Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev (1856-1915)
At the Reading of a Psalm
(Po prochtenii psalma)
Cantata No. 2 Op. 36 (1914-1915)
Words by A.S. Khomyakov



Lolita Semenina, Soprano
Marianna Tarassova, Alto
Mikhail Gubsky, Tenor
Andrei Baturkin, Bass
St. Petersburg State Academic Capella Choir
Chorus master: Vladislav Tchernushenko
Boys Choir
of the Glinka Choral College
Chorus master:
Vladimir Begletsov
Concertmaster:
Alexei Bruni

Russian National Orchestra
conducted by:
Mikhail Pletnev

PTC 5186 038

DSD recorded

Sergei Taneyev: At the reading of a Psalm
Cantata No. 2 for soloists, choir and orchestra, Op. 36

The first complete performance of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis did not actually take place in Vienna, but in St. Petersburg. Prince Galitzin, better known for the commission he gave Beethoven for the Galitzin string quartets, was responsible for the initiative. On March 26, 1824 he organized a performance of the Missa Solemnis for the Philharmonic Association of St. Petersburg. This was the oldest concert organization in the city, and was founded back in 1802.
On that occasion, the Missa Solemnis was announced as an oratorio. In orthodox Russia, a performance of a Catholic mass was not a matter of course, no more than was a concert performance of a religious composition. The term oratorio gave a greater scope to the work, placing the emphasis more on the abstract philosophical qualities of the mass than on its religious significance.
Far more than being just a personal profession of faith, the Missa Solemnis is Beethoven’s most philosophical work. Beethoven indicated this abstract background in a well-known note in his 1820 Konversationsheft: ‘Das Moralische Gezetz in uns, u. der gestirnte Himel über uns.’ Kant!!!’ (“The moral law within us, and the starry heaven above.” Kant!!!)
This quote indicates the relationship in Immanuel Kant’s philosophy between the aesthetic experience of the sublime and the ethical fate of man. The starry heaven symbolizes the sublime. The infinity of heaven creates among people an overwhelming feeling, beyond all imagination. The mind senses that man is destined to rise above his own finiteness and to think the absolute. Through this experience, man feels that his rational and simultaneously also his moral destiny transcend all possible sensibility.
In Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, the complex choral technique, with its complicated fugues and magnificent sound development, functions as a musical representation of the magnificence and superior reason of the universe. The composition links this abstract level to a human dimension, which Beethoven elaborates in a sparkling portrait of man at prayer and during his spiritual search. The clearest example of this human dimension is the pastorale in the Dona nobis pacem, which Beethoven subtitled Bitte um innern und äussern Frieden (= Plea for internal and external peace).
However, the Russian première of the Missa Solemnis did not start a new tradition among Russian composers. They were not very interested in the genre of choral works with a philosophical content. In part, this can be explained sociologically. In Germany and England, the bourgeoisie formalized a tradition of large-scale choir concerts and festivals, which created the conditions for the choral art of composers such as Mendelssohn, Schumann and Brahms. The choral festival was the perfect instrument through which the bourgeoisie could demonstrate its cultural, philosophical and national aspirations.
In Russia, there was no such comparable, sociological basis. Choral concerts were given by the choir of the Imperial Theatres, or by the choir of the Imperial Court Chapel. Thus, for example, Mendelssohn’s oratorio St. Paul was performed in St. Petersburg in 1838.
The monumental choral work was not a threat to the opera as the prominent genre. Professional symphonic concerts were not formalized until 1859, when Anton Rubinstein founded the Russian Music Society. Russian composers continued to see opera as the ideal genre in which to deal with exalted national, historic and cultural themes. Neither did they escape from the influence of realism in both literature and art, which stimulated them to attune their music to the representation of the specific and the special, rather than to the more general and abstract.
So they had to wait for a radical idealist to pick up where Beethoven had left off. Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev (1856-1915) has gone down in history as Russia’s most idealistic composer. Besides music, he also carried out in-depth studies of science, philosophy and mathematics. His idealism was also expressed by his study of Esperanto.
In the major controversy which dominated the early years of the Russian School, and which in fact dealt with the distinctions between academicism and realism, he resolutely supported the first option. Taneyev became highly skilled in the musical techniques of counterpoint, motivic development and style. He dedicated a great part of his career to teaching at the Moscow Conservatoire, where he was responsible for training composers such as Scriabin and Rachmaninoff.
Both in his academic work and in his compositions, Taneyev proclaimed counterpoint as the nucleus of his musical aesthetic. The more harmony was losing ground as the regulating principle, he argued, the more contrapuntal styles had to create a new coherence.
A second principle in Taneyev’s aesthetic was the internal coherence within a composition. Taneyev described this as a concentric style of composition. He began by designing the whole work, and then he filled in the details based on the overall picture. He developed both principles to their utmost in his last composition, the cantata At the reading of a psalm.
At the reading of a Psalm is Taneyev’s second cantata, notwithstanding two occasional cantatas. He composed the first, St. John Damascene, in 1883-84 to a libretto by Alexey Tolstoy. The second was not written until quite some time later, between 1912-1915. By comparing both compositions, one can see that the ratio between Russian tone-colouring and formal abstraction in the two cantatas has changed. In St. John Damascene, the choral style is still specifically based on orthodox choral writing. In At the reading of a Psalm, the international counterpoint technique is the dominating factor.
