the music of Tikhon Khrennikov (1913-2007)

[DennisS]

Every day I read all the new posts on this forum. On two occasions I came across Tikhon Krennikov : once in the thread "cds that stay in the box" (!) and once under "Pashchenko". On impulse, I listened to an audio extract on the net and instantly liked what I heard and proceeded to buy whatever cds I could find. I now have 2 symphonies, 2 PCs and 2 VCs. Also on order is the cd with all 3 of his symphonies. No surprise then that I say I really love Khrennikov's music! In many respects, I feel he is following on in the footsteps of Prokofiev (I love Russian music and Prokofiev is one of my favourites). Like Prokofiev, his music is full of spikey rhymns and he also has a penchant for slightly dissonant passages throughout his works. I do not however find these either abrasive or jarring. On the contrary, they are part of Knrennikov's vocabulary and I find them very appealing. I have to say though that I would not dare to suggest for a moment that Krennikov approaches the same level of lyricism that one associates with the best of Prokofiev's work. If however you like Prokofiev, then I can certainly recommend Khrennikov. May I ask you Pengelli what you mean by your "guilty cd pleasure"?

Do any other members of the forum know or like Khrennikov's music?

I know I opened a different thread on another composer - Einar Englund - but I would like to quickly refer to him also here as he too, to my mind, is rather like Khrennikov in the sense that his music equally at times is highly reminiscent of both Prokofiev's  and even more so Shostokovich's music (Englund, born 1903). Surprisingly, only one other member in this forum knows Englund's work (referred to sym 2 only). My collection comprises his 7 symphonies and 5 of his 6 concertos (I can't find his flute concerto!) and I like his music every bit as much as Krennikov's!

Do no other members know of Englund's music? (too modern?)

[DennisS]

Dear all - just a quick apology for the spelling mistakes in the prvious post. Of course the correct spelling is Khrennikov! Sorry!

Hello Mark/Alan - are you able to correct the typing mistake in the subject heading?

I'm getting old!

cheers
Dennis

[Mark Thomas]

Done. Given my habit of fistfuls of spelling errors and typos in posts, I'm certainly not going to criticise misspelling K(h)rennikov! Of whose music I have never heard a note. Wasn't he Stallin's musical enforcer?

[Pengelli]

I must admit to enjoying his music;although I don't like Hitler's paintings or Saddam Hussein's novels! Seriously,his music IS rather good,in a way.

[Pengelli]

Some of the playing on the cd of the Khrennikov symphonies is phenomenal. Or as that Gramophone reviewer originally put it,'mind boggling'.

[DennisS]

Thanks Mark for correcting a rather too obvious typing error - I'm a lousy typist!

Was Khrennikov Stalin's musical enforcer?  He certainly had the approval of Stalin as far as his music went and he indeed won the Stalin prize in 1941. In 1948 he was appointed the Secretary of the Union of Soviet Composers, a post he held until 1991. According to Wikipedia, "he is credited by some (who?) for protecting and helping many Soviet composers".

My answer to your question is I don't really know as I simply do not have the background information required to answer your question with any degree of certainty. I can see though why many would subscribe to that view but having read Shostokovich's memoirs, it might be that he only appeared to tow the official party line. Perhaps other members of the forum can shed more like light on your question?

[DennisS]

Hello Pengelli

Thanks for clarifying your take on Khrennikov. We seem to be in agreement and indeed I too could describe some of the playing of the orchestra under the baton of Svetlanov as phenomenal!

[Pengelli]

I personally feel that his music is more akin to that of Kabalevsky,who is also
underated,but with a more astringent quality. I played the cd over & over!

[Pengelli]

His music is often very tuneful & quite romantic,so he should fit here. It's a pity
that the cd companies can't put politics on one side & record his music.

