Karl Davydov: Cello Concerto No 2 in A minor, Op. 14

Karl Davydov (1838-1889)
Cello Concerto No. 2 in A minor, Op. 14
I. Allegro
II. Andante 11:24
III. Allegro con brio 19:52
Marina Tarasova, cello
Davydov Symphony Orchestra
Konstantin Krimetz, conductor
Karl Yulievich Davydov (15 March 1838 -- 26 February 1889) was a Russian cellist of great renown during his time, and described by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky as the "tsar of cellists". Arensky dedicated his first piano trio to Davydov's memory. He was also a composer, mainly for the cello, composing 4 concertos for his instrument.
Davydov was the son of a Jewish physician from Courland, Latvia. His elder brother August Davydov was a noted mathematician and educator, and his nephew Alexei Davidov also became cellist and composer and also a businessman.
In his youth Davydov studied mathematics at St. Petersburg University, and then pursued a career as a composer, studying with Moritz Hauptmann 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.
In 1870 Count Wilhorsky, a patron of the arts, presented Davydov with a Stradivarius cello constructed in 1712. This cello, now known as the Davidov Stradivarius, was owned by Jacqueline du Pré until her death and is currently on loan to cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
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.

[@wcsxwcsx]

Yet another wonderful forgotten composer I now know about. It never seems to end.

[@Indo49]

Right. Great. What a very nice and impressive cello concerto. Thank you for the upload.

[@user-eb4xf7eu2m]

So beautiful music. I believe one of the finest cello concerto of the world.

[@petersimon5231]

How come the 'greats' of the cello didn't discover and perform Davidov's absolutely amazing concertos?? Great thanks to Ms Tarasova for her wonderful, passionate, perhaps perfectly understanding and felt rendition! Second to none. Amazing!!!

[@juristasiuk]

Огромное спасибо всем исполнителям!

[@theopaopa1]

great interpretation and very beautiful music, thank you !

[@juristasiuk]

Браво! Отличная музыка и прекрасное исполнение!!!

[@FedorAmosov]

Good music and hysterically presented performance. Poor Krimetz, he was a legend.

[@christinesloss4720]

Awesome! Love this piece!!!

[@tonyrothman]

Amazing that it's not part of the standard repertoire.

[@basb0y]

+Tony Rothman It is a shame yes. In "cello-land" it is a bit regarded as good study material for the advanced student. It sounds raving quite "easily", and all the difficult fingerings are remarkably cellist chosen. I like playing it myself for that reason and now and then play it through, musing the orchestral parts along. Someone once told me Karl Davydov was the most agreeable composer ever to exist, and playing these notes you do get that feeling, and every time playing it I thank him for that!

[@antonioduqueamusco8793]

Magnífico concierto de un gran compositor, poco conocido y con poca difusión actual de su música. Merece la pena.

[@LuizBHMG]

Wunderschönes Konzert!!!

[@johnruggeri843]

Thank you for posting. The music and performance are beautiful to my ears and heart.

[@marcelproust57]

A beautiful music.I like it very much.

[@jackfletcher1000]

i thank you sir, are you an admirer of this neglected master, as I am

[@pingaudguillaume2095]

négligé,oui je le suis!

[@shih-hsuanlee3022]

such a nice piece!!

[@user-uy3hp6ky8w]

Очень сумбурно!!!

[@emor5322]

Да, и это не дает услышать музыку(((

[@patricklebron3882]

Brabo demais!

[@lebedevdenis]

великолепно!

[@jackfletcher1000]

Thank you for the Grechaninov, I have the symphonies by Fibich if you are interested

[@angusfong762]

9:29 to 9:54 So beautiful

[@altaydidin7704]

I heard as a cellist but didn't know his compositions.

[@7777Scion]

His work was played to Samuel Barber by a close friend.

[@jackfletcher1000]

Any body got anything by Grechaninov a contemporary of Tchaikovsky and very underrated

[@JAMESLEVEE]

+Jack Fletcher His Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 8 is on YT. You can find it on my channel.

[@75Chopin]

Didn't even know he composed ! Shame we don't hear of his works at all.

[@antonioduqueamusco8793]

La historia del cello "Davydov" hasta llegar a Yo Yo Ma es muy interesante, sobre todo después de ser propietaria del mismo Jacqueline du Pre.

[@MsVerlinden]

nerveux somptueux de la belle musique

[@eliaskorcia9489]

à Robert , voyez -vous on ne peut plus jouer des centaines de fois à longueur d'années les mêmes concertos de Dvorak/Schumann/ lalo / Saint-Saëns ! à la fin , le répertoire comme l'instrument se nécrosent .... Il y a des dizaines (centaines ?) de magnifiques concertos écrits à cette époque . Je dois à Davydov l'' amour de la musique , du travail assidu et bien sûr de ses compositions que je préfère aux autres . Je n'ai jamais douté un instant que ces concertos sont excellents , que leur oubli d'où ils commencent enfin à sortir est terminé ..... Leur exécution donnent tort à ceux nombreux en France qui pensent que cette musique n' est pas de la musique, tout au plus de second rang et pour élèves studieux et brillants . Nous sommes bien devant des chefs -d'œuvres certes exigeants mais si enivrants pour les exécutants et le public . Davydov était le plus grand des violoncellistes , immensément aimé de ses contemporains ( Brahms et Tchaïkovski entre autres ) , une personnalité musicale et humaine de premier plan . Qu'il repose en paix , qu'il vive toujours en nous par sa musique qui nous a touchée. "Nous" violoncellistes , nous l' aimons et le reco car sans elle ??? . cordialement .... Roger Korcia Girard

[@xavierbordes1373]

Belle oeuvre, complètement ignorée...

[@piotrgach5073]

Aleksander Wierzbiłłowicz