Description
In early 1878, shortly after completing his opera "Eugene Onegin" and his Fourth Symphony, Tchaikovsky wasted no time in embarking on a new creative endeavor. He immediately set to work composing his Twelve Pieces, Op. 40 for piano. This cycle features a diverse range of genres, including etudes, waltzes, and mazurkas typical of the era, as well as pieces seemingly inspired by Tchaikovsky's own life, such as "Au village," "Marche funèbre," and "Rêverie interrompue." For this Urtext edition, the editors were able to consult the autograph engraver's copy held in the Glinka Museum in Moscow, in addition to rare Russian prints from 1879 and 1890, as detailed in the preface.
