Iacobus Leodiensis [Iacobus de Montibus, Iacobus de Oudenaerde]

Isler, Ernst

(b Zürich, 30 Sept 1879; d Zürich, 26 Sept 1944). Swiss organist and music critic. After studying at the Zürich Music School (1895–9) and with Rudorff at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik (1899–1901), he became organist at the Reformed church in Zürich-Enge and, from 1919 to 1942, at the Fraumünster in Zürich. At the same time he taught at the Zürich Conservatory, from 1919 as head of the organ department, and taught music history at the Volkshochschule. From 1910 to 1927 he was the editor of the Schweizerische Musikzeitung and from 1902 to 1944 music critic of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

In his many decades as music critic Isler established the paper’s particular approach to music reviewing: considering the composition as paramount, he based his assessment of its interpretation on detailed analysis of the score. This type of criticism had a wide influence on German-speaking parts of Switzerland and was continued by Isler’s successors, Willi Schuh and Andres Briner. Isler’s championship of Swiss composers like Schoeck and Burkhard, as well as Max Reger and his organ music, was equally important. As an organ teacher he had a far-reaching importance in Protestant Switzerland.

WRITINGS

Carl Attenhofer, Neujahrsblatt der Allgemeinen Musikgesellschaft in Zürich, ciii (Zürich, 1915)

Max Reger (Zürich, 1917)

Hans Huber (Zürich, 1923)

Das zürcherische Konzertleben seit der Eröffnung der neuen Tonhalle 1895 (Zürich, 1935–6)

‘Die evangelische Kirche der deutschen Schweiz und die Musik’, Schweizer Musikbuch, ed. W. Schuh, i (Zürich, 1939), 324

‘Vergleichende Charakteristik von c- und d-moll-Werken Bachs und Beethovens’, SMz, lxxxiii (1943), 1–8, 40–44

‘G.F. Händels Orgelkonzerte’, SMz, lxxxiv (1944), 309–18, 351–6

BIBLIOGRAPHY

H. Funk: ‘Ernst Isler, der Organist und Orgellehrer’, SMz, lxxxiv (1944), 422–4

H. Grossmann and others: Ernst Isler: 30. Sept. 1879 – 26 Sept. 1944: zum Gedächtnis (Zürich, 1944)

W. Schuh: ‘Ernst Isler zum Gedächtnis’, SMz, lxxxiv (1944), 389–92

JÜRG STENZL

Isley Brothers.

Black American soul and funk group. The original members, lead singer Ronald Isley (b 21 May 1941), O'Kelly Isley (b 25 Dec 1937; d 31 March 1986) and Rudolph Isley (b 1 April 1939), began singing gospel in their native Cincinnati. In 1958 they moved to New York and recorded a series of singles for the Teenager, Mark X, Cindy and Gone labels before signing to RCA. They achieved success in 1959 and again in 1962 with their composition Shout. Their next hit was a cover of the Top Notes' Twist and Shout (Wand, 1962) using an arrangement which was subsequently copied by the Beatles for their version of the song. After a short-lived attempt at starting their own label, T-Neck records, in the mid-1960s the Isley Brothers recorded for Motown. Here the production team of Holland, Dozier and Holland wrote four hits for the group, including This old heart of mine (is weak for you) (1966).

In 1969 the Isley Brothers reactivated their T-Neck label and added two younger brothers, Ernie on guitar and Marvin on bass, plus cousin Chris Jasper on keyboards. At this point, the group followed the recent development of funk by James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone and, with Ernie Isley's Hendrix-influenced guitar, recorded a series of hit singles that dominated the rhythm and blues charts until 1983, while hardly reaching a white audience. These included original songs such as It's your thing, That Lady, Fight the power and The Pride juxtaposed with covers of pop material such as Steve Stills's Love the One You're With and Seals and Crofts's Summer Breeze.

