Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Kopylov

Alexander Alexandrovich Kopylov or Kopilov (Александр Александрович Копылов, 14 July 1854 – 20 February 1911) was an Imperial Russian composer and violinist.

Kopylov studied for many years as a chorister and violinist in the Imperial Court Choir, where he would later teach for much of his life. (The Court Choir was modeled after the more famous one in Vienna, known today as the Vienna Boys Choir). He was unable to gain entrance to either of the major conservatories in Russia, but was nevertheless able to study composition privately with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Anatoly Liadov.

Kopylov gained a reputation as a symphonist and composer of songs. Through his friendship with Rimsky-Korsakov, he became interested in chamber music, writing four string quartets. Wilhelm Altmann, the chamber music scholar and critic, writes in his Handbuch für Streichquartettspieler:

Kopylov's four carefully written string quartets show an outstanding command of proper quartet style. He gives all of the instruments mutually rich parts to play, alternating in exquisite fashion. His excellence is particularly strong in the sparkling themes. He is able to combine the external beauty of form with effective ideas and distinctive harmonies and rhythms.

A copy of his String Quartet No.2 in F, Op.23 (published by Belyayev in 1894), which is conserved at the Cornell University Library, has notations in the margin of the first violin part from a performance with Eugène Ysaÿe.

Kopylov's Symphony in C minor (Op.14) and Concert Overture (Op.31) have been recorded, as have his contributions to some of the Belyayev circle's projects (such as Les Vendredis).

Birth and Death Data: Born July 14, 1854, Died February 20, 1911

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1924 - 1935

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

Notes: Name appears in Victor ledgers as "Alexander Kopyloff."

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-31420 10-in. 11/18/1924 To Slumber-land Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano composer  
Victor BRC-69962 10-in. 6/17/1931 Skipping—Running Victor Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor BS-88987 10-in. 6/14/1935 Hear my cry, O God Cleveland Heights High School. A Capella Choir Mixed vocal chorus, unaccompanied composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kopylov, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116460.

Kopylov, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116460.

"Kopylov, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116460

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