Tchaikovsky C Major Essay

Tchaikovsky’s Serenade in C Major has been considered to be one of his most favourable works. Composed in the late months of 1880, Serenade was performed for the first time on December 3rd 1880 at the Moscow Conservatory. It then landed its first public performance in St Petersburg on the 30th of October 1881; the premier was indubitably well received under the direction of Eduard Napravnik. Tchaikovsky was quoted saying that he “wrote from inner compulsion, this is a piece from the heart” as he attempted to compose a tribute to Mozart’s own serenades; a very fond idol of his.

The opening movement Pezzo in forma di sonatina is based on the form of the classical sonatina, beginning with a rather slow introduction. Following the andante non troppo allegro moderato markings, Tchaikovsky’s first theme is cluttered with double-stopping in the violins and violas, which grows to form a towering chordal structure. The beautifully rich chorale accelerates in pace to a four-note theme in the allegro, developing quite suddenly into spirited scaleic passages. These intense moments, demonstrate the various orchestral colours that the string section alone can provide, hence, Tchaikovsky said that “the larger the string orchestra, the more my intentions will be realised.” The constant running lines throughout the piece slip gracefully back into the first theme, before

Unlike the previous movement the texture holds an apparent grace of touch throughout the waltz. Agility and elegance are the ideologies placed forth by Tchaikovsky, for which the orchestra should strive to achieve. The movement ends in a gentle pianissimo, leading quietly and subtlety hinting at the darkness of