Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Orchestral Works Vol. 3 (Alpesh Chauhan)

Information

Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

1. Suite No. 2 in C Major, Op. 53: I. Jeu de sons
2. Suite No. 2 in C Major, Op. 53: II. Valse
3. Suite No. 2 in C Major, Op. 53: III. Scherzo humoristique
4. Suite No. 2 in C Major, Op. 53: IV. Rêves d’enfant
5. Suite No. 2 in C Major, Op. 53: V. Danse baroque
6. Entr’acte and Waltz from Eugene Onegin, Op. 24
7. Polonaise from Eugene Onegin, Op. 24
8. Dance of the Tumblers from The Enchantress
9. Overture from The Storm, Op. post. 76
10. Marche slave, Op. 31

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Alpesh Chauhan, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: Chandos

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Alpesh Chauhan and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra continue their fascinating survey of Tchaikovsky’s orchestral works, combining established repertoire with lesser-known works to great effect. For this third volume, the former are represented by orchestral excerpts from Eugene Onegin, and the brooding Marche slave. Eugene Onegin is without doubt Tchaikovsky’s best-known opera, regularly performed by opera companies around the globe. The ‘Entr’acte and Waltz’ opens Act II, a party in the country for the name-day of Onegin’s neighbour Tatyana, whilst the ‘Polonaise’ sets the scene for Act III, with another, much grander ball set years later in St Petersburg. The Marche slave was written in just five days as part of a fundraiser to support Montenegro and Serbia in their war against the Turks. Less well-known music includes the ‘Dance of the Tumblers’ from the rarely performed opera The Enchantress, whilst the overture The Storm was a student exercise inspired by the play by Alexander Ostrovsky. The most substantial work on the album is the Second Orchestral Suite, the format of which freed Tchaikovsky from the strict formal demands of the symphony and gave him greater licence for experimentation.

British conductor Alpesh Chauhan (b. 1990) is Principal Guest Conductor of the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker and Music Director of Birmingham Opera Company. Acclaimed for his expressive and bold conducting, he works with leading orchestras worldwide and is particularly noted for his interpretations of Romantic and 20th-century repertoire. A strong advocate for contemporary music and education, he champions emerging composers and supports young musicians through initiatives like Young Sounds UK. Formerly a cellist, Chauhan studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, where he is now an Honorary Fellow. He was awarded an OBE in 2022 for services to the arts.

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