GLINKA: TRIO PATHETIQUE, PIANO WORKS (LINER NOTES)

MIKHAIL GLINKA

TRIO PATHETIQUE

SELECTED PIANO WORKS

NEW AMERICAN TRIO

Thomas KRYNKIV, piano

Esther LAMNECK, clarinet

Michael McCRAW, bassoon

MICHAEL GLINKA (1804-1857)

TRIO PATHETIQUE in D MINOR

for Clarinet, Bassoon, and Piano

I. Allegro moderato

II. Vivacissimo

III. Largo

IV. Allegro con spirito

NEW AMERICAN TRIO:

Esther LAMNECK, Clarinet

Michael MeCRAW, Bassoon

Thomas HRYNKIV, Piano

SELECTED PIANO WORKS

Variations on Alyabyev’s Romance “The Nightingale”

Waltz in G Major

Nocturne in F Minor

Mazurka in C Minor

Mazurka in A Minor

Barcarolle in G Major

Thomas HRYNKIV, Piano

Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka, born on June 1. 1804, is well known for his two operas, “A Life for the Tsar”

and “Russian and Ludmila” . He actually created a

Russian national opera and laid the foundations for the modern Russian school. His use of folk song in his two operas displays his creative power -- he

rarely used the primitive folk songs in crude state.

Instead he used his own melodies, saturated with

nationalistic sentiment. His harmony was very

progressive, and in fact, he used the whole-tone scale long before its supposed invention. His orchestration is very rich and varied, laying a foundation for the brilliant orchestration

associated with the Russian school.

A man of Glinka’s apparent genius (he proved himself to be very musical at quite an early age)

might be expected to have accomplished more in

his lifetime. A study of his life reveals several

factors that prevented a greater level of accomplishment. An overly protective mother laid the seeds of an extremely delicate constitution in his early years; his health was very bad throughout his forty-two years. This is probably the single most important factor that prevented his having become a composer of the first rank. After he left

home at age 13, his story is a sad one: constant traveling in search of health and happiness.

From 1817 to 1822, Glinka studied in St.

Petersburg, where he had several lessons with the eminent piano teacher John Field, who was also

Chopin's teacher. After Field left St. Petersburg

Glinka studied with Carl Meyer and also with the distinguished professor of violin, Bohm. There was

no complete study of music theory until much later

in his life. At age 29, he studied with the

celebrated master, Dehn, in Berlin. Dehn gave him

a quick course in harmony, counterpoint, and general composition. Perhaps this delayed study

also helps to explain Glinka's failure to accomplish

all that should have been expected of him.

The travels of Glinka did bring him in contact with

many important men, musical and otherwise. In

1830, on medical advice, he went to Italy where he

stayed for nearly three years. There he met

Mendelssohn, and formed friendships with

Donizetti and Bellini. Through these friendships he became enchanted with Italian music for a brief

time. Then he suddenly remembered his native Russian music with its strong, somber color and realized that this music should receive his greatest devotion. This was a turning point – here Glinka formed a vague plan to compose a national opera,

a plan that was not fulfilled until 1836 with the

completion of "A Life for the Tsar." His many

literary friends in Russia, which included Pushkin, had greatly encouraged him in this venture. "A Life

for the Tsar" was an immediate success, even

though the aristocracy is said to have viewed it as

“music of coachmen" because of its use of the folk idiom. His second opera, based on Pushkin's

"Russian and Ludmilla, " was composed during his

service as choirmaster of the Imperial church. This supreme effort of Glinka's genius did not please

the public - it lacked the human interest and dramatic movement of "A Life for the Tsar."

Perhaps the bitter disappointment of seeing his

second opera fail caused Glinka to leave Russia

again. In 1844 he went to France, where he met

Hector Berlioz for the second time. Berlioz

influence is apparent here Glinka composed some orchestral concert pieces and incidental music to

Count Kukolnik's tragedy. "Prince Kholinsky.""

This is his finest symphonic work, said by Tchaikovsky to recall the brush of Beethoven. "

Apart from the operas and the symphonic pieces,

Glinka's works include a good bit of church music,

as well as some secular choral music. There are

many songs, vocal chamber pieces, and solo piano works. There are also several chamber pieces, including the Trio Pathétique, mostly dating from the early years, 1824 to 1832.

