Dmitri Nikolaevich Smirnov (
Russian: Дми́трий Никола́евич Смирно́в; 2 November 1948 – 9 April 2020) was a Russian-British composer and academic teacher, who also published as Dmitri N. Smirnov and D. Smirnov-Sadovsky. He wrote operas, symphonies, string quartets and other
chamber music, and vocal music from song to
oratorio. Many of his works were inspired by the art of
William Blake.
Many of Smirnov's works reflect his fascination with the poetry and art of
William Blake.[1] He composed a
song cycle based on Blake's The Season (1979), which grew into his first symphony, subtitled The Seasons.[1] His two operas Tiriel and Thel on text by
William Blake were premiered in 1989, the first at the
Freiburg Festival in Germany, and the second at the
Almeida Theatre in London. His First Symphony was premiered the same year at the
Tanglewood Festival[2] and the
Southbank Centre in London.[1] His orchestral Mozart-Variations were staged as a ballet in
Pforzheim in Germany in 1992. Other premieres include the oratorio A Song of Liberty in
Leeds in 1993, played by the
BBC Philharmonic,[2] the Cello Concerto in
Manchester in 1996, the
cantataSong of Songs in
Geneva in 2001, and the
Triple Concerto No. 2 for violin, double bass and harp, which was performed at the
Barbican Centre on 26 May 2004, combined with Mahler's
Second Symphony "Resurrection", with
Andrew Davis conducting the London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus.[4]
Smirnov was married to the composer
Elena Firsova. They moved to the United Kingdom in 1991, living in
St Albans near London from 1998.[1] Their children are Philip Firsov (an artist and sculptor) and
Alissa Firsova (a composer, pianist and conductor). He died on 9 April 2020 in
Watford from the
COVID-19 pandemic.[3][5]
Dream Journey for voice, flute clarinet, vln, cello and piano, text by
Matsuo Bashō (2003–2004)
Red Bells in memory of
Dmitri Shostakovich, the first movement of Family Concerto for piano and ensemble of seven players, composed jointly with his wife and daughter,
Elena Firsova and
Alissa Firsova (2005)
Requiem for four soloists, mixed chorus and orchestra (2006)
Amore sola for solo violin (2006)
Proverbs of Hell for voice and piano, text by William Blake (2006)
The Lonely Wanderer for voice and cello, text by
Lermontov (2007)
Duo in Green for 2 violins (2008)
Space Odyssey for large orchestra (2008)
From the Pine to the Moon for voice and cello, text by Lermontov (2009)
The Book of Constellations for ensemble (2009–)
The Last Trumpet for trumpet and timpani (2010)
Kubla Khan: A Vision in a Dream for tenor (or soprano), bajan, violin and cello, text by S. T. Coleridge, composed jointly with Firsova and Firsova (2010/2011)
Zodiac for orchestra (2010–2013)
Canisi-Variations for violin and piano (2011)
Papageno-Variations for orchestra (after Beethoven's 12 Variations for cello & piano, Op. 66) (2012)
Visionary Heads (after Visionary Heads, pictures by William Blake) for piano (2013)
Farewell. In Memory of Alexander Ivashkin. For solo cello (2014)
Pro et contra, two pieces for viola and piano (2014)
The Silly Moon, 8 haiku for voice and piano, text and music by Smirnov (2014)
Solo for Viola (2014)
The China Travel, 20 songs for voice and piano on poems by
Olga Sedakova, composed with V. Gorodetskaya (2014)
Four Eight-line Poems for voice and piano on poems by Sedakova (2014)
Recordings
Fish Ear FECD621. Peter Sheppard, Violin: Winter Journey / Smirnov: partita
Megadisc MDC 7818. an Introduction to Dmitri Smirnov. Elegy, String of Destiny, Es ist…, Piano Trio 1, Cello sonata, Postlude[7]
Metier MSV CD92028. Peter Sheppard, Violin: Etude Philharmpnique / Smirnov: Two Fugues
Mobile Fidelity MFCD 906. Works by Modern Composers of Moscow / Smirnov: Solo for Harp
Olympia OCD 282. Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble, Vol.2 / Smirnov: Sonata for fl and harp
Conifer 75605 51252-2 , reissued on RCA/Catalyst 82876 64283-2.
Chilingirian Quartet / Smirnov: Second Quartet
Vanguard Classics 99154. Aurelia Saxophone Quartet: Four generations of Russian composers / Smirnov: Fantasia (also on Challenge Classics CC 72039)
Vanguard Classics 99212. Brodsky Quartet: Beethoven Op18 and six more / Smirnov: Quartet 6 (also reissued on Challenge Classics, CC 72009)
NBE CD 021 Nederland Blazers Ensemble: La ligubre gondola & Legende No. 2 / Liszt/Smirnov
Vista Vera VVCD-00232 by Lev Mikhailov and partners / Smirnov: Mirages for saxophone quartet
Visto: 2121 CD – Proyecto Mockba / Smirnov: Serenade op. 34, para obeo, saxofón alto y violonchelo. Tiriel op. 41b, para saxofón barítono y piano
Meridian CDE 84586: Primrose Piano Quartet / Smirnov Piano Quintet;