Aleksandra Unkovskaya

Aleksandra Vasilevna Unkovskaya | Александра Васильевна Унковская (born Zakharina 1857-1927) born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, (daughter of Captain 1st Rank Vasily Vasilyevich Zakharin of Russian Nobility and Evdokia Petrovna, nee Arsenyeva, a Russian noblewoman of the Arsenyev dynasty), was a gifted violinist, graduated from the Saint Petersburg Conservatory with a gold medal in the violin class of Professor Leopold Auer. ^[1]

Aleksandra Unkovskaya became a famous and successful professional violinist. Nikolai Alexandrovich Haller (Galler in Russian), a family friend, bank director and husband of a friend of her mother, an admirer of Aleksandra Vasilievna's talent, presented her with a violin made by Giuseppe Guarneri Del Gesu 1742. Her sister Sonya was gifted the 1872 ‘St. Nicolas’^[2] Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume by Haller as well. ^[3]

In her memoirs, Aleksandra Vasilievna gave credit to her family life (in childhood and adolescence) which contributed to the formation of her abilities, the home musical soirées, the Mariinsky Theater, acquaintance with composers Mily Balakirev, Alexander Serov, her family friends Nikolai Haller and his wife Charlotte and violin lessons with Leopold Auer, which started in 1871. Professor Auer became very close with Aleksandra’s family and married her future husband’s cousin Nadine (Nadezhda) Pelikan (his first wife) 23 May 1874. Nadine was also the niece of Mikhail Azanchevsky, director of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory (1871-1876).

After her graduation, Aleksandra married Nikolai Vladimirovich Unkovsky (1856-1904), of hereditary nobles in Saint Petersburg region, a naval officer who later became a highly successful opera singer (dramatic baritone), producer, entrepreneur, teacher. They had three children – Vladimir (1880-1951), Sergey (1881-1931) and Nikolai (1895-1942).

The Unkovsky family is one of the oldest and notable noble dynasties in Russia.^[4] Over the many years of their existence, the Unkovskys appear more than once on the pages of Russian history, having devoted themselves to various fields of public life. Among the Unkovskys are sailors, military men, lawyers, prominent representatives of the Zemstvo and public education. ^[5]

In 1880, her husband retired his military career with the rank of captain lieutenant, and they moved to the city of Penza, where they pursued their music careers. From 1887 to 1890 he sang at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater, and then organized a musical/drama troupe the "Association of Opera Artists" which toured the cities of the Volga region, the center and south of Russia. ^[6] The conductor of the opera performances was no other than his wife Aleksandra Vasilievna Zakharyina-Unkovskaya. The Opera programs included the best works of the classical repertoire of the time: A Life for the Tsar, Ivan Susanin, Mermaid, Eugene Onegin, The Queen of Spades, The Demon, Faust, Il Trovatore, Aida, "Pagliacci", "Masquerade Ball", "Lohengrin". N. V. Unkovsky himself successfully sang the parts of the Demon and Amonasro (opera "Aida"). ^[7]

In the seasons of 1893/94 and 1898, the Unkovsky troupe performed in Kaluga (100 miles SW of Moscow) where they decided to settle. In Kaluga, Aleksandra Vasilievna became active as a violin and a vocal teacher at the private school of F.M. Shakhmagonov. After the death of her famous operatic husband in the summer of 1904, Aleksandra Vasilievna, now a widow, worked on issues of synesthesia of sound and color, interpreted in a mystical way. She was born with this gift and devoted herself to teaching it from late 19th century. Sound-to-color synesthesia or Chromesthesia is a type of synesthesia in which sound involuntarily evokes an experience of color, shape and movement. Individuals with synesthesia (sound-color) are consciously aware of this in daily life. ^[8]

Alexandra Vasilievna developed a system of musical education (color-sound-number), and published it (“The Method of colors, sounds and numbers” c.1915-16) for which she received an award from the Milan Conservatory. She also lectured and wrote in the spirit of Theosophical ideas about sound, color and music. She actively participated in the publication of “Herald of Theosophy”. On April 21, 1909, a department of the Russian Theosophical Society was opened in Kaluga, of which she was a founding member. Traveling frequently, she had extensive contacts with European theosophists and was acquainted with many prominent figures in the world of music and art. ^[9]

In 1909 the great painter Wassily Kandinsky became acquainted with a presentation Unkovskaya made (at the Theosophical Congress in Budapest) regarding her innovative system in music education, which led to his own discoveries in his art. Kandinsky famously stated: “to impress a tune upon unmusical children with the help of colours…. She has constructed a special, precise method of ‘translating’ the colors of nature into music, of painting the sounds of nature, of seeing sounds.” This transcended the spiritual in art and led him to develop the concept and formula of a chain reaction experience (reciprocal relationship/artist and viewer): "Emotion — sensation — the work of art — sensation — emotion." The concept was based on the principle of the resonance of string instruments. ^[10]

Many Russians of noble hereditary birth were victims of Stalin’s political repressions (also known as Red Terror), including her sons, who fell victim to such repressions. ^[11]

Vladimir Nikolaevich Unkovsky (1880-1951) – on August 10, 1904 he graduated from a military school and was promoted to second lieutenant. As part of the Siberian Rifle Regiment, he participated in the Russo-Japanese War. He was wounded during the fighting in North Korea in 1905. In 1921-1929. served in the provincial land department, holding minor positions. When doubts arose about his loyalty due to non-proletarian origin (hereditary noble), Vladimir Nikolaevich left for Turkmenistan. In 1929-1930, served as a technician in the water management of the Turkmen SSR. In 1930-1931 was the head of survey parties and foreman at the construction of irrigation facilities of the Turkmen SSR, taught foreman courses.

