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TH 22

The Voevoda

Воевода

Music for the Domovoi's monologue in Aleksandr Ostrovskii's play (1886).

  • Composed January 1886.
  • Scored for 2 Flutes; Oboe; Clarinet (B♭); Bassoon; Harp; Violins I; Violins II; Violas; Violoncellos; Double Basses.
  • First performed in Moscow, Malyi Theatre, 19/31 January 1886.
  • Not connected with Tchaikovsky's opera or symphonic ballad with the same name.
  • Average duration: 6m

History

In a letter of 6 January 1886, Ippolit Shpazhinskii communicated to Tchaikovsky a request from Aleksandr Ostrovskii, to write music for the Domovoi’s monologue in the second version of his piece The Voevoda, "which has some delightful verses. These verses should of course be set to quiet music in the orchestra, which should depict the sounds of night" [1]. Tchaikovsky responded favourably and immediately began composition, as is indicated by the themes noted down on Shpazhinskii’s letter. The production was scheduled for 12 January, but was postponed until 19 January 1886, on the stage of the Malyi Theatre in Moscow (a benefit performance for the artist Konstantin Rybakov). Tchaikovsky composed the music for the Domovoi Scene between 13 and 17 January at Maidanovo [2].

Aleksandr Ostrovskii commissioned the remaining musical numbers for the piece from his friend, the composer Vladimir Kashperov.

The Scenes of Peasant Life in the 17th Century were heard only once with Tchaikovsky's music - on 19 January, at Konstantin Rybakov’s benefit - and then the music to the melodrama was performed no more.

From: Музыкальное наследие Чайковского (1958), p. 200
English text copyright © 2006 Brett Langston

Notes:
  1. Letter from Ippolit Shpazhinskii to Tchaikovsky, 6/18 January 1886 - Russian State Archive for Literature and the Arts; see also letter from Ippolit Shpazhinskii to Tchaikovsky, 7/19 January 1886 - Klin House-Museum Archive [back]
  2. See letter 2852 to Nadezhda von Meck, 13/25 January 1886, and letter from Ippolit Shpazhinskii to Tchaikovsky, 17/29 January1886 - Klin House-Museum Archive [back]
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