Alexander Mosolov

Biography

Alexander Vasilyevich Mosolov (Russian: Алекса́ндр Васи́льевич Мосоло́в, romanized: Aleksandr Vasilyevich Mosolov; 11 August [O.S. 29 July] 1900 – 11 July 1973) was a Soviet-era Russian composer known for his early futurist orchestral music, piano sonatas, and vocal music. A Moscow Conservatory graduate, his piece now called Iron Foundry (1926) gained international fame.

Under Stalinism, Mosolov adhered to Soviet realism, composing with Kyrgyz and Turkmen folk music. Conflicts with authorities led to his expulsion from the Union of Soviet Composers (1936), a Gulag term (1937) reduced by professors' intervention, and lifelong loss of stature.

His output includes five piano sonatas (four extant), two piano concertos (the second incomplete), two cello concertos, a harp concerto, four string quartets, twelve orchestral suites, eight symphonies, and many choral and voice pieces.

Text adapted from the Wikipedia article “Alexander Mosolov”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.