Station Archive

Yes, Dr. Paul's wife, Erin, asked him to play "Something Russian." And so, Dr. Paul obliged by airing the entire piano trio in a minor by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, subtitled "In memory of the great artist." This elegaic piece was written to honor the memory of the recently deceased Anton Rubinstein, one of Tchaikovsky's mentors. You'll find it at the top of the second hour. It is beautiful, sweeping, and very Russian, like the onion-domed cathedral shown here. To start the show there is the usual overture, this time by Beethoven, then the "Archduke" piano trio, also by Beethoven. This trio was written for the son of the emperor of Austria (the archduke), who was a student and close friend of the composer. The first hour closes with a tone poem by Aaron Copland.