11th January – Rheinhold Gliere

Gliere was the son of a wind instrument maker. His education started with music school and continued at the Moscow Conservatory, where he won a gold medal for composition. After graduating, he began to work as a teacher, and amongst his students was a young Sergei Prokofiev.

Gliere focused on composing large-scale operas, ballets, and cantatas, (a cantata is a multi-movement work for voice/choir and orchestra). He is also credited with inventing the format for Azerbaijani national opera, which combined Azerbaijani folk music with symphonic elements.

Gliere’s most famous composition is possibly his “Russian Sailor’s Dance” from his ballet “The Red Poppy” (or “The Red Flower”). Based on an old Russian folk-song, it is frequently performed as an encore piece.

Here is Gliere’s “Russian Sailor’s Dance”

Listen to more tracks by Gliere – click the box!