Lydia Davydova
Encyclopedia
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
: Лидия Анатольевна Давыдова) (19 January 1932 – 2 March 2011) was a Russian soprano and a chamber music performer. Spending much of her life and career in Moscow, she was artistic director of the "Madrigal" early music ensemble
Madrigal (ensemble)
The Ensemble Madrigal is an early music group. It was formed in 1965 by the Russian composer and harpsichord player Andrey Volkonsky to perform Russian and Western sacred music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Baroque eras....
and was decorated People's Artist of Russia
People's Artist of Russia
People's Artist of Russia, also sometimes translated as National Artist of Russia, is an honorary title granted to citizens of Russia.It succeeded both the all-Soviet union award People's Artist of the USSR , and more directly the local republic award, People's Artist of the RSFSR , after the...
(2001).
Biography and career
Davydova’s father, a chemical engineer, and her mother, a singer, had left their daughter an orphan when she was only 14. Her aunt, the singer M. Hortik, and her mother’s cousin, the famous Russian pianist, music teacher and composer Samuil FeinbergSamuil Feinberg
Samuil Yevgenyevich Feinberg was a Russian and Soviet composer and pianist. Raised in Moscow, he entered the Moscow Conservatory and studied under Alexander Goldenweiser. He is most remembered today for his complete recording of Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier and many transcriptions. Feinberg...
, played a crucial part in her life and upbringing.
As a child she studied piano at a music school in Leningrad, later at the music college associated with St. Petersburg Conservatory, and later yet at the college associated with Moscow Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
. In 1957 she graduated from Moscow Conservatory, where she studied piano performance with Nina Emelyanova (a former student of Feinberg's). Despite her lifelong desire to become a singer and the lessons she took with M. Hortik, for a long time Davydova’s vocal talent remained unappreciated. Eight times she applied to vocal departments of the Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
and other music colleges in Moscow but was not admitted. While studying piano at the Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
she took lessons with the legendary voice couch Dora Belyavskaya, who also doubted that Davydova would ever become a professional singer.
The key role in “discovering” Davydova as a singer belongs to the composer Andrei Volkonsky
Andrei Volkonsky
Prince Andrei Mikhaylovich Volkonsky also Andrey, André, Mikhailovich, Michailovich, Volkonski, Volkonskiy, etc. was a Russian composer of classical music, conductor and harpsichordist. He was a key figure in Early Music Revival in Russia.-Biography:...
. The first performance of his Mirror Suite at the Moscow Conservatory (1962) became the debut and an astounding success of the singer. In the following years she participated in various concert projects of the composer. In 1965 Volkonsky
Andrei Volkonsky
Prince Andrei Mikhaylovich Volkonsky also Andrey, André, Mikhailovich, Michailovich, Volkonski, Volkonskiy, etc. was a Russian composer of classical music, conductor and harpsichordist. He was a key figure in Early Music Revival in Russia.-Biography:...
founded an early music ensemble, “Madrigal”, with Davydova as its soloist. The ensemble has pioneered performance of the Renaissance and Early Baroque vocal music in the USSR. After Volkonsky
Andrei Volkonsky
Prince Andrei Mikhaylovich Volkonsky also Andrey, André, Mikhailovich, Michailovich, Volkonski, Volkonskiy, etc. was a Russian composer of classical music, conductor and harpsichordist. He was a key figure in Early Music Revival in Russia.-Biography:...
had emigrated to France in 1972, Davydova directed “Madrigal” until 1983 and again returned as the ensemble’s artistic director in 1992. During performances of the ensemble she often accompanies other soloists on a harpsichord. Davydova remains the follower and one of the principal keepers of Volkonsky’s
Andrei Volkonsky
Prince Andrei Mikhaylovich Volkonsky also Andrey, André, Mikhailovich, Michailovich, Volkonski, Volkonskiy, etc. was a Russian composer of classical music, conductor and harpsichordist. He was a key figure in Early Music Revival in Russia.-Biography:...
artistic creed in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Davydova focuses primarily on performing the most difficult vocal chamber music. In parallel with performing early music with “Madrigal”, she performed works by the 20th century composers as a soloist. She was the first to introduce Soviet listeners to vocal works of the contemporary Western composers: Charles Ives
Charles Ives
Charles Edward Ives was an American modernist composer. He is one of the first American composers of international renown, though Ives' music was largely ignored during his life, and many of his works went unperformed for many years. Over time, Ives came to be regarded as an "American Original"...
