Davydov K.Y., (1838-1889), musician

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DAVYDOV Karl Yulievich (1838-1889), violoncellist, pedagogue, conductor, composer. Graduated from Moscow University with the rank of Candidate of Mathematical Sciences (1858). Learned to play the violoncello under K.Y. Schubert and others. Started giving concerts at the age of fourteen. In 1860-62 he was a Professor at the Leipzig Conservatory, in 1862-82 a soloist at the Italian Opera Orchestra in St. Petersburg, in 1862-87 a Professor at the Petersburg Conservatory, where he directed violoncello classes, along with chamber, orchestral and opera classes, and in 1876-87 he was the Conservatory's director. The first truly Russian violoncellist, A.G. Rubinstein, P.I. Tchaikovsky, and N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov all composed music for him. Davydov headed the violoncellist school of the second half of the 19th century, bringing up a group of first-class violoncellists, with A.V. Verzhbilovich, D.S. Bzul, N.N. Loganovsky, and V.P. Gutor among his Petersburg students. He wrote a book called School for Violoncello (Russian translation - Moscow., 1947). As a composer, he wrote two operas, a symphonic poem called The Gifts of Terek, several chamber ensemble pieces and numerous violoncello compositions, including four concertos for violoncello and orchestra.

References: Гинзбург Л. С. История виолончельного искусства. М., 1965. Кн. 3.

A. L. Porfiryeva. Bzul Dmitry Stepanovich
Davydov Karl Yulievich
Gutor V.P.
Loganovsky N.N.
Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolay Andreevich
Rubinstein Anton Grigorievich
Schubert Karl Bogdanovich
Tchaikovsky Peter Ilyich
Verzhbilovich Alexander Valerianovich
Гинзбург Л. С. История виолончельного искусства. М., 1965 Italian Opera
Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory