Alexei Lvov

Alexei Fyodorovich Lvov (Russian: Алексей Фёдорович Львов, born 25 Maijul / June 5 1798greg in Reval, Governorate of Estonia, .. .. † 16.jul / December 28 1870greg in Kovno, Lithuania) was a Russian composer and violinist. In Western Europe, he performed under the name Alexis Lvoff.

Life

Lvov was early a thorough training on the violin and continued his studies in the military service. At first he was employed in the engineering corps, and later he was appointed General and Adjutant of the Czar Nicholas I..

He composed in 1833 on a text by Vasily Zhukovsky, the Russian Tsar anthem God Save the Tsar. The melody was later processed by Tchaikovsky in his 1812 Overture. 1836 Lvov was put in charge of the imperial chapel singers and 1854 all imperial music institutions in Saint Petersburg. However, in this position, he worked for a short time, as soon caused him a deafness to retire to his estate in Kovno, where he died in 1870.

His publications include violin etudes and wrote a textbook for the violin playing, but it is now known only by his composition of the former Russian National Anthem.

Works

• Tsarist anthem God Save the Tsar ( Боже, Царя храни ), 1833
• Fantasies and other compositions for violin and orchestra
• Undine, opera
• Starosta, opera
• Motets
• New instrumentation of the Stabat Mater by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

Publications

• About the free and non-symmetrical rhythm of the Old Russian church singing, 1859
• Advice for aspiring violin student, 1860