Souvenir de Florence
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The String Sextet in D minor "''Souvenir de Florence''", Op. 70, is a string sextet scored for 2 violins, 2 violas, and 2 cellos composed in the summer of 1890 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Tchaikovsky dedicated the work to the St. Petersburg Chamber Music Society in response to his becoming an Honorary Member. The work, in the traditional four-movement form, was titled "Souvenir de Florence" because the composer sketched one of the work's principal themes while visiting Florence, Italy, where he composed '' The Queen of Spades''. The work was revised between December 1891 and January 1892, before being premiered in 1892. It is the only string sextet by the composer.


Structure


Analysis

The first movement is in sonata form and, without introduction, presents a rather violent yet melodic first theme in D minor. The second theme, in the dominant major key of
A major A major (or the key of A) is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor. The key of A major is the only k ...
, is much calmer; it flows from the first theme almost effortlessly and then proceeds into the development and recapitulation, which concludes with a quick coda. The slow movement, in D major, has a very innocent, romantic theme initially stated by the first violin with pizzicato accompaniment before being taken up by the cello. Following interruption by an interlude for all of the instruments, the theme returns for a repeat of the first section. The last two movements, with their distinctly Russian and folk-like melodies and rhythms, greatly contrast with the previous ones.


Arrangements

This work has also been arranged for
string orchestra A string orchestra is an orchestra consisting solely of a string section made up of the bowed strings used in Western Classical music. The instruments of such an orchestra are most often the following: the violin, which is divided into first ...
, including one by
Yuli Turovsky Yuli Turovsky OC CQ (7 June 193915 January 2013) was a Soviet-born Canadian cellist, conductor and music educator. His name is mostly associated with the I Musici de Montréal Chamber Orchestra, which he founded in 1983 and led until his dea ...
. Excerpts from the score were used in the 2005 ballet '' Anna Karenina'', choreographed by Boris Eifman.


References


External links

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Tchaikovsky ResearchRecording
by
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) is an American organization dedicated to the performance and promotion of chamber music in New York City. It is the largest organization of its kind in the country for chamber music. CMS's home is ...
from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in MP3 format {{Authority control Chamber music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Compositions for string sextet 1890 compositions Compositions in D minor Music dedicated to ensembles or performers