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Eight russian folksongs (Opus 58)
Liadov (1855 - 1914)
1. Religious Chant
2. Christmas Carol
3. Plaintive Song
4. Humorous Song :
"I danced with a Gnat"
5. Legend of the Birds
6. Cradle Song
7. Round Dance
8. Village Dance Song
Anatol Liadov was born in St. Petersburg
where his father was a conductor at the Mariinsky Theatre.
He entered St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1870 to study
the piano and violin but soon became more interested
in composition. He took classes in counterpoint and
fugue and was subsequently admitted to Rimsky-Korsakov's
composition class. However, he was soon expelled as
a result of his regular non-attendance. This is perhaps
the first example of what was to become his best known
characteristic - laziness! He was eventually allowed
to return to prepare his graduation composition. After
graduation, Liadov became a teacher of elementary theory
at the Conservatory. He resigned in 1905 in protest
at his former teacher, Rimsky-Korsakov, having been
dismissed, but returned when the latter was reinstated.
The following year Liadov became teacher of composition.
Liadov spent his summers at his country residence at
Polïnovka where he had time to compose. However,
he produced very little and most of his compositions
were short works, mainly songs and works for piano,
with very few orchestral compositions. This was not
just due to his laziness, but also because he was very
self-critical. He is remembered as a composer for just
a handful of works including "Baba-Yaga" (a
witch from Russian folklore most famously portrayed
in Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition"),
"Kikimora" and "The Enchanted Lake".
These works all reflect a favourite subject - fantasy.
He once wrote "Give me fairies and dragons, mermaids
and goblins, and I'm thoroughly happy." He had
perhaps his greatest chance to compose a major fantasy
work when he was commissioned in 1910 to write a ballet
score for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. However,
his legendary laziness triumphed again and he failed
to deliver. As a result, Diaghilev turned to the then
unknown Igor Stravinsky who produced "The Firebird".
The ballet was an instant success and brought the composer
worldwide fame. The rest, as they say, is history.
Liadov's other favourite compositional subject involved
the use of Russian folk music. He published several
volumes of folksong arrangements as well as works such
as "Variations on a Polish Folk Theme" for
piano, and tonight's work. The Eight Russian Folksongs
were composed in 1906. He used the conventional Russian
approach to arranging folksongs - repeating the melody
while varying the accompanying backdrop - and succeeded
in producing a set of musical gems which deserve to
be far better known than they are.
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Variations on a rococo theme (Opus
33)
Tchaikovshy (1840 - 1893)
('cello soloist - Tim Gill)
1876 was a turbulent but musically very
productive year in Tchaikovsky's life. In an attempt
to deny his homosexuality he was contemplating marriage,
although without any idea who he would actually marry.
During the early part of the year it was suggested to
Tchaikovsky that he should compose a work based on Dante's
"Francesca da Rimini". He started work in
November and his symphonic fantasy "Francesca da
Rimini" was completed in a matter of weeks. Much
of Tchaikovsky's music is full of passion and drama,
but if ever a work captured the prevailing mood of its
composer it is the emotional torrent that is "Francesca
da Rimini". It is perhaps therefore surprising
that his next work, "Variations on a Rococo Theme"
for cello and orchestra, written just a month later,
is so completely different. Perhaps the composer's intention
was to try to escape from his emotional state rather
than express it musically. Whatever the reason, Tchaikovsky
turned for inspiration to the 18th century and the world
of Mozart, whose music he greatly admired. The result
was a work full of charm and grace reflecting its classical
origins, but with Tchaikovsky's individual musical personality
still very much in evidence.
The work as we know it today is not entirely Tchaikovsky's.
It was written for Wilhelm Fitzenhagen, a young German
cellist who was a colleague of Tchaikovsky's at the
Moscow Conservatoire. Tchaikovsky took on board many
of Fitzenhagen's ideas while composing the work, but
in between its first performance and subsequent publication
Fitzenhagen made a number of extensive alterations claiming
that Tchaikovsky had authorized him to do so. Modifications
included reversing the order of two of the variations
and cutting Tchaikovsky's eighth and final variation
completely. Tchaikovsky did not find out what had happened
until the publisher presented him with a proof of the
full score. The composer's response was an angry outburst
: "The Devil take it! Let it stand as it is!"
As a result, although Tchaikovsky's 'original' version
has since been published, it is in Fitzenhagen's 'edited
version' that the "Rococo Variations" has
become one of Tchaikovsky's most popular compositions.
The work begins with a short orchestral introduction
after which the soloist introduces the main theme. This
is followed by 7 variations. Apart from a brief lively
interlude in the second variation, the mood remains
graceful and elegant throughout until the final variation
which sees the theme transformed into an energetic Allegro
vivo which in turn leads into a scurrying coda.
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Symphony no.2 in E minor (Opus 27)
Rachmaninov (1873 - 1943)
1. Largo - Allegro moderato
2. Allegro molto
3. Adagio
4. Allegro vivace
The first performance in St. Petersburg
of Wagner's "Ring" cycle in 1889 introduced
western-style late romanticism to Russia. Its influences
found their way into the works of a number of composers,
and Russian romanticism reached its peak in the first
decade of the twentieth century with three monumental
symphonies - the third symphonies of Scriabin ("The
Divine Poem") and Glière ("Ilya Muromets"),
and the second of Rachmaninov. The continuous melodic
flow throughout Rachmaninov's symphony makes it instantly
appealing and the most accessible of the three, and
it has become one of his most popular works.
Never the most confident of men, Rachmaninov had been
devastated by the failure of his first symphony in 1897.
This led to his development of a creative block which,
as is well known, was successfully treated by hypnosis.
It was not until 1906 that he decided to compose another
symphony. At that time he was living in Dresden, far
from the demands of Moscow which had left him so little
time for composition. Dresden had the additional benefit
of being within easy reach of Leipzig and the Gewandhaus
concerts conducted by Arthur Nikisch. The new symphony
was finished in draft form by early 1907, but Rachmaninov
became dissatisfied with it and did not begin work on
the orchestration until the summer. In April he wrote
to his friend Morozov about the new symphony : "When
I finish it, and correct my symphony, I will give you
my word that I will write no more symphonies. Curse
them! I don't know how to write them, and, more important,
I don't want to."
Fortunately for us he did not keep this promise - he
eventually wrote a third symphony in 1935 and the magnificent
"Symphonic Dances" (a fourth symphony in all
but name) five years later. The second symphony was
dedicated to the pianist and composer Taneyev (much
to the annoyance of Nikisch!), and first performed in
St. Petersburg on 26th January 1908 with Rachmaninov
conducting. At a subsequent performance in Moscow, the
critic Engel described Rachmaninov as "a worthy
successor to Tchaikovsky".
The opening Largo is broad and expansive with an overall
air of tragedy. This leads to the main Allegro moderato
which marks a change to a brighter mood. Momentum builds
as the music becomes more agitated, and earlier themes
reappear as the movement reaches its climax where the
darker side returns to the fore. The second movement
is a brilliant scherzo featuring a rhythmic opening
theme which alternates with another lush romantic melody.
The central section is introduced by a fugal staccato
passage which is developed extensively before the opening
themes return. The Adagio must be among the most breathtakingly
beautiful music ever written. From the opening string
theme through the extended clarinet solo, the melodies
sweep ever onward. Even in the more troubled central
section the outcome is never in doubt. The opening melodies
return in the violins, and even as the movement draws
quietly to a close, the magic remains. The Finale begins
with a brilliant tarantella-like theme. This is followed
by yet another of Rachmaninov's luxuriant themes for
the strings. A short exuberant coda brings the work
to a resounding conclusion.
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