Florence was one of Tchaikovsky's favorite
vacation spots. For many of his pleasant Florentine sojourns, Tchaikovsky stayed
at a small villa owned by Nadezhda von Meck, his generous benefactress and
confidante whom Tchaikovsky, as a condition of their unusual relationship, was
never to meet. Tchaikovsky used his peaceful escapes to Florence to sketch,
orchestrate, or just relax away from music.
Tchaikovsky's last visit to Florence came early
in 1890. He was then primarily occupied with the completion of his opera Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades). In Paris later that year, Tchaikovsky had
the idea for and began to sketch a work inspired by his beloved Florence.
Tchaikovsky's conception took the fairly uncommon shape of a string sextet, which he completed in Russia that
summer. The Sextet has come to be known by its artful subtitle, Souvenir de Florence (reminiscence of Florence). A private performance
of Souvenir was given in December 1890, but Tchaikovsky was
unsatisfied and withdrew the piece for a bout of revisions and structural
alterations.
A trip to America for the opening of Carnegie
Hall slowed the revising process, so Souvenir
did not attain its final form
until December 1891. A contented Tchaikovsky then wrote to his brother Modest, "What a Sextet -
and what a fugue at the end - it's a pleasure! It is awful how pleased I am
with myself; I am embarrassed not by any lack of ideas, but by the novelty of
the form." Souvenir received its public premiere on December 6,
1892 at a concert presented by the St. Petersburg Chamber Music Society, to which
Tchaikovsky dedicated the piece.
The opening Allegro con spirito bursts forth
full of D minor fervor, the minor-ninth in the first bar delivering a strange and
unceremonious kick to the first theme. The texture is robust with highly active musical lines
generating a passionate momentum. The serenade-like second theme is appropriately
Italianate. The first theme's restless energy returns in the fugal development
while the second theme reveals more cantabile
richness in the recapitulation
as it is surrounded by new imitations and a myriad of telling details. The coda
employs cross-rhythms reminiscent of Dvorak as it builds to heady levels of
excitement. The Andante cantabile, D major second movement begins with an
opulent, chordal introduction. The melancholy theme that follows has the
character of a guitaraccompanied lament. The chords return before
the movement's curious Moderato central section in which the players are
instructed to play a punto
d'arco (with the pointof the bow), an effect that adds a frosty
glazing to the music's countenance. English music critic, Colin Mason describes
this passage as "an essay in sheer sound effect, without the least musical
content whatever, which is probably unique in the whole realm of [pre-twentieth
century] chamber music." After this unusual episode, the opening theme returns
with garlanding embellishments; the cello's lavish outpourings of bel canto beauty serve to remind us that this work was inspired by the
homeland of Giuseppe Verdi.
The third movement, a swaying and energetic
Scherzo in A minor, sounds more Russian than Italian. The violas playing in
unison open the brilliant Trio section filled with fanfare-like exclamations
and irradiating accompaniment. The Allegro vivace finale is in an abridged
sonata form. It starts in D minor, but the theme's pentatonic overtones are redolent
of Gypsy music. As with the Scherzo, a Slavonic tang flavors the Finale's
soaring second theme. The first theme returns to form the basis of the "fugue
at the end"about which Tchaikovsky justifiably boasted to
his brother. The frenetic, headlong rush that concludes this Tchaikovsky opus
has an especially airy feeling of melodic freedom, making the Souvenir de Florence's ending a genuine al fresco delight.
To purchase the CD or download this performance, click here.
Cedille Records is the recording label of The Chicago Classical Recording Foundation, a publicly-supported, not-for-profit, organization devoted to promoting the finest musicians, ensembles, and composers in the Chicago area by producing and releasing their efforts on audiophile-quality recordings. The recordings and their promotion are designed to stimulate interest in these performers and composers and bring their artistry to a wider audience. Cedille Records is also dedicated to promoting interest in neglected areas of the classical repertory by presenting masterpieces that have been overlooked by other recording companies.
Classical Music | Music for Quartet
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
String Sextet in D minor, Op. 70 "Souvenir de Florence" Play
Recorded on 05/01/1993, uploaded on 04/01/2009
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Florence was one of Tchaikovsky's favorite vacation spots. For many of his pleasant Florentine sojourns, Tchaikovsky stayed at a small villa owned by Nadezhda von Meck, his generous benefactress and confidante whom Tchaikovsky, as a condition of their unusual relationship, was never to meet. Tchaikovsky used his peaceful escapes to Florence to sketch, orchestrate, or just relax away from music.
