Ivan Vïshnegradsky

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Ivan Alexandrovich Vïshnegradsky (1893-1979), also transliterated as Wyschnegradsky, Wyshnegradsky, Wischnegradsky, Vishnegradsky, or Wishnegradsky (Russian: Ива́н Алекса́ндрович Вышнегра́дский) was a Russian composer primarily known for his microtonal compositions, including the quarter tone scale, though he used scales of up to 71 divisions.

[edit] Life

Greatly influenced by Scriabin as a young man, Vïshnegradsky had a mystical vision which made him feel compelled to write music in intervals of less than a half-step.

In 1920, he emigrated to Paris. In 1922, he traveled to Berlin to meet with other quarter-tone composers such as Aloïs Hába, Willy Moellendorf, and Jörg Mager. Plans to collaborate on a quarter-tone piano with Hába were interrupted by visa problems, and he was forced to return to Paris.

During World War II, he entered a sanatorium, and was encouraged to continue composing by Olivier Messiaen upon his release in 1950.

[edit] Works

Vïshnegradsky wrote:

A considerable amount of music for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart (including the Concert Etudes Op. 19, two Fugues Op. 33, Integrations Op. 49).
Several pieces for three pianos tuned a sixth of a tone apart (Prélude et Fugue Op. 30, Dialogue a Trois of 1974). In the more polyphonic of these, the perception of quarter- or sixth-tones is made particularly clear by fugue themes moving ultrachromatically.

There are also:

Two string quartets in quarter-tones, Opp. 13 (1923-24) and 18 (1930-31).
A Third String Quartet in conventional tuning, Op. 38 (1945/59).
A one-movement String Trio in quarter-tones, Op. 53 (1978), left slightly incomplete when he died.

All of these string works have been recorded by the Arditti Quartet (Edition Block).