{"id":50886,"date":"2024-12-13T11:14:58","date_gmt":"2024-12-13T10:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/d128daf2-c918-44e2-883d-0f9ff150ee52"},"modified":"2024-12-13T12:10:43","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T11:10:43","slug":"tchaikovsky-piano-concerto-no-1-the-story-of-a-romantic-showstopper-and-its-best-recordings","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/tchaikovsky-piano-concerto-no-1-the-story-of-a-romantic-showstopper-and-its-best-recordings\/","title":{"rendered":"Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1: the story of a Romantic showstopper and its best recordings"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\"><\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By <\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Friday, 13 December 2024 at 10:14 AM<\/p><hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html> <head\/> <body> <p><strong>The story of how Tchaikovsky brought his Piano Concerto No. 1 into the world sounds a warning to all composers to ignore those fickle critics.<\/strong><\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"> <div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1 FULL \/ Martha Argerich, piano - Charles Dutoit, conductor\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ItSJ_woWnmk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/> <\/div> <\/figure> <p>Keen to persuade Nikolai Rubinstein to give its premiere, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/pyotr-ilyich-tchaikovsky\/\">Tchaikovsky<\/a><\/strong> played the piece from start to finish in the company of the eminent pianist. Rubinstein remained quiet throughout \u2013 before dismissing the work in no uncertain terms.<\/p> <div class=\"wp-block-group highlight-box is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"> <div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"\/> <\/div> <\/div> <p>The snub stung Tchaikovsky, who conveyed the details of this disastrous read-though in a letter he wrote some three years after the incident. According to the composer, Rubinstein had expressed his opinion that \u2018only two or three pages were worth preserving; the rest must be thrown away or completely rewritten\u2019 because the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/what-concerto\/\">concerto<\/a><\/strong> was \u2018badly written as to be beyond rescue\u2019.<\/p> <div class=\"wp-block-group highlight-box is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"> <div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/articles\/tchaikovsky-wife\">The desperately sad marriage between Tchaikovsky and Antonina Milyukova<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <\/div> <\/div> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&#8216;Both frothy and deeply complex&#8217;<\/h3> <p>Tchaikovsky \u2013 at some emotional cost \u2013 stood by his work, which was premiered not by Rubinstein, but by Hans von B\u00fclow, who performed it with a freelance orchestra under Benjamin Johnson Lang in Boston on 25 October 1875. The Concerto, which was revised several times by Tchaikovsky (the 1888 version is the most commonly played), has gone on to become one of the most popular works in the piano repertoire and is a staple in competition finals.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/greatest-piano-concertos-all-time\/\">The greatest piano concertos of all time<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <p>Like the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/mozart\/\">Mozart<\/a><\/strong> piano concertos, it can be both frothy and deeply complex, leading many pianists to revisit it at various points in their career, exploring different aspects along the way. Emil Gilels made a handful of recordings of the Concerto, and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/martha-argerich-2\">Martha Argerich<\/a><\/strong> has so far released three. The piece has never been out of fashion, recorded by pianists across generations, from Claudio Arrau to Haochen Zhang.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/recordings\/mozart-piano-concertos-best-recordings\">Mozart Piano Concertos: the best recordings<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <p>As for Rubinstein, he made a U-turn on his denouncement, and \u2013 possibly to show that there were no hard feelings \u2013 Tchaikovsky continued to dedicate compositions to the Russian virtuoso, including his Second Piano Concerto.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/greatest-virtuosos-all-time\">The greatest virtuosos of all time<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"> <div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 2 with Bruce Liu\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nw5pn2QXyGQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/> <\/div> <\/figure> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A guide to the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1<\/h2> <p>The punchy brass and striking chords that open the first movement of Tchaikovsky\u2019s First Piano Concerto provide one of the most memorable passages in classical music (as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra knew all too well when choosing it to open its <i><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/hooked-on-classics\">Hooked On Classics<\/a><\/strong><\/i> single in 1981). The style recalls the percussive beginning to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/composers\/edvard-grieg\">Grieg<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s earlier Piano Concerto (composed in 1868), which similarly melts into lively conversation between soloist and ensemble.