Eduard Artemyev is a famous Soviet and Russian composer, holder of the title of People's Artist of Russia. He created music for stellar films that have gained worldwide fame. Artemiev worked with such directors as Andrei Tarkovsky, Andrei Konchalovsky, Nikita Mikhalkov and many others.
Biography of Eduard Artemyev
Eduard Nikolaevich Artemyev was born on November 30, 1937 in Novosibirsk, where his Muscovite parents turned out to be work-related travel. The father and mother of the composer, Nikolai Vasilievich Artemyev and Nina Alekseevna Artemyeva, were forced to move very often due to the nature of the work. Therefore, at seven, the boy was sent to Moscow to his uncle, Nikolai Demyanov, a well-known professor at the Moscow Conservatory and a talented conductor of the choir.
It was in the performance of Nikolai Demyanov that little Eduard heard Scriabin's compositions and began to admire musical works. In the uncle's house there was a huge library with popular world music, it was she who brought up the talented composer. From childhood, Edward preferred the works of Stravinsky, Bellini, Debussy, Donizetti, Puccini.
The young man composed his first musical masterpieces during his studies at the Moscow Choral School under the guidance of Merab Partskhaladze. In 1955, the young composer completed his studies and entered the Conservatory. Tchaikovsky in Moscow. Artemyev studied at the conservatory for 5 years at the composer’s faculty, it was these years that left an unforgettable imprint on the musical development of a talented composer.
Career. The period of electronic instrumental music
After graduating from the conservatory in 1960, Eduard Artemyev met with engineer Murzin, the creator of one of the world's first musical synthesizer. With the filing of an engineer, the composer began researching the synthesis of sound and electronic music. Eduard’s attention was drawn to the ANS electronic synthesizer with photocells, the masterpiece of the engineer, after which a new trend in electronic music appeared in music.
In parallel, he worked as a programmer in a research institute, and experimented in the studio of the Museum named after A. Scriabin in the period from 1961 to 1963. At that time, the composer often wrote articles describing the benefits of electric music. His notes on electronic music are distinguished by a deep knowledge and understanding of a new musical direction.
In 1966, Eduard Artemyev began his professional career in the first electronic music production studio created in the USSR. During this period, he created the unsurpassed, famous work "Mosaic", which received prizes at many European music festivals.
Until 1970, Artemyev worked in the style of the avant-garde. During this period of the composer's work, the following works were created:
- one-part concert for viola,
- Suite for the women's orchestra and the Lubki choral ensemble,
- music for the pantomime “For Dead Souls”,
- Symphonic Suite “Round Dances”,
- cantata "Free songs",
- oratorio on verses by A. Twardowski "I was killed near Rzhev."
Eduard’s earlier electronic compositions were created at the time of an active study of the ANS instrument, partly they were devoted to demonstrating the unrealistic capabilities of this unsurpassed instrument. These are compositions: “Etude”, “Star Nocturne”, “In Space” and “Twelve Views of the World of Sound: A Variation in One Tone”. The latter was especially appreciated by experts, this unique composition left an indelible imprint in the world of electric music.
In the 70s, Artemyev composed the following works: the poem “A Man by the Fire”, the Pilgrims Symphony, the violin symphony “Seven Gates to the World of Satori”, the rock composition “Mirage”, the cantata “Ritual”, and the cycle “Heat of the Earth”, poems for soprano and synthesizer “White Dove”, “Summer”, “Vision”.
Unusual musical works of that time by Eduard Artyomiev spread all over the world. In 1989, Bourges hosted the Festival of Electric Music, at which Artyomiev’s composition “Three Views on the Revolution” was presented. The composition made a huge splash.
An article appeared in the Diario de Lisboa newspaper about Artemiev with the words "His music is powerful, perfect, unique." In 1990, the company "Electroshock Records" for the first time released a record called "Musical Offers" with the famous and cult works of all composers who worked at ANS. The disc was dedicated to the memory of engineer E. Murzin, it included two of Artyomiev’s most famous works, The Twelve Views on the World of Sound, and Mosaic.
In parallel with creativity, from 1964 to 1985, Eduard Artemyev taught instrumental music at the Institute of Culture. Eduard Nikolaevich was interested in musical education of youth and held numerous master classes, gave informative lectures.
Artemyev’s cinema music
In the 60s, filmmakers showed great interest in the work of the composer in electric music. The first such music was used as an accompaniment to a movie about space. The debut motion picture for the composer was the science fiction film "Dream Towards."
Eduard Artemyev wrote all the soundtracks for the film "Arena". And it was from this film that the composer's close collaboration with cinema began. He was the first to widely use electronic sound in films. Musical compositions for films by Andrei Tarkovsky were recorded on a CD in 1990 in the Netherlands. The composition “Dedication to A. Tarkovsky” entered the court.
Personal life of Eduard Artemyev
Eduard Artemyev is married to Isolde Artemyeva, a teacher at the School at the Moscow State Pedagogical University named after P.I. Tchaikovsky, also a talented musician. According to Artemyev, he is happy in marriage. The spouses have a son, also a composer and media artist, working today in the genre of experimental electric music.
Related article
Alexander Morozov: biography, creativity, career, personal life
