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Twelve Romances

Двенадцать романсов

With piano accompaniment, Op. 60 (1886).

No. 1. Last Night (Вчерашняя ночь)
Catalogue References TH 106 ; ČW 281
Date August–September 1886
Text Aleksei Stepanovich Khomiakov (1804–1860), from his poem Nachtstück (I) (1841)
Language Russian
Key A♭ major
Tempo/Section Listing Allegro moderato (A♭ major, 60 bars)
Instrumentation High voice + Piano
Autograph Location Moscow (Russia): Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 144)
First Publication Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1887
Average Duration 2 minutes
Dedication Empress Mariia Fedorovna of Russia (1847–1928)
External Links IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page (text and translations)
No. 2. I'll Tell You Nothing (Я тебе ничего не скажу)
Catalogue References TH 106 ; ČW 282
Date August–September 1886
Text Afanasii Afanas'evich Fet (1820–1892), from his poem Romance (Романс) (1885)
Language Russian
Key E major
Tempo/Section Listing Allegretto con moto (E major, 67 bars)
Instrumentation High voice + Piano
Autograph Location Moscow (Russia): Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 144)
First Publication Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1887
Average Duration 3 minutes
Dedication Empress Mariia Fedorovna of Russia (1847–1928)
External Links IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page (text and translations)
No. 3. O, If Only You Knew (О, если б знали вы)
Catalogue References TH 106 ; ČW 283
Date August–September 1886
Text Aleksei Nikolaevich Pleshcheev (1825–1893) — a translation (1884) from the French of the poem Prière by René-François-Armand Sully Prudhomme (1875) [12]
Language Russian
Key E♭ major
Tempo/Section Listing Allegro agitato (E♭ major, 67 bars)
Instrumentation High voice + Piano [2]
Autograph Location Moscow (Russia): Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 144)
First Publication Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1887
Average Duration 3 minutes
Dedication Empress Mariia Fedorovna of Russia (1847–1928)
External Links IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page (text and translations)
No. 4. The Nightingale (Соловей)
Catalogue References TH 106 ; ČW 284
Date August–September 1886
Text Aleksandr Sergeevich Pushkin (1799–1837), from his poem of the same name (by 1834) — a translation of the Serbian folk-song Three Greatest Sorrows (Tri naveć tuge) in the collection Serbian Folk Songs (Razlićne ženske pjesme) (1814) by Vuk Stefanović Karadžić (1787–1864) [11]
Language Russian
Key C minor
Tempo/Section Listing Allegro molto rubato e capriccioso (C minor, 106 bars)
Instrumentation High voice + Piano
Autograph Location Moscow (Russia): Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 144)
First Publication Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1887
Average Duration 3 minutes
Dedication Empress Mariia Fedorovna of Russia (1847–1928)
External Links IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page (text and translations)
No. 5. Simple Words (Простые слова)
Catalogue References TH 106 ; ČW 285
Date August–September 1886
Text "N.N." [Tchaikovsky]
Language Russian
Key F major
Tempo/Section Listing Tempo di Valse (Allegro) (F major, 163 bars)
Instrumentation Medium voice + Piano
Autograph Location Moscow (Russia): Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 144)
First Publication Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1887
Average Duration 2 minutes
Dedication Empress Mariia Fedorovna of Russia (1847–1928)
External Links IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page (text and translations)
No. 6. Sleepless Nights (Ночи безумные)
Catalogue References TH 106 ; ČW 286 (as "Frenzied Nights")
Date August–September 1886
Text Aleksei Nikolaevich Apukhtin (1841–1893), from an untitled poem (1876)
Language Russian
Key G minor
Tempo/Section Listing Andante non troppo, un poco rubato (G minor, 46 bars)
Instrumentation High voice + Piano
Autograph Location Cologny (Switzerland): Bibliotheca Bodmeriana
First Publication Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1887
Average Duration 3 minutes
Dedication Empress Mariia Fedorovna of Russia (1847–1928)
External Links IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page (text and translations)
No. 7. Song of a Gypsy Girl (Песнь цыганки)
Catalogue References TH 106 ; ČW 287 (as "Gypsy's Song")
Date August–September 1886
Text Iakov Petrovich Polonskii (1819–1898), from his poem of the same name (1853)
Language Russian
Key A minor
Tempo/Section Listing Allegro moderato (A minor, 81 bars)
Instrumentation High voice + Piano
Autograph Location Lost
First Publication Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1887
Average Duration 3 minutes
Dedication Empress Mariia Fedorovna of Russia (1847–1928)
External Links IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page (text and translations)
No. 8. Forgive! (Прости!)
Catalogue References TH 106 ; ČW 288
Date August–September 1886
Text Nikolai Alekseevich Nekrasov (1821–1877), from an untitled poem (1856)
Language Russian
Key F major
Tempo/Section Listing Moderato (F major, 62 bars)
Instrumentation High voice + Piano
Autograph Location Lost
First Publication Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1887
Average Duration 4 minutes
Dedication Empress Mariia Fedorovna of Russia (1847–1928)
External Links IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page (text and translations)
No. 9. Night (Ночь)
Catalogue References TH 106 ; ČW 289
Date August–September 1886
Text Iakov Petrovich Polonskii (1819–1898), from his poem of the same name (1850)
Language Russian
Key G minor
Tempo/Section Listing Moderato assai (G minor, 61 bars)
Instrumentation High voice + Piano
Autograph Location Moscow (Russia): Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 144)
First Publication Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1887
Average Duration 4 minutes
Dedication Empress Mariia Fedorovna of Russia (1847–1928)
External Links IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page (text and translations)
No. 10. Beyond the Window, in the Shadows (За окном в тени мелькает)
Catalogue References TH 106 ; ČW 290 (as "Behind the Window in the Shadow")
Date August–September 1886
Text Iakov Petrovich Polonskii (1819–1898), from his poem The Summons (Вызов) (1844)
Language Russian
Key F major
Tempo/Section Listing Allegro vivo (F major, 64 bars)
Instrumentation High voice + Piano
Autograph Location Moscow (Russia): Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 144)
First Publication Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1887
Average Duration 2 minutes
Dedication Empress Mariia Fedorovna of Russia (1847–1928)
External Links IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page (text and translations)
No. 11. Exploit: Monologue for Baritone (Подвиг: Монолог для баритона)
Catalogue References TH 106 ; ČW 291 (as "The Heroic Deed")
Date August–September 1886
Text Aleksei Stepanovich Khomiakov (1804–1860), from an untitled poem (1859)
Language Russian
Key G minor
Tempo/Section Listing Andante (G minor, 39 bars)
Instrumentation Baritone voice + Piano
Autograph Location Moscow (Russia): Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 144)
First Publication Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1887
Average Duration 4 minutes
Dedication Empress Mariia Fedorovna of Russia (1847–1928)
External Links IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page (text and translations)
No. 12. The Gentle Stars Shone for Us (Нам звезды кроткие сияли)
Catalogue References TH 106 ; ČW 292 (as "The Mild Stars Shone for Us")
Date August–September 1886
Text Aleksei Nikolaevich Pleshcheev (1825–1893) [1], from his poem Words for Music (Слова для музыки) (1884)
Language Russian
Key F major
Tempo/Section Listing Andante tenore (F major, 47 bars)
Instrumentation Medium voice + Piano
Autograph Location Moscow (Russia): Glinka State Central Museum of Musical Culture (ф. 88, No. 144)
First Publication Moscow: P. Jurgenson, 1887
Average Duration 3 minutes
Dedication Empress Mariia Fedorovna of Russia (1847–1928)
External Links IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)
The Lied and Art Song Texts Page (text and translations)

