Liudmila Kovnatskaya

Liudmila Grigorievna Kovnatskaya (5 February 1941 – 9 May 2023) was a Russian musicologist. She was a professor at the St Petersburg State Conservatoire named after N. Rimsky-Korsakov (1987), and the Chief Researcher at the Russian Institute of Fine Arts History in St Petersburg. She was considered an Honoured Art Worker of Russian Federation.

Education Kovnatskaya graduated in 1965 from two departments at the Leningrad State Conservatoire named after N. Rimsky-Korsakov: the department of History of Music and Piano Performing Faculty, and the department of Organ Playing, having studied under Prof. Isai Braudo. It was at the Conservatoire that she finished a postgraduate course in the department of History of Western Music, under the supervision of Prof. Dr Mikhail Druskin. In 1970 Liudmila Kovnatskaya presented a candidate dissertation on Benjamin Britten's oeuvre. In 1987 she completed a doctoral dissertation on English music of 20th century, at the Moscow research institute of Arts of Academy of Science, USSR.

Professional experience From 1987, Kovnatskaya was a member of Russian Composers’ Union, and she was a member of the General Council for Cultural Affairs of St Petersburg from 1987 until 1993. In 2002 she became a member of the Council (Directorium) of the IMS. In the same year, she became a member of the editorial board of the journal “Tempo” (Cambridge).

In 2001, Kovnatskaya became a materials consultant on Russian music for Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians (London: McMillan, 2001). She was also a guest lecturer at the University of Manchester (1991), the Aldeburgh Festival (UK), and the Ural Conservatoire in Yekaterinburg.

Liudmila Kovnatskaya was the author of a monograph about Benjamin Britten (Moscow, 1974), in the book “English Music in the 20th Century: Sources and periods of development” (Moscow, 1986). Thanks to her research and organization activity in Russia, various festivals and concerts were organized, which were dedicated to English classic music, including Britten. Among them were “Ars Britannica” (1988–1990), the festival in honour of “The 80th anniversary of B. Britten” (1993), “The World of Ralph Vaughan Williams” (1996), the festival of Britten's music on his 85th anniversary (1998), the jubilee concert in honour of Britten and Saint Cecilia, patron saint of musicians (2003), the concert “World of Opera: Benjamin Britten”, and others.

Kovnatskaya's research fields include History of Russian Music; she has written, edited and compiled books and articles on D. Shostakovich. Among her non-published manuscripts one can find a monumental work entitled “Ideological control of Musical avant-garde of 1920s: Leningrad Association of Contemporary Music in reports and other materials” (Soros Foundation Funding).

A separate field of her research and publishing activity is the ‘offering to the Teacher’, who was a famous musicologist and Professor of Leningrad Conservatoire Mikhail Druskin. In 2009, thanks to Prof. Kovnatskaya, a two-volume collection was published, entitled “Memory to Mikhail Semenovich Druskin”, which united articles, recollections, biographical materials and correspondence. All who knew M. Druskin as a musician, musicologist and teacher took part in the creation of this 1000 page book. Furthermore, in addition to this, Liudmila Kovnatskaya led the task of re-publishing works by Druskin and, as a result, realized an extensive project: a 7-volume Collected Works. At present, the first volume, “Clavir music”, and the fourth volume, “Igor Stravinsky”, are published.

In 2002, Liudmila Kovnatskaya received a literary prize and a medal named after Belyaev for the book “Arnold Schoenberg. Letters "(Translated by V. G. Schnittke, editor M. Druskin. Saint Petersburg, 2001 - 464 p.). In 2013 she published the three-volume edition Shostakovich at the Leningrad Conservatory: 1919–1930), which was awarded the title “Book of the Year - 2013” ("Musical Review" newspaper). In 2013, Liudmila Kovnatskaya received the title "Person of the Year - 2013" (newspaper "Musical Review"). In 2016 she received the "RESONANCE" prize for her contribution to the development of musical and theatrical criticism (Diaghilev Festival, Perm, June 2016).

Death Kovnatskaya died on 9 May 2023, at the age of 82.

Books The Main Themes: Britten, Shostakovich and Others / eds.: O. B. Manulkina, N. V. Gradoboeva. St Petersburg : N. I. Novikov Publishers; Galina Scripsit Publishing House, 2018. 492 p. Research “Ideological control of Musical avant-garde of 1920s (Leningrad Association of Contemporary Music in reports and other materials” – 1997–1999. A Grant-holder of the George Soros Foundation (“The Open Society” Institute) –– manuscript English music in the 20th century. Sources and periods of development. Moscow: Sovietsky Kompozitor, 1986. 216 pp. Benjamin Britten. Moscow: Sovietsky Kompozitor, 1974. 392 pp.

