Alexander Alexandrovich Kopylov 1854-1911

[giles.enders]

Alexander Alexandrovich Kopylov (Kopuilov)  Born 14.7.1854 St Petersburg.  Died  5.3.1911  Strelna

He studied Piano and violin at the court chapel in St Petersburg and was also a chorester there..  He later took composition lessons with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Anatoly Liadov. His compositions tended towards the Russian Nationalist school.

Orchestral

Symphony in C minor  Op.14  1890
Concert overture in D Minor  Op.31
Scherzo for orchestra in A  Op.10 

Chamber

Andantino for string quartet  Op.7
String Quartet in G  Op.15   pub. by Mitrofan Belyayev 1889
String Quartet in F  Op.23    pub. by Mitrofan Belyayev  1894
String Quartet in A  Op.32   pub. by Zimmermann  1912
String Quartet in C  Op.33   pub. by Mitrofan Belyayev 1912
'Souvenir de Peterhof' for violin and piano  Op.29  1895

Piano

Minuet Op.2/5
Deux Mazurkas, in E minor and G minor  Op.3   pub. by Mitrofan Belyayev 1886
Valse  Op.6
Mazurka in D minor  Op.8   pub. by Mitrofan Belyayev
Etude in F major Op.9   pub. by Mitrofan Belyayev
Prelude and fugue  Op.11  1889   pub. by Mitrifan Belyayev
Three fugues, in C minor, D minor and B minor  Op.12   pub. by Mitrofan Belyayev
Four petits morceaux; Songerie, Recit, Chansonette, Un goutte de pluie Op.13
Two morceaux; Mazurka, Chanson sans paroles.  Op.13b
Polka de Salon Op.16   pub. by Mitrofan Belyayev
Four Miniatures; Danse, Valse, Polka, Pres de la Chapelle  Op.17
Five Morceaux  Op.20 1. Feuillet d'album, 2. Chansonette, 3. Une petite mazurka,  4.Merry-go-round 5. Reve d'enfant (child's dream)
Three Feuilles d'album, in D major, G major, C minor  Op.26   pub. by Mitrofan Belyayev
Two Morceaux; Prelude, Le murmure d'un petit risseau  Op.39

Fourteen Tableaux musical de la vie enfantine; Op.52
1. Hourra! Les soldats!
2. Cache-Cache
3. Gavotte miniature
4. Sur la prairie verte
5. Petit menuet
6. Helas! L'oiselet s'est envole
7. Paul a l'eglise
8. Marche des petits
9. St! Elle s'endort!
10. La petite Jenny qui danse!
11. Premier chagrin
12. Bonne humeur
13. Petit valsette
14. Une etude bien gaie

Fourteen Tableaux musical de la vie enfantine: Op.53
1. Les Caprices
2. Le Puni
3. En Bateau
4. La petite orpheline
5. Promenade par le village
6. La Lecon de musique
7. En separation
8. Loin de la patrie
9. La lecon de danse
10. Souvenir
11. Les saltimbanques sont venus
12. L'entrain
13. Les enfants sautent sur un pied
14. La chasse aux cigales

Two Etudes; in F major and A flat major  Op.60

Song

'The Elder-blossoms lightly stirred  Op.25
Two romances; 1. Pleshcheyev, 2. Fofanov  Op.27  pub. by Mitrofan Belyayev
Three romances for voice and piano  Op.28
OP.46 Song
Op.51 Song

Choral

Hear my prayer, o God. for men's chorus.
Woman's chorus with piano acc.  Op.19  pub. by Mitrofan Belyayev 1892

There are clearly a lot more choral and song works.  I am hoping to arouse interest in the orchestral music and quartets

[eschiss1]

so far I think I've only heard the 2nd quartet, but I enjoy it.

[Alan Howe]

The Symphony in C minor (not major - I have made the correction) has, of course, been recorded, coupled with the Scherzo in A and Concert Overture in D minor:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kopylov-Symphony-Minor-Moscow-Almeida/dp/B000009QAL/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Kopylov&qid=1570999735&sr=8-1
Rather dreary music, I fear. Some have suggested comparisons with, for example, Kalinnikov, but the latter is a genius by comparison, so I just can't see anyone being interested. Sorry, Giles!

[Santo Neuenwelt]

You can hear soundbites of String Quartets Nos.1-3 here
http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/string-quartets.htm

[giles.enders]

So many members of the Belyayev circle are relatively obscure, I thought it worth highlighting persons such as Kopylov.