History

Written between 19/31 August and 8/20 September 1886 at Maidanovo, immediately after completing the sketches for the opera The Enchantress.

Tchaikovsky recounted the origins of these romances in a letter to Nadezhda von Meck of 3/15 September 1886: "Upon finishing the opera I immediately began writing the romances... in the spring His Highness Konstantin Konstantinovich told me that the Empress would like me to dedicate a single romance to her; His Highness having taken it upon himself to act as intermediary on her behalf, and urged me to do so" [3].

The process of composition is described in detail in the composer's diary for 1886 [4]. This contains entries for almost every day that Tchaikovsky worked on the romances, demonstrating how much difficulty they caused the composer:

  • 19/31 August: "Composed romances for the Empress. Began not particularly well..."
  • 20 August/1 September: "Composed a romance".
  • 21 August/2 September: "After tea and a stroll, wrote a romance".
  • 22 August/3 September: "I was busy before dinner composing a romance, but not without some effort..."
  • 23 August/4 September: "Before Modia and Hubert left for the station, I wrote a romance..."
  • 24 August/5 September: "While waiting for Taneev, tortured myself by writing another romance".
  • 25 August/6 September: "Wrote a romance and a letter"
  • 26 August/7 September: "After tea and a stroll around the garden wrote nearly 2 romances"
  • 29 August/10 September: "With considerable distaste I manufactured a romance. No enthusiasm, but since it's for the Empress, there must be at least 10 romances".
  • 30 August/11 September: "Weather extraordinarily beautiful. But after tea and a short walk, I still wrote a romance".

