Personal Data
Dates: 1840-1893
Born: Vyatka Governorate, Russia
Residence: St. Petersburg
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Although an acknowledge master of song and opera, Tchaikovsky’s heart belonged to the orchestra. He crafted a lush signature sound apparent in all of his orchestral compositions—symphonies, concertos, ballets, as well as the orchestral passages in his operas. His orchestration—choice and use of instruments—was sophisticated, filled with color, and yet framed by the sweeping sound of strings. Thoroughly grounded and trained in Western techniques of composition, he achieved a distinct Russian sound in part based on folk melodies and national dances, but also by recasting the highly popular European waltz as a constant element in his Russian-themed works.
The ballet The Nutcracker presents his fullest, most extended experiment in use of orchestral color. Indeed, it is lauded for its innovations, including the introduction of the celesta as the accompaniment for the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. In a similar vein, the 1812 Overture convincingly presents a mix of sounds from Orthodox liturgy, military ceremony, battle music, and church bells.
Timeline
Scherzo à la Russe, Op. 1 (1867)
Tchaikovsky’s first published composition, originally titled “Capriccio,” is based on a Ukrainian folk melody. The work was written at the request of professor and mentor Nicolai Rubinstein, the younger brother of the pianist and founder of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Anton Rubinstein.
Nicolai actively promoted Tchaikovsky’s music. As the first director of the newly established Moscow Conservatory, he gave Tchaikovsky a critical opportunity for appointment as a professor there—a position which overwhelmed Tchaikovsky with work but also afforded him rich opportunities as a composer.
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