# Anton Arensky



## Sid James

*Anton Arensky* (1861-1906) was a Russian pianist, teacher and composer. I've just been to a concert last weekend where his _Piano Trio No. 1_ was played. It contained music which was pretty dark, soulful & lyrical, reminiscent mainly of Tchaikovsky but also Mendelssohn. His main strength was apparently chamber music. Arensky studied with Rimsky Korsakov who said "In his youth Arensky did not escape some influence from me; later the influence came from Tchaikovsky. He will quickly be forgotten." I think history has proven Rimsky's comments to be of poor judgement, as Arensky's compositions are still being played. Arensky also made an impact as a teacher, instructing composers such as Scriabin, Rachmaninov & Gretchaninov. I did hear a similarity between the Arensky piano trio & those of Rachmaninov, so he may have been somewhat of an influence on these younger men. Arensky died only in his 40's, of tubercolosis.


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## ScipioAfricanus

I have that piano trio. I find it rather beautiful albeit conservative. that being said, it has not motivated me to purchase anymore works of him.


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## Sid James

I agree, judging from the _Piano Trio No. 1_, Arensky wasn't interested in pushing boundaries but maintaining the traditions of Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn. The work favours the cello a bit apparently as it was written in the memory of a great Russian cellist who died at the time. Similarly, Rachmaninov's _Piano Trio No. 2_ was written in memory of Tchaikovsky. & I think I remember reading that Tchaikovsky's own _Piano Trio _was also in memoriam to a friend. What's with these Russians, linking piano trios to death? Looks like it became a bit of a tradition to write such works towards the turn of the C20th...


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## ScipioAfricanus

you are correct Andre, I think Tchaikovsky's trio was in memory of one of the Rubinstein brothers.


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## myaskovsky2002

*I like Arensky...*

I also like very much his opera Raphael based on painter's life. His chamber music is very nice.

His symphonies, his violin concerto....

This is my Arensky's list:

ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH Six songs Marina Domashenko - Constantine, Philarmonia of Russia LIEDE DISQUE COMPACT 14/02/2007 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH RAFAEL - OPERA MP3 08/07/2009 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH Raffaello (Raphael) Marina Domashenko - Constantine, Philarmonia of Russia (sung in Italian) OPERA DISQUE COMPACT 14/02/2007 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH RAPHAEL - OPERA DISQUE COMPACT GRA V 09/01/2005 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH Zarema's aria from the fountain of Bakhshisarai Marina Domashenko - Constantine, Philarmonia of Russia OPERA DISQUE COMPACT 14/02/2007 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH 12 ETUDES FOR PIANO, OP.74 RICHARD ALSTON, PIANO SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 12/11/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH 13E ETUDE FOR PIANO, OP.36 RICHARD ALSTON, PIANO SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 12/11/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH 2 PIECES POUR CELLO ET PIANO OP.12 V. FEIGIN, CELLO - V.POLTORATSKY, PIANO SYMPH DISQUE VINYLITE 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH 4 PIECES POUR CELLO ET PIANO OP.56 V. FEIGIN, CELLO - V.POLTORATSKY, PIANO SYMPH DISQUE VINYLITE 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH CANTATA ON THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CORONATION, OP. 26 RUSSIAN STATE SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA (VALERY POLYANSKY, CONDUCT OR) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH CONCERTO POUR PIANO, OP.2 RICHARD ALSTON, PIANO - CZECH NATIANL SYMPH. ORCH (PAUL FREE MAN, COND) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 12/11/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH EGYPTIAN NIGHTS MOSCOW SYMPH( DMITRY YABLONSKY) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 21/10/2009 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH ETUDE OP. 25 NO.3 IN G FLAT RICHARD ALSTON, PIANO SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 12/11/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH FANTAISIE EN MI MINEUR SUR DES THEMES PIQUES RUSSES OP.48 ORCH. SYMPH. INNSBRUCK - DIR. ROBERT WAGNER SYMPH DISQUE VINYLITE 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH FANTASIA MARGUERITE GAUTIER, OP. 9 EVGENY SVETLANOV SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 10/11/2009 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH FANTASY ON THEMES BY I.T. RYABININ OP. 48 RUSSIAN STATE SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA (VALERY POLYANSKY, CONDUCT OR) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH INTERMEZZO FOR ORCHESTRA OP. 13 BBC PHIL (VASSILY SINAISKY) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 11/11/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH INTERMEZZO IN G MINOR FOR STRINGS, OP. 13 EVGENY SVETLANOV SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 10/11/2009 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH INTRODUCTION TO NAL AND DAMAYANTI BBC PHIL (VASSILY SINAISKY) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 11/11/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH INTRODUCTION TO THE MUSICAL SCNENES FROM RENAISSANCE "RAPHAEL" EVGENY SVETLANOV SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 10/11/2009 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH INTRODUCTION TO THE OPERA "NAL AND DAMAJANTI" EVGENY SVETLANOV SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 10/11/2009 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH INTRODUCTION TO THE OPERA NAL AND DAMAJANTI USSR (SVETLANOV) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 11/11/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH MARCH "TO THE MEMORY OF SUVOROV" IN C MINOR EVGENY SVETLANOV SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 10/11/2009 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH OUVERTURE FROM A DREAM ON THE VOLGA USSR ORCHESTRA (COND. EVGENY SVETLANOV) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 01/03/2003 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH OUVERTURE TO UN SONGE SUR LE VOLGA BBC PHIL (VASSILY SINAISKY) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 11/11/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH OVERTURE FROM "THE DREAM ON THE VOLGA" EVGENY SVETLANOV SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 10/11/2009 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH Piano trio in d minor, op. 32 The Amsterdam Chamber Music Society SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 05/09/2007 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH PIANO TRIO NO.1 OP.32 NEUES MUNCHNER KLAVIERTRIO SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 30/10/1999 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH PIANO TRIO NO.2 OP.73 NEUES MUNCHNER KLAVIERTRIO SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 30/10/1999 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH QUARTET IN A OP.35 (1894) THE ARENSKI ENSEMBLE SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SILHOUETTES (SUITE NO.2) OP.23 DANISH NATIONAL ORC - DIR. NEEME JARVI SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SILHOUETTES, SUITE NO. 2, OP. 23 POUR DEUX PIANOS ANAGNOSON ET KINTON SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH String quart in A minor, op. 35 The Amsterdam Chamber Music Society SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 05/09/2007 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SUITE FOR 2 PIANOS NO. 1 STEPHEN COOMBS, IAN MUNRO SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 08/10/2010 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SUITE FOR 2 PIANOS NO. 2 STEPHEN COOMBS, IAN MUNRO SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 08/10/2010 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SUITE FOR 2 PIANOS NO. 3 STEPHEN COOMBS, IAN MUNRO SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 08/10/2010 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SUITE FOR 2 PIANOS NO. 4 STEPHEN COOMBS, IAN MUNRO SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 08/10/2010 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SUITE NO. 1 USSR (SVETLANOV) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 11/11/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SUITE NO. 1 OP. 15 POUR DEUX PIANOS ANAGNOSON ET KINTON SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SUITE NO. 2 USSR (SVETLANOV) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 11/11/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SUITE NO. 3 EVGENY SVETLANOV SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 10/11/2009 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SUITE NO. 3 (VARIATIONS) OP. 33 BBC PHIL (VASSILY SINAISKY) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 11/11/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SUITE NO. 4 OP. 62 POUR DEUX PIANOS ANAGNOSON ET KINTON SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH SYMPHONIE NO. 1 RUSSIAN STATE SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA (VALERY POLYANSKY, CONDUCT OR) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH symphonie no. 2 BBC PHIL (VASSILY SINAISKY) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 11/11/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH THREE VOCAL QUARTETS OP. 57 RUSSIAN STATE SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA (VALERY POLYANSKY, CONDUCT OR) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH VARIATIONS ON A THEME BY TCHAIKOVSKY LONDON SYMPH. ORC (ANTAL DORATI) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 01/05/2006 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH VARIATIONS ON A THEME BY TCHAIKOVSKY OP.35a ENGISH CHAMBER ORCH. - J. SOMARY SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH VARIATIONS ON A THEME BY TCHAIKOVSKY, OP. 35 A RUSSIAN STATE SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA (VALERY POLYANSKY, CONDUCT OR) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH VARIATIONS, SUITE NO. 3, OP. 33 POUR DEUX PIANOS ANAGNOSON ET KINTON SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 28/03/1997 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH VIOLIN CONCERTO I MUSICI DE MONTREAL (alexander trotiansky, violin) SYMPH DISQUE COMPACT 11/01/2007 
ARENSKY ANTON S TEPANOVITCH VIOLIN CONCERTO ALEXANDER TROSIANSKY, VIOLIN - Members of the Sherbrooke Sym phony Orch. (Yuli Turovsky)

Happy new year.

Martin


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## science

*Somewhat Obscure Composers 1: Arensky*

What are your favorite works by this somewhat obscure composer?

Feel free to specify particular recordings or not.


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## myaskovsky2002

*Personally...*

I enjoy opera very much. I like his opera Raphael, I have a version in Russian and one in Italian, his suites, songs, his concertos for piano and violin, etc. I think Anton Arensky is not obscur for me...Of course he cannot be consider so important. He is maybe not so original...He was a Tchaikovsky Fan.