In his early period, Taneyev’s ideal was to develop a new polyphonic art based on ancient Russian folk songs and sacred hymns. Bach was his historical example: in Taneyev’s opinion, Bach had based the development of his art on the popular model of the protestant chorale. Peter Tchaikovsky warned him that he might end up being considered a “Slavophile Don Quixote” instead a Russian Bach.
In Taneyev’s final work, At the reading of a Psalm, apart from certain details, the Russian tone-colouring has been superseded by the international aesthetic of counterpoint and motivic development.
Sergei Taneyev based his final choral composition on a poem by Alexey Stepanovich Khomyakov, dating from 1856. The poet was a member of the group of Slavophile philosophers, together with Sergei Aksakov and the brothers Kireyevsky. The poem is a personal meditation following the reading of the fiftieth Psalm. In biblical words, Khomyakov continues the line of thought of the psalm. As He did in the model, God again appears during a storm and speaks directly to his people. In the original psalm, God condemns the burnt offerings brought to Him by His people. Burnt offerings are useless and hypocritical, if they are not combined with the keeping of God’s commandments. In God’s eyes, only the gift of gratitude is valid.
Khomyakov then goes on to ruminate on the contrast between the outward appearances of religious “behaviour” and the inner attitude required by God. God does not ask for temples, gold, incense or burnt offerings. They add nothing to what He already possesses in His omnipotence. God requires the deep-down, human qualities: purity of heart, perseverance in work, brotherly love and justice.
Taneyev’s musical treatment of the work makes it clear that the composer’s approach to the text was based on the same two ideas that Beethoven had: on the one side, the greatness of God’s creations and, on the other, human morality. The musical content of the composition refers to the model of the Missa Solemnis. It contains comparable grand and monumental choral fugues, with the triple fugue of the third number as a highlight. They symbolize the superior reason dominating the universe. A lyrical alto solo provides the transition to the moral message. The choral style in the finale is less exalted and depictive than the previous choral pieces. The choice of rhythm, which is frequently in triple time, reminds one of the pastorale rhythm of Beethoven’s Dona nobis pacem. The transition between both domains –the grandeur of the universe and human morality – takes place by means of the same musical symbol, namely an ethereal violin solo. In Beethoven’s work, the violin solo in the Benedictus clarified the transition between the idea of God’s transcendence and His healing influence on the human soul. In Taneyev’s work, a violin solo traverses the words on moral perfection and points to God’s presence in the human soul.
Taneyev gave his composition a three-movement structure, in which each movement consists of three pieces.
The first movement consists of three choral pieces. No. 1 depicts the violence of the storm and the earthquake by means of which God manifests Himself. The bass clarinet presents the main theme of the work in the exposition. The brass and the choir take over the theme, and it thus becomes the emblem of God’s apocalyptic voice.
No. 2 is a double chorus. Its balanced phrasing, regularly accompanied by broken chords on the harp, adds a dimension of reason and understanding to God’s words after the formidable image created in the first movement. In the middle part, the suggestive use of flutes, clarinets, cor anglais and violin solo is conspicuous alongside the image of the scented incense.
No. 3 is a triple fugue. Each theme in the fugue is first given a separate exposition, after which it is mixed in with the others. The monumental construction is a symbol of the omnipotence of God, Who created and rules the universe.
The second movement contains Nos. 4, 5 and 6, and is constructed in accordance with the three gifts which God turns down in Khomyakov’s text: gold, incense and fire. The chorale in No. 4 is designated allegro tenebroso and, in a chromatic fugue with suggestively employed percussion instruments, depicts the fire deep within the earth. No. 5 introduces the quartet of solo singers. The subdued tone and lyrical phrasing sing of the sweet smell of flowers. The image is given extra pastoral touches by the use of the winds, specifically the clarinet and oboe. This movement is especially remarkable thanks to the subdued tension which takes the gentle music to two separate emotional climaxes.
No. 6 provides the greatest contrasts in the whole movement. The quartet of soloists and the choir are used in varying degrees and combinations. The tone is lyrical and, at times, dramatic. The image of the glittering of the stars in the dark of night comes into its own especially at the end, in the gentle, chromatic lines of the string tremolo.
The third movement begins with an instrumental interlude (No. 7), which unites the motifs in the work and ends with the exclamation “your gift is so poor” in the choir. The aria (No. 8) for alto solo provides the transition from the divine to the human level. The prominent role of the violin solo represents the divine inspiration lodged in the human soul. The motifs in the solo part form the basis for the polyphonic lines on which the double chorus of the finale (No. 9) is constructed. The subdued and cantabile counterpoint slowly builds up to an all-encompassing climax, which is followed by an acceleration in tempo leading to an allegro moderato. The final passage takes the work to its climax with expansive chords in the choir, short fugal passages, and an impressive return of the beginning motif from the first movement in the brass.