Glinka composed the Trio Pathéique in Milan in 1832 when, according to his memoirs, he was in utter despair because of great illness. He composed the piece for his friends in the orchestra at the Teatro della Scala, Tassistro the clarinetist, and Cantú the bassoonist. It seems that Glinka always had a great sensitivity for wind instruments. In his memoirs he gives an account of hearing one of Crusell's Quartets for Clarinet and Strings. "This music made an inconceivable, fresh, and delightful impression on me after hearing it, I remained for

the rest of the day in a sort of feverish condition, deep in an indefinable, bittersweet mood, and the following day I was confused and forgetful at my drawing lesson. "

own opera rehearsals, where he praises the

clarinetist Bender, and the flutist Zusman, and

sometimes criticizing, as when he notes bad

playing by the winds in one of Berlioz' concerts

that he attended. One of the most distinguished

clarinetists of the day, Arnold Joseph Blaze, a

professor at the Brussels Conservatory, was a

friend of his. On two occasions Glinka mentions

having wind players to perform for social

gatherings once two clarinetists played with a

bass, another time he had a large party that

featured Gluck's arias with oboe and bassoon. So

it is the good fortune of wind players today that

Glinka in his feelings of utter despair turned to the composition of the Trio Pathétique.

The feeling of desperation is apparent from the beginning of the Trio. The first movement’s theme, stated after a four-measure introduction, is indeed a pathetic one. The first movement is connected to a lighter-humored scherzo, with virtuoso piano

writing, and a trio which assigns its long cantabile

lines to the wind

Instruments There Is a brief transition from the

repeat of the scherzo to the Largo movement. The transition sounds quite melodramatic because of

the tremolo chords in the piano part. The Largo

gives each instrument an opportunity to sing long

aria-like phrases. One can hear Glinka's potential

for opera. The clarinet sings its dramatic phrases

first in F major, followed by a sudden modulation to

D minor for the bassoon solo. With the piano solo

When Glinka writes of hearing orchestral

performances or rehearsals of his own music he displays his awareness of the wind instruments

several times Sometimes praising, as in one of his

come some of the most beautiful moments of the

Trio. Broad sweeping piano lines are accompanied

by beautiful counterpoint from the clarinet and

bassoon. The last movement, once again having a

brief introduction, features an agitato theme, given

first to the wind instruments. There is a quick coda

which uses much syncopation and brilliant arpeggiated passages to bring the Trio to an exciting close.

The piano music of Glinka consists mostly of small

works numerous sets of variations, waltzes,

nocturnes, mazurkas, etc This music is "salon

music" in the truest sense. Each piece is very

lyrical, and not overly dramatic or profound. Yet

neither is it frivolous or trite In each of the short

works Glinka captures a specihc feeling. creating a definite image. Except for the Variations, the piano

works presented here are all in ABA form, sometimes with slight modifications and codas.

The very delightful Waltz in G Major is such a miniature G that it seems to end just as it begins.

The F Minor Nocturne, titled "Separation, '" is truly a song from beginning to end, very melancholy, and thoroughly Russian. Both Mazurkas are rather sad, yet very different from each other. The C Minor Mazurka is full of energy, while the poignant in A Minor cannot help remind one of the Chopin Mazurkas. It begins with a plaintive, questioning melody, searching for a key in the first few measures, followed by a more robust B section.

The Barcarolle, whose essence is in its title, states its message very directly and simply.

The Variations use standard theme and variations devices theme in left hand with counterpoint in the right, rhythmic changes, a wonderful variation in

major, and finally a coda which is very much like a Russian dance.

MICHAEL

McCRAW

The New American Trio

Esther Lamneck, Michael McCraw, and Thomas

Hrynkiv joined together to form the New American

Trio in the spring of 1972. From their first meeting, the three young musicians felt a real excitement at finding others with common musical ideas and

goals. Miss Lamneck and Mr. McCraw have

appeared in many solo and chamber music

programs in New York City, many other ties in this

country, as well as in Italy, France, and Austria.

Thomas Hrynkiv, an excellent complement for the

two wind players, has to his credit a highly

successful European tour, and any prizes including a Gold Medal from the Geneva Competition.

The Trio has made a very successful New York

debut and numerous other appearances in the city.

In January 1974 they participated in the Eighth

Annual Music Festival at Sea in the Caribbean

where they were hailed as "dynamic young

musicans woted to an unusually interesting

repertoire.

Cover Photo by Roy Blakey

A Musical Heritage Society Recording

Produced by James Rich