WINIFRED LAWSON (Soprano)
THE WIRELESS ORCHESTRA
Conducted by JOHN ANSELL
THERE were two Taneievs among the leading figures in the modern Russian school of music, one of whom was born in 1850 and the other in 1856; they both died in June, 1915. Alexander, the elder, studied with Rimsky-Korsakov and came under Balakirev's influence, too ; like most of his compatriots, he chose opera as the medium by which to express himself most fully, but he wrote besides symphonies, orchestral suites, a symphonic poem, as well as chamber music and pianoforte pieces.
Sergius made a big name for himself as a solo pianist, touring in various parts of Europe as a virtuoso, until in 1878 he succeeded Tchaikovsky as a professor at the Moscow Conservatoire. In 1885 he became its Director, and completely reorganized the students' orchestra. For some years he was regarded as above all others the authorised interpreter of Tchaikovsky's pianoforte music, especially of the big B Flat Minor concerto. He also wrote for the stage. as well as for the concert orchestra and chorus, and many smaller pieces. and he did much to popularize Tchaikovsky's music by making pianoforte arrangements of it.