By 30 August/11 September, ten romances had been written (Nos. 2–10 and 12). "I’ve been doing an awful lot of work recently. The opera is finished, but I can’t begin the instrumentation because the notepaper I ordered isn't ready, so instead I’ve written ten romances" [5].

The fair copies of the romances were made almost as soon as they had been composed. The composer wrote of this in his diary:

  • 31 August/12 September: "I copied out the first romance"
  • 4/16 September: "Copied out a romance... Another romance ("Simple words")... Finished the copying" [6].
  • 5/17 September: "After a stroll... 2 romances before dinner... Yet more romances. Short walk... Returned to more drudgery".
  • 6/18 September: "Walking, hard work... Finished copying out one romance. Struggled vainly with more texts".
  • 7/19 September: "Copied out the last romance, but decided to compose two more... Composed... Busy... Copying out... An 11th romance to words by Khomiakov is ready".
  • 8/20 September: "Composed 12th romance to the wonderful text of The Corals, not without effort or strain... Finished the romance and copying out. By supper all the work was done".

On 9/21 September, the composer informed Modest Tchaikovsky: "I’ve now written two more songs, to round it up to an even dozen! They have all now been copied out and are on their way to Jurgenson. For the last songs I used texts by Khomiakov. What a poet he is and how charming are the two poems I selected! They're so lovely and original that I’m sure my music is much better than in all the others" [7].

In November, Tchaikovsky corrected the proofs of the romances [8]. On 10/22 November, Tchaikovsky wrote to Petr Jurgenson: "Send me... an example of a dedication to the Empress, because I don't know how it must be written. On the title page of the romances I suppose there should be the usual wording, i.e. 12 romances and songs composed by P. T., opus whatever" [9].

The romances I’ll Tell You Nothing (No. 2) and Sleepless Nights (No. 6) were performed, apparently for the first time, by Aleksandra Panaeva-Kartsova at a Philharmonic Society concert in Saint Petersburg on 5/17 March 1887.

The romances were published for the first time by Petr Jurgenson in two parts: Nos. 1–6 in December 1886 [10], and the rest in February 1887.

The romance Song of a Gypsy Girl (No. 7) was orchestrated by Sergei Taneev in 1891, and the full score was published by Petr Jurgenson in 1892.

In the romance Night (No. 9), Tchaikovsky shortened Iakov Polonskii's poem, and he also made changes to the words in O, If Only You Knew (No. 3), Night (No. 9) and The Gentle Stars Shone for Us (No. 12).

All the romances are dedicated to Mariia Fedorovna, wife of Alexander III.

From: Музыкальное наследие Чайковского (1958), pp. 456–459
English text copyright © 2006 Brett Langston

Notes:
  1. On the autograph and in many editions incorrectly given as Iakov Polonskii [back]
  2. On the manuscript score of No. 3, Tchaikovsky noted: "For tenor. If transcribed up a semitone or whole tone this romance may be performed by a baritone" [back]
  3. Letter 3037 to Nadezhda von Meck, 3/15 September 1886 [back]
  4. See Дневники П. И. Чайковского (1923), pp. 88–93 [back]
  5. Letter 3036 to Anatolii Tchaikovsky, 30 August/11 September 1886 [back]
  6. See also letter 3041 to Modest Tchaikovsky, 3/15 September 1886 [back]
  7. Letter 3044 to Modest Tchaikovsky, 9/21 September 1886. See also letter 3045 to Petr Jurgenson and letter 3043 to Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich of the same date [back]
  8. See letters 3078, 3081, 3094 and 3104 to Petr Jurgenson, 21 October/2 November, 26 October/7 November, 10/22 November and 14/26 November 1886 [back]
  9. Letter 3094 to Petr Jurgenson, 10/22 November 1886 [back]
  10. Passed by the censor on 3/15 December 1886 [back]
  11. Richard D. Sylvester, Tchaikovsky's Complete Songs: A Companion with Texts and Translations (2002), p. 214–217. [back]
  12. Richard D. Sylvester, Tchaikovsky's Complete Songs: A Companion with Texts and Translations (2002), p. 213. [back]

This page was last updated on 23 May 2011