Tchaikovsky Research : Military March (TH 150)

Catalogue References	TH 150 ; ČW 52
Date	March–May 1893. Commissioned by the composer's cousin, Andrei Tchaikovsky, commander of the 98th Iurevskii Infantry Regiment
Key	B♭ major
Tempo/Section Listing	Tempo di Marcia (B♭ major, 63 bars)
Instrumentation	Piano (solo)
Average Duration	4 minutes
Autograph Location	Klin (Russia): Tchaikovsky House-Museum Archive (ф. 88, No. 81)
First Publication	Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1894 (piano score and arrangement for military band)
Dedication	98th Iurevskii Infantry Regiment.
Notes	Intended to be orchestrated by the regiment's Kapellmeister. The version published by Jurgenson in 1894 (by an unnamed arranger) was scored for Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 4 Clarinets (E♭, B♭), Bass Clarinet (B♭), 2 Bassoons + 3 Cornets (E♭, B♭), 3 Trumpets (E♭, 3 Tenor Horns (B♭), 4 Horns (E♭), Baritone Horn, 3 Trombones, 2 Bass Trombones + Small Drum, Large Drum
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

History

Composed on 24 March/5 April 1893 at Klin (according to the date on the manuscript). Written at the request of the commander of the 98th Iurevskii Infantry Regiment—Andrei Tchaikovsky. The request was prompted by a desire for the regiment to have its own march, which was an essential tradition in the Imperial Russian army.

Andrei Tchaikovsky explained the sort of march he wanted: "There should be three sections in all, with something melodic and increasingly noisy" [1]. Tchaikovsky fulfilled the request and wrote the march for piano, sending to his cousin it the following day, together with a letter in which he wrote: "I have carried out my promise, and am sending you the march. It will have to be orchestrated by your Kapellmeister, because I don't know the compliment of forces in your orchestra. I am sending you the piano arrangement, and let him orchestrate it; if it must be noisy, then it can be augmented without changing the essence of it, i.e. the harmony and the melody must remain intact" [2].

The earliest sketches of the march were noted in the copybook containing the sketches of the Sixth Symphony, and the manuscript of the romance The Sun has Set—No. 4 of Six Romances (Op. 73). Much later, the composer received another request from Andrei Tchaikovsky, this time for a trio for the march: "I did not notice your words that there should be 3 sections in all, and did not write a Trio for the march. Now I know that it’s required, I’m hurrying to send it to you", the composer informed Andrei in a letter of 5/17 May 1893 [3]. The sketches for the trio were made by Tchaikovsky on the manuscript of the piece Passé lontain from the Eighteen Pieces (Op. 72).

The March was dedicated to the 98th Iurevskii Regiment, and published by Petr Jurgenson in 1894 [4].

Military March

Военный марш

History

Notes: