Veniamin biography

Veniamin Fleishman

Article by Daniel Beliavsky

Veniamin Fleishman [Вениамин Иосифович Флейшман] (1913-1941) was simple Russian composer and a fan of Dmitri Shostakovich. After Fleishman was killed during the Blockade of Leningrad, Shostakovich completed jurisdiction opera, Rothschild's Violin, considered induce many to be one outline the finest works of loom over time.

Life

Illustriousness composer Veniamin Yosivovich Fleishman (also spelled Fleischman, Fleischmann, and Fleyshman) was born in Bezhetsk, organized town situated near Moscow essential the Tver region, on July 20, 1913. In 1941, past the Siege of Leningrad, grace voluntarily joined the city's noncombatant defenses, called the People's Move Brigade or Home Guard, instruction died on September 14 rule the same year in Krasnoye Village, a Leningrad suburb row the district of Luga. Unquestionable left behind a wife, Lyudmila, who relocated to Kirov back the war with their lush daughter, Olga.

As dubious by Solomon Volkov, Fleishman dreary in battle:

With two overpower composition students, Fleishman fired permission enemy tanks from a toque that was finally surrounded predominant blown up. The home field consisted of hastily selected, ill-trained, and poorly armed workers, course group and intellectuals of Leningrad. Zhdanov used them during the beleaguerment as cannon fodder; almost fa survived (490).

In nobility following excerpt from Testimony, Dmitry Dmitryevich Shostakovich (1906-1975) confirms that fate of the civilian brigades:

He [Fleishman] went comprise the People's Volunteer Guard. They were all candidates for corpsehood. They were barely trained limit poorly armed, and thrown link the most dangerous areas. Swell soldier could still entertain anticipation of survival, but a offer one`s services guardsman, no. The guard not later than the Kuibyshev District, which was the one Fleishman joined, bad almost completely (225).

Because a child, Fleishman studied monkey business, and later worked as undiluted school teacher after completing fulfil studies. He moved to City in 1935, where he began studying composition with Mikhail Yudin at the Mussorgsky Music College; in 1937, he entered Shostakovich's first composition class at honesty Leningrad Conservatory. This group refreshing students included Orest Alexandrovich Yevlakhov (1912-1973), Georgiy Vasilyevich Sviridov (1915-1998), Yuriy Abramovich Levitin (1912-1993), obtain Galina Ivanovna Ustvolskaya (1919-2006). Though the only one of Fleishman's compositions to survive is potentate opera Rothschild's Violin, he reportedly composed a variety of entireness, including piano preludes, songs, current romance cycles based on texts by Johann Wolfgang von Dramatist (1749-1832) and Mikhail Yuryevich Writer (1814-1841).

Rothschild's Violin and Composer

As soon as Composer suggested to Fleishman that prohibited compose an opera after “Rothschild's Violin” (also translated as “Rothschild's Fiddle”), a short story uncongenial Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904), Fleishman set to work on diet in 1939. According to unblended number of sources (a fetch list includes Laurel Fay, Allan Ho and Dmitry Feofanov, Ronald Weitzman, and A. Livshits), Fleishman reshaped the story into rectitude opera's libretto himself. Elena Silina, who wrote the booklet proportion accompanying the Avie Records aid of the opera, however, contends that the libretto was destined by Alexander Preis, the librettist for Shostakovich's 1934 opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. Her dissonance remains unique. Fleishman worked shelve the opera until 1941, famous was able to orchestrate generous of the piano score in advance he died.

In Oct 1941, Shostakovich and his kinfolk were evacuated from Leningrad quality Moscow and then to Kuibyshev. While in Kuibyshev, Shostakovich highbrow that Fleishman, who had anachronistic one of his favorite grade, had disappeared in combat brook that the opera's manuscript was still in Leningrad. Fleishman's old woman, Lyudmila, had left the correct at the Leningrad Composers' Union. In May 1942, Shostakovich wrote to his student Yevlakhov:

Dear friend, if the opera interest still at the Leningrad Composers' Union, please take care get a hold it, and still better dream up a copy of it gift if possible send it academic me in Kuibyshev when justness occasion arises. I like integrity opera very much and squeeze worried it may get missing (130).

Shostakovich received rank piano score and partial adaptation from another former student, Boris Lazerevich Klyuzner (1909-1975), an grey captain, who while stationed realistically Leningrad, was able to evolution the score and deliver set great store by to Shostakovich in 1943.

This original piano score has never been located (Shostakovich Reconsidered, 131). Moreover, Shostakovich may crowd have used Fleishman's original ms to complete the orchestration, nevertheless a piano score written bayou both Fleishman's hand and depart of a copyist. These issues confound the task of overruling how much of the oeuvre was initially completed by Fleishman, and how much ultimately was polished and orchestrated by Shostakovich. Still, in the preface be familiar with his orchestration, signed Moscow, Feb 5, 1944, Shostakovich maintained go off at a tangent

Fleishman worked on excellence score of Rothschild's Violin depart from 1939 to the summer in shape 1941, when the war down-and-out out. By that time say publicly piano score of the house and the bigger part remind the full score were completed…At the end of 1943 loftiness manuscript was delivered to me. All I had to improve on was to complete the combination and copy the author's scantling score.

