B2: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Below is a B2 level lesson about the 19th century Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Good luck and enjoy.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period whose music fused Western classical techniques with Russian folk elements. His work, known for its emotional depth and melodic richness, made a lasting international impression and includes some of the most popular concert and theatrical music in the classical repertoire.

Notable Vocabulary Words:

Folk ---> people, especially those of a particular group or type: ordinary folk Ordinary folk can't afford cars like that.

Melodic ---> Very pleasant to listen to relating to the tune in a piece of music

Repertoire ---> all the music or plays, etc. that you can do or perform or that you know: in someone’s repertoire The Royal Shakespeare Company also have many modern plays in their repertoire. There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.

Notable compositions

Ballets: Tchaikovsky's three full-length ballets—Swan Lake (1877), The Sleeping Beauty (1889), and The Nutcracker (1892)—are among his most famous works and are staples of ballet companies worldwide

Operas: His 10 operas include Eugene Onegin (1878) and The Queen of Spades (1890), which are performed regularly in major opera houses

Orchestral Works:

Symphonies: He composed six numbered symphonies, with the last three being particularly acclaimed: No. 4 in F minor, No. 5 in E minor, and No. 6 in B minor, the Pathétique

Overtures and other pieces: Other orchestral highlights include the 1812 Overture (1880), the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture (1870), and Marche Slave (1876)

Concertos: His Piano Concerto No. 1 in B♭ minor (1875) and the Violin Concerto in D major (1878) are concert staples.

Biographical Highlights

Early Life: Born in Votkinsk, Russia, Tchaikovsky began piano lessons at age five but was initially educated for a career as a civil servant, a role he disliked

Musical Education: At age 21, he entered the newly founded St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he studied under Anton Rubinstein. After graduating in 1865, he became a professor at the Moscow Conservatory

Failed Marriage: In 1877, Tchaikovsky entered a disastrous marriage with a former student, Antonina Miliukova. The union lasted only a few weeks and led to an emotional crisis for the composer, who was homosexual and deeply repressed by societal norms

Patronage: For 13 years, Tchaikovsky was financially supported by Nadezhda von Meck, a wealthy widow with whom he carried on an intense correspondence but, by her request, never met. This patronage allowed him to dedicate himself entirely to composition

International Acclaim: By the 1880s, Tchaikovsky was internationally renowned. He began a successful career as a guest conductor, which took him to Europe and the United States, where he led the orchestra for the inaugural concert of Carnegie Hall in 1891

Notable Vocabulary Words:

Civil Servant ---> a person who works in the Civil Service

Repressed ---> restrained or oppressed. ---> characterized by the repression of thoughts or desires, especially sexual ones. ---> (of a thought or desire) kept suppressed and unconscious in one's mind.

Widow ---> a woman whose husband or wife has died and who has not married again

Correspondence ---> letters, especially official or business letters:

Any further correspondence should be sent to my new address.

Renowned ---> famous for something:

The region is renowned for its outstanding natural beauty.

Marco Polo is a renowned explorer/is renowned as an explorer.

Tchaikovsky - Death - 1893 --- images.jpg

Mysterious Death

Tchaikovsky died in St. Petersburg in 1893, just nine days after conducting the premiere of his final and most emotionally intense work, the Pathétique Symphony.

The official cause of death was cholera, which was widespread at the time. However, the speed of his death and contradictory accounts of his final days have fueled ongoing speculation that his death was a suicide. This speculation is driven by:

The profound sadness expressed in his final symphony

Reports of an alleged "court of honor" of former classmates who condemned his homosexuality and pressured him to take his own life

he social stigma of cholera in high society, which may have led his family to cover up the true circumstances of his death.

The enigma surrounding his death persists, with no conclusive evidence ever produced to definitively prove the suicide theory.

Notable Vocabulary Words:

Premiere ---> best or most important:

He's one of the nation's premier scientists.

Contradictory ---> If two or more facts, pieces of advice, etc. are contradictory, they are very different from each other:

I keep getting contradictory advice - some people tell me to keep it warm and some tell me to put ice on it.

Speculation ---> the activity of guessing possible answers to a question without having enough information to be certain: Rumours that they are about to marry have been dismissed as pure speculation. Speculation about his future plans is rife.[ + that ] News of the president's illness fuelled/prompted speculation that an election will be held later in the year.

Profound ---> felt or experienced very strongly or in an extreme way:

His mother's death when he was aged six had a very profound effect on him.

The invention of the contraceptive pill brought about profound changes in the lives of women.

Those two lines of poetry express perfectly the profound sadness of loss.

My grandfather has a profound mistrust of anything new or foreign.

There was a note of profound irritation in his voice.

Condemned ---> A condemned person is someone who is going to be killed, especially as a punishment for having committed a very serious crime, such as murder. ---> to strongly disapprove of someone, to pass a judicial sentence upon them, to prove their guilt, or to force them into a hopeless situation.

