Piano Concerto No. 1 (Tchaikovsky)

The Piano Concerto No. 1, Op 23 in B flat minor by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born in 1874. It was first performed in 1875 in Boston with Hans von Bülow at the piano, to whom he dedicated the concert.

Background

Originally Tchaikovsky wanted to dedicate the piano concerto to his friend and mentor Nikolai Rubinstein, to whom he owed ​​much to, but this had enabled him not only a musical education, but the penniless Tchaikovsky offered free lodging and meals for a few years. But when he played it at the Rubinstein Piano, expressed this merely intemperate criticism and contempt, the work considered unsalvageable, advised Tchaikovsky but eventually, it thoroughly to fashion. Rubinstein's reaction was Tchaikovsky so much to heart that he still remembered years later in a letter to his patroness, Nadezhda von Meck (1831-1894) with horror at this scene:

Tchaikovsky changed at the concert, not a note, but sent it to the pianist and conductor Hans von Bülow, with the request to to make a judgment. This was at the concert, nothing to complain about and answered the composer. "I am proud of the honor you have done me with the dedication of this magnificent work of art that is gorgeous in every way ." He then left it to rehearse the orchestra and sat at the world premiere in 1875 in Boston in person at the piano. For true success helped him then still Rubinstein, who had changed his opinion about the work and in 1878 gave a legendary performance in Paris. From there, the work of a veritable triumphal procession approached; it was ever and is second to the most frequently rehearsed piano concerto is until today no other concert.

The work

What a great concert enjoys popularity not only among fans of the so-called classical music, also illustrates the fact that his recording by the pianist Van Cliburn as a record was sold in late 1961 more than one million copies, a hitherto unmatched by any other classic work achieved record. The enthusiasm for the work is likely to be significantly influenced by the initial theme of the first movement, which is accompanied by the piano with massive, about every 7 ½ octaves ranging chords.

The movement titles of the concert are:

• Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso
• Andantino semplice
• Allegro con fuoco

The header record

The first movement of the concerto differs from the embossed in the Viennese classical rigid form of the sonata. It begins in D major ( the relative minor to B flat minor ) with a wide overhanging pathetic introduction, almost can be considered as a separate issue and initially gives the impression that if it were a concert in D flat major. This opening theme is not taken verbatim in the later stages and in the other movements of the Concerto, but it has to be born of the same spirit, triumphant " counterpart " in the coda of the 3.Satzes, making a compelling dramaturgical terms and a large content, arc from the beginning created by the end of the work.

Minted is this introduction ( the beginning part) by the orchestra struck up a tune, accompanied by the piano with massive, over the 7 ½ octaves of the keyboard extending chords. Already in this part there is a cadence similar to the character of a passage (measure 40 ), in which the piano has a solo part.

The introduction is followed successively the two head kit typical themes: the dynamic theme in B flat minor (measure 108) is unanimously held in right as the left hand, begins triplet (this topic is a Russian folk song ) and undergoes a first implementation by resolution of the triplets in semiquavers movements (measure 160) before application of the second, lyrical theme (bar 184). This in turn is intertwined with a third theme (bar 205 ), which actually starts rather than a fragment of topics, but is addressed in the implementation on a par with the two main themes. The recapitulation is somewhat surprising in the revisiting of the dynamic, resolved to sixteenth notes first theme (bar 445 ). The solo cadenza (measure 539 ), the third and finally the second theme to center of gravity, in the final sequence, in which piano and orchestra can end your sentence with the third issue. The first movement ends in the key of B flat major.

The second sentence

The second sentence in D flat major begins with a solo melody in the flute, which is taken up by the piano. In sharp contrast to this lyrical theme This song is in the middle of the 2nd set a fast section on the French chanteuse "Il faut s'amuser, danser et rire " ( You have to have fun, dance and laugh ). Sentence in the center forms as the mirror axis of symmetry, because in the end is taken up the opening theme again and led by piano and oboe to an end.

The third set

The third movement is created in the form of a rondo, its themes have their origin in Ukrainian folk dances. The first theme returns in the interplay between piano and orchestra again. Intermediate runs and chordal passages from jumps require some knowledge from the soloist and give the closing sentence his brilliance. The pianist Alexander Siloti, Sergei Rachmaninoff's cousin, has made ​​an edit in the form of a drastic cut a passage due to the excessive length of the sentence. Even today, the concert is usually listed in this condensed version.

Occupation

The cast consists of 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones (2 tenor and 1 bass ), timpani, solo piano and strings.

The recordings

Almost every pianist has the 1st Piano Concerto by Tchaikovsky once dedicated, so that a bullet would get out of hand. The Pianist Andrei Hoteev that uses the original version, playing in the third movement of the concerto passages that no longer appear in the later version commonly used.

Sound recordings

• Viktoria Postnikova, piano; The Vienna Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Gennady Roshdestwendskij; 1983
• Emil Gilels, piano; The New Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Lorin Maazel