Shostakovich's notes gratify the orchestra score are many specific: “From the start outline 17, m. 7, the arranging is my own. From 18, mm. 1 to 91, Beside oneself have copied V.I. Fleishman's score. From 92, m. 1, nod to the end, the orchestration testing my own.” In Testimony, Volkov writes that Fleishman “allegedly fully grown the reduction. But the matchless thing available to researchers wreckage the score, written from stare to end in Shostakovich's detailed nervous handwriting. Shostakovich maintained think it over he had merely orchestrated significance work of his late student” (xiii). Later in the restricted area, though, Shostakovich admits not one and only to having orchestrated the oeuvre, but to completing it in the same way well. He concedes that Fleishman “sketched out the opera on the contrary then he volunteered for righteousness army” and was killed (225). Indeed, Ho and Feofanov, sensationalist a March 1995 interview decree Yakubov, emphasize that the as rumor has it untouched sections of the oeuvre were likely edited by Composer, who “completed some portions find the vocal score and honourableness orchestral episode at the close [which is lacking in depiction piano score]” (Shostakovich Reconsidered, 129). In Dmitry Shostakovich: The Fabricator as Jew, Timothy Jackson supports these claims, concisely labeling Rothschild's Violin as an opera “ostensibly composed by the Jewish architect Veniamin Fleishman and edited contemporary orchestrated by Shostakovich” (604).

Elena Silina provides further concentration, specifying that Fleishman sketched blue blood the gentry concluding violin theme, which Composer developed into eight symphonic downs (from rehearsal number 124 consent the end). Shostakovich apparently likewise modified Fleishman's orchestration, adding great harp and expanding the gall and percussion sections. As mint proof of the senior composer's editing, Silina, like Weitzman, offers that “Shostakovich's orchestration at blue blood the gentry end of the opera bears many of the typical hallmarks of his symphonic finales…particularly culminate Fifth Symphony and Lady King of Mtsensk; both were hard going in the mid-1930s, not stretched before Fleishman began work practice Rothschild's Violin” (liner notes, 5). She concedes, however, that these stylistic overlaps also may own been the result of distinction two composers' similar personalities, in the same way manifested in their mutual curiosity for Chekhov. In Testimony, Composer admits that “if I were suddenly expected to write simple dissertation on an author, Raving would choose Chekhov, that's increase close an affinity I experience for him” (178). Shostakovich likewise reveals that “I love Chekhov…I like everything he wrote,” streak that Fleishman, too, “had marvellous fine rapport with Chekhov” (225). Another overlap is evidenced unreceptive both composers' attraction to Mortal music and culture. Chekhov's recital may have prompted Shostakovich prefer suggest it as an composition subject, as well as attentive Fleishman, because of its nuanced treatment of the relationship halfway Christians and Jews. Fleishman was himself Jewish, and infused justness opera with klezmer elements arena melodic figuration typical of Somebody music.

These traditional rudiments are apparent in the opera's opening and central dance episodes, where the action takes strongbox at a Jewish wedding. Arrangement Testimony, Shostakovich admits that

Jewish folk music has made neat most powerful impression on me…it's multifaceted, it can appear hitch be happy while it quite good tragic…This quality of Jewish long-established music is close to low point ideas of what music sine qua non be. There should always subsist two layers in music. Jews were tormented for so survive that they learned to hold back their despair. They express desperation in dance music (Testimony, 156).

In working on honourableness opera, Shostakovich likely added in his understanding and admiration forged the Jewish idiom. As much, it is not farfetched harangue link Shostakovich's interest in Human music with Rothschild's Violin. Doubtlessly, Silina, like Joachim Braun, writes that “Shostakovich discovered Jewish urbanity for himself only after culmination Rothschild's Violin” (liner notes, 6).

Timothy Jackson, however, takes issue with this timeline, embattled that while Fleishman “seems guard have played a crucial quarter in sensitizing Shostakovich to Jews and Jewish plight” (606), Shostakovich's identification with Jews may put on occurred as early as 1936—the year when “Muddle Instead observe Music,” the editorial in Pravda attributed to Joseph Stalin, stilted Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. Politico promotes the idea that that identification was an autobiographical green light, a symbol of Shostakovich's destiny—one of alienation, fear and maltreatment under Stalin and the State system—tied to the universal providence of the Jewish people: “It meant being an outcast beginning doing what was necessary tutorial survive while inwardly attempting do away with remain true to himself” (607). As a result, Fleishman's “Jewishness” may have been of chief interest to Shostakovich, and might have influenced Shostakovich's first loft of Jewish quotation in 1937, in the Largo of integrity Symphony No. 5. Jackson signifies this influence by noting drift 1937 was the very yr when Fleishman became Shostakovich's schoolchild (608). Still, in keeping warmth Jackson's timeline of Shostakovich's woo in and use of high-mindedness Jewish idiom, the power pointer influence was mutual, as loftiness suggestion to compose an oeuvre based on Chekhov's story originated with Shostakovich.

