Slavonic March and Yakov Grot: Difference between pages

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Tchaikovsky's '''''Slavonic March''''' (Славянский марш) in B-flat minor, [[Op.]] 31 ([[TH]] 45 ; [[ČW]] 42), sometimes known by the French title '''''Marche slave''''', was composed and orchestrated in late September/early October 1876 in [[Moscow]] for a charity concert in aid of victims of the war between Serbia and Turkey.
{{picture|file=Yakov Grot.jpg|caption='''Yakov Grot''' (1812–1893)}}
Russian academic and philologist (b. 15/27 December 1812 in [[Saint Petersburg]]; d. 24 May/5 June 1893 in [[Saint Petersburg]]), born '''''Yakov Karlovich Grot''''' (Яков Карлович Грот).


==Instrumentation==
A graduate of the [[Tsarskoye Selo]] Lyceum, he became a professor at Helsinki University in 1840. In 1858, he became a member of the Russian Imperial Academy of Sciences, later serving as its chairman (from 1884) and vice-president (from 1889). Grot was also the Russian language tutor to the future emperors [[Alexander II]] and [[Alexander III]].
The March is scored for an orchestra comprising 2 piccolos, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in B-flat), 2 bassoons + 4 horns (in F), 2 cornets (in B-flat), 2 trumpets (in B-flat), 3 trombones, tuba + 3 timpani, military drum, cymbals, bass drum, tam tam + violins I, violins II, violas, cellos, and double basses.


==Duration==
His translations of German and Scandinavian poetry were well known during his lifetime; however, it was for his studies on the orthography, lexicography and grammar of the Russian language that he is most remembered. In 1892, Grot invited Tchaikovsky to assist with editing some of the entries for musical terms in his new ''[[Dictionary of the Russian Language]]'' (Словарь русского языка), TH 321.
There is one movement: Moderato in modo di Marcia funebre (B-flat minor)—Più mosso. Allegro (B-flat major, 240 bars), lasting around 10 to 12 minutes in performance.


==Composition==
==Correspondence with Tchaikovsky==
The March was commissioned by the director of the Russian Musical Society, [[Nikolay Rubinstein]], for a concert in aid of victims of the conflict between Serbia and Turkey <ref name="note1"/>. Tchaikovsky received the request around 20 September/2 October 1876, and the completed full score is dated 25 September/7 October.
3 letters from Tchaikovsky to Yakov Grot have survived, dating from 1892 and 1893, all of which have been translated into English on this website:
* '''[[Letter 4685]]''' – 10/22 May 1892, from [[Klin]]
* '''[[Letter 4793]]''' – 29 October/10 November 1892, from [[Saint Petersburg]]
* '''[[Letter 4881]]''' – 4/16 March 1893, from [[Klin]]


During its composition and up to the time of publication, the composer himself referred to the March as the ''Serbo-Russian'': the autograph inscription on the title page of the manuscript score reads: "Serbo-Russian March on Slavonic folk themes" <ref name="note2"/>.
2 letters from Grot to the composer are preserved in the {{RUS-KLč}} at [[Klin]].


==Arrangements==
==Bibliography==
Tchaikovsky arranged the March for solo piano simultaneously with the full score.
* {{bib|1933/12}} (1933)
 
* {{bib|1975/10}} (1975)
==Performances==
The first performance of the March took place on 5/17 November 1876 in [[Moscow]], conducted by [[Nikolay Rubinstein]] at the first symphony concert of the Russian Musical Society, in aid of the Slavonic Charitable Society. The March had great success and was repeated by popular demand. Tchaikovsky wrote about this concert on 8/20 November 1876 to [[Aleksandra Davydova]]: "Last Saturday my ''Serbo-Russian'' march was played here for the first time, which produced a whole storm of patriotic enthusiasm" <ref name="note3"/>.
 
Other notable early performances included:
* [[Saint Petersburg]], Mariinsky Theatre, charity concert, 26 December 1876/7 January 1877, conducted by [[Eduard Nápravník]]
* [[Moscow]], Bolshoi Theatre concert, 13/25 February 1877, conducted by Tchaikovsky
* Manchester, Hallé Orchestra concert, 19 February/3 March 1881, conducted by Charles Hallé
* Boston, Music Hall, 23 February/7 March 1883, conducted by [[George Henschel]]
* [[London]], 5th London Symphony Concert, 1/13 December 1887, conducted by [[George Henschel]]
* [[Paris]], 23rd [[Colonne]] symphony concert, 24 March/5 April 1891, conducted by Tchaikovsky
* [[Moscow]], [[Aleksandr Ziloti]]'s concert, 6/18 November 1891, conducted by Tchaikovsky
* [[Saint Petersburg]], Charity Concert, 1/13 December 1891, conducted by Tchaikovsky
* Amsterdam, Concertgebouw, matinee concert, 18/30 July 1893, conducted by Jean Renard.
 
