Nikolai Petrovich Makaroff (1810–1890) was a Russian nobleman, Imperial Guard officer, lexicographer, and one of the most significant patrons and pioneers of 19th-century classical guitar music. While he was a self-taught guitar virtuoso who composed highly expressive character pieces, he achieved immortal fame in music history by organizing the world’s first international guitar competition (Brussels, 1856). His extensive memoirs remain one of the most valuable primary sources on the European guitar landscape during the Romantic era.
1. Life and Education
- Origins & Youth: Born on February 16, 1810, in Russia to an influential aristocratic family.
- Military Career: Graduated from the prestigious Imperial Guard Academy and served as an officer. Inspired by Niccolò Paganini, he secretly dedicated himself to music despite strict military regulations.
- The Guitar Obsession: After putting down the violin, he discovered the guitar. He engaged in extreme self-study, practicing up to 14 hours a day to achieve phenomenal virtuosity.
- Later Years: Alongside music, he compiled major Russian-French dictionaries. He passed away in 1890.
2. Guitar and Compositional Work
Although Makaroff often modestly referred to himself as a “musical amateur”, his surviving original compositions reveal deep emotional maturity and an intimate understanding of the fretboard:
- Romantic Character Pieces: His cataloged compositions are well-documented in historical archives like the Classical Guitar Library and the Digital Guitar Archive. His most celebrated pieces include:
- Souvenir et Regret, Op. 1
- Larme (Tear) – Adagio, Op. 2
- La Pétulante – Mazurka, Op. 3
- Fleurs du Nord, Op. 4
- Kamarinskaia, Op. 5
- Compositional Style: His pieces mirror the melancholic Russian spirit woven into Western European Romantic forms. They are characterized by lyrical melodic lines, rich ornamentation, and a highly nuanced exploitation of the guitar’s distinct timbres.
- Pedagogical Writing: He authored the treatise Some Rules for Superior Guitar Playing to pass down the technical insights gained during his years of rigorous practice.
3. Significance and Legacy for Guitar Music
- The 1856 Brussels Competition: Distressed by the guitar’s declining popularity in mid-19th-century European salons, Makaroff offered substantial prize money from his personal wealth. Held in Brussels, this landmark event sought the finest new guitar compositions and best-constructed instruments. It brought historic recognition to geniuses like composer Johann Kaspar Mertz and Viennese luthier Johann Gottfried Scherzer.
- Advocacy for the Multi-String Guitar: Makaroff was a passionate proponent of extended-range instruments, explicitly calling for 10-string guitars. He challenged makers to improve the volume, projection, and dynamic range of the instrument, shaping the evolution of modern luthiery.
- Historical Witness: His remarkably detailed memoirs offer invaluable, firsthand accounts of his encounters with the leading masters of his day, including Napoléon Coste, Giulio Regondi, and Marco Aurelio Zani de Ferranti.
