Tchaikovsky: The Seasons, Six Morceaux – Pavel Kolesnikov Hyperion

The seasons Op 37b[44’11]
1
No 1 January, ‘By the fireside’: Moderato semplice ma espressivo[5’27]
2
No 2 February, ‘Carnival’: Allegro giusto[2’35]
3
No 3 March, ‘The lark’s song’: Andantino espressivo[2’40]
4
No 4 April, ‘The snowdrop’: Allegretto con moto e un poco rubato[2’20]
5
No 5 May, ‘White nights of May’: Andantino[4’39]
6
No 6 June, ‘Barcarolle’: Andante cantabile[5’35]
7
No 7 July, ‘Reaper’s song’: Allegro moderato con moto[1’43]
8
No 8 August, ‘Harvest’: Allegro vivace[3’29]
9
No 9 September, ‘The hunt’: Allegro non troppo[2’37]
10
No 10 October, ‘Autumn song’: Andante doloroso e molto cantabile[5’58]
11
No 11 November, ‘Troika’: Allegro moderato[2’52]
12
No 12 December, ‘Christmas’: Tempo di valse[4’16]
Six morceaux Op 19[31’17]
13
Rêverie du soir: Andante espressivo[5’31]
14
Scherzo humoristique: Allegro vivacissimo[3’57]
15
Feuillet d’album: Allegretto simplice[1’50]
16
Nocturne: Andante sentimentale[4’09]
17
Capriccioso: Allegretto simplice – Allegro vivacissimo – Tempo I[4’09]
18
Thème original et variations: Andante non tanto – Variations 1-12[11’41]

Pavel Kolesnikov became Laureate of the Honens Prize for Piano in 2012 and gave his Wigmore Hall debut at the beginning of 2013. In his five-star review for The Daily Telegraph, John Allison praised the Russian-born, London-based artist for his recital’s ‘intelligent programming and outstanding pianism … one of the most memorable of such occasions London has witnessed’.

Hyperion is delighted to present this brilliant young artist in an album of Tchaikovsky’s Les saisons and Six morceaux.

Tchaikovsky’s symphonies and ballets are perhaps the most popular and frequently performed in the entire canon—compared to them his piano music is little-known. It is generally of a much more intimate nature than that of his compatriots, and has more in common with the emotional subtleties—and melodic beauties—of Schumann’s music.

The seasons is a cycle of twelve pieces, taking the listener through the months of the year. Each piece also has an atmospheric epigraph. The Six morceaux, Op 19, conclude with the ‘Thème original et variations’, which is often performed alone as a concert piece, but is particularly satisfying in context, as recorded here.