Vasily Bessel: Difference between revisions

Tchaikovsky Research
mNo edit summary
No edit summary
 
(5 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{picture|file=Vasily Bessel.jpg|caption='''Vasily Bessel''' (1843–1907)}}
{{picture|file=Bessel_Vasily.jpg|caption='''Vasily Bessel''' (1843–1907)}}
Russian music publisher, violist and music critic (b. 13/25 April 1843 in [[Saint Petersburg]]; d. 1 March 1907 at [[Zurich]]), born '''''Vasily Vasilyevich Bessel''''' (Василий Васильевич Бессель).
Russian music publisher, violist and music critic (b. 13/25 April 1843 in [[Saint Petersburg]]; d. 1 March 1907 {{NS}} at [[Zurich]]), born '''''Vasily Vasilyevich Bessel''''' (Василий Васильевич Бессель).


==Tchaikovsky and Bessel==
==Tchaikovsky and Bessel==
Line 9: Line 9:
In 1872, Bessel was granted permission to publish piano transcriptions of Tchaikovsky's overture-fantasia ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' (the full score having been printed by [[Bote & Bock]] in [[Berlin]]), and the [[Symphony No. 2]], Op. 17 (1872). The delay in issuing the full score of the latter work (which eventually appeared in 1881, after Tchaikovsky had revised the symphony), was one of the two main reasons for the breakdown in relations with Bessel, the other being the rights to ''[[The Oprichnik]]''. The only other of the composer's works to be issued by Bessel were the [[Six Romances, Op. 16]] (1872–73), [[Six Pieces on a Single Theme, Op. 21]] (1873), and [[Six Romances, Op. 25]] (1875). Thereafter Tchaikovsky's works in Russia were published almost exclusively by [[Pyotr Jurgenson]] in [[Moscow]].
In 1872, Bessel was granted permission to publish piano transcriptions of Tchaikovsky's overture-fantasia ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' (the full score having been printed by [[Bote & Bock]] in [[Berlin]]), and the [[Symphony No. 2]], Op. 17 (1872). The delay in issuing the full score of the latter work (which eventually appeared in 1881, after Tchaikovsky had revised the symphony), was one of the two main reasons for the breakdown in relations with Bessel, the other being the rights to ''[[The Oprichnik]]''. The only other of the composer's works to be issued by Bessel were the [[Six Romances, Op. 16]] (1872–73), [[Six Pieces on a Single Theme, Op. 21]] (1873), and [[Six Romances, Op. 25]] (1875). Thereafter Tchaikovsky's works in Russia were published almost exclusively by [[Pyotr Jurgenson]] in [[Moscow]].


Bessel also published and edited the journals ''Musical Leaflet'' (Музыкальный листок) from 1872 to 1877, and published the ''Music Review'' (Музыкальное обозрение) from 1885 to 1889. He contributed his own articles to both titles, and also to the German journals ''Neue allgemeine Musik-Zeitung'' and ''Neue Musik-Zeitung'' (1878–1887). In 1901 he brought out his own book on music publishing — ''Music matters'' (Нотное дело).
Bessel also published and edited the journals ''Musical Leaflet'' (Музыкальный листок) from 1872 to 1877, and published the ''Music Review'' (Музыкальное обозрение) from 1885 to 1889. He contributed his own articles to both titles, and also to the German journals ''Neue allgemeine Musik-Zeitung'' and ''Neue Musik-Zeitung'' (1878–1887). In 1901, he brought out his own book on music publishing — ''Music matters'' (Нотное дело).


After Bessel's death in 1907 the firm was managed by his sons Vasily and Aleksandr. who moved the business to [[Paris]] in 1920 after the Russian revolution.
After Bessel's death in 1907, the firm was managed by his sons Vasily and Aleksandr, who moved the business to [[Paris]] in 1920 after the Russian revolution.