Books and collections (editor, co-editor) Braudo I. About organ and clavier music / eds.: A. Braudo, M. Druskin, L. Kovnatskaya. Leningrad : Muzyka, 1976. 172 p. History and Modernity. Collection of articles to 75th anniversary of M. S. Druskin / ed. by L. Kovnatskaya together with M. D. Sabinina and A. I. Klimovitsky. Leningrad : Sovietsky Kompozitor, 1981. 286 p. Traditions of musicology : collection of research articles / ed. by L. Kovnatskaya. Leningrad : Sovietsky Kompozitor, 1989. 204 p. Komarov I. Articles and essays / ed. by E. Fedorova together with L. Kovnatskaya. St Petersburg : Sovietsky Kompozitor, 1992. 112 p. Orlov G. Tree of music / ed. by L. Kovnatskaya. Washington (DC) : H. F. Frager & Co; St Petersburg : Sovietsky Kompozitor, 1992. 408 p. [2nd ed., 2005; 3rd ed., 2015] D. D. Shostakovich : Collection to the 90th anniversary. St Petersburg : Kompozitor, 1996. 389 p. Memory to N. S. Rabinovitch. Essays, memoirism, documents. Washington (DC) : H. Frager & Co., 1996. 246 p. Arensky P. A. Musical dictionary for exiles. Letters (from the personal archive of M. L. Rostropovitch). St Petersburg : Severnij olen’, 1999. 104 p. D. D. Shostakovich: Between the moment and eternity. Documents. Articles. Publications. St Petersburg, 2000. 917 p. Schoenberg A. Letters / transl. in Russian by V. G. Schnitke; ed. by M. S. Druskin, L. Kovnatskaya. St Petersburg : Kompozitor; Pro Arte, 2001. 464 p. [2nd ed., 2008] The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians : in 29 vols. 2nd ed. / ed. by Stanley Sadie; executive ed. John Tyrrell; external advisory ed. Ludmila Kovnatskaya. London, etc.: Macmillan, 2001. [2nd ed., repr. with minor corr., 2002] Druskin M. History of Foreign Music. Second half of 19th century. Vol. 4. 7th ed. St Petersburg : Kompozitor, 2002. 630 p. (editorial member together with V. V. Smirnov, A. K. Koenigsberg and N. I. Degtyareva). Schweitzer A. I. S. Bach / transl. in Russian by Ya. S. Druskin and H. A. Strekalovskaya; ed. by L. G. Kovnatskaya. Moscow : Klassika–XXI, 2002. 808 p. [2nd ed., 2004; 3rd ed., 2011; 4th ed., 2016] Cantus Planus–2002. Russian version. Vol. 1 / ed. by A. Vovk. St Petersburg : Kompozitor, 2004. 371 p. Dmitry Shostakovich : Studies and materials. Vol. 1. Moscow : DSCH, 2005. 209 p. D. D. Shostakovich. Letters to I. I. Sollertinsky. St Petersburg : Kompozitor, 2006. 276 p. Dmitry Shostakovich : Studies and materials. Vol. 2 / eds.: O. Digonskaya and L. Kovnatskaya. Moscow : DSCH, 2007. 286 p. Druskin M. S. Collected Works : in 7 vols. / ed. by L. G. Kovnatskaya. Vol. 1: Clavier music of Spain, England, Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany in 16th – 18th centuries / ed.-compl. L. G. Kovnatskaya; ed. board: I. V. Rozanov and oth. St Petersburg : Kompozitor, 2007. 751 p. Druskin M. S. Collected Works : in 7 vols. / ed. by L. G. Kovnatskaya. Vol. 4: Igor Stravinsky. Eds: L. G. Kovnatskaya, V. P. Varunts, O. B. Manulkina, N. A. Braginskaya, L. O. Ader. St Petersburg : Kompozitor, 2009. 584 p. Memory to Mikhail Semenovich Druskin: in 2 vols. Vol. 1: Articles. Memoires / eds.: L. G. Kovnatskaya, A. K. Koenigsberg, L. V. Miheeva. Materials preparation: L. O. Ader; O. N. Tchumikova. St Petersburg State Conservatoire named after N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov. St Petersburg : Allegro, 2009. 583 p. Vol. 2: From correspondence. 427 p. Russian-British musical connections : collection of articles / eds. L. G. Kovnatskaya, M. P. Mischenko, O. N. Tchumikova. St Petersburg, 2009. 384 p. Dmitry Shostakovich : Studies and materials. Vol. 3 / eds.: O. Digonskaya and L. Kovnatskaya. Moscow : DSCH, 2011. 263 p. Dmitry Shostakovich : Studies and materials. Vol. 4 / eds.: O. Digonskaya and L. Kovnatskaya. Moscow : DSCH, 2012. 271 p. Druskin M. S. Collected Works : in 7 vols. Vol. 5: Russian revolutionary song / ed. by L. G. Kovnatskaya and S. V. Podrezova. St Petersburg : Kompozitor, 2012. 799 p. North in traditional cultures and professional schools of composition : collection of articles / ed. by L. G. Kovnatskaya. Petrozavodsk : PetrGU, 2012. 370 p. Britten : collection of articles / eds.: A. Genina and L. Kovnatskaya. Moscow : Book Centre Rudomino, 2013. 363 p. (Un)Musical Offering, or Allegro affettuoso : Collection of articles to the 65th anniversary of Boris Aronovich Katz / ed.-comp.: A. Dolinin, I. Doronchenkov, L. Kovnatskaya, N. Mazur. St Petersburg : Publishing House of European University, 2013. 672 p. Shostakovich at the Leningrad Conservatory: 1919–1930 : in 3 vols. / D. Shostakovich’s Archive, Moscow; Central state archive of film and photo documents of St Petersburg; author of the project and editor-comp. L. Kovnatskaya; ed. board: L. Kovnatskaya, A. Petrova, L. Ader, P. Gershenzon. Vol. 1: Addresses and routes (1). Studying process. 252 p.; Vol. 2: Friends-buddies. Native speech. Crafts workshop. Addresses and routes (2). 408 p.; Vol. 3. City-theater. GATOB. MALEGOT. TRAM, GosTIM, Musical Comedy. Cinema. Concerts. Big Hall. 488 p. St Petersburg : Kompozitor, 2013. Braudo I. Articulation (on the pronunciation of the melody). About organ and clavier music / comp. A. I. Braudo; ed. board: L. G. Kovnatskaya, S. M. Maltsev, M. P. Mishchenko. St Petersburg, 2014. 395 p. Chronicle of the life and work of D. D. Shostakovich : in 5 vols. Vol. 1: 1903–1930 / project idea: I. A. Shostakovich, M. A. Yakubov; project coordinator and sponsor I. A. Shostakovich; project manager L. G. Kovnatskaya; ed. board: M. I. Aleinikov, V. S. Velichko, N. V. Gradoboeva, O. G. Digonskaya, L. G. Kovnatskaya, L. A. Miller; executive ed. L. A. Miller; scientific ed. O. G. Digonskaya. Moscow : DSCH, 2016. 582 p. 32. Druskin M. S. Collected works : in 7 vols. / ed. by L. G. Kovnatskaya. Vol. 6: Selected articles. St Petersburg: Kompozitor – St Petersburg, 2018.765 p.

