Borys Lyatoshynsky [Борис Лятошинський] Józef Koffler

Borys Liatoszynsky (Wikipedia)

Borys Lyatoshynsky [Борис Лятошинський]

(1895–1968)

composer, conductor, educator

He graduated from Kyiv Conservatoire and in law from the university. He made appearances as a conductor and pianist from 1917. For more than forty years (1920–68) he taught at his alma mater in Kyiv, in 1941–44 – at Moscow Conservatoire. In 1939–41 he was the chairman, later – member of the board of the Union of Composers of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

He composed five symphonies (1918–66), two operas (1930, 1938), film and theatre music.

First page of the score of the Symphonic Poem Grażyna Op. 58 by Borys Latoszynsky

Some of his works are notably based on Polish topics. These include symphonic poems Grazhyna (1949), On the Banks of the Vistula (1958), Polish Suite (1961), and songs to texts by Adam Mickiewicz (1955). Lyatoshynsky’s composer-pupils included the Russian Igor Boelza and the Ukrainian Valentyn Sylvestrov.

Lyatoshynsky was only able to come in contact with Lwów’s composers and musicologists after that city had been occupied by the Soviets in 1939. At the Kyiv Assembly of the Union of Soviet Composers (1940), the LGK Lviv State Conservatoire was represented by two Ukrainian composers (Vasyl Barvinsky and Stanyslav Lyudkevych) as well as Polish composers (Józef Koffler, Adam Sołtys, Tadeusz Zygfryd Kassern, Seweryn Barbag), and the musicologist Zofia Lissa. In Kyiv, Adam Sołtys struck up a close acquaintance with Lyatoshynsky, which turned into a friendship in later years.