Polka de Salon

Tchaikovsky Research

The Polka de Salon (TH 199) [1] is a short humorous piano piece included in Tchaikovsky's Letter 4916 to his nephew Vladimir Davydov, 15/27 April 1893.

It comprises a short melody for piano (C major, 5 bars), set to the words "Uncle Petya, Uncle Tolya, Uncle Modya and Bob", and was written for another of the composer's nephews, the nine-year old Georgy Tchaikovsky [2].

4916 ex1.jpg

The autograph is preserved in the Klin House-Museum Archive (a3, No. 149) [3].

Notes and References

  1. Not included in ČW.
  2. The sketch is headed: "Polka de Salon (à M-r Georges Tschaïkowsky)".
  3. Published in facsimile in П. И. Чайковский. Письма к близким. Избранное (1955), p. 536, and П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XVII, p. 82.