Koussevitzky

Moses Smith

• Publisher: Muriwai Books
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9781789120059
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Classical Music

THE LIFE of Serge Koussevitzky reads like a modern fairy tale. Horatio Alger could not have fabricated a more glamorous tale than this real life-story of the poor, humbly-born lad. From a small town in darkest Tsarist Russia, he worked his way through a conservatory in Moscow, acquired tremendous proficiency on the double-bass, then met and wedded his fairy princess, who opened the door to a new career—conducting.
Koussevitzky became a celebrated conductor in Russia, founding his own orchestra, not only giving concerts in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also making three fabulous tours up and down the Volga, bringing the finest symphonic music to thousands who had never heard it. He persisted with his mission through the dark days of World War I, and the bitter early years of the Russian Revolution, before leaving Russia to become a glamorous figure in the concert halls of Paris and other western European capitals.

Table of contents

• Title page
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• DEDICATION
• FOREWORD
• CHAPTER I-YOUTH: FACT AND FANCY
• CHAPTER II-MOSCOW
• CHAPTER III-MARRIAGE
• CHAPTER IV-BERLIN
• CHAPTER V-MOSCOW-PETERSBURG SHUTTLE
• CHAPTER VI-THEY SHALL HAVE MUSIC
• CHAPTER VII-VOLGA BOATMEN
• CHAPTER VIII-WAR AND REVOLUTION
• CHAPTER IX-PARIS
• CHAPTER X-THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
• CHAPTER XI-GRAND SEIGNEUR IN THE HUB OF THE UNIVERSE
• CHAPTER XII-EARLY AMERICAN YEARS
• CHAPTER XIII-GRADUS AD PARNASSUM
• CHAPTER XIV-ANNIVERSARY SEASON AND BEYOND
• CHAPTER XV-FEUDS AND FRICTIONS
• CHAPTER XVI-ARTIST’S LIFE
• CHAPTER XVII-TANGLEWOOD
• CHAPTER XVIII-THE CHANGING SCENE
• CHAPTER XIX-UNIONISM COMES TO STAY
• CHAPTER XX-THESE LATER YEARS
• CHAPTER XXI-A CRITICAL SUMMING UP
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• APPENDIX A-WORLD PREMIÈRES PRESENTED BY THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA DURING THE TENURE OF SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY
• APPENDIX B-COMPOSITIONS BY AMERICAN COMPOSERS PRESENTED BY THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA DURING THE TENURE OF SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY
• APPENDIX C-COMPOSITIONS COMMISSIONED BY THE KOUSSEVITZKY MUSIC FOUNDATION
• APPENDIX D-KOUSSEVITZKY RECORDINGS
• REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER