Alyosha and the Laundress
Tchaikovsky Research
Tchaikovsky's notebook for 1883 contains notes of two themes in G major/E minor (TH 220), made while he was staying with his brother Anatoly at Podushkino, near Moscow [1]. The first theme is a variant of the folk-song 'Mother reproaches me' (Мамашенька браниця), and the second resembles the folk-tune 'Masha is not allowed' (Не веляи Маше).
Above the sketches is the note: "3 July. (Alyosha and the laundress)". "Alyosha" was the familiar name of Tchaikovsky's servant Aleksey Sofronov. Between the themes are the words "Mum is cursing, since the daughter <illegible>. She still doesn't know who is her beloved" [2]. This suggests that Tchaikovsky was probably making sketches for a projected musical entertainment at Podushkino.
