Tchaikovsky
www.tchaikovsky-research.net

Tat'iana L'vovna Davydova

Татьяна Львовна Давыдова

Niece of the composer, born on 6/18 September 1861 at Kamenka (Kiev region), Russia, the eldest child of Lev Vasil'evich DAVYDOV and the composer's sister Aleksandra Il'inichna (b. TCHAIKOVSKAIA).

Tchaikovsky was close to his niece, whom he knew as "Tania". When in 1883 she became pregnant by Stanislav Mikhailovich BLUMENFEL'D (1850-1897), the composer and his brother Modest were the only two members of the family to be entrusted with the secret; they took Tat'iana to Paris, and arranged her medical care. After she gave birth to a boy, Georges-Léon, the composer himself registered the child's birth, organised his baptism, and provided financial support. Tchaikovsky also helped to arrange Georges-Léon's eventual adoption by his brother Nikolai.

Tat'iana Davydova died suddenly on 19/31 January 1887 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, aged 25. She was buried in the cemetery at the Aleksandr Nevskii Monastery in Saint Petersburg, although the grave site has not been preserved. Tchaikovsky's set of Six Duets, Op. 46 (1880) is dedicated to his niece.