[Alan Howe]

Well, he may have written something else of interest...

[Christopher]

I've never seen a comprehensive list of members of the Belyayev circle.  Maybe there isn't such a thing?  And any part-time composer who went to the society's meetings was considered as one of the circle?  Every now and again I see reference to a composer I have never heard of as a member.  Maximilian d'Osten-Sacken (1876-1900), for example.

Wikipedia (English version) names Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Alexander Glazunov,  Anatoly Lyadov, Witold Maliszewski, Nikolai Tcherepnin, Nikolay Sokolov, Alexander Winkler.
Wikipedia (Russian version) additionally names Fedor Akimenko, Nikolai Amani, K.A. Antipov, F.M. Blumenfeld, S.M. Blumenfeld, Jazeps Vitols, Vasili Zolotarev, I.I. Kryzhanovsky, and Georg Dütsch (son of Otto Dütsch, mentioned elsewhere on this Forum).

Other composers I have seen named as members include Borodin, Scriabin, Victor Ewald and Nikolai Artsybushev

Of the lesser-knowns/unknowns - the small amount of music that has been recorded by Nikolai Sokolov is extremely attractive and I would love to hear more of it.

I agree with Alan's take on Kopylov's symphony and the other orchestral pieces, I have the CD too.  Unmemorable.

[FBerwald]

I have heard these works and must agree with @Alan and @Christopher. The music unfortunately is dull.

[Santo Neuenwelt]

I cannot speak to his orchestral works, however, not just myself, but the quarteters who have played his quartets and the audiences who have heard some of them, and critics such as Wilhelm Altmann have all found his quartets among the best of Rimsky;s students and of the Belaiev Circle.

Speaking of the Belaiev Circle there is an interesting memoir by one of the cellist's in Belaiev's string quartet about the evenings Belaiev hosted over the years. I am attaching it here.

Les Vendredis!—–Fridays at the mansion of lumber millionaire, amateur violist and chamber music enthusiast Mitrofan Belaiev. Those Fridays have become legendary. They began simply as a group of amateurs with a passion for playing string quartets who gathered at Belaiev's. But soon these evenings were to become the social center of musical life in St. Petersburg for Belaiev was no ordinary enthusiast. As Belaiev approached 50, he decided to devote all of his time and energy and much of his money to the cause of Russian music. In 1885, he founded the publishing firm bearing his name not only in Petersburg but also in Leipzig (then the music-publishing capital of Europe) to insure that the works of the up and coming Russian composers he published would be given the widest exposure. Soon the amateurs of Belaiev's quartet were receiving visits from the likes of Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, Liadov, Glazunov and many others. And before long these erstwhile visitors became regulars. They were to be known as the 'Belaiev Circle.' Over the next 20 years, on many an occasion, each of these composers, most of them at one time or another students of Korsakov, would bring with them a piece composed for string quartet as an offering of appreciation for all of the support and hospitality Belaiev had given and continued to give them.

On any given Friday evening, shortly after eight o'clock, the members of the Belaiev Quartet (Belaiev and three other amateurs) would enter his drawing room followed soon after by guests and visitors. There was an abundance of comfortable chairs and sofas. The dining room would then begin to fill with guests, those who came early were the ones who enjoyed quartet music even when it was performed by amateurs. Glazunov, perhaps in deference to his friend and host, coined and often repeated the motto, "Only amateurs should be allowed to play...so long as they know how." After a while, the musicians and the guests would finish their tea and start wandering into the huge, brightly-lit rectangular music room, intimate yet almost the size of a formal chamber music hall. All around the room arm chairs, small sofas, love seats and even some giant and ornate Persian cushions were scattered rather than the usual rows of uncomfortable straight back concert seats. At the Fridays, no guest was forced to be a member of the audience. Those who wished to hear the music were afforded a comfortable vantage point from which to listen and see the musicians. Those who were not overly fond of music would remain in the dining room by the samovar drinking cup after cup of tea and exchanging the latest Petersburg gossip.

In the center of the room, placed upon a rich rosewood platform, there were four folding music stands and behind them chairs. At about half past eight, the Belaiev Quartet would take its place on the platform and perform a quartet by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven. After this something a little more modern such as a quartet by Schubert or Mendelssohn, or perhaps a work by a lesser-known but still played composer such as Onslow, Bruch, Raff or Dittersdorf might be played. Belaiev was quite fond of Onslow's quartets which could often be found on the program. After this, a Russian work would be played, often times sight read from manuscript. On such occasions the players, those composers in the audience, along with other musicians who were present, would break into discussion between the movements, exchanging opinions or arguing about the relative merit of the music.

