Vladimir Pohl
Vladimir Pohl was a Russian composer, pianist, educator, music organizer, and artist. He was born in Paris on January 1, 1875, and spent his childhood and youth in Kyiv. His mother, pianist Alexandra Pohl, was his first music teacher.
Pohl studied natural sciences at Kyiv University, then piano at the Kyiv Conservatory with Professor Vladimir Pukhalsky and music theory with Yevgeny Ryb. He also studied at the Kyiv Art School. In 1903, he passed the conservatory examination and received the title of “free artist.”
After moving to Moscow, Pohl studied composition with Sergei Taneyev and began writing études, waltzes, and romances, including settings of poems by Fyodor Tyutchev, Alexei Tolstoy, and Apollon Maykov. From 1905, he directed the Moscow branch of the Russian Musical Society for five years. He later became director of the Empress Maria Musical Institute. In 1904, a lung illness took him to Crimea, where he taught and directed the Crimean branch of the Russian Musical Society. He also performed in concerts as accompanist to singer Anna Petrunkevich, known by her stage name Yan-Ruban.
Pohl’s musical style was rooted in the classical tradition. In 1914, he wrote a string quintet based on Indian musical themes presented to him by Inayat Khan. In 1917, he moved to Crimea with Yan-Ruban, and they continued their concert work. While in Gaspra, he met the young Vladimir Nabokov, who later dedicated a poem to him.
Pohl and Yan-Ruban moved to Paris in 1922. He helped found the Russian Musical Society and its conservatory, where he taught composition and piano until 1953. He was later named the conservatory’s honorary director and held that position until his death. From 1925, he wrote about music and culture for the Paris newspaper Vozrozhdeniye for nearly 15 years. He also published music criticism and served as a director of the M. P. Belaieff music-publishing organization from 1937 to 1962.
Pohl wrote three short ballets, a symphonic poem in 1961, numerous romances, and other works for voice and piano. His piano pieces for the left hand included Poem, published in 1938. He also wrote works on music history and theory and articles about the music of Nikolai Medtner.
Pohl died in Paris on June 21, 1962, aged 87, as the result of an accident. He was buried at the Russian cemetery in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois.