22 May] 1903 – 19 January 1988) was a Soviet and Russian conductor, pianist, and music pedagogue; he was a professor at Leningrad State Conservatory.

After initially studying biology at the university in Leningrad, in 1924 he succeeded in entering the Leningrad Conservatory as a non–fee–paying student thanks to his half-aunt Alexandra Kollontai,[citation needed] who recommended him to the rector, Alexander Glazunov, and the commissar for enlightenment, Anatoly Lunacharsky.

[citation needed] The music of Dmitri Shostakovich was closely associated with Mravinsky, beginning with conducting the world premiere of the composer's Fifth Symphony.

The conductor would subsequently lead the world premieres of the Sixth, Eighth (which Shostakovich dedicated to Mravinsky), Ninth, Tenth, and Twelfth Symphonies, as well as the Song of the Forests, Violin Concerto No.

[3] Of the remaining Shostakovich symphonies that he did not premiere, Mravinsky only performed (and recorded) the Seventh, Eleventh, and Fifteenth.

In 1946, Mravinsky's international career began with tours of Finland and Czechoslovakia at the Prague Spring Festival.

[7] Surviving videos show that Mravinsky had a sober appearance on the podium,[8] making simple but clear gestures, often without a baton.

The critic James McCarthy said of Mravinsky's Tchaikovsky performances: The Leningrad Philharmonic play like a wild stallion only just held in check by the willpower of its master.

Every smallest movement is placed with fierce pride; at any moment it may break into such a frenzied gallop that you hardly know whether to feel exhilarated or terrified.