Eduard Napravnik

Full biography Eduard Napravnik

Eduard Napravnik (1839-1916) was a Czech-Russian composer, conductor, and pianist. Although he is not as well-known as some of his contemporaries such as Tchaikovsky, he was a highly respected figure in the Russian music scene of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was particularly notable for his work as the principal conductor of the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, where he premiered several of Tchaikovsky's works and assisted the composer in tightening up certain scores.

As a composer , Napravnik wrote in a wide range of genres, including four operas, four symphonies, six works for piano and orchestra, and numerous pieces of chamber music. His most famous opera is probably Dubrovsky, which was based on a libretto by Modest Tchaikovsky (Pyotr Tchaikovsky's brother) and premiered at the Mariinsky in 1895. He also wrote several works for violin and piano, including a sonata in G major.

Napravnik's music is characterized by its melodic inventiveness and its gracious, well-crafted orchestration. While his work is not as emotionally intense or groundbreaking as that of some of his contemporaries, it is characterized by a high level of craftsmanship and an appealing, accessible style. In recent years, interest in Napravnik's music has been on the rise, with several recordings of his music (including complete cycles of his symphonies and piano concertos) now available on CD.