Download Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) was

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) was among a generation of young Russian
composers who fell under the sway of Mily Balakirev, a composer and critic with vast
influence in his day. He is best known as the ringleader of the group dubbed “The
Russian Five,” which included his protégés Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin and
Cui. Balakirev also played a crucial role in nurturing Tchaikovsky’s career, although they
eventually diverged when Tchaikovsky embraced a more cosmopolitan and less Russianfocused style.
After conducting Tchaikovsky’s tone poem Fate (an early work that would later be
withdrawn), Balakirev was impressed enough to take a hand in shaping Tchaikovsky’s
future. Balakirev suggested a new orchestral project, a tone poem based on Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet; he even went so far as to outline a particular way the themes should be
organized. Tchaikovsky began the project in 1869, and he continued to seek feedback
from Balakirev, to whom he dedicated the score. After the premiere in March of 1870,
Tchaikovsky made a few more revisions before publication. He revisited the work once
more in 1880, creating the final version performed most often today.
The Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture features three main themes, representing Friar
Laurence, the struggle between the Montagues and the Capulets, and Romeo and Juliet’s
love. The “Friar Laurence” music, in a hymn-like setting, occupies the slow introduction.
The faster “struggle” material serves as the primary theme for the ensuing body of the
overture, with the bellicosity emphasized by crashing cymbals. The tranquil theme that
represents “love” is an early example of Tchaikovsky’s particular talent for spinning out
beautiful, romantic melodies.
Program Notes © 2015 Aaron Grad