Parucci, 1

Serge Koussevitzky

From Bass to Boston

Rossine Parucci

MHL - 363

Survey of Russian Music

November, 2010
 Parucci, 2

Maestro Serge Koussevitzky was probably one of the most famous conductors of all

times. His career was an inspiration for many young conductors at the time and a model even for

those already experienced. Today he is mostly known as Boston Symphonys most brilliant

conductor and for the many talented students he had. However, he was not only a great

conductor or a teacher, but he was also a virtuoso on the double bass, a talented composer (even

with such a small amount of compositions), and a firm supporter of new music.

His love for music started when he was just a little boy. He came from a poor Jewish

family where his parents were both musicians. His contact with the double bass happened by

accident. Nevertheless, this unplanned meeting between Koussevitzky and the double bass

would change his life and the life of many that would cross his path.

Serge Alexandrovitch Koussevitzky was born in July 26, 1874 in Vishny Volotchok, a

little town northwest of Moscow1. At the time, this city had no more than 15.000 inhabitants2.

His father, Alexander Koussevitzky was a violin and double bass player, and his mother, Anne

Barabeitchik, was a pianist3. His mother Anne died when Serge was about three years old,

leaving Serges education in charge of his father4. Since Serge was from a Jewish family, he

attended the Jewish School where he studied Hebrew and Religion5, and received his first

musical instruction from his father6. Violin was his first instrument, but soon he started to learn

other instruments because his father was a Klesmer (Jewish musician that performed in weddings

1
Smith p.1;
2
Ibid p.2;
3
Ibid p.3;
4
Ibid p.4;
5
Ibid ;
6
Ibid p.2;
 Parucci, 3

and other social events with a group of Jewish musicians) and was therefore familiar with

different musical instruments7. As these musicians sometimes were playing in different

locations, the young boy would often follow them, staying away from home for several days8.

When Serge was about eight years old, he met a girl whose mothers, Maria Fedorovna

Ropenberg, had studied with Nikolai Rubinstein and was a fine pianist9. Serge become friends

with the girl and her mother started to give him piano lessons10. (At about the same time he was

conducting a little orchestra that played during the intervals of theater plays)11. Later

Koussevitzky begun to study cello and even travelled to Moscow to take cello lessons12. All this

first experiences motivated and influenced Koussevitzky in such a manner that he decided to

become a professional musician. The next step he took was to move to Moscow, where he

desired to enroll in an institution that would give him access to academic music instruction, a

move that would allow him to consolidate his dream of being a professional musician.

Koussevitzky was about seventeen when he moved to Moscow13. There he tried to enroll

in the Conservatory, but his application was denied because the classes had already started14; the

boy went then to the Philharmonic Society where he was not accepted for the same reason15. His

reaction for this second denial was to cry, scream, and to protest to the director of the school as

mentioned on Arthur Louries biografhy of Koussevitzky:16

7
Ibid p.5;
8
Arthur Lourie p.19;
9
Arthur Lourie p.20;
10
Ibid p.21;
11
Ibid ;
12
Smith p.7;
13
Ibid;
14
Ibid p.8;
15
Ibidp.9;
16
Arthur Lourie p.26;
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I cant wait I dont want to wait I wont go away. You dare not drive me

away You must help me. Give me a chance to Study.17

The director was moved by the obstinacy of the young Koussevitzky, so he decided to accept

him for that term18. However, Koussevitzky was not going to be able to study cello as he

intended: instead, he needed to choose between horn, trombone, or double bass19. This is where

his career as a double bassist begins.

Mr. Joseph Rambausek, a Czech double bassist trained in Prague, taught the double bass

class at the Philharmonic Society and his class had only a few students20. Koussevitzky became

soon one of the top students in his studio21. He was progressing rapidly in the instrument and

according to Lourie he completed the five-years long program in only five months, due to his

previous experience on cello22. He was still enrolled at the Philharmonic Society when he

auditioned for the Orchestra of the Imperial Bolshoy Theatre23. He was admitted in the orchestra

and placed at the back of the bass section, but very soon he was elevated to the position of

principal bass, receiving the title of soloist (at the time it was not common for the principal bass

to receive this title)24 .

Shortly after this appointment, Koussevitzky auditioned for the position of principal bass player

for the Imperial Opera25. He did not intended to take this position but he was probably taking this

17
Ibid;
18
Ibid p.28;
19
Arthur Lourie p.28;
20
Ibid p.29;
21
Ibid p.30;
22
Ibid;
23
Brun, p264;
24
Ibid;
25
Arthur Lourie p.32;
 Parucci, 5

audition a test for his abilities26. His audition was so perfect that all twenty-three candidates

scheduled to play after him refused to do so27. The position was then offered to him, but he did

not accept it.

