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Composer: Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Il'yich

The Crown of Roses, Op. 54, No. 5, "Legend" (arr. S. Cox for brass septet)

Septura

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Year of Production: 06-2016

Playing Time: 00:02:59

Catalogue Number: NVF0147

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Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's The Crown of Roses is the first of several of the ensemble's Christmas pieces that use the image of the Christ-child to presage the grim reality of Jesus's fate. It is popular as a carol despite its stark subject - the other children made Jesus a crown of thorns "and with rough fingers pressed it down, till on his forehead fair and young, red drops of blood like roses sprung".

The text, by Richard Henry Stoddard, was translated into Russian and
originally set by Tchaikovsky for voice and piano in his Sixteen Children's Songs (1884). He later reworked this for a cappella choir, and this is the version that the group have transcribed. Three verses and a coda in the sombre key of E minor contrast childlike innocence - for which we use the homogenous warmth of the brass section - with violence and pain - for which we unleash our full power.