Hidden treasures - Peter Tchaikovsky - Trio for Piano, Violin & Cello (1882) - Selected highlights

Painting: "The bay of Naples" by Ivan Aivazovsky.

History (based on materials from http://www.fuguemasters.com/ (notes by Joseph Way) and the Grove Dictionary of Music): Kashkin, in his reminiscences of Peter Tchaikovsky, tells us that the latter knew very little chamber music in his early years and that the sound of a string quartet was absolutely distasteful to him. And, indeed, Tchaikovsky's output in chamber music, for such a prolific composer in all other fields, proves to be surprisingly small, just fourteen pieces. We will concentrate on one of these: the piano trio in A minor, by turns exceedingly brilliant and stunningly moving. The trio was written as a memorial tribute to Nicholas Rubenstein, Director of the Moscow Conservatory, who had served as mentor, critic and supporter to Tchaikovsky, despite the fact that the latter had once described Rubenstein as a "heartless, dried-up pianist". The composer was in fact so devastated by Rubensteins death in March, 1881, that he stopped writing alltogether, returning to composition only in December, when he approached with new-found resolve the very genre which ignited within his mind such "antipathy". The piece was finished by late January, 1882, though not without some reservations on the composer's part, as Tchaikovsky noted in a letter to one of his benefactors, Nadezhda von Meck, that "I may have arranged music of a symphonic character as a trio, instead of writing directly for the instruments". The trio received its premiere at the Moscow Conservatory on the 23rd of March, the first anniversary of Nikolai Rubinstein's death, in a stunning rendition by Taneyev (piano), Fitzenhagen (cello) and Hrimaly (violin).

Music: The trio was actually the only work Tchaikovsky wrote for the combination of piano, violin and cello, mainly due to the fact that he thought the task to be beyond his tastes: "I cannot endure the combination. To my mind the timbre of these instruments will not blend". Considering this statement, it comes as a great surprise that his work is actually nothing short of a masterpiece in all possible ways. The lengthy trio (running about forty minutes) is divided into two parts, both extremly demanding and musically exceptional, that work extremly well together, in spite of the contrasts Tchaikovsky provides by combining a substantial, tragic elogy (marked as "pezzo elegiaco") and an extremly charming set of theme and variations. The justly famous coup-de-theatre is achieved in the finale to the whole piece, when a shift to minor during a particularly brilliant variation passage leads to a return to the theme of the pezzo which, ultimately, is resolved as a subdued death march that slowly dies away. In this case, however, I wish to concetrate on the second, much more life-affirming variations, six of which are given complete in the present posting. We start with the theme itself, a rustic, affectionate melody, slowly stated by a lone piano, which the composer uses as a basis for a very ambitious set of variations, each possessing a distinctive character. Thus, the eleventh variation transforms the theme "duet" between the strings, with the piano "commenting" on the action by both providing a bass line and continuing the main instruments' phrases, almost suggesting a happy meeting of two young lovers. The enchanting third variation recalls Mendelssohn in a spirited piano scherzo over a plucked string bass line. The ninth variation returns us to the emotions of the work's opening section in an undestated string melody, once again, as in the eleventh variation, comprised of a surprisingly simple yet painfully moving duet for the strings, over a constant rising piano figure. The fifth variation is among the less serious yet most delightful sections of the work with the composer achieving a lovely music box effect by setting the high piano lines over a string drone. Finally, the upload closes with something of a tribute to Handel and Bach, as a fuge of great immediacy and the utmost brilliance brings the instruments into a full terzettino. A work of infitite surprises and the highest inspiration.

Recording: The 1998 Deutsche Grammophon recording unites three accomplished soloists - the cellist Misha Maisky, the pianist Martha Argerich and the violinist Gidon Kremer - who provide an ideal rendition of the Trio.

Hope you'll enjoy :).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• piano
• cello
• памяти
• великого
• художника
• чайковский
• трио
• виолончель
• скрипка
• фортепьяно

[Toy1976]

O seu canal é maravilhoso!

Muitíssima obrigada.



[ILoveChScBr]

it is really a great video and recording. Your work in youtube has enlightened many, i am sure. Would it be possible to give a 'complete set of variations'?

[MrBacilodekoch]

Gracias...muchas gracias

[her0esfan]

Beautiful - like a vivid photo!

[77Opera]

Une merveille! Merci à vous LindoroRossini.