Anatoly Lyadov: biography, interesting facts, videos, creativity

Anatoly Konstantinovich Lyadov

This composer did not compose large works, in his creative heritage there are no operas or symphonies, but, nevertheless, in Russian music he took a prominent place and made a considerable contribution to its development. His name is Anatoly Konstantinovich Lyadov - an unsurpassed master of musical miniatures. He wrote a few works, but what! His creations are real masterpieces in which he meticulously honed every note. Lyadov was a bright and original man, in his art he wanted to reflect what he lacked in everyday life - a fairy tale.

A brief biography of Anatoly Lyadov and many interesting facts about the composer can be found on our page.

Short biography Lyadova

May 11, 1855 in the family of the conductor of the Imperial Opera and Ballet Konstantin Nikolaevich Lyadov, well-known in musical circles of St. Petersburg, a joyful event occurred: a boy was born, to whom happy parents gave the beautiful name Anatoly. The mother of the baby, Ekaterina Andreevna, was a talented pianist, but, unfortunately, she left the life early, leaving her husband Valentina and son Tolya, who was six years old at the time. The father loved his children very much, but in order to support his family, he had to work a lot, so the brother and sister, who grew up without maternal attention, care and love, were actually left to themselves. A disorderly bohemian atmosphere reigned in the house, which had a negative effect on the personality of the future composer. Passivity, internal lack of integrity and lack of will - such psychological features acquired from childhood subsequently adversely affected his creative work.

Theatrical childhood

Biography Lyadov says that already from an early age, the boy began to show amazing versatile talents, and not only musical talent, but also excellent artistic and poetic abilities. Anatoly received his first piano lessons from his aunt V.А. Antipova, although it should be noted that these classes were inconstant, but the first school where the boy’s musical development was very intensive was the Mariinsky Theater (his father often took his children to work). Interesting communication with talented people, the presence of musical performances at rehearsals, the ability to listen to opera and symphonic music - all this had a beneficial effect on the future musician. He memorized the parts of many opera heroes and then emotionally portrayed them at home in front of the mirror. In addition, in the theater, Anatoly had another lesson, which he gladly performed - this is the role of a statistician: the boy participated in various crowd scenes.

Studying at the conservatory

Extraordinary musical abilities predetermined the future of the younger Lyadov and in 1867 his relatives sent him to study at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Anatoly had to part with his parental home, as for family reasons (his father’s illness) he was placed in an AS pension. Shustova, whence on holidays and holidays of the boy on rest were taken away by relatives on the maternal line. Lyadov’s conservative teachers were A.A. Panov (violin class), A.I. Rubts (music theory), J. Johannsen (theory, harmony), F. Begrov and A. Dubasov (piano class). The study did not give the young man much pleasure, he was not very diligent and often missed classes. However, Lyadov showed interest in theoretical disciplines and studied in depth the counterpoint. Anatoly had a great desire to get into the composition class of Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov and he succeeded. In the fall of 1874, a young man became a student of an outstanding maestro, who immediately praised his talent. Nevertheless, the authority of the famous teacher could not affect the negligent student: in the spring of 1875 he did not appear for the exam, and six months later he was expelled from the number of students.

Outside the walls of the Conservatory, Lyadov spent two years, but this time was not in vain for him, since the young man was very closely associated with the composers of the “Mighty Handful”. Members of the community: Stasov, Mussorgsky and Borodin were introduced by Rimsky-Korsakov at a time when an eminent professor admired the talents of his student and did not resent him for his careless attitude to school. In addition, in the Balakirev circle, Anatoly met Alexander Glazunov, with whom a strong friendship continued, which lasted throughout his life. Kuchkists treated the young talent very warmly, because, despite the youthful age, he managed to establish himself as a professional musician. For example, in the winter of 1876, Mily Balakirev asked Lyadov to help prepare for re-issuing a score of operatic works of M.I. Glinka. This work was done so thoroughly that Rimsky-Korsakov changed his attitude towards the disobedient student, and even soon they became good friends.

In 1878, Lyadov appealed to the Directorate of the Conservatory with a request for his restoration. The petition was granted, and in the spring he graduated with honors from an educational institution, submitting to the examination board a cantata written with great professionalism for the final scene of F. Schiller's drama “The Messina's Bride”. The Art Council of the Conservatory awarded Lyadov a small silver medal, but with the proviso: the graduate will receive it when he passes the debt in scientific subjects. In addition, the management of the institution offered Anatoly Konstantinovich to take the position of a teacher in theoretical subjects and instrumentation in his native alma mater. He agreed and subsequently engaged in teaching throughout his life, bringing up many outstanding musicians.

