Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky SYMPHONY NO1. IN G MINOR, OP.13 SLAVONIC MARCH, OP.31 HYBRID MUL TICHANNEL RUSSIAN NATIONAL ORCHESTRA Mikhail Pletnev A difficult birth Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893) Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 13 (1866, revised 1874) he genre of the symphony played a cal characteristics met, by contrast, with “Winter Daydreams” Tmajor role throughout the creative life euphoric approval from a wide-ranging of Pyotr Tchaikovsky. He composed his first audience. After all, especially in German- 1 Daydreams on a winter journey – Allegro tranquillo 13. 19 symphony at the age of 26, and his sixth and speaking countries, his music was unjustly 2 Land of desolation, land of mists – Adagio cantabile ma non tanto 11. 43 last symphony – the Pathétique – in 1893, stamped as follows: “Beware! Sensitive, 3 Scherzo – Allegro scherzando giocoso 7. 23 the year in which he died. Whereas his three sloppy sentiment!”. But Tchaikovsky abso- 4 Finale – Andante lugubre - Allegro moderato - Allegro maestoso – last symphonies have remained an integral lutely did not want to get involved in an part of the concert repertoire, performances academic game with empty notes. And Andante lugubre - Allegro vivo 13. 14 of his first three symphonies are still quite rightly so. rare. Unfairly so, as they are unique indi- One certainly cannot accuse (1876) 5 Marche Slave (Slavonic March), Op. 31 9.15 vidual works, artistic expressions of a high Tchaikovsky of having taken an easy path quality. Tchaikovsky defined the symphony in life. After all, the law graduate gave up Russian National Orchestra as “the most lyrical of musical forms. After his tenured position in the civil service in Conducted by: Mikhail Pletnev all, is it not meant to express that for which order to fully focus on music. Clear proof of a there are no words, but which forces itself motivated person, prepared to work hard to Concert-master: Alexei Bruni out of the soul, impatiently waiting to be attain his desired goal in life, without any ifs Total playing-time: 55. 21 uttered?”. With these words, Tchaikovsky and buts – even if the journey may turn out makes us aware of the special nature of his to be a very rocky one. And thus from 1863, Recording Venue : DZZ Studio 5, Moscow (4/2011) symphonies. Primarily, they provided him Tchaikovsky took classes in the subjects Executive producers : Rick Walker & Job Maarse with a musical outlet for the elaboration of of composition, orchestration, harmony Recording producer : Job Maarse Balance engineer : Erdo Groot his emotions, his mental and spiritual pro- and counterpoint at the newly founded St. Recording engineer : Roger de Schot cesses. Probably the greatest error as far as Petersburg Conservatoire from such famous Editing : Rob Faber the reception of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies teachers as Rubinstein and Zaremba. In early is concerned, is that the subjectivity of his 1866, after successfully graduating from Biographien auf Deutsch und Französisch symphonic sound world, the sweet melliflu- the Conservatoire and moving to Moscow, finden Sie auf unserer Webseite. ousness of one melody or another confused Tchaikovsky began work on his Symphony Pour les versions allemande et française des biographies, and irritated the judgment of the academics No. 1 in G minor. The genesis of this work is veuillez consulter notre site. to the same degree in which these musi- a typical example of the irregular conditions www.pentatonemusic.com under which a composer was forced to work ter journey” and “Land of emptiness, land of be one of his favourite and most important Russian National in the 1860’s. As a professor at the Moscow fog”. The poetically tinted first movement compositions. In 1883, after the première Orchestra Conservatoire, he had no time to com- follows the sonata form in its structure. In of the second version of the symphony, he pose during the day, so he simply worked its repetition of motifs, the main theme made the following remark: “I have great he Russian National Orchestra has been throughout the night – like a man possessed. – introduced above a soft tremolo in the affection for this symphony, and deeply Tin demand throughout the music world But he did not make much progress in his violins – demonstrates typically Russian regret that it has to lead such a tragic life.” ever since its 1990 Moscow premiere. Of the creative work. The symphony caused him characteristics, as does also the lyrical sec- Tchaikovsky wrote his Slavonic March, orchestra’s 1996 debut at the BBC Proms sleepless nights, and not only in the literal ond subject. Extensive intensifications and Op. 31 in autumn 1876: as it were, parallel in London, the Evening Standard wrote, sense! He was paralyzed by doubts concern- dynamic climaxes define the development. to the orchestration of his fantasy overture “They played with such captivating beauty ing the quality of his work; and neither was