Tchaikovsky
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TH 83

Blessed is He Who Smiles

Бпажен, кто улыбается

For unaccompanied men's voices, F major (1887).

• Text by "K.R." [Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich], from his poem of the same name.
• Composed December 1887.
• Scored for unaccompanied TTBB chorus.
• First performed in Moscow University, 8/20 March 1892, conducted by Viktor Mal’m.
• Dedicated to the Student Choir of Moscow University.
• Average duration: 4m 5s.

History

Written on 7 December 1887 at Maidanovo, at the request of Karl Albrecht (according to the date on the manuscript). The chorus was composed at around the same time as the Six Romances, Op. 63, to words by Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich. In a letter of 8 December to Karl Albrecht, sent with the manuscript, Tchaikovsky reported: "I am sending you the one chorus that I have written, and cannot do any more for the present" [1].

The chorus is dedicated to the student choir of Moscow University, and was performed by them on 8 March 1892, conducted by Viktor Mal’m, in the hall of the Nobles’ Club.

Petr Jurgenson published the choral score and parts in 1889 [2].

From: Музыкальное наследие Чайковского (1958), p. 356
English text copyright © 2006 Brett Langston

Notes:

1. Letter 3431 to Karl Albrecht, 7/19 December 1887 [back]
2. Passed by the censor on 9 September 1889 [back]