Circumstances ---> a fact or event that makes a situation the way it is:

under the circumstances I think she coped very well under the circumstances.

Obviously we can't deal with the problem until we know all the circumstances.

suspicious circumstances She died in suspicious circumstances.

in any circumstances We oppose capital punishment in any circumstances.

under any circumstances We will not quit under any circumstances.

under no circumstances Under no circumstances should you (= you should not) approach the man.

circumstances beyond someone's control The meeting has been cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control.

Suicide ---> the act of killing yourself intentionally:

I lost my younger brother to suicide.

attempt suicide She attempted suicide when she was a teenager.

The suicide rate among men between the ages of 16 and 25 has risen alarmingly.

Many suicides occur in prisons.

Quiz 1

1 - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1740–1793) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period whose music fused Western classical techniques with Russian folk elements.

a. True

b. False

c. Does not say

2 - Tchaikovsky's three full-length ballets—Swan Lake (1877), the Pathétique (1889), and The Nutcracker (1892)

a. True

b. False

c. Does not say

3 - Born in __________, Russia, Tchaikovsky began piano lessons at age five

a. Moscow

b. Minsk

c. Votkinsk

d. Taganrog

e. Omsk

f. Sochi

4 - At age 21, he entered the newly founded St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he studied under __________.

a. Albert Einstein

b. Nicolo Paganini

c. Antonio Salieri

d. Anton Rubinstein

e. Vladimir Putin

f. Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff

5 - Tchaikovsky is believed to have been a __________.

a. lesbian

b. transvestite

c. Transgender

d. homosexual

e. Heterosexual

f. Queer

6 - For 17 years, Tchaikovsky was financially supported by Nadezhda von Meck, a wealthy widow with whom he carried on an intense correspondence but, by her request, never met.

a. True

b. False

c. Does not say

7 - What is a widow?

a. A single woman who has never been married

b. A woman who has been divorced three times

c. A woman who killed her husband

d. A woman who's husband is dead and she never remarried

e. A woman who studies spiders

f. None of the above

8 - Tchaikovsky died in __________ in 1893

a. Moscow

b. St. Petersburg

c. Minsk

d. Chișinău

e. Pristina

f. Salzburg

9 - Tchaikovsky's official cause of death was __________.

a. Aids

b. Gonorrhea

c. Cholera

d. Cancer

e. Stroke

f. Aneurysm

10 - What does "Premier" mean?

a. An object used to look at your reflection

b. A symphony that was created in less than a year

c. An adjective used to describe someone who is the best

d. An archaic term used to describe luxurious homes in Russia in the 1870s-1890s

e. An American politician who has supreme power

f. None of the above

Quiz 1: Answer Key

1 - b ---> False ---> Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period whose music fused Western classical techniques with Russian folk elements.

2 - b ---> False ---> Tchaikovsky's three full-length ballets—Swan Lake (1877), The Sleeping Beauty (1889), and The Nutcracker (1892)—are among his most famous works and are staples of ballet companies worldwide

3 - C ---> Votkinsk

4 - d ---> Anton Rubinstein

5 - d ---> Homosexual

6 - b ---> False ---> For 13 years, Tchaikovsky was financially supported by Nadezhda von Meck, a wealthy widow with whom he carried on an intense correspondence but, by her request, never met.

7 - d. A woman who's husband is dead and she never remarried

8 - B ---> St. Petersburg

9 - c ---> Cholera

10 - c ---> An adjective used to describe someone who is the best

The Nutcracker

Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker is a two-act classical ballet that has become a staple of the Christmas and holiday season. First performed in Russia in 1892, its fantastical storyline and enchanting music have made it one of the most recognizable and beloved ballets in the world

The Story of the Ballet

The libretto for the ballet, written by Marius Petipa and Ivan Vsevolozhsky, is based on an 1844 adaptation of E. T. A. Hoffmann's original 1816 story, "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". Alexandre Dumas's version of the tale was significantly lighter in tone than Hoffmann's, which was darker and more complex

Synopsis:

Act I: The Christmas Party

The story begins at a Christmas Eve party hosted by the Stahlbaum family. The children, Clara and Fritz, are celebrating with family and friends.

