D minor, Op. 20^[14]
• Other chamber music, and piano music.
  • Elegie, for violin with piano accompaniment, Op. 17.^[15]
  • Variations for piano, Op. 25.^[16]
  • String trio in D minor, Op. 45^[17]

Ballet 'Les Cygnes Sauvages' Op.40 Suite for Orchestra Belaieff 1902 pl.#2353-2355

• Vocal music
  • A recent reprint of four lieder from Op. 1^[18]
  • Three-part chorus "Printemps"^[19]
  • Chetyre romansa na slova Apollona Korinfskago s soprovozhdeniem fortepiano, Op. 24 (pub. 1895)^[20]

Books

• Sokolov, N. Prakticheskoe rukovodstvo k izucheniiu akkordov, vkhodiashchikh v kurs II-go klassa solfedzhio Petrogradskoi konservatorii. 1897, reprinted 1916. Izd. M.P. Bieliaeva. (18 pages.^[21])
• Sokolov, N. Imitatsii na cantus firmus; posobie pri izuchenii kontrapunkta strogogo stilia. Leningrad: Izd. Gosudarstvennoi konservatorii. 1928. (62 pages, of which pages 23–62 are score.)

Notes

1. ^ van Rijen, Onno. "Yuri Shaporin". http://home.wanadoo.nl/ovar/shaporin.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-11. 
2. ^ Fay, Shostakovich: A Life, p.19
3. ^ van Rijen, Onno. "Compositions by Dmitri Shostakovich: Childhood and Youth (1906-1924)". http://home.wanadoo.nl/ovar/shosopus/shoschil.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-11. 
4. ^ Taruskin, Stravinsky and the Russian Traditions: A Biography of the Works Through Mavra, p.579
5. ^ Walsh, Stravinsky: A Creative Spring: Russia and France, 1882-1934, unspecified page
6. ^ Elegie : pour orchestre (WorldCat.org) at worldcat.org
7. ^ 4 pʹesy dliï¸ a︡ skripki, soch. 18 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
8. ^ 2me sérénade : pour orchestre à cordes, op. 23 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
9. ^ Caressante polka : pour orchestre d'archets, op. 38 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
10. ^ Divertissement : pour grand orchestre, op. 42 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
11. ^ Musique pour "Le conte d'hiver" de Shakespeare : pour grand orchestre, op. 44 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
12. ^ The Research Libraries of The New York Public Library /All Locations at catnyp.nypl.org
13. ^ 2me quatuor (en la majeur) pour deux violons, alto et violoncelle, op. 14. (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
14. ^ Troisième quatuor (en re mineur) : pour deux violons, alto et violoncelle, op. 20 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
15. ^ Elégie pour violon avec accompagnement de piano, op. 17 (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
16. ^ Variations pour piano ... Op. 25 ... (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
17. ^ https://catalog.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1368617&DB=local
18. ^ Mirlyn - Ann Arbor and Flint - Full Record at mirlyn.lib.umich.edu
19. ^ Spring = Printemps : three-part chorus for women's voices (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
20. ^ Chetyre romansa na slova Apollona Korinfskago s soprovozhdeniem fortepiano ... soch. 24 ... (WorldCat.org) at www.worldcat.org
21. ^ The Research Libraries of The New York Public Library /All Locations at catnyp.nypl.org

References

• Fay, Laurel (1999). Shostakovich: A Life. Oxford University Press. p. 19. ISBN 0-19-513438-9. 
• Taruskin, Richard. Stravinsky and the Russian Traditions: A Biography of the Works Through Mavra. Oxford University Press. p. 579. ISBN 0198162502. 
• Walsh, Stephen. Stravinsky: A Creative Spring: Russia and France, 1882-1934. New York : A.A. Knopf, 1999. ISBN 0-679-41484-3.

External links

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

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

Persondata
Name	Sokolov, Nikolay Alexandrovich
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	26 March 1859
Place of birth
Date of death	27 March 1922
Place of death