He's a late romantic, Tchaikovsky's school

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Arensky

Sincerely,

Martin


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## Delicious Manager

I love the unusual String Quartet for violin, viola and 2 cellos - unique, I think, in its scoring.


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## superhorn

Arensky's two symphonies are very attractive works in the Rimsky-Korsakov/Borodin tradition.
I've heard the CD with the late Yevgeny Svetlanov and USSR symphony on one of the Russian labels,which is excellent, and I believe there is a Chandos recording with another Russian conductor, Vassily Sinaisky, but I haven't heard this.
Check arkivmusic.com for these two symphonies; it's by far the best place on the internet to look for obscure stuff and hard-to-find- classical CDs and DVDs. 
Their selection is unbeatable.


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## Huilunsoittaja

Let's see... I've heard his Scherzo Fantastique (I believe that's what it's called), and an overture to something, was it Raphael? But not much else, unfortunately. His music comes on the radio once in a while.

Look here, this is a pretty clever work, which he contributed to:




You can hear a significant difference when the next composer grabs the theme and changes it. Supposedly all these improvisations were made in one evening, as a game.


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## HarpsichordConcerto

Funny. I just listened to his piano trio no.1 in D minor, op.32 only two days ago. I thought it was very good. A solid traditional Romantic piece.


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## jurianbai

listen only his Violin concerto , in this particular recording:









I think that's up to average works, enjoyable.


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## Sid James

Sad how he died due to complications with alcoholism. Like HC, I've also heard the 1st piano trio. It was played live here in Sydney last year by Kathryn Selby & her "Trioz" group. It's not a bad piece. I agree with myaskovsky2002 that Arensky was heavily influenced by Tchaikovsky, perhaps a bit too much for his own good. But it's hard to judge the man, especially since he died so young. If say Janacek had died at a similar age, then he probably would have been as obscure as Arensky, almost a footnote in the history of music, having been influenced and "guided" by other composers of the time, until he hit his 50's and a stream of masterpieces came from his pen...


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## myaskovsky2002

*but a genious is a genious*

Scriabin, Alban Berg, Anton Webern and Mozart died young too...They are my idols....(well I have at least 7 or 8 more...LOL).

I like Arensky I think I have all his recorded works...at least I tried.

Martin


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## YsayeOp.27#6

Come on, Arensky is not obscure at all. He's very well known (not amongst amateurs, that's for sure, but he's not a rarity at all).

You should listen to some of his chamber works, like the d minor piano trio.


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## Huilunsoittaja

Excellent composer! I'm just falling in love with each new piece I've heard. The Suites for 2 Pianos, the Violin Concerto, and various short Orchestral pieces and overtures, I've loved each and every one. I'm glad to find the fire lit within me again for Russians.


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## powerbooks

This is the one that brought me to Arensky's music. Beautifully played!


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## myaskovsky2002

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Excellent composer! I'm just falling in love with each new piece I've heard. The Suites for 2 Pianos, the Violin Concerto, and various short Orchestral pieces and overtures, I've loved each and every one. I'm glad to find the fire lit within me again for Russians.


What about Myaskovsky? Alexandre Tcherepnin, NIkolai Tcherepnin. If you want to see my Russian collection which makes me proud, you can go to my site and see Russian composers, if you please.

http://www3.bell.net/svp1

And click on Russian composers, you will see then. 65.734567383939% of my list corresponds to Russian composers.

Martin Bertinovich


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## myaskovsky2002

powerbooks said:


> This is the one that brought me to Arensky's music. Beautifully played!
> 
> View attachment 6266


This doesn't seem as Naxos... Congrats

Martin, smiling


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## powerbooks

myaskovsky2002 said:


> This doesn't seem as Naxos... Congrats
> 
> Martin, smiling


http://www.amazon.com/Shostakovich-...qid=1342354374&sr=8-1&keywords=claremont+trio

Small independent label.

Side story: the Bruskin twin sisters (the strings) has a little sister whom may have been the hope for the family's trio combination. But the little Bruskin is more into science and became a nursing major, while she continues to be still a big fan of classical music for sure!


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## myaskovsky2002

Arte nova ( i think this is tHe name of the label) is an excellent label at affordable prices


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## Huilunsoittaja

myaskovsky2002 said:


> What about Myaskovsky? Alexandre Tcherepnin, NIkolai Tcherepnin.
> 
> Martin Bertinovich


I have not had the "moment" where I felt I really liked a work by Myaskovsky. I have yet to hear a work I truly like.

As for the Tcherepnins, I did hear a work called the Princess lointaine by Nikolai, which I liked. A new friend is helping me dig up those silver Russians, as I don't have money to spend getting recordings right now.