Articles in collection and monographs Benjamin Britten. In: Muzykalnaya zhizn’. 1968. No. 10. P. 15–7. English ballad. In: Muzykalnaya zhizn’. 1969. No. 19. P. 21–2. Britten and traditions of English folk music genres. In: Iz istorii muzyki 20 veka. Moscow : Muzyka, 1971. P. 208–25. From the history of English ethnography. In: Sovietskaya muzyka. 1971. No. 7. P. 137–40. Concert in memory of Stravinsky. In: Sovietskaya muzyka. 1972. No. 5. P. 77–8. Folk elements of vocal melodies by Britten. In: Problemy muzykalnoj nauki. Collection of articles. Vol. 1. Moscow : Sovetsky kompozitor, 1972. P. 298–325. An outstanding master. To the 60th anniversary of B. Britten. In: Sovietskaya muzyka. 1973. No. 11. P. 117–23. Lillian Libman. “And Music at the Close…”: Stravinsky’s Last Years. In: Sovietskaya muzyka. 1973. No. 5. P. 122–9. About new English musical revival. In: Sovietskaya muzyka. 1973. No. 7. P. 118–25. Roy Harris (USA). In: Sovietskaya muzyka. 1973. No. 10. P. 134–5. Devotion to Music : to the 70th anniversary of M. S. Druskin. In: Sovietskaya muzyka. 1975. No. 4. P. 63–7. (together with G. Orlov and I. Khlebarov)