Safonov, Vasili (Ilich)
Safonov, Vasili (Ilich)
Safonov, Vasili (Ilich) , eminent Russian pianist, conductor, and pedagogue; b. Ishcherskaya, Caucasus, Feb. 6, 1852; d. Kislovodsk, Feb. 27, 1918. He went to St. Petersburg to study piano with Leschetizky, and entered the Cons. in 1879. He took courses in piano with Brassin and in theory with Zaremba, graduating with a gold medal. After making his debut as pianist with the Imperial Russian Music Society in St. Petersburg on Nov. 22, 1880, he taught piano at the St. Petersburg Cons. (1881–85). In 1885 he was appointed to the piano faculty of the Moscow Cons., and in 1889 became its director, resigning in 1905; among his pupils were Scriabin and Medtner. He conducted the sym. concerts of the Imperial Russian Music Society in Moscow (1889–1905; 1909–11). Safonov was the first modern conductor to dispense with the baton. He achieved international fame as a forceful and impassioned interpreter of Russian music, and conducted in almost all the capitals of Europe. On March 5, 1904, he made his debut as a guest conductor with the N.Y. Phil., obtaining sensational success; as a consequence, he was invited to serve as its conductor (1906–09); at the same time, he was also director of the National Cons. in N.Y. He publ. A New Formula for the Piano Teacher and Piano Student (Moscow, 1916; in Eng.).
Bibliography
Y. Ravicher, V.l. S.(Moscow, 1959).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire