Mikhail Glinka and Igor Stravinsky

‍Mikhail Glinka and Igor Stravinsky. What unites these two great men, apart from the cliché of "great Russian composers"? ‍

Glinka and Stravinsky are characterised by an excellent sense of form and an exquisite delicacy in composition. Both of them were perfectionists and innovators. Distinctive national music style, lightness and genuine interpretation of a spirit of other cultures and historical periods are inherent to their compositions. What Glinka and Stravinsky also have in common is the breadth of the spectrum of musical discourse: their compositions are not easy to perform and perceive.

 “For me, as a pianist passionate about the genre of the piano transcription of ballet music, it is interesting to trace the similarities and differences between composers in embodying the idea of dance, movement and ritual”, says Galina Zhukova.

A BBC Music Magazine poll among professional musicians has found Stravinsky to be the second most influential composer in history, surpassed only by Bach.

It has often been argued that personalities of Glinka and Stravinsky are better known than their compositions. This highly controversial statement challenges musicians to perform compositions of Glinka and Stravinsky more often and reflectively. There are many chances to accept this challenge: 2022 year marks the 140th Anniversary of Igor Stravinsky; in 2024, there will be 220 years since the birth of Glinka. Our lecture will take place as part of the celebration of the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University, the first university in Russia.

The meeting will be held online in Russian with simultaneous translation into Spanish.

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