==Publication==
In October 1876, the March was printed by [[Pyotr Jurgenson]] in the author's arrangement for piano under the title ''Slavonic March''. The same publisher also printed an arrangement for piano duet by [[Aleksandra Batalina]] in February 1879; the full score in February 1880; and the orchestral parts in December 1887.
 
In 1889, a new edition of the full score and parts was produced <ref name="note5"/>, and in May 1893 an arrangement for two pianos and eight hands by [[Eduard Langer]] was published.
 
The full score and Tchaikovsky's solo piano arrangement of the Slavonic March were published in volumes 24 (1961) and 50Б (1965) respectively of the composer's ''[[Complete Collected Works]]'', edited by Irina Iordan. The statements of the anthem 'God Save the Tsar' were replaced with other music, with the original text confined to footnotes and appendices.
 
==Autographs==
Tchaikovsky's manuscripts of the full score {{TOW2|slavyanskiy-marsh-na-narodno-slavyanskie-temy-2017-08-17|(ф. 88, No. 86)}} and solo piano arrangement {{TOW2|slavyanskiy-marsh-na-narodno-slavyanskie-temy|(ф. 88, No. 87)}} are preserved in the {{RUS-Mcm}} in [[Moscow]].
 
==Recordings==
{{reclink}}
 
==Related Works==
Tchaikovsky made use of authentic Serbian folksongs in his Slavonic March, which he marked on the manuscript of the piano arrangement:
* ''Sunce jarko, ne sijaš jednako'' [The bright sun doesn't shine everywhere], from bar 5
* ''Prag je ovo milog Srba'' [On the borders of our beloved Serbia], from bar 86
* ''Jer puščani prah ne zadaje njemu strah'' [Because he does not fear their guns], the fourth section of the song ''Радо иде Србин у војнике'' [The Serb is happy to go to war], from bar 104.
 
The central section and coda (bars 123–134, 205–219) quote from the Russian anthem ''God Save the Tsar'' (Боже Цапя храни) by Aleksey Lvov (1833).
 
In 1880, Tchaikovsky was asked by [[Karl Davydov]] to write music for one of a series of tableaux, depicting the principal events of the [[Alexander II]]'s reign, he was less than enthusiastic about the scene commissioned from him, described as "The moment at which news is received in Montenegro of Russia's declaration of war on Turkey (the Leader reading the manifesto to the Montenegrins)". "Montenegro? The reading of a manifest? I am discomfited by this, and so far my head is completely empty", he replied. "Would it be possible to slip my Serbo-Russian March into this performance? Perhaps this is a silly idea, but I still really do not understand what it is all about. If this question (regarding the march) could be settled by you in the affirmative, then, perhaps, you could even find it possible to have it illustrate the 7th scene" <ref name="note4"/>. However, this idea was rejected, and Tchaikovsky was required to devise [[Montenegro|new music]] instead.


==External Links==
==External Links==
* {{imslpscore|Slavonic_March,_Op.31_(Tchaikovsky,_Pyotr)|Slavonic March}}
* [[wikipedia:Yakov_Grot|Wikipedia]]


==Notes and References==
[[Category:People|Grot, Yakov]]
<references>
[[Category:Correspondents|Grot, Yakov]]
<ref name="note1">See [[Letter 862]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]], 24 June/6 August 1878.</ref>
<ref name="note2">See also [[Letter 862]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]], 24 June/6 August 1878.</ref>
<ref name="note3">See [[Letter 1414]] to [[Karl Davydov]], 25 January/6 February 1880.</ref>
<ref name="note4">[[Letter 513]] to [[Aleksandra Davydova]], 8/20 November 1876.</ref>
<ref name="note5">See [[Letter 4361]] to [[Pyotr Jurgenson]], 30 March/11 April 1891.</ref>
</references>
[[Category:Orchestral Music]]

Revision as of 08:53, 8 August 2023

Yakov Grot (1812–1893)

Russian academic and philologist (b. 15/27 December 1812 in Saint Petersburg; d. 24 May/5 June 1893 in Saint Petersburg), born Yakov Karlovich Grot (Яков Карлович Грот).

A graduate of the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, he became a professor at Helsinki University in 1840. In 1858, he became a member of the Russian Imperial Academy of Sciences, later serving as its chairman (from 1884) and vice-president (from 1889). Grot was also the Russian language tutor to the future emperors Alexander II and Alexander III.

His translations of German and Scandinavian poetry were well known during his lifetime; however, it was for his studies on the orthography, lexicography and grammar of the Russian language that he is most remembered. In 1892, Grot invited Tchaikovsky to assist with editing some of the entries for musical terms in his new Dictionary of the Russian Language (Словарь русского языка), TH 321.

Correspondence with Tchaikovsky

3 letters from Tchaikovsky to Yakov Grot have survived, dating from 1892 and 1893, all of which have been translated into English on this website:

2 letters from Grot to the composer are preserved in the Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve at Klin.

Bibliography

External Links