Tchaikovsky Research : The Golden Cloud Did Sleep (Dargomyzhskii)

Tchaikovsky
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TH 189

The Golden Cloud Did Sleep

Ночевала тучка золотая

Orchestration of the trio for voices with piano, by Aleksandr Dargomyzhskii (?1876).

Text by Mikhail Lermontov.
Arranged for 3 voices with orchestra by Tchaikovsky, 1876(?).
Scored for Soprano; Tenor; Baritone; 2 Flutes; 2 Oboes; 2 Clarinets (B-flat); 2 Bassoons; 2 Horns (F); Violins I; Violins II; Violas; Violoncellos; Double Basses.
First performed in Saint Petersburg, 26 December 1876/7 January 1877, conducted by Eduard Nápravník.

History

On the manuscript of the orchestration, Tchaikovsky wrote: "Trio. Music by Dargomyzhskii. Orchestrated by P. Tchaikovsky". No other information has survived concerning the origins of this work.

The first performance took place in Saint Petersburg at an afternoon concert of the Russian Musical Society on 26 December 1876, conducted by Eduard Nápravník. The performers were E. V. Klebek, Fedor Komissarzhevskii and Fedor Stravinskii.