Tchaikovsky
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The Voevoda
Воевода
Music for the Domovoi's monologue in Aleksandr Ostrovskii's play (1886).
| Catalogue References: | TH 22 ; ČW 20 (as "Music of the House-Spirit's Monologue to A.N. Ostrovskij's comedy The Voyevoda"). |
|---|---|
| Date: | January 1886. |
| Key: | G minor. |
| Tempo/Section Listing: | Andante non troppo (G minor, 45 bars). |
| Instrumentation: | 2 Flutes, Oboe, Clarinet (B♭), Bassoon + Harp, Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses. |
| First Performance: | Moscow, Malyi Theatre, 19/31 January 1886. |
| Autograph Location: | Moscow: Russian State Archive of Literature and Art. |
| First Publication: | Moscow: Muzgiz, 1962. |
| Average Duration: | 6 minutes. |
| Notes: | Written to accompany a performance of
Aleksandr Ostrovskii's
play The Voevoda. Scenes from 17th-Century Peasant Life (1886),
which in its earlier incarnation as Dream on the
Volga (Сон на Волге) (1865) served as the basis for Tchaikovsky's
first opera The Voevoda
(1867–68), although there is no musical connection between these works,
or with the later symphonic ballad of the same name on a poem by Mickiewicz
(see TH 54). A Study Score is available for this work. |
| External Links: |
Internet Music Score Library Project
(downloadable score). |
History
In a letter of 6/18 January 1886, Ippolit Shpazhinskii communicated to Tchaikovsky a request from Aleksandr Ostrovskii, to write music for the Domovoi’s monologue in the revised version of his play The Voevoda (1885), "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 12/24 January, but was postponed until 19/31 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 13/25–17/29 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 19/31 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:
- 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]
- 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]