Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and his Work of “1812 Overture”
Biography
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, born in 1893, was a Russian composer who worked on chamber music, ballets, operas, concertos, and symphonies. His works are amongst the most common theatrical music. He was the first Russian composer to have a global impact on music. While he was precocious in music, he also got an education as a civil servant. The music career had little opportunities during his time, and there were also few schools that taught music. When he got the chance to pursue his career in music he attended the Saint Petersburg Conservatory and graduated in the year 1865. His education improved his skill in music. His training in music also put him in his direction of pursuing his childhood dream of becoming a musician. While he acquired more skills in music, he managed to forge the Russian style (Ives 213). The principles of harmony and melody in the Russian music seemed challenging to counter with the western European music. The culture of Russians had a split personality and implemented elements that had separated since the moments of Peter the Great.
Although Pyotr Ilyich was quite popular, he had a depressing life. He left his mother while he went for boarding school, and his mother passed away while he was still a child. He was also subjected to a same sex orientation that made him keep privacy. He died suddenly when he was merely 53 years because of cholera. His music was quite popular amongst the audience; he also received mixed critical acclaims (Ives 214). Some Russians hardly appreciated his music because they thought that it failed to represent the native values of music. Some of the Russians also suspected that the Europeans appreciated his music because it had elements of western culture. The Europeans appreciated his music because they thought that it had substantive music instead of exoticism, and this made it transcend the cultures of the Russians.
1812 Overture
Pyotr Ilyich wrote this overture in 1880 in remembrance of the people of Russia defending their motherland when, in 1812, Napoleon attempted to attack Grand Armee. The overture has also been considered as a patriotic hymn that the United States plays following the celebration of fourth July. The overture is popular for ringing chimes, volley of cannon fire, and fanfare finale brass.
Musical Structure
The piece moves through a mix of martial and pastoral themes that indicate a rising distress of the people of Russia while the French attacked them. The overture has a passage that has a folk dance. The passage is “At may gate.” During the turning point of the attack, the score calls for shots of Russian canon that confronts a repeated fragment, which is “La marseillaise.” The string that descends resembles the French forces retreating, and then the bells of victory follows. A scene of musical pursuance ensues, where the anthem says, “God save Tsar!” This happens with a thundering sound (Tchaikovsky, Peter and Ludwig 123). The overture has the leitmotif that indicates the forces of Russia in the piece. The literal interpretation of the music is the campaign depiction. In 1812, the Russians had not managed to defeat more than half a million French soldiers. The Russians also knew that their army would only manage to beat a small fraction of the French Army because of their inexperience in battle and poor weapons. This made the Russians to go for prayers before the battle. The Russians gathered for prayers for divine intervention. After this, there are ominous notes that indicate conflict and organization for war, but with desperation and a lot of enthusiasm (Tchaikovsky, Peter and Ludwig 127). There are skirmishes and war ensues, but the French prove to be more powerful and victorious. In fact, the French prove to the Russians that they are indeed invincible. The Tsar appeals to the Russian spirit to move forward and protect their motherland (Rodina).
While the people who reside in the villages believe in the Tsar, there is a Russian folk song. “La Marseillaise” gets back with battle and sounds while the French attack Moscow. The Russians start to come out of their villages and move to Moscow, and there are some celebrations. There is “La Marseillase” heard in the encounter while the immense armies clash in Moscow, which burns it down. The moment these two Armies occupy Moscow, hope seems to be lost, and the audience gets to hear the hymn once more (Tchaikovsky, Peter and Ludwig 129). God intervenes and brings a deep freeze. At this moment, the French can hardly contend. The French try to retreat, but their weapons are stuck on the ground, and the Russians capture them. The Russians manage to beat the French, and they start to fire the guns as they celebrate their victory.
Composition
In 1812, the forces of Napoleon tackle General Mikhail Kutuzov’s forces. This war killed approximately 100, 000 people and the French were victorious. While the resources of the French were depleted, the weak forces of Napoleon attacked Moscow. The French expected the Russians to surrender, but they found themselves in a desolate and barren city. The Russians had already burned down some parts of the city after retreating from the French Army.
The French Army lacked the winter stores and had to retreat. From 19 October to December of the same year, the French people had obstacles in its retreat. The French experienced frigid temperatures, typhus, and famine (Tchaikovsky, Peter and Ludwig 131). These were strategies for the Russians in preventing the French from entering their motherland. Napoleon abandoned his army, which had been reduced to a tenth of its size when it arrived in Poland.
Anachronism
In 1805, Napoleon banned the “La Marseillase” that was selected as the National anthem for the French. The French reinstated it in 1879, and that is why Pyotr Ilyich used it in the overture. While “God save Tsar” was the national anthem for Russia during the moments of Pyotr Ilyich, it was not written in 1812. There was no anthem for Russia until the year 1815.
The Commission of the Overture
Tsar Alexander I was commissioned by the Cathedral or Christ in remembrance of the victory of Russia. Nikolai Rubinstein who was a friend to Pyotr Ilyich suggested writing the piece for utilization in festivals. Pyotr Ilyich began to work on the piece in 1880 and completed it within six weeks.
The piece was meant to be performed in the cathedral square, reinforced by a brass band. However, the performance did not occur because of the plan that proved to be quite over-ambitious. In 1882, there was a performance of the overture in the exhibition of the arts. In 1883, the Cathedral was finished. However, Pyotr Ilyich made a complaint to Nadezhda von Meck, who was his patron. He said that he did not conduct the pieces for the festival. He said that the overture would be noisy and loud without any merit of artistry (Wiley 45). He said that he had not written with a lot of love and warmth. This piece is the one that made Pyotr Ilyich wealthy amongst all his works. After the revolution of the Russians, another chorus replaced the anthem of the Tsar, which was “Glory to Rus!”
Practice and Performance
While the overture is being performed, it is often accompanied by military crews. Musicologists in the last century have not indicated that the composer did not hear the piece being performed according to the plan of 1880. The composer asked for permission to perform the overture in Berlin, but it was declined. The performance that the composer had conducted in his tours, in Europe and the United States, was done in simulated shots (Wiley 48). Erich Kunzel and Antal Dorati were the first people to conduct the overture and have promoted fidelity of the shots in live performance. Doarti applies a real carillon for the score. The ringing of zyon was because the revolution of Russia, when there was the destruction of several bells. The recording of Dorati also applies to the period of French cannon in 1812.
Works Cited
Ives, Charles. Robert Browning Overture: For Large Orchestra. New York: Peer International
Corp, 1959. Print.
Tchaikovsky, Peter I, and Ludwig . Beethoven. 1812 Overture. New York: RCA, 1988. Print.
Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture. , n.d.. Internet resource. Retrieved from
<http://imslp.org/wiki/1812_Overture,_Op.49_%28Tchaikovsky,_Pyotr%29>
Tchaikovsky, Peter I, and Zubin Mehta. Romeo and Juliet: Fantasy Overture. Decca, 1970.
Print.
Wiley, Roland J. Tchaikovsky. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.
