The Minstrel’s Song, Op. 71

Composer: GLAZUNOV, Alexander
  • Glazunov’s Chant du ménéstrel Op. 71 is scored for cello and orchestra. It premiered in 1900.1
  • The title is intended as a romantic evocation of the medieval troubadour tradition.2
  • Glazunov dedicated this piece to the Alexandre Verzhbilovich3 [Aleksander Wierzbiłłowicz], Russian cellist of Polish descent. Verzhbilovich was a cello professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and concertized widely throughout Europe.4
  • The piece became a popular concert work after the English cellist Beatrice Harrison, aged 17, performed it in 1907 at the Royal College of Music, conducted by Glazunov.5

Sources

  1. Boris Schwarz, “Glazunov, Aleksandr Konstantinovich,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed October 9, 2019, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000011266.
  2. Emily Stroops, “Alexander Glazunov: Chant du ménéstral (Minstrel’s Song) for cello & orchestra in F sharp minor, Op. 71,” AllMusic, accessed October 9, 2019, https://www.allmusic.com/composition/chant-du-m%C3%A9n%C3%A9stral-minstrels-song-for-cello-orchestra-in-f-sharp-minor-op-71-mc0002356400.
  3. “Chant du ménestrel, Op. 71 (Glazunov, Aleksandr), IMSLP, accessed October 9, 2019, https://imslp.org/wiki/Chant_du_m%C3%A9nestrel%2C_Op.71_(Glazunov%2C_Aleksandr).
  4. Barbara Chmara-Żackiewicz, “Wierzbiłłowicz, Aleksander,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed October 9, 2019, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000030287.
  5. Stroops, “Alexander Glazunov: Chant du ménéstral (Minstrel’s Song) for cello & orchestra in F sharp minor, Op. 71,” AllMusic.

Cut IDs

16073, 18948, 19401, 23157, 40999