I want to understand two points which I did not understand very well from
some written sources.
-
Did Tchaikovsky meet Clara Schumann once in his childhood?
-
It is mentioned about some musical trick which Tchaikovsky made during
childhood, with transition of the key of some music. Do you have any knowledge
about this, and if yes, what is this exactly?
Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Levent Özübek
Clara Schumann did tour the major cities of Russia in 1844, when Tchaikovsky
was just 4 years old, but there is no evidence to show that they actually
met. The Tchaikovsky family were then living in the town of Votkinsk in Vyatka
province, which was a long way from the musical centres of Moscow and Saint
Petersburg.
We know a great deal about Tchaikovsky's later encounters with the leading
musical figures of his time (including Brahms, Dvorák, Grieg, etc.), but it
appears that he never met Clara Schumann. This is all the more surprising
because she remained very active in the same circles until the last years
of her life, and she eventually outlived Tchaikovsky by three years.
I am sorry not to be able to help with your other question about Tchaikovsky's
piano technique, but perhaps another poster to this forum will have the answer
...
Brett Langston