Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Children's Album (Quatuor Byron)

Information

Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

• Children's Album, Op. 39 (arr. Rostislav Dubinsky)

Quatuor Byron

    Wendy Ghysels, violin

    François James, violin

    Robin Lemmel, viola

    Coralie Devars, cello

Date: 2025

Label: Aparté

_____________________

Rostislav Dubinsky’s transcriptions of Tchaikovsky’s piano pieces for string quartet capture the composer’s orchestral imagination. Tchaikovsky, who conceived music in vivid instrumental colors, might well have approved of such arrangements. Dubinsky’s versions bring out the emotional depth, character, and nuance of each piece: the charm of the Waltz and Mazurka, the yearning in Italian Song, the tenderness in Mamma, the irony of Dolly’s Funeral, and the spirited energy of Toy Soldiers’ March. Each transcription deepens the expressive qualities, revealing subtleties and hidden sentiments, making Tchaikovsky’s miniature works even more vivid and evocative.

Rostislav Dubinsky (1923–1997) was the founding first violinist and driving force of the Borodin Quartet, which he led from 1945 to 1974. Originally the Moscow Conservatory Quartet, it gained international acclaim, particularly for its interpretations of Shostakovich, with whom the ensemble had a close connection. Born in Kyiv, Dubinsky studied violin with his father and at the Odessa Music School under Pyotr Stoliarsky, teacher of Milstein and Oistrakh. In 1974, he emigrated to the United States, where he and his pianist wife, Luba Edlina, founded the Borodin Trio with cellist Yuli Turovsky. He also taught in the Netherlands and at Indiana University from 1981.

Formed in Geneva under the guidance of Gábor Takács-Nagy, the Byron Quartet takes its name from Lord Byron, honoring his modern European spirit. The ensemble studied at the Geneva University, earning a master's degree in string quartet performance in 2010, and also trained with the Ysaÿe Quartet at the Paris Conservatory. They have participated in masterclasses with renowned quartets and musicians such as György Kurtág and Eberhard Feltz. The Byron Quartet performs widely across Europe in prestigious venues and festivals and frequently appears on major European radio stations, while also engaging in music education.

High Resolution 24-bit / 96 kHz