Conducted by Gideon Fagan

A. S. Arensky (1861-1906), a pupil of Rimsky-Korsakov, is one of the most interesting of minor Russian composers. His 'Variations on a theme of Tchaikovsky', in its original form, was scored for violin, viola, and two cellos, a combination producing a suitably elegiac tone colour. It was rearranged for the normal quartet as a more practical ensemble, and was later arranged for string orchestra.
The theme is taken from Tchaikovsky's beautiful song 'Legend'.