The movement ends with the main theme Francesca da Rimini. He wrote the piece in that the audience gave an involuntary his teacher Rubinstein – who had encour- in its original form. The second, subtly a haze of patriotic fever caused by the brief sigh of pleasure”. More recently, they were aged him to work on a symphony – sparing orchestrated movement is determined by but bloody Serbian-Ottoman War (1876-78). described as “a living symbol of the best in in his criticism. As a consequence of all a wide-ranging oboe melody in C minor, in That is why the highly programmatic work Russian art” (Miami Herald) and “as close to these internal and external “barriers”, he a typically Russian spirit. The Scherzo, remi- was originally entitled the Serbo-Russian perfect as one could hope for” (Trinity Mirror). carried out a fundamental revision of the niscent of Schumann and Mendelssohn, March. The première of the march – which The first Russian orchestra to perform work. On February 11, 1867, just the two originates from a composition written by had been composed for a concert held at the Vatican and in Israel, the RNO main- middle movements were performed in St. Tchaikovsky while still a student: his Piano by the Slavonic Charity for the benefit of tains an active international tour schedule, Petersburg, meeting with a rather moder- Sonata in C sharp minor. The composer wounded soldiers – took place on November appearing in Europe, Asia and the Americas. ate response. This was followed by a further incorporates a waltz in the trio that, inserted 5, 1876. Both themes of the first part are, not Guest artists performing with the RNO on revision, after which the work – now in its as a reminiscence, completes the move- surprisingly, formed by Serbian folk songs; tour include conductors Vladimir Jurowski, complete form – was received enthusias- ment. In the finale, Tchaikovsky makes use this is how Tchaikovsky describes the Nicola Luisotti, Antonio Pappano, Alan tically by the audience in February 1868 of a Russian folk song, which he develops oppression of the Serbs by the Ottomans. Gilbert, Carlo Ponti and Patrick Summers, – however, this did not prevent Tchaikovsky in the slow introduction. It reappears in a In the second part, the Russian volunteers and soloists Martha Argerich, Yefim from carrying out yet another revision of the slightly modified form and in the major key rush to the aid of the Serbs. In the coda, the Bronfman, Lang Lang, Pinchas Zukerman, Sir work in 1874. as the second theme of the Allegro, where it Serbian main theme is combined with the James Galway, Joshua Bell, Itzhak Perlman, The title Winter Dreams does not refer is confronted with the powerful first theme. erstwhile Russian national anthem (“God Steven Isserlis, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Simone to programme music; rather, it is meant The movement contains elaborate musical save the Tsar”), in order to evoke the unity Kermes and Renée Fleming, among many to provide an intellectual and emotional detailing. In its polyphonic episodes – the of the Slavic people, and to prophesy their others. Popular with radio audiences world- framework for the moods and ideas of the fugati – it testifies to the diligent studies triumph over the enemy. wide, RNO concerts are regularly aired by composer. These are revealed in the titles of carried out by the composer. Throughout Franz Steiger National Public Radio in the United States the first two movements: “Reveries on a win- his life, Tchaikovsky considered the work to English translation: Fiona J. Stroker-Gale and by the European Broadcasting Union. Gramophone magazine called the first “the most exciting cycle of the Shostakovich RNO CD (1991) “an awe-inspiring experi- symphonies to be put down on disc, and ence; should human beings be able to play easily the best recorded”. (SACD.net) like this?” and listed it as the best recording A regular visitor to the Schleswig- of Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique in history. Since Holstein, Gstaad and Rheingau festivals, then, the orchestra has made more than the RNO is also the founding orchestra of 60 recordings for Deutsche Grammophon Napa Valley Festival del Sole, Festival of the and PentaTone Classics, distinguishing the Arts BOCA in Florida, and the Singapore Sun RNO as the only Russian ensemble with Festival, and resident orchestra for multi- long-standing relationships with these pres- ple seasons of the Tuscan Sun Festival in tigious labels, as well as additional discs with Cortona, Italy. The RNO will launch its own many other record companies. Conductors annual festival in 2009, which will be held at represented in the RNO discography include Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater. Founder and Music Director Mikhail Pletnev, The RNO is unique among the principal Principal Guest Conductor Vladimir Jurowski, Russian ensembles as a private institution Kent Nagano, Alexander Vedernikov and funded with the support of individuals, Paavo Berglund.