Tchaikovsky, Pytr Il'ich : 18 Morceaux Op.72
Work Overview
Publication Year：1893
First Publisher：Jurgenson
Instrumentation：Piano Solo
Genre：pieces
Total Playing Time：1 hr 08 min 00 sec
Copyright：Public Domain
Commentary (1)
Author : Ｔａｃｈｉ, Arisa
Last Updated: October 16, 2014
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Author : Ｔａｃｈｉ, Arisa
This piano work was left by Tchaikovsky (1840-93) in his final years, in 1893, and was written during the composition period of his famous Symphony No. 6, "Pathétique". After its completion, the work was brought to P. Jurgenson (1836-1903), a publisher and friend. Titled "Morceaux" (Pieces), most of the compositions are written in the A-B-A' ternary form, commonly used for small-scale musical works. However, they possess a certain volume, lasting around 5 minutes each, and some demand considerable technical skill from the performer.
The A and B sections of the ternary form are clearly separated in the score and distinctly audible to the listener, making the contrast within each piece a highlight. Furthermore, how the A' section differs from the A section is an interesting point; for instance, in No. 17, "Distant Past," the A' section becomes a beautiful variation of the A section. Only the final piece, No. 18, "Invitation to the Trepak," does not follow the ternary form; instead, the opening motif progressively gains brilliance.
The titles of the pieces can be categorized into four patterns:
- Those referring to instrumental music genres (e.g., No. 1, "Impromptu")
- Parodic titles (e.g., No. 9, "Slightly in the Style of Schumann")
- Titles named after dances (e.g., No. 7, "Concert Polonaise")
- Those with other specific themes (e.g., No. 8, "Dialogue")
This titling approach is reminiscent of Schumann's suite "Carnaval," but unlike "Carnaval," there is no unifying structural element for the entire work; rather, it is a collection of 18 piano pieces, each with its own independent world.
While Tchaikovsky tackled highly urgent themes such as "life" and "death" in his Symphony No. 6, "Pathétique", which he completed later, he had previously written works for romantic fairy tales, such as the ballet "The Nutcracker" and the opera "Iolanta." These "18 Morceaux" skillfully blend these two extremes of his creative output.
Movements (18)
"Danse caracteristique" Op.72-4
Key: D-Dur Total Performance Time: 3 min 30 sec
"Scene dansante, invitation au trepac" Op.72-18
Key: C-Dur Total Performance Time: 3 min 50 sec
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Recording Date: 2017/8/18
Recording Location: 第一生命ホール（2017年ピティナ・ピアノコンペティション 特級 セミファイナル）
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Sheet Music
Scores List (14)
(株)春秋社
（株）全音楽譜出版社
（株）全音楽譜出版社
（株）全音楽譜出版社
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