Taneyev S. Symphony c minor. Pocket Score

Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev (1856–1915) — the distinguished Russian composer, teacher, pianist, scientist and music figure graduated from the Moscow conservatoire, where he had studied piano at Nikolai Rubinstein and composition at P. I. Tchaikovsky. Subsequently Taneyev started his activity there as a professor and later headed the whole conservatoire.

Among his numerous compositions there are the opera “Orestea”, cantatas, orchestral and chamber-instrumental opuses, choruses, romances and vocal ensembles.

Already during his green conservatoire years the Symphony E minor was composed by Taneyev. However, as he was extremely exigent to himself, only the fourth symphony was given the registration number, that made it appropriate for publication. Therefore the Symphony C minor op. 12 is sometimes signed as the symphony, being actually the fourth symphony by Sergei Taneyev.

The Symphony C minor is the true apex of Taneyev, being one of the most gigantic canvases, the unique embodiment of the Russian symphonic conception reigning over the minds in the 19th century. Its structure is monothematic sonata-symphonic cycle. Having appeared in 1898 it seemed to imbibe Tchaikovsky’s dramatic symphonic ideas, descending meanwhile from the great Beethoven’s tradition. Taneyev’s nature is discovered in the dense musical facture satiated with polyphony, making for the unstopped development.

The Symphony C minor by Taneyev forms the most noteworthy galaxy of the Russian symphonic repertoire.