Boris Tchaikovsky - Trio; Quartet No. 6; Sextet

Boris TCHAIKOVSKY  (1925-1996 )

Trio; Quartet No. 6; Sextet

Boris Tchaikovsky (Piano) 

Adrei Korsakov (Violin) 

Leonid Lebedev (Flute) et al.

 

1. Piano Trio in B minor: Toccata, Presto

2. Piano Trio in B minor: Aria, Adagio,Anante

3. Piano Trio in B minor: Variations, Moderto non troppo

4. String Quartet No. 6

5. Sextet for winds & harp in F major: Allegro

6. Sextet for winds & harp in F major: Andante sostenuto

7. Sextet for winds & harp in F major: Allegro

8. Sextet for winds & harp in F major: Largo

Boris Tchaikovsky (1925-1996) is unbelievably among the most neglected composers especially in the era after Shostakovich. To my mind, this immensely talented, highly idiomatic composer, provided a wonderful synthesis between the Myaskovskian sense of musical tradition and the yearn to experiment and expand the expressions and techniques behind the music making. He was a neoclassical composer in the truest sense and measures up to Denisov, Schnikke, Part, and Ustvolskaya in terms of originality & advanced yet accessible melodic language.

I'm quite tempting to claim his Trio for Piano, Violin, & Cello in B Minor (1953) his masterpiece. Although he completed it shortly after his graduation from the Moscow Conservatory, the Trio has plenty going for it. The Toccata first movement is relentless with its ideas fresh and engaging. But the Aria second movement is highly captivating: with its mood restrained and the writing is somewhat poetic and perhaps elegiac that Myaskovsky & Rachmaninov would have love to claim as their own. But, Tchaikovsky's identity is such a strong presence especially in the finale (variations) where the composer's neoclassicism is rather unmistakable.

Two other works on this disc are also admirable in their own ways. The Sixth Quartet (1976) in one movement is likewise neoclassical, with hints of Nielsen and Shostakovich. Although the ideas are somewhat abstract like the later works of Knipper (his Third Quartet for instance), Tchaikovsky's piece is more tightly drawn, with the mood alternating between the uplifting and the quiet melancholy. The Sextet of 1990 have a good deal going for it too; the allegro movements are somewhat energetic and playful and yet in the andante sostenuto & the largo, the mood is dreamingly introspective (the harp added the beautiful dimensions to these slow movements). Indeed, it has some of the same engaging characteristics as Carl Nielsen's Wind Quintet (1922) and Gavriil Popov's Septet (1926) in its unrelenting sense of exploration and its ideas that are engaging yet thoroughly humane.

Overall, this a worthwhile acquisition although there are two quibbles I must raise (one of which is minor). For one thing, in re-issuing or recording works of unjustly neglected composers like Tchaikovsky, Vainberg, et al., there should be a hugh incentive to fill up a disc especially when being sold at a full price. At 57 minutes, this disc could have easily include another work (like his appealing Cello Sonata of 1957 coupled with Vainberg's recently re-issued then shortly deleted by Russian Disc). There's nothing wrong in heightening the curiosity of the curious and this disc is a bit too modest in that respect. Quibble II (a minor one), the Largo movement of the Sextet (track 8) is 4:21, not 0:21.

The performances overall, especially by Boris Tchaikovsky himself (as a pianist in his Trio) are excellent and captured the spirit behind the music admirably. The recordings meanwhile give the works close to full justice.

* This is not my Rip, posted by request of more music from Boris Tachaikovsky, I found this in my HDs long time downloaded from Demonoid..I'll continue posting some of old downloads from dead sites as melomaniacos or Demonoid as are no more available!!!

Thanks to the original uploader!