==Correspondence with Tchaikovsky==
==Correspondence with Tchaikovsky==
Line 37: Line 37:
* '''[[Letter 326]]''' – 28 November/10 December 1873, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 326]]''' – 28 November/10 December 1873, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 332]]''' – 6/18 December 1873, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 332]]''' – 6/18 December 1873, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 335]]''' – early/mid January 1874, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 335]]''' – early/mid-January 1874, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 337]]''' – late January/early February or early/mid February 1874, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 337]]''' – late January/early February or early/mid-February 1874, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 338]]''' – between 4/16 and 10/22 February 1874, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 338]]''' – between 4/16 and 10/22 February 1874, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 339]]''' – 18 February/2 March 1874, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 339]]''' – 18 February/2 March 1874, from [[Moscow]]
Line 71: Line 71:
* '''[[Letter 3138]]''' – 29 December 1886/10 January 1887, from [[Maydanovo]]
* '''[[Letter 3138]]''' – 29 December 1886/10 January 1887, from [[Maydanovo]]
* '''[[Letter 4389]]''' – 2/14 June 1891, from [[Maydanovo]]
* '''[[Letter 4389]]''' – 2/14 June 1891, from [[Maydanovo]]
7 letters from Bessel to the composer, dating from 1880 to 1891, are preserved in the [[Klin]] House-Museum Archive.
7 letters from Bessel to the composer, dating from 1880 to 1891, are preserved in the {{RUS-KLč}} at [[Klin]] (a{{sup|4}}, Nos. 254–260).


==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==
Line 85: Line 85:


==External Links==
==External Links==
* [[wikipedia:V._Bessel_and_Co.|Wikipedia]]  
* [[wikipedia:Vasily_Bessel|Wikipedia]]  
* {{IMSLP|https://imslp.org/wiki/Bessel}}
* {{viaf|311428171}}


[[Category:People|Bessel, Vasily]]
[[Category:People|Bessel, Vasily]]
[[Category:Correspondents|Bessel, Vasily]]
[[Category:Correspondents|Bessel, Vasily]]
[[Category:Publishers|Bessel, Vasily]]
[[Category:Publishers|Bessel, Vasily]]
__NOTOC__

Latest revision as of 13:05, 26 August 2023

Vasily Bessel (1843–1907)

Russian music publisher, violist and music critic (b. 13/25 April 1843 in Saint Petersburg; d. 1 March 1907 [N.S.] at Zurich), born Vasily Vasilyevich Bessel (Василий Васильевич Бессель).

Tchaikovsky and Bessel

Bessel was a contemporary of Tchaikovsky's at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, where he studied the violin with Wienawski and music theory with Nikolay Zaremba, graduating from Ieronim Veikman's viola class in 1865. In November that same year, Bessel had performed the viola part at the premiere of Tchaikovsky's String Quartet in B-flat major. From 1866 to 1874 he played the viola in the ballet orchestra of the Imperial Theatres.

In 1869, together with his brother Ivan, he founded the firm V. Bessel & Co. (В. Бессель и Ко.), opening a music shop on the Nevsky Prospekt, which by 1871 had become a thriving publishing house. At this time Bessel commissioned Tchaikovsky to make piano duet arrangements of two orchestral works by Anton Rubinstein — Ivan the Terrible and Don Quixote — and he also offered to publish Tchaikovsky's new opera The Oprichnik (1870–72), which had still not yet been performed; given the failures of his two previous operas, Tchaikovsky was only too happy to accept this proposal, and hastily signed an agreement transferring to Bessel all rights to the work (a move he would later regret).

In 1872, Bessel was granted permission to publish piano transcriptions of Tchaikovsky's overture-fantasia Romeo and Juliet (the full score having been printed by Bote & Bock in Berlin), and the Symphony No. 2, Op. 17 (1872). The delay in issuing the full score of the latter work (which eventually appeared in 1881, after Tchaikovsky had revised the symphony), was one of the two main reasons for the breakdown in relations with Bessel, the other being the rights to The Oprichnik. The only other of the composer's works to be issued by Bessel were the Six Romances, Op. 16 (1872–73), Six Pieces on a Single Theme, Op. 21 (1873), and Six Romances, Op. 25 (1875). Thereafter Tchaikovsky's works in Russia were published almost exclusively by Pyotr Jurgenson in Moscow.

Bessel also published and edited the journals Musical Leaflet (Музыкальный листок) from 1872 to 1877, and published the Music Review (Музыкальное обозрение) from 1885 to 1889. He contributed his own articles to both titles, and also to the German journals Neue allgemeine Musik-Zeitung and Neue Musik-Zeitung (1878–1887). In 1901, he brought out his own book on music publishing — Music matters (Нотное дело).

After Bessel's death in 1907, the firm was managed by his sons Vasily and Aleksandr, who moved the business to Paris in 1920 after the Russian revolution.

Correspondence with Tchaikovsky

56 letters from Tchaikovsky to Vasily Bessel have survived, dating from 1869 to 1891, all of which have been translated into English on this website:

7 letters from Bessel to the composer, dating from 1880 to 1891, are preserved in the Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve at Klin (a4, Nos. 254–260).

Bibliography

External Links

Retrieved from ‘https://en.tchaikovsky-research.net/index.php?title=Vasily_Bessel&oldid=62170’