Tchaikovsky Plus One, Vol. 1 Barry Douglas

• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893): The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135:
• 1The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135: I. January. By the Fireside05:09
• 2The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135: II. February. Carnival02:53
• 3The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135: III. March. Song of the Lark02:52
• 4The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135: IV. April. Snowdrop02:44
• 5The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135: V. May. May Nights04:18
• 6The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135: VI. June. Barcarolle04:57
• 7The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135: VII. July. Song of the Reaper01:53
• 8The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135: VIII. August. The Harvest03:05
• 9The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135: IX. September. The Hunt02:36
• 10The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135: X. October. Autumn Song04:34
• 11The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135: XI. November. Troika02:52
• 12The Seasons, Op. 37a, TH 135: XII. December. Christmas04:09
• Modest Mussorgsky (1839 - 1881): Pictures at an Exhibition:
• 13Pictures at an Exhibition: Promenade I01:22
• 14Pictures at an Exhibition: I. Gnomus02:41
• 15Pictures at an Exhibition: Promenade II00:58
• 16Pictures at an Exhibition: II. Il vecchio castello04:14
• 17Pictures at an Exhibition: Promenade III00:28
• 18Pictures at an Exhibition: III. Tuileries (Dispute d'enfants après jeux)01:02
• 19Pictures at an Exhibition: IV. Bydło03:08
• 20Pictures at an Exhibition: Promenade IV00:46
• 21Pictures at an Exhibition: V. Ballet of Unhatched Chicks in Their Shells01:04
• 22Pictures at an Exhibition: VI. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuÿle02:14
• 23Pictures at an Exhibition: Promenade V01:23
• 24Pictures at an Exhibition: VII. Limoges, le marché (La grande nouvelle)01:24
• 25Pictures at an Exhibition: VIIIa. Catacombæ (Sepulcrum romanum)01:54
• 26Pictures at an Exhibition: VIIIb. Con mortuis in lingua mortua02:10
• 27Pictures at an Exhibition: IX. The Hut on Fowl's Legs (Baba-Yagá)03:21
• 28Pictures at an Exhibition: X. The Great Gate of Kiev05:18
• Total Runtime01:15:29

Info for Tchaikovsky Plus One, Vol. 1

Two of the most popular romantic Russian piano works from the mid-1870s are heard on this new album from the celebrated Barry Douglas. Lyricism lies at the heart of the twelve movements of Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons (1875 – 76), commissioned by the periodical Nouvelliste to appear monthly, accompanied by poetic epigraphs. Tchaikovsky got his servant to remind him of his duty on a certain day in the month, and composed each piece in a single sitting. Each reflects characteristics of a different month, the style is simple, the mood introspective.

"Musorgsky’s magnum opus requires pianism of dazzling virtuoso panache, and here Douglas is really in his element. He may not quite evoke the wild irascibility and devil-may-care unorthodoxy of the composer…Yet Douglas’s supreme technical ease and tonal control when the notes start flying – as in the ‘Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells’, ‘Limoges’ and (especially) ‘Baba Yaga’ – brings a special sense of frisson." (BBC Music Magazine)

"I don’t know how long he has had these works in his repertoire but they sound like old friends, well played-in…There have been more viscerally thrilling Pictures than this from Horowitz and Richter down, but few with such musical and textual integrity…nothing to scare the horses, nothing exaggerated, no tinkering with the text, each section deftly characterised and using the full tonal and dynamic range of the piano." (Gramophone Magazine)

Barry Douglas, piano

Barry Douglas
has established a major international career since winning the Gold Medal at the 1986 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, Moscow. As Artistic Director of Camerata Ireland and the Clandeboye Festival, he continues to celebrate his Irish heritage whilst also maintaining a busy international touring schedule.

Barry Douglas Picture 2015Barry opened the 17/18 season performing Tchaikovsky with the Halle Orchestra, after which he began new collaborations with both the Endellion String Quartet and the Borodin Quartet. He toured in recital in the UK and USA and performed with orchestras across the globe from Canada to Europe to China to Russia. During the 16/17 season Barry performed two full Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto cycles in Ireland with the RTE Orchestra in Dublin and the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast. He also gave performances of Tchaikovsky’s first Piano Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra, and opened the St. Petersburg Philharmonic’s concert season, all marking the 30th anniversary of his Tchaikovsky International Competition win.

Other recent and future highlights include performances at BBC Proms in the Park with the Ulster Orchestra, a UK tour with the Russian State Symphony Orchestra, and appearances with Orchestre de Auvergne, Barcelona Symphony, Bogota Philharmonic and Vancouver Symphony orchestras. He also recently gave the premiere of Kevin Volans’ fourth piano concerto with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, and performed in recital at the Verbier Festival.

He has previously given concerts with the BBC Scottish Symphony, London Symphony, Russian National, Cincinnati Symphony, Singapore Symphony, Berlin Radio Symphony, Staatskapelle, Halle, Orchestre National de France, Seattle Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Hong Kong Philharmonic orchestras, among others. Barry regularly plays in recitals throughout the world, with recent performances in the UK, the Netherlands, Armenia, Mexico, China and the US.

Barry is an exclusive Chandos recording artist. He recently completed recording the full works for solo piano of Brahms, the six albums of which have received much critical praise. International Record Review wrote that “this is indeed Brahms playing of the utmost integrity and authority… this cycle looks set to become a benchmark version.” The interesting programming of each disc presents each album as a stand-alone recital, providing a varied and engaging listening experience. His current recording project focusses on the solo piano works of Schubert; the fourth and final disc will be released next season. Last season he also began a new series, recording Tchaikovsky solo piano music. Also with Chandos Barry is exploring Irish folk music through his own arrangements, working with ancient melodies through to pieces by contemporary song writers. The first in this series, Celtic Reflections, was released in September 2014 and was followed in 2016 by a second disc: Celtic Airs.

In 1999 Barry Douglas founded the chamber orchestra Camerata Ireland to celebrate and nurture the very best of young musicians from both Northern and the Republic of Ireland. In addition to striving for musical excellence, one of the orchestra’s aims is to further the peace process in Ireland by promoting dialogue and collaboration through its musical education programmes. Barry regularly tours with Camerata Ireland throughout the world and visited the US in the spring of 2018. Highlights of past seasons were Camerata Ireland’s debut at the BBC Proms in London and a world premiere of a new cantata commissioned by The Honourable The Irish Society, “At Sixes and Sevens”, alongside the London Symphony Orchestra to celebrate Derry-Londonderry becoming City of Culture 2013. Barry Douglas received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2002 New Year’s Honours List for services to music.

Booklet for Tchaikovsky Plus One, Vol. 1