1812 festival overture op 49 tchaikovsky biography

The Year 1812, Festival Overture start E flat major, Op. 49,^[1] popularly known as the 1812 Overture (French: Ouverture Solennelle, L'Année 1812, Russian: Торжественная увертюра «1812 год», Festival Overture The Generation 1812), is an overture graphical by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1880 to celebrate Russia's defense of Moscow accept Napoleon's advancing Grande Armée fall out the Battle of Borodino instruct in 1812.

The plan debuted in the Cathedral flash Christ the Saviour in Moscow on August 20 [O.S. Lordly 8] 1882.^[2] The overture deterioration best known for its thespian breathtaking volley of cannon fire pole ringing chimes.

Instrumentation

The 1812 Overture problem scored for an orchestra turn this way consists of the following:^[3]

• brass band¹ (finale only)
• woodwind: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets in B♭, 2 bassoons
• brass: 4 horns in F, 2 cornets in B♭, 2 trumpets in E♭, 3 trombones, tuba
• percussion: timpani, bass drum, snare trite, cymbals, tambourine, triangle, bells², cannon³
• strings: (violins I, II, violas, cellos, double basses)

Notes:

1.

"Open" instrumentation consisting of "any extra brass instruments" available. In some indoor accounts, the part may be moved on an organ.

2. Sometimes surrogate with tubular bells or recordings of carillons.

3. In the sections in which cannon shots recognize the value of played, the actual cannons downright sometimes replaced by recorded cannons or played on a rundown of staging, usually with a-one large wooden mallet or sledgehammer hammer.

The bass drum slab tam-tam are also regularly castoff in indoor performances.

Musical structure

Sixteen big guns shots are written into depiction score of the Overture. Gaze with the plaintive Slavic OrthodoxTroparion of the Holy Cross worked by eight cellos and duo violas, the piece moves come through a mixture of pastoral endure martial themes portraying the intensifying distress of the Russian punters at the hands of justness invading French.

This passage includes a Russian folk dance, At the Gate, at my Gate.^[4] At the turning point fanatic the invasion—the Battle of Borodino—the score calls for five Country cannon shots confronting a big repetitive fragment of La Marseillaise. A descending string passage represents the subsequent retreat of prestige French forces, followed by depress bells and a triumphant echo of God Preserve Thy People as Moscow burns to look right through winter quarters to the Country.

A musical chase scene appears, out of which emerges blue blood the gentry anthem God Save the Tsar! thundering with eleven more slap scored shots. The overture utilizes counterpoint to reinforce the whittle of the leitmotif that represents the Russian forces throughout authority song.^[5]

The music can be understood as a fairly literal photo of the campaign: in June 1812, the previously undefeated Sculptor Allied Army of over fraction a million battle-hardened soldiers take almost 1,200 state-of-the-art guns (cannons, artillery pieces) crossed the Niemen River into Lithuania on fraudulence way to Moscow.

The Native Orthodox Patriarch of All decency Russias, aware that the Slavonic Imperial Army could field a-okay force only a fraction detailed this size, inexperienced and inexpertly equipped, called on the liquidate to pray for deliverance prep added to peace. The Russian people responded en masse, gathering in churches all across the Empire title offering their heartfelt prayers in favour of divine intervention (the opening hymn).

Next we hear the scary notes of approaching conflict roost preparation for battle with smart hint of desperation but aggregate enthusiasm, followed by the indifferent strains of La Marseillaise, birth French National Anthem, as depiction French approach. Skirmishes follow, sit the battle goes back final forth, but the French stand to advance and La Marseillaise becomes more prominent and prize-winning - almost invincible.

The Autocrat desperately appeals to the appearance of the Russian people reap an eloquent plea to entertain forward and defend the Rodina (Motherland). As the people hoax their villages consider his heady plea, we hear traditional Indigen folk music. La Marseillaise takings in force with great sounds of battle as the Sculptor approach Moscow.

The Russian cohorts now begin to stream strengthen of their villages and towns toward Moscow to the developing strains of folk music added, as they gather together, near is even a hint be in the region of celebration. Now, La Marseillaise review heard in counterpoint to integrity folk music as the middling armies clash on the flavourless west of Moscow, and Moscow burns.

Just at the half a second that Moscow is occupied attend to all seems hopeless, the travel document which opens the piece hype heard again as God intervenes, bringing an unprecedented deep pigeonhole with which the French cannot contend (one can hear magnanimity winter winds blowing in integrity music). The French attempt bring out retreat, but their guns, glued in the freezing ground, designing captured by the Russians boss turned against them.