[DennisS]

Hello again Pengelli

You seem to be on my wavelength! Kabalevsky is also a favourite of mine and I have quite a number of his works, the symphonies and concertos of course. As I have said a couple of times now on this forum, I love Russian music and have made a point of searching out many of the lesser known composers! Yes, I agree that Khrennikov and Kabalevsky musically share some common ground and I particularly like the way you describe his music as being a little bit more astringent - spot on! I wonder whether other members will make a comment?

cheers
Dennis

[Pengelli]

Astringent,in an enjoyable way,of course. The sooner someone reissues the
cd's of his music the better. I note that there is a Khrennikov website,too.

[Hovite]

Was Khrennikov Stalin's musical enforcer?

He was Stalin's mouthpiece. Whether or not he agreed with Stalin, he was willing to speak the words. But two of his brothers and his father were imprisoned by Stalin; all three died, either in prison, or shortly after their release. Khrennikov survived. Some Soviet composers, including Karen Khachaturian, stated that Khrennikov helped and protected them. When he announced that he was standing down, Khrennikov stated that his infamous 1948 speech that criticized Prokofiev and Shostakovich was handed to him by the Central Committee, "I didn't write a single line of it", and he added "I consider Prokofiev the greatest composer of the 20th century".

The Soviet system was evil, but it was possible for composers to exploit it. For example, fixed payments were made for each symphony produced, regardless of length or merit, so composers such as Knipper produced large number works that they called symphonies.

[Pengelli]

Which reminds me,that a cd of Lev Knipper's Violin Concerto No 1 and symphony
No 8 is currently being advertised on the internet.

[Pengelli]

Hopefully,this release will lead to more cd's of Lev Knipper's music,particularly the symphonies.

[Amphissa]

 
1. I am not one to criticize people for doing what they must do to protect their lives and the lives of their families in a dictatorship.

2. I do not let the political, social, religious, sexual or psychological characteristics of a composer affect my judgment of their music.

So, judge the music of Khrennikov and Kabalevsky on the basis of their music. But I think the notion that these two fellows protected other composers from the state is very questionable. Whether he personally agreed with the condemnation of Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Khachaturian and Myaskovsky for "elitist, anti-socialist" music and "formalism," he was head of the witch hunt and he did nothing to stop it. I was particularly disturbed to learn of the actions of Kabalevsky. He was on the list at the beginning, but he convinced the council that he was not to blame, that he was under the spell of Myaskovsky, and that Myaskovsky should be condemned instead. This was after Myaskovsky had won the Stalin Prize, and was especially dispicable because Myaskovsky was Kabalevsky's teacher. And yes, you can hear the influences of Myaskovsky in the early music of Kabalevsky. After the reprieve, Kabalevsky wrote mostly children's music and (IMO) banal pieces of schlock.

It's true, Khrennikov did say in an interview, that he was required to read the speech attacking Shostakovich and Prokofiev in 1948: "What else could I have done? If I'd refused, it could have been curtains ... death. They made me do it; and anyway, Shostakovich and Prokofiev were sympathetic to my plight - they knew I had no choice: I did everything I could to help them financially while they were banned and repressed ... and they were grateful to me".

But then he went on to brag about how proud he was of the power he wielded under Stalin: "My word was law", he says. "People knew I was appointed personally by Stalin and they were afraid that ... I would go and tell Stalin about them. I was Stalin's Commissar. When I said No! (he shouts), it meant No." He explained how brave he was, that he would "argue with the Great Leader over the fate of musicians, defending the truly deserving among them and condemning those who fell short."

If Khrennikov had any regrets about his actions, he sure didn't let on. He remained the head of the council, passing judgment on the music of composers, until 1991. As is the case of all who have the power of life and death in a dictatorship, he was a tyrant himself.

This is largely irrelevant in the enjoyment of his music. And Kabalevsky was merely trying to save his own skin, tossing out a sick man as a substitute, Myaskovsky, who had led the Moscow Conservatory for decades and taught so many (including Khachaturian).

People do things in crisis that they would never do under other circumstances. I am unable to condemn them for their weakness. It was a different world, a different time. The same can be said of Wagner and Pfitzner and others who were products of their time and place.

Even so, although I can say good things about their music, I'm unable to say good things about the men.