Figure 1.--We are not sure when Sasha was born. We would guess about 1900. note Sasha Popov wearing a knee pants sailor suit with his violin, probably about 1910. He looks about 12 years old here. Note the short socks. This was a photo postcard. Click on the image to see the message on the back. I'm not sure what it said.

Sasha Popov is known as the father of Bulgarian symphonic music. He was born in Danubian city of Rousse, then the Principality of Bulgaria (July 11, 1899 New style July 24). His parenrs were talented ussicians, a pianist and violinist. This is oftenn the casw raising the possibility that musical talent is an imherited trait. Of couse it is also possible that musial skills were learned in such families. The family moved to Sofia and he studied violin under Petko Naumov. His parents decided that gien his talent he needed to styidy in Vienna-- acenter of misical excelence. So at only 9 yrars of age with his mother and sister he departed for Vienna. At the Vienna Conservatory under the direction of professors Karl Pearl and Otakar Shevchik (1906). He began world tours (1910). He performed in St. Petersburg and Odessa (1913). Note Sasha is wearing a knee pants sailor suit with his violin, probably about 1910. He looks to be about about 12-13 years old here. The fact that postcards were being sold of him shows that he had made a considerable impressiion as a child prodigy. Note the short socks. European boys commonly wore socks, American boys at the time more commonly wore long stockings. We have virtually no information about Sasha and his childhood musical activities. He became a noted Bulgarian composer, violinist, and pedagogue. The Bulgarian International Music Academy is named after Ppopov. He became a celebrated conductor with an international career. He became a professor at the Bulgarian Conservatory--class of violin (1928). Among his noted sudents were: Vasil Stefanov, Peter Christs, and L. Jankov and others. His favored repertoire included the works of Paganini, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky. He began perfoming as a conductor (1928). at that time he organized the Academic Symphony Orchestra in Sofia. This group became the Royal Symphony Orchestra (1936). It developed into the orchestra of the Sofia Philharmonic. He conducted the Sofia People's Opera (1931-33). He became conductor of the symphony orchestra of Varna and Philharmonic orchestra of Sofia (1945-46. He consucted the orchestra in Pleven (1953) and the orchestras in Rousse (1959-60). He organized the orchestra in Pleven and Rousse. He toured extensively as a conductor around the world, including performances in the Soviet Union. For some reason, the Communist regime dismissed him from official positions. Eminent Bulgarian musicians would later describe this act as one of the most shameful pages of the Bulgarian music history. He continued private work which the government apparently did not interfear with. He left Bulgaria for America (1962). This was during the Cold War when such free miovenments were not usually permitted. We assume that he defected, but we do not have the details. He settked in Los Angeles. He died in Pasadena, Califiornia (1976). We would ike to acquire more information about him. Hopefully our readers who are knowledgeable about music will be able to provide us some information. He today is considered one of the giants in Bulgarian music. His ashes were retirned to Bugarai (1999). He is buried in the Central Cemetery in Sofia.

Created: 5:25 AM 10/1/2004
Last updated: 6:49 AM 8/12/2024