Musical views and principles of A. D. Kamensky

Abstract

The article is devoted to the consideration of the system of musical views of the outstanding Russian pianist and teacher of the first half of the twentieth century, Alexander Danilovich Kamensky (1900–1952). The relatively modest amount of information about his work with students is explained by the relatively short life path of A. D. Kamensky, the small number of his students and extremely active performing activity. Written evidence about the principles and methods of teaching Kamensky is rather scarce and scattered. This article is the first to present and structure information about the teaching methodology of A. D. Kamensky based on the memoirs of his students (D. A. Tolstoy, A. S. Berngardt, Yu. Khalfin and others), as well as on the basis of his own notes in the diaries. The influence of the “anatomical and physiological school” (such musicians as E. Bach and R. Breithaupt played an important role here) and the search for a “universal teaching method” covering different types of physique and mental organization are considered. Archival documents from the Central State Archive of Literature and Art of St. Petersburg, as well as from the personal archive of A. D. Kamensky’s relatives, for the first time make it possible to get acquainted with Alexander Danilovich not only as a performer and composer, but also as a brilliant teacher.