Tchaikovsky: Serenade for strings in C major, Op. 48

A selection of symphonic works from Tchaikovsky including Francesca de Rimini, Italian Capriccio and Serenade for strings.

This recording is the first in a two-volume series of transcriptions and paraphrases for solo piano of music by Tchaikovsky, most of which are receiving their first recordings. Volume one concerns orchestral concert works and operatic music; the second is of his ballets. He himself has long been recognised as a master of piano writing, the most famous example being his Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23, famously pronounced unplayable (and worthless) by the great pianist Nikolai Rubinstein but which has become one of the best loved and most performed of all piano concertos. Tchaikovsky himself made piano versions of his own works, mostly for four hands, and approved paraphrases of his works by an admired piano virtuoso such as Paul Pabst (see volume 2 – Divine Art DDA25106 due for release in late 2012).

These recordings were made from 1950 to 1952 and bring all of Furtwängler’s Tchaikovsky recordings together in one set.

Fourth release on ONYX from Moscow Soloists and this time it’s a popular disc of string favourites that have beein their repertoire from the very beginning: Grieg and Tchaikovskys’ homages to the forms of baroque and classical music and one of the favourite works from a composer who inspired them so much, Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik. This disc should be particularly easy to sell as the group play these works very often in concert as party-pieces.

ONYX and Moscow Soloists have enjoyed a very successful run: their first two discs (ONYX4007/ONYX4017) won a Grammy Nomination and Grammy Award respectively and their most recent recording of Tan Dun and Takemitsu (ONYX4027) has got great reviews so far.

Yuri Bashmet has also appeared on two other ONYX discs: his recent recital with Mikhail Muntian called Reminscences (ONYX4032) and as viola player in Julian Rachlin’s all-star Shostakovich disc (ONYX4026).