Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - 6 Pieces, Op. 51 | Текст песни

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• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
• 6 Pieces, Op. 51

Tchaikovsky wrote his Six Pieces (Six morceaux) for solo piano, Op. 51 (TH 143 ; ČW 175 to 180), in August and September 1882.

pf: Michael Ponti

The idea for these pieces came from Nikolay Bernard, editor of the Saint Petersburg journal Nuvellist. In January 1882, Bernard sent a letter to Tchaikovsky asking him to write for Nuvellist, \"at the subscribers' request\", six pieces for piano; if the composer was agreeable, four of them should have the titles Nocturne, Dreams, Salon Waltz and Russian Dance. However, Tchaikovsky was bound by an agreement with his publisher, which gave Pyotr Jurgenson the right of first refusal to publish the composer's works. If Tchaikovsky were to write the pieces for Nuvellist this would have been in breach of the terms of the agreement.

At this point Pyotr Jurgenson expressed a willingness to publish the piano pieces for piano, and asked the composer to write them for his firm instead. Tchaikovsky viewed Jurgenson's proposal as an attempt to deny him income from other publishing houses, and so he declined the commission. On 1/13 February 1882, Tchaikovsky wrote: \"I carried out your interdict and wrote Bernard a polite refusal, because I considered that your point of view you were completely within your rights, and your argument was well-founded. All the same, I think it’s rather a shame\". Jurgenson wrote in reply: \"You recently declared how you had profited by selling me now fewer than 6, 12, 24 piano pieces... Naturally I would not wish that your muse should be awakened just for financial reasons\". But on 23 February/7 March, Jurgenson repeated his request for piano pieces.

However, Tchaikovsky was now occupied with other work, and did not start composing the pieces; on 19/31 July, Pyotr Jurgenson reminded him again: \"You've not forgotten my order for piano pieces? The Jurgenson brothers expect them without fail\".

Tchaikovsky did not fulfill his commission until late August/early September. On 10/22 September he wrote to Modest Tchaikovsky, listing all the work he had done that summer, including \"6 pieces for piano, which were commissioned from me my both the Jurgenson brothers\". On 15/27 September he informed Pyotr Jurgenson, \"The other day you anticipated my surprise, in the shape of 6 pieces for piano, which I only just delivered into the world. I wouldn't have written then, if Osip Ivanovich hadn't encouraged me to do so\".

Of the titles suggested by Nikolay Bernard, Tchaikovsky retained only one, Valse de Salon, which was published as the first number.

These lighthearted salon pieces were the first piano music to enter Tchaikovsky's catalog since 1878. Half are waltzes, and all are dedicated to women.

(0:23) No. 1 is a flashy \"Valse de salon,\" with rippling outer sections; the middle portion is a halting, mainly chordal sequence that returns to the main matter with a little cadenza. The overall effect is quite brilliant.

(4:26) No. 2 is titled \"Polka peu dansant.\" This B minor piece has a hesitant, Chopinesque quality in its A section, but the B section features a surging melody with restless accompaniment that is echt-Tchaikovsky. The A section returns, followed by a coda in which the B section's broken-chord accompaniment underlies a different melody.

(8:01) No. 3 is a chromatic, improvisatory \"Menuetto scherzo,\" extremely tangled and frisky. This sandwiches a trio section of right-hand phrase fragments over abbreviated left-hand runs.

(10:59) No. 4, \"Natha Valse,\" seems to be a musical portrait of its dedicatee, Natha Plesskaya. The outer sections are gentle, sentimental, yet playful; the middle section is more outgoing, marked Animato.

(13:19) The fifth piece, \"Romance,\" apparently portrays Tchaikovsky's niece Vera. More flowing and graceful than its predecessor, the piece begins with one of the composer's favorite designations, Andante cantabile. The middle section is more ornate and assertive, with the melody constantly whipping around on itself in a quick five-note turn. A miniature recitative leads back to the A section.

(18:31) No. 6 is a \"Valse sentimentale,\" highly Chopinesque in its sweet melancholy; the middle section is faster and more brusque. The repeat of the first part now leaves room for a short improvised cadenza just before the end.

(Tchaikovsky Research, AllMusic)