Extra-curricular event at the Children's Art School “Alexander Gedike - the founder of the Russian organ school. Favorite piano pieces

Organist, pianist, composer, teacher. Supernumerary Professor II Art. (1909).

He came from a family of hereditary musicians. The son of F.K. Gedike and a Frenchwoman from Normandy, Alexandra Feodorovna (real name Justine-Adel-Augustine) Le Campion (Le Campion). Great-grandfather Gedike - Heinrich Georg (Andrey Ivanovich) was a teacher and inspector of piano classes at the Smolny Institute, composed music. Grandfather - Karl Genrikhovich (Andreevich) - served as the organist of the French Catholic Church of St. Louis, taught music at the Moscow Orphan Institute of Emperor Nicholas I.

Initial training in piano and organ Gedicke was with his father, from the age of 12 he replaced him as an organist in the church of St. Louis. In 1890-92. participated in the Children's Orchestra of A. A. Erarsky. In 1892 he entered the junior classes of the Moscow Conservatory, to A.I. Galli, then moved to the class of P.A. Pabst, after his death - to the class of V.I. Safonova (piano). He studied harmony and instrumentation with A. S. Arensky, N. M. Ladukhin, G. E. Konyus, the encyclopedia with N. S. Morozov, elementary music theory with N. D. Kashkin. He graduated from the conservatory in 1898 with a small gold medal. For composing the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, the Sonata for Violin and Piano, and Pieces for Piano, he received an award as a composer and pianist at the Anton Rubinstein International Competition (Vienna, 1890).

From 1898 he worked as a music teacher at the Moscow Orphan Institute of Emperor Nicholas I until its closure in 1918, in the 1898/99 academic year he also taught at the Moscow Lyceum in memory of Tsarevich Nicholas. Since 1904, he worked at the Moscow Elisabeth Institute, replacing in 1906 S.V. Rachmaninov as music inspector. In the same year, he took over the duties of an observer for the musical part of the Orphans' Institute in place of A. B. Goldenweiser, who had resigned. Since 1907, in addition to music lessons, he taught the technique of playing the piano and harmony. From January 1907 he also taught piano at the Alexander III Institute of the Moscow Nobility for Ladies of the Noble Title, founded in memory of Catherine II. Work in these educational institutions in many ways contributed to the creation of an extensive educational repertoire for Gedicke, which combined technological and artistic merits.

The largest representative of the Russian organ school. He gave over 200 concerts on the organ of the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory (since 1923). Gedike's compositions, as well as his performing style, are characterized by monumentality, depth and rigor, and at times sharp contrasts. Known as a performer of all organ works by J. S. Bach. Author of many musical works, including operas to his own libretto (Virineya, 1913-15; At the Perevoz, 1933; Jacquerie, 1933; Macbeth; orchestral numbers performed in 1944), cantatas, orchestral compositions, including for a brass band, for organ, for pianoforte, (Concertpiece for piano and orchestra), for violin and cello, for clarinet, romances, etc., as well as transcriptions and arrangements of Russian folk songs.

In 1909, on a freelance basis, he entered the service of the Moscow Conservatoire, as a supernumerary professor of the II degree, in 1913 he transferred to active service. From 1919 he taught the chamber class, from 1922 the organ class. In 1923, he was in charge of these departments, and developed a methodology for teaching chamber ensembles for conservatories. Taught a special piano class. Among the students (organ, piano, chamber ensemble) are K. Adzhemov, M. Brook (piano), A. Vasilyeva, I. Weiss, N. Vygodsky, T. Gaidamovich, G. Grodberg, S. Dizhur. Ya. Kaabak, S. Knushevitsky, I. Kozolupova, V. Merzhanov, M. Milman, S. G. Neuhaus, L. Roizman, M. Rostropovich, I. Ryzhkin, B. Smolyakov, M. Starokadomsky, B. Tevlin, B. Khaikin. For some time he taught piano at the Moscow People's Conservatory. In the 1920-50s. worked at the Music School at the Moscow Conservatory (composition and chamber ensemble).

