Reinhold Glière: Valse triste, Op. 35, No. 7 | Trevor Nuckols, horn • Linda Avery, piano

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Valse triste, Op. 35, No. 7

Reinhold Glière, composer
Trevor Nuckols, horn
Linda Avery, piano

Recorded on August 14, 2025

This performance features my custom B♭ Alexander horn (1950), a beautifully balanced instrument whose singing tone and responsiveness I have long relied upon in both solo and chamber repertoire.

Reinhold Glière (1875–1956) was a Russian composer of German and Polish heritage, educated at the Moscow Conservatory under Taneyev, Arensky, and Ippolitov-Ivanov. He later became a leading figure in Soviet musical life, known for his lyrical style, richly coloured harmonies, and interest in national folk traditions. His career spanned more than half a century, producing symphonies, ballets, concertos, and a wide range of chamber and character pieces.

The Valse triste, Op. 35 No. 7, was composed in 1908 as part of 11 Pieces for different Instruments and Piano, each highlighting a particular instrument’s expressive range. Assigned to the horn in its earliest publications, this short waltz is reflective in mood, far removed from the brilliance of the ballroom. The melody, supported by a gentle triple metre in the piano, moves with an understated elegance coloured by subtle harmonic shifts.

In the horn and piano version, the horn’s warm timbre amplifies the music’s wistful character. The long-breathed melodic line unfolds naturally, while the piano maintains the steady waltz pulse. This combination of graceful dance rhythm and quiet melancholy has made Valse triste a favourite for both performers and audiences seeking the intimate charm of early twentieth-century salon repertoire