Aleksey Feodorovich L’vov was a Russian violinist, composer, conductor, writer on music and public figure; a friend of Robert Schumann (1810–1856) and Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847).
During the years 1837-1861 he was the director of the Court Singers’ Cappella (in 1839 he organized classes of performance of instrumental music as part of them); together with Baron Modest Andreyevich Korf he developed plans for organizing a musical educational institution similar to a conservatory (his plan was not realized). Being one of the greatest representatives of early 19th century Russian art of violin performance, a follower of the classical school, L’vov expounded his opinions in his brochure “Advice for a Student Beginning to Learn the Violin,” supplemented by him with “24 Caprices,” which have not lost their artistic-pedagogical significance. L’vov composed the Russian national anthem “God Save the Tsar” in 1833. Among his most significant compositions are the overture to the opera “Undina” (1848) and the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra.