<\/p> <p>But before that integration, the declamatory <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/who-invented-the-piano\/\">piano<\/a> <\/strong>part set over soaring strings in the grand introduction rouses even the most fatigued listener. Not for nothing is the movement a popular fixture in \u2018classical music for driving\u2019 playlists, and it was recently used as a shoo-in to replace the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/russian-national-anthem\/\">Russian national anthem<\/a> <\/strong>at the 2020 Olympics, where Russian athletes competed under the Russian Olympic Committee after the World Anti-Doping Agency had banned the country\u2019s formal participation at all international sporting events.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/easy-piano-songs\">Easiest piano songs: the best tunes for piano beginners to learn<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/articles\/greatest-olympic-musical-moments\">Ranked: the 11 greatest musical moments in Olympic history<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <p>At first, the opening appears to be almost a separate piece in itself \u2013 the big chordal <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/musical-terms\/what-is-a-melody\">melody<\/a><\/strong> does not make an obvious return throughout the movement. The gorgeous, but meandering, development may have been what Rubinstein objected to in that unsuccessful preview; the subtle evolution against sudden changes in texture was unusual for the period.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Movement by movement<\/h3> <p>After one of several \u2018false endings\u2019, the piano takes on a galloping melody based on a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/best-folk-songs\">folk song<\/a><\/strong> that Tchaikovsky had heard in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/ukrainian-folk-songs\">Ukraine<\/a><\/strong>, sung by a blind beggar accompanying himself on the hurdy-gurdy. The creeping urgency is underlined by <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/woodwind-instruments\">woodwind<\/a><\/strong> echoes and flourishes. The playful <i><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/musical-terms\/what-does-allegro-mean-in-music\">Allegro<\/a><\/strong> con spirito<\/i> theme appears again towards the end of the section, moving into a growling, rumbling piano part that, after another extended <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/what-is-a-cadenza\/\">cadenza<\/a><\/strong>, reaches a virtuosic finish. The final ascending figures require both grit and glitter.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/articles\/longest-piano-piece\">What is the longest piece of piano music?<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <p>The second and third movements are significantly shorter than the first. The middle <i><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/musical-terms\/what-andante\">Andantino<\/a><\/strong> semplice<\/i> begins with a charming <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/flute\">flute<\/a><\/strong> solo that introduces a lush piano melody. Unlike the first movement, where the piano takes a combative role, here the soloist settles into deeper exchange with the orchestra.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"> <div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Beatrice Rana plays Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 23: II. Andantino semplice\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lnV-IkumBhg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/> <\/div> <\/figure> <p>There is great variation in the interpretation of \u2018andantino\u2019: Stephen Hough and the Minnesota Orchestra under Osmo V\u00e4nsk\u00e4 offer a sprightly 6:19 minutes in their 2010 recording, while Lang Lang, Daniel Barenboim and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra squeeze out every phrase in their 8:05 minute version, recorded in 2003.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/the-best-flute-solos-in-orchestral-works\">Classical music&#8217;s best flute solos<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It all ends with a pianistic tour de force<\/h3> <p>The theme in the third movement is also based on a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/composers\/best-ukrainian-composers-of-all-time\">Ukrainian<\/a><\/strong> song, this time derived from one of the tunes collected by <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/composers\/mily-balakirev\">Balakirev<\/a><\/strong> that Tchaikovsky had then arranged for <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/four-hand-piano-when-did-the-fashion-for-piano-four-hands-start\">four hand piano<\/a><\/strong>. A perky, angular dance becomes expansive and lyrical, with call-and-response between piano and orchestra.<\/p> <p>Scrambling scales begin the extended build-up to the Concerto\u2019s conclusion, aided by rumbling timpani and unison orchestral rhythms. Taking inspiration from <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/franz-liszt\/\">Liszt<\/a><\/strong>, Tchaikovsky finishes with a fast <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/musical-terms\/what-is-a-chromatic-scale\">chromatic<\/a><\/strong> ascent, split between alternate hands \u2013 a pianistic <i>tour de force<\/i> that never fails to raise a smile.