Gusman, Izrail Borisovich (1917–2003) — conductor and music figure, People's Artist of Russia, Honorary Citizen of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. He was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Nizhny Novgorod Region in 1996.[1] He led Philharmonic from 1957 to 1987 — for nearly thirty years — and transformed it into one of the most prominent regional orchestras in the country.[2]

Path to the Profession

Before moving to Gorky, Gusman completed military service, including service as a military conductor, and in the postwar years led the orchestra of the Kharkov Philharmonic. During the The Great Patriotic War, Gusman served in the 112th Guards Rifle Division and was subsequently transferred to a military orchestra; by the end of the war he held the rank of Guards Captain of the Administrative Service and had been awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, Second Class, and the medal "For Victory over Germany."[3] In 1946, Gusman was awarded fourth prize at the All-Union Review of Young Conductors in Leningrad — a milestone that launched his career as a symphonic conductor.[4] The City of Gorky — he returned in 1957.[2]

Work at the Gorky Philharmonic

Over three decades leading the orchestra, Gusman initiated several projects that were groundbreaking both for the city and for the country. From 1962 he organized the "Contemporary Music" festivals — the first festivals of their kind in the USSR, which allowed the Gorky orchestra to become a kind of laboratory for new Soviet music. From 1958, free concerts began at the summer Volga open-air stage, continuing into subsequent decades.[2]

Gusman organized the first performances ever heard by a Nizhny Novgorod audience of Bach's St. Matthew Passion and Honegger's Joan of Arc at the Stake. After twenty-five years of neglect, he was the first in the country to bring Katerina Izmailova back to the stage — with all four entr'actes performed. Dmitry Shostakovich, Aram Khachaturian, Tikhon Khrennikov, and Rodion Shchedrin came to Gorky at his invitation, as did conductors Kondrashin and Temirkanov, and performers Galina Vishnevskaya, Mstislav Rostropovich, Ivan Kozlovsky, Lev Oborin, and even Van Cliburn. Shostakovich appeared in Gorky as a conductor on that sole occasion as well. Gusman had known the composer since his youth: the acquaintance came about through the conductor's father, who was at that time Shostakovich's deputy.[2]

Among Gusman's best-known conducting students is Vladimir Spivakov. In 1963–1964, Gusman conducted the operas The Queen of Spades and Boris Godunov at the Bolshoi Theatre; he was awarded the title of Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR in 1965, and People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1978.[4][2]

Legacy

From 1970 to 2003, Gusman lived at Varvarskaya Street. A commemorative plaque on this building bears the inscription: "In this house, from 1970 to 2003, lived the outstanding conductor and music figure, People's Artist of Russia, Honorary Citizen of Nizhny Novgorod Region, Gusman Izrail Borisovich."[1]

In 2015, the Nizhny Novgorod publishing house "Dekom" released Gusman's memoir Through the Five Staff Lines in its "Names" series (compiled by Yakov Groysman, print run of 1,000 copies). The manuscripts were provided by the conductor's family and supplemented with editorial inserts — press reviews, colleagues' recollections, and historical notes. The book is structured in three parts: the first is devoted to the path to the profession and the pre-war and wartime period — while still a student at the Gnesin Technical School, Gusman played in the symphony orchestra of the Moscow Philharmonic (1933–1941), performing on percussion instruments and oboe; upon entering the Moscow Conservatory, he began studying conducting from 1941 under Professors Leo Ginzburg and M. Bagrinovsky.[4] The second part covers his work as chief conductor of the Gorky orchestra, and the third consists of reflections on the art of conducting.[2]

To mark the centenary of the conductor's birth, in 2017, the Nizhny Novgorod Philharmonic held a memorial concert featuring Vladimir Spivakov.[2]

Sources

  1. Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod Region — The title of Honorary Citizen of Nizhny Novgorod Region was conferred on Gusman in 1996. In addition to his conducting activities,… (archive)
  2. muzobozrenie.ru — Izrail Gusman. The Life and Fate of a Conductor — Muzykalnoye Obozreniye (archive)
  3. pamyat-naroda.ru — Gusman Izrail Borisovich, __.__.1917. Documents of a war participant. — During the Great Patriotic War, Gusman served in the 112th Guards Rifle Division and was subsequently transferred to… (archive)
  4. belcanto.ru — Izrail Borisovich Gusman — While still a student at the Gnesin Technical School, Gusman played in the symphony orchestra of the Moscow Philharmonic (1933–1941), performing on percussion instruments and…
  5. opentextnn.ru — B.S. Izvekov, A.V. Kessel. Memorial Plaques of Nizhny Novgorod. A Reference Guide. — Otkrytyy Tekst electronic periodical (archive)