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TCHAIKOVSKY Tchaikovsky’s contemporaries tell us that he for his ardent expression of emotion, which led was good enough to become a concert pianist, him to avoid superficial virtuosity. Schumann’s SOLO PIANO WORKS if he had chosen to follow that path. But he piano music was often very challenging to preferred to focus on composition, and rarely play, but it was personal and intimate even performed in public concerts. His interest in the so: the difficulties emerged from the spirit piano is mainly to be found in his many pieces of the piece, and not from any external desire for the instrument, and since most of these to impress the ladies (a charge levelled at CD1 CD2 were suitable for amateurs with solid skills, Liszt, rather uncharitably). Tchaikovsky adhered Two Pieces Op. 1 they sold well and played an important role closely to Schumann’s intimate approach 1 Scherzo à la Russe in Bb Major Op. 1 No. 1 [6.24] 1 Aveu Passionné, Op. Posth. [3.01] in building up his fame. Writing for concert outside the occasional showy flourish. 2 Impromptu in E-Flat Minor, Op. 1 No. 2 [6.08] soloists was a more difficult task, and even Sonata No. 2 in G Major, Op. 37 Tchaikovsky’s most sympathetic critic, Hermann But this is not to say that Tchaikovsky’s piano 3 Capriccio in G-Flat Major, Op. 8 [5.25] 2 I. Moderato e risoluto [11.56] Laroche, while praising the melodic beauty music was derivative, since he developed 3 II. Andante non troppo quasi Moderato [8.50] of the piano music, suspected that the his own unmistakable style, with boundless Six Pieces on a Single Theme, Op. 21 4 III. Scherzo. Allegro giocoso [3.20] composer could not manage without “the melodic invention and a clarity of textural 4 I. Prelude. Allegro moderato [2.03] 5 IV. Finale. Allegro vivace [6.55] varied and luxuriant colours of the modern layers that bring to mind his orchestral 5 II. Fugue in 4 voices. Andante [3.06] orchestra and the great expanse of symphonic sonorities. There are, if you listen closely, 6 III. Impromptu. Allegro molto [1.53] 6 Humoresque, Op. 10 No. 2 [2.48] form; only there … does he feel at home, but “woodwind” passages (as in one of the 7 IV. Funeral March. Moderato. [5.42] where his palette is more restricted, he sounds episodes in the final rondo of the G-major Tempo di Marcia 7 Dumka, Op. 59 [8.20] relatively impoverished”. To be fair, this was Sonata) or climaxes of roaring brass (as in 8 V. Mazurka. Allegro moderato [4.11] written in 1873, before Tchaikovsky finally the first movement of the same work). 9 VI. Scherzo. Allegro vivace [4.50] Total timings: [84.56] turned his hand to the composition of more Konstantin Igumnov, a passionate advocate ambitious piano works. of Tchaikovsky’s piano (music, and one of the first to record the Sonata), claimed that Tchaikovsky had the greatest respect for the the piano pieces do not “play themselves”, music of Robert Schumann, whose influence and do not offer sonorities of self-evident on his piano music is obvious. Alongside beauty, in the manner of Chopin or Liszt: PETER DONOHOE his Russian colleagues, Tchaikovsky prized pianists need to discover how to convey them Schumann for his innovative spirit, but also effectively, as they must do with Beethoven, www.signumrecords.com - 3 - or indeed, with Schumann. As Igumnov put Two Pieces Op. 1 Impromptu in E-Flat Minor, Op. 1 No. 2 (1864) perhaps, which would be quite at home in a it, “Tchaikovsky’s piano music is difficult to Scherzo à la Russe in Bb Major, Op. 1 No. 1 (1867) Tchaikovsky ballet. The piece was dedicated perform, but not impossible”. The Impromptu was only paired with the to Karl Klindworth, a student of Liszt’s, a Here Tchaikovsky used a folk tune that he Scherzo by accident. The publisher Jurgenson friend of Wagner’s, and also Tchaikovsky’s Peter Donohoe disagrees, insisting that all himself had recorded while vacationing on a discovered it written next to the Scherzo in colleague at the Moscow Conservatoire. music requires performers to find the right Ukrainian estate (as often happens in such Tchaikovsky’s manuscript and saw no problem approach, so he does not see Tchaikovsky as cases, no one has been able to pinpoint the in printing both. Tchaikovsky discovered the Six Pieces on a Single Theme, Op. 21 (1873) any kind of exception. He writes: original song). The inspiration for a “Russian mistake too late, and was not at all pleased, scherzo” comes from Glinka’s highly influential since he saw the Impromptu as a student piece. Tchaikovsky dedicated these six pieces to his “It is inexplicable to me that Tchaikovsky’s solo orchestral fantasy Kamarinskaya, which But listeners may well thank Jurgenson for former composition professor Anton Rubinstein, piano