Pigrov's work as a precentor: Unknown biography pages
Based on the analysis of the sources which have never been introduced to scientific operation, this article touches on the first stage of the professional activity of the outstanding Russian and Soviet choirmaster K. Pigrov. His creative way was predetermined by the traditions of the seminaries of the city of Stavropol and those of the Court Chapel, which made for the formation of the future choirmaster mainly as a precentor. K. Pigrov's professional activity started in 1901. After finishing the Chapel's precentor course, he was invited to the city of Rostov-on-Don to work as the precentor at the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Nativity and as a singing teacher at the Commercial School. Upon coming into office, K. Pigrov had to form the choir anew and teach the singers according to his conception of choir sonority. It was at the first stage of his professional activity when he made up his basic techniques which would become the signature of the outstanding choirmaster: "the organ sonority" and the ensemble principles, which K. Pigrov described later in his Conducting a Choir. The young precentor's work was not estimated at its true worth by the attenders of the Cathedral, which was typical for the southern provincial city. Along with the precentor activity, K. Pigrov also educated future precentors among the singers of the Cathedral's choir. As a teacher of the Commercial School, he established a children's choir that showed high-level performing skills. K. Pigrov continued implementing all his professional activities, which he started in Rostov-on-Don, later in Stavropol, and in Odessa where the cathedral choir conducted by K. Pigrov performed the works of A. Grechaninov, with the performance being highly appraised by the composer.