# How taken aback were you when you first heard Souvenir de Flourence?



## beetzart (Dec 30, 2009)

I remember, when first hearing that amazing opening passage, a feeling of being slung across the room. One of Tchaikovsky's less famous but in reality better then some of his more popular mainstream compositions. Nowadays, if people ask for recommendations (and it doesn't happen very often) of a fine piece of romantic music I always say try this piece.


----------



## chesapeake bay (Aug 3, 2015)

I can't say I was taken aback, more like pleasantly surprised, but I do really like it


----------



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I agree, its one of my favourite Tchaikovsky pieces but i wasn't taken aback, just happy to have found this excellent piece of music. Dvorak's 8th and Beethoven's 7th really blew me away and I still adore them.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

The pieces is being used as a opening on Dutch T.V. bu a music programme and always makes me happy .
Taking back by it however is a different matter.


----------



## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

It is an outstanding piece, one of Tchaikovsky greatest, and that is saying something.
We all react to music differently. Many of the pieces that I cherish most didn't bowl me over at first. Tchaikovsky does tend to have a "curb appeal" in that his greatest works have immediate appeal, and then with further listening reveal more felicities


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Not taken back at all. I can easily recall at least ten pieces I prefer by Tchaikovsky.


----------



## beetzart (Dec 30, 2009)

It's good how we all react in different ways as it shows the music has magical properties. Magical in the sense of how did they do that? Tchaikovsky's 1st piano concerto had a very similar affect on me when I was not even a teenager. SoF is a very powerful piece and you wonder what it feels like as a composer to produce something like that. Would they feel euphoric or maybe depressed at the long work ahead with physically writing the piece?


----------



## T Son of Ander (Aug 25, 2015)

It seems to me I remember reading that Tchaikovsky hated the piece, at least in the string sextet version. Writing the six parts really gave him fits, and he struggled with it. I'm glad he persevered, though, as I really like this piece, though I prefer it arranged for a string orchestra.


----------



## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

I actually remember this one! I was actually taken back, yeah! The theme is so physical, so gripping, immediate... (or should I use my new favourite word: _galvanizing!_) One of my favourite Tchaikovsky pieces, I must say. For my part, I like the sextet version, as the sound is a bit harder, bit more gripping then, when compared to the string orchestra version.


----------



## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Liked it when first heard, but soon tired of it. It's a nice piece, but doesn't particularly reward repeated listening (at least for me).
Also doesn't remind me of Florence anymore than Cappriccio Italien reminds me of Italy.


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

OP: Why do you assume just because you are bowled over by a piece, that every other listener is too?



"How taken aback"? assumes everyone thinks it's great.

Why not simply ask, "Impressions of Souvenir de Florence?


----------

