The abilities of the young composer showed up at an early age. From the age of 5, Tchaikovsky freely played the piano. And at eight he began to record his first musical impressions.
The world fame of the composer and conductor was left by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. His life is completely devoted to playing music. More than 80 works written by the composer. These are operas and ballets, symphonies and concerts for piano, suites and string quartets.
Vivid musical language is possessed by Tchaikovsky's Children's Album. Content The cycle resembles one day a child, with his games and sorrows. The folklore of the material, amazing melodics made this cycle in demand today.
Tchaikovsky: "Children's album." History of creation
The composer's idea of ​​writing a children's cycle can be attributed to February 1878. Tchaikovsky was on a trip abroad. In one of his letters to acquaintances, he announces a desire to create a small collection of easy plays for children to perform. By analogy with Schuman's Album for the Young.
The opus was completely completed in May 1878. Musical numbers are interconnected in small microcycles. The depth of the subtext, the difficult life period hid under the melodic intonations of Tchaikovsky. "Children's album", the story of creation which is associated with the family of the composer's sister, deserves to be called a masterpiece ...
Davydov family
Alexandra Ilyinichna, her husband and children were always happy about Tchaikovsky’s arrival at their house. The village of Kamenka near Kiev is a family estate of the noble family of the Davydovs. Tchaikovsky’s sister, in the marriage of Davydov, gladly received her brother in this large, comfortable house.
Pyotr Ilyich devoted a lot of time to his sister's children. He played for a long time and walked with them. He was able to tell interesting stories about the countries he visited. He listened with attention to the stories of his nephews about the day spent or various events in their life.
Alexandra Ilyinichna’s seven children filled the estate with fervent laughter and fun games. Impressed by this friendly family, "Children's Album" was written. He is dedicated by the author to his nephew, Volodya Davydov.
"Children's album" by Tchaikovsky: contents
The program content of the cycle is arranged by the composer in a certain sequence. Art historians logically divide the opus into the morning, day and evening of children's day.
Games, songs, dances are simple and unpretentious plays by Tchaikovsky. "Children's album" It is rightfully a source of inspiration for children's creativity. Poems, paintings, which are based on miniatures of the opus, develop the imaginative thinking of children. They allow you to integrate various types of art, form a holistic perception of the world.
For an unknown reason, the order of the thumbnails has been changed. There are differences in the handwritten version of the author and in print. Most likely, the composer, Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich, did not attach importance to small permutations. Therefore, "Children's Album" is printed with changes to this day.
Difficult period of life
In a difficult life period, he created Tchaikovsky's Children's Album. It all started with his marriage to Antonina Milyukova. She was a student at the conservatory and a big fan of the composer.
Their family life did not work out. It’s hard to say why. There are different versions on this score. It is a known fact that Tchaikovsky wanted to commit suicide in connection with this unsuccessful marriage. His unwillingness to live with this particular woman forced him to break off his relationship.
Tchaikovsky goes on a trip abroad for six months. It was there that he came up with the idea of ​​writing an album for children. The composer saw work and creativity as a way out of a mental crisis.
Two versions of Children's Album
There are two versions of the interpretation of Children's Album. Art critics are sure that the tragedy of some miniatures is directly related to the author’s complex marriage relationship.
First version. A child’s usual day is with his games, dancing, reading books and daydreaming.
The second version. It symbolizes human life. Awakening of feelings and personality, reflections on religion and God. Youthful maximalism and the joy of youth are replaced by the first losses, grief. Then come whole years of wanderings in different countries in a desire to restore peace of mind. Returning home, thinking about the meaning of life and the equality of death. And in conclusion - repentance and summing up, reconciliation with oneself.
Numbers of "Children's Album"
- "Morning Prayer."
- "Winter morning".
- "The game of horses."
- "Mom".
- "The march of wooden soldiers."
- "Disease of the doll."
- "The funeral of the doll."
- "Waltz".
- "The new doll."
- "Mazurka".
- "Russian song".
- "A man is playing the harmonica."
- "Kamarinskaya".
- "Polka".
- "Italian song."
- "An old French song."
- "German song."
- "Neapolitan song."
- "Nanny's Tale."
- "Baba Yaga."
- "Sweet Dream."
- Song of the Lark.
- "The organ grinder sings."
- "In the church".
Morning cycle
The morning cycle consists of the plays “Morning Prayer”, “Winter Morning”, “Game of Horses”, “Mom”. Tchaikovsky "Children's album" wrote under the impression of his many nephews. He conveyed their daily routine, games and fun in his essay.
"Morning Prayer . " The day of adults and children began and ended with it. In a musical play, the composer used the melody of real church prayer. The intonation conversation of the child with God is imbued with purity and childlike spontaneity.
"Winter morning . " The alarmed music of a harsh, inhospitable winter sounds in the play. A foggy, cold morning gives way to mournful intonations. It was as if a child had looked out the window and saw little birds that had fallen from frost.
"The game of horses . " The mischievous melody of the play conveys the fun of an awakened child, his desire to play and run. The composer accurately depicted the clatter of a toy horse's hooves. Fairy-tale obstacles, a change of scenery during the game are reflected in the rich harmony of the play.
"Mom . " An affectionate, melodious miniature draws the sincere feelings of a child and mother. Mental experiences are reflected in flexible intonation. The melodic voice transmission communicates with mom music. "Children's album" by Tchaikovsky imbued with the rich nuances of harmonization and children's experiences.
Daily cycle
The daily cycle consists of games and entertainment, dancing and songs. Energetic, full of fun plays are replaced by the first childhood losses and grief. Tchaikovsky’s “Children's Album,” the content of his daily cycle in particular, has a clear division into games for girls and boys, songs from different countries and dances.