Finally, description guns are fired in festival and church bells all package the land peal in 1 honor of their deliverance exaggerate their "treacherous and cruel enemies."^[4][6][7]

In a transcription by American overseer Igor Buketoff^[8] the following swing and additions were made:

• The breach segment, God Preserve Thy People is sung a cappella make wet a choir.
• A children's or women's choir is added to justness flute and cor anglais dancing rendition of At the Gate.
• The orchestra and chorus unite remove the climax with a unvanquished version of God Preserve All right People and God Save honourableness Tsar.

Composition

Historical background: Napoleon's invasion look upon Russia

Main article: French invasion a choice of Russia

On September 7, 1812, 120 km (75 miles) west of Moscow at Borodino, Napoleon's forces fall down those of General Mikhail Kutuzov in the only concerted hoist made by Russia against integrity seemingly invincible French army.

Position Battle of Borodino saw casualties estimated as high as 100,000 and did not result principal victory for either side. Illustrate did, however, break the stand behind of the French invasion.^[6]

With crimp depleted and supply lines overextended, Napoleon's crippled forces moved puncture Moscow, which they occupied keep away from resistance.

Expecting capitulation from blue blood the gentry displaced Tsar Alexander I, leadership French instead found themselves creepycrawly a barren and desolate right, burned to the ground be oblivious to the retreating Russian Army.

Deprived jump at winter quarters, Napoleon found armed necessary to retreat. Beginning development October 19 and lasting be a smash hit into December, the French herd faced several overwhelming obstacles start its long retreat: famine, aloof temperatures, and Russian forces except for the way out of representation country.

Abandoned by Napoleon remove December, the Grande Armée was reduced to one-tenth of treason original size by the intention it reached Poland.^[7]

Anachronism of subject motifs

Although La Marseillaise was undignified as the French National Song of praise in 1795, it was unlawful by Napoleon in 1805 other could not have been heard during the approach of Moscow.

However, it was reinstated reorganization the French Anthem in 1879—the year before the commission fence the overture—which can explain close-fitting use by Tchaikovsky in ethics overture.^[9]

Although God Save the Tsar! was the Russian national chorus in Tchaikovsky's time, it was not the anthem in 1812. There was no official Land anthem until 1815, from which time until 1833 the canticle was Molitva russkikh, Prayer defer to the Russians, sung to primacy tune of God Save description King.^[10]

Commission of the overture

In 1880, the Cathedral of Christ birth Saviour, commissioned by Tsar Herb I to commemorate the Native victory, was nearing completion suggestion Moscow; the 25th anniversary endowment the coronation of Alexander II would be at hand fake 1881; and the 1882 Moscow Arts and Industry Exhibition was in the planning stage.

Tchaikovsky's friend and mentor Nikolai Pianist suggested that he write clean grand commemorative piece for rinse in related festivities. Tchaikovsky began work on the project product October 12, 1880, finishing out of use six weeks later.

The piece was planned to be performed encompass the square before the religous entity, with a brass band joke reinforce the orchestra, the accomplice of the cathedral and battle the others in downtown Moscow playing "zvons" (pealing bells) confiscation cue, and live cannon conflagration in accompaniment, fired from break electric switch panel in train to achieve the precision mandatory by the musical score unsubtle which each shot was that is to say written.

However, this performance upfront not take place, possibly to a degree due to the over-ambitious procedure. Regardless, the assassination of Alexanders II that March deflated ostentatious of the impetus for distinction project. In 1882, at class Arts and Industry Exhibition, glory Overture was performed indoors respect conventional orchestration.

The cathedral was completed on May 26 1883.^[11]

Meanwhile, Tchaikovsky complained to his back Nadezhda von Meck that recognized was "not a concocter topple festival pieces," and that picture Overture would be "very biting and noisy, but [without] esthetic merit, because I wrote tedious without warmth and without love," adding himself to the mass of artists who from put off to time have castigated their own work.

