I have all but decided to do my senior research on chamber music of Russian composer Cesar Cui. To my knowledge, English-language research into his works has so far only covered the operas and, to an extent, the piano music and songs.
Unfortunately, to most musicians Cui is only known as the least talented of the Russian Five. Nevertheless, I feel like he did write some attractive music.
Of the chamber music, I am far more interested in his four works for larger forms than his typically salonish minatures, particularly the third string quartet and the delightful violin sonata. Sadly, none of the quartets have been recorded.
Foremost a composer of operas, only Cui's Feast in a Time of Plaugue is readily available on disc. I found the work somewhat unusual. Not the most memorable Russian opera I've heard, but interesting for its intimate quality more reminiscent of solo song than grand opera.
Anyone else familiar with his music? Opinions?
If I'm honest, I've always rather dismissed Cui as third rate and didn't even know that he had written any worthwhile chamber music.
I too have always thought of him as a composer of little significance, but I shall be happy to be proved wrong...
As a student, finding a new and rewarding topic for research is always a challenge, and contributes to the experience of investigation and writing. So I commend you for doing some work on the music of Cui.
Maybe your efforts will help repair his legacy, which is currently based almost entirely on his role as a critic with a decidedly politicized agenda.
Quote from: JSK on Friday 10 September 2010, 08:06Anyone else familiar with his music? Opinions?
He was the least mighty of the handful, but the Suite Concertante "is a well-constructed work full of contrasts and demonstrates this composer's good command of structure, and orchestration. The work also exists as a piece for violin and piano"
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classRev/2001/July01/Rubinsteinvc.htm (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classRev/2001/July01/Rubinsteinvc.htm)
I have his preludes for piano on CD. I think they are rather good! He does have a habit of writing loud pieces, if these are anything to go by though.
"...He does have a habit of writing loud pieces..."
Oh, good!
David
Exactly what I thought! :)
Skimmed the string quartets on IMSLP awhile back- they look worth a go... but I speak as a listener, not a performer.
Eric
I have two recordings of the String Quartet No. 1 in C minor op. 45 but I couldn't find out if any of them is a commercial recording.
One played by the Amati Quartet, the other by the Reger Quartet. I like it very much. It's simple but tuneful.
Also the Overture "The Mandarin's Son".
Quote from: britishcomposer on Wednesday 08 August 2012, 19:57
Also the Overture "The Mandarin's Son".
Where did you find this piece?
I found a very limited edition of his children's opera Puss In Boots, recorded by Junge Oper der Staatsoper Stuttgart.
SWR Radio Broadcast, has been aired several times over the years.
Dare I ask, is it something you would be able to post up here, if it's not commercially available?)
I've found a few excerpts from Cui's opera "The Prisoner of the Caucasus" on youtube. They hint at a rather fine opera, especially the overture (even despite it being a computer simulation version). Maybe Cui was better at opera than at symphonic work, which I find rather mediocre.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f8MJ8iPZyE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f8MJ8iPZyE) - Overture (computer simulation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqO5CmJRyls (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqO5CmJRyls) - Abubakr's aria (sung by Alexandr Mikhalev with the Krasnoyarsk Opera, 2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evZqeyPjijY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evZqeyPjijY) - Lezginka (Krasnoyarsk Opera, 2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZhdxez1iq4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZhdxez1iq4) - Prisoner's aria. Very Tchaikovsky-ish! Sung by Mikhail Alexandrovich (who died 2002).
The two clips posted by the Krasnoyarsk Opera would imply that there is a complete recording somewhere. I am researching....
The opera is based on Pushkin's poem. You can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner_of_the_Caucasus_(opera) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner_of_the_Caucasus_(opera)) -- if you look at the top right of that link, you will see that someone has made an entry for each of Cui's 15 operas - synopsis, performance history, etc
Some other Cui excerpts (opera and other) which I have found online:
http://www.russisches-musikarchiv.de/midi/cui_die-hauptmannstochter-pugatschows-rede-3-akt.mid (http://www.russisches-musikarchiv.de/midi/cui_die-hauptmannstochter-pugatschows-rede-3-akt.mid) - Pugachev's speech, from Act III of The Captain's Daughter (after Pushkin) - computer simulation
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/CuiSarWedding.ogg (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/CuiSarWedding.ogg) - "Gloria Patri" and Wedding Recessional, from Act IV of The Saracen (after Dumas) - computer simulation
http://www.russisches-musikarchiv.de/midi/cui_william-ratcliff-introduktion.mid (http://www.russisches-musikarchiv.de/midi/cui_william-ratcliff-introduktion.mid) - Introduction to William Ratcliffe (after Heine) - computer simulation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSwd7cPUKKs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSwd7cPUKKs) - Overture to The Mandarin's Son (Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Alfons Rischner)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDx-kRbXoCU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDx-kRbXoCU) - Orientale - an arrangement by Carmen Dragon (Capitol Symphony Orchestra, Carmen Dragon)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WMal3007UE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WMal3007UE) - Orientale - an instrumental version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtzcZ5hkkuY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtzcZ5hkkuY) - I touched a flower - song with orchestra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEnbEQKCv8M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEnbEQKCv8M) - a 10-minute documentary about Cui, but in Russian only, no English subtitles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1Yn-CtJB9M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1Yn-CtJB9M) - a 12-minute documentary by Krasnoyarsk TV about the making of their performance of The Prisoner of the Caucasus - Russian-language only but interspersed with more clips from the performance.
