“Musical confession of the soul”: the work of P. Tchaikovsky

Only 53 years included the life of the outstanding Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), and in the extensive list of works he created, we will find ten operas, three ballets, six symphonies, nine programmatic symphonic works, concerts, suites, quartets, music for dramatic performances , more than a hundred romances and many other compositions.

Tchaikovsky owns the words:

“Inspiration is the kind of guest who doesn’t like visiting the lazy; she appears to those who call her. “

Developing the musical traditions of Western European romantics, having experienced the influence of the Vienna Classical School and the Russian composers of the Mighty Handful, Tchaikovsky managed to find his own unique and original style, which determined his special, prominent place in the history of world musical culture. It is impossible to cover all the pages of his creative biography, and therefore we will turn only to some of them.

In the field of symphonic music, Tchaikovsky developed the genre of a programmed symphonic poem (“fantasies,” or “overtures-fantasies,” as defined by the composer himself) and a “classical” symphony in four movements. The literary works of Dante (Francesca da Rimini, 1876), Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet, 1869; The Tempest, 1873; Hamlet, 1888) and Byron (Manfred, 1885 ). In each of them, the literary source was easily guessed, the composer’s aspiration was felt to recreate the essence of artistic images in music as accurately as possible.

Of the six symphonies created, the Fourth (1877), Fifth (1888) and Sixth (1893) are especially popular, which simultaneously carry a tragic beginning and bright optimism.

“Musical confession of the soul,” according to the composer, “is poured out through sounds … just like a lyric poet expresses himself in verse. The only difference is that music has incomparably more powerful means and a more subtle language for expressing thousands of different moments of mental mood … “

The tragic loneliness of a man with a warm and trembling heart, his discord with the surrounding reality permeate the musical fabric of these symphonic works. At the same time, they convey the hero’s aspiration for a bright dream, harmony and ideal, the triumph of man over life circumstances and the vicissitudes of fate. In Tchaikovsky’s symphonies, a philosophical understanding of the essence of being, the problems of life and death, happiness and beauty is especially noticeable.

Operas occupy a significant place in Tchaikovsky’s work. The search for their own ways in creating a lyric-psychological musical drama was long and painful. The composer’s best operas are Eugene Onegin (1878) and The Queen of Spades (1890).

In the opera Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky focused on depicting the emotional experiences of the characters. In the scene of Tatyana’s letter, the emotional confusion of the heroine, her feeling of incipient love for Onegin are surprisingly accurately and subtly reflected. Genuinely sincere and emotional experiences of Lensky in arioso (solo musical number in the opera, usually less than the aria) “I love you, Olga!” and in the famous aria “What is the coming day for me?”

Themes of fate, merciless to man, evil and insidious Countess, Hermann’s unrestrained passion for cards and his sincere love for Lisa were masterfully developed by Tchaikovsky in the opera The Queen of Spades. The music brilliantly conveys the idea of ​​the destructive power of money, the deceitful atmosphere of high society, capable of breaking even an extraordinary person. In the final arioso of Hermann “What is our life? A game!” the motive of just retribution for a dishonorable act and unworthy behavior sounds.

Tchaikovsky’s ballet music, in which he performed not only as a brilliant reformer, but also as a discoverer, is illuminated with a fabulous romantic light. If earlier in ballet performances the main attention was paid to the choreographic skills and virtuosity of dancers, now music begins to play an important role in the organization of dramatic action. Musical images of Swan Lake (1876) developed in accordance with the principles of opera and symphonic art. The music for Swan Lake was just wonderful. The music critic G.A.Laroche wrote:

“Music-wise, Swan Lake is the best ballet I’ve ever heard … Melodies one another are more plastic, melodious and fascinating, pouring like a cornucopia; the rhythm of the waltz, prevailing between the dance numbers, is embodied in such a variety of graceful and captivating designs that never the melodic invention of a gifted and versatile composer has not stood a more brilliant test … Mr. Tchaikovsky noticed the peculiarities of the ballet style and … again expressed the flexibility that constitutes one of the most precious assets of creative talent. His music is quite ballet music, but at the same time it is quite good and interesting for a serious musician. “

In 1889, Tchaikovsky created the music for the ballet The Sleeping Beauty, based on the fairy tale of the French writer Ch. Perrault. Several years later he wrote music for the two-act extravaganza ballet The Nutcracker (1892). In the created fantasy world, the author embodied the eternal problems of the struggle between Good and Evil, faith in the victory of the bright ideals of Joy and Love. The forms of allegory turned out to be the most suitable for the embodiment of the composer’s artistic intention. On the night of a merry Christmas holiday, a tree is lit up, the world of children’s toys comes to life, and extraordinary miracles take place in the winter snow-covered forest. In a smooth waltz, light snowflakes sparkle and whirl, filling everything with the bright light of harmony, peace and beauty. While working on the music for ballet performances, Tchaikovsky once uttered the significant words: “Ballet is the same symphony.”They will become his main discovery in the creation of ballet music.

Tchaikovsky’s piano pieces “Children’s Album” and “The Seasons” (1876) are widely known. The cycle of plays “The Seasons” testifies to the amazing musical and pictorial talent of the composer, who managed to create pictures of native Russian nature.

Tchaikovsky’s romances are of great artistic value. They are distinguished by the sincerity of lyrical feelings, intonation of Russian folk songs and everyday romance. His heartfelt works in this genre have long become masterpieces: “Does the day reign …” to the words of A. N. Apukhtin, “That was in early spring …”, “I bless you, forests …” and “Amid a noisy ball … “to the words of A. K. Tolstoy. Variations of Russian folk songs “If I knew, if I knew …”, “Was I not a blade of grass in the field …” are also well known. Many of these little musical poems, dramatic monologues and lyric miniatures have been performed by the best singers in the world’s largest concert halls.

The traditions of P. I. Tchaikovsky in music were further successfully developed by A. K. Glazunov (1865-1936), S. I. Taneev (1856-1915), N. G. Rubinshtein (1835-1881) and S. V. Rachmaninov (1873-1943).