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Tchaikovsky |
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TH 78 Nine Church PiecesДевять духовно-музыкальных сочиненийFor unaccompanied mixed voices (1884-85).
HistoryOn the way to Davos, while staying for four days in Berlin, the composer wrote the first two Cherubim Songs, as he told Petr Jurgenson from Munich on 7 November 1884 [1]. During his visit to Davos, to see the gravely-ill Iosif Kotek, the third Cherubim’s Song was composed, and all three were copied out and sent to Milii Balakirev at the Imperial Chapel Choir. At this time, Tchaikovsky wrote: "I have written three Cherubim's songs, which I am now sending to you... If His Majesty wants to study one of them, then I humbly ask you, my good fellow, to choose which one of the three you consider to be superior. In my opinion the third (in C major) is the best, but I have not tried to imitate the notes of church song (in «Яко да Цара»), which may seem to you to be unsuccessful and inappropriate. Then again the remaining two are different, in that one (in D major) sounds closer in style to Bortnianskii, while the other is much further away, although I am admittedly a poor judge of my own works, and you have complete discretion to choose any one of them [2]. In reply Milii Balakirev told him: "I received your Cherubim's songs some time ago, and since I was not ordered to make a hasty decision, I sent them to your publisher friend in order to study them from the printed parts, which is more straightforward for choral works. On their relative merits I shall say nothing, since I have hardly seen them. But with regard to the one in C major, which you prefer, then I am not sure that it could be considered the best. Its opening is ruined by piquances and an out-of-place dance rhythm. has no spice to it and, sounds like a kind of dance rhythm (after the opening notes - ed.). Anyway, in spite of these reservations, it is my considered opinion they should all be published" [3]. Leaving Davos for Paris, Tchaikovsky told his brother Modest on 3/15 December 1884 that he had successfully written one church number [4]. Following his return to Russia in April 1885, Tchaikovsky again set to work on composing church music, and wrote of this to Modest Tchaikovsky on 15 April: "I am presently working on a number of things for the church; between ourselves I have written a trio Let my prayer be set forth" [5]. Precise information on the completion dates for all nine numbers was completed has not survived. During the summer of 1885, Tchaikovsky worked on the proofs of six numbers (Nos. 4-9); in the first half of July the proofs were sent to Petr Jurgenson with authorisation to print them [6]. It seems that the composition went on in parallel with the engraving, since in the end at the fair copy of No. 7 (Bliss, I Chose) is the author’s date "Finished, and God be praised! 3 August". The first performance took place in February 1886 in the Moscow Conservatory at an evening concert of church music, "in which one of Moscow's best church choirs performed a programme, which I put together, of various new compositions from the realm of church music. Some of my new church pieces were included, and sing very well" [7]. The full scores were published by Petr Jurgenson in 1885 as separate numbers: the first three (Cherubim's Songs) in February 1885 [8], and the remaining numbers in August 1885 [9]. A subsequent edition was issued in December 1896. From: Музыкальное наследие Чайковского (1958),
pp. 362-363 Notes:
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