Thanks for these, Christopher.
I'm less discerning than many, and I really like Cui's music even though he is the 'least' of the Russian Five. His Op.12 Tarantella, for example, is an enjoyable Sullivanesque romp.... we're just short of the comic opera to go with it! :)
Yes I rather enjoy the Tarantella too!
I'd still like to hear a recording of all 3 of his quartets from the same ensemble, e.g. :)
I've found some more excerpts on youtube from that performance by Krasnoyarsk Opera of Cui's Prisoner of the Caucasus. I particularly like the second Aria of the Prisoner. The collection of so many excerpts on youtube implies there must be a complete recording. I've written to the contacts given on the website of Krasnoyarsk Opera though I'm not expecting a reply...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QINKCL7YUWg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QINKCL7YUWg) - second Aria of the Prisoner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR_20tB6DhE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR_20tB6DhE) - first Aria of the Prisoner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuyMH4fJF1U (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuyMH4fJF1U) - fragments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UOAtWpiYj4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UOAtWpiYj4) - fragments (start at 4m30s)
Separately - here is Fatima's Aria ("My premonition has come true") - version for soprano and piano - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIGODt2MkJs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIGODt2MkJs)
QuoteAnyone else familiar with his ... Opinions?
Here's a bit of an aside regarding Cui, from a reminiscence by Alexander Gretchaninov, that may be of interest. The translation appeared in the June 1949 issue of Etude.
QuoteAnother experience I had concerns César Cui -- and it illustrates, I think, the fact that even recognized musicians would do well to keep up their studies! Cui, who began as a military engineer, had a fine musical sense and a fine education, and he wrote many musical criticisms. At one time, he published a small book, or pamphlet, about Russian songs -- he called it "Melodies russes" -- and in it, he had something to say about the songs he considered important. Looking through it, I found the names of Rachmaninov and Gretchaninov tucked away among a group of most unimportant composers, and nothing whatever was said about our songs. It was, of course, a great blow to find myself so publicly neglected. Had my work been criticized, no matter how severely, I should have been grateful to have my shortcomings pointed out to me; but to be passed over completely...! Full of disappointment and anger, I went to see Cui, and I took a number of my songs with me. Cui was charming. With some embarrassment he acknowledged that he know nothing of my songs -- had not even seen them!
This Discography is very important - and very well done:
http://opera.stanford.edu/iu/russmus/cui/cuidisc.htm
In the 1970s, Boris Christoff made a wonderful HMV/Pathé recording of Cui's songs! It has been re-released on CD.
And the Chandos CD with Cui's "Feast in Time of Plague" is excellent!
I have the Carmen Dragon arrangement of Orientale and like it.
Another youtube link with more excerpts of The Prisoner of the Caucasus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoQWpqZnU24 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoQWpqZnU24) from the same production by Krasnoyarsk Opera as above. And so professionally shot that I am pulling all my contacts in Russia to see if there's a complete recording that this (and the other clips) are taken from.
Furthermore, I've just posted up in downloads a 1903 recording (but surprisingly good quality) of the aria from that opera "The sun was brightly shining in the sky" - it's beautiful. With all the fragments that we now have, this really is looking like rather a tremendous and unjustly neglected Russian opera.
Thank you, Christopher, It looks fantastic.
>so professionally produced that I am pulling all my contacts in Russia to see if there's a complete recording.
Please keep us posted! Video or audio, either will do.
My contacts in Krasnoyarsk have come up trumps and sent me the recording of The Prisoner of the Caucasus. It turns out the Russian Culture Ministry streamed it on a now obscure site ok.ru (kind of Russia's equivalent of myspace.com).
It's advertised as in two acts - acc to wikipedia the first edition was in two acts, later revised to three. The version here has been edited by someone called Vladimir Rylov. The conductor is Alexandr Kosinsky with the Krasnoyarsk Opera and Balet Theatre, other performers aren't named. It was made in 2017.
I've posted it in the downloads section.
