Karl Yulievich Davydov was a Russian cellist of great renown during his time, and described by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...

 as the "tsar of cellists". Arensky dedicated his first piano trio to Davydov's memory. He was also a composer, mainly for the cello.

Biography

In his youth he studied mathematics

Mathematics

Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...

 at St. Petersburg University, and then pursued a career as a composer, studying with Moritz Hauptmann

Moritz Hauptmann

Moritz Hauptmann , was a German music theorist, teacher and composer.Hauptmann was born in Dresden, and studied violin under Scholz, piano under Franz Lanska, composition under Grosse and Francesco Morlacchi,...

 at the Leipzig Conservatory. He became a full-time cellist in 1850 while continuing to compose in his spare time. He later became head of the St Petersburg Conservatory. He had many students, including Aleksandr Verzhbilovich

Aleksandr Verzhbilovich

Aleksandr Valerianovich Verzhbilovich was a Russian classical cellist of Polish descent.His name also appears as Verzhbilovic, Verzhibilovic, Vierzbilovich, Wierzbillowicz, Wierzbiłłowicz, Wierzbilovich, Wierzbilovicz, and Wierzbilowicz...

.

In 1870 Count Wilhorsky, a patron of the arts, presented Davydov with a Stradivarius

Stradivarius

The name Stradivarius is associated with violins built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari. According to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or reproduce, though this belief is controversial...

 cello

Cello

The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...

 constructed in 1712. This cello, now known as the Davidov Stradivarius

Davidov Stradivarius

The Davidov Stradivarius , is an antique cello fabricated in 1712 by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, Italy. It is very similar in construction and form to the equally famed Duport Stradivarius built a year earlier and played by Mstislav Rostropovich until his death in 2007...

, was owned by Jacqueline du Pré

Jacqueline du Pré

Jacqueline Mary du Pré OBE was a British cellist. She is particularly associated with Elgar's Cello Concerto in E Minor; her interpretation has been described as "definitive" and "legendary." Her career was cut short by multiple sclerosis, which forced her to stop performing at 28 and led to her...

 until her death and is currently on loan to cellist Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma is an American cellist, virtuoso, and orchestral composer. He has received multiple Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts in 2001 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011...

.

He intended to write an opera on the subject of Mazeppa. Viktor Burenin wrote a libretto for this purpose in 1880, but when Davydov proved unable to find the time to compose, Burenin offered the libretto to Tchaikovsky.

Although closely associated with Tchaikovsky, Karl Davydov was not related to the Davydov clan into which Tchaikovsky's sister Alexandra married. Davydov died in Moscow on February 26, 1889

Cello Transcriptions

Davydov (also appeared in different spellings: Davidoff / Davidov) transcribed and arranged Chopin's solo piano works for violoncello and piano accompaniment.
Transcription albums of Walzer and Mazurkas published by Breitkopf & Härtel.
Another transcription album is a selection of Nocturnes and others solo piano works published by Edition Peters.

Works with Opus number

• Opus 5, Cello Concerto No. 1 in B minor (1859)
• Opus 6, Souvenir de Zarizino: 2 salon pieces (Nocturne - Mazurka) for cello and piano
• Opus 7, Fantasie from a Russian folk song for cello and orchestra
• Opus 14, Cello Concerto No. 2 in A minor (1863)(1860?)
• Opus 16, 3 Salon pieces (Mondnacht, Lied, Märchen) for cello and piano
• Opus 17, Souvenirs d'Oranienbaum (Adian - Barcarolle)
• Opus 18, Cello Concerto No. 3 in D major (1868)
• Opus 20, 4 Pieces for Cello and Piano
• No. 1, Sonntag Morgen (Sunday Morning)
• No. 2, Am Springbrunnen (At the Fountain)
• No. 3, An der Wiege
• No. 4, Abenddämmerung
• Opus 23, Romance sans Paroles in G major
• Opus 25, Ballade for cello and orchestra or piano in G major (1875)
• Opus 30, 3 salon pieces
• Opus 31, Cello Concerto No. 4 in E minor (1878)
• Opus 31, String Sextet

"Poltawa", Opera after Pushkin (1876, unfinished)

External links