The Chamber Music News-A Blog

Welcome to our Blog, The Chamber Music News! Our quarterly online publication presents interesting articles about the music we publish, in more detail than you will find on the individual page. We hope that you will enjoy it, let us know. And, if you would like to see an article about a particular subject (related to what we publish) send us an email at editionsilvertrust@gmail.com

October 2022--March 30 2023

The Chamber Music of Nikolai Afanasiev

Nikolai Afanasiev (also spelled Afanassiev, Afanasyev et. al. 1821-1898) was born in the Siberian city of Tobolsk. Other than violin and piano lessons which he received from his father, he had no formal musical training as none was to be had within Russia at that time. In his memoirs, he wrote that he learned the art of composition by studying the works of famous composers such as Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. He excelled as a violinist and at the age of 17 was appointed concertmaster of the Moscow Opera Orchestra. He subsequently toured Russia and Western Europe as a soloist before settling in St. Petersburg where he spent the rest of his life. Of the major Russian composers, only Alyabiev and Glinka predate him. While such composers as Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin later became known for establishing the so-called Russian National School of composition, i.e. using Russian folk melody, they were hardly the first. Afanasiev's music, and he wrote in virtually every genre, is filled with the melodies of Russian folk songs and the rhythms of Russian folk dances. Unfortunately, very little of his music received publication and most remains in manuscript form moldering away in various libraries.

Though he and his music are, to some extent, still known within Russia, today he is virtually unknown elsewhere, although his String Quartet "The Volga" enjoyed a modicum of popularity for some decades during the last part of the 19th century, especially in Germany. Some sources say that Afanasiev composed as many as 12 string quartets. However, the only one which seems to have survived is the string quartet he composed for the 1860 competition held by The Russian Muscial Society. He substitled it "The Volga" and it went on to win the First Prize. It makes frequent use of Russian folk melody and from the title, it is clear we are to imagine the life and tribulations of the Volga boatmen on the river. Certainly, the rhythms often conjure up the motion of waves. The work is written in true quartet style and each instrument is given ample opportunities with the thematic material. While the harmonic structure is straight forward, the rhythms are at times complicated. The opening movement, Moderato, has for its main theme a heavy folk song of the Volga Boatmen. The voice leading is quite engrossing and sounds quite good. The five-beat meter of the second movement, Allegretto, is dance-like. It serves as a scherzo. An atmospheric Adagio full of ripe melody follows. The finale, Allegro non troppo, combines lyricism with further dance-like rhythms. This is a work which makes a strong impression and is easy to play.

The only other work of his we have been able to find is his Double Quartet in D Major subtitled "Housewarming". What you may ask is the difference between the so called standard stnng octet consisting of four violins, two violas and two cellos and thedouble quartet. The differences, such as they are, are subtle. The personnel is exactly the same and to most listeners, and perhaps players too, one cannot immed1ately discern any great difference. The double quartet was the creation of the famous violinist and composer Louis Spohr (1784-1859). Quite apart from a standard octet which works as one large group, the idea of the Double Quartet was to have two separate, but equally important groups, which could enter into the most varied of relationships. Spohr treated the two quartets in the manner of a double choir, saving the combing of the groups into an octet only for the climaxes of the work. Hence the themes were presented first by one quartet then the other. This, so Spohr maintained, creates an ongoing dialog that allows for greater use of tonal coloration than the standard octet. Further, Spohr specified that the seating arrangement for a double quartet had to be different from an octet. He decreed that the two quartets were to be seated opposite one another with the first violin and cello of each quartet sitting directly across from his counterpart. Though Spohr thought this a great innovation, the double quartet did not grab the imagination of many composers and few if any, other than Afanasiev, wrote for it.

Afanasiev's Double Quartet was subtitled "Housewarming celebration" and dates from 1875. He gave the work this subtitle himself and it is thought he composed it for the opening of the St Petersburg Stnng Quartet Society which later was renamed The Society for Chamber Music. A play through of the work reveals that it does not follow the guidelines laid down by Spohr and is, in fact, more or less, except for its title, a standard stnng octet. From the opemng bars of the first movement, Allegro moderato, it is clear that this is the creation of a Russian composer.. The music is unmistakably Russian sounding. The writing occasionally gives the work a rather orchestral feel. The second movement, Allegro vivace, is a scherzo and even more Russian sounding than the first movement, especially in the tno section. This is a very effective movement which is quite impressive. The third movement, Andante sostenuto, brings to mind the music of the Russian Orthodox Church. There is a rather substantial cadenza for the first violin toward the end of it. The finale, Allegro non troppo, is a wonderful, celebratory, jubilant Russian peasant dance.

You can hear substantial soundbites and order these piano quartets by clicking on the boldface links above.