Music – Discovered Treasures - The romantic cello of Karl Davydov

For me, one of the great things about writing this blog is sharing the things you learn along the way.   Our highly regimented and layered system of education does not encourage the old-fashioned pursuit of knowledge for knowledge’s sake – which is a pity, because there is so much out there to be experienced and learned.  And I’m not talking about the latest IPhone or base-jumping off a cliff (which gives new meaning to the old parental admonition, “If all your friends jumped off a cliff….”) – no, I’m speaking about what used to be termed “the life of the mind,” the constant, insatiable drive and curiosity to learn new things as way of improving and enriching not only our material life, but our intellectual and spiritual one as well.

This intellectual curiosity is not exclusively the province of college profs and big city intelligentsia – it belongs to everyone.  One doesn’t need to be enrolled in a class to learn, and with the advent of the internet everything you need is at your fingertips.  A little curiosity and some ingenuity can yield highly rewarding results.  This is especially true in classical music.  The history of Western Music is not just the big names; it is an impressive and integral part of the cultural development of the West – and as such, encompasses thousands of musicians, whose contributions helped shape the cultural milieu in which the big names flourished.  As classical music ceased to be a great popular art form, truly great musicians and their music often fell by the wayside.  Occasionally, in my studies, I come across a composer who has slipped from the popular consciousness, but whose music is beautiful and profound – and more importantly, speaks to the heart and soul.  Sharing those discovered treasures, my dear readers, is the joy of writing to you.

 

 Karl Davydov

Today’s discovered treasure is the nineteenth century Russian cellist and composer, Karl Davydov.  Davydov was born on March 15, 1838 in Latvia, into a musical family (his father was a doctor and amateur violnist.)  All the Davydov children were instructed in music (his brother, Alexei, also became a cellist), but Karl was clearly gifted.  He began his studies at five with the piano, but took up the cello at age twelve and had a natural affinity for the instrument.  His talent was plain and he studied cello under Heinrich Schmidt, principal cellist of the Moscow Theater.  Although he was clearly destined for a career in music, his parents insisted that he finish his education; and so Karl studied mathematics at St. Petersburg University.  After completing that course of study, Davydov went back to music, studying composition with Moritz Hauptmann at the Leipzig Conservatory.

Although Davydov originally wanted to be a full-time composer, while studying at Leipzig, he was called on at the last minute to fill in for the famed cellist Grutzmacher at a concert and was a sensation.  He took up performance as a cellist full-time and toured Europe (although he continued to compose.)  Davydov would succeed Grutzmacher as the professor of cello at Leipzig, before returning to Russia.  He was hailed as the greatest cellist of his age – no less an authority than Tchaikovsky called him the “Tsar of Cellists.”  Davydov’s reputation was so great that in 1870, the arts patron Count Wilhorsky presented him with 1712 Stradvarius cello  (that cello, now known as the Davydov Stradvarius is currently on loan to Yo-Yo Ma.)

 Davydov, left

In 1876, Davydov was named Director of the St. Petersburg Conservatory (the other candidate was Tchaikovsky.)  His idyllic life as Director and international musical celebrity was disrupted in 1887, when it was discovered he was involved in a scandalous affair with a beautiful young student.  He was forced to leave Russia for year, but returned to resume concertizing.  In 1889 (at age fifty) he was suddenly taken ill during a performance of a Beethoven cello sonata, and died shortly thereafter.  All of musical Russia and Europe mourned.

Davydov continued to compose throughout his career (he transcribed many Chopin pieces for cello and piano.)  His original works were mostly for the cello, including four Cello Concertos.  As with most composers who were accomplished soloists, and who were active before the advent of recording, we can learn a great deal about Davydov the cellist from listening to his music, most especially his cello concertos.  He was firmly planted in the Russian romantic school of his time, and his music is technically challenging for the soloist.  So for today’s Discovered Treasure, we have Karl Davydov’s Cello Concerto No. 2 in A Minor.  Enjoy!

Movement 1 – Allegro

Movement 2 – Andante

Movement 3 – Allegro con brio

To return to the thought that began this reflection, I first heard about Davydov when I read Tchaikovsky’s “Tsar of Cellists” quote.   Anybody so highly praised by such a genius is worth looking up – and he was.