Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

1. PyotrIlyich Tchaikovsky Trevyn Mace

2. Biography • 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.

3. The Early Years • 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.

4. His Mental State • 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.

5. His Music • 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

6. The History of His Music • Tchaikovsky is renowned for his three greatest works, • Swan Lake • The Sleeping Beauty • The Nutcracker

7. Swan Lake

8. The Sleeping Beauty

9. The Nutcracker

10. Swan Lake • 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.

11. The Sleeping Beauty • 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.

12. The Nutcracker • 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.

13. Listening Guide • 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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. Bibliography • Biography.com: http://www.biography.com/people/piotr-ilyich-tchaikovsky-or-tschaikovsky-9503375 • ClassicCat.net: http://www.classiccat.net/tchaikovsky_pi/biography.php • Langston, B. (2006). Retrieved from TchaikovskyResearch.net: http://www.tchaikovsky-research.net/en/Works/Ballets/index.html • Wiley. (2001). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. • Wisc.edu: http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~boris/maha/music/tchaikovsky.html