Of all the many young composers who have emerged in recent years from the 15 new countries of what was once the Soviet Union, Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky has one of the strongest and most individual voices. He comes from an unusual background: a Russian-speaking artist of European culture and sympathies, he grew up and still lives in Uzbekistan, a country at the cross-roads of the rich oriental and Islamic traditions of Central Asia. His remarkable surroundings are vividly reflected in his music. At the same time he is no mere local colourist. His disciplined musical upbringing - he was a pupil of his father, the distinguished composer, Felix Yanov-Yanovsky - has given him an alertness to many other traditions, American and European, that one might have thought far from his particular place and time. He has, for example, a particular fondness for the music of George Crumb. What is most impressive is the skill with which he weaves the colourful threads of contradictory influences into a musical fabric always refined, beautifully patterned and absolutely personal.

Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky was born in 1963 into a musical family in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (then part of the USSR). He studied with his father at the Tashkent State Conservatoire, graduating in 1986. During this period he also travelled to European Russia, where he benefited from the advice and support of, among others, Alfred Schnittke and Edison Denisov. Through Denisov's intervention his music began to be heard abroad. In 1991 his Lacrymosa for soprano and string quartet was given special mention at the IVth International Competition for the Composition of Sacred Music in Fribourg, Switzerland, where it was premiered by Phyllis Bryn-Julson and the Arditti Quartet. In the following year he attended master-classes with Poul Ruders and Edison Denisov at the Lerchenborg Music Days, Denmark, and his Presentiment for ensemble and tape was awarded the ALEA III International Prize in Boston, USA. In 1993 he took part in the Summer Academy at IRCAM, Paris.

Since then his music has been heard in many countries. Of particular importance is his association with the Kronos Quartet which has recorded his Lacrymosa with the soprano Dawn Upshaw, and given the first performance of no less then four other works including Conjunctions (1995), a concerto for quartet, orchestra and tape.

The exotic side of Yanov-Yanovsky's imagination is heard to effect in his cycle of five pieces based on the small Central Asian cimbalom called a 'chang'. For the first of these, Chang-Music (1990) for chang solo, the composer taught himself to play this difficult instrument. Chang-Musics II, III and IV mimic the chang's jangling sound on other instruments, whether two pianos, string trio or quartet. The last of the cycle, Chang-Music V, is a quintet for string quartet and chang, and was written for and premiered by the Kronos Quartet and the composer. Other pieces turn to different oriental sounds. Presentiment, Awakening (1993) and Conjunctions make evocative use of the muslim call to prayer, while Takyr (1995) plays with the sound of traditional Uzbek percussion instruments.

In a different vein are works like Lacrymosa and Hommage à Gustav Mahler (1996), both for soprano and string quartet, and Come and Go (1995), an 'etude for the stage' after Beckett. These reflect more Western interests, not only in their texts but in their respective stylistic allusions to Catholic church music, late German romanticism and post-Webernian modernism. Other pieces, like the orchestral works Sotto Voce (1993) and Ritual (1994), make no such appeal to historical memory, suggesting instead a purer and more self-referential world. Always, whatever the stylistic frame of reference or the subject matter he chooses, Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky is a composer of acute sensitivity, who favours refinement, beauty of sound and an inescapable emotional intensity.

Gerard McBumey, 1997

Orchestral works

for soprano and chamber orchestra

Text: poems by Matsuo Basho

FP: 9 April 1992 Kiev Oiga Shiryeva,

orchestra conducted by Vladimir Runchak

harpsichord-piano-strings

•

Concerto (1983) 23'

for piano and chamber orchestra

FP: 1984 Tashkent Oleg Kallistov, orchestra conducted by Vladimir Neimir

•

Conjunctions (1995) 20'

for string quartet, tape and orchestra

FP: 17 November 1995 New York

Kronos Quartet and the Orchestra of the

Brooklyn Academy of Music conducted by Dennis Russell Davies

solo string quartet - 2.afl. 3.2.bcl. 3 - 3.3.3.1 - perc (4) - harp - piano - strings

•

Hommage à Gustav Mahler

(see Chamber works)

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The Little Match-GirI (1996-97) 55'

Ballet for children after the tale by Hans Christian Andersen

2.2.2.2 - 4.2.3.1 - perc (2) - piano - celesta - harpsichord - strings

•

Ritual (1994) 15'

for orchestra

3.3.3.3 - 4.3.3.1 - perc (2) : t.bells / marimba / vib / glsp (or crotales) / susp.cym / tgl / gong / tam-t / bass tarn-t / bar chimes - harp - prep.piano - strings

•

Sotto Voce (1993) 15'

for orchestra

2.2.2.0 - 2.1.3.1 - perc (4) : timps / timp with cym / tam-t / gong / tgl ; tam-t / susp.cym / 5 tpl.bl / 4 bongos / wdbl / tgl ; marimba ; vib / tgl / tam-t / 4 tom-t - harp - celesta - piano - guitar (or elec.guitar) -strings

