1812 Overture?

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky commemorating the victory of Russia in the Napoleonic Wars in 1812. The work is best known for the sequence of cannon fire, which is sometimes performed, especially at outside festivals, using real cannons. Despite the name, the composition has no historical connection with the War of 1812 between the United States and England, although it is often performed in the US alongside other patriotic music.

The overture debuted in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow on August 20, 1882.

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Contents 1 Overview 2 Notes 3 Media 4 See also

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Overview

The overture is a piece of program music. It opens with the somber tones of a Russian Church chant, recalling the declaration of war announced at Church services in Russia, and is then immediately followed by a solemn chant for Russian success in the war. This announcement and public reaction was captured in Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace.

A theme of marching armies follows, carried out by the horns. The French national anthem La Marseillaise reflects the French victories in the war and the capture of Moscow in September 1812. The Russian folk dance theme commemorates the battle beating back Napoleon. The retreat from Moscow late in October 1812 is reflected by a diminuendo. The firing of cannon reflects the military advances toward the French borders. With the end of the conflict over, we return to the peal of bells and fireworks for the victory and the liberation of Russia from French occupation. Below the cannon and the horns, we hear the Russian national anthem, God Save the Tsar. The Russian anthem is a counterpoint to the French anthem that was heard earlier. ¹

In Soviet times, Tchaikovsky's work had to be ed for performances: the God Save The Tsar anthem tune in the overture had to be replaced with e.g. Glory from Glinka's opera Ivan Susanin.

The actual cannon blasts prescribed by Tchaikovsky are usually rendered using a bass drum. Less frequently attaca (Strongly accented) snare drum diminuendos can be heard. Cannon fire has been used in some cases, however, and was first laid down on a recording by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in the 1950s. Subsequent similar recordings have been made by other groups, exploiting the advances in audio technology. Cannon fire is used annually in the Fourth of July during performance of the 1812 Overture by the Boston Pops during their annual concert on the shores of the Charles River.

In the mid-1960s, Igor Buketoff wrote a transcription of the "1812 Overture" with chorus. The opening segment was sung by voices as a sung chant instead of being played by cellos and violas, the children's chorus was added to the flute and English horn, and the full chorus was mixed into the winds--the entire orchestra, in fact--in the closing segment.

Notes

1. ^ The composition reflects the French and Russian anthems of 1882, not 1812. From 1799 to 1815, France had no national anthem, and "La Marseillaise" was not restored until 1870. "God Save the Tsar" was not adopted as Russia's official anthem until 1833. This is probably a case of artistic license, with Tchaikovsky using musical themes that would have been familiar to his audience.

Media

(audio)

1812 Overture (info) 1812 Overture Problems listening to the files? See media help.

See also

• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
• Romantic music
• Easybyte - free easy piano arrangement of 1812 Overture

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