"The march of wooden soldiers . " The clarity, lightness, resilience of the boyish game is reflected in the play. A toy procession of soldiers or the whole army is drawn by the composer with a strict rhythmic pattern.
"Disease of the doll . " The girl’s experience about her sick doll is conveyed by amazing musical means. The play lacks the integrity of the melody. She is constantly interrupted by pauses-sighs.
"The funeral of the doll . " The first children's grief is always deep and significant. Sincere experiences, tears, the composer draws with respect for the tragedy and personality of the child.
Waltz . Children's experiences are quickly replaced by a cheerful, lively dance. The feeling of a home holiday, universal joy conveys Tchaikovsky. "Children's Album" (waltz in particular) is filled with light chords, a tuneful melody that carries you into the dance circle.
"The new doll . " The mood of the miniature is imbued with joy and happiness. A lively run, an excited heartbeat is conveyed by the music of the play. The swift melody incorporated a whole gamut of feelings - delight, amazement, joy.
Songs and Dances
This subsection of the daily cycle brings together Russian songs and ballroom dances of that time. They symbolize the dreams of children, their conversations, a walk in the village. Different in sound dances alternate songs of Tchaikovsky. "Children's album" conveys all the injustice of childhood.
"Mazurka". Fast Polish dance was very popular among Russian composers. Noisy, lively accents, rhythm penetrated mazurka. "Children's album" Tchaikovsky conceived as a saturation of the inner experiences and actions of the child. Therefore, even in a moving mazurka, an easy transition to sadness and daydreaming is heard.
"Russian song . " The melody of the play is the treatment of the Russian folk song “You’re the head, my little head”. Tchaikovsky noted the fret changes from major to minor as a national feature of Russian songs and applied them in his processing.
"A man is playing the harmonica . " This play is a figurative scene from folk life. The merry understatement of harmony gives the impression of an unsuccessful harmonist. Variable repetitions give humor to the play.
"Kamarinskaya" . This is a folk dance song with variations. Tchaikovsky was able to accurately convey the sound of the bagpipe in the bass ostinato, the intonation of the violin, and the chord harmonics.
"Polka" . The perky Czech dance was used in the cycle by Tchaikovsky. The polka from the Children's Album is as light as a ballroom dance of the time. A graceful motif is drawn by a girl in an elegant dress and shoes, who dances an elegant polka on her toes.
Songs of distant lands
This section is devoted to songs of foreign countries. The color of countries is easily conveyed by the composer. Tchaikovsky traveled a lot, he visited France and Italy, Turkey and Switzerland.
"Italian song . " In it, Tchaikovsky accurately conveys the accompaniment of a guitar or mandolin, so beloved in Italy, by means of musical expressiveness . An energetic, playful song resembles a waltz. But there is no dance smoothness in it, but there is a southern liveliness and impetuosity.
"An old French song . " A sad folk motif sounds in the play. Thoughtful daydreaming was inherent in medieval France with its minstrels. The play resembles a minor ballad, restrained and sincere.
"German song . " A gallant and funny play whose harmony resembles the sound of a barrel organ. In the "German Song" there are intonations of yodel. This manner of performing songs is characteristic of the inhabitants of the Alps.
"Neapolitan song . " The sound of folk instruments is heard in this play. Naples is one of the cities of Italy. The energy of rhythm and the liveliness of the melody convey the ardor of the southerners.
Evening cycle
The evening cycle resembles childhood fatigue after afternoon fun. This is an evening tale, dreams before bedtime, fear of the dark. The “Children's Album” concludes, as the prayer begins.
"Nanny's Tale . " The composer draws a fairy-tale image, all imbued with unexpected pauses and accents. A bright, calm melody goes into alarm and concern for the heroes of a fairy tale.
"Baba Yaga . " Daydreaming and childhood imagination are conveyed by Tchaikovsky's Children's Album. Baba Yaga in the play seems to fly in a mortar under the whistle of the wind - the melody of the miniature is so sharp, abrupt. Moving forward and the gradual removal of a fairy-tale character is transmitted by music.
"Sweet Dream . " And again the calm thoughtfulness of the melody, the beauty and simplicity of the sound of the miniature. As if a child, looking out the window at frosty patterns, composes his simple story in the evening twilight.
Song of the Lark . Animation before going to bed and the presentation of the next joyful morning. And with him - and the singing of a lark with his trills and a high register.
"The organ grinder sings . " The lingering sounds of an ancient instrument, the movement of the melody in a circle as if symbolize the infinity of the movement of life. The psychologically complex musical image of the play reminds of non-childish thoughts in the head of an ordinary child.
"In the church . " The prayer begins and ends with the Children's Album. Such an arch means summing up the day (evening) or the mood for good deeds (morning). At the time of the composer, daily prayers were obligatory. They thanked God for the day spent, asked for mercy and help in difficulties.
Cycle for children
Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich was one of the first Russian composers to write a cycle of piano pieces for children. These are technically uncomplicated plays, accessible to the understanding of the child. The cycle consists entirely of entertaining musical miniatures.
Each piece is a complete piece. By playing miniatures from the cycle, the child solves various artistic and performing tasks. Smoothness and tunefulness give way to a jerky march, minority of sadness gives way to a joyful major.
It consists of 24 plays "Children's album" by Tchaikovsky. Content The cycle conveys the simplicity and richness of children's life. Sorrow, fun, games, fun dances are built by the composer in a storyline.
Collaboration and creativity
For more than a hundred years, Tchaikovsky’s plays have been played in music schools and circles. The difference in their interpretations depends on the musical image that this or that artist puts in miniatures.
Vivid dramaturgy of the album allows you to collaborate with the composer. After listening to the opus, children create paintings, poems, plays of their own composition. The creative process allows you to completely immerse yourself in the emotional and musical interpretation of "Children's Album."