Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

This week Donald Macleod reflects on five aspects of Tchaikovsky. The rich vein of fairy tale and fantasy, his love of literature and his long-standing love-affair with Italy. Also, the composer’s relationship with the man he called ‘Modya’, his beloved younger brother, Modest. In 19th-century Russia, music was a key strand in national identity. Tchaikovsky’s ancestral Russian roots were a matter of great pride to him, but just how Russian a composer was he?

Music featured:

The Nutcracker, Op 71 (Act 1 Scene 2, March of the Toy Soldiers) The Snow Maiden, Op 12 (No 2, Dance and Chorus of the Birds) Swan Lake, Op 20 (Act 2 No 13e, Danse des cygnes: Pas d'action (Odette et le prince)) The Slippers (Act 1 scene 2, extract – Oksana’s aria) The Sleeping Beauty, Op 66 (Act 1 No 5 (‘The Palace Garden’), No 6 (‘Valse’)) The Nutcracker, Op 71 (Act 2 No 12, Divertissement) 12 Romances, Op 60 (No 5, ‘Simple Words’) Manfred Symphony, Op 58 (2nd mvt, Vivace con spirito) Eugene Onegin, Op 24 (Act 1 scene 2) Hamlet, overture-fantasia, Op 67 Six Romances, Op 73 (No 2, ‘Night’) Six Romances, Op 38 (No 6, ‘La Pimpinella’) Piano Trio in A minor, Op 50 (1st mvt, Pezzo elegiaco. Moderato assai—Allegro giusto) String Sextet in D minor (‘Souvenir de Florence’), Op 70 (2nd mvt, Adagio cantabile e con moto) Capriccio Italien, Op 45 Six Romances, Op 38 (No 2, ‘It was in the early spring’) 12 Pieces for Piano, Op 40 (No 1, Etude) The Queen of Spades, Op 68 (Act 3 scenes 6 (conclusion) and 7) 12 Pieces for Piano, Op 40 (No 8, ‘Valse’) Iolanta, Op 69 (No 7, Scene and Duet of Iolanta and Vaudémont) Sixteen Songs for Children, Op 54 (No 10, ‘Lullaby in a storm’) Scherzo à la Russe, Op 1 No 1 Symphony No 2 (‘Little Russian’) (2nd mvt, Andantino marziale, quasi moderato) String Quartet No 1 in D, Op 11 (2nd mvt, Andante cantabile) All-Night Vigil (No 16, The Great Doxology) The Year 1812, Op 49 Six Romances, Op 6 (No 6, ‘None but the Lonely Heart’)

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Chris Barstow

For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rbt0

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z