Piano Concerto No. 2 (Tchaikovsky)

Structure#

The piano concerto consists of three movements: The second movement contains prominent solos for the violin and cello, making the work in effect a concerto for piano trio and orchestra briefly, though a once-popular edition by Alexander Siloti removed large sections of the work, including those solos. Siloti initially proposed a number of changes to the score, but Tchaikovsky resisted these ideas. However, as time progressed, he agreed to certain changes. However, the version that Siloti published in 1897, four years after Tchaikovsky’s death, included cuts and transpositions with which Tchaikovsky had strongly disagreed. Nevertheless, the Siloti version became the standard version for many years. Also noteworthy is the degree of segregation of orchestra and soloist, especially in the opening movement. Tchaikovsky had told his close friend Hermann Laroche many years earlier that he would never write a piano concerto because he could not tolerate the sound of piano and orchestra playing together. Though he handled this well enough in the First Piano Concerto, he would increasingly intersperse cadenza-like passages for the soloist in the movements of his later works for piano and orchestra. For listeners trying to orient themselves through this concerto, those passages, with their abrupt switch between piano and supporting instruments, make it easier.

Instrumentation#

The work is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in B and A, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in D, timpani, solo piano, and strings. Notable is the absence of trombones and tuba.

Performance history#

A list of performances of Tchaikovsky’s second piano concerto, excluding the American and Russian premieres. * Manchester, Great Britain: 28 October 1886, conducted and played by Charles Hallé * Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire: 17 November 1888, conducted by Tchaikovsky, played by Wassily Sapellnikoff * Prague, Austria-Hungary: 30 November 1888, conducted by Tchaikovsky, played by Wassily Sapellnikoff * Moscow, Russian Empire: 22 December 1888, conducted by Tchaikovsky, played by Wassily Sapellnikoff * London, Great Britain: 26 April 1890, conducted by August Manns, played by Wassily Sapellnikoff * Kiev, Russian Empire: 17 December 1890, conducted by Wilhelm Harteveld and played by N. A. Listovnichy * Paris, France: 5 April 1891, conducted by Tchaikovsky, played by Wassily Sapellnikoff

Other uses#

George Balanchine set his ballet Ballet Imperial to this score in 1941, and it remains in the active repertoire of many companies under the revised title Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2.

Bibliography#

• Brown, David, Tchaikovsky: The Man and His Music (New York: Pegasus Books, 2007). .
• Warrack, John, Tchaikovsky Symphonies and Concertos (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1969)

External links#

• Tchaikovsky Research *