Albert Leman

Albert Semionovich Leman ("Lehman(n)", OldStyleDate|7 August|1915|25 June in Volsk (Russia), — 3 December 1998, Moscow (Russia)) was a Russian and Soviet composer of classical music.

Albert Leman received his music education in the Leningrad Conservatory under Michail Fabianowitsch Gnessin. From 1942 as an ethnic German, he was forcefully moved by the Soviet government from Leningrad to Kazan, and in 1945 he became a professor at the Kazan Conservatory (1945—1970).

He also worked in the Petrozavodsk conservatory (1969—1971),and in Moscow (1971-1997) where he performed the duties of the Dean of Composition at the Moscow Conservatory. Among his students were composers Sofia Gubaidulina, Gamma Skupinsky, Leonid Lubovsky, Tselestin Dvoyrin.

In his music up to 1975 one observes a strong infuence of the Tatar folk music ("Violin concerto" - "The Art of Yulian Sitkovetsky" CD vol. III, "The Suite on Tatar themes for orchestra"). Among his later works there is a Symphony, two Oratorios, piano music, cello concerto, music for theatre and chamber music.

The importance of Albert Leman's educational legacy in composition is enormous. His teaching system stemmed from the educational practice of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov (M. F. Gnessin's mentor) which was passed by M.F. Gnessin to A.S. Leman. His life linked the unique practice of musical traditions of the Russian Compositional School to the modern times.