Despite their depth of feeling and beauty of sound, Tchaikovsky's one hundred or so songs have struggled to hold their own in the concert repertoire. The stumbling block is perhaps linguistic, and not musical,since all of Tchaikovsky's songs are accessible and immediately captivating. Although they rarely plumb the depths of Schubert's masterpieces, their melodic charm and contrapuntal adroitness are always evident. What they occasionally lack in choice of poetry or subtlety of nuance, they make up for in dramatic quality and heart-rending emotion - not surprising, as Tchaikovsky was such a successful operatic composer. In 1992 Pádhraic Ó Cuinneagáin and I gave a performance of the songs recorded on this CD in Dublin and were greatly surprised and graified by the enthuasiastic response with which they were received. This recording will hopefully contribute to making them more popular in recital programmes, in particular for non Russian-speaking audiences. The songs you will hear on this CD were recorded in the drawing-room of a hansome early nineteenth-century house in Cublin. This lends a cerain air of authenticity to the recording, as most - if not all - of Tchaikovsky's songs were intended for the drawing-romms of polite Russian society. The scale of the piano accompaniments is also consistent with a level suitable for performance in such venues. Song texts 1. Again, as before, alone (Op. 73, no.6) Again, as before, I am alone; again I am filled with despair... the poplar tree gazes through the window, bathed in moonlight... The poplar tree gazes through the the window... its leaves whisper something... the stars blaze in the sky... where are you now, my beloved? Everything that is happening to me I am unable to explain... beloved, pray for me, as I aleady pray for you! (A.M. Rathaus) 2. My genius, my angel, my friend Is it really you, like a light shadow, my genius, my angel, my friend, speaking to me tenderly, and flitting here and there? In my wavering dream you inspire me, and comfort my sweet langour, and offer me sweet dreams, My genius! Mu angel! Mu friend! A.A.Fet 3. Amid the noise of a ball (op.38, no.3) Amid the noise of a ball in the futile excitement of the world I suddenly caught sight of you, but your face was covered with mystery; your eyes looked sadly on, but your exquisite voice sounded divine, like the far off echo of a flute, like a purling wave. Your delicate figure and your pensive face entranced me, and your laughter, sad and and vibrant at the same time still echoes in my heart! During the lonely hours of the night I would gladly lie down to rest; I see your sad eyes, and hear your happy voice, Then sadly, sadly, I drift into sleep, a sleep of dreams beyond recall... I do not know if I love you, but it seems to me that I do! A.K. Tolstoy 4. Do not leave me (Op.27, no.3) Do not leave me, my friend, stay close to me! Do not stray far from me: I am so happy with you! Nobody could ever be closer to you, we could not love each other more deeply and strongly than we do. When you are near me, bending your head sadly, I am so happy with you... Do not leave me, I am so happy with you! A.A.Fet 5. Do not believe me, my friend (Op. 6, no.1) Do not believe me, my friend, when in a heated moment I say that I no longer love you! Do not believe the tide ebbing, nor the sea unfaithful: it will return, lovingly, to the land! I rediscover the same passion: I would surrender my freedom to you again. In the distance the waves are already rolling back to the shores of love. Do not believe me, my friend, do not believe it, when in a heated moment II say that I no longer love you! Do not believe the tide ebbing, nor the sea unfaithful: it will return, lovingly, to the land! A.K. Tolstoy 6. At the window (Op.60, no. 10) In darkness, at the window, your fair head appears. You are not asleep, my darling! Your are not asleep, you little devil! Come out and meet me then, because I thirst for your kisses; my heart touching yours, I will embrace your passionately. Don't be afraid of the stars if they shine brightly: I will hide you well under my cloak so that you will be invisible. If the sentry challenges us, answer like a soldier; if you are asked "Who were you with?" Answer: "With my brother." Under the yoke of a bigoted old woman prison is vexing, but, whether you like it or not, captivity will teach you to be sly! J.P. Polonsky 7. As the kept on saying: "Fool!" As the kept on saying: "Fool!" Stop running off to the tsar's tavern!" They keep repeating the same thing: "Drink water, not wine! Go and greet the river, at least learn something there." So I will go the brook, and say the following prayer: "They tel mel: you are not stupid, and so I come to greet you. Teach me what I can do to be ashamed of my drunkenness, River, how can I drown my sorrow through you? Beautiful river, you will teach me to sing your praises forever! For you have rescued this drunkard from the clutches of the tavern!" L.A. Mey 8. To forget so soon So quickly forgotten, dear God, all the happiness of our past life fled! all our meetins, our conversations, so quickly forgotten! Forgotten the agitation of those first days, appointments under the shade of trees! the wordless exchange of our glances, forgotten so soon, forgotten so soon! To forget how the full moon streamed in through our window, how the curtains quietly fluttered... forgotten so soon, forgotten so soon! To forget love, to forget dreams, to forget those vows - do you remember? In the dark hours of night - to forget so soon, so soon! Dear God! A.N. Apukhtin