Nicolai Berezowsky

Nicolai Tikhonovich Berezowsky (May 17, 1900 – August 27, 1953) was a Russian-born American violinist and composer.

He was born in St. Petersburg, Russia on May 17, 1900, graduating from the Imperial Capella with honors when he was sixteen. As a young boy singer in the chapel choir, he performed for the Tsar's family and Rasputin. In the book Duet with Nicky, he recalled how the choirboys would tear pages from their hymnals to make spit-balls which they would aim at Rasputin. He later served as musical director of the School of Modern Art in Moscow and as first violinist at the Moscow Grand Opera. In 1922, he made a harrowing escape from the Soviet Union in disguise, only to be arrested in Poland, but was released by an official who remembered hearing him play. Once settled in New York, Berezowsky attended the Juilliard School of Music, studying under Paul Kochanski and Rubin Goldmark. He was first violinist with the New York Philharmonic for the first seven years of his U.S. residence. He played in the Coolidge String Quartet from 1935 to 1940. He was a protégé of Serge Koussevitzky, who premiered his symphonies to great acclaim.

He married Alice Newman, a notable pianist, who later published a memoir, "Duet with Nicky", about their early years together (Lippincott). Alice was the sister of chemist Melvin Spencer Newman and the granddaughter of New Orleans investment banker and philanthropist Isidore Newman). They had two children. His second wife was Judith Berezowsky. He died on August 27, 1953, in New York.

Among Berezowsky's works are an opera, Prince Batrak, four symphonies, concertos for harp, violin and 'cello, and many diverse works of chamber music. His recordings include an LP set of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, which he conducted. He enjoyed a great success with his children's opera Babar and his oratorio Gilgamesh. His Concerto for Harp was commissioned by Edna Phillips, who gave the premiere with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and was performed by Carlos Salzedo with the National Orchestra Association under Léon Barzin with an original cadenza by Salzedo, included in the edition published by Theodore Presser. It was not performed again until performances by Saul Davis Zlatkovski in recital and with the St. Paul J.C.C. Symphony Orchestra under James Riccardo in 1990.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 17, 1900 (Saint Petersburg), Died August 27, 1953 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1938 - 1939

Roles Represented in DAHR: violin, conductor, composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-30 of 30 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor CS-046002 12-in. 12/18/1939 Quartet No. 5 in A major Coolidge Quartet String quartet instrumentalist, violin  
Victor CS-046003 12-in. 12/18/1939 Quartet No. 5 in A major Coolidge Quartet String quartet instrumentalist, violin  
Victor CS-046004 12-in. 12/18/1939 Quartet No. 5 in A major Coolidge Quartet String quartet instrumentalist, violin  
Victor CS-046005 12-in. 12/18/1939 Quartet No. 5 in A major Coolidge Quartet String quartet instrumentalist, violin  
Victor CS-046006 12-in. 12/18/1939 Quartet No. 5 in A major Coolidge Quartet String quartet instrumentalist, violin  
(Results 26-30 of 30 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Berezowsky, Nicolai," accessed April 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108784.

Berezowsky, Nicolai. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108784.

"Berezowsky, Nicolai." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108784

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