Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings, Op. 48 & Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70

Featuring

Yuri Zhislin
The Russian Virtuosi of Europe
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

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Performer Biography

Yuri Zhislin, the conductor and a violinist of The Russian Virtuosi of Europe, was the 1993 BBC Radio Two Young Musician.

Critical Reception

Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings, Op.48, was immediately successful upon its premiere and was praised by figures such as Anton Rubinstein, a renowned pianist and composer.

Composition History

Tchaikovsky composed his Serenade for Strings, Op.48, in 1880 as an homage to Mozart's serenades, which he greatly admired for their clarity of structure and style.

Compositional Technique

The Serenade for Strings, Op.48, includes a 'Tema Russo' finale that incorporates Russian folk music, specifically a Volga 'hauling song,' and a second lively Russian folk dance.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Tchaikovsky, the composer, was often self-critical, particularly about his ability to manipulate musical form, and was easily discouraged by others' opinions.

Interpretation

The Souvenir de Florence, Op.70, was originally written for a string sextet but is performed on this album in an arrangement for string orchestra, a common practice due to the original's six-part complexity.

Composition History

Tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence, Op.70, was originally commissioned by the St Petersburg Chamber Music Society for their 1889-1890 season, but its completion was delayed by several years.