Anton Arensky belonged to the generation between Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov, his early flair leading Tolstoy to state that, “among the new composers he is the best, he is simple and melodious.” Lacking a Russian tradition for the genre, Arensky’s Piano Quintet draws on Brahms and Mendelssohn for its sweeping themes and sparkling wit. The Second String Quartet was written in memory of Tchaikovsky and is a tender, elegiac work unusual in its scoring with two cellos. Dedicated to his cellist friend Karl Davidoff, the First Piano Trio is also a wonderfully heartfelt and virtuosic masterpiece.