Tchaikovsky
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Vladimir Stasov (1824–1906)

Vladimir Stasov

Russian art historian and critic (b. 2/14 January 1824 in Saint Petersburg; d. 10/23 October 1906 in Saint Petersburg), born Vladimir Vasil'evich Stasov (Владимир Васильевич Стасов, Vladimir Vasil'evič Stasov, Vladiir Vasil'yevich Stasov).

The son of the architect Vasilii Petrovich Stasov (1769–1848), he graduated from the Imperial School of Jurisprudence in 1843, and was admitted to the Imperial Academy of Arts in 1859. He sought to rid art and music of western influences, and was a mentor to the group of nationalistic composers known as "The Five". He considered Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2 (1872) to be "one of the most important creations of the entire Russian school", and encouraged the young composer to write his fantasia The Tempest (1873), which is dedicated to Stasov. Although the two men retained a deep mutual respect, Stasov was disappointed that Tchaikovsky continued to follow western traditions in many of his compositions.

From 1872 Stasov was director of the arts section of the Saint Petersburg Public Library, and in 1884 he asked Tchaikovsky to donate the manuscripts of his works to that institution (a suggestion which was welcomed by the composer, but thwarted by his publisher, Petr Jurgenson).

Stasov was made an honorary fellow of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1900. He died on 10/23 October 1906 in Saint Petersburg, and is buried in the city's Aleksandr Nevskii cemetery.

Tchaikovsky's works dedicated to Vladimir Stasov:

• The Tempest, Op. 18 (1873).

Tchaikovsky's correspondence with Vladimir Stasov:

• 22 letters from Tchaikovsky to Vladimir Stasov have survived, dating from 1873 to 1893.