•

Takyr (1995) 15'

for 6 percussionists and string orchestra

perc:chang / 3 gongs / crot / bar chimes / vib ; 3 tpl.gongs / daira / maracas / sleighbells / 3 bongos / 4 tam-tam / vibraslap ; large tam-t / susp.cym / tgl / guiro / cowbells / high tpl.gong ; bass tom-t / maracas / bellplates / 5 tpl.bl / chocallo / 3wdbl / flexatone / glsp ; marimba / bongo / tgl / musical saw ; marimba / claves (or kairak) / 2 wdbl / timp with cym / 3 rototoms / 2 timps / tabla

Commissioned by the Mark Pekarsky Ensemble

Chamber Music (1993) 17'

for 12 musicians

FP: 6 April 1993 Ensemble Reconsil

conducted by Roland Freizitzer

1.1.2.0 - 0.1.1.0 - perc (1) - piano - strings (l.0.1.1.1)

•

Lux Aeterna (1997) 10'

for violin and chamber ensemble

1. 1. 1. 1 - 1. 1. 1.0 - perc (2) - pft ( = cel) -

strings (1.0.1.1.1)

CD Le Chant du Monde

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Presentiment (1992) 15'

for chamber ensemble and tape

FP: 26 September 1992 Boston

ALEA III Ensemble conducted by Theodore Antoniou

1.1.1.0 - 1.1.1.0 - perc (2) : timp / timp & cym / 4 tom-t /

marimba / 2 wdbl / temple gong / sleighbells / ltgl ; tam-t /

3 gongs / 5 bonangs / 2 cym / slit - drums / slide - flutevib /

claves / 5 tpl.bl / 4 bongos / crot / tgl / glass chimes / mini -

chimes - harp (or chang) - piano - strings (l.1.1.1.1)

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Thread (1989) 40'

for voice, dancer and 10 musicians

Text : poems by Omar Khayyam

Flute ( = alto flut, picc) - perc : 3 timps / timp & cym /

susp.cym / 2 gongs / 4 bongos / daira / 2 wdbl / tgl / 3 tom-t /

tamb.mil / 3 tpl.bl / naccheroni / kairak / BD / tamtam / vib /

marimba / t.bells / flexatone - singer (bass - baritone) -

chang - tanbur - celesta - piano - gijak - cello

Awakening (1993) 7'

for string quartet and tape

FP: 19 November 1993 San Francisco

Kronos Quartet

Score and parts : Boosey & Hawkes, London,

in preparation

Disc : Nonesuch, in preparation

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Chang-Music III (1991) 17'

for string trio

FP : 21 June 1994 Almeida Theatre, London

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Chang-Music IV (1993) 13'

for string quartet

FP : 24 April 1993 Lincoln Center, New York

Kronos Quartet

Score : Boosey & Hawkes, London, 1997

Disc : Nonesuch, in preparation

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Chang-Music V (1994) 15'

for chang and string quartet

FP : 15 July 1994 Salzau

Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky and Kronos Quartet

Disc : Nonesuch, in preparation

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Come and Go (1995) 18'

Etude for stage after Samuel Beckett

for 3 female voices, flute, guitar, piano, cello

FP : 26 April 1996 IIkhom Theatre, Tashkent

directed by Mark Veil, conducted by Vladimir Neimer

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Epilogue (1989) 13'

for string quartet and piano

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Hommage à Gustav Mahler (1996) 15'

Four songs for soprano and string quartet

Text : poems by Friedrich Rückert

orchestral version in preparation

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Lacrymosa (1991) 8'

for soprano and string quartet

FP : 9 July 1992 Fribourg, Switzerland

Phyllis Bryn-Julson and the Arditti Quartet

Score : Le Chant du Monde, Paris, 1997

Disc : Dawn Upshaw and the Kronos Quartet on

'Night Prayers' Nonesuch 79346 - 2

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Sounding Darkness (1992) 8'

for flute, oboe, glass harmonica, viola and cello

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String Quartet (1985) 12'

FP : 30 September 1988 Brno Brno Quartet

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Wiegenlied für Heidelberg (1996) 5'

for flute, guitar, violin, soprano and percussion

Instrumental works

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Cadenza (1988) 10' for piano

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Chang-Music I (1990) 9' for chang

Chang-Music II (1990) 14' for two pianos

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Coda (1986) 7' for gijak and chang

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Facets (1996) 8' for organ

FP : 14 July 1996 Germany Tatyana Levina

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Fragments of Bird Life (1991) 4' for recorder

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Haiku for Gert Sorensen (1992) 12'

for percussion solo

FP : 21 July 1994 Lerchenborg Music Days, Denmark Gert Sorensen

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Madrigal (1990) 10' for cello

Text : poem by J.Rubot

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Solo (1988) 10'

for violin

FP : 3 December 1990 Zagreb Miclos Szenthelyi

Vocal works

for soprano and piano

Text : poems by Anna Akhmatova

FP : 1985 Tashkent Raisa Chepcherenko and Dmitri Yanov - Yanovsky

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Come and Go

(see Chamber works)

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Lacrymosa

see Chamber works

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Moon Songs (1996) 12'

5 songs to poems by Lorca

for soprano and 2 pianos

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Hommage à Gustav Mahler

(see Chamber works)