 

 

Russian National Orchestra

The Russian National Orchestra has been in demand throughout the music world since its 1990 Moscow début. The first Russian orchestra to perform at the Vatican and in Israel, the RNO maintains an active schedule of touring and is a frequent guest at major festivals. Of the orchestra’s 1996 début at the BBC Proms in London, the Evening Standard wrote: “They played with such captivating beauty that the audience gave an involuntary sigh of pleasure.” By the time of the RNO’s 10th anniversary, the orchestra had been reviewed as a “major miracle” (Time Out New York) and classical music’s “story of the decade” (International Arts Manager). In 2004, the RNO was described as “a living symbol of the best in Russian art” (Miami Herald) and “as close to perfect as one could hope for” (Trinity Mirror).
Gramophone magazine listed the first RNO CD (1991) as the best recording of Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique in history, and reviewed it as follows: “An awe-inspiring experience; should human beings be able to play like this?”. Since then, the RNO has made more than 30 recordings for Deutsche Grammophon and PentaTone Classics, with conductors such as Mikhail Pletnev, Mstislav Rostropovich, Kent Nagano and Alexander Vedernikov. In 2003, the orchestra signed a new multi-disc agreement with PentaTone Classics. One of the first results of this collaboration – a recording of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and Beintus’ Wolf Tracks, conducted by Kent Nagano – won a 2004 Grammy Award, which made the RNO the first Russian orchestra ever to win the recording industry’s highest honour.
Unique among the principal Russian ensembles, the RNO is independent of the government and has developed its own path-breaking structure. It is perhaps the only orchestra to have established a Conductor Collegium, a group of internationally renowned conductors who share the podium leadership.
Another innovation is Cultural Allies, which was created in 2001. Cultural Allies encompasses exchanges between artists in Russia and the West, and also commissions new works. Prominent RNO partners in Cultural Allies include Dave and Chris Brubeck, Hélène Grimaud, Sophia Loren, Wynton Marsalis, John Corigliano and Michael Tilson Thomas.
The Russian National Orchestra is supported by private funding and is governed by a distinguished multinational board of trustees. Affiliated organizations include the Russian National Orchestra Trust (UK), the Russian Arts Foundation and the American Council of the RNO.

