Eduard Francevič Nápravník (Russian: Эдуа́рд Фра́нцевич Напра́вник; 24 August 1839 – 10 November 1916[1]) was a Czech conductor and composer. Nápravník settled in Russia and is best known for his leading role in Russian musical life as the principal conductor of the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg for many decades. In that capacity, he conducted the premieres of many operas by Russian composers, including those by Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov.
Nápravník was born in Býšť, Bohemia, in 1839. His studies of music were precariously uneven as a child, being the son of a poor teacher. Orphaned in 1853 at the age of 14, he first worked as a local church organist. In 1854 he entered the Prague Organ School, where he studied under Jan Bedřich Kittl and others, eventually becoming an assistant teacher as Kittl's generosity allowed him to continue his studies. In 1861, he worked in Russia for the first time as conductor of the private orchestra of Prince Yusupov in St. Petersburg.
In November 1875, Nápravník conducted the first performance in Russia of Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto with Gustav Kross as soloist (whose playing was described by the composer as "an atrocious cacophony"). Nápravník is also well known for leading the second — and overwhelmingly persuasive — performance of Tchaikovsky's Pathétique symphony on 6/18 November 1893, twelve days after the composer's death.[2] The premiere, under the composer's baton, had not fared so well, partly due to the audience's and the orchestra's unfamiliarity with a work that contained so many novelties, compositionally speaking, and partly due to Tchaikovsky's conducting (although Rimsky protested after that second performance, in his autobiography Moy Muzikalny Zhizn [My Musical Life], that the first performance had also gone well under the baton of its creator). Under Nápravník's baton, however, and under the solemn influence of Tchaikovsky's sudden passing, the work was seen as a masterpiece with an overwhelming emotional message. It included some minor corrections that Tchaikovsky had made after the premiere, and was thus the first performance of the work in the exact form in which it is known today.[3]
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 27 and Fantasie Russe in B minor, Op. 39. Yevgeny Soifertis, piano; BBC Scottish Orchestra conducted by Alexander Titov (Hyperion CDA67511).
Night Intermezzo (from opera "Dubrovsky" (Act IV); Melancholy, Op. 48 No. 3 [with music by Anatole Liadov] The USSR Symphony Orchestra, conductor Evgeni Svetlanov (Melodiya SUCD 10-00140, 1990)
Legacy
A school in the village of Býšť bears Nápravník's name today.
His son Vladimir published a book about his father's life: Eduard Frantsovich Napravnik i ego sovremenniki, ISBN5-7140-0412-4, 1991, in Russian.
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Eduard Napravnik news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message Eduard Francevic Napravnik Russian Edua rd Fra ncevich Napra vnik 24 August 1839 10 November 1916 1 was a Czech conductor and composer Napravnik settled in Russia and is best known for his leading role in Russian musical life as the principal conductor of the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg for many decades In that capacity he conducted the premieres of many operas by Russian composers including those by Mussorgsky Tchaikovsky and Rimsky Korsakov Eduard Napravnik Contents 1 Biography 2 Compositions 2 1 Operas 2 2 Orchestral and choral 2 3 Chamber music 2 4 Incidental music 3 Selected discography 4 Legacy 5 Quotations 6 References 7 External linksBiography EditNapravnik was born in Byst Bohemia in 1839 His studies of music were precariously uneven as a child being the son of a poor teacher Orphaned in 1853 at the age of 14 he first worked as a local church organist In 1854 he entered the Prague Organ School where he studied under Jan Bedrich Kittl and others eventually becoming an assistant teacher as Kittl s generosity allowed him to continue his studies In 1861 he worked in Russia for the first time as conductor of the private orchestra of Prince Yusupov in St Petersburg Napravnik became organist and assistant conductor at the Imperial theatres in 1863 second conductor in 1867 and chief conductor succeeding Liadov in 1869 holding the post until his death He led the first performances of Boris Godunov in 1874 conducted five operas by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky including The Maid of Orleans Mazepa and The Queen of Spades and five by Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov including May Night The Snow Maiden and Christmas Eve He also conducted concerts of the Russian Musical Society In 1914 after a productive career in the service of Russian opera he was forced to retire due to ill health In November 1875 Napravnik conducted the first performance in Russia of Tchaikovsky s First Piano Concerto with Gustav Kross as soloist whose playing was described by the composer as an atrocious cacophony Napravnik is also well known for leading the second and overwhelmingly persuasive performance of Tchaikovsky s Pathetique symphony on 6 18 November 1893 twelve days after the composer s death 2 The premiere under the composer s baton had not fared so well partly due to the audience s and the orchestra s unfamiliarity with a work that contained so many novelties compositionally speaking and partly due to Tchaikovsky s conducting although Rimsky protested after that second performance in his autobiography Moy Muzikalny Zhizn My Musical Life that the first performance had also gone well under the baton of its creator Under Napravnik s baton however and under the solemn influence of Tchaikovsky s sudden passing the work was seen as a masterpiece with an overwhelming emotional message It included some minor corrections that Tchaikovsky had made after the premiere and was thus the first performance of the work in the exact form in which it is known today 3 Of Napravnik s own four operas the most successful was Dubrovsky 1894 staged 1895 written to a Russian libretto by Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky after the story by Alexander Pushkin He died in Petrograd in 1916 In May 1917 his family went abroad and eventually settled in Belgium His wife was singer Olga Shryoder ru Olga Eduardovna Shryoder Compositions EditOperas Edit Nizhegorodtzy The Nizhniy Novgorodians 1867 staged 1868 Harold 1884 staged 1885 Dubrovsky libretto by Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky 1894 staged 1895 Francesca da Rimini after Stephen Phillips s play based on the fragment from Dante s Divine Comedy 1902 Orchestral and choral Edit Ballads for voices and orchestra The Voyevode The Cossack and Tamara after Mikhail Lermontov Four symphonies 1860 1879 No 3 The Demon after Lermontov s poem of the same name Suite for Orchestra Solemn Overture Marches and national dances for orchestra Fantasy and suite for violin and orchestra Concerto for piano and orchestra Concerto symphonique in A minor Op 27 1877 Fantasy on Russian themes Fantaisie russe for piano and orchestra in B minor Op 39 1881 Chamber music Edit Three string quartets 1873 78 String quintet 1897 Two piano trios Piano quartet Violin and piano sonata Two suites for cello and piano String instrument and piano piecesIncidental music Edit Don Juan incidental music for Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy s play 1892 Selected discography EditPiano Concerto in A minor Op 27 and Fantasie Russe in B minor Op 39 Yevgeny Soifertis piano BBC Scottish Orchestra conducted by Alexander Titov Hyperion CDA67511 Night Intermezzo from opera Dubrovsky Act IV Melancholy Op 48 No 3 with music by Anatole Liadov The USSR Symphony Orchestra conductor Evgeni Svetlanov Melodiya SUCD 10 00140 1990 Legacy EditA school in the village of Byst bears Napravnik s name today His son Vladimir published a book about his father s life Eduard Frantsovich Napravnik i ego sovremenniki ISBN 5 7140 0412 4 1991 in Russian Quotations Edit Mr Napravnik is our well known Russian orchestra conductor Fyodor Dostoyevsky The Brothers Karamazov 1880 book 2 chapter 2 References Edit Dates follow the Julian calendar which Russia used up to 31 January 1918 Alexander Poznansky Tchaikovsky The Quest for the Inner Man p 603 Tchaikovsky ResearchExternal links EditShort biography Free scores by Eduard Napravnik at the International Music Score Library Project IMSLP Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eduard Napravnik amp oldid 1101223206, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