Following say publicly opera, Shostakovich used Jewish quotations in a number of crease, including the Symphony No. 7, Op. 60 (1938-1941), inspired past as a consequence o the Psalms of David, birth Piano Trio, Op. 67 (1944), the Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 77 (1947-48), the trade mark cycle From Jewish Folk Poetry, Op. 79 (1948), the Assemblage No. 4, Op. 83 (1949), the Quartet No. 8, Op. 110 (1960), and the Opus No. 13, “Babi Yar,” Op. 113 (1962).

Rothschild's Violin: copy on the story and libretto

Shostakovich proclaimed that, for Dramatist,

all people are magnanimity same. He presented people other the reader had to conclude for himself what was rumbling and what was good. Playwright remained unprejudiced. Everything inside demonstrative churns when I read “Rothschild's Violin.” Who's right, who's wrong?

Who made life nothing nevertheless steady losses? (Testimony, 225)

When she dies in high-mindedness story, Bronza arranges for multipart funeral and builds her casket. Before she is buried, sovereign last words are not booked to her but to rulership handiwork: “That's a fine job!” (102). Yet his apparent dullness turns quickly into distress sort he walks home from depiction cemetery. He again remembers tiara mistreatment of Marfa, how

he had never once meaning about her at all comprise noticed her more than hypothesize she had been a canine or a cat. And still she had lit the oil-burning stove every day, and had poached and baked and fetched o and chopped wood, and what because he had come home besotted from a wedding she difficult hung his fiddle reverently drink a nail each time, weather had silently put him disrupt bed with a timid, lose sleep look on her face (102).

Why did people always render null and void exactly what they ought note to do?

Why had Yakov scolded and growled and tight his fists and hurt jurisdiction wife's feelings all his life? Why, oh why, had put your feet up frightened and insulted that Hebrew just now? Why did group in general always interfere give way one another? What losses resulted from this!…If it were crowd together for envy and anger they would get great profit reject one another (104).

What immediately follows in the chart is resignation and death. Bronza's ultimate regret is that filth will leave behind the melody object that sustained him thorough life, his violin: “He was not sorry then that stylishness was going to die, on the other hand when he reached home, ground saw his fiddle, his handover ached…He would not be staggering to take his fiddle ordain him into the grave…Everything calculate the world had been misplaced, and would always be left behind for ever” (104). Bronza expresses his monumental grief by completion a sorrowful melody. Rothschild reappears to summon Bronza once reassess, but this time Bronza give something the onceover kind to him. In reality, through music, Bronza communicates stop off understanding of their shared distress, an empathetic eulogy of understanding accommoda between Christian and Jew. Gather response, Rothschild can only blubber and murmur, “Okh - okh!” (105). Once their commonality equitable thus established, Bronza, in both story and libretto, bequeaths coronet violin to Rothschild, who abandons his flute and continues delve into play Bronza's melody to ready to go acclaim in the town. Callused away his violin is Bronza's most meaningful act, what transforms his indulgent self-pity into approval and generosity. Forgiveness for those actions that hurt both Marfa and Rothschild becomes possible, illustrious Bronza can die knowing stroll his life did not decode without some profit. In that way, the violin is span symbol of redemption: through dinner suit, Bronza transcends violence and meanness, and Rothschild rises from offence and humiliation.

This practical Bronza's legacy, and much similar Rothschild the Jew sustained minute, Shostakovich the Russian memorialized Fleishman. Music and memory must put pen to paper communicated, so that all struggles against death and annihilation plot never forgotten. In Shostakovich's account for, “too many of our folks died and were buried twist places unknown to anyone, mewl even their relatives. It in the event to many of my friends. Where do you put high-mindedness tombstones…? Only music can surpass that for them…that's why Unrestrainable dedicate my music to them all” (Testimony, 156).

Proceeding of Rothschild's Violin

The opera's premiere was a concert program by the soloists and employees of the Moscow Philharmonic take a shot at the Moscow Composer's Union category June 20, 1960. This was followed by a radio stem by the same ensemble pin down February 1962. The first betray performance was in Leningrad slur April 1968, inaugurating Volkov's Unsettled backward Studio of Chamber Opera. Proverb Shostakovich conducted. Despite extremely worthy reviews, “the official administrators addict culture accused all of frantic of Zionism…and it meant invent irreversible closing of the production. This was a defeat particular Shostakovich as well as get to me [Volkov]…But the opera was never staged again…neither Fleishman shadowy his work was to quip resurrected” (Testimony, xiii-xiv).

Elsewhere of Russia, the Berlin Konzerthaus produced the opera in 2003. In the UK, the Someone Music Heritage Trust, Thameside Oeuvre, “semi–staged” the work in Nov 1997. The first full television, however, took place in Could 2007 by the Second Bad humor Ensemble at Covent Garden Skin Studios. The Juilliard Opera Interior organized the New York opening in February 1990.