Creative rise

The following 1879 also brought Lyadov many new impressions. In the Petersburg circle of music lovers, he debuted as a conductor for the first time, and here he met a great music lover, Mitrofan Petrovich Belyaev, who played the viola in this amateur group. This acquaintance smoothly flowed into a friendship. Since 1884, the philanthropist began organizing musical evenings of chamber music in his house every week, which marked the beginning of a community of outstanding musicians, and which later became known as the Belyaevsky Circle. And from next year, when Belyaev founded a publishing company in Germany, Lyadov was entrusted with the selection and editing of new works by Russian composers. According to Lyadov’s biography, the year 1884 was also marked by a very important event, but already in Anatoly Konstantinovich’s personal life: he married Tolkacheva Nadezhda Ivanovna, with whom he lived happily until the end of his days. In the same year, at the invitation of Balakirev, appointed manager of the Court Singing Chapel, the composer, he began working as a teacher of theoretical disciplines in the regent and instrumental classes of the main choir of Russia, and in 1886 he became a professor in the conservatory.

During this period, in music circles in St. Petersburg, Lyadov became known not only as a composer, but also as a conductor, in this role he successfully performed in the Russian Symphony Concerts founded by Mitrofan Belyaev. 1887 for Anatoly Konstantinovich was marked by acquaintance with Tchaikovsky and Rubinstein. He subsequently conducted in organized by Anton G. "Public Symphony Concerts." In 1889, at the invitation of Belyaev, Lyadov visited Paris at the World Art Exhibition. There the philanthropist arranged concerts at which works of Russian composers sounded, including Anatoly Konstantinovich.

By the mid-nineties, Lyadov’s authority as a composer, conductor and teacher had reached its peak. In 1894, he met Alexander Scriabin and moved closer to Sergei Taneyev, who came to St. Petersburg for the production of the opera Oresteia.

Difficult years of the twentieth century

The first years of the twentieth century brought great disappointment to Lyadov, since in 1904 his great friend Mitrofan Belyaev passed away. According to the patron of the philanthropist, Anatoly Konstantinovich became a member of the board of trustees, organized to reward local musicians and composers. Then came the bloody year 1905. Lyadov, along with other teachers in support of the dismissed Rimsky-Korsakov, left the walls of the conservatory and returned there only after Glazunov took the post of director. The last decade in the composer's life was constantly darkened by the loss of people close to him: Stasov died in 1906, and Rimsky-Korsakov did not become in 1908. The sad experiences of the loss of friends had a strong effect on the health of Anatoly Konstantinovich, and in 1911 he himself was struck down by a serious illness, from which he could not recover. Doctors prescribed him a careful attitude. Lyadov almost did not go anywhere, only sometimes he visited the conservatory. Nevertheless, the merits of the composer were vividly noted in 1913. The St. Petersburg Conservatory celebrated the 35th anniversary of his creative activity. Then again there were strong shocks. In the fall of 1913, Lyadov’s beloved older sister, Valentina Konstantinovna Pomazanskaya, died, and in the summer of the next, the composer spent his eldest son in military service. Experiences broke Anatoly Konstantinovich. The composer died on August 28, 1914 in the village of Polynovka - the estate of his wife, located near the town of Borovichi.

Interesting facts about Lyadov

• When Mitrofan Belyaev founded a music publishing company in Leipzig, he ordered Lyadov to be engaged in updating the works being prepared for publication. Anatoly Konstantinovich was so scrupulously doing this work that the patron of the arts jokingly called him "the washerwoman."
• From the biography of Lyadov, we learn that Anatoly Konstantinovich was endowed with many talents. In addition to composer's gift, he had excellent abilities for fine arts and poetic creativity. The witty pictures and poems that have come down to us can be enough to tell about the character of their author. For example, Lyadov drew a lot for his sons, and then arranged whole opening days from his creations, hanging them all over the apartment. At this exhibition one could see caricature full of humor on famous people, as well as images of various mythological creatures: curves of devils or strange looking little men.
• When Lyadov was asked why he preferred to compose small pieces of music, the composer always joked about this that he could not stand the music for more than five minutes.

• Almost all of his writings Lyadov someone dedicated. These could be teachers, relatives, or close friends. He considered it important for him to address the work to a specific person, whom he treated with great love and respect, and it may be why he worked so carefully on each of his creations.
• Many argue that Lyadov was the most lazy Russian music classic and therefore wrote so few works. However, some composer biographers categorically deny this. He was engaged in many pedagogical activities, since it was she who gave Lyadov the opportunity to support his family. In the letters to Belyaev, who wanted Anatoly Konstantinovich to quit his job at the conservatory and fully started writing, the composer rejected any material support from the patron.

