Nikolaj Shcherbachyov: Le Mezzetin amoureux - Valse sérénade op 8,5 (Best-of-edition Russian piano)

Performed by Christian Dillig (piano)

Le Mezzetin amoureux (Sérénade-Valse) by the Russian composer Nikolai Stcherbatcheff (1858 - 1922; or as he is also written: Nikolay Shcherbachyov) is a somewhat idiosyncratic waltz composition with many ornamentations and chains of grace notes. It is the last piece in the 12-part best-of edition of Russian piano music compiled by the German-Russian musicologist and composer Oskar von Riesemann from the publishing programme of the well-known Russian music patron and publisher Mitrofan Belyayev. In my opinion, von Riesemann, who was also a composer himself, composed in the late Romantic style and appreciated both Skriabin and Rachmaninoff, has succeeded in creating one of the best compilations of pieces of music to form a representative whole, comparable to an independent composition with contrasts and arcs of tension. In any case, it would be worth presenting the 12 pieces in a concert programme. I have written an introduction to the best-of edition under the first piece, Chant d'Automne by Fjodor Akimenko.

Schjerbachyov was a Russian composer from the generation between Pyotr Tchaikovsky '(1840 - 1893) and Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 - 1943), about whom little is known. He apparently came from a wealthy family and was able to lead the life of a private individual. He was apparently not a professional musician, but was highly talented. He was apparently self-taught, but appreciated as a musical genius by the composers Mily Balakirev, Modest Mussorgsky and César Cui, three of the composers of the Mighty Five, who aspired to national Russian music and whose heirs were patronised by Mitrofan Belyayev. Nikolay Shcherbachyov was the uncle of the composer Vladimir Shcherbachyov, who later came into conflict with the Soviet regime several times due to the influence of Western music.


Pieces from the amazing Anthology "Russian Composers" (1920) of the German musicologist Oscar von Riesemann, which I have already put on YouTube:
1. Fjodor Akimenko: Chant d’Automne op. 16 No. 1    • Fjodor Akimenko: Chant d'automne op. ...  
2. Nikolai Artchiboucheff : Prélude op. 18 No. 1    • Nikolai Artsybushev: Prelude op. 18 N...  
3. Nikolai Amani: Orientale op. 7 No. 2    • Nikolai Amani: Orientale op. 7,2 - an...  
4. Semyon Barmotine: Berceuse op. 5 No. 3    • Semyon Barmotin: Berceuse op. 5 No. 3...  
5. Felix Blumenfeld: Krakowiak op. 23 No. 1www.youtube.com/watch?v=86RWZGSEO5c
8. Anatole Liadow: Une Tabatière à Musique (The Music Box). Valse-Bandinage
   • Anatoly Lyadov: The Music Box op. 32 ...  
9. Modest Mussorgsky: Intermezzo in modo classico    • Modest Mussorgsky: Intermezzo in modo...  
10. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakow: Song of India from the opera Sadko (arr. by Alexander Tcherepnin)    • Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: "Song of Ind...  
12. Nikolay Shcherbachyov: Le Mezzetin amoureux (Sérénade amoureux) op. 8 Nr. 5    • Nikolaj Shcherbachyov: Le Mezzetin am...  


I have put together a playlist with titles from best-of editions of Russian piano music and would like to present more pieces from such editions in the future:
   • Best-of editions and anthologies of R...  

#masterwork #russianpianomusic #score