Mikhail Pletnev

Mikhail Pletnev was born in Archangel in 1957. After his studies at the Central Special Music School, he entered the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory in 1974, where he studied with Jakob Flier and Lev Vlasenko. Aged only 21, Pletnev was the Gold Medal and First Prize winner of the 1978 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow. This prize earned him early international recognition. He has since appeared as soloist with the major orchestras under conductors such as Bernard Haitink, Riccardo Chailly, Valery Gergiev, Zubin Mehta, Kent Nagano, Kurt Sanderling, Christian Thielemann and Herbert Blomstedt.
In 1990, following the collapse of the Soviet system, Mikhail Pletnev was able to realize his dream of forming an orchestra independent of the government – the Russian National Orchestra. Under his artistic leadership, the RNO has become known as one of the world’s leading orchestras. Although his conducting career is primarily focused on the RNO, he also makes appearances as a guest-conductor with such prestigious orchestras as the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Berliner Sinfonieorchester and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In September 1999, Pletnev was appointed the RNO’s Conductor Laureate and his collaboration with the orchestra has continued in many of its recordings and concerts. In February 2003, he conducted the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra at the Berliner Konzerthaus for the official opening of the Russian Year of Culture in the presence of Chancellor Schroeder and President Putin. This concert was televised throughout the whole European Union.
Mikhail Pletnev’s recordings and live performances as a pianist have proved him an outstanding interpreter of an extensive repertoire. His album of Scarlatti’s Keyboard Sonatas (EMI-Virgin Classics) received a Gramophone Award in 1996. BBC Music Magazine called this recording “piano playing at its greatest... this performance alone would be enough to secure Pletnev a place among the greatest pianists ever known.” Together with his performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and The Seasons, his unrivalled transcriptions for piano of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite and Sleeping Beauty were selected for the 1998 anthology “Great Pianists of the 20th Century” (Philips Classics). Pletnev’s recording of the Third Piano Concertos by both Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev (Deutsche Grammophon) with the RNO and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich received a 2004 Grammy Award nomination. Two major events in which Mikhail Pletnev performed with Claudio Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra include the 1997 New Year’s Eve Concert and the Europa Konzert 2000, both of which were televised and broadcast world-wide from the Philharmonie in Berlin.
As a composer, Pletnev’s works include the Classical Symphony, Quintet for Piano and Strings, Triptych for Symphony Orchestra, Fantasy on Kazakh Themes for Violin and Orchestra, and Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra. In December 1998, the world première of his Concerto for Viola and Orchestra took place in Moscow, with Yuri Bashmet as soloist.
His stature in Russia was formally recognized in 1995, when he was awarded the First State Prize of the Russian Federation by President Yeltsin. In 2002, he again received this honour from President Putin.

“Without question, this is one of the finest, most realistic choral/orchestral recordings to be heard, particularly the realistic, natural sound of the large chorus which, even at high volume, doesn’t blast. This is a handsome production with complete text in Russian, English, German and French. Highly recommended!
--Robert Benson, Classicalcdreview.com

“It is a terrific piece, and this fine performance does it proud.”
--Geoffrey Norris, The Telegraph (London)

“While the engineering is excellent in stereo, in surround sound the orchestra and chorus acquire a dimension of massiveness due to hall reverberance entirely appropriate to the performance of such a piece in a concert venue. It’s impressive in its own right, especially at the powerful conclusions of the first and third movements. With excellent liner notes and texts in English and transliterated Russian, I can highly recommend this release.”
--Barry Brenesal, Fanfare

“This marvelous Cantata – Taneyev’s swan song – proves that he was the most important Russian contrapuntist, with an extremely organised control of the form and results of almost bizarre mystic beauty. Mikhail Pletnev conducts his own in 1990 established orchestra a mixed and a boys choir and a quarted of soloists in a wonderful dark Slavic perfomance”.
---Jan van Laar, Elsevier

“ A performance that does full justice to deeply-felt music”.
---John Warrack, Gramophone

“ for the musically adventurous, and those who enjoy purely sonic audiophile delights of surround-sound effects, this CD is top-drawer”.
--Gary Lemco

“A performance that does full justice to deeply-felt music”
---John Warrack, Gramophone

“ Sergei Taneyev's At the Reading of a Psalm is an overlooked masterpiece of the Russian music literature. I am happy PentaTone shared my dream of recording this great cantata, and I hope that our disc will bring it the recognition which it well deserves.”
---Mikhail Pletnev

Classical CD of the week
“It is a terrific piece, and this fine performance does it proud.”
 Geoffrey Norris, The Telegraph, London