Valery Gavrilin was born in 1939 in
Vologda. When he was 3, his father died as a volunteer during the
Siege of Leningrad. His mother was imprisoned when he was 10 and Gavrilin was sent to an orphanage in the village of Kovyrino near Vologda.[1] At the age of 11, Gavrilin entered a school of music where I.M. Belozemtsev, a teacher at
Leningrad Conservatory, happened to hear him and from the age of 12 to 16, Gavrilin went to the children's school in
Leningrad to study clarinet, piano and composition. In 1954 he graduated from the Conservatory with two specialities: composition (under professor
Orest Evlakhov) and musicology (under professor F.A. Rubtsov). Shortly thereafter, Gavrilin published the vocal cycle that would make his name, the Russian Notebook. He continued at the Conservatory as a teacher.
Valery Gavrilin died in 1999 at the age of 59 in St. Petersburg, following two severe heart attacks. The asteroid
7369 Gavrilin was named in his memory. The name was suggested by the Union of Concert Workers of Russia, and the official
naming citation was published by the
Minor Planet Center on 24 January 2000 (M.P.C. 38196).[2][3]
The Seasons, song cycle based on folk texts and
Sergei Yesenin (Времена года 1969)
Drunken Week, song cycle based on folk texts (Пьяная неделя 1970?)
German Notebook No. 2, song cycle based on texts by Heinrich Heine (Немецкая тетрадь № 2 1972)
Evening, song song cycle for 2 voices and piano. Part 1 "Little Album", texts: folk,
Albina Shulgina, and Gavrilin (Вечерок 1 «Альбомчик» 1973). Part 2 "Dances, Writing, Conclusion", texts:
Semen Nadson,
Ivan Bunin,
Anna Akhmatova, Albina Shulgina, and Gavrilin (Вечерок 2 «Танцы, письма, окончание» 1975)
German Notebook No. 3, song cycle for vocal quartet and piano based on texts by Heinrich Heine (1976, unfinished)
Three Songs of Ophelia, based on Shakespeare for a production of
Hamlet at the Young People's Theatre of Leningrad directed by
Zinovy Korogodsky (1971)
"The City Sleeps", based on a text by Albina Shulgina (Город спит 1978)
Poem No. 426 for soloist, instrumental ensemble, 328-RS computer, and tape.
Vocal-symphonic music
Buffoons, for soloist, male chorus, ballet and orchestra; based on texts by
Vadim Korostilev (Скоморохи 1967)
War Letters, vocal-symphonic poem for soloists, children's and mixed choirs, and symphony orchestra; based on texts by Albina Shulgina (Военные письма 1972)
Earth, vocal-symphonic song cycle for the free composition of the choir, soloist and symphony orchestra; based on texts by Albina Shulgina (Земля 1974)
A Toast "Apotheosis", cantata for mixed chorus and orchestra, based on texts by
Vladimir Maksimov (Здравица «Апофеоз» 1977)
Incantation, cantata for female choir and orchestra; based on texts by Albina Shulgina (Заклинание 1977)
Wedding, for soloist, mixed chorus, ballet dancers, and symphony orchestra. Texts: folk, Albina Shulgina, and Gavrilin (Свадьба 1978-1982)
Shepherd and Shepherdess, for soloists, large chorus, and mixed instrumental ensemble; based on texts by
Viktor Astafyev (Пастух и пастушка, 1983; unfinished)
Choral music
People of the World, based on texts by Sergei Vasiliev (Люди мира на слова С. Васильева, 1962)
We Spoke of Art, cantata for mixed chorus a cappella based on texts by Gavrilin (Мы говорили об искусстве, 1963)
In Memory of the Fallen, a choral cycle (Памяти павших, 1963)
Don Captain, concert rondo for mixed chorus, based on texts by R. Barannikova (Дон капитан, 1969)
Choruses, for mixed chorus, folk lyrics (Припевки, 1972)
Instrumental chamber works
String Quartets Nos. 1 – 3 (1960, 1962, 1964)
Adagio in Polyphonic Style (1964)
A Poem, for violin and piano (1963)
Violin Sonata (1964)
Piano Sonata (1964)
Compositions, for piano 2-hands (three books)
Sketches, for piano 4 hands («Зарисовки» 1970s)
Theatre music
How Kopachi Got Married, musical comedy in 1 Act of the play by L Tabi. (Так женился Копачи - пьесе Л.Таби).
36 suites of Incidental Theatre music:
"How Kopachi got married Kopaci" «Так женился Копачи»,
"marching march", «Походный марш»
"Armored Train 14-69" «Бронепоезд 14-69»
"based on texts by the execution request" «После казни прошу»
"based on texts by 100 years in the Birch grove" «Через 100 лет в Березовой роще»
"Two winters and three summers," «Две зимы и три лета»
"Crime and Punishment " «Преступлени и наказание»
"Not to part with his beloved" «С любимыми не расставайтесь»
"Steps of the Commander" «Шаги командора»
"His people - numbered" «Свои люди — сочтемся»
"Above the bright water" «Над светлой водой»
"Three sacks of wheat" «Три мешка сорной пшеницы»
"Prunus" «Черемуха»
and others (1959–1977)
Film music
1966 - On the wild shore (На диком береге director
Anatoli Granik)
1968 - Source (Источник director Anatoli Granik)
1968 - On the wedding day (В день свадьбы director
Vadim Mikhailov)
1970 - Vasily Merkur'ev (Василий Меркурьев Telefilm, dir. Bychkov)
1969 - Anna's Happiness (Счастье Анны dir. Yuri Rogov)
1971 - The month of August (Месяц август dir. Vadim Mikhailov)