Op. 1, Scherzo à la russe and Impromptu
Published in 1867, Tchaikvosky’s Scherzo à la russe and Impromptu is a short collection of two piano works. The work represents what ended up being Tchaikovsky’s first published pieces, though they were not originally intended published together. According to Tchaikovsky-research.net, the Impromptu was not intended to be published at all, except that it happened to be in the same workbook as the Scherzo, and the publisher, who did not receive proper instructions, published both works, much to the chagrin of Tchaikovsky.
Despite this, I enjoyed both works from the (at the time) fledgling composer. The Scherzo was based off of a Ukrainian folk song that Tchaikovsky had heard some gardeners sing, and had also incorporated into a string quartet during his studies. The melody is for the most part built on having two eighth-notes (or some variation thereof) on the strong beat of the measure, followed by two sixteenths, and an 8th. This motif is the driving force behind the entire work. However, after about 7 minutes of what often is the same idea, I felt as if the work grew a tad monotonous. Not that there is not variety in the work, and many of the sections are repeated multiple times. The work contains a “B” section in 3/4 rather than the 2/4 much of the work is in, as well as a “Quasi Adagio” section that could have easily ended the piece, but in true scherzo (which means “joke”) fashion, the work returns to the original idea quite quickly. The end also hints at what I have personally come to call the “Tchaikovsky ending,” though, even in this case, it almost jokingly leaves a feeling of being unresolved. Among other ideas hinted at in this early work is that, despite relative lightness of the work, there is still a weightiness to the piece. Tchaikovsky seems to use the bass and often suddenly changing dynamics very effectively to convey this weight. Also, despite the work containing a fairly thin texture, the work seems to be deceptively difficult (though I am not a pianist myself, so most piano literature looks “really hard”).
The Impromptu, dating back to Tchaikovsky’s students days, displays a different aspect of the emerging Tchaikovsky, his gift for beautiful melody. After a weighty, energetic introduction (in the always fun key of Eb minor, featuring 6 flats), the “B” section features a very lovely melody, the likes of which Tchaikovsky would later be characterized by in later works. It is perhaps the simplicity of this melody that gives it its beauty. The work is able to convey an improvisatory feel, especially in the opening “A” section and the second half of the “B” section, which, after a short cadenza dividing the section in half, features a melody embellished with numerous glissandi. Despite some nice moments, it is hard to escape the fact while listening to the work or following the score that it is meant to be a college assignment, and not a published work. Much of the opening section has the feel of a scale study or etude. Despite this, it is a rather catchy tune, and has some very nice moments in it (such as the B section, of which I think Chopin would have been proud).
Citations:
Recording:
Trabucco, Franco. Tchaikovsky: The Complete Piano Works. 2011, Dynamic. Reteived on Spotify.
Tchaikovsky-research.net
http://www.tchaikovsky-research.net/en/Works/Piano/TH124/index.html http://www.tchaikovsky-research.net/en/Works/Chamber/TH110/index.html
International Music Score Library Project
Tchasing Tchaikovsky 