• Contemporaries of the composer recalled that Anatoly Konstantinovich was the kindest man. It was always pleasant to communicate with him, as he was able to easily keep up the conversation and be an interesting conversationalist. In addition, Lyadov was also described as a carefree person who loved to put up and have a lot of fun, which probably affected the undermining of health and early departure from life.
• Immediately after the death of Anatoly Lyadov, they buried him in St. Petersburg at the Novodevichy Cemetery, but in 1936 his remains were transferred to the Necropolis of the Alexander Nevsky Monastery.
• Despite the ostentatious bohemian nature, the composer was a secretive man and did not even let his friends to his personal life. In 1882, in the town of Borovichi, he met Tolkacheva Nadezhda, a graduate of the Higher Women's Courses, and in 1884 he married her, without informing anyone. In 1887, the spouse made the composer happy with the birth of a son, who was named Michael. In 1889, the second son, Vladimir, appeared in the Lyadov family. Mikhail and Vladimir Lyadov died in 1942 during the blockade.
• A significant place in the life of Lyadov was occupied by pedagogical activity. He began teaching right after graduating from the conservatory and worked in this field until the last days. The disciples of the outstanding maestro were B. Asafiev, N. Myaskovsky, S. Prokofiev, S. Maikapar, A. Olenin, V. Zolotarev - remarkable personalities who made an invaluable contribution to the development of Russian, and then the Soviet musical culture.

• Anatoly Konstantinovich was very fond of reading and was keenly interested in the novelties that appeared in the literature. He had his own opinion on everything, which he was not afraid to express. For example, everyone knew that he praised Dostoevsky and Chekhov and did not like Gorky and Tolstoy.
• The composer, being in a serious condition and anticipating his demise, burned the sketches of all the works he began before his death.

Creativity Anatoly Lyadov

The creative heritage left by Anatoly Lyadov is relatively small. The composer was engaged in pedagogical activity so much that there was almost no time left for composing music, and he managed to write two or three works at best. Anatoly Konstantinovich gave preference to small musical forms, therefore all his compositions, and up to now has reached more than sixty numbered and about twenty unnumbered opuses, are small works, laconic miniatures, many of which are recognized as unsurpassed masterpieces of musical art. Lyadov worked on the plays very carefully, finely honing every detail, thanks to which the composer’s works, imbued with the spirit of the Russian folk epos, conquer with their expressiveness, melodic melodiousness, gentle lyricism and clarity of musical thinking, and some creations simply fascinate with cheerfulness and humor.

Apart from the four romances written at the age of nine and the music for the fairy tale "The Magic Lamp of Aladdin" written in 1871, the beginning of the composing activity of Lyadov is considered to be 1874. His first works that saw the light and printed as op. 1 were four romance. He created these vocal miniatures, being under the influence of members of the “Mighty Handful”, and, despite good reviews, he never returned to this genre, as he lost all interest in him.

According to the memoirs of his contemporaries, Lyadov was an excellent pianist, obviously therefore among the first compositions he composed were plays for piano. In 1976, Anatoly Konstantinovich creates an original cycle called "Flyers", in which his outstanding composer talent was clearly manifested. Further, the maestro continued to write in the genre of musical miniatures, and from his pen came small pieces in which he perfected his composer's skill, working on each phrase with a piece of jewelry. As a result, the composer presented us with more than 50 magnificent piano works, including arabesques, intermezzo, mazurka, bagatelles, waltzes, mazurka and preludes. They very clearly showed features characteristic of his work, that is, Second part works, brevity and clarity of the musical material.

However, the most famous works of Lyadov are his works for symphony orchestra. They are also written in the genre of musical miniatures and brilliantly confirm the creative evolution of the composer. Of the twelve symphonic compositions of the composer, the picturesque poems “Magic Lake”, “Baba Yaga”, “Kikimora”, “The Sorrowful Song” and the suite “Eight Russian Songs” are very popular.

In addition to these beautiful creations, Anatoly Konstantinovich left to his descendants six chamber-instrumental works, about two hundred arrangements of folk songs, eighteen children's songs, a cantata and several choirs.

Theatrical - musical dynasty Lyadov

Anatoly Konstantinovich belonged to the famous theatrical and musical dynasty in Russia, the founder of which was the composer’s grandfather Nikolai Lyadov. He held the position of conductor in the Philharmonic Society of St. Petersburg. Nikolai Grigorievich had nine children, seven of whom tied their lives with music, and five of them served in the court theaters.

The eldest son Nicholas played the cello in the orchestra of the Imperial Italian Opera.

Alexander worked as a conductor of Russian ballet and court ball orchestra.

Елена была хористкой в Императорской итальянской опере.

Владимир - пел в хоре Мариинского театра и иногда исполнял второстепенные басовые партии в оперных спектаклях.

Konstantin - the father of the composer, served as the conductor of the Russian opera troupe, the first conductor of the Mariinsky Theater.

Subsequently, the Imperial Theater was replenished with the next generation of the Lyadov family. The troupe included two cousins ​​Anatoly Konstantinovich Vera and Maria.

The composer’s sister, Valentina, became a dramatic actress who performed on the stage of the Alexandrian Theater, but both of her husbands, M. Sariotti and I. Pomazansky, were professional musicians.

Anatoly Konstantinovich Lyadov is an outstanding musician, whose classically recognized composer's work is ranked among the "golden fund" of Russian musical culture. Composers of the present time study the art of orchestration and conciseness of musical presentation in his compositions. His works are performed at concert venues around the world, and not only in the original, but also in various modern musical treatments.