Romeo & Juliet: Tchaikovsky on the Piano

Featuring

Yevgeny Sudbin
Bella Sudbin
Mikhail Glinka
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

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Critical Reception

Despite initial harsh criticism from Mily Balakirev, Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy became his first orchestral work to enter the international concert repertoire.

Composition History

Tchaikovsky's The Seasons, a group of twelve pieces, was allegedly commissioned for serial publication in a St Petersburg musical magazine throughout 1876.

Performer Biography

Yevgeny Sudbin, the pianist on this album, was hailed by the Daily Telegraph as "potentially one of the greatest pianists of the 21st century."

Composition History

Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy was suggested to him by Mily Balakirev, a colleague and friend, who later harshly criticized its first drafts.

Recording & Production

The grand pianos used for this recording are Steinway D models.

Compositional Technique

Tchaikovsky's Dumka, Op. 59, rapidly switches between a slow, melancholic mood and a quick folk-like dance, reflecting its origin as a form of folk song.

Composer Biography

Mikhail Glinka, composer of the Ruslan and Ludmila Overture, was highly admired by Tchaikovsky and called "the Father of Russian Music" by Tchaikovsky and the "Mighty Bunch" (a group of Russian composers).