Tchaikovsky's last visit to Florence came early in 1890. He was then primarily occupied with the completion of his opera Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades). In Paris later that year, Tchaikovsky had the idea for and began to sketch a work inspired by his beloved Florence. Tchaikovsky's conception took the fairly uncommon shape of a string sextet, which he completed in Russia that summer. The Sextet has come to be known by its artful subtitle, Souvenir de Florence (reminiscence of Florence). A private performance of Souvenir was given in December 1890, but Tchaikovsky was unsatisfied and withdrew the piece for a bout of revisions and structural alterations.
A trip to America for the opening of Carnegie Hall slowed the revising process, so Souvenir did not attain its final form until December 1891. A contented Tchaikovsky then wrote to his brother Modest, "What a Sextet - and what a fugue at the end - it's a pleasure! It is awful how pleased I am with myself; I am embarrassed not by any lack of ideas, but by the novelty of the form." Souvenir received its public premiere on December 6, 1892 at a concert presented by the St. Petersburg Chamber Music Society, to which Tchaikovsky dedicated the piece.
The opening Allegro con spirito bursts forth full of D minor fervor, the minor-ninth in the first bar delivering a strange and unceremonious kick to the first theme. The texture is robust with highly active musical lines generating a passionate momentum. The serenade-like second theme is appropriately Italianate. The first theme's restless energy returns in the fugal development while the second theme reveals more cantabile richness in the recapitulation as it is surrounded by new imitations and a myriad of telling details. The coda employs cross-rhythms reminiscent of Dvorak as it builds to heady levels of excitement. The Andante cantabile, D major second movement begins with an opulent, chordal introduction. The melancholy theme that follows has the character of a guitaraccompanied lament. The chords return before the movement's curious Moderato central section in which the players are instructed to play a punto d'arco (with the pointof the bow), an effect that adds a frosty glazing to the music's countenance. English music critic, Colin Mason describes this passage as "an essay in sheer sound effect, without the least musical content whatever, which is probably unique in the whole realm of [pre-twentieth century] chamber music." After this unusual episode, the opening theme returns with garlanding embellishments; the cello's lavish outpourings of bel canto beauty serve to remind us that this work was inspired by the homeland of Giuseppe Verdi.
The third movement, a swaying and energetic Scherzo in A minor, sounds more Russian than Italian. The violas playing in unison open the brilliant Trio section filled with fanfare-like exclamations and irradiating accompaniment. The Allegro vivace finale is in an abridged sonata form. It starts in D minor, but the theme's pentatonic overtones are redolent of Gypsy music. As with the Scherzo, a Slavonic tang flavors the Finale's soaring second theme. The first theme returns to form the basis of the "fugue at the end"about which Tchaikovsky justifiably boasted to his brother. The frenetic, headlong rush that concludes this Tchaikovsky opus has an especially airy feeling of melodic freedom, making the Souvenir de Florence's ending a genuine al fresco delight.
- Huw Edwards
More music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Russian Dance, from 12 Pieces, Op. 40, No. 10
Valse-Scherzo in C Major
Dumka, Op. 59
Melodie, Op. 42, No. 3
The Nutcracker Suite
Hermann's arioso ("Forgive me..."), Scene 2, The Queen of Spades
Meditation, from 18 Pieces, Op.72
Piano Concerto No. 1 in b-flat minor, Op. 23
Violin Concerto
Romeo and Juliet
Performances by same musician(s)
String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 11
Phantasy Quartet, Op. 2
Classical Music for the Internet Era™
To purchase the CD or download this performance, click here.
Cedille Records is the recording label of The Chicago Classical Recording Foundation, a publicly-supported, not-for-profit, organization devoted to promoting the finest musicians, ensembles, and composers in the Chicago area by producing and releasing their efforts on audiophile-quality recordings. The recordings and their promotion are designed to stimulate interest in these performers and composers and bring their artistry to a wider audience. Cedille Records is also dedicated to promoting interest in neglected areas of the classical repertory by presenting masterpieces that have been overlooked by other recording companies.