Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский; tr. Pëtr Il'ič Čajkovskij; 25 April/7 May 1840 – 25 October/6 November 1893), often anglicized as Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, was a Russian composer of the late-Romantic period, some of whose works are among the most popular music in the classical repertoire. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally, bolstered by his appearances as a guest conductor in Europe and the United States. Tchaikovsky was honored in 1884, by Emperor Alexander III, and awarded a lifetime pension. Moscow Cantata (1883) Librettist: Apollon Maykov (1821–1897) I. Introduction and Chorus («С мала ключика...»). Andante religioso (0:00) II. Arioso («То не звездочка...»). Moderato con moto (5:32) III. Chorus («Час ударил жданный...»). Allegro (7:40) IV. Monologue and Chorus («Уж как из лесу...»). Moderato—Largo (9:34) V. Arioso («Мне ли, господи...»). Andante molto sostenuto (15:00) VI. Finale («По Руси пошёл сиук и гром большой...»). Moderato con moto (18:20) Valery Polyansky, Glinka State Academic Chapel of Leningrad The Russian text was specially written for the cantata by Apollon Maykov (1821-1897). Soviet editions of the score used a revised version of the text by Aleksey Mashistov. As early as December 1882, one of the members of the Moscow City Coronation Committee—a certain Korganov—had discussions with Tchaikovsky about commissioning him to write a cantata. Tchaikovsky agreed in principle, and suggested the poets Yakov Polonsky or Apollon Maykov as possible authors of the text. But then no official commission followed. In February 1883, while staying in Paris, Tchaikovsky received an inquiry from the director Anton Bartsal as to whether the cantata was ready. Concerned by this question, Tchaikovsky asked Pyotr Jurgenson to find out more about this, and just in case, to send him the manuscript of the Cantata for the Opening of the Polytechnic Exhibition: "If the worst comes to the worst I might fall back on that for the music, but—words, words? And when should all this be ready? Is it already too late?" It was only in early/mid March that Tchaikovsky received the official commission to compose the cantata from the coronation committee. With the letter came the text by Apollon Maykov. The explanation given for the delay was that the committee members had initially approached Anton Rubinstein with the commission, and he "declined, in view of the short time-scale, and suggested my name", Tchaikovsky told Nadezhda von Meck. The time available was exceptionally short—by 17/29 April the completed manuscript would have to be in Saint Petersburg. Completing the commission would be a formidable task, since at the same time the composer was also writing a march to be performed at the coronation. The urgency with which both works were required meant that Tchaikovsky had to interrupt the composition of his opera Mazepa, which displeased him greatly. The cantata was written, in his own words, expediently: "My obligations for the impending coronation festivities are coming along so successfully, that soon I will be completely free of them. My circumstances were certainly helped by the fact that the words of the cantata, written by Maykov, are very beautiful and poetic... the whole piece is so deeply profound and so originally written, and there is a freshness and sincerity of tone that made it possible for me not merely to dash off something stolid and formal, but to invest in my music something of the warmth of Maykov's wonderful verses". Tchaikovsky also wrote to Pyotr Jurgenson that he was very pleased with the cantata, and while he hoped that it might be performed in the next season of Russian Musical Society concerts, he did not recommend that it should be published. In 1890, in a letter to the Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, Tchaikovsky wrote: "Regarding Maykov, I remember how it fell to me to write a Coronation Cantata on his text. At the time I was staying in Paris... Suddenly I received a proposal, already declined by A. G. Rubinstein, to write a Coronation Cantata in two weeks... I considered that to carry out such a proposition was impossible within such an outrageously short time scale, and gave vent to my feelings to my brother Modest, who at that time happened to have to hand a book of Maykov's verses; my admiration for these was such that they involuntarily stirred my inspiration, and so that I would not forget, I wrote on the book in pencil the musical ideas that had come into my head. Had this not happened then there probably have been no Coronation Cantata, but under the spell of this magic the cantata was ready and dispatched in time, and I consider it to be among the best of my compositions".

• published: 08 Sep 2020
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