Municipal budget institution

additional education

"District School of Arts"

"Artist of a Big Soul"

Lecture - concert about A.F. Gedik.

Teacher Slobodskova O. A.

town October

Kind day, expensive friends! We continue series concerts "Portraits of Composers". Today we will talk about the work of one of the greatest musicians of the Soviet period - composer, organist, professor at the Moscow Conservatory Alexander Fedorovich Gedike.

Alexandra Fedorovich was born in Moscow in 1877. In his diary, Gedike wrote: “My father served in those years as the organist of the church of St. Ludovik, also served as a pianist for the orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre. He gave many private lessons at that time. He married at the age of 36, while my mother was 21. The composer's father, Fyodor Karlovich, was born in Moscow, in a German family, but considered himself Russian, and did not like being addressed in German. He received his initial musical education from his father, Karl Andreevich Gedike; later studied with Dubuque. In addition to playing the piano, he studied violin and composition. The father begins his “musical pedigree” from his grandfather Heinrich Gedicke, a pianist teacher in St. Petersburg. He enjoyed great respect of many remarkable figures of Russian culture.

The mother of the future composer Justin-Adel was born in France, having moved to Russia in 1870, she, along with her sister, settled in Moscow. Gedicke writes: “She did not possess musical abilities, but she was very interested in music and dreamed of learning to play the piano, often sat down at the instrument and analyzed French romances and songs, obviously meaning that she would have to study music with us. My mother belonged to those people who live and do everything for others, never doing anything for themselves.

A.F. Gedike "The Play".

“Music has played a big role in our lives. Musicians preparing for the competition constantly came to my father, who served at the Bolshoi Theater, and we listened to them attentively. There were violinists, cellists, wind players. Involuntarily, we studied the sound and properties of this or that instrument. My father was a good pianist… we always listened to his playing with interest, we especially loved Chopin.”

In 1887, Gedicke entered the gymnasium, with great pleasure he studied choral singing and drawing there. “Starting from the age of 12, I replaced my father in the French church as an organist, and did it well, and most importantly with pleasure. I was good at improvising." At home, Gedike often heard the music of P.I. Tchaikovsky, J.S. Bach, performed by a family ensemble, which consisted of Alexander Fedorovich's cousins. The arrangement for this ensemble was made by Alexander himself.

A.F. Gedike: "Waltz", "Dance".

In 1891, Gedicke moved to the fourth grade of the gymnasium, but music absorbs all his strength and attention. And then he decides to prepare for admission to the conservatory. Having prepared a program in his specialty, having passed solfeggio, Alexander is accepted into the conservatory. “Having entered the conservatory, I clearly saw that I was not mistaken in my dreams, and that the air that I began to breathe was not at all like the air of the gymnasium. In those years, the artistic spirit brought by Nikolai Rubinstein was felt in the atmosphere of the conservatory. I absorbed this spirit to the fullest, and this time was undoubtedly the happiest in my life, ”Gedicke wrote. The composer's sister O.F. Metner (Gedike) wrote: “How ardently he set to work! Every day at 8 o'clock in the morning he sat down at the piano, played scales, etudes, plays and his beloved J.S. Bach. He was distracted and, apart from music, seemed to think of nothing.

A.F. Gedike "Moths"

The boy made great strides, was interested in everything, visited theaters, symphonic music concerts. During this period, he began to give private music lessons, which he was incredibly happy about, and also began to compose. “At the conservatory in 1894 I completed the violin sonata. He wrote a march, an elegy and a fugue for a large orchestra. Gedike did not receive a special compositional education; he gained his composer's experience in independent, hard, everyday, hard work and in the study of the works of the greatest composers of different eras. He often performed at evenings at the conservatory: he played F. Liszt, F. Schubert, L. Beethoven, and continued to study the organ, and also wrote a number of dance pieces for various instruments. Let's listen to some of them:

Gedike "Sarabande"

Gedike "Waltz"

Gedike "Waltz"

Of great importance for Gedicke was his acquaintance with Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff. “Every evening spent with Sergei Vasilyevich was a holiday for me, and if I had to play four hands, this holiday became the twelfth,” Gedike wrote.

