Ossovsky А.V., (1871-1957), music theorist

Categories / Science. Education/Personalia
OSSOVSKY Alexander Vyacheslavovich (1871-1957, Leningrad), music theorist, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (1943), Honoured Worker of Arts of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1938). Ossovsky graduated from the Law Faculty of Moscow State University (1893). In 1894-1917 he worked for the Ministry of Justice in St. Petersburg, and in 1896-98 was enrolled in the Conservatory and studied composition under N. А. Rimsky-Korskakov (1900-02). Later he attended the Korsakovs' Music Wednesdays, and made friends with many prominent musicians. In 1894-1917 Ossovsky became famous as a talented and prolific musical critic contributing to St. Petersburg Musical Assemblies Reports, Russkaya Muzykalnaya Gazeta (Russian Musical Newspaper), Slovo and Apollon journals. In 1915-17 he was a member of the editorial board of Muzykalny Sovremennik (Musical Contemporary), and in 1905-17 co-organised A. I. Ziloti’s Concerts and wrote numerous reviews of the series. In 1918-21 he lived in Ukraine. Upon returning to Petrograd he carried on his scholastic and educational activities. In 1915-18 and in 1921-52 he served as Professor in the Conservatory, and from 1921 until 1923 — at Petrograd University. Ossovsky also worked in the Musical Culture Department of the Hermitage (1931-33), and in 1923-25 served as director of the Philharmonic Society. In 1933-36 he stepped in again as acting artistic director of the Philharmonic Society. Starting in 1921 he cooperated with the Institute of History of Arts, and from 1937 to the time of his death served as director of the Institute. After the Great Patriotic War 1941-45 he published a scholarly edition of M. I. Glinka's, Rimsky-Korsakov's and A. K. Glazunov's literary legacy. In the 1930s Ossovsky lived at 3 Theatre Square. He is buried at Literatorskie Mostki.

Works: Selected articles, reminiscences. Leningrad, 1961; Reminiscences. Research works. Leningrad, 1968.

A. L. Porfiryeva. Glazunov Alexander Konstantinovich
Glinka Mikhail Ivanovich
Ossovsky Alexander Vyacheslavovich
Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolay Andreevich
Teatralnaya Square/Saint Petersburg, city, house 3
Избранные статьи, воспоминания. Л., 1961
Воспоминания. Исследования. Л., 1968 Russian Academy of Sciences
Ministry of Justice
Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory
Apollon (Apollo), journal
Hermitage
Philharmonic named after D.D. Shostakovich
Institute of Art History
Literatorskie (Literary) Mostki, the museum-necropolis