The Voyevoda (symphonic ballad)
Encyclopedia
The Voyevoda, Op. 78, is a "symphonic ballad" for orchestra, written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
in 1891. It is based on Alexander Pushkin's translation of Adam Mickiewicz
's poem of that name.
Tchaikovsky started work on the symphonic ballad in September 1890, but did not finish it until close to the premiere over a year later. He was then actively engaged in finishing his last opera Iolanta
. The premiere of the ballad, which he conducted, took place on 18 November 1891, in Moscow. He was very dissatisfied with the work; even before the first performance he had decided it was mediocre at best and threatened to destroy the score. After the performance he declared "Such rubbish should never have been written". He carried out his threat the day after the first performance. However, the orchestral parts were retrieved by Alexander Siloti
and the score was later reconstructed.
Later, Tchaikovsky wrote to his publisher Jurgenson, "I do not regret The Voyevoda - it's got what it deserved. I am not in the least sorry, for I am profoundly convinced that this work would compromise me ... If something of this sort happens again, I shall tear it to shreds, or else completely give up composing. Not for anything in the world do I want to go on dirtying paper like Anton Grigorievich[ Rubinstein
] when everything has long since packed up".
The work is notable as Tchaikovsky's first use of the celesta
. He is most famous for using this instrument in the ballet The Nutcracker
(particularly, but not exclusively, in "The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy"), which was written after the ballad. However, he was not the first composer to use it: Ernest Chausson
had used the celesta in a work for small orchestra in 1888.
Excerpts from the score were used in the 2005 ballet Anna Karenina
, choreographed by Boris Eifman
.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
in 1891. It is based on Alexander Pushkin's translation of Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Bernard Mickiewicz ) was a Polish poet, publisher and political writer of the Romantic period. One of the primary representatives of the Polish Romanticism era, a national poet of Poland, he is seen as one of Poland's Three Bards and the greatest poet in all of Polish literature...
's poem of that name.
Tchaikovsky started work on the symphonic ballad in September 1890, but did not finish it until close to the premiere over a year later. He was then actively engaged in finishing his last opera Iolanta
Iolanta
Iolanta, Op. 69, is a lyric opera in one act by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The libretto was written by the composer's brother Modest Tchaikovsky, and is based on the Danish play Kong Renés Datter by Henrik Hertz. The play was translated by Fyodor Miller and adapted by Vladimir Zotov...
. The premiere of the ballad, which he conducted, took place on 18 November 1891, in Moscow. He was very dissatisfied with the work; even before the first performance he had decided it was mediocre at best and threatened to destroy the score. After the performance he declared "Such rubbish should never have been written". He carried out his threat the day after the first performance. However, the orchestral parts were retrieved by Alexander Siloti
Alexander Siloti
Alexander Ilyich Siloti was a Russian pianist, conductor and composer. Alexander Ilyich Siloti (also Ziloti, , Aleksandr Iljič Ziloti) (9 October 1863, near Kharkiv - 8 December 1945, New York) was a Russian pianist, conductor and composer. Alexander Ilyich Siloti (also Ziloti, , Aleksandr Iljič...
and the score was later reconstructed.
Later, Tchaikovsky wrote to his publisher Jurgenson, "I do not regret The Voyevoda - it's got what it deserved. I am not in the least sorry, for I am profoundly convinced that this work would compromise me ... If something of this sort happens again, I shall tear it to shreds, or else completely give up composing. Not for anything in the world do I want to go on dirtying paper like Anton Grigorievich
Anton Rubinstein
Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein was a Russian-Jewish pianist, composer and conductor. As a pianist he was regarded as a rival of Franz Liszt, and he ranks amongst the great keyboard virtuosos...
The work is notable as Tchaikovsky's first use of the celesta
Celesta
The celesta or celeste is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. Its appearance is similar to that of an upright piano or of a large wooden music box . The keys are connected to hammers which strike a graduated set of metal plates suspended over wooden resonators...
. He is most famous for using this instrument in the ballet The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
(particularly, but not exclusively, in "The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy"), which was written after the ballad. However, he was not the first composer to use it: Ernest Chausson
Ernest Chausson
Amédée-Ernest Chausson was a French romantic composer who died just as his career was beginning to flourish.-Life:Ernest Chausson was born in Paris into a prosperous bourgeois family...
had used the celesta in a work for small orchestra in 1888.
Excerpts from the score were used in the 2005 ballet Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina (Eifman)
The ballet Anna Karenina was choreographed by Boris Eifman and had its world première in Saint Petersburg on Saturday, April 2nd, 2005. Its plot was based on the novel Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.The music is by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and included excerpts from:* Symphony No. 2 in C minor Little...
, choreographed by Boris Eifman
Boris Eifman
Boris Eifman is a prolific choreographer associated with the Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg. He is known for his dark portrayals of anguished sexuality and extreme psychological states. The company frequently tours abroad, and has been economically successful...
.
Similarly named works
- In 1867-1868, Tchaikovsky wrote an opera The Voyevoda, based on the play A Dream on the Volga, by Alexander Ostrovsky. Apart from the title, this opera has nothing in common with the symphonic ballad.
- In 1886, Tchaikovsky wrote incidental musicIncidental musicIncidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, film or some other form not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the "film score" or "soundtrack"....
for the DomovoiDomovoiA domovoi or domovoy is a house spirit in Slavic folklore. The plural form in Russian can be transliterated domoviye or domovye ....
scene from A Dream on the Volga.
Notable recordings
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conducting National Symphony Orchestra (United States) - Yuri Krasnapolsky conducting New Philharmonia OrchestraPhilharmonia OrchestraThe Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
- Andrew LittonAndrew LittonAndrew Litton is an American orchestral conductor. Litton is a graduate of The Fieldston School, and holds both undergraduate and Masters degrees in music from Juilliard....
conducting the Dallas Symphony OrchestraDallas Symphony OrchestraThe Dallas Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra. It performs its concerts in the Meyerson Symphony Center in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas, United States.... - Vasily PetrenkoVasily PetrenkoVasily Petrenko is a Russian conductor. He attended the Capella Boys Music School and the St Petersburg Conservatoire. He studied conducting with Ilya Musin, and later under the tutelage of Mariss Jansons, Yuri Temirkanov and Esa-Pekka Salonen. He was resident conductor at the St. Petersburg...
conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic - Yevgeny Svetlanov conducting the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian FederationState Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian FederationThe State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation is a Russian orchestra based in Moscow...