Kashkin, Nikolai

Kashkin, Nikolai Dmitrievich 

Born Nov 27 (Dec 9), 1839, in Voronezh; died Mar. 15, 1920, in Kazan. Russian music critic and teacher.

As a child Kashkin gave piano recitals. After he settled in Moscow in 1860, he studied piano and music theory under A. I. Diubiuk. In 1863 he began teaching at the Music Classes of the Russian Musical Society and between 1866 and 1906 taught piano, theory, and music history at the Moscow Conservatory. He became a professor in 1875. In 1918 he moved to Kazan.

Kashkin, an eminent representative of Russian music and critical thought, defended the principles of realistic music. His articles (published in periodicals over a period of almost 40 years) helped establish a Russian national music culture. Kashkin was also a proponent of Tchaikovsky’s work. He was a talented memoirist and published his reminiscences of many Russian music figures. His other books include a history of the Moscow Conservatory and a textbook of music theory.

REFERENCE

Iakovlev, V. N. D. Kashkin.Moscow-Leningrad, 1950.