1877 was a tumultuous year for Tchaikovsky. He married Antonina Milyukova (his former pupil from the Moscow Conservatory), allegedly in an effort to dispel rumors regarding his homosexuality. Though the couple never officially divorced, they separated just several weeks after the wedding. In the aftermath of this mésalliance, Tchaikovsky was overcome by issues of mental and physical health, exacerbated by a fear of compositional setbacks and lack of inspiration. To recover from his distress (and to put distance between himself and his now-estranged wife), Tchaikovsky traveled extensively outside of Moscow. One of these trips was to a country estate belonging to his benefactress, Nadezhda von Meck, in the Vinnitsa region of present-day Ukraine.

So enamored was Tchaikovsky with the idyllic location that he commemorated it in the title of this opus for Violin and Piano. The first movement, Méditation, was originally intended to be the slow movement of his Violin Concerto, but Tchaikovsky came to the realization that he needed something more extroverted for that work. Rightfully so, as the delicate, introspective piano introduction of Méditation conveys a sense of intimacy that is maintained throughout even the most boisterous sections of the piece, where triplets in the accompaniment serve as an agitated backsplash for the virtuosic exclamations of the violin. The playful, yet biting moto perpetuo of the Scherzo is interrupted briefly by a sweet, melodic trio section before racing to a cheeky finish. The lyrical Mélodie concludes the set with graceful elegance.

Program Notes by Jack Slavin.
Slavin is a pianist, music educator, and arts professional based in New York City.