Since the beginning of the XIX century the Russian press informs its readers about all musical events. Although the authors of the publications were not professionals, the level of reviews and notes amazes with their knowledge of art, especially knowledge of the intricacies of violin playing. This phenomenon can only be explained by the rich auditory experience of journalists. In Russia there was an intense musical life, the most famous virtuosos of that time performed in salons and on stages not only in capitals, but also in provincial cities. By the beginning of the 19th century a strong Russian violin school was formed with an original («vocal») interpretation of sound. Its representatives pay much more attention to the quality of sound than foreign virtuosos, who prioritize technical perfec-tion, sometimes to the detriment of even the elementary requirements of musicality. Russian music criticism has never echoed the opinions of Western colleagues; it had its own criteria for evaluating it. She boldly criticized even the violinists-buffooners recognized in Europe and supported the Russian virtuosos, who soon gained worldwide recognition.
circles; salons; musical publications; violin school; interpretation of sound; musical life in Russia; I.E. Khandoshkin; G.A. Ra-chinsky; I.I. Semenov; N.D. Dmitriev-Svechin; A.F. Lvov; K. Lipiński; G. Berlioz.