In 1984 Ernie and Marvin Isley and Jasper left the original trio to form Isley-Jasper-Isley and had a big hit in 1985 with Caravan of Love. Ronald and Rudolph continued as the Isley Brothers after O'Kelly's death in 1986, finally disbanding in 1990. A year later Ernie, Marvin and Ronald Isley reformed the group.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

R. Palmer: ‘Black, Proud and not Ashamed to be Loud: the Isley Brothers keep on Fighting the Power’, Rolling Stone (28 Aug 1975)

A. Peck: ‘The Isley Brothers are Ready for their Next Phase’, Rolling Stone (10 Aug 1978)

A. White: The Isley Brothers Story Volume 1: Rockin' Soul (1959–68), Rhino R2 70908 (1991) [disc notes]

D. Nathan: The Isley Brothers Story Volume 2: the T-Neck Years (1969–85), Rhino R2 70909 (1991) [disc notes]

ROB BOWMAN

ISM.

See Incorporated Society of Musicians.

Ismagilov, Zagir Garipovich

(b Verneye Sermenevo, Bashkiri Autonomous Republic, Russia, 26 Dec 1916/8 Jan 1917). Bashkiri composer. From childhood he was a superb exponent of folk songs and a celebrated kuray player. After completing his studies at the Forestry Technology School (1934 in Inzer, Bashkortostan) he decided to devote his life to the theatre and music. He completed his studies at the studio attached to the Bashkir Academic Theatre of Drama (1935, Ufa), and for two years he worked as a company member and kuray player in this theatre (1935–7). For the next seven years he worked in the Moscow Conservatory (in the studio, the Bashkir department and the department of theory and composition), where he also studied with Viktor Bely, Anatoly Aleksandrov and Vladimir Fere. For the next 24 years (1954–78) he headed the Bashkir Union of Composers; in 1968 he became rector of the new Institute of Arts in Ufa, which he directed until 1988. Through his teaching he is said to have inspired a new generation of composers. He is the holder of the following orders: the Badge of Honour (1949), the Workers’ Red Banner (1967), the Order of Lenin (1971), the Friendship of Nations (1977), the October Revolution (1988); he is a laureate of the Glinka Prize, the Salavat Yulayev Prize, and he is a People’s Artist of the USSR, the RSFSR and of the Bakshir ASSR.

Although Ismagilov works in the most varied of genres, opera occupies the central place in his output. The heroic and dramatic opera Salavat Yulayev – his graduation piece – became the first classic of Bashkir opera. Then followed the tragic opera Shaura based on themes from a folk legend, the lyrical opera Volnï Agideli (‘The Waves of the Agidel’) concerning contemporary life, and two operas devoted to heroic and patriotic themes. These latter works, Poslï Urala (‘Ambassadors from the Urals’) and Akmulla, continued the style he established in Salavat Yulayev. He also composed the first Bashkiri comic opera Kodasa (‘The Sister-in-Law’).

Of his works for chorus and orchestra of particular note are the symphonic poem Bessmertiye (‘Immortality’) and the oratorio Mï pobediteli (‘We are the Victors’) which commemorate respectively the 30th and 40th anniversaries of the defeat of fascism. Among his numerous choral works (which include folk song arrangements) the cycle Slovo materi (‘The Word of a Mother’) is of great significance.

WORKS

stage

Salavat Yulayev (op, 4, B. Bikbay, after M. Karim), 1954, rev. 1986, Bashkir State Theatre of Opera and Ballet, 15 April 1955

Kodasa [The Sister-in-Law] (musical comedy, 4, Bikbay), 1958, rev. 1970, Bashkir State Theatre of Opera and Ballet, 9 Oct 1959

Shaura (op, 3, Bikbay), 1963, Bashkir State Theatre of Opera and Ballet, 21 Dec 1963

Gul'zifa (op, 4, after Karim), 1966, Bashkir State Theatre of Opera and Ballet, 29 Oct 1967

Volnï Agideli [The Waves of the Agidel] (op, 3, after Karim), Bashkir State Theatre of Opera and Ballet, 24 Feb 1972

Poslï Urala [Ambassadors from the Urals] (op, 3, I. Dil'mukhametov), 1981, Bashkir State Theatre of Opera and Ballet, 30 March 1982

Akmulla (op, 3, Dil'mukhametov), 1985, Bashkir State Theatre of Opera and Ballet, 5 Oct 1995

