June from Tchaikovsky’s Seasons Opus 37 No.6 dates from 1891 & is one of the composer’s most popular pieces described as a barcarolle. Intended originally for performance in the 19th century salon or drawing room this is an arrangement for flute & piano. Accompaniments are in place playing at a range of tempi enabling flautists to enjoy ensemble playing as part of their practice routines. They play at 80, 82,84,86 & 88 quarter note (crotchet) beats to the minute. If additional accompaniments are required please advise the PlentyMusic office. There are many arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s June with this arrangement keeping to the composer’s writing as much as practically possible. The only element in the music editors view that should be explored is the octave ranges played by the instrumental soloist. In the piano accompaniment the sharing of the notes between the hands has been reviewed. Tchaikovsky is a master of voicing although in the piano accompaniments, the music editor, has added the occasional third to complete full voicing of chords. Arpeggiated chords, often indicated in early editions, have lesser relevance in modern playing although managing stretches when playing music always remains a relevant cause as far as developing playing technique. The barcarolle as a composition has its origins as a folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers. In art music as a descriptive piece the music is often intended to imitate the sound of the gondoliers strokes and the rippling sounds of the water. This particularly applies to the closing section of Tchaikovsky’s June from bar 83 – 99 where the piano chords are arpeggiated . There is much score detail in the source scores available which very much illustrates how well music engraving and printing developed in the 19th century. The tempo indication is Andante cantabile whilst the realisation playing back at 80 quarter note or crotchets beats per minute in the first section from bars 1 -31 Tempo rubato, gradually speeding ups and slowing down, within the context of playing a phrase is relevant when performing this music. Musicians will need to research this playing approach in both their playing and listening to understand fully its implication as part of 19th century performance practice. The music editor has indicated arpeggiated chords to be played only when it is appropriate reflecting current performance practice In the first section bars 1-31 the melody and accompaniment need to be played with a legato playing touch. A melancholy movement in character in the opening section there are nevertheless a variety of moods and tempo expressed during a performance of the whole movement. Some of the music is very simple although the middle section bars 32-51 in the tonic major key is more challenging technically with two changes of tempo and writing in which the texture is more full and complex. In a performance instrumentalists should be looking to explore the full tonal and dynamic range of their instruments. Much of Tchaikovsky’s music can be arranged for other instrumental groups to perform and June offers many options for a solo instrument with piano accompaniment and both chamber and orchestral groups. Use of the sustaining pedal is indicated in the score. The use of the sustaining pedal is dependent on so many factors in a performance particularly related to the quality of the piano and the acoustic of the performance area. The music editor’s view is a preference to under use rather than over use the sustaining pedal. Harmonies essentially should never be conflicted or smudged. Modern pianos are of course much more resonant than those of the past when being generous with the right foot could perhaps be tolerated. Using the sustaining pedal is quite a study in itself with quarter, half, three quarter and full pedalling Tchaikovsky travelled widely and would have been familiar with the Italian folk song barcorola describing a movement associated with boatmen and gondoliers with a characteristic rhythmic pattern imitating the rhythm of rowing. The context for much of Tchaikovsky’s salon and chamber music which was largely commissioned, was to compose ternary form music (ABA) using a popular dance rhythmic template of the time which included waltz, barcarolle, polka, mazurka amongst others. The middle part in two sections, one in quadruple time followed by an even faster one in triple time and dance like in character requiring a lightness of touch in the playing approach. This middle section closes with a series of diminished seventh chords moving up the keyboard. After a brief two bar link the music of the A section returns as a varied repeat with the addition of some counter melodies and points of imitation largely sounded in the tenor line. There is considerable detail in the music score typical of printed music published in the late romantic period One of Tchaikovsky’s great skills as a composer was to be able to write music for all levels of performance expertise from beginner to improver, intermediate, advanced and virtuoso levels. The closing section or coda from bars 84 – 99 does reference and suggest imagery that relates to the composers reference to barcarolle in the music’s title.

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