Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Trevyn Mace

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

• Tchaikovsky was born in Votkinsk, Russia on May 7th, 1840.• Profound interest in music from a very young age.• Studied at St. Petersburg Conservatory.• Taught at Moscow Conservatory.• Born into a middle-class family.• A great amount of depression in his life.

Biography

• Being in a middle-class family, Tchaikovsky could not pursue his musical interests at a young age.

• As the time passed, he got more serious about music and composition.

• He loved to learn as much as he could about music.• Eventually he went on to study music and to assure his

future in that field.• Though discouraged at times, he always remained faithful to

his music.

The Early Years

• Tchaikovsky suffered greatly for his music and the stress from it induced great depression at times.

• He was indeed a perfectionist and would break down when something was not perfect.

• Undertones in his music reveals a depressiveness in him that influenced his actions.

• In fact, some believe his death was suicide, rather than cholera.

• He was often criticized for his music, which didn’t help his mental state.

His Mental State

• His first ever symphony, Winter Daydreams• He struggled greatly with insomnia and depression at this point in

his life because of the stress of composing.• Romeo and Juliet• 1812 Overture• Marche Slave• The Queen of Spades• Eugene Onegin

His Music

• Tchaikovsky is renowned for his three greatest works,

• Swan Lake

• The Sleeping Beauty

• The Nutcracker

The History of His Music

Swan Lake

The Sleeping Beauty

The Nutcracker

• This ballet was commissioned in 1875 by the Directorate of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.

• The original name was to be The Lake of Swans.• Tchaikovsky started to lose touch with his music and

become disappointed quickly by this composition.• It was composed between 1875 and 1876.• The ballet premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on

March 4th of 1877.

Swan Lake

• This ballet was composed from October 1888 to around June 1889 at Frolovskoe. • Some of the scenes were composed at Tiflis as well.• Tchaikovsky focused greatly on The Sleeping Beauty and

completed huge parts of the composition in consecutive periods of time.

• He was completed absorbed in his work at the time and was immensely pleased with how the work was being produced.

• The first production of The Sleeping Beauty was performed at the Mariinskii Theatre in Saint Petersburg on January 15th 1890.

The Sleeping Beauty

• This composition was composed at Frolovskoe, Rouen, and Maidanovo around February 1891 until July of the same year.

• It was orchestrated at Maidanovo from January to March 1892.

• This composition was written at request of Ivan Vsevolozhskii, Director of the Imperial Theatres.

• Tchaikovsky worked closely with the choreographer of this ballet, Marius Petipa, in order to better match the dancing with the music.

• Tchaikovsky wasn’t very pleased to using The Nutcracker as the setting for his ballet.

The Nutcracker

• The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Act 1, No. 2 – March • (2:10)• The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Act 2, No. 14c,

Var. 2 – Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy • (1:59)• The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Act 1, No.

6 – Waltz • (4:29)• Swan Lake, Op. 20, Act 1, No. 2 – Waltz • (5:25)

Listening Guide

• (0:00)• This piece begins with the trumpets playing a march fanfare leading

into the strings playing irregular rhythms as the loudness gradually increases.

• (0:24)• Here the music changes tones and melodies in a different form while keeping the same pattern of trumpets and strings.

• (0:35)• The piece returns to the original form and melody as started but louder than before.

• (0:58)• The flutes begin at a much faster tempo while descending. Strings accompany.

The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Act 1, No. 2 – March

• (1:10)• Again returns to the original melody but stronger than before and

louder still with strings accompanying with more influence.• (1:33)• Same tone change as at 0:24 but stronger and louder than

previously.• (1:45)• Back to the original melody as played at 1:10 until ending.

The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Act 1, No. 2 – March – cont.

• (0:00)• Very subtle, quiet plucking (pizzicato) of strings introducing the

setting. Gradual increase in loudness.• (0:08)• Celesta plays the main theme.• (0:14)• Bass clarinet descends as celesta melody continues.• (0:29)• Woodwinds introduced.• (0:35)• Strong influence from strings and woodwinds with celesta more in

the background.

The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Act 2, No. 14c, Var. 2 – Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

• (0:57)• Celesta soloing leading back into main theme.• (1:04)• Woodwinds begin main theme again.• (1:33)• Celesta along with pizzicato from the strings descending.• (1:50)• Celesta and pizzicato repeats the same note until end with loud

chord.

The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Act 2, No. 14c, Var. 2 – Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy – cont.

• (0:00)• Introduction using crescendo of strings and brass increasing in

loudness and complexity.• (0:30)• The piece starts off in the A stage with strings providing the melody

and brass accompanying.• (1:05)• Moving into B form with focus completely on the strings with brass

but more descending on this part.• (1:38)• Moves back to A form with woodwinds accompanying instead of

brass.• (1:59)• Moves into C form with strings and brass. Woodwinds accompanying.

The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Act 1, No. 6 – Waltz

• (2:39)• Back into A form, strings and brass accompanying.• (3:03)• Transition into B form, strings and brass, same as before.• (3:40)• Again into A form, strings with woodwind accompanying rather than

brass.• (4:02)• Strings performing coda with brass in background. Crescendos and

repetition to finalize.

The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Act 1, No. 6 – Waltz - cont.

• (0:00)• Pizzicato with strings descending.• (0:06)• Brass and percussion changing the loudness greatly for 3 notes.• (0:08)• Brass very lightly in background.• (0:21)• Strings come in playing melody twice through in first form. Second time

with woodwind accompanying.• (0:56)• Brass changing the tone into a faster tempo with the strings into

second form, brass accompanying.• (1:10)• Woodwinds introducing new form, with brass accompanying.

Swan Lake, Op. 20, Act 1, No. 2 – Waltz

• (1:17)• Strings join woodwinds.• (1:24)• Variation of woodwinds, strings accompanying.• (1:41)• Transition with loud brass back into the form at 1:10.• (1:50)• Back into the first form with strings. Light brass background.• (2:07)• Woodwinds join brass.

Swan Lake, Op. 20, Act 1, No. 2 – Waltz – cont.

• (2:23)• Same as 0:56 with brass and faster tempo into different form.• (2:37)• Strings in a slower tempo and lighter sound go into new form

alternating with quick woodwinds.• (2:52)• Brass slow accompanied by strings.• (3:09)• Back to same as 2:37.• (3:22)• Strings flowing with woodwind accompaniment.• (3:37)• Much stronger sounding strings with strong bass strings behind it

transitioning into brass accompaniment.

Swan Lake, Op. 20, Act 1, No. 2 – Waltz – cont.

• (3:51)• Same as 3:22.

• (4:05)• Crescendo into faster tempo with strings and woodwinds accompanying.

• (4:21)• Brass added to strings. Much louder and faster.

• (4:30)• Same melody but an octave increasing each repetition.

• (4:36)• Everything descending.

• (4:44)• Brass taking control with everything else behind it as crescendo.

• (4:58)• Coda with repetitions from full orchestra with brass and drumming

finishing the piece.

Swan Lake, Op. 20, Act 1, No. 2 – Waltz – cont.

Biography.com: http://www.biography.com/people/piotr-ilyich-tchaikovsky-or-tschaikovsky-9503375ClassicCat.net: http://www.classiccat.net/tchaikovsky_pi/biography.phpLangston, B. (2006). Retrieved from TchaikovskyResearch.net: http://www.tchaikovsky-research.net/en/Works/Ballets/index.htmlWiley. (2001). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.

Wisc.edu: http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~boris/maha/music/tchaikovsky.html

Bibliography