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Wiegenlied für Heidelberg

(see Chamber works)

1982 Bagatelles for piano

1983 Concerto for piano and chamber orchestra

1985

String Quartet

Anno Domini for soprano and piano (Akhmatova)

1986 Coda for gijak and chang

1987 Autumn rain in the darkness…

for soprano and chamber orchestra (Basho)

1988

Cadenza for piano

Solo for violin

1989

Epilogue for string quartet and piano

Thread for voice, dancer and 10 musicians (Khayyam)

1990

Chang-Music I for chang

Madrigal for cello

Chang-Music II for two pianos

1991

Fragments of Bird Life for recorder

Chang-Music III for string trio

Lacrymosa for soprano and string quartet

1992

Presentiment for ensemble and tape

Halku for Gert Sorensen for percussion Solo

Sounding Darkness for flute, oboe, glass harmonica, viola and cello

1993

Chang-Music IV for string quartet

Chamber Music for twelve musicians

Awakening for string quartet and tape

Sotto Voce for orchestra

1994

Chang-Music V for chang and string quartet

Ritual for orchestra

1995

Takyr for six percussionists and string orchestra

Conjunctions for string quartet, tape and orchestra

Come and Go for 3 female voices, flute, guitar, piano and cello (Beckett)

1996

Moon Songs for soprano and 2 pianos (Lorca)

Facets for organ

Hommage à Gustav Mahler for soprano and string quartet (Rückert)

Wîegenlied für Heidelberg for flute, guitar, violin, soprano and percussion

1996-97

The Little Match-Girl Ballet for children (Andersen)

1997 Lux Aeterna for violin and chamber ensemble

AD Amorem(from "Canticum canticorum") (11’)

for vocal ensemble and brass quintet

1997 Predestination (after M.C.Escher) (9’30’’)

for harpsichord and chamber ensemble

commissioned by International Festival of Contemporary music "Warsaw Autumn"

first performance : 23 September 1997,Warsaw

Elisabeth Chojnacka (harpsichord) / Moscow Ensemble of Contemporary Music,

cond. Alexei Vinogradov

1998 Lullaby (7’) for soprano and tape

commissioned by Duo Alterno

dedicated to Duo Alterno

first performance : 27 February 1999, Torino

Tiziana Scandaletti

1999 "…" (5’)

for counter-tenor, tape and string trio on texts by A. Puchkin

commissioned by Elisabeth Wilson

dedicated to "Xenia" Ensemble

first performance : 10 June 1999, Torino

David James (counter-tenor), Ensemble "Xenia"

publishing rights : LE CHANT DU MONDE

recording : (in prep.)

1999 Music of Dreams (13’30")

for harpsichord, chang and tape

commissioned by Elisabeth Chojnacka

dedicated to Elisabeth Chojnacka

first performance : 17 February 2000, Paris

Elisabeth Chojnacka (harpsichord)

Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky (chang)

publishing rights : Le Chant du Monde

recording : Opus 111 OPS 30-293 "Energy"

Elisabeth Chojnacka (harpsichord)

Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky (chang)

1999 Hommage a Gustav Mahler (20’)

version for mezzo-soprano and chamber ensemble on poems by Friedrich Ruckert

commissioned by New Julliard Ensemble

first performance : 21 January 2000, New York

New Julliard Ensemble, cond. Joël Sachs

1999 Breath (40")

étude for stage #2 after Samuel Beckett

for flauto, clarinetto, percussion, piano, violino, cello and tape

sentimental comments to the poem by Stefan George

for soprano, violin, cello and piano

commissioned by AntiDogmaMusica

first performance : 24 June 2000, Saluzzo AntiDogmaMusica Ensemble

publishing rights : LE CHANT DU MONDE

recording : Nuova Era Records 7364 "Sang und Drang"

Linda Campanella (soprano), Ensemble Europeo AntiDogma Musica

2000 Elf and Mirror (3’)

pantomime for organ

commissioned by Le Chant du Monde

dedicated to Herve Desarbe

first performance : 1 October 2000, Paris

Herve Desarbre

Score : LE CHANT DU MONDE

publishing rights : LE CHANT DU MONDE

2000 Allusions and reminiscences (8’)

for piano

dedicated to memory of Alfred Schnitke

publishing rights : LE CHANT DU MONDE

2000 Night Music:Voice in the leaves (13’)

for cello, nine instruments and tape

commissioned by Silk Road Proects, Inc.

first performance : 23 August 2001, Salzau

Yo-Yo Ma (cello),

Silk Road Ensemble

publishing rights : Boosey & Hawkes

2001 "Eh Joe" (35’)

chamber opera on a text by Samuel Beckett

for mezzo-soprano and dramatic actor (or video)

2001 "Silhouettes" seven pieces for piano (16’)

dedicated to memory of Hugo Munro

commissioned by Ian Munro

2001 "7 miniatures" for flute on poems by Japanese poets ( 9’)

2001 "Message" for sring orchestra ( 9’)

2002 Twilight music for 12 musicians (14’)

commissioned by Le Chant du Monde for the Nieuw Ensemble