Karl Davidov (1838-1889)

Karl Davidov, a legendary cellist, composer and pedagogue, was born in 1838 in Kuldīga, Latvia (at that time it was known as Goldingen). His father Julius Davidov was a doctor- pediatrician, a well-educated man. He was very good amateur violinist who often played in a spare time.
Karl was still a small boy when his family moved to Moscow. He began piano lessons at the age of five, and took up the cello at twelve with Heinrich Schmidt, principal cellist at the Moscow Theatre After also studying math at Moscow University, Karl Davidov went to Leipzig to study composition with Moritz Hauptmann. In 1860, after V. Seifert’s invitation, he became a soloist of the Gewandhaus Orchestra (Leipzig Philharmonic) and Professor of Leipzig Conservatoire. In 1862 he was invited by Anton Rubinstein to teach at a new St. Petersburg Conservatoire (a first conservatoire in Russia), and later became its director (1876-1887). This time was marked by many reforms and innovations. Davidov also introduced opera and orchestra classes. Several Latvian composers and musicians like Jāzeps Vītols and Andrejs Jurjāns have studied conducting there, and many others like Emīls Dārziņš, Emīls Melngailis, Alfrēds Kalniņš a.o. have graduated from there. Consequently we may say that St. Petersburg Conservatoire was the cradle for founders of our Latvian music culture.
Davidov was one of the most outstanding performers of his time, a cello virtuoso who ranked high among other 19th century musicians in Europe and Russia. He was also a talented composer, conductor and Professor of St. Petersburg Conservatoire since its foundation, the founder of Russian cello school and a teacher of many important musicians. Davidov was also The Tsar family’s court soloist, Tsar Nikolaj I son Konstantin Romanov’s teacher, Duke of Meklenburg – Grand Duke and Prince George Strelicki’s teacher. In 1870, Count Wilhorsky, a patron of the arts, presented Davidov with a Stradivarius cello constructed in 1712. This cello, now known as the “Davidov Strad”, is currently owned by cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
Davidov regularly performed in Russia since the age of 14, and went on tours around Europe performing together with such famous musicians as composers K. Saint-Saens and 
F. Liszt, Spanish violinist P. Sarasate, V. Safonov, A. Rubinstein, H. Bilov, D. Popper, 
F. Gruezmacher, and others. He was a close friend to famous French singer P. Viardo. 
Davidov played concerts in France, England, Germany, Italy and Belgium. He was highly appreciated by his contemporaries, important composers: Piotr I. Tchaikovsky called him “the world cellists’ king”, Cesar Cui – “the greatest of all cellists”. Karl Davidov performed also in Rīga (in 1870, 1872, 1883 and 1887). Andrejs Jurjāns after his concert in November of 1887 wrote in Kharkov newspaper:”What to say about K. Davidov’s performance? There are not enough words to describe it… In his playing the best technique is combined with highest artistic performance. If we still add his majestic calmness and gracefulness, then we can truly call Karl Davidov “the cellists’ king”.
E. van der Streden in his book “History of the Art of Cello” (1915) called Davidov “ one of the greatest cellists of his time” and continued, ”there were few musicians who had the technique like Davidov, but none could ever surpass him. He (Davidov) didn’t just leave the impression of a virtuoso, he always tried to show poetic expressiveness of his instrument.” 
From the memories of his contemporaries we find out also about Davidov’s benevolence, about many charity concerts in Russia and Europe he gave to support young talented, but poor musicians as well as those suffering from different misfortunes. For example, in 1861-62 he together with A. Rubinstein performed several concerts to raise money for foundation of St. Petersburg Conservatory. Even on his tombstone it says,” He was able to share other people’s sorrows and sympathize with them”.