<\/p> <div class=\"wp-block-group highlight-box is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"> <div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/best-piano-child-prodigies\/\">Best child piano prodigies of all time<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/relaxing-piano-music\">Relaxing piano music: the most soothing pieces in classical music<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <\/div> <\/div> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The best recordings of Tchaikovsky&#8217;s Piano Concerto No. 1<\/h2> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Van Cliburn<i> (piano)<\/i><\/h3> <p><strong>RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra\/Kirill Kondrashin<\/strong><\/p> <p><strong><i>RCA G010001770065I<\/i><\/strong><\/p> <p>With bravura <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/musical-terms\/fanfare-meaning\/\">fanfares<\/a><\/strong> and tender reflections \u2013 all requiring pristine technique \u2013 it\u2019s no wonder that Tchaikovsky\u2019s First Piano Concerto has long been a competition favourite. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/articles\/the-best-recordings-of-pianist-beatrice-rana\">Beatrice Rana<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s flawless performance of the work at the Montreal International Music Competition in 2011 won her first prize; her follow-up performance in 2014 at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition led to a Warner Classics recording with <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/antonio-pappano\">Antonio Pappano<\/a><\/strong> and the Orchestra dell\u2019Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia that was a strong contender for this category.<\/p> <div class=\"wp-block-group highlight-box is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"> <div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/when-did-van-cliburn-win-the-tchaikovsky-competition\/\">When did Van Cliburn win the Tchaikovsky competition?<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <\/div> <\/div> <p>Rana has followed in the footsteps of Van Cliburn, the Texan pianist who gave his name to the quadrennial competition, and who also gave a career-changing performance of the Tchaikovsky Concerto. In 1958, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/van-cliburn-1934-2013\/\">Van Cliburn<\/a><\/strong> arrived in Moscow to participate in the inaugural <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/van-cliburn-tchaikovsky\">International Tchaikovsky Competition<\/a><\/strong>. By the time he played the Concerto in the final (with the Moscow Radio Symphony under Kirill Kondrashin), he had become known affectionately as \u2018Vanyusha\u2019 or \u2018Vanyitschka\u2019.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Soviet premier, Khrushchev, intervened in the judging<\/h3> <p>Jurors were nervous about giving an American first place \u2013 the competition had been held in part to showcase Soviet cultural supremacy, and distrust between the US and USSR was ever increasing. But in a show of artistic unity, Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev is reported to have said that the best pianist should win, no matter what their nationality.<\/p> <p>Van Cliburn repeated his winning performance of the Tchaikovsky Concerto back in the US, having invited Kirill Kondrashin to join him on an impromptu tour. The concerto was performed twice in Carnegie Hall, where this recording was made.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"> <div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Van Cliburn - Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, B-flat minor\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6qROema2MDI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/> <\/div> <\/figure> <p>Van Cliburn takes the opening big chords at a pleasant, stately pace, imbuing the cascading melody with a restrained power. The fragmented notes of the middle section are beautifully clear, as is the rumbling lower-<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/musical-terms\/octave-meaning\">octave<\/a><\/strong> section (in some recordings the phrase seems to disappear off an edge). The piano does feel a little tinny towards the end of the movement, but not enough to distract from an otherwise triumphant account.<\/p> <p>The <i>Andantino semplice<\/i> is more elongated than many modern readings \u2013 with the exception of Kissin (see below). Yet the sentimentality is leavened by a thrilling finale complete with a blistering keyboard ascent.<\/p> <p>On disc, it&#8217;s coupled with Van Cliburn&#8217;s equally masterful account of another Romantic showstopper, the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/recordings\/best-recordings-rachmaninovs-piano-concerto-no-2\">Second Piano Concerto<\/a><\/strong> by <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/composers\/sergey-rachmaninov\">Rachmaninov<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B000003EUG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Buy Van Cliburn&#8217;s Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto on Amazon<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Martha Argerich<i> <\/i>(piano)<\/h3> <p><strong><i>Deutsche Grammophon 449 8162<\/i><\/strong><\/p> <p>Martha\u2019s Argerich\u2019s third recording of the concerto, with the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/berlin-philharmonic\">Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/claudio-abbado\">Claudio Abbado<\/a><\/strong> in 1994, has the edge on her previous version with Kirill Kondrashin. There\u2019s no messing about with the big tunes, those early chords are perfectly placed, the second movement is subtle and luxurious, and the final <i>Allegro<\/i> is spun like silk. Without imposing her personality, Argerich manages to make it seem like Tchaikovsky intended this piece for her all along.