Tchaikovsky
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Ballade vom Haideknaben
Вещий сон
Declamation with piano by Robert Schumann (Op. 122, No. 1), arranged for orchestra (1874).
| Catalogue References | TH 184 ; ČW 415 (as "Prophetic Dream") |
|---|---|
| Date | February 1874 |
| Text | Friedrich Hebbel (1813–1867), from his poem Der Heideknabe (1844), in an anonymous Russian translation as Prophetic Dream (Вещий сон) |
| Language | Russian |
| Tempo/Section Listing | [Ziemlich bewegt] (B minor, 98 bars) |
| Instrumentation | Reciter + 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets (A), 2 Bassoons + 4 Horns (F), 2 Trumpets (F), 2 Trombones, Tuba + Timpani + Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses |
| First Performance | Moscow, 7/19 April 1874, by Ivan Samarin, conducted by Nikolai Rubinstein |
| Autograph Location | Lost |
| First Publication | Moscow: Muzyka, 1970 |
| Average Duration | 5 minutes |
| Notes | The Ballade vom Haideknaben was composed in 1852 by Robert Schumann (1810–1856), and published in 1853 as No. 1 of Zwei Balladen für Deklamation mit Begleitung des Pianoforte, Op. 122 |
| External Links | The Lied
and Art Song Texts Page
 (text and
translations) |
History
This work was apparently carried out for a symphony concert of the Moscow branch of the Russian Musical Society, which took place on 7/19 April 1874. The text was recited by Ivan Samarin, and the orchestra was conducted by Nikolai Rubinstein.
The exact date of composition has not been determined. On a manuscript copy of the full score, Karl Albrecht wrote "P. Tchaikovsky. Prophetic Drean, ballad for orchestra, 27 February 1874" [O.S.].
From:
Музыкальное наследие Чайковского (1958), p. 494
English text copyright © 2006 Brett Langston