Johan Nijs

Tsaritsino

The Tsaritsyno Palace is located in the southeast of Moscow. Catherine the Great wanted to have a magnificent country residence built here at the gates of Moscow in the 18th century. The result after ten years of construction did not please the Russian empress, so she had everything torn down again. Subsequent construction work on the new designs was never completed. Since the 1980s, parts of the structure have housed a museum. Together with the large surrounding park, the ruins, which are a mixture of architectural styles including Gothic, the old Russian architectural style and Arabic elements, are now a popular destination for excursions.

Belgian composer Johan Nijs' scenic work 'Tsaritsino' opens with a magnificent grandioso introduction and broad, solemn sounds, followed by a fast-paced, lively section with short eighth notes and strong accents. The middle section, 'Lamentoso', is a lament full of melancholy, in which the Russian tonal character is especially beautifully displayed. The finale of 'Tsaritsino' begins quietly at first and increases more and more to a boisterous conclusion.