Ivan the Terrible
Иван Грозный
Characteristic musical picture (Op. 79) by Anton Rubinstein, arranged
for piano duet (1869).
| Catalogue References |
TH 177 ; ČW 408 |
| Date |
October 1869 |
| Key |
B minor |
| Tempo/Section Listing |
Lento e maestoso (607 bars, B minor) |
| Instrumentation |
Piano duet (4 hands) |
| Autograph Location |
Lost |
| First Publication |
Saint Petersburg: V. Bessel, 1869 |
| Average Duration |
24 minutes |
| Notes |
The ‘characteristic musical picture’ for orchestra Ivan the Terrible
(Op. 79) by Anton Grigor'evich
Rubinstein (1829–1894), was written in 1869, based on the drama
The Maid of Pskov (Псковитянка) (1860) by Lev Aleksandrovich Mei (1822–1862).
It was first published by Bessel in the same year,
simultaneously with Tchaikovsky's arrangement for piano duet |
History
Made by Tchaikovsky in 1869 in Moscow
at the request of the publisher Vasilii Bessel.
The story of the arrangement is related in the composer's correspondence
with his brothers and with Vasilii
Bessel: "Yesterday I received a request from Bessel in Saint Petersburg: he wants
me to arrange Rubinstein's Ivan the Terrible" [1].
"I’m arranging Anton Rubinstein's overture Ivan the Terrible for four
hands" [2], and
"I’ve finished the arrangement commissioned by Bessel" [3]. While in a
letter to Bessel on 21 December
1869/2 January 1870 Tchaikovsky wrote: "Thank you for sending the 40 roubles
and also for the proofs of Ivan. A receipt is enclosed" [4].
The arrangement was published by Vasilii Bessel in 1869.
From:
Музыкальное наследие Чайковского (1958), pp. 490–491
English text copyright © 2006 Brett Langston
Notes:
- Letter 153 to Anatolii Tchaikovsky,
7/19 October 1869 [back]
- Letter 155 to Modest Tchaikovsky,
12/24 October 1869 [back]
- Letter 157 to Anatolii Tchaikovsky,
30 October/11 November 1869 [back]
- Letter 171 to Vasilii Bessel, 21 December
1869/2 January 1870. The receipt read "I have received 40 silver roubles for
arranging A. G. Rubinstein’s
composition Ivan the Terrible. Petr Tchaikovsky. Moscow, 21 December 1869" [back]
|