Background
He was born in Moscow, where his father was an insurance official
composer music educator university professor
He was born in Moscow, where his father was an insurance official
He entered the Moscow Conservatory in 1889, where he studied violin with January Hřímalý and composition with Anton Arensky and Sergei Taneyev. He completed his studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, under Woldemar Bargiel.
His first (privately) printed works, two Romanzen (lieder) appeared in 1894, the year he began studies with Bargiel. During his time in Berlin he was a composition professor, employed by Joseph Joachim. His students included Hans Chemin-Petit, Werner Richard Heymann, Nikos Skalkottas, Henry Jolles, Pancho Vladigerov, Philipp Jarnach, Heinrich Kaminski, Lauri Ikonen, Max Trapp, Yrjö Kilpinen, Gerhart von Westerman, Hans Moltkau, Giannis Konstantinidis, Wilhelm Guttmann, Stefan Wolpe and Gunnar Johansen.
He retired to Switzerland in 1934, and died in Vevey.
Several of these works have been recorded on compact disc, including several of the sonatas, two of the concertos, two of the symphonies, all four string quartets and all of the piano trios. He also translated Arensky"s "Practical Studies in Harmony" into German.
He was twice married.
Akademie der Künste Berlin.