Tchaikovsky Research : Children's Album, Op. 39 (TH 141)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 150
Date	May–July 1878
Key	G major
Tempo/Section Listing	Andante (G major, 24 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 2. Winter Morning (Зимнее утро)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 151
Date	May–July 1878
Key	B minor
Tempo/Section Listing	Allegro (B minor, 64 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 3. Playing Hobby-Horses (Игра в лошадки)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 152
Date	May–July 1878
Key	D major
Tempo/Section Listing	Presto (D major, 72 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 4. Mama (Мама)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 153 (as "Mummy")
Date	May–July 1878
Key	G major
Tempo/Section Listing	Moderato (G major, 36 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 5. March of the Wooden Soldiers (Марш деревянных солдатиков)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 154
Date	May–July 1878
Key	D major
Tempo/Section Listing	Moderato (D major, 48 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 6. The Sick Doll (Болезнь куклы)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 155 (as "The Dolls Illness")
Date	May–July 1878
Key	G minor
Tempo/Section Listing	Moderato (G minor, 42 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	3 minutes
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 7. The Dolls Funeral (Похороны куклы)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 156
Date	May–July 1878
Key	C minor
Tempo/Section Listing	Adagio (C minor, 48 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	2 minutes
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 8. Waltz (Вальс)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 157 (as "Waltz")
Date	May–July 1878
Key	E♭ major
Tempo/Section Listing	Allegro assai (E♭ major, 85 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 9. The New Doll (Новая кукла)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 158 (as "The New Doll")
Date	May–July 1878
Key	B♭ major
Tempo/Section Listing	Allegro (B♭ major, 57 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 10. Mazurka (Мазурка)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 159
Date	May–July 1878
Key	D minor
Tempo/Section Listing	Allegro non troppo, Tempo di mazurka (D minor, 52 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 11. Russian Song (Русская песня)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 160
Date	May–July 1878
Key	F major
Tempo/Section Listing	Allegro (F major, 30 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 12. The Accordion Player (Мужик на гармонике играет)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 161 (as "The Russian Peasant Plays the Harmonica")
Date	May–July 1878
Key	B♭ major
Tempo/Section Listing	Adagio (B♭ major, 22 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 13. Kamarinskaya (Камаринская)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 162 (as "Kamarinskaya")
Date	May–July 1878
Key	D major
Tempo/Section Listing	Vivace (D major, 49 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 14. Polka (Полька)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 163
Date	May–July 1878
Key	B♭ major
Tempo/Section Listing	Moderato. Tempo di Polka (B♭ major, 30 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 15. Italian Song (Итальянская песенка)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 164
Date	May–July 1878
Key	D major
Tempo/Section Listing	Moderato assai (D major, 49 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 16. Old French Song (Старинная французская песенка)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 165
Date	May–July 1878
Key	G minor
Tempo/Section Listing	Molto moderato (G minor, 32 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 17. German Song (Немецкая песенка)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 166
Date	May–July 1878
Key	E♭ major
Tempo/Section Listing	Molto moderato (E♭ major, 26 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 18. Neapolitan Song (Неаполитанская песенка)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 167
Date	May–July 1878
Key	E♭ major
Tempo/Section Listing	Andante (E♭ major, 54 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
Notes	Based on the Danse napolitaine from Act III of the ballet Swan Lake.
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 19. Nanny's Story (Нянина сказка)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 168 (as "Nurse's Tale")
Date	May–July 1878
Key	C major
Tempo/Section Listing	Moderato (C major, 48 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 20. The Sorcerer (Баба-Яга)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 169 (as "Old Witch")
Date	May–July 1878
Key	E minor
Tempo/Section Listing	Presto (E minor, 45 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 21. Sweet Dreams (Сладкая греза)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 170 (as "Sweet Dream")
Date	May–July 1878
Key	C major
Tempo/Section Listing	Moderato (C major, 48 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	2 minutes
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 22. Lark Song (Песня жаворонка)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 171 (as "Lark's Song")
Date	May–July 1878
Key	G major
Tempo/Section Listing	Moderato (G major, 32 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 23. The Organ-Grinder Sings (Шарманщик поет)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 172
Date	May–July 1878
Key	G major
Tempo/Section Listing	Andante (G major, 32 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	1 minute
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

No. 24. In Church (В церкви)

Catalogue References	TH 141 ; ČW 173 (as "In the Church")
Date	May–July 1878
Key	E minor
Tempo/Section Listing	Moderato (E minor, 52 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Autograph Location	Moscow (Russia): Glinka National Museum Consortium of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 121)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1878
Average Duration	3 minutes
Dedication	Vladimir Davydov (1871–1906)
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

History

In a letter of 30 April/12 May 1878 to Nadezhda von Meck, the composer wrote: "A while ago I thought that it would not be a bad idea to make a small contribution to the stock of children's musical literature, which is very modest. I want to create a series of little individual pieces just for children, and with an attractive title, like Schumann’s" [2].

Some months before this letter was written, while staying in Florence on 14/26 February, Tchaikovsky told Pyotr Jurgenson that he wanted "to write a number of easy pieces, like [Schumann’s] Kinderstück" [3]. Evidently, the idea of creating a collection of pieces for young people had not been abandoned by the composer, and after his return to Kamenka in April he decided to begin composition. In the aforementioned letter to Nadezhda von Meck, he informed her: "Tomorrow I shall start work on my collection of miniatures for children".

On 1/13 May the composer wrote to Anatoly Tchaikovsky: "I’m working well and have done rather a lot" [4]. On 4/16 May the sketches for all 24 pieces were ready [5]. Shortly afterwards, Tchaikovsky accepted an invitation from Nadezhda von Meck to stay at her Brailov estate until the end of May/beginning of June, before spending a few days in Moscow; from there he went to spend five days with his friend Nikolay Kondratyev at Nizy, and in mid/late June he called at Kiev, before returning to Verbovka. In the days following his arrival, he began to put the finishing touches to all the pieces written in April and May. The fair copy of the Children's Album was begun, it seems, on 13/25 July [6].

On 29 July/10 August the manuscript of the Children’s Album, along with a number of other compositions, was sent to Pyotr Jurgenson in Moscow [8]. In October, after the proofs had been corrected, the album was published [9].

The Children’s Album is dedicated to Tchaikovsky's favourite nephew, Vladimir Davydov [10]. On 12/24 December 1878, Tchaikovsky wrote to Lev Davydov: "Tell Bobik that the music has been printed with pictures, that the music was composed by Uncle Petia, and that on it is written Dedicated to Volodia Davydov. The silly little fellow will not understand what dedicated means... Even so, Bobik is an inimitably delightful figure when he’s playing, and he might look at the notes, and think that a whole symphony is dedicated to him" [11].

Several pieces from the cycle make use of authentic folk tunes. The Russian Song (No. 11) is based on the theme of the folk song "Голова ль ты моя головушка". In Kamarinskaya (No. 12) the composer makes use of a Russian folk theme. Italian folk melodies appear in the Neapolitan Song (No. 18)—which also occurs in the ballet Swan Lake—and in the Italian Song (No. 15) [12]. Yet another Italian tune forms the basis for the piece The Organ Grinder Sings (No. 23) [13]; this same tune is used in the middle section of the piece Reverie interrompue—No. 12 of the Twelve Pieces (Op. 40) [14]. The theme of the Old French Song (No. 16) was used again in the opera The Maid of Orleans (in the minstrels' song from Act II).

Children's Album

(Детский альбом)

No. 1. Morning Prayer (Утренная молитва)