In 1898, Alexander Fedorovich graduated from the conservatory with a gold medal, and in 1900 he went to a competition in Vienna. As a composer, he receives the first and only prize in the competition, and was awarded an honorary mention as a pianist. The famous musician-teacher A.B. Goldenweiser wrote: “Alexandra Fedorovich was a great composer, with a very healthy optimistic outlook. He possessed first-rate technical skill. The works of Alexander Fedorovich revealed the great versatility of talent. He was alien to the pursuit of external effects, for "novelty", as a self-sufficient value. Being an excellent pianist, he retained his pianistic skills until the end of his life, despite the fact that in his mature years he performed mainly as an organist. The game of Alexander Fedorovich was distinguished by masculinity, full, beautiful sound, impeccable technical skill and infallible rhythm.

A.F. Gedicke "Invention"

In September 1909, work began at the Moscow Conservatory, where Gedicke taught a class of special piano and chamber ensemble. The chamber ensemble class was popular with students, everyone wanted to learn from him. Gedicke makes many arrangements for the organ - these are chamber and symphonic works by F. Liszt, E. Grieg, R. Wagner, which significantly expanded the organ repertoire.

A. F. Gedike "Miniature"

In the work of Alexander Fedorovich as a composer, the predominance of any "favorite" genres is not noticeable. The composer worked in various fields of instrumental and vocal music. Among the major instrumental works of the composer, the most significant stand out: three symphonies, a piano trio, piano, organ concertos and concertos for wind instruments. All these works are characterized by high professional skill, deep and organic connection with classical traditions. Gedike is the author of four major operas: "Virineya", "At the ferry", "Jacquerie", "Macbeth".

A. F.Gedike "Thunderstorm"

Among the numerous vocal works of Gedike, cantatas stand out: “Glory to Soviet pilots”, “25 years of October”. The best vocal compositions are wonderful arrangements of Russian folk songs, which are among the most valuable works in this area.

A. F.Gedike "Hare".

One of Gedike's students writes: “Alexander Fedorovich had some kind of exceptional ability to use time ... He managed to work hard as a composer, constantly studied the organ and gave organ evenings several times a year, and conduct pedagogical activities. With such a busy life, Alexander Fedorovich still managed to communicate with people ...., visit his friends.

A. F.Gedike Arrangement of the Russian folk song "You, Sema".

The unceasing concern for the growth and development of young people motivated the composer to work continuously in the field of pedagogical repertoire, creating numerous cycles of etudes, exercises and pieces for the piano. Plays for children occupy a large place in the work of A.F. Gedike. They combine two main tasks in the development of a young musician - artistic and technical. Gedike's compositions for children contribute to the development of their artistic taste and musical flair, and at the same time - various aspects of piano playing technique, they are still very popular among teachers and very loved by children. These are his collections "60 Pieces for Beginners", polyphonic works, etudes for beginning musicians, the pieces "Autumn Rain", "Orioles in the Forest" - these program works of his are original musical pictures. Taking into account the peculiarities of children's perception, the author at the same time never compromises his own artistic and stylistic principles.

A. F. Gedike Etudes

In the last years of his life, A.F. Gedike continued to play with unrelenting activity, overcoming frequent physical ailments. He simply could not stop playing, could not stop giving concerts, although a doctor was often on duty in the Great Hall all evening. True to his inner duty, Alexander Fedorovich masterfully spent the entire concert season of 1956 / 57 is its last concert season, leaving many wonderful and unforgettable impressions in the memory of its listeners.

A.F. Gedike "Prelude"

List of used literature:

Gedike A.F. Memoirs, (autobiography), articles, notes. M., "Soviet composer", 1960.

