Ivan Khandoshkin
Encyclopedia
Ivan Yevstafyevich Khandoshkin (1747 – 29 or 30 March 1804) was a Russian violinist and composer. He has been described as "the finest Russian violinist of the eighteenth century". He studied under Tito Porta with other Italian influences being Domenico dall’Oglio and Pietro Peri. He was a musician at the Russian court from 1765, of which he later became kapellmeister
, and he taught violin at the Academy of Fine Arts. He and Potyomkin founded a music academy in Yekaterinoslav in 1785, but this endeavor failed, and Khandoshkin returned to St. Petersburg in 1789.
Ivan was born as a serf but eventually achieved freedom through his music in the court of Tsar Peter III
. As it turns out Tsar Peter was quite a music fan. When his wife, Catherine, forcefully overtook the throne he said that all he wanted was his mistress, his negro, his dog, and his violin. Ivan remained as the court musician. His most notable works are six violin sonatas and several pieces based on folk songs. He is famous for being one of, if not the first, musical folklorist of the western world. His devotion to writing Russian folk songs can probably be attributed to his background. His music (primarily for the violin) is comparable to music by his contemporaries such as Giuseppe Tartini
's student, Antonio Lolli
(whose stunts on the violin preceded Paganini), Gaetano Pugnani
, Ludwig Spohr, and many others. His music was unfamiliar to the average western ear until recently, when violinist Anastasia Khitruk discovered some of the sheet music and began performing several works, and later recorded them for Naxos #8.570028 in St. Petersburg at St. Cathrine's Church in 2005.
The so-called "Khandoshkin's viola concerto in C Major, written in 1801" published for the first time by the State Publishing House, Moscow, in 1947 and released in the former Soviet Union on Melodya, with Rudolf Barshai
, playing viola and conducting the Moscow Chamber Orchestra in reality is not a Khandoshkin' composition, but a musical hoax
by Mikhail Goldstein
.
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
, and he taught violin at the Academy of Fine Arts. He and Potyomkin founded a music academy in Yekaterinoslav in 1785, but this endeavor failed, and Khandoshkin returned to St. Petersburg in 1789.
Ivan was born as a serf but eventually achieved freedom through his music in the court of Tsar Peter III
Peter III of Russia
Peter III was Emperor of Russia for six months in 1762. He was very pro-Prussian, which made him an unpopular leader. He was supposedly assassinated as a result of a conspiracy led by his wife, who succeeded him to the throne as Catherine II.-Early life and character:Peter was born in Kiel, in...
. As it turns out Tsar Peter was quite a music fan. When his wife, Catherine, forcefully overtook the throne he said that all he wanted was his mistress, his negro, his dog, and his violin. Ivan remained as the court musician. His most notable works are six violin sonatas and several pieces based on folk songs. He is famous for being one of, if not the first, musical folklorist of the western world. His devotion to writing Russian folk songs can probably be attributed to his background. His music (primarily for the violin) is comparable to music by his contemporaries such as Giuseppe Tartini
Giuseppe Tartini
Giuseppe Tartini was an Italian baroque composer and violinist.-Biography:Tartini was born in Piran, a town on the peninsula of Istria, in the Republic of Venice to Gianantonio – native of Florence – and Caterina Zangrando, a descendant of one of the oldest aristocratic Piranian families.It...
's student, Antonio Lolli
Antonio Lolli
Antonio Lolli was an Italian violinist and composer.- Life :Lolli, who was born ca. 1725 in Bergamo, Italy, was one of the foremost Italian violinists of the 18th century...
(whose stunts on the violin preceded Paganini), Gaetano Pugnani
Gaetano Pugnani
Gaetano Pugnani was born in Turin. He trained on the violin under Giovanni Battista Somis and Giuseppe Tartini. In 1752, Pugnani became the first violinist of the Royal Chapel in Turin. Then he went on a large tour that granted him great fame for his extraordinary skill on the violin...
, Ludwig Spohr, and many others. His music was unfamiliar to the average western ear until recently, when violinist Anastasia Khitruk discovered some of the sheet music and began performing several works, and later recorded them for Naxos #8.570028 in St. Petersburg at St. Cathrine's Church in 2005.
The so-called "Khandoshkin's viola concerto in C Major, written in 1801" published for the first time by the State Publishing House, Moscow, in 1947 and released in the former Soviet Union on Melodya, with Rudolf Barshai
Rudolf Barshai
Rudolf Borisovich Barshai was a Soviet/Russian conductor and violist.Barshai was born in Stanitsa Lobinskaya, Krasnodar Krai, and studied at the Moscow Conservatory under Lev Tseitlin and Vadim Borisovsky. He performed as a soloist as well as together with Sviatoslav Richter, David Oistrakh, and...
, playing viola and conducting the Moscow Chamber Orchestra in reality is not a Khandoshkin' composition, but a musical hoax
Musical hoax
A Musical Hoax is a piece of music composed by an individual or group who intentionally misattribute it to someone else.- Musical hoaxes ascribed to historical figures :Henri Casadesus...
by Mikhail Goldstein
Mikhail Goldstein
Mikhail Emanuilovich Goldstein , was a Soviet composer and violinist of Ukrainian-Jewish origin, brother of prominent violinist Boris Goldstein.-Biography:...
.