, Béla Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
, Luciano Berio
Luciano Berio
Luciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian composer. He is noted for his experimental work and also for his pioneering work in electronic music.-Biography:Berio was born at Oneglia Luciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (October 24, 1925 – May 27, 2003) was an Italian...
, Anton Webern
Anton Webern
Anton Webern was an Austrian composer and conductor. He was a member of the Second Viennese School. As a student and significant follower of Arnold Schoenberg, he became one of the best-known exponents of the twelve-tone technique; in addition, his innovations regarding schematic organization of...
, John Cage
John Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
, and Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith was a German composer, violist, violinist, teacher, music theorist and conductor.- Biography :Born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Hindemith was taught the violin as a child...
. She also sang chamber music of contemporary Russian avant-garde composers. She has premiered works by Andrei Volkonsky
Andrei Volkonsky
Prince Andrei Mikhaylovich Volkonsky also Andrey, André, Mikhailovich, Michailovich, Volkonski, Volkonskiy, etc. was a Russian composer of classical music, conductor and harpsichordist. He was a key figure in Early Music Revival in Russia.-Biography:...
(Mirror Suite, 1962, Laments of Shchaza, 1964?), Edison Denisov
Edison Denisov
Edison Vasilievich Denisov was a Russian composer of so called "Underground" — "Anti-Collectivist", "alternative" or "nonconformist" division in the Soviet music.-Biography:...
(Sun of the Incas, fp 1964), Dmitri Smirnov (The Handful of Sand, fp 1971; The Sorrow of Past Days, fp 1977; The Seasons, fp 1980; Fearful Symmetry, fp 1981; Song of Destiny, fp 1981; Six Poems, fp 1986), Sofia Gubaidulina
Sofia Gubaidulina
Sofia Asgatovna Gubaidulina, is a Russian composer of half Russian, half Tatar ethnicity.Gubaidulina's music is marked by the use of unusual instrumental combinations...
(Roses, fp 1974), Alfred Schnittke
Alfred Schnittke
Alfred Schnittke ; November 24, 1934 – August 3, 1998) was a Russian and Soviet composer. Schnittke's early music shows the strong influence of Dmitri Shostakovich. He developed a polystylistic technique in works such as the epic First Symphony and First Concerto Grosso...
(Three Scenes, fp 1981), and Vyacheslav Artyomov
Vyacheslav Artyomov
Vyacheslav Petrovich Artyomov also Artemov is a Russian and Soviet composer.-Biography:Artyomov first studied physics at the Moscow University, then later studied music. He graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1968 where studied composition with Nikolai Sidelnikov. He became a member of the...
(Invocations, 1981?).
Personal life
Husband: Leonard Daniltsev (1931—1997), a writer and an artist. Children: Gleb Daniltsev (1968) and Mariana Daniltseva (1972).CD
- 2003 — Andrei Volkonsky: Mirror Suite;
- 2003 — Edison Denisov: Les Pleurs;
- 2005 — Igor Stravinsky: Songs (Alexei LubimovAlexei LubimovAlexei Lubimov is a Russian pianist, fortepianist and harpsichordist.Alexei Lubimov studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Heinrich Neuhaus and Lew Naumov...
, piano); - 2007 — Béla Bartók: Vocal Cycles (Alexei LubimovAlexei LubimovAlexei Lubimov is a Russian pianist, fortepianist and harpsichordist.Alexei Lubimov studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Heinrich Neuhaus and Lew Naumov...
, piano).