Okunev G. On the Festive Neva. Suite for 2 pianos and percussion

The composer German Grigoriyevich Okunev (1931–1973) is the distinguished representative of the Russian composition school during the second half of the 20ieth century. Okunev was born in Leningrad and overcame the Blockade. Being a child he was awarded the medal “For the Defence of Leningrad” for his participation in the concerts on the Baltic navy ships and for the cycle of songs about the Great Patriotic War.

Having graduated from the piano and composition faculties of the Leningrad Conservatoire, he studied at Dmitri Shostakovich until 1964.

The same year Okunev started his pedagogical activity at the conservatoire as the teacher of composition. In 1972 he became the member of the Leningrad Composers’ Union directorate. Numerous wonderful works belong to German Okunev, such as two symphonies, the ballets “Greatcoat” and “Kuyruchuk” (together with K. Moldobasanov), orchestral suite “At the Festive Neva”, piano cycle “The North’s Echoes”, “Rainbow”, piano pieces for children, 12 preludes for piano, Concerto for piano with chamber orchestra, vocal cycle to the verses by Marina Tsvetayeva, Concerto for hautboy and chamber orchestra, Quintet for the winds “Leningrad Engravings” and other chamber-instrumental ensembles, Poem for violin and piano, “Metamorphoses” for four trombones, “Choruses” a cappella. Among the executants there were Mariya Karandashova, Mikhail Vaiman, Lubov’ Bruk, Mark Taimanov, Marina Grinberg, Hanasi Chinakayev, Anatoly Lyubimov, Vitaly Buyanovsky, Victor Venglovsky.

The suite “On the Festive Neva” for full symphony orchestra was created in 1965. The author’s version for two pianos and percussions (1966) was firstly performed on October 30, 1966 in the Moscow Maly (Small) Conservatoire Hall. Galina and Yulia Turkins represented it that time, Alla Mamyko played percussion. Subsequently the suite was not once executed by well-known piano duets and percussionists (L. Bruk, M. Taimanov, O. Romanov; N. Novik, R. Kharadzhanyan, E. Akhunov; O. Isayeva, O. Malov, V. Zhavnerchik).

The composition was twice recorded. Garish imaginative sphere, harmonious novelty, timbre discoveries make for the festive mood thus riding high at concert stages.