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Daniil Trifonov (piano)<\/h3> <p><strong><i>Mariinsky MAR0530<\/i><\/strong><\/p> <p>Daniil Trifonov won the Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011 and the Concerto was recorded as part of a compilation album shortly after. Joined for the occasion by the Mariinsky Orchestra and Valery Gergiev, Trifonov gives a sublime performance that earns him a place in the top division. The second movement is beautifully paced, zipping towards a colourful patchwork <i>Allegro<\/i> and a ravishing finale. The piano has a bright-but-rounded tone, particularly noticeable in the build-up to the <i>Allegro con spirito<\/i>, which may not suit all tastes.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano)<\/h3> <p><strong><i>Decca 483 2584<\/i><\/strong><\/p> <p>Recorded at the Walthamstow Assembly Hall in 1963, this even-handed account has a vintage fuzziness to the sound quality that suits Ashkenazy\u2019s pianism. Although the solo part itself isn\u2019t in high definition, the balance works well, with beautiful ensemble playing and curiously sharp brass from the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/the-london-symphony-orchestra-five-famous-conductors\">London Symphony Orchestra<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"> <div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 23, TH 55 - 1. Allegro non troppo e...\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mh2WeOykU-g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/> <\/div> <\/figure> <p>Ashkenazy takes a reserved approach to the cadenza at the end of the first movement, unbuttoning somewhat in a second movement that is pure <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/composers\/best-romantic-composers\">Romanticism<\/a><\/strong>, before running wild in a free-flowing finale \u2013 conductor Lorin Maazel just about manages to keep those unison rhythms under control.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/dp\/B00K2UPQMA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Buy from Amazon<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">And one to avoid<\/h2> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Evgeny Kissin (piano)<\/h3> <p>The 1989 Deutsche Grammophon recording by the then wunderkind Evgeny Kissin and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra with <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/articles\/trouble-karajan\">Herbert von Karajan<\/a><\/strong> is discombobulating. The slow speeds and ample <strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/musical-terms\/discovering-music-rubato\">rubato<\/a><\/em><\/strong> were doubtless intended to be meaningful introspection, but feel mannered. The <i>Andantino semplice<\/i> in particular is far too drawn out \u2013 the flute and strings sound as though they are about to fall asleep \u2013 and the outer movements lack the wit other pianists permit the piece.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Published: Friday, 13 December 2024 at 10:14 AM The story of how Tchaikovsky brought his Piano Concerto No. 1 into the world sounds a warning to all composers to ignore those fickle critics. Keen to persuade Nikolai Rubinstein to give its premiere, Tchaikovsky played the piece from start to finish in the company of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":50887,"template":"","categories":[1,17],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"8"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/tchaikovsky-piano-concerto-no-1-the-story-of-a-romantic-showstopper-and-its-best-recordings.jpg",1200,800,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/tchaikovsky-piano-concerto-no-1-the-story-of-a-romantic-showstopper-and-its-best-recordings-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/tchaikovsky-piano-concerto-no-1-the-story-of-a-romantic-showstopper-and-its-best-recordings-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/tchaikovsky-piano-concerto-no-1-the-story-of-a-romantic-showstopper-and-its-best-recordings-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/tchaikovsky-piano-concerto-no-1-the-story-of-a-romantic-showstopper-and-its-best-recordings-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/tchaikovsky-piano-concerto-no-1-the-story-of-a-romantic-showstopper-and-its-best-recordings.jpg",1200,800,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/12\/tchaikovsky-piano-concerto-no-1-the-story-of-a-romantic-showstopper-and-its-best-recordings.jpg",1200,800,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Published: Friday, 13 December 2024 at 10:14 AM The story of how Tchaikovsky brought his Piano Concerto No. 1 into the world sounds a warning to all composers to ignore those fickle critics. Keen to persuade Nikolai Rubinstein to give its premiere, Tchaikovsky played the piece from start to finish in the company of&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/50886"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50887"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50886"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50886"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}