Biography
Father - German Moritz Glier (1835–1896), owner of a musical instrument workshop. Mother - Polish Józefa (Josephine Wikentiyevna) Korczak (1852–1937)
Student at the Second Kyiv Gymnasium. Graduate (1894) and teacher of the Kyiv Music School (since 1956 named after R. M. Glier). Among his teachers - violinist, conductor, military bandmaster, famous Kyiv music teacher K. Vout, who in turn was a student of the Czech violinist O. Shevchyk.
Graduated from the Moscow Conservatory (1900) in the composition class of M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, studied theoretical subjects with A. Arensky, G. Konius, S. Taneyev, I. Grzhymala.
Among his private students were M. Myaskovsky and S. Prokofiev.
1913 - professor of the composition class, 1914–1919 - director and teacher of the Kyiv Conservatory, where he attracted many famous foreign musicians to teach, in particular, Pavel Kokhansky.
Students - L. Revutsky, B. Lyatoshinsky, S. Prokofiev, O. Mosolov and others.
1920–1941 - professor of the Moscow Conservatory. Doctor of Art History (1941), laureate of the M. Glinka Prize (1908), State Prizes of the USSR (1946, 1948, 1950), People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR (1934), People's Artist of the Uzbek SSR, People's Artist of the RSFSR (1935), People's Artist of the USSR (1938).
Author of many works in various genres, including the ballets "The Red Poppy", "The Bronze Horseman", Concerto for Voice and Orchestra, romances, instrumental compositions, etc.
Glier and Ukraine
Reinhold Glier lived in Kyiv for a long time at 6 Baseinia St. (1876–1894, 1913–1914 and 1916–1920; the house has not survived) and 23 Kuznechna St. (Antonovycha St.) (1914–1916). There was also Gliera Street in the village of Mykilska Borshchahivka (known since the 1st half of the 20th century under the name Shkilna St., it received the name "Gliera St." in 1974. It was liquidated in the late 70s due to the demolition of the old building). Today, there is also a Reinhold Gliera Street in Kyiv.
R. Glier is the author of a number of works on Ukrainian themes, including the ballet "Taras Bulba" (1951–1952), the symphonic picture-ballet "The Zaporozhians" (1921), the symphonic poem "The Testament" in memory of T. Shevchenko (1939–1941), "Imitation of Ezekiel" (based on a poem by T. Shevchenko, 1918), music for the dramatic performances "Ivan Hus", "Haydamaki" (1920) and the mystery "The Big Cellar" (1919–1920) based on poems by T. Shevchenko.
The influences of Ukrainian folklore sources are evident in the works: the 1st String Quartet (1889), the 1st and 2nd Symphonies, the Concerto for Harp and Orchestra (1938), the Concerto for Voice and Orchestra, the "Solemn Overture" (1937), etc.; orchestration and editing of the operas "Natalka Poltavka", "Chornomoretsi" (1918–1920), the instrumentation of scenes from the opera "Taras Bulba" (1920) by M. Lysenko, the cantatas "Shevchenko" and the dramatic paintings "Gaydamaki" by K. Stetsenko.
The municipal academy of music is named after Reinhold Glier.