Goldenveizer A.B. About my friend. M., "Soviet composer", 1960.

Lamm O.P. Memories of A.F. Gedik. M., "Soviet composer", 1964.

Levik B.V. A.F. Gedike. M., "Soviet composer", 1960.

Many of the guys studying music, the name of the composer Alexander Fedorovich Gedike becomes familiar from an early age. Which of the novice musicians did not play his "Zainka" in childhood, and later "Tarantella"?
...When you enter the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the first thing you notice is the majestic instrument that occupies almost the entire stage.
I remember the day - it remained in my memory for a long time - when this instrument spoke. Sounds of extraordinary beauty poured out, now thoughtfully gentle, now powerful and solemn, they filled all the corners of the hall.
The organ performer had a strange surname consisting of three syllables: Ge-di-ke.
As I found out, he was a professor at the Moscow Conservatory, a well-known composer, organist and pianist.
Gedike often gave organ concerts. He played most of all his favorite Bach.
“His music,” said Gedicke, “eternally young, fresh and new, full of life and fire, joyful and deep, contemplative and sublime, captivates us with such force, as if Bach still lives among us, young, full of strength and love to life".
There were always a lot of people at Gedike's concerts. After the end, the artist was applauded for a long time, sent touching notes, thanked for the pleasure.
I had the good fortune to see this wonderful man often for twenty-five years. At first I studied with him, and then taught at the same Moscow Conservatory.
Alexander Fedorovich was a very versatile musician.
First of all, he wrote a lot. He wrote several operas, especially the opera "At the Perevoz", which tells about the Pugachev uprising, should be noted.
He created three symphonies, a huge number of pieces for piano and other instruments, many songs and romances, as well as works for various ensembles.
Gedike's arrangements of Russian folk songs for voice, violin, cello and piano gained particular fame.
In 1900, at the Anton Rubinstein International Competition, Gedicke won first prize for his piano concerto and violin sonata.
At the Moscow Conservatory Gedike taught to play the piano, organ and to play various instruments together. This class is called the chamber ensemble class. In order to lead such a class, one must know the basic techniques of playing many instruments and, in addition, skillfully combine them together. The work of such a teacher is similar to the work of a conductor in an orchestra.
Alexander Fedorovich Gedike was an indefatigable worker. Remembering the testament of the great composer P. I. Tchaikovsky - "You must always work!" - Gedicke composed, practiced the organ, the piano every day. Didn't expect the right mood.
He got a lot done in a day.
Alexander Fedorovich had a certain daily routine, which he strictly adhered to all his life. He always got up at 6 am and went to bed at 9-10 pm.
In the morning, Gedike went to the Conservatory to study on the organ, and then with the students. There was no case that he ever missed class or was late. It could be used to check the clock.
Who was not familiar with the tall figure of a man with a graying beard, walking in the early morning with a leisurely gait, with a stick in his hand, along Herzen Street to his home - his beloved Conservatory?! Not only people knew him, birds knew him well.
Gedike's working day began with feeding birds and animals. He, one might say, "knew by sight" every sparrow that lived on Herzen Street, and the sparrows knew him. As soon as he appeared on the street, sparrows immediately flew to meet him, circled over his head. He would take out a bag of bread crumbs he had prepared beforehand from his pocket and scatter them in all directions. Sitting down on a bench in the conservatory garden, Alexander Fedorovich looked at his feathered friends with a gentle look.
“Look,” Gedike turned to me, “do you see that one with a broken leg? His mischievous boys knocked out. Such a smart one, he always takes bread from others ...
At home, Gedike had a huge number of cats and a Spitz dog, which the owner called Sharko or Sharik, and in moments of special affection - Sharkushka.
He talked to his pets like people. I remember one funny incident.
I came to Alexander Fedorovich on some business. He opens the door, and a dog runs behind me and barks at me.
- Sharko, Sharko, stop it!
Charcot does not let up.
- Sharko, stop it, it's Milman who came!
This argument also did not reassure the four-legged "owner".
- Sharko! Inconvenient, because Milman is an assistant professor!
Having exhausted all persuasion and not having achieved success, Alexander Fedorovich took the dog to another room.
Gedike studied with his students with great enthusiasm. He sang along, whistled, walked around the class, nervously fiddling with the chain from his pocket watch, conducted. Sometimes he shouted, awakening the lethargic from "hibernation". If the students talked during the classes, made noise, Alexander Fedorovich pulled them up: "Do not indulge!" He did not pronounce the sound "l", and it turned out "no bang!".
Gedike wanted to appear strict and angry, but he did not succeed. Unusual gentleness, kindness affected everything.
There was no case that Alexander Fedorovich said harshness to any of the students. He only threatened, warned: "Look, I'll get angry!" But this did not frighten anyone: during the said threat, the same kind eyes looked at the student ...
After work, Gedicke walked around the garden near the Conservatory. Seeing the guys, he called them up and muttered in an artificially angry voice: "Give me your hand!" He slipped a candy into his outstretched hand.
Love for nature taught Alexander Fedorovich to be very observant. He vigilantly noticed the slightest changes in the world around him. Each bud swollen in the spring delighted him.
When Gedike composed music for children, he seemed to be reincarnated as a boy or a girl, trying in his imagination to live by their interests. That is why children are so eager to play the plays of "grandfather Gedike".

