He was a pupil of Liadov and Rimsky-Korsakov, at the St. Petersburg Conservatoire, after receiving private lessons with Glière.

From 1921 he taught composition at the Moscow Conservatoire.

His works include 27 symphonies, spanning a period from 1908 to 1950, many of which are patriotic and seek to express the varied fortunes of the Soviet Union.

Another aspect of his work is heard in the nine piano sonatas, which span a similar period.