Koussevitzky played his first solo recital two years after he joined the Bolshoi

orchestra28. The recital happened few weeks after Simandl, the famous bass player from Vienna,

played his recital in Moscow, so people in the time were comparing Koussevitzky with him and

they used to say the Koussevitzky was a superior double bassist29. At the time, Koussevitzky

achieved so much prestige in Moscow that after his double bass professor died he was appointed

as the new double bass professor30. The only problem was that Koussevitzky was only twenty-

seven and he did not have the diploma of Free Artist31. The Philharmonic Society granted him

honoris causa the diploma, so that he could take the position32.

Koussevitzky was a well know bass player in Moscow and he started to be known in St.

Petersburg, as well as in other Russian cities and outside Russia33. His first recital abroad took

place in Berlin34: the German audience was so impressed with his abilities on the bass that they

compared him to the Italian bassist Giovanni Bottesini35. In his firsts recitals, he played many of

his own transcription from the cello repertoire and other pieces from the bass literature, but it did

not take too long until he started to write his own music. he begun by writing short pieces for

bass and piano, but later, in 1902, he wrote a double bass concerto (F-sharp minor) whit the help

26
Ibid;
27
Ibid p.33;
28
Smith p.16
29
Ibid;
30
Ibid;
31
Ibid;
32
Ibid;
33
Ibid p. 18
34
Ibid;
35
Ibid p.19
 Parucci, 6

of his composition teacher, Reinhold Glire; this concerto is today one of the most performed

bass concertos and it is requested in almost every orchestra audition all around the world36.

With all these successes, his double bass career was reaching its highest point; however,

the situation would change drastically after his second marriage. Koussevitzky was first married

to a ballet dancer called Nadezhda Galat37 a marriage that lasted about three years38. In the same

year that he got divorced, he married Natalya Konstantinova39. This partnership would give him

all the financial support needed for his ambitions as a musician.

Very soon after his second union, he resigned from his position from the Bolshoi

Orchestra40. Shortly thereafter, they both moved to Berlin - the city where he would exchange

the double bass bow for the conductors baton. Koussevitzky gave two other recitals in Berlin

and he played a concert in Leipzig with a hired orchestra41, performing the Saint-Sans Cello

Concerto (many similarities between Saint-Sans concerto and Koussevitzkys double bass

concerto have been found)42. He also toured in other European cities, attracting the attention of

maestro Arthur Nikisch43, whom invited Koussevitzky to play as a soloist with the Gewandhaus

Orchestra; unfortunately, the board of directors of the orchestra objected to the idea because a

bass player had never played as soloist and they did not want such a thing to happen44. Later,

after attending one of Koussevitzkys recitals, the directors changed their minds and

36
Brun p.265;
37
Smith p.18;
38
Ibid p.23;
39
Ibid;
40
Ibid p.24
41
Smith p.31
42
Ibid;
43
Ibid;
44
Ibid p.32;
 Parucci, 7

Koussevitzky was then re-invited as a soloist45. At the concert, he played Mozarts Bassoon

Concerto and Brucks Kol Nidrei46.

One week before his appearance with the Gewandhaus Orchestra, he made his debut as a

conductor47. He prepared himself for two years for this event, but his method of preparation was

criticized negatively throughout his whole career: he would hire a pianist to play the orchestra

parts while he conducted48. According to Moses Smith, Koussevitzky never had formal

conducting lessons49: his conducting school consisted in attending concerts of conductors such

as Nikisch, Mahler, and Weingarten, bringing a score and observing how the conductors

worked50. When learning a score, he would memorize the notes and then he would practice it

with the pianist, and only after he was comfortable enough with the piece, he would appear in

front of the orchestra51. The orchestra that he conducted for his debut was the Berlin

Philharmonic, and the concert was played at Beethoven Hall52. The program consisted only of

works from Russian Composers: Tchaikovskys Romeo and Juliet, Rachimaninovs C minor

Piano Concerto (with the composer as the soloist), the Entracte to Taneievs Orestes, and

Glires Symphony in C minor53. Less than two months later, he conducted a second concert

with the same orchestra, but this time he played Beethovens Egmont Overture and Symphony

no.754. The Germans gave an enthusiastic reception to Koussevitzkys concerts, and even many

45
Ibid;
46
Ibid;
47
Ibid;
48
Ibid p.33;
49
Ibid;
50
Ibid;
51
Smith p.35;
52
Ibid p.37;
53
Ibid;
54
Ibid;
 Parucci, 8

critics and musicians from the orchestra offered positive appraisals of Koussevitzkys conducting

abilities55.

All of Koussevitzkys conducting achievements in Berlin were sponsored by his wifes

wealth56. Her financial support assisted his new career, but also supported other musical projects,

including a music-publishing company57 of exclusively Russian music58. As Russian publishers

did not sign the Berne Convention (Copyright protection law created in 1886)59, works published

in Russia could be freely reprinted outside Russia60: to solve this matter it was common for

Russian publishing houses to open offices in a Russian city and in a German city61.

Koussevitzkys publishing company opened its doors in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Berlin62.

