David Brown (musicologist)

David Brown (1929-2014) was a British musicologist specializing in Russian music, particularly the works of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. He is best known for his four-volume biography of Tchaikovsky, considered a landmark achievement in Tchaikovsky scholarship.

Brown was born in Gillingham, Kent, England. He studied at the Royal College of Music and later worked as a music editor and broadcaster for the BBC. His academic career began at the University of Southampton, where he eventually became a professor of music.

His magnum opus, the Tchaikovsky biography, was published in four volumes between 1978 and 1991. This comprehensive work delves into Tchaikovsky's life, music, and cultural context with unprecedented depth and detail. It incorporated newly available sources and challenged many existing assumptions about the composer. The individual volumes are:

• Tchaikovsky: The Early Years, 1840-1874 (1978)
• Tchaikovsky: The Crisis Years, 1874-1878 (1978)
• Tchaikovsky: The Years of Wandering, 1878-1885 (1986)
• Tchaikovsky: The Final Years, 1885-1893 (1991)

In addition to the Tchaikovsky biography, Brown authored numerous articles and books on Russian music, including studies of Glinka and Mussorgsky. He was a respected scholar and teacher who made a significant contribution to the field of musicology. His work continues to be influential for researchers and performers interested in Russian music.