Sergei Nikolaevich Unkovsky (1881-1931) - in 1903 graduated from the Naval Cadet Corps, and participated in three wars: Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), World War I (1914-1918) and Civil War (1918-1921). In 1922 he was appointed Head of the Marine Fleet Administration in Sevastopol and Acting Head of the Navigation Safety Administration of the Black and Azov Seas under the command of M.V. Frunze, with whom he was well acquainted. November 23, 1930 - arrested. April 8, 1931 - committed suicide in prison (according to sources, he died, unable to withstand the conditions of detention).

Nikolai Nikolaevich Unkovsky (1895-1942) – was a naval Captain (2nd rank) in the Caspian Sea Fleet. On July 15, 1938, was arrested by order of a non-judicial body “for participation in an anti-Soviet terrorist organization” and imprisoned for 5 years in labor camps. At the end of his term, he was again condemned by the Special Meeting of the NKVD of the USSR (Decree of August 22, 1942). The case on charges of Nikolay Nikolayevich Unkovsky was reviewed by the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the Soviet Union on March 14, 1955, and was declared a victim of political repressions and ‘was rehabilitated’. According to unverified reports, his relatives received news that he, being very ill, died in 1942 on his way home.

Aleksandra Vasilievna’s biographers state that after her death in 1927, her violin was confiscated as an extremely rare and valuable “museum” instrument. But truth is stranger than fiction, as the story unfolds further in the memoirs of another superb Russian violinist Mikhail Borisovich Reison discussing Aleksandra Vasilevna Unkovskaya and her Del Gesu which she gifted to him, and how it was confiscated by the Russian State into its Collection.^[12]

The provenance of the 1742 Guarneri Del Gesu^[13]: Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, Nikolai Alexandrovich Haller, Aleksandra Zakharina-Unkovskaya, Mikhail Reison, Russian State Collection (since 1929-30).^[14]

Mikhail Reison on Unkovskaya and her generous gift (1742 Del Gesu): “Having learned about my grief in connection with the tragedy of my Stradivari (theft in 1925), A.V. Unkovskaya presented me with her unique instrument Guarneri del Gesu, with which I appeared in many solo performances such as the Column Hall of the House of Unions and the Great Hall of the Conservatory. During one of my tours in 1927, I learned that A.V. Unkovskaya had died. Soon one of Aleksandra Vasilievna's sons came to me demanding the return of the instrument (in order to sell it in Turkey). Remembering Unkovskaya's Will and her wishes that the Del Gesu remain in my possession, of which her son Nikolai (Commander of the Black Sea Fleet) knew all too well, in addition, knowing the value of the instrument, I turned to the State Collection for the Protection and Operation of Instruments. Deputy Chairman for the Protection of Musical Instruments B.N. Zakhoder and expert E. Vitaĉek who guaranteed me the protection of the instrument and the opportunity to give concerts while playing it. An act was drawn up in two copies: one remained in the State Collection, the other was given to me: that, according to the order of the head of the Directorate of Sciences F.I. Petrov, the (Del Gesu) violin which belonged to Aleksandra Vasilevna was accepted from me. As soon as the violin was in their hands, I lost the opportunity not only to play it, but even to see it. The instrument was confiscated by the state. Motivation - such a treasure cannot be in private hands. A.V. Lunacharsky pointed out to the director of the State Collection that his actions were illegal, threatening to take the case to court. A lawsuit followed, in which Lunacharsky indignantly declared that the instrument is a tool of trade, therefore the state does not have the right to confiscate. The collection promised to provide a Stradivari instrument of equal quality. When I came for it, they refused me, arguing that the issuance of valuable instruments threatens the collapse of the State Collection. My application for an instrument was repeatedly supported by: People's Commissar Lunacharsky, Sofil, and the Leningrad Conservatory. All to no avail. A “Wall of deceit”! Later, they gave me a third-rate instrument, the work of Galliano, promised free temporary use, yet soon demanded a rental fee. Thus, I lost another great instrument once again.” - Mikhail Reison

"M.B. Reison's services to the Soviet musical art are undoubtedly outstanding." - Professor Yuri Yankelevich^[15]

• On The Trail of a Russian Nobleman by Gennady Filimonov The Strad magazine June 2023 p.20-p.25
• https://www.thestrad.com/lutherie/on-the-trail-of-a-1708-stradivari-jt-carrodus-and-a-mystery-violin/16402.article On the trail of a 1708 Stradivari: J.T. Carrodus and a mystery violin by Gennady Filimonov June 2023 The STRAD magazine
• Воспоминания : репринт издания журнала "Вестник теософии", 1917 г. | Memoirs: reprint of the journal "Bulletin of Theosophy", 1917.
• Unkovskaya, A.V. Method color-sound-number. (Extract from lectures on aesthetics at courses for mothers in Petrograd 1915-1916). [Pg.]: Ed. magazine "Herald of Theosophy", [1916].

• The Family of Leopold Auer in Reminiscences and Letters https://leopoldauersociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/The-family-of-Leopold-Auer-in-memoirs-and-letters.pdf
• Unforgettable performer | Незабываемый исполнитель https://www.reyson.ru/o-reysone.html
• Reison, Mikhail Borisovich | РЕЙСОН, Михаил Борисович (1901–1964) | Санкт-Петербургская государственная консерватория имени Н. А. Римского-Корсакова https://www.conservatory.ru/esweb/reyson-mikhail-borisovich-1901-1964
• https://www.thestrad.com/lutherie/from-the-strad-calendar-2018-giuseppe-guarneri-del-gesu-violin-1742/7176.article
• https://ingleshayday.com/notable-sales-instrument/a-violin-after-stradivari-by-jean-baptiste-vuillaume-2/ 1872 'St. Nicolas' J.B. Vuillaume