A Greeting to Anton Rubinstein
A Greeting to Anton Rubinstein (Привет Антону Григорьевичу Рубинштейну) (TH 86 ; ČW 72) [1] is a short choral work written by Tchaikovsky in late September/early October 1889 as part of the celebrations for the fiftieth anniversary Anton Rubinstein's musical activities.
Instrumentation
Scored for mixed voices (SATB), without accompaniment.
Movements and Duration
There is one movement: Allegro moderato (C major, 92 bars), lasting around 3 minutes in performance.
Text
The words were specially written for the occasion by Yakov Polonsky (1819–1898), from his verses 'Greetings to You, Our Brother' (Привет тебе, наш брат) (1889).
Composition
The chorus, together with the Impromptu in A-flat major, was commissioned by the jubilee committee for Anton Rubinstein's fiftieth anniversary as an artist, and composed in Saint Petersburg between 20 September/2 October and 30 September/12 October 1889 [2].
Performances
The first performance took place at the gala jubilee celebrations in the Hall of Nobles' Club on 18/30 November 1889 in Saint Petersburg.
Publication
On 4/16 October 1889, Avgust Gerke wrote to Tchaikovsky: "Could P. I. Jurgenson be entrusted with the printing of the full score and parts of your salutation chorus?" [3], and on 1/13 November he reported: "Jurgenson is printing your chorus" [4]. The choral score and parts of the chorus were published by Pyotr Jurgenson in November 1889 [5].
The chorus was included in volume 43 of Tchaikovsky's Complete Collected Works (1941), edited by Ivan Shishov and Nikolay Shemanin.
Autographs
The whereabouts of Tchaikovsky's manuscript score are unknown.
Recordings
- See: Discography
Dedication
To Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894), composer, pianist, conductor and founder of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, where Tchaikovsky studied in his instrumentation class.
Bibliography
- П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том 43 (1941)
- Нейзвестный автограф П. И. Чайковского (1998)
External Links
- Internet Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) — downloadable scores
Notes and References
- ↑ Entitled A Greeting to A. G. Rubinstein in TH, and Greeting to Anton Grigoryevič Rubinštejn in ČW.
- ↑ Letters from Avgust Gerke to Tchaikovsky, 1/13 August, 12/24 August and 7/19 September 1889 — Klin House-Museum Archive.
- ↑ Letter from Avgust Gerke to Tchaikovsky, 4/16 October 1889.
- ↑ Letter from Avgust Gerke to Tchaikovsky, 1/13 November 1889.
- ↑ Passed by the censor on 4/16 November 1889.