To the 85th anniversary of the composer, People’s Artist of Belarus Dmitry Smolsky (1937- 2017)

Published: July 26, 2022

Dmitry Smolsky was born on July 25, 1937, in Minsk in the family of musicologist B. Smolsky. In 1946 he entered the piano class of the Minsk Music School at the Belarusian State Conservatory. In 1955 he entered the composition department of the Moscow State Conservatory. From 1956 to 1960 he studied composition with Prof. A. Bogatyrev at the Belarusian State Conservatory. From 1962 to 2013, he was a teacher at the Belgoskonservatory and from 1986 – a professor at the Department of Composition. He completed his postgraduate studies at the Moscow State Conservatory under Professor N. Peiko in 1967. Member of the
Belarusian Union of Composers from 1961.

Winner of the Lenin Komsomol Prize of the BSSR (1972), State Prize of the BSSR (1980), Pride of the Nation Prize (2012), twice winner of the State Prize “For Spiritual Revival” (1997, 2012). Honored Artist of the BSSR (1975), People’s Artist of Belarus (1987).

Dmitry Smolsky worked in various genres of stage, vocal and instrumental, orchestral, chamber-instrumental, vocal and applied music. He is the composer of the operas “The Grey Legend” and “Francysk Skaryna”, the oratorios “Hiroshima Songs” and “My Homeland”, the vocal-symphonic poems, 15 symphonies, solemn overtures “To the 90th Anniversary of Yanka Kupala” and “To Memory of Yakub Kolas”. He also wrote numerous concerts for piano and orchestra, numerous romances, songs, music for plays and films, etc.

The Belarusian State Archives-Museum of Literature and Art holds the personal collection of Dmitry Smolsky (No. 287), which is represented by his music manuscripts, correspondence, biographical documents, a collection of photographs from various events and meetings.

1. Д. Смольский. 1961 г. БГАМЛИ. Ф. 287. Оп. 1. Ед. хр. 30. Л. 7.

2. Д. Смольский со своим преподавателем – композитором, народным артистом СССР Е. К. Тикоцким – во время занятий в музыкальной школе-десятилетке при Белгосконсерватории. 1950 г. БГАМЛИ. Ф. 287. Оп. 1. Ед. хр. 33. Л. 1.

3. Д. Смольский. Соната № 2 для фортепиано. Партитура. Автограф. 1957 г. БГАМЛИ. Ф. 287. Оп. 1. Ед. хр. 4. Лл. 1об-2.

4. Программа концерта Белгосфилармонии, на котором впервые исполнялась вторая симфония Д. Смольского. 28 декабря 1967 г. БГАМЛИ. Ф. 287. Оп. 1. Ед. хр. 16. Лл. 2об-3.

5. Д. Смольский. “Сівая легенда”. Опера. Либретто В. Короткевича. Партитура. Светокопия. 1978 г. БГАМЛИ. Ф. 287. Оп. 1. Ед. хр. 1. Лл. 1-2.

6. Д. Смольский. “Песни Хиросимы”. Оратория для 2-х солистов, чтеца и 2-х фортепиано. На слова японских поэтов в переводе на русский язык. Клавир. Светокопия. 1966 г. БГАМЛИ. Ф. 287. Оп. 1. Ед. хр. 5. Лл. 1-3.

7. Афиша авторского концерта Д. Смольского в зале Минского музыкального училища им. М. Глинки. 15 февраля 1983 г. БГАМЛИ. Ф. 287. Оп. 1. Ед. хр. 23. Л. 2.

8. М. Лисовский. Шарж на Д. Смольского. Бумага, тушь. 1960-е – 1970-е гг. БГАМЛИ. Ф. 268. Оп. 1. Ед. хр. 22. Л. 9.