by BERKELEY MASON
A. S. Arensky (1861-1906), one of the most interesting of minor Russian composers, is known in England chiefly by his pleasant, lyrical chamber music and by his polished miniatures for piano, which he produced prolifically. His bigger works-three operas, two symphonies, piano concerto and violin concerto-are already half-forgotten.
Though a pupil of Rimsky-Korsakov, his work is not very remarkable for national flavouring. It is similar in quality to the more lyrical part of Tchaikovsky's output and this is reflected in turn in the compositions of his own most distinguished pupil-Rachmaninov. Towards the end of his life Arensky's faculties were undermined by living at a rather furious pace, and his last days were spent in tragic futility. Galloping consumption ended his life.