Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture / Romeo and Juliet / Capriccio Italien

Featuring

Johannes Wildner
Philharmonia Cassovia
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

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Composition History

Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture was commissioned to celebrate the opening of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, coinciding with the Moscow Exhibition of Industry and the Arts and the Tsar's silver jubilee.

Composer Biography

Tchaikovsky received a pension from a rich widow, whom he never met, which allowed him the independence to pursue his career as a composer.

Composer Biography

Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, the composer, resigned from a position in the Ministry of Justice to study at the newly established Conservatory in St. Petersburg.

Composition History

The idea for Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture came from Balakirev, a leader of a group of nationalist composers.

Compositional Technique

The 1812 Overture graphically describes the conflict of 1812, using the French 'Marseillaise' and Russian Orthodox chant, folk-song, and 'God save the Tsar' to represent the opposing forces.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Tchaikovsky was deeply affected by the departure of his governess and the death of his mother, which contributed to his morbidly sensitive and diffident nature.

Composition History

Tchaikovsky's Marche Slave was composed in response to a request for a work to aid victims of the Turks in the Balkans, where Montenegro and Serbia had declared war against Turkey.