• Moscow, USSR

• Vvedenskoe Cemetery

Alexander Fyodorovich Gedicke(often pronounced Gedike; - ) - Russian composer, organist, pianist, teacher, founder of the Soviet organ school. People's Artist of the RSFSR ().

The style of Gedicke as a composer is influenced by organ culture and is marked by seriousness and monumentality, clarity of form, mastery of polyphonic writing. At the same time, Gedicke took a lot from the traditions of the Russian classical school. He is the author of four operas, cantatas, many symphonic, piano and organ works, concertos and chamber works for wind instruments, romances, arrangements of Russian folk songs. Gedike is especially widely known as the author of children's plays.

Biography

Grave of A. F. Gedike

Alexander Goedicke was born on February 20 (March 4), 1877 in Moscow into a German family that had long settled in Russia. His great-grandfather, Heinrich-Georg Goedicke, was the organist of the Catholic Church in St. Petersburg and the rector of the German Drama Theatre. His grandfather, Karl Andreevich (according to the documents - Genrikhovich), was a teacher of choral singing in Moscow and served as organist of the Moscow Catholic Church of St. Louis of France. Father, Fyodor Karlovich (according to the metric - Friedrich-Alexander-Paul Gödicke), worked as an organist in the same church, was a pianist in the orchestra of the Bolshoi Theater, taught obligatory piano at the Moscow Conservatory. Gödicke's cousin was the composer Nikolai Karlovich Medtner.

Alexandra Gedicke's mother was French, Justine-Adèle-Augustine Lecampion, from a farmer's family. Orphaned early, she and her older sister were brought up by their uncle and aunt in Normandy, and when she reached 16 years old, they were sent to relatives in Russia to get a job as governesses.

According to the memoirs of his sister, in childhood Alexander Gedike was a tomboy. At the age of 9 he entered the Zubov children's school, at the age of 10 he entered the preparatory class of the Third Moscow Gymnasium. In the gymnasium, by his own admission, he did not study well. Already at the age of 12, he often began to replace his father at the organ at church services. I learned to play mostly on my own. He played the piano and cello in his home ensemble, transcribed pieces for his home ensemble. After the 4th grade, he left the gymnasium and transferred to the 5th grade of the Moscow Conservatory, where he began studying in the class of Professor A. I. Galli. Later he studied with P. A. Pabst and V. I. Safonov in the piano class, with A. S. Arensky, N. M. Ladukhin and G. E. Konyus in the classes of music theory and composition, and also with N. S. Morozov.

