Tolstoy and music

The Aspect Foundation's next concert, on 6 February 2014, takes as its subject Tolstoy and Music with Tolstoy's novella The Kreutzer Sonata at is centre. At the 20th Century Theatre (291 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2QA), Dmitry Sitkovetsky (violin), Iain Burnside (piano) and the Zemlinsky Quartet perform Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 9, Op.47, "Kreutzer Sonata", Janacek's String Quartet No. 1 "Kreutzer Sonata" and the 2nd movement of Tchaikovsky's String Quartet No. 1 in D major.

Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata is the centre piece of Tolstoy's novella The Kreutzer Sonata and it was Tolstoy's novella which inspired Janacek's String Quartet No.1. Tolstoy had a particular passion for folk music and the second movement of Tchaikovsky’s first quartet is based on a folk song from Tolstoy’s childhood. Tolstoy was highly selective about the works of Western composers. While Tolstoy admired Beethoven and was captivated by his music, he was also of the view that the composer had brought about the decline of musical art.