Sources of Inspiration in Selected Piano Works by Sergei Slonimsky

Sergei Slonimsky is an important composer withoutwhom Russian music would be incomplete and lesscontroversial. It is not easy to find composers whowith the same success utilize virtually everyexisting classical and modern music genre in theircompositions.His vividly imaginative compositionsshow a brilliant composer's mastery. His musicconsists of a variety of images that contain anabundance of artistic information. Included in thework is a biographical background of the composer adescription of his compositional style andaccomplishments. The work will focus on Slonimsky'spiano pieces and the extra-musical stimuli thatinspired these compositions. The main emphasis ofinvestigation will be related to the works inspiredby music's sister arts - painting and sculpture (thesuite Three Graces and Passing-by Beauty). Thevisual and sound images and the message both theartist and the composer try to convey will becompared and contrasted. The literary aspect ofSlonimsky's piano work his fascination withRomanticism and his continuation of the Russiantradition of imitating bell sounds in music will alsobe explored.