Tchaikovsky
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Aleksandra Hubert (1850–1937)

Aleksandra Hubert

Russian pianist and teacher (b. 11/23 January 1850; d. 1937), born Aleksandra Ivanovna Batalina (Александра Ивановна Баталина, Alexandra Ivanovna Batalina); known after her marriage as Aleksandra Ivanovna Hubert (Александра Ивановна Губерт, Aleksandra Ivanova Gubert, Alexandra Ivanovna Hubert).

From 1874 until 1883 Aleksandra taught the piano at the Moscow Conservatory (where she had enrolled as a student in 1867), and here she met her future husband, Nikolai Hubert, who was professor of music theory. Both were close friends of Tchaikovsky, who also taught at the Conservatory during the 1870s. Aleksandra helped Tchaikovsky to make piano duet arrangements of his Suite No. 2 (1883) and Manfred symphony (1885), and she also made her own transcriptions of many of his other works.

Following Nikolai's death in 1888, Tchaikovsky helped Aleksandra to take over her husband's position as inspector at the Moscow Conservatory, and she retained this post until 1914.

Correspondence with Aleksandra Hubert:

• 65 letters from Tchakovsky to Aleksandra Hubert have survived, dating from 1882 to 1893.