Op. 2, Souvenir de Hapsal
Written while Tchaikovsky was vacationing on what is now the Estonian coast, in (unshockingly) the town of Hapsal (now Haapsalu), the piece is distinctive for two reasons: it is Tchaikovsky’s first piano cycle, and the work’s third movement, “Chant sans paroles” (Songs Without Words) was Tchaikovsky’s first widely known hit. The cycle is dedicated to Vera Davydova, a member of the family Tchaikovsky was staying with, who also happened to be madly in love with the composer.
The first movement of the cycle is entitled “Ruines d’un chateau,” which translates to “Ruins of a Castle.” The opening section certainly conveys an image of ruins, as its ostinato (repeated) bass, which is seldom deviated from, gives the piece the feel of a funeral march. The sorrowful melody does much to contribute to the feeling of loss first introduced by the bass. The second section is substantially more upbeat and uptempo, and seems reminiscent of Schumann’s “Wild Rider.” Perhaps this section is supposed to be reflective on the castle’s previous glories and triumphs? After this relatively short interlude (the “B” section lasts about 58 seconds in the recording I listened to), the opening section returns, just as gloomy as before, though abridged, before it melts into the ostinato.
The second movement Scherzo (“Joke”), is a reworking of another one of Tchaikovsky’s earlier works from his student days. The work is characterized by a light-hearted melody, often drastic shifts in octave and dynamic, and sudden stops. All-in-all, these features, as well as it’s countless flourishes, leads to a fairly exciting and entertaining piece of music.
The final movement of the cycle, “Chant sans paroles,” is meant to mimic the lyriciism and style of a sung song. The form was made famous by Mendelssohn some 30 years or so before. Listening to the piece, you can certainly hear how a singer could sing the lovely melody (if it had words). That being said, I feel like it is a tad tame for lovers of Tchaikovsky’s more bombastic works. This movement, as well as all of the movements in this cycle, are certainly worth a listen, even if a tad tame from even some of his other early works.
Citations:
Recording:
Trabucco, Franco. Tchaikovsky: The Complete Piano Works. 2011, Dynamic. Reteived on Spotify.
Brown, David. Tchaikovsky: The Man and his Music. New York: Pegasus, 2007. 37-8. Print.
Tchaikovsky-research.net
http://www.tchaikovsky-research.net/en/Works/Piano/TH125/index.html
International Music Score Library Project
Tchasing Tchaikovsky 