Chapter 59

Music and Ballet in Nineteenth-Century Russia; Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky

Lecture Overview

• Music in Russia in general • Nationalism vs. Europeanism • Modest Mussorgsky: – life and works – “Within Four Walls” from Sunless • Ballet: history, art, craft • Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky: – life and music – The Nutcracker , Act 1, No. 8 • Review

The Life of Modest Mussorgsky (1839–1881) • 1839 born in Karevo south of St. Petersburg (near present day Estonia) • 1852 enters military school in St. Petersburg, no formal musical training • 1857 lessons from Mily Balakirev • 1869 completes first version of opera Boris Godunov • 1874 Boris staged at the Mariinsky Theater in a revised version • 1881 dies in St. Petersburg

Principal Compositions by Modest Mussorgsky • Operas: including – Boris Godunov – – The Marriage Khovanshchina (incomplete) • Orchestra: include Night on Bald Mountain • Piano: works include the suite Pictures at an Exhibition • Songs: include the cycles – The Nursery – – Sunless Songs and Dances of Death

Modest Mussorgsky, “Within Four Walls” from

Sunless

, 1874

Through-composed form

Life of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) • 1840 born in a town in the Ural Mountains in central Russia; grows up in St. Petersburg • 1865 graduates from Conservatory in St. Petersburg • 1866 appointed to faculty at the Conservatory in Moscow • 1870s travels in Europe and lives in various Russian cities • 1885 settles in Moscow • 1892 completes Symphony No. 6 and The Nutcracker • 1893 dies in St. Petersburg from cholera

Principal Compositions by Tchaikovsky

• Orchestra: symphonies (6), tone poems, suites; concertos • Operas include – – Eugene Onegin Queen of Spades • Ballets: – – – Sleeping Beauty Swan Lake The Nutcracker • Chamber music: string quartets (3), sextet ( Souvenir de Florence ) • Songs: about 100 including folk song arrangements • Chorus: cantatas, church music • Piano: character pieces

Ternary form Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker , 1892, Act 1, scene 8 (At the Christmas Tree)

Review Key Terms

• Mikhail Glinka • Mariinsky Theater • Mily Balakirev • kuchka (“handful”) • The Five • Boris Godunov • ballet • Marie Taglioni • scenario • choreographer • mime • variations (ballet) • divertissement • Marius Petipa • celesta • suite