KARL DAVIDOFF. He may be reckoned amongst the most famous
representatives of his instrument at the present time. He was born on
March 15, 1838, in the little Courland town, Goldingen, where he only
spent, however, the two first years of his life, as his parents went
to Moscow in 1840. He there began his studies with H. SCHMIDT, who was
first Cellist at the Moscow Theatre. He carried on his further studies
under H. Schuberth, in St. Petersburg. He received his theoretical
training from Moritz Hauptmann, in Leipsic, where he appeared at the
Gewandhaus Concert towards the end of 1859. This was such a brilliant
_début_ that, when Fried. Grützmacher was called away from Leipsic to
Dresden in 1860, Davidoff was offered his place, which he accepted.
He did not, however, long fill it, having conceived the desire of
undertaking a tour, which led him into Holland. He then travelled
through Russia, when he returned to St. Petersburg. Not long after he
was appointed Imperial solo cellist, and somewhat later (1862) teacher
at the Imperial Conservatoire. In 1874 he took part in the concerts of
the Paris Conservatoire. Two years after he was named Director of the
Russian Imperial Musical Society in St. Petersburg, as well as Director
of the Conservatoire there. He gave up the latter about two years ago.
Davidoff’s playing is especially distinguished for its perfect accuracy,
as well as by a clever and easy mastery of the greatest difficulties.
His Cello compositions consist of several Concertos and a collection of
agreeable Drawing-room Pieces.
Amongst his pupils are ALBRECHT, KOUSNETZOFF, GLEEN, and WERGBILOWITSCH.
The latter is famous for a fine, full tone. He played the Violoncello in
the Auer String Quartet at St. Petersburg, and is also appreciated as a
solo player.
To the most noteworthy cellists of St. Petersburg belongs also ARVED
POORTEN, born at Riga in 1835. He was Kummer’s pupil in Dresden, and
attended the Brussels Conservatoire afterwards. When he had played
during tours in Russia, Belgium, and Holland, he became a member of the
Russian Imperial band and teacher at the St. Petersburg Conservatoire.
Six “Morceaux caractéristiques” for his instrument appeared in print by
him.
Amongst the younger Russian Cello players of importance must be
mentioned: BRANDOUKOFF, DANIELSCHENKO, and SARADSCHEFF. These owe their
training to William Fitzenhagen,[138] in Moscow.
ANATOLE BRANDOUKOFF, born in 1859 at Moscow, was Fitzenhagen’s pupil
in the Imperial Conservatoire of his birthplace, from September, 1870,
to May, 1878, and received as an acknowledgment on his departure
from the said institution for the distinction he had gained, a gold
medal together with an honourable diploma. His first journey was to
Switzerland, where he gave concerts in Berne and Geneva with success.
He afterwards went to Paris in 1879, appeared there and in other
French towns, and then proceeded to London. He everywhere experienced
favourable receptions. He gave concerts with extraordinary success
during the winter of 1887-1888 at Moscow and St. Petersburg. He chose
Paris as his permanent residence, where he is greatly appreciated not
only as a solo player, but also as a quartet player. Until now only a
Concerto of his Cello compositions has appeared and a few small pieces.
PETER DANIELSCHENKO, born at Kiev in 1860, pursued his studies under
Fitzenhagen, in the Moscow Conservatoire, from 1873-1880. He was
dismissed from there with the small gold medal as well as an honourable
diploma, and, besides, received a special prize for composition. For a
year he was then teacher of Cello playing and theory at the Imperial
Music School in Charkow. During that time he appeared at concerts
successfully in South Russia, and had a brilliant success in 1881
at the Great Exhibition in Moscow. He now entered the Imperial Band
and undertook the Cello instruction at the Institute of Music of the
Philharmonic Society. He remained in that position until 1887. Since
then he has travelled in Switzerland, France, and South Russia.
IVAN SARADSCHEFF, born at Tiflis, in the Caucasus, in 1863, received his
training as cellist from Fitzenhagen at the Imperial Conservatoire in
Moscow, during the years 1879-1886. Distinguished by the grant of the
great silver medal together with a diploma, after his departure from the
Conservatoire he undertook the direction of the Imperial Music School at
Tambov, but soon exchanged this place, in 1887, for that offered to him
of teacher to the Imperial Music School of his birthplace.
* * * * *
Amongst the Slavonian people, the Bohemians take the most prominent
place, having ever distinguished themselves above others of their race
in all that relates to music. The Bohemian Violoncellists of German
extraction have already been noticed in the fifth section of this work.
We shall now consider those of distinctly Slavonic descent.