music should remain so infrequently subjects a tiny scrap of folk melody to endless preserving this fascinating piece, which who was also an internationally renowned performed, containing as it does all of the variation with great energy and ingenuity. presents a typical Romantic contrast between pianist, hoping that Rubinstein would soon composer’s characteristic harmony, his wonderful Tchaikovsky’s Russian style is not at all purist: the turbulent reality consuming the protagonist include them in his vast repertoire. Frustratingly, melodic gift, his capacity for majestic gesture, it never intends to imitate folk music or (in the tarantella-style outer sections) and a Rubinstein left them untouched for ten years, magically beautiful moments, immense set it in a museum frame, but instead is beautiful dream – a serene Italianate melody until he finally brought them before the public sadness, and passages of extreme excitement. full of spooky chromaticism and a sweet with harp-like accompaniment, before harsh in 1883. Tchaikovsky, consoled, said that His piano writing is often orchestral in texture, lyrical sensibility that was often frowned reality returns. The design prefigures Tchaikovsky’s “they could not be played better than this”. but also demonstrates the direct but very upon by his peers. His little folk tune is only great symphonic fantasia Francesca da Rimini. Several of the pieces became staple items in diverse pianistic influences of Liszt and the beginning of an exciting journey full of Rubinstein’s repertoire for his tours abroad. Schumann, and incorporates in an almost twists and turns before the glorious virtuosic Capriccio in G-Flat Major, Op. 8 (1870) naive way folk-style dance rhythms and coda. The piece was premiered by Nikolai It is clear that Tchaikovsky wished to impress melodies from Russia. This treasure trove is Rubinstein, Tchaikovsky’s mentor and friend, The Capriccio presents a similar Romantic his former teacher with his compositional immensely rewarding to play, whether it be and composer decided it was good enough to contrast, now between the bustling life of the sophistication, choosing as his vehicle a deft a small-scale salon piece such as the be published as his “Opus 1”. outside world and the quiet intimacy of the demonstration of his ability to use the same Humoresque Op. 10 No 2, or large in scale, inner life. The intricate orchestral textures theme six times in pieces of such different such as is the gigantic Grand Sonata in of the outer sections whimsically displace character that only the most attentive listeners G Major.” the beats, in the manner of Schumann. The will discern the common thread. Tchaikovsky middle section is a sweet melody, a dreamy knew that one of Rubinstein’s concert favourites, recollection of a waltz once heard at a ball, Schumann’s Carnaval, took the same approach - 4 - - 5 - to its thematic material. In the Prelude and Aveu Passionné, Op. Posth. (1891?), publ. 1949 performance managed to allay his fears. It is large scale, it is an escapist flight from the the Fugue, the theme hints at its roots in accepted today as the pinnacle of Tchaikovsky’s serious questions posed in the previous Russian folk song, but also shows that it After a disappointing premiere of his music for solo piano, and is written on a truly movements. The finale rushes past with a can ably support the earnest contrapuntal symphonic ballad Vovyevoda in 1891, Tchaikovsky symphonic scale, rivalling some of Tchaikovsky’s kaleidoscopic sequence of themes, each one treatment in the manner of Bach. The Impromptu destroyed the score (although it was later symphonies in richness and intensity. following breathlessly upon the other. One is the most overtly Schumannesque, ever reconstructed), but he based this piano piece theme stands out as a powerful lyrical utterance, capricious and submerging the theme inside its on some of the music from the abandoned Tchaikovsky began writing the Sonata on the and the listener can imagine it worked up fleet figuration. work. While the piano version is entitled “a shores of Lake Geneva in the spring of 1878, into a triumphant apotheosis at the close, but passionate avowal (of love)”, the music of after abandoning his wife and fleeing Russia. Tchaikovsky rejects this move in favour of a The Funeral March does its best to conceal Vovyevoda at this point actually represents a He completed it over the following months more ambiguous ending. The meaning of the any semblance of a walking pulse so that it bitter reproach. The story behind Vovyevoda, while staying on his sister’s Ukrainian country movement can be found in the composer’s can convey a more personal grief. Its middle which comes from a ballad by the great estate, still away from society.