Noctave
Born in Votkinsk, in the Urals, Tchaikovsky first studied law and worked at the Ministry of Justice before entering the St Petersburg Conservatory. He then taught at the Moscow Conservatory. He is known above all for his symphonies and ballets, but he also wrote for the piano. The Seasons, Op. 37a, twelve pieces, one for each month, appeared in 1876 in a St Petersburg magazine; the Album for the Young, Op. 39, from 1878, is subtitled “à la Schumann”.
Start with Old French Song, in G minor: a simple tune to sing above steady chords. March of the Wooden Soldiers then asks for short, detached chords and a crisp dotted rhythm, without hardening the sound. June: Barcarolle comes last. Longer, at more than five minutes, it covers six octaves and includes about twenty rolled chords: the rocking of the boat should stay calm from start to finish.