Record Review - Tcherepnin

[ardcarp]

Near the start of today's RR there was an gorgeous extract from Tcherepnin's ballet Narcissus and Echo. Andrew mentioned that it was a quirk of music history that Tcherepnin was not one of the 'greats'. However, I'm dreadfully confused about which Tcherepnin. Andrew said it was Nikolai. The RR website says Alexander. I've looked them up and have found:

1. Alexander Nikolayevitch (1899 - 1977)

2. Nikolai Nikolayevich Tcherepnin (1878 -1945)

(There must have been several Nikolais lurking in the Tcherepnin family tree.)

I think the website must be wrong, because I think it was the elder (No 2) above who wrote the ballet, i.e. NOT Alexander.

My reason for confusion was that as a kid I played a wonderful piece entitled Andante pour Tuba et Piano a la Mémoire de mom Cher Père.
This was presumably the younger (No 1)...but the style was uber-Romantic, presumably a deliberate piece of pastiche.

I found it on Youtube, but alas it is such a dreadful performance I'm not going to give tubas a bad name by posting it up.



I'd be interested to hear about the Tcherepnins (or Tchérépnines as the French would have it)from anyone who knows about them.

[makropulos]

Near the start of today's RR there was an gorgeous extract from Tcherepnin's ballet Narcissus and Echo. Andrew mentioned that it was a quirk of music history that Tcherepnin was not one of the 'greats'. However, I'm dreadfully confused about which Tcherepnin. Andrew said it was Nikolai. The RR website says Alexander. I've looked them up and have found:

1. Alexander Nikolayevitch (1899 - 1977)

2. Nikolai Nikolayevich Tcherepnin (1878 -1945)

(There must have been several Nikolais lurking in the Tcherepnin family tree.)

I think the website must be wrong, because I think it was the elder (No 2) above who wrote the ballet, i.e. NOT Alexander.

My reason for confusion was that as a kid I played a wonderful piece entitled Andante pour Tuba et Piano a la Mémoire de mom Cher Père.
This was presumably the younger (No 1)...but the style was uber-Romantic, presumably a deliberate piece of pastiche.

I found it on Youtube, but alas it is such a dreadful performance I'm not going to give tubas a bad name by posting it up.



I'd be interested to hear about the Tcherepnins (or Tchérépnines as the French would have it)from anyone who knows about them.

Echo and Narcisse is by Nikolai and was first performed in 1911, when Alexander was all of 12 years old, by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes.

[ardcarp]

Thanks!

[DracoM]

And it was a nice surprise too, so thx for clarifications on names!!

[makropulos]

And it was a nice surprise too, so thx for clarifications on names!!

Yes - isn't it a nice surprise! I only knew the name from the Ballets Russes rep. so it's great to hear it and find that it's rather delightful. I have a hunch (though might be wrong) that Nicolai Tcherepnin was one of the composers who turned down Diaghilev's request for a Firebird ballet in 1909/10, and we know how that turned out :)

[Edgy 2]

Some info on the Tcherepnin family here http://www.tcherepnin.com/

There is a good set of Alexander’s Symphonies and Piano Concertos available (BIS)

[mathias broucek]

I can't find a recording of Narcissus and Echo on Amazon, Qobuz or Tidal.... Can anyone steer me in the right direction?

[Pianoman]

I can't find a recording of Narcissus and Echo on Amazon, Qobuz or Tidal.... Can anyone steer me in the right direction?

This is the one featured on RR I think

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/search?search_query=tcherepnin+echo

but I have this one, very good too

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%209670

[mathias broucek]

This is the one featured on RR I think

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/search?search_query=tcherepnin+echo

but I have this one, very good too
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%209670

Great! Thanks! Should have thought of searching in French!

[mathias broucek]

There’s some Tcherepnis on this outstanding release.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/search?search_query=tcherepnin+pletnev

Having reminded myself of his music I think I may get Noddy’s Narcisse which Gramophone mostly liked (with the rather obvious reservation that Ravel was a better composer)

[Petrushka]

Rafael Kubelik recorded two of Alexander Tcherepnin's piano concertos, 2 & 5, in 1968, with the BRSO and the composer at the piano. They are included in the Complee DG recordings box.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rafael-Kubelik-Complete-Recordings-Grammophon/dp/B07B5Y6TRW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=9F243GVV1FMO&keywords=kubelik+box&qid=1578410408&sprefix=kubelik%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-1