Mushel(Russia/Uzbekistan): Scherzo from 2 pieces (p1947)

Georgi Aleksandrovich Mushel(1909-1989) was a Russian composer who was active in Uzbekistan. He was born in Tanbov in Russia and studied the composition and piano at Moscow conservatory with Nikolai Myaskovsky. After the graduation he settled in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR in 1936 possibly on the government's offering and became the professor of the new-born Tashkent Conservatory. Since then he dedicated himself to Western musical activities in Uzbekistan and wrote the musical drama "Farhad and Shirin" with Russian ethnomusicologist Viktor Alexandrovich Uspensky in 1937 and his second piano concerto in 1943 which was the first piano concerto in Uzbekistan (we can listen to on YouTube). He wrote 3 symphonies, 6 piano concertos, and many orchestral works like Ballet "Legend in Kashmir". He died in 1989, soon before the collapse of the Soviet Union. He has been unfamiliar to Western listeners, except some organ works like "Toccata" from Samarqand Suite. Recently a CD of his complete organ works was issued on Brilliant label.

"2 pieces for piano" was published in 1947 that consists of 2 small pieces Aria, and Scherzo.
According to the musicologist in Uzbekistan Tamara Semyonovna Vyzgo(1906-1998),
both was from the patriot musical drama "Mukanna" in the wartime (1943) by the prominent Uzbek writer Hamid Olimjon (1909-1944). This play is about the religious leader Al-Muqanna, the anti-Islamic protestant from Arabian Islamic militant in the 8 century.

Scherzo is not fast, humorous 2/4 song, that has typical Uzbek folk tune based on the natural mode. Imao, it reminds of the late works by Eric Satie (and also the first piece Homenaje a Federico Garcia Lorca by Silvestre Revueltas).

Видео Mushel(Russia/Uzbekistan): Scherzo from 2 pieces (p1947) канала Barbaro Mr.