Category Archives: On Music

The piano trio, originally written as a harpsichord obligato with string accompaniment in the late Baroque era, later evolved to have a more prominent keyboard part and an important violin dialogue. Beethoven and Schubert pushed the role of cello in the piano trio from one of accompaniment to one of prominence. Though some piano triosContinue reading “Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio in A Minor, Op. 50”

Tchaikovsky’s Grand Sonata in G, Op. 37 was written in Spring 1878 at his sister’s estate at Kamenka. It is four movements long, and the movements are as follows: Moderato e risoluto, Andante non troppo quasi Moderato, Scherzo/Allegro giocoso, and Finale/Allegro vivace. A performance of this Sonata would last about 30-35 minutes. How did theContinue reading “Grand Sonata in G, Op. 37”

by Preston Griffith Tchaikovsky(Right) and his pupil, the violinist Iosif Kotek(Left). Tchaikovsky’s Valse Scherzo, Op. 34, composed in 1877, was his second work composed for solo violin and orchestra.  The piece is one movement, Allegro Tempo di Valse, and is about six to nine minutes in length.  The Valse Scherzo is dedicated to Tchaikovsky’s formerContinue reading “Tchaikovsky’s Second Work for Violin and Orchestra, Valse-Scherzo, Op. 34”

By Preston Griffith In February of 1875, Tchaikovsky composed his first work for solo violin and orchestra, Sérénade mélancolique, op. 26.  The piece was dedicated to Leopold Auer, one of the greatest Russian Violinists and an extremely successful teacher, but he delayed the piece’s premier.  Adolf Brodsky was the first to play the piece nearlyContinue reading “Tchaikovsky’s Sérénade mélancolique”

Andrea Davis Tchaikovsky’s three string quartets (the composition of a B flat first movement beginning in 1865, the third quartet reaching completion in 1876) were all successful, and it would seem that Tchaikovsky had an aptitude for the genre. His solo piano works, also successful among his audiences and colleagues, were smaller pieces meant forContinue reading “Ruines d’un chateau and Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Hapsal”

Tchaikovsky composed the Romance in F minor, Op. 5 in November 1868. It was first performed in December of that same year by pianist Nikolay Rubinstein at Moscow University, then later premiered by him at St. Petersburg in 1869. The piece is 106 measures long, it is one movement long (andante cantabile), and it isContinue reading “Romance in F minor, Op. 5”