Varlamov, Aleksandr Yegorovich

Varlamov [Varlámuhff], Aleksandr Yegorovich (11–15/27–1801, M.; 10–15/27–1848, P.). Singer, pedagogue, and comp. Varlamov was descended from a military family, his father being of Moldavian origin. He displayed musical promise at an early age, learning to play the violin by ear, as well as the piano and the guitar. In 1811 he was enrolled in the P. Imperial Chapel as a boy chorister, and his gifts soon attracted the attention of the director, Bortnyansky, who took a personal interest in his…