Vladimir Romanovich Bakaleinikov, also Bakaleynikov and Bakaleinikoff (russian: Владимир Романович Бакалейников; 3 October 1885 in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

– 5 November 1953 in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

) was a Russian-American violist,

music educator Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as elementary or secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a research area in which scholars do original ...

, conductor and

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...

Life and career

Bakaleinikov, the son of a noted

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitch ...

ist, was from a large musical family who lived in poverty. His elder brother was flautist, composer and conductor Nikolai Bakaleinikov (1881–1957), his younger brothers, both composers, were Mikhail (Mischa) Bakaleinikoff (1890–1960) and

Constantin Bakaleinikoff Constantin Romanovich Bakaleinikov (also spelled Bakaleynikov and Bakaleinikoff; russian: Константин Романович Бакалейников; 26 April 1896 – 3 September 1966) was a Russian-born composer who worked in Hollywood, Cal ...

(1898–1966). :''"My father earned very little. We children helped him by playing at weddings, in restaurants, giving lessons, and later concertizing. We did not refuse any type of work. It was shameful not to be working, seeing as our mother did all of the washing, cooking, sewing, and waited on us all."'' :::— Vladimir Bakaleinikov: ''Notes of a Musician'' :''«Мой отец зарабатывал очень мало. Мы, дети, помогали ему зарабатывать игрой на свадьбах, в ресторанах, давая уроки, впоследствии концертируя. Никакими видами труда мы, дети, не гнушались. Стыдно было не работать, видя, как наша мать на всех стирала, на всех готовила, всех обшивала и всем прислуживала.»'' :::— Владимир Бакалейников: ''Записки Музыканта'' Bakaleinikov entered the

Moscow Conservatory The Moscow Conservatory, also officially Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (russian: Московская государственная консерватория им. П. И. Чайковского, link=no) is a musical educational inst ...

at the age of nine, studying with

Jan Hřímalý Jan Hřímalý (russian: Иван Войцехович Гржимали, also ''Ivan Voitsekhovich Grzhimali''; 13 April 1844 – ) was an influential Czech violinist and teacher, who was associated with the Moscow Conservatory for 46 years in 186 ...

. After his graduation in 1907, he quickly gained a reputation as a gifted violist and chamber musician playing with the

Russian Musical Society The Russian Musical Society (RMS) (russian: Русское музыкальное общество) was the first music school in Russia open to the general public. It was launched in 1859 by the Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna and Anton Rubinstei ...

in Moscow, the Mecklenburg Quartet (1910–1920) of

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

, and later with the Stradivari Quartet (1920–1924) in Moscow. He was conductor of the Theatre of Musical Drama (Театр музыкальной драмы) in Saint Petersburg (1914–1916), and at the Music Studio of the

Moscow Art Theatre The Moscow Art Theatre (or MAT; russian: Московский Художественный академический театр (МХАТ), ''Moskovskiy Hudojestvenny Akademicheskiy Teatr'' (МHАТ)) was a theatre company in Moscow. It was f ...

(1920–1926). Simultaneously, Bakaleinikov was Professor of Viola at the

Saint Petersburg Conservatory The N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory (russian: Санкт-Петербургская государственная консерватория имени Н. А. Римского-Корсакова) (formerly known as th ...

(1918–1920) and at the Moscow Conservatory (1920–1924). As Professor of Viola, Bakaleinikov was a pioneer in promoting artistic standards for the instrument. Among his students were, in particular, Vadim Borisovsky who succeeded him as Professor of Viola at the Conservatory. In 1925–1926, Bakaleinikov, together with his wife, singer and actress Julia Fatova (Юлия Фатова; Yulia Fatova), went to the United States with the Moscow Art Theater Music Studio on a highly successful tour. At the invitation of the conductor

Fritz Reiner Frederick Martin "Fritz" Reiner (December 19, 1888 – November 15, 1963) was a prominent conductor of opera and symphonic music in the twentieth century. Hungarian born and trained, he emigrated to the United States in 1922, where he rose to ...

, Bakaleinikov was appointed assistant conductor and principal violist of the

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its primary concert venue is Music Hall. In addition to its symphony concerts, the orchestra gives pops concerts as the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The Cinc ...

(1927–1937). In 1937, following the lead of his two younger brothers, he moved to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

to work in film. He was also associate conductor of the

Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic, commonly referred to as the LA Phil, is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at th ...