From Wikipedia:
Prisoner of the Caucasus (Кавказский пленник in Cyrillic, Kavkazskij plennik in transliteration) is an opera in three acts, composed by César Cui. The libretto is credited to Viktor Krylov, and is based on Alexander Pushkin's poem The Prisoner of the Caucasus.
The English title has been rendered also as Prisoner in the Caucasus and The Captive in the Caucasus.
The opera was preceded on the Russian stage by choreographer Charles Didelot's ballet of 1825.
Composition
The opera was composed in three versions. The first, in 1857-1858, consisted of only two acts (which later became Acts I and III), but its staging was cancelled due to poor orchestration and insufficient length. Meanwhile the overture, orchestrated by Mily Balakirev, could be heard in concerts. Many years later, Cui decided to revise the two-act work: during 1881-1882 he added a new middle act (Act II) and another dance to Act III. This version constituted the score for the Russian premiere. In 1885, with the prospect of a Belgian production, he expanded the finale of Act II, creating the third version of the opera.
Performance history
Prisoner of the Caucasus was premiered on 4 February 1883 (Old Style), at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg under the conductorship of Eduard Nápravník. This opera became the most widely performed of the composer's full-length operas. Its production in Liège in 1886 — made possible in no small way by the enthusiastic support of Cui's friend, La Comtesse de Mercy-Argenteau — marked the first time that an opera by "The Mighty Handful" was performed in the West. Nevertheless, with this exception, the opera seems to have never been staged outside of Imperial Russia and to have fallen out of the repertory in Russia after the composer's death.
Roles
Kazenbek - bass
Fatima, his daughter - soprano
Mar'iam, her friend - mezzo-soprano
Abubeker, Fatima's bridegroom - baritoneI.
Fekherdin, a mullah - bass
A Russian prisoner - tenor
1st Circassian - tenor
2nd Circassian – baritone
2nd mullah - tenor
Synopsis
Place:Caucasus, in a mountain aoul
Act I. After the men of the aoul pray to Allah, Kazenbek tells his melancholy daughter, Fatima, that a bridegroom has been chosen for her. She meditates on her sorrow. Suddenly a crowd of highlanders arrive, bringing along a Russian Prisoner that Fatima's bridegroom has captured as a wedding gift. Fatima begins to sympathize and eventually to fall in love with the Prisoner.
The Prisoner is left alone until night, when Fatima secretly brings him some food. After they part, a highlander runs in to tell Kazenbek of a group of Russians raiding a nearby aoul. The people come out to join in the combat against the despised enemy.
Act II. A group of women congratulates Fatima on her impending nuptials. After they leave, Fatima reveals her sadness to her friend Mar'iam. Hearing the approaching steps of Kazenbek and Fekherdin, the two of them hide behind a curtain while overhearing the conversation. The mullah has had a dream revealing Fatima's love for the Russian Prisoner. The two men exit.
Then the bridegroom, Abubeker, arrives. He expresses his love for Fatima. She greets him, and gifts from the groom are presented. Abubeker gives the Prisoner to Kazenbek, who hates the Russian. The people condemn the Prisoner to death, which he welcomes to end his suffering.
Act III. At the wedding feast, the people praise the bridegroom. The women, then the men, perform dances. After Mar'iam sings a Circassian song, all exit except for the newlyweds. Fatima is still sad, and Abubeker asks the reason. When they exit, the shackled Prisoner enters. Then Fatima appears; she urges the Prisoner to escape and frees him. He tells her that he loves not her, but another in his homeland. She is devastated as he runs away.
Mar'iam appears and tells Fatima that the entire village is preparing to take revenge on the Russian. The people arrive and are horrified at the news of Fatima's actions. As they set out to kill her, Fatima stabs herself to death. [Note: According to the score, this is the method of Fatima's demise in the opera, not drowning, which is implied in Pushkin's original poem.]
Sounds like a fun evening at the opera!
On this youtube page - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR_20tB6DhE&lc=UgwAwm7OijtcUyu7z8Z4AaABAg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR_20tB6DhE&lc=UgwAwm7OijtcUyu7z8Z4AaABAg) which is the Prisoner's aria from Cui's opera The Prisoner of the Caucasus, someone has put a comment saying
I played the entire score of this opera (the 1882 edition) on piano in a recording from arouind 1982. You can listen to it at Mediafire: http://www.mediafire.com/folder/ytu9eo96dix2x/Cui_KavkazskijPlennik_pno (http://www.mediafire.com/folder/ytu9eo96dix2x/Cui_KavkazskijPlennik_pno) - and indeed it all appears to be there.
This at least gives an opportunity to hear something closer to the original overture: apparently the opening piece in the Krasnoyarsk performance above was put together by the conductor of that performance and is NOT Cui's overture. ::)
The performance of Cui's Prisoner of the Caucasus mentioned above has recently been copied over to youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=753oTQVnwmQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=753oTQVnwmQ)