Степан Дегтярёв

Russian composer, especially of choral works (1766-1813). Born a serf to the family of Count N. N. Sheremetev, Stepan Degtyarev sang first in the Count's serf choir, then in opera performances at the Count's court theater. After studying music theory in Italy, he returned to conduct the Count's orchestra. Given his freedom in 1803, Degtyarev settled in Moscow. Later, he worked for a landowner in Kursk province. Degtyarev composed around 60 choral works. In 1811, he wrote the first Russian oratorio, "Минин и Пожарский, или освобождение Москвы" (Minin and Pozharsky - or the Liberation of Moscow), a work that celebrates the liberation of Moscow from Polish occupation in 1612 by an army led by the fish monger Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. It became particularly popular during Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812 and was performed at the 1818 dedication of a monument to Minin and Pozharsky in Moscow.