About This Composition Known as a salon piece, Tchaikovsky's Chanson Triste (translated as Sad Song), is the second of twelve short piano compositions for amateur pianists. There is an inner narrative, carried by the fluid momentum of the music, that evokes traces of sadness, remembrance, and emotional intensity. Such were Tchaikovsky’s gifts as a musical storyteller. Though simple, this music is worthy of great pianists as confirmed by Sviatoslav Richter's powerfully serene performance of this piece. Tchaikovsky composed Chanson Triste in 1878, a turbulent year, marked by his struggle to distance himself from his estranged wife. In the midst of his emotional turmoil, the composer managed to find some peace at Kamenka, where he had use of a cottage. There, while working on his Piano Sonata in G major, Op. 37 and the Album for Children, Op. 39, Tchaikovsky composed the twelve pieces which include the Chanson Triste.
