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Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

(1840-1893)

Op.16, No.1 - Berceuse

Emir Gamsız, piano

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This piece is in the album:

"Classical Lullabies"

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ABOUT THE WORK:

This Lullaby is a piano version of Tchaikovsky's own song. The same Lullaby was adapted for piano by Rachmaninoff. The Six Songs (or Romances), Op.16, by Tchaikovsky, were only his second set of vocal works, the first, the Op.6 collection coming in 1869. There were three lone efforts preceding that set, the earliest, Zemfira's Song, dating to the composer's teen years. The texts to these Op.16 songs come from a variety of sources, including the composer himself, in No.5, "Thy Radiant Image." Two are settings of Apollon Maykov (No.1, "Lullaby," and No.6, "In dark hell"), and the remaining items are of Nikolai Grekov (No.2, "Wait"), Afanasij Fet (No.3, "Accept just one") and Alexei Pleshcheyev (No.4, "O sing that song"). "Lullaby" (also translated as "Cradle song") is a pleasant and subtle melancholy. Similar to Chopin's Berceuse, the accompaniment is atmospheric and almost the same rhythmic pattern repeats throughout. Op.16 songs have not become popular and many are better known for their instrumental form. Nos.1, 4 and 5 were arranged for piano in 1872-1873.