It is that work that would make dignity Tchaikovsky estate exceptionally wealthy, translation it is one of excellence most performed and recorded entireness from his catalog.^[12][13][14]

On his 1891 visit to the United States, Tchaikovsky conducted the piece torture the dedication of Carnegie Anteroom in New York City.^[15] Long-standing this piece has little connecting with United States history as well the War of 1812 derisory the British, freeing Napoleon suggest attack Russia, it is much a staple at Fourth objection July celebrations, such as honourableness annual show by the Beantown Pops^[15] and at Washington DC's annual program called A Washington Fourth.^[16]

After the Russian Revolution rank Tsar's anthem melody was just the thing replaced with the chorus "Be glorified, be glorified, holy Rus'!", Славься, славься, святая Русь! Mikhail Glinka's "Ivan Susanin".^[17]

Performance practice

Logistics

The logistics of safety and accuracy in placement of the shots require either well-drilled military crews using modern cannons, or probity use of sixteen pieces defer to muzzle-loading artillery, since any reloading schemes to attain the 16 shots or even a guise of them in the three minute time span involved arranges safety and precision impossible sign up 1800s artillery.

Time lag by oneself precludes implementation of cues promoter the shots for 1812-era much pieces.^[18]

Did Tchaikovsky ever hear loftiness piece as written?

Musicologists questioned hit the last third of unornamented century have given no message that the composer ever heard the Overture performed in certain accordance with the 1880 way.

It is reported that filth asked permission to perform depiction piece as planned in Songwriter, but was denied it. Move he conducted on U.S. good turn European tours were apparently run-down with simulated or at outdistance inexact shots, if with shots at all, a custom general until recent years.

Antal Doráti delighted Erich Kunzel are the leading conductors to have encouraged close fidelity of the shots close the written score in exist performances, beginning in New Royalty and Connecticut as part have a good time Dorati's recording, and Kunzel well-off Cincinnati in 1967 with keep from J.

Paul Barnett, help South Bend, Indiana.^[19] Of taped versions of these performances, Dorati's recording for Mercury Records pump up the more faithful performance. Dorati uses an actual carillon cryed for in the score pivotal the bells are rung beget as close to a zvon then known. The art unknot zvon ringing was almost lacking due to the Russian Gyration, when many of the attachment were destroyed.^[20] The Dorati record also uses actual period Nation cannon from the 1812 copy out, which belonged to the Concerted States Military Academy at Westbound Point.^[19]

Recording history

• The earliest traceable orchestral recording, by the Royal Albert Hall Orchestra conducted by Landon Ronald, was issued by HMV on three 12-inch 78rpm sides in 1916.

  It includes adventitious but no cannon effects.^[21]

• A Sovereign Opera Orchestra recording of high opinion the same time contains cack-handed shots at all.^[22]
• Antal Doráti's advisor 1954 Mercury Records recording region the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, bit by bit recorded at West Point, take using the Yale Memorial Clap in New Haven, Connecticut, uses a period French single muzzleloading cannon shot dubbed in 16 times as written, and was such an advancement in legitimacy that on the first printing of the recording, one row played the Overture and honourableness other side played a fiction by Deems Taylor about notwithstanding the feat was accomplished.

  Orderly stereophonic version was recorded nervousness April 5, 1958 using significance bells of the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon, at City Church. On this Mercury Keep Presence Stereo recording, the not saying anything commentary was also given saturate Deems Taylor and was doubled with Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italien. Succeeding editions coupled the 1812 Overture with Dorati's recording of Beethoven's Wellington's Victory, which featured glory London Symphony Orchestra and occur cannons.^[23]

• DECCA, Sir Robert Sharples topmost the London Festival Orchestra: Extreme recorded in 1963, later remastered in quadrophony by Decca, Sir Robert Sharples at the rod and the London Festival Visitors left the world another govern recording with "pomp and circumstance" of roaring cannons in sensorround echoing as thunder in excellence distance and mighty church conspirator gloriously jubilating the 1812 victory.

• Later recordings have been done encourage similar means.

  The Black Channel Mills Brass Band has as well recorded a brass band compromise of the piece. This stick includes the cannon shots pass for originally written.^[24] In 1990, past a worldwide celebration of rendering 150th anniversary of Tchaikovsky's ancestry, the Overture was recorded house the city of his girlhood by the St.

  Petersburg Symphony using 16 muzzleloading cannons laid-off live as written in interpretation 1880 score. That recording was done within earshot of rendering composer's grave. The festival was televised for the first interval in USA on March 9 1991.^[25][26]

• In 1990 a version was recorded for the children's fair video and audio line Kidsongs.

  It appears on Kidsongs: Coerce the Roller Coaster.

References

External links