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## Huilunsoittaja

What's not to love? I'm head over heels for music like this. He is of course depicting a female coquette, but I can imagine a sharp looking guy trying to flirt with me in this piece.  :lol:


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## tahnak

Sid James said:


> * Arensky studied with Rimsky Korsakov who said "In his youth Arensky did not escape some influence from me; later the influence came from Tchaikovsky. He will quickly be forgotten." I think history has proven Rimsky's comments to be of poor judgement, as Arensky's compositions are still being played. Arensky also made an impact as a teacher, instructing composers such as Scriabin, Rachmaninov & Gretchaninov. I did hear a similarity between the Arensky piano trio & those of Rachmaninov, so he may have been somewhat of an influence on these younger men. Arensky died only in his 40's, of tubercolosis.*


*He is definitely not forgotten. When I was sixteen, I attended a concert at Glassboro, New Jersey, USA and heard his Piano Trio in A Minor which left an everlasting impact on me. I really love that trio after Tchaikovsky's. I then went on to collect his Variations on a Theme of Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto and his two symphonies. All are lovely compositions.*


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## Huilunsoittaja

This Thursday night, a traveling Trio is coming to my university to play his 1st Piano Trio!!! An opportunity of a lifetime to hear a Russian rarity! I have to see it!!!


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## Delicious Manager

Huilunsoittaja said:


> This Thursday night, a traveling Trio is coming to my university to play his 1st Piano Trio!!! An opportunity of a lifetime to hear a Russian rarity! I have to see it!!!


The D minor Piano Trio is one of Arensky's finest works. Enjoy!


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## Delicious Manager

Huilunsoittaja said:


> This Thursday night, a traveling Trio is coming to my university to play his 1st Piano Trio!!! An opportunity of a lifetime to hear a Russian rarity! I have to see it!!!


So? How was it?


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## Huilunsoittaja

Delicious Manager said:


> So? How was it?


It was awesome! When they started playing the scherzo, I started grinning like a crazy person :lol:. And I don't think I was the only one. When the scherzo ended, almost the whole audience started chuckling, and I was like "Yesssss!" in my head. THAT'S what you call a scherzo! 1 up for Russian composers, and 1 up for Arensky! 

Oh, and the other mvmts, those were wonderful too :lol:. I loved the recurring theme that moved through the movements. I also really liked the 3rd movement, it had this glittery, peaceful, sunshine-on-snow kind of mood, I felt like I was transported to Russia in that moment.


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## Il_Penseroso

Anyone here had a chance to hear the one-act opera Raphael? It's really beautiful!

Here's the tenor aria "My heart trembles with passion and tenderness" sung by the legendary russian tenor Leonid Sobinov in 1911:






There's also a complete recording of the opera made by Viktor Smirnov with the USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1956 which is highly recommended!


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## Huilunsoittaja

I finally found this thread after tons of rummaging through old threads here. This hasn't been touched in 4 years? awww...

Time to bring it back out again! Happy 155th birthday to Arensky! I'm starting to feel it's my calling to specialize in him too. I've heard a great deal of music by him, whatever I can find that's been recorded, and I know many works to recommend.

The piece that started it all for me, big time:






For those who can't access the above recording, a good substitution


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## TxllxT

Anton Arensky - Symphony No. 1, Op. 4















Anton Arensky - Symphony No. 2, Op. 22















Anton Arensky : Raphael, Musical Scenes from the Renaissance (Opera in one act) Op.37 (1894)















Anton Arensky - Twenty Four Pieces, Op 36















Arensky Piano Concerto In F Minor















Anton Arensky - Piano Concerto Op. 2 (audio + sheet music)


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## TxllxT

Arensky Violin concerto A minor















Arenski: Kammersinfonie - Amsterdam Sinfonietta - Live concert HD















Arenski: Pianotrio nr.1 - Trio Shaham Erez Wallfisch - Live concert















Maro Shinozaki - Arensky / Piano Trio No. 2 in F minor , Op.73















Anton Arensky - Quartet for violin, viola and two cellos


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## TxllxT

Anton Arensky - Marguerite Gautier: Fantasia for Orchestra, Op. 9















Anton Arensky - Suite for two pianos Nº 1, Op.15















Anton Arensky - Suite for Two Pianos No. 2, Op. 23, "Silhouettes" (Bruk & Taimanov)






Anton Arensky - Nal And Damayanty















Take 5 Piano Quintet - ANTON ARENSKY Piano Quintet in D Major, Op. 51 (1900)















Anton Arensky - Variations on a Theme by Tchaïkovski


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## Pugg

Love his piano trios, going to give it s a spin later.


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