Tchaikovsky
www.tchaikovsky-research.net

Anatolii Liadov (1855–1914)

Anatolii Liadov

Russian composer, teacher and conductor (b. 9 Apri/11 May 1855 in Saint Petersburg; d.15/28 August 1914 at Polynovka, near Novgorod), born Anatolii Konstantinovich Liadov (Анатолий Константиович Лядов, Anatolij Konstantinovič Ljadov, Anatoly Konstantinovich Lyado).

The son of an orchestra conductor, Liadov studied the piano, violin and music theory at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory from 1870. He was expelled from Nikolai Rimskii-Korsakov's composition classes in 1876 for absenteeism, but eventually passed his graduation in 1878, becoming a professor at the Conservatory later that year. Over the next 36 years his pupils would include Sergei Prokofiev, Nikolai Miaskovskii and Boris Asaf'ev.

Tchaikovsky became personally acquainted with Liadov and his circle of Saint Petersburg musicians in November 1887, and although Tchaikovsky had previously reacted negatively to some of Liadov's music, both men developed a mutual respect. By the 1890s Liadov, along with his friend Aleksandr Glazunov, had become good friends with Tchaikovsky, and often accompanied him to concerts and the theatre.

Tchaikovsky's correspondence with Anatolii Liadov:

• 3 letters from Tchaikovsky to Anatolii Liadov have survived, dating from 1885 to 1890.