Composer of the Week - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) - Episode 5

Donald Macleod takes a series of snapshots of a period that lay at the centre of Tchaikovsky's creative life, from 1876 to 1890. For Tchaikovsky, who was not the most prolific composer, 1890 was an astonishing year. A few days after the premiere of Sleeping Beauty, he set off for Florence, where he completed his opera Queen of Spades at breakneck speed in just 43 days. Donald Macleod dips into the opera and also enjoys Tchaikovsky's other Souvenir of Florence. Queen of Spades (excerpt from Overture) Kirov Orchestra, St Petersburg Valery Gergiev (conductor) Philips 438 141-2 CD1, Tr 1 Souvenir de Florence Yuri Yurov (viola) Mikhail Milman (cello) Borodin Quartet Teldec 4509 90422-2 CD1, Trs 6-9 Queen of Spades (Act 3, Sc 2) Liza ...... Maria Gulegina (soprano) Herman ...... Gegam Grigorian (tenor) Kirov Chorus and Orchestra, St Petersburg Valery Gergiev (conductor) Philips 438 141-2 CD3, Trs 6-7 Sleeping Beauty (Waltz) Philharmonia Orchestra Herbert von Karajan (conductor) EMI 476 899-2, Tr 8.