The companys first published works were from the composer Scriabin63, who had been first

published by Belyayevs publishing company64 but needed a new publisher after Belyayevs

death65. Koussevitzkys company would also publish works by Taneiev, Conus, Medtner, G.

Catoire, Butzov, and even Stravinskys Petrushka66.

As a conductor and with the support of his wife, between 1909 and 1911, Koussevitzky

gave cycles of symphonic concerts called Sergei Koussevitzky Symphony Concerts67. These

concerts were held in Moscow but were soon extended to St. Petersburg68. At the end of the 1910

55
Ibid;
56
Arthur Lourie p.44;
57
Ibid;
58
Arthur Lourie p.88;
59
Oxfor Music Online;
60
Ibid; p.89;
61
Ibid;
62
Smith p. 41;
63
Arthur Lourie p.85;
64
Ibid;
65
Ibid;
66
Ibid p.91;
67
Arthur Lourie 92;
68
Ibid 93;
 Parucci, 9

season, Koussevitzky took the entire orchestra in a tour of the Volga region69, a tour he repeated

in 1912 and 191470.

In 1914, First World War begun. This war had very negative effects on arts and all the

musical activities in Russia were compromised as well. For example, some Russian musicians

were requested to fight for the army71, and many concert houses were transformed in hospitals72.

Only two organizations were still able to give concerts: the IRMS (Imperial Russian Music

Society) and Koussevitzkys orchestra73. Three years later, the October revolution would

completely change Russian society74. Koussevitzky still worked in Russia for three more years,

but in May of 1920 he and his wife left Russia and moved to France75. In Paris Koussevitzky

implemented his Symphony concert series Concerts Koussevitzky76. During this period,

Koussevitzky gave concerts in many prominent European cities77.

The Concerts Koussevitzky series featured music from the past but also new music.78.

This series saw the premiere of many important works from composers like Ravel, Stravinsky,

Prokofiev, Honneger, Milhaud, and other composers from the famous Les Six79. Also for this

series, Koussevitzky asked Ravel to Orchestrate Mussorgskys Pictures at an Exhibition80.

Stravinskys Piano Concerto had its premiere at Concerts Koussevitzky as well81.

69
Ibid 105;
70
Ibid;
71
Ibid 87;
72
Ibid 87;
73
Ibid 87;
74
Ibid 96;
75
Ibid 104;
76
Ibid 117;
77
Ibid;
78
Ibid 112;
79
Ibid;
80
Ibid;
81
Ibid 116;
 Parucci, 10

Koussevitzkys series was a complete success in all Europe. His achievements as a conductor

were also known in the United States of America.

In 1922, the Boston Symphony was looking for a conductor that would succeed Pierre

Monteux82. The President of the trustees of the Boston Symphony, Judge Frederick P. Cabot,

sent a Bostonian woman (there is no mention of her name in any document) to get information

about Koussevitzky83. When Mr. Cabot asked her a report on Koussevitzky, she only replied that

the best candidate for the position was Koussevitzky, who had Paris at his feet84. She also

wrote, He was liked not only by audiences but also by the musicians who played under him85.

After becoming aware of this, in the spring of 1923, the Boston Trustees decided to offer him the

post86. During the following summer, Mr. Henry B. Sawyer, one of the Trustees, and William H.

Brennan, the orchestra manager, traveled to Paris to meet with Koussevitzky87, who signed the

contract and made his debut in the fall of 1924, starting a relationship that would last for twenty-

five years88.

Koussevitzky was fifty years old when he begun performing with the Boston Symphony.

Up to that point, Koussevitzky went from the obscurity of the Vishny Volotchok to the glory of

the Boston Symphony. What were the factors that led to this success? Surely, one would answer

Koussevitzky himself was responsible for it. However, it should be noted that the double bass

played a major role in all this transformations and it was the key that would open many doors

for him. Nevertheless, Koussevitzkys determination and personality were the most important

82
Ibid 118;
83
Ibid 119;
84
Ibid;
85
Ibid;
86
Ibid;
87
Arthur Lourie 120;
88
Ibid;
 Parucci, 11

features of his success and achievements. He is a model and inspiration for many young

musicians; his dedication and love for this sublime art, and his determination to promote it, urge

us to follow his example by loving music as much as he did and by promoting it with the same

vigor.
 Parucci, 12

Works Cited

Brun, Paul. A New History of the Double Bass. Villeneuve d'Ascq - France: Paul Brun Productions, 2000.

Faulder, Sarah. "Copyright." Oxford Music Online.

http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/opr/t114/e1613 (accessed November 14, 2010).

Louri, Arthur. Sergei Koussevitzky and His Epoch. New York: Bokks For Libraries Press, 1931.

Smith, Moses. Koussevitzky. New Yourk: Allen, Towne & Heath, Inc., 1947.

Bibliography

Horowitz, Joseph. Artists In Exile. New York: HarpeCollins Publishers, 2008.

Leichtentritt, Hugo. serge Koussevitzky: The Bostons Symphony Orchestra and the new American music.
Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1947.