Yakiv Stepovy

{{Short description|Ukrainian composer and music critic}}

File:Yakiv Stepovy.png

Yakiv Stepanovych Stepovy ({{langx|uk|Яків Степовий}}) (October 20, 1883 – November 4, 1921) was a Ukrainian composer, music teacher, and music critic.

Stepovy was born Yakiv Yakymenko (Akimenko) in Kharkiv, in the Russian Empire (in present-day Ukraine). Stepovy's older brother, {{ill|Theodore Akimenko|fr|Théodore Akimenko}}), was also a composer.{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=/pages/s/t/stepovyyakiv.htm|title=Stepovy, Yakiv|access-date=2011-04-02|last=Savytsky|first=Roman|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Ukraine}} Stepovy was a representative of the Ukrainian musical intelligentsia of the 20th century. He was one of the founders of the national school of composition and composed in the tradition of Mykola Lysenko.[http://www.slovo-unp.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1224773100&archive=1225367027&start_from=&ucat=6&i=archive Яків Степовий – продовжувач традицій М. Лисенка (Yakiv Stepovy – continuer of Mykola Lysenko's traditions)] article on website of Ukrainian People's Party {{in lang|uk}}

Stepovy was a graduate of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, where he studied with Alexander Glazunov and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and graduated in 1914.[http://www.ukrainianartsong.ca/composers-1-1-1-1 Yakiv Stepovyi (1883–1921)] – biography on Ukrainian Art Song Project page

During World War I, Stepovy was recruited to the military, where he worked as a secretary on a hospital train. He served in the military for almost three years, until he managed to get released in April 1917.[http://www.akolada.org.ua/index.php?dep=&page=bibl/stepovyy Я. С. Степовий (1883–1921 pp.)] full biography at akolada.org.ua {{in lang|uk}} After this he settled in Kyiv where he worked as a teacher at the Kyiv Conservatory and a musical critic.

He was a master at choral and piano works, the author of music collections for children, teacher of the Kyiv Conservatory and founder of the State vocal quartet.

{{Listen|type=music

|header=Art songs by Stepovy

|filename=Yakiv Stepovyi - The Word.flac

|title=The Word

|description=Lyrics by Lesya Ukrainka. Performed by Pavlo Hunka (bass-baritone) and Albert Krywolt (piano)

|filename2=Yakiv Stepovyi - Do Not Take the Willow from the Green Grove.flac

|title2=Do Not Take the Willow from the Green Grove

|description2=Lyrics by Oleksandr Oles. Performed by Isabel Bayrakdarian (soprano) and Albert Krywolt (piano)

|filename3=Yakiv Stepovyi - My Captive Thought.flac

|title3=My Captive Thought

|description3=Lyrics by Lesya Ukrainka. Performed by Krisztina Szabó (mezzo-soprano) and Albert Krywolt (piano)

}}