Born in 1925 Boris
Tchaikovsky entered the Moscow Conservatory
in 1941, but the outbreak of the war
put a stop to his studies resumed in
1944. There he studied composition with
Shebalin, Shostakovich and Myaskovsky
as well as piano with Lev Oborin. After
graduation he did some piano teaching
and was later an editor at a radio station
(from 1949 to 1952), composing in his
spare time. His fairly sizeable output
includes four symphonies, six string
quartets composed between 1954 and 1976,
four concertos (clarinet, 1957; cello,
1964; violin, 1969 and piano, 1971)
as well as a number of film scores and
of incidental music. He died in 1996.
He thus belongs to the generation situated
chronologically and stylistically between
that of Shostakovich and that of Denisov,
Schnittke, Gubaidulina and Silvestrov.
In 1948, Shostakovich and many of his
colleagues were accused of "Formalism",
whatever this may mean. Tchaikovsky
had to adjust to the prevailing political-cultural
climate without compromising himself
in writing music along the lines of
the so-called Socialist Realism. He
opted for another way out, as did Lutosławski
in Poland, by composing folk-inflected
music and by adopting a brand of Neo-classicism,
although many characteristics of his
music do not fit that mould. Although
he found his musical path fairly early
in his composing career, he often deviated
from the all-too-easy ready-made Neo-classical
idiom as the works recorded here make
it clear. He resolutely rejected dodecaphony
or serialism. He also used musical quotes
in some of his works, such as the Second
Symphony of 1967 with extracts lifted
from Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Schumann.
These caused some stir at that time.
The fine Sinfonietta
for Strings, the earliest work
here, might still be labelled as Neo-classical.
The music harks back, curiously enough,
to Bridge and Britten as well as to
Shostakovich - which is less surprising.
It is superbly written for strings,
quite attractive and richly melodic.
However, some harmonic side-steps may
already be spotted here and there. Some
unexpected harmonic twists are still
more apparent in the Chamber Symphony
of 1967; a suite rather than a miniature
symphony. The six movements are laid-out
as a set of etudes or sketches rather
than as a tightly argued symphonic whole.
The second (Unison), third (Chorale
music) and fourth (Interlude)
movements are fairly short. The other
movements are more developed. The fifth
movement (March motifs) is reminiscent
of Shostakovich, particularly because
of the tongue-in-cheek working out of
the basic material and of some dissonant,
cluster-like textures. The final movement
(Serenade) opens deceptively
enough, as an innocuous serenade, but
the easy-going mood of this section
is then contradicted by a more animated
section. Both sections are repeated
with some variations, and the movement
ends with a final varied restatement
of the opening section. The whole work
is also a good example of Tchaikovsky’s
musical thinking which is often characterised
by understatement. Still more so, I
think, in the Six Etudes
for strings and organ; not the other
way round, mind you. This is a work
for strings with some support from an
organ used quite discreetly throughout.
There is no real attempt at developing
the organ part. This often very beautiful
work is also – on the whole – rather
enigmatic, but not to the same extent
as the late Prelude "The
Bells" left in short score
at the time of the composer’s death.
It has been expertly and subtly orchestrated
by Pyotr Klimov. The insert notes do
not say much about this short piece,
so it is hard to say whether it was
meant to stand on its own or as part
of a larger work. We are not told whether
it has anything to do with Poe’s poem.
Anyway, it beautifully rounds-off this
superb release devoted to a most distinguished
composer who, in politically difficult
times, managed to remain true to himself
without compromise. His honest and sincere
music commands respect.
By the way Boris has
no connection whatsoever with Pyotr
Ilyich. In fact he is the uncle of the
composer-pianist Alexander.
These excellent, meticulously
prepared readings are warmly recorded.
The production is again up to Hyperion’s
best. Recommended.
Hubert Culot
Ludmilla Golub (organ)a 