Often after completion of the third work, Belaiev would suddenly rush off to his study where a small group of composers could be found huddling around his writing desk. As he approached, he could often see that four or five of them are frantically writing down quartet parts on manuscript paper from a manuscript score. "Is it ready?" he would ask impatiently. "Please, give us a moment more Mitrofan Petrovich!" Rimsky-Korsakov would answer. A minute or two later, he is told that the new work is ready. Belaiev would then take the new work, with the ink still wet and rush back into the concert room to baptize this new creation with the others in tow behind him. On one occasion, the new work was a polka, a work of collaboration between Glazunov, Liadov and Sokolov, another promising student of Rimsky-Korsakov. As always, the parts would then be placed on the music stands. Even those gossiping in the next room would hurry toward the music room when they heard that a new work was being premiered. The Belaievs play it well and the Polka with its prominent viola part is greatly praised. "What shall we call it then?" asks Belaiev to which the others answer "Les Vendredis Polka, we dedicate it to you Mitrofan Petrovich!" Though it must be classed as a salon piece, the Les Vendredis Polka is a marvelous trifle that never fails to please.

With the new work over, the Belaiev Quartet has concluded the evening's program. Soon after, the guests would be summoned into the dinning room where a banquet table awaited them. The long table would groan from the sheer amount of food served by Belaiev's gourmet chef and there was always plenty of champagne and other wine with which to wash it down. At the end, guests were given a hot wine drink to fortify them for the trip back to their homes. Those who have written about the Fridays have generally agreed that it is all but impossible to put into words an account which accurately captures the mood and charm of those wonderful nights and the fascination they held for those lucky enough to have attended.

[Mark Thomas]

How wonderful. One can only imagine.

[giles.enders]

Alan, it is not useful to judge a composer by a particular genre.  If Schubert were judged by his operas or Richard Strauss were judged by his piano music. who would remember them.  Composers need to be put into the context of their time and their contemporaries. 

[Gareth Vaughan]

I don't know his orchestral music, so I can't comment, but the soundbites from his string quartets on Santo's site are most attractive. Perhaps he is a composer who was at his best in chamber music - and, of course, he wouldn't have been the only one there!

[eschiss1]

his entire 2nd quartet can be heard @ IMSLP of course (thanks matesic ).

[Christopher]

.... After this something a little more modern such as a quartet by Schubert or Mendelssohn, or perhaps a work by a lesser-known but still played composer such as Onslow, Bruch, Raff or Dittersdorf might be played. Belaiev was quite fond of Onslow's quartets which could often be found on the program.

... On one occasion, the new work was a polka, a work of collaboration between Glazunov, Liadov and Sokolov, another promising student of Rimsky-Korsakov. ...

Onslow - now there's an unsung, never heard of him!  Probably too early for us though?  André George(s) Louis Onslow (27 July 1784 – 3 October 1853) was a French composer of English descent. His wealth, position and personal tastes allowed him to pursue a path unfamiliar to most of his French contemporaries, more similar to that of his contemporary German romantic composers; his music also had a strong following in Germany and in England. His principal output was chamber music, but he also wrote four symphonies and four operas. Esteemed by many of the critics of his time, his reputation declined swiftly after his death and has only been revived in recent years.

And Sokolov- I'm glad to see that my positive assessment of the small amount of his recorded music is backed up by someone who heard him "live"!

[Alan Howe]

Alan, it is not useful to judge a composer by a particular genre

Oh, I agree. However, in your original post you said that you were...

hoping to arouse interest in the orchestral music and quartets.

...so I was simply saying that I thought this would be a forlorn hope in respect of the orchestral music. The Symphony in particular is a pretty dull piece.

I did also say that he may have written something else of interest, so I didn't write Kopylov off at all.

If Schubert were judged by his operas or Richard Strauss were judged by his piano music, who would remember them.

Very few, in all probability. However, Schubert and Strauss were great composers. Was Kopylov? Not on the basis of what we know so far. Of course, there may be some fine music tucked away in the list you provide. Who knows?

Composers need to be put into the context of their time and their contemporaries.

Yes and No. Yes - which is precisely what I did in comparing Kopylov (unfavourably) with Kalinnikov. And no, because all really good music surely transcends the period of its composition. So, for example, I don't think Draeseke's 3rd Symphony is great music in the context of his contemporaries; I believe it's great music - period.