Composer: Nikolai Tcherepnin
Performer: David Witten
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Toccata
Catalogue: TOCC0117
Release: 2011
Size: 215 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
3 Pieces, Op. 24
01. No. 1. Reverie
02. No. 2. Etude
03. No. 3. Idylle
14 Sketches on Pictures from the Russian Alphabet, Op. 38
04. No. 1. Moor
05. No. 2. Baba-Yaga
06. No. 3. General
07. No. 4. Dacha
08. No. 5. Egypt
09. No. 6. Stars
10. No. 7. Mama
11. No. 8. The Lake
12. No. 9. Bed-time
13. No. 10. The Forest
14. No. 11. Sweets
15. No. 12. The Khan
16. No. 13. The Tzarina
17. No. 14. Stuffed Bear
6 muzikal’nikh illyustratsiy k, “Skazke o ribake i ribke” Pushkina (6 Musical Illustrations to Pushkin’s, “Tale about the Fisherman and the Fish”), Op. 41
18. I. Andantino commodo
19. II. Moderato assai
20. III. Moderato assai molto risoluto
21. IV. Andantino mosso
22. V. Marziale maestoso
23. VI. Andantino con moto
Nikolai Tcherepnin (1873–1945) was the first of what would become his family’s musical dynasty: a conductor, composer, and professor at the St Petersburg Conservatory.
He was principal conductor for the first few seasons of the Ballets Russes A student of Rimsky-Korsakov and Lyadov, his most famous student was Prokofiev, who was very fond of his conducting professor and dedicated three of his early works to him Tcherepnin developed a flair for colourful orchestration from these earlier composers as well as an interest in Russian folklore, art, mythology and fairy tales as subjects for musical inspiration.
He also became an enthusiast for French Impressionism from frequent trips to Paris, where he eventually emigrated – so much so that his friends used to tease him by calling him ‘Debussy Ravelovich’ These influences show in his piano music here: the Three Pieces (early 1890s) have echoes of Chopin and Rachmaninov, and the remainder is inspired by classics of Russian children’s literature and the exquisite illustrations of Alexander Benois – the Fourteen Sketches from Benois’ alphabet book for children, and Pushkin’s famous poem The Fisherman and the Fish complete with watery splashes! Benois’s exquisite illustrations are reproduced beautifully in the full-colour booklet.