.Lorin Maazel biography
Retrieved 15 October 2010. During this time, Bakaleinikov began conducting lessons with seven-year-old

Lorin Maazel Lorin Varencove Maazel (, March 6, 1930 – July 13, 2014) was an American conductor, violinist and composer. He began conducting at the age of eight and by 1953 had decided to pursue a career in music. He had established a reputation in th ...

. In 1938, Bakaleinikov again accepted an invitation from Reiner, then principal conductor of the

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra The ''Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra'' (''PSO'') is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. History The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is an Ameri ...

, to be his assistant. The Maazel family followed Bakaleinikov to

so that the young conductor could continue working with his teacher. Between Reiner's departure from Pittsburgh in 1948 and the arrival of his successor

William Steinberg William Steinberg (Cologne, August 1, 1899New York City, May 16, 1978) was a German-American conductor. Biography Steinberg was born Hans Wilhelm Steinberg in Cologne, Germany. He displayed early talent as a violinist, pianist, and composer, ...

in 1952, Bakaleinikov served as musical director of the Orchestra.Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: Vladimir & Julia Bakaleinikoff
Retrieved 15 October 2010. Affectionately known as "Bak," he possessed a delightful sense of humor and loved to tell stories. Bakaleinikov wrote ''Elementary Rules of Conducting for Orchestra, Band and Chorus'' (1938), a memoir ''Записки музыканта'' (Notes of a Musician) (1943), and composed a concerto for viola as well as

chamber works Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...

. Bakaleinikov was awarded the honorary title of

Honored Artist of the RSFSR Honored Artist of the RSFSR (, ''Zasluzhenny artist RSFSR'') was an honorary title granted to Soviet artists, including theatre and film directors, choreographers, music performers, and orchestra conductors, who had outstanding achievements in the ...

in 1924.

Selected works

* ''Aria'' for viola and piano (1935) * Concerto for viola and orchestra (1937) * ''Gavotte'' for viola and piano (1937) * ''Minuetto'' for viola and piano (1937) * ''Scales and Studies for the Viola'' (1938) * ''Allegro moderato'' for double bass and piano (1939) * ''Canzona'' for horn and piano (1939) * ''Cavatina'' for horn and piano (1939) * ''A Danse'' icfor oboe and piano (1939) * ''Elegy'' for oboe and piano (1939) * ''Introduction and Scherzo'' for woodwind quintet (1939) * ''Largo'' for double bass and piano (1939) * ''Pastorale'' for oboe and piano (1939) * ''Three Pieces'' for bassoon and piano (1939) :# A Ballad :# Humoresque :# March eccentric * ''Valse: Allegro grazioso'' for double bass and piano (1939) * ''Polonaise'' for

cornet The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B, though there is also a so ...

(or B trumpet) and piano (1940) * ''Legend'' for cornet (or B trumpet) and piano (1952) * ''Serenade'' for cornet (or B trumpet) and piano (1952) * ''Andantino cantabile'' for trombone or

baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the ...

and piano (1953) * ''Meditation'' for trombone or baritone and piano (1953) * ''Valse triste'' for trombone or baritone and piano (1953) * ''Symphonie miniature'' (1954?) ;Literary * ''Elementary Rules of Conducting, for Orchestra, Band and Chorus'' (Основные правила дирижирования оркестром, духовым оркестром и хором) (1938) * ''The Instruments of the Band and Orchestra: An Encyclopedia'', co-authored with Milton Rosen (1940) * ''Записки музыканта'' (Zapiski muzykanta; Notes of a Musician) (1943)

Discography

* ''Fritz Reiner Conducts

Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras, he has been described as a successor of Richard Wag ...

'' – ''

Don Quixote is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'' or, in Spanish, (changing in Part 2 to ). A founding work of West ...

''; Vladimir Bakaleinikov (viola); Gregor Piatigorsky (cello);

(conductor);

; Biddulph BID 83067 (2000)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bakaleinikov, Vladimir Romanovich 1885 births 1953 deaths Composers from the Russian Empire Conductors (music) from the Russian Empire Russian male conductors (music) American classical violists American male classical composers American classical composers American male conductors (music) White Russian emigrants to the United States Honored Artists of the Russian Federation Moscow Conservatory alumni Moscow Conservatory academic personnel 20th-century American conductors (music) 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century violists Soviet emigrants to the United States