Tchaikovsky: Six Romances, Op. 25 (1875) III. Mignon's Song. Allegro moderato (E-flat major)

Tchaikovsky: Six Romances, Op. 25
(1875)
III. Mignon's Song (Песнь Миньоны)
Allegro moderato (E-flat major)


Tchaikovsky's Six Romances (Шесть романсов), Op. 25 (TH 97 ; ČW 226-231) were written in February and March 1875 for the Saint Petersburg publisher Vasily Bessel.

Instrumentation:
Scored for high voice (Nos. 2, 3, 4), medium voice (Nos. 1, 6), or low voice (No. 5), with piano accompaniment.

Movements:

III. Mignon's Song (Песнь Миньоны) Allegro moderato (E-flat major)

You know the land where myrtle and laurel grow,
Deep and pure is the azure vault of the sky,
Blooming lemon and golden orange,
Like heat burning under the thick greenery?...
Do you know the edge? Do you know the edge?
There, there, there with you
I wish I could hide, my dear!...
Do you know the edge? There with you
I wish I could hide, my dear!

You know the heights, from the path to the critical,
The hinny wanders in the fog over the rocks,
In the recesses of the mountains, a spawn of snakes lives,
The landslide thunders and the waterfall roars?...
Do you know the way? Do you know the way?
There, there and you and me
The trail is laid: let's go, my lord!
Do you know the way? There and us
The trail is laid: let's go, my lord!

You know the house on marble pillars
The hall and the dome shine all in the rays;
Idols look silently and sadly:
"What, what's the matter with you, poor child?"
Do you know the house? Do you know the house?
We will go there with you, my parent!

You know the land where myrtle and laurel grow,
Deep and pure is the azure vault of the sky,
Blooming lemon and golden orange,
Like heat burning under the thick greenery?...
Do you know the edge? Do you know the edge?
There, there, there with you
I wish I could hide, my dear!...
Do you know the edge? There with you
I would like to hide, my dear,
My dear!

Fyodor Tyutchev — a translation (c.1851) from the German of Kennst du das Land?, in book 3 of the novel Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre (1795) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832)

Composition:
The first reference to the projected romances occurs in Tchaikovsky's letter to Vasily Bessel of 9/21 November 1874: "I shall certainly write the romances, but do not rush me. I am again beginning to think about a new large-scale composition which, since I finished the piano score of the opera, has taken over all my thoughts. The romances will be written, assuredly, during the winter". The "large work" mentioned was the Piano Concerto No. 1, and the opera—Vakula the Smith

According to the dates on the manuscripts of the concerto, the draft was completed on 21 December 1874/2 January 1875, and the instrumentation on 9/21 February. In a letter to Modest Tchaikovsky of 13/25 February 1875, the composer reported that he had finished the piano concerto and was writing the Sérénade mélancolique, Op. 26.

On 22 March/3 April 1875, Tchaikovsky wrote to Vasily Bessel: "I have sent you the romances, together with the proofs. What should I put as the opus number? Shouldn't it be 25?". In this same letter, Tchaikovsky enclosed his receipt for the 150 rubles he had been paid for the opus 25 set by Bessel.

Publication:
They were published for the first time by Vasily Bessel in April 1875. In 1940 they were included in volume 44 of Tchaikovsky's Complete Collected Works, edited by Ivan Shishov and Nikolay Shemanin.

Autographs:
Tchaikovsky's manuscript scores of all six romances are now preserved in the Russian National Museum of Music in Moscow (ф. 88, No. 133).

Dedication:
For the most part the romances are dedicated to performers from the first production of the opera The Oprichnik in 1874.

I. Aleksandra Krutikova (1851-1919), soprano, who performed the role of Morozova in the opera.
II. Dmitry Orlov (1842-1919), tenor, who premiered the role of Andrey.
III. Mariya Kamenskaya (1854-1925), mezzo-soprano.
IV. Wilhelmina Raab (1848-1917), soprano, who portrayed Natalya in The Oprichnik
V. Ivan Melnikov (1832-1906), baritone, who premiered Viazminsky in the opera.

The romance As They Kept Saying: "Fool" (VI) carries no dedication.