Stepan Davydov

Stepan Ivanovich Davydov (Russian: Степа́н Ива́нович Давы́дов, Ukrainian: Степа́н Іва́нович Давидів; January 12 [OS January 1] 1777 – May 21 [OS May 9] 1825 in Moscow) was an Imperial Russian composer and singer. He was born in Chernihiv in the Russian Empire (present-day Ukraine).

Biography

When the principal choirboy of the Imperial Court Capella, he drew the attention of the Empress Catherine II, who consigned him to the care of the Italian composer Giuseppe Sarti (1729–1802).

Davydov wrote and published a complete four-part liturgy and 13 Spiritual Choral Concerti, three of which were written for a double chorus. In the field of secular music Davydov participated in the composing of opera tetralogy Mermaid (together with Ferdinand Kauer and Catterino Cavos, 1803–1807, providing the additional music for the 1st, 3rd and 4th parts). He also wrote 10 ballets, various divertissements, a series of choruses to the tragedy Amboar and Aurungzeb (1814), a concert overture and numerous other works.

He held the post of the Kapellmeister of the Imperial Theatres in St Petersburg (1806–1810). From 1810 he taught at the Theatrical School in Moscow.

Operas

Ballets

Bibliography

  • [Ушаков В.], Русский театр. Днепровская русалка..., "Московский телеграф", 1829, .No 23;
  • Рабинович А. С., Русская опера до Глинки, М., 1948;
  • Грачев П. В., С. И. Давыдов, в кн.: Очерки по истории русской музыки. 1790–1825, Л., 1956.