Incid music (for productions at the M. Gafuri Academic Theatre of Drama of Bashkortostan): Bashkirskaya svad'ba [A Bashkiri Wedding] (M. Burangulov), 1940; Vesennyaya pesnya [Song of Spring] (Nadzhmi), 1950; Zimagorï [Winter Mountains] (S. Miftakhov), 1956; Kakhïm-Turė (Bikbay), 1957; Salavat (Karim), 1972; Bakhtigarey (A. Mirzagitov), 1978

vocal

Choral: Kantata o Lenine [Cant. about Lenin] (R. Nigmati) 1v, chorus, orch, 1949, rev. 1987; Slovo materi [The Word of a Mother] (cycle, R. Nazarov), 1972, rev. 1987; Ya rossiyanin [I am a Russian] (cant., M. Karim), chorus, orch, 1972, rev. 1987; Bessmertiye [Immortality] (vocal-sym. poem, Karim), S, chorus, orch, 1975, rev. 1987; Mï pobediteli [We are the Victors] (orat, A. Igebayev), solo vv, chorus, orch, 1985, rev. 1987

Over 300 songs (1v, pf) incl.: Kotelok [The Kettle] (N. Nadzhmi), 1945; Shaymuratov-general (K. Dayan), 1945, rev. 1966; Tï ne vernulsya [You did not Return] (S. Kudash), 1945; Leti, moy gnedoy [Fly, my Bay Horse] (N. Idel'bay), 1955; Slava tebe, Bashkortostan [Glory to You, Bashkortostan] (Nigmati), 1955; Ne zabït' dolin gor ural'skikh [Do not Forget the Valleys and Mountains of the Urals] (G. Zaynasheva), 1956; Zhavoronok [The Lark] (Kh. Tufan), 1960; Bïl bïlïm [It was the Past] (Ya. Kulmïy), 1964; O, moy Ural [O, my Urals] (S. Yulayev), 1965; Rodnaya zemlya [My Native Land] (Karim), song cycle, 1976, rev.1999; song cycle to verse by Salavat Yulayev, 1977; Mednïy kolokol'chik [The Bronze Bell], Materi moyey [To my Mother], Vsem nuzhen mir [Everyone Needs Peace] (A. Igebayev), 1986

instrumental

Orch: Bashkirskiy marsh [Bashkiri March], 1950; Molodyozhnïy marsh [March of Youth], 1950; Uvertyura na 2 bashkirskiye narodnïye pesni [Ov. on 2 Bashkiri Folk Songs], 1950; Suite, 1952; Prazdnichnaya uvertyura [Festival Ov.], 1979; Pf conc., 1986

Chbr and solo inst: Scherzo, fl, pf, 1945; 3 p'yesï [3 Pieces]: Lunnaya noch' [A Moonlit Night], Nocturne, Scherzo, pf, 1947; Poėma i tanets [Poem and Dance], cl, pf, 1948; Variations, fl, pf, 1958; Romans, vn, pf, 1960; Pf Cycle: Legenda, Torzhestvennaya [Solemn], Poėma, Tanets [Dance], 1966; Prelude and Toccata, pf, 1970

BIBLIOGRAPHY

L. Lebedinsky: ‘Z. Ismagilov’, Kompozitorï Bashkiri[The composers of Bashkiriya] (Moscow, 1955)

N. Shumskaya: ‘Zagir Ismagilov’, Sovetskaya muzïka: stat'i i materialï, [Soviet music: articles and materials], i (Moscow, 1956)

Sh. Mesyagutov: Zagir Ismagilov: ot kuraya do operï [Zagir Ismagilov: from the Kuray to opera] (Ufa, 1967)

Ye. Davïdova: ‘Narodno-pesennïye istoki vokal'noy liriki Z. Ismagilova’ [The folk and song sources of Ismagilov’s vocal lyrics], Voprosï bashkirskoy fol'kloristiki, ed. L.G. Barag and N.T. Zaripov, (Ufa, 1978), 101–15

T. Rusanova: ‘Fortepiannïye proizvedeniya Zagira Ismagilova’ [The piano works of Ismagilov], Voprosï istorii bashkirskoy muzïkal'noy kul'turï ed. V. Basenov and T. Ugryumova (Ufa, 1990), 72–80

YEVGENIYA ROMANOVNA SKOURKO