According to the memoirs of Gedicke, classes at the conservatory at that time were not particularly intensive: for example, in the sixth grade - lectures on culture and literature - 4 hours a week, a course in aesthetics (sculpture and painting) - 1 hour a week, 1 hour of specialty classes , 4 hours of harmony, 2 hours of choral singing, - only twelve hours a week. In 1898 Gedicke graduated from the conservatory. During his student years, he wrote a violin sonata, a march, an elegy and a fugue for large orchestra, and composed romances and piano pieces.

After graduating from the conservatory, he began to give private lessons. He also worked in women's institutes. In 1900 he participated in the Third Rubinstein Competition in Vienna as a pianist and as a composer. In the composer nomination he was awarded the prize (the only one awarded at the competition) for the Concertpiece for Piano and Orchestra, Violin Sonata and Piano Pieces. He was also awarded an honorary mention as a pianist.

Gedike married Ekaterina Petrovna Chernysheva, the aunt of one of his private students. Settled with his wife on the German (now Baumanskaya) street. Gedicke bought a room organ for classes and installed it in his house.

Gedicke's repertoire included all the works of J. S. Bach, as well as his own arrangements for this instrument of fragments from operas, symphonic and piano works. Gedike's concerts were often attended by S. N. Eremin, N. G. Raisky, and in subsequent years N. L. Dorliak.

After the revolution, A.F. Gedike, together with his mother, wife, mentally ill brother Pavel Fedorovich, and niece, moved to a professorial apartment in the building of the Moscow Conservatory, where he lived until his death.

The pianist was a frequent visitor to P. A. Lamm's apartment at the Moscow Conservatory, where music evenings were held on Wednesdays.

Gedike in life

All acquaintances and students pointed to the extraordinary personal qualities of A.F. Gedike. In all his life there was not a single case that he said harshness to a student. Although he often told his disciples that he was about to get angry, he never got angry. His incredible benevolence, delicacy, sincerity and ingenuity made Alexander Gedicke the soul of the conservatory, aroused the love and deep devotion of his students. And when one of his acquaintances was in trouble, Gedike was the first to rush to the rescue, helping both in deeds and financially.

Gedike's love for animals deserves special mention. Up to a dozen cats lived in his apartment, a crippled dog he groomed, and all the birds around the conservatory recognized him because he always fed them in the morning.

Although A.F. Gedike never fussed outwardly, inside, according to his friends, he was a very restless and impressionable person. He was very worried, especially for other people, he took everything to heart.

A. F. Gedike was an extremely punctual person, he loved thoroughness. He very strictly observed the regime of the day, this largely explained his enormous capacity for work. According to his students and colleagues, in all the years of his work at the Conservatory, he never missed a single lesson and was never late for classes or department meetings. Even when he came to class very ill, persuading him to return home was a daunting task.

Although Gedicke was an adherent of polyphonic music, adored Bach, he was always, until old age, open to new musical ideas, he liked the music of Prokofiev, Shostakovich. He did not like only innovation for the sake of innovation, he did not like pretentiousness and did not like frivolity in music very much, he spoke out quite categorically on this part. In the piano playing he could not stand harshness.

Gedicke must have been upset that his major symphonic works were rarely performed, but he never talked about it and, being a modest man, never forced his works on anyone.

A. B. Goldenweiser recalled a funny incident when he persuaded Gedike to teach him how to fish. Goldenweiser, led by Gedicke, fishing for the first time in his life, then caught about a dozen small fish; Gedike, being an avid fisherman, no matter how hard he tried, did not catch a single one. And although he did not say anything, this incident annoyed Gedike so much that he never went fishing again.

Alexander Fyodorovich Gedicke(often pronounced Gedike; 1877 - 1957) - Russian composer, organist, pianist, teacher, founder of the Soviet organ school. People's Artist of the RSFSR (1946).

