Presents
Vasily Kalinnikov
Serenade in g minor-New Edition
For 2 Violins, Viola, Cello and Bass
Vasily Kallinikov (1866-1901) was born in the Russian town of Oryol. He tried to study at the Moscow Conservatory but was unable to afford the tuition. However, he was able to secure a place at the less prestigious Moscow College of Music and Drama Philharmonic Society School where he studied with Semyon Kruglikov and Alexander Illynsky. He supported himself by playing bassoon, violin and timpany in theater orchestras. He eventually came to Tchaikovsky's attention who recommended him to be the conductor of the Maly Theater in Moscow. However, soon after he contracted tuberculosis and was forced to move to Yalta where he lived the rest of his life. Other than this serenade, he did not write any chamber music. His two symphonies are still performed and are in the repertoire of Russian and European orchestras. Most of his music, including the Serenade, was not published during his lifetime. The manuscript to the Serenade lay moldering in the archives of Glinka State Museum of Musical Culture located in Moscow until 1950 when a score was made by Vasily Kiselev. The manuscript gives the date of composition as September 28, 1891 and hence was composed while Kalinnikov was a student. The work was not performed until two years later when, according to Kiselev, Kalinnikov conducted a performance of it with the small college orchestra. However, there is nothing on the manuscript indicating that the work was for orchestra. And Kalinnikov's teacher Kruglikov suggested the work was best served as a string quintet and not a work for orchestra as it had no divisi writing, or else as a piece for piano four hands. On Kruglikov's suggestion, Kalinnikov made a version for piano four hands, which can be found with the manuscript for strings.
The Serende is an Andantino scored for 2 violins, viola, cello and bass. Normally, serenades for string orchestra, as Kruglikov was well aware, have divided parts. That is to say, they require at least 2 first violins, 2 second violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos and bass. Here, there is absolutely no divided writing which clearly indicates there was and is no need for more than one voice on each part. To play it as a string orchestra robs the work, as Kruglikov realized, of its intimacy, and creates a much heavier effect. Sadly, this is the only way it has ever been recorded.
Parts: $12.95
Parts & Score $16.95
