This compact disc could be entitled «the young Tchaikovsky» – all of the works were com-posed between the age of 25 and 35. Moreover, these works were composed before the crisis which so profoundly affected the composer and divided his life into two parts: his short and catastrophic marriage, followed by an attempted suicide and the abrupt separation from his wife.

The one-movement Quartet in B-flat Major was composed in the summer of 1865 and was based on a Ukrainian folk song that Tchaikovsky had heard sung by women working in the garden. The Second String Quartet was completed on 18 January 1874. Although at first the object of a good deal of criticism, Tchaikovsky remained convinced of the beauty of this work, saying that «if I wrote anything in my life which was indeed deeply felt and came directly from my soul, it would be the first movement from this quartet.

I consider the second quartet to be my best work: none of my other compositions poured out of me with such ease and transparency.» And The Seasons, twelve character pieces that Tchaikovsky composed on commission for inclusion in each monthly issue of the magazine Nuvellist, became one of the most popular works in 19th century Russian music.

The Chamber Orchestra Kremlin performs under the direction of Misha Rachlevsky, who also made the arrangements for this recording.