The style of Gedicke as a composer is influenced by organ culture and is marked by seriousness and monumentality, clarity of form, mastery of polyphonic writing. At the same time, Gedicke took a lot from the traditions of the Russian classical school. He is the author of four operas, cantatas, numerous symphonic, piano and organ works, concertos and chamber works for wind instruments, romances, arrangements of Russian folk songs. Gedike is especially widely known as the author of children's plays.

Biography

Alexander Goedicke was born on February 20 (March 4), 1877 in Moscow into a German family that had long settled in Russia. His great-grandfather, Heinrich-Georg Goedicke, was the organist of the Catholic Church in St. Petersburg and the rector of the German Drama Theatre. His grandfather, Karl Andreevich (according to the documents - Genrikhovich), was a teacher of choral singing in Moscow and served as the organist of the Moscow Catholic Church of St. Louis of France. Father, Fyodor Karlovich (according to the metric - Friedrich-Alexander-Paul Goedicke), worked as an organist in the same church, was a pianist in the orchestra of the Bolshoi Theater, taught obligatory piano at the Moscow Conservatory. Gödicke's cousin was the composer Nikolai Karlovich Medtner.

Alexandra Gedicke's mother was French, Justine-Adèle-Augustine Lecampion, from a farmer's family. Orphaned at an early age, she and her older sister were brought up by her uncle and aunt in Normandy, and when she reached 16 years old, they were sent to relatives in Russia to get a job as governesses.

According to the memoirs of his sister, in childhood Alexander Gedike was a tomboy. At the age of 9 he entered the Zubov children's school, at the age of 10 he entered the preparatory class of the Third Moscow Gymnasium. In the gymnasium, by his own admission, he did not study well. Already at the age of 12, he often began to replace his father at the organ at church services. I learned to play mostly on my own. He played the piano and cello in his home ensemble, transcribed pieces for his home ensemble. After the 4th grade, he left the gymnasium and transferred to the 5th grade of the conservatory, where he began studying in the class of Professor A. I. Galli. Later he studied with P. A. Pabst and V. I. Safonov in the piano class, with A. S. Arensky, N. M. Ladukhin and G. E. Konyus in the classes of music theory and composition, and also with N. S. Morozov.

According to the memoirs of Gedicke, classes at the conservatory at that time were not intensive: for example, in the sixth grade - lectures on culture and literature - 4 hours a week, a course in aesthetics (sculpture and painting) - 1 hour per week, 1 hour of specialty classes, 4 hours of harmony, 2 hours of choral singing - only twelve hours a week.

In 1898 Alexander Gedicke graduated from the Moscow Conservatory. While studying at the conservatory, he wrote a violin sonata, a march, an elegy and a fugue for a large orchestra, composed romances and piano pieces.

After graduating from the conservatory, he began to give private lessons. He worked at the Nikolaev and Elizabethan Women's Institutes.

In 1900 he participated in the Third Rubinstein Competition in Vienna as a pianist and as a composer. In the composer nomination he was awarded the prize (the only one awarded at the competition) for the Concertpiece for Piano and Orchestra, Violin Sonata and Piano Pieces. He was also awarded an honorary mention as a pianist.

Gedike married Ekaterina Petrovna Chernysheva, the aunt of one of his private students. Settled with his wife on the German (now Baumanskaya) street. Gedicke bought a room organ for classes and installed it in his house.

Since 1909, Alexander Fedorovich Gedike was a piano professor at the Moscow Conservatory, and since 1919 he was in charge of the chamber ensemble department. Since 1920, he also taught an organ class (which he studied from childhood under the guidance of his father), and in 1923 he headed the organ department and gave his first solo concert on the instrument of the Great Hall of the Conservatory. Among his students-organists N. Ya. Vygodsky, M. L. Starokadomsky, L. I. Roizman, S. L. Dizhur, G. Ya. Grodberg, I. D. Weiss. Gedicke's repertoire included all the works of J.S. Bach, as well as his own arrangements for this instrument of fragments from operas, symphonic and piano compositions. S. N. Eremin, N. G. Raisky, and in subsequent years N. L. Dorliak often took part in Gedike's concerts.