APRIL from The Seasons, Op. 37b
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed April in 1876 as part of The Seasons, while also working on his ballet Swan Lake. Tchaikovsky was commissioned by Nikolay Bernard to compose twelve short piano pieces, one for each of the twelve months of the year. Each piece was published with a poem. April, subtitled Snowdrop’s poem, was written by Russian poet Apollon Maykov:
“The blue, pure snowdrop-flower, and near it the last snowdrops. The last tears over past griefs, and first dreams of another happiness.”
SONATA IN G MAJOR (“The Cuckoo”), Op. 79
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Beethoven composed the Sonata in G Major, Op. 79 in 1809, during the French invasion of Vienna while he was losing his hearing. Its nickname “Cuckoo” comes from the two-note motif that appears throughout the first movement. The second movement changes to G minor, which creates a calmer and more reflective mood. The final movement is full of joy and energy. Although this was Beethoven’s shortest Sonata, it shows his lighter side and how he was still full of imagination and life despite his personal challenges.
IMPROMPTU No. 5 in B minor, Op. 5
Jean Sibelius (1865–1957)
Composed in 1893, Sibelius wrote Impromptu No. 5 in B minor, Op. 5 as part of a set of six piano pieces early in his career. This piece shows his quiet, reflective side before his music developed into larger, more powerful nationalistic symphonies. The piece is lyrical and gentle, which represents the beautiful landscapes of Finland.
PRELUDE in B minor, Op. 32, No. 10
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943)
Rachmaninoff wrote this prelude in 1910 as part of a set of thirteen piano pieces. He was inspired by Arnold Bocklin’s painting, “Die Heimkehr” (“The Homecoming”), which shows a man returning to his family after a long journey. Prelude No.10 in B minor, Op. 32 shares that same feeling of longing and reflection with its expressive qualities. This intense piece is considered one of Rachmaninoff’s most personal and reflective preludes.