Russian elements in selected piano compositions of Cesar Cui (1835-1918)

Abstract

Cesar Cui [Tsezar Kjui] (1835-1918) was a military officer, composer and critic whose activities as a music critic helped promote nationalism in Russian music and bring the "Russian Five" to the attention of Western Europe. In his book La Musique en Russie (1880) Cui identifies several characteristics of Russian music. The current document examines several of Cui's piano works in the context of Russian musical elements such as rhythmic freedom, modal melodies and plagal cadences, shifts between major and relative minor, static harmony and short themes. Cui's use of these elements in his piano writing produces a personal style with identifiably Russian characteristics even though Cui himself, as well as some of his contemporaries, claimed that he did not write in a nationalistic vein. The compositions selected for this study are Quasi Scherzo, Op. 22, No. 4, Waltz in a minor, Op. 31, No. 2, "Serenade," Op. 40, No. 5 (from the suite A Argenteau) and three of the 25 Preludes, Op. 64: No. 4, in b minor, No. 8, in c# minor, and No. 15, in D-flat major.