Tchaikovsky Research : Six Pieces on a Single Theme, Op. 21 (TH 134)

Catalogue References	TH 134 ; ČW 118
Date	September–November 1873
Key	G♯ minor
Tempo/Section Listing	Allegro moderato (G♯ minor, 36 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow: Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 112)
First Publication	Saint Petersburg: V. Bessel, 1874
Average Duration	3 minutes
Dedication	Anton Grigor'evich Rubinstein (1829–1894)
External Links	Internet Music Score Library Project (downloadable score)

No. 2. Fugue á 4 voix (Фуга на четыре голоса)

Catalogue References	TH 134 ; ČW 119 (as "Four-Part Fugue")
Date	September–November 1873
Key	G♯ minor
Tempo/Section Listing	Andante (G♯ minor, 48 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow: Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 112)
First Publication	Saint Petersburg: V. Bessel, 1874
Average Duration	4 minutes
Dedication	Anton Grigor'evich Rubinstein (1829–1894)
External Links	Internet Music Score Library Project (downloadable score)

No. 3. Impromptu (Экспромт)

Catalogue References	TH 134 ; ČW 120
Date	September–November 1873
Key	C♯ minor
Tempo/Section Listing	Allegro molto (C♯ minor, 42 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow: Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 112)
First Publication	Saint Petersburg: V. Bessel, 1874
Average Duration	2 minutes
Dedication	Anton Grigor'evich Rubinstein (1829–1894)
External Links	Internet Music Score Library Project (downloadable score)

No. 4. Marche funèbre (Похоронный марш)

Catalogue References	TH 134 ; ČW 121 (as "Funeral March")
Date	September–November 1873
Key	A♭ minor
Tempo/Section Listing	Moderato. Tempo di Marcia (A♭ minor, 92 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow: Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 112)
First Publication	Saint Petersburg: V. Bessel, 1874
Average Duration	9 minutes
Dedication	Anton Grigor'evich Rubinstein (1829–1894)
External Links	Internet Music Score Library Project (downloadable score)

No. 5. Mazurque (Мазурка)

Catalogue References	TH 134 ; ČW 122 (as "Mazurka")
Date	September–November 1873
Key	A♭ minor
Tempo/Section Listing	Allegro moderato (A♭ minor, 220 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow: Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 112)
First Publication	Saint Petersburg: V. Bessel, 1874
Average Duration	5 minutes
Dedication	Anton Grigor'evich Rubinstein (1829–1894)
External Links	Internet Music Score Library Project (downloadable score)

No. 6. Scherzo (Скерцо)

Catalogue References	TH 134 ; ČW 123
Date	September–November 1873
Key	A♭ major
Tempo/Section Listing	Allegro vivace (A♭ major, 225 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow: Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 112)
First Publication	Saint Petersburg: V. Bessel, 1874
Average Duration	5 minutes
Dedication	Anton Grigor'evich Rubinstein (1829–1894)
External Links	Internet Music Score Library Project (downloadable score)

History

"I have completed your six piano pieces", Tchaikovsky wrote to Vasilii Bessel on 28 November/10 December 1873. "Now I’m in the process of making fair copies of them, and you should receive them in the near future. All six pieces are written around one theme and will be have the overall title Suite: Nos. 1) Prelude, 2) Fugue, 3) Impromptu, 4) Mazurka, 5) Marche funebre, 6) Scherzo. The whole thing is dedicated to A. G. Rubinstein. I’ve kept you waiting for these pieces, and for this I apologize; the fact is that I also gave my word to Jurgenson that I would write six pieces for him, amongst other things" [1].

The fair copies of the pieces were dispatched to Vasilii Bessel on 8/20 December 1873 [2]. There is evidence to indicate that Tchaikovsky originally intended to write only three pieces [3], but that during the process of composition he changed his mind and decided to write six pieces on the one theme.

The title Suite was changed by the author to Six Morceaux. Sketches for the pieces are contained in the same copybook as sketches for two piano pieces from Six Pieces (Op. 19)—Nocturne and Capriccioso—which were written immediately prior to the Six Pieces on a Single Theme. The sequence of the sketches indicates that the Mazurka was the first to be composed, and the remaining five pieces were written in the order in which they were published.

The pieces are dedicated to Anton Rubinstein, who played them many years after they were published. Tchaikovsky was upset by the great pianist's indifference: "Isn't A. Rubinstein a strange fellow? Why didn't he turn his attention to my piano pieces 10 years ago? Why hasn’t he played a single note until now? Why did I do to deserve this! Nevertheless, I am very thankful for his sudden change of heart", he wrote to Petr Jurgenson on 14/26 April 1883 [4]. The following year he suggested to Nadezhda von Meck that she should hear Anton Rubinstein play the Op. 21 pieces in Paris: "He is always playing four of my six piano pieces, which some time ago I wrote and dedicated to him. Truly, these pieces could not be better played".

In the year of Tchaikovsky's death. these pieces came to the attention of Aleksandr Ziloti: "I recently looked over your old piano pieces and began with your ‘gems’ (Op. 21); I will play the Prelude and Mazurka; incidentally. these have been published by Mackar" [5].

Six Pieces on a Single Theme

Шесть пьес на одну тему