In early 1878, Peter Tchaikovsky had just sent his opera “Eugene Onegin” and his Fourth Symphony on their way, but had no intention of taking a creative break. On the contrary, he immediately took up his pen and composed his Twelve Pieces op. 40 for piano.

This cycle features various genres, including piano pieces typical of the epoch such as etudes, waltzes and mazurkas, but they are also joined by pieces presumably connected with Tchaikovsky’s biography. These bear titles like “Au village”...