Clara's godfather, the mysterious toymaker Herr Drosselmeyer, arrives with gifts, including a wooden nutcracker doll for Clara

Clara's brother, Fritz, becomes jealous of the special gift and breaks the nutcracker. Drosselmeyer, however, magically repairs it, and a heartbroken Clara puts it to bed

Later that night, Clara returns to check on her new toy. She falls asleep and is transported into a dream world where the Christmas tree grows to a gigantic size and toys come to life

A battle ensues between the toy soldiers, led by the now life-sized Nutcracker, and an army of mice and their king

With the Mouse King about to win, Clara distracts him by throwing her slipper, allowing the Nutcracker to defeat him

The Nutcracker then transforms into a handsome prince and invites Clara to journey with him

Act II: The Land of Sweets

he prince takes Clara on a magical sleigh ride through a snowy forest to the Land of Sweets, which is ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy

The prince tells the Sugar Plum Fairy and the court how Clara saved his life, and she honors Clara with a celebration of dances

These dances showcase sweets and treats from around the world, such as Spanish chocolate, Arabian coffee, Chinese tea, and Russian candy canes

The celebration culminates with a grand dance by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier

In the morning, Clara awakens by the Christmas tree, wondering if it was all a dream

Musical Score:

Tchaikovsky's score is famous for its charming and memorable melodies. To create its unique soundscape, he employed a newly invented instrument called the celesta, a bell-piano

Legacy and Performance:

While the initial premiere received mixed reviews, the ballet's popularity grew steadily, particularly with the success of the orchestral Nutcracker Suite. By the mid-20th century, performances by companies like the San Francisco Ballet and George Balanchine's New York City Ballet made it an annual holiday tradition in North America. Today, it is one of the most widely performed ballets in the world.

Notable Vocabulary Words:

A Staple of Christmas ---> "A staple of the Christmas" refers to something that is a fundamental, essential, or very common part of the Christmas season

. The word "staple" is used figuratively here to describe a core tradition, object, or activity that is widely and constantly associated with the holiday.

Libretto ---> the words that are sung or spoken in a musical work for the theatre

Contradictory ---> If two or more facts, pieces of advice, etc. are contradictory, they are very different from each other:

I keep getting contradictory advice - some people tell me to keep it warm and some tell me to put ice on it.

Complex ---> involving a lot of different but related parts:

a complex molecule/carbohydrate

a complex network of roads

a complex procedure

The company has a complex organizational structure.

Synopsis ---> a short description of the contents of something such as a film or book

Synonyms abstract ---> outline

Ensues ---> to happen after something else, especially as a result of it:

The police officer said that he had placed the man under arrest and that a scuffle had ensued.

Sleigh ---> a type of sledge pulled by animals, especially horses or dogs

Cavalier ---> a principal male role in The Nutcracker ballet ---> Also means to not considering other people's feelings or safety:

That's a rather cavalier attitude.

Celesta ---> a musical instrument that looks like a small piano and produces notes that sound like soft bells:

Tinkling chimes, celesta, glockenspiel, and harp set a magical tone.

The piece has an extraordinary mix of harps, celeste, violins, and flutes.

Quiz 2

1 - Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker is a two-act classical ballet that has become a staple of the Christmas and holiday season. First performed in Russia in __________.

a. 1888

b. 1889

c. 1890

d. 1891

e. 1892

f. 1893

2 - What does "libretto" mean?

a. A book that was originally written in Italian but translated in English.

b. A small town in Russia where many people are very talented in music

c. the text of an opera or other long vocal work.

d. A movement in a symphony that corresponds to the scene in a ballet

e. The prelude to a concierto

f. None of the above

3 - Who originally wrote "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King"?

a. Karl Marx

b. Marius Petipa

c. Ivan Vsevolozhsky

d. E. T. A. Hoffmann

e. Alexandre Dumas

f. Fredrich Engels

4 - What does "Synopsis" mean?

a. an abnormal, balloon-like bulging in the wall of an artery caused by a weak spot

b. a distinct, self-contained section of a longer musical composition called a symphony

c. a collection of symptoms that affect the mind, where there has been some loss of contact with reality

d. a trance-like, altered state of consciousness characterized by focused attention, heightened suggestibility, and a feeling of deep relaxation

e. a brief summary or general survey of something.

f. None of the above

5 - The story begins at a Christmas Eve party hosted by the Stahlbaum family. The children, Clara and Fritz, are celebrating with family and friends.

a. True

b. False

c. Does not say

6 - Clara's godfather, the mysterious toymaker __________, arrives with gifts, including a wooden nutcracker doll for Clara

a. Hans Falkenberg

b. Heinrich Himmler

c. Herr Drosselmeyer

d. Karl Strauss

e. Herman Bauer

f. Calvin Klein

7 - With the Mouse King about to win, Clara distracts him by throwing her __________, allowing the Nutcracker to defeat him

a. book

b. slipper

c. vase

d. plate

e. cup

f. pillow

8 - The celebratory dances showcased sweets and treats from around the world, such as Spanish candy canes, Arabian tea, Chinese coffee, and Russian chocolate.

a. True

b. False

c. Does not say

9 - The celebration culminates with a grand dance by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier

a. True

b. False

c. Does not say

10 - What is a "Celesta"?

A. the largest and lowest-pitched instrument in the brass family

b. a large, four-stringed bowed musical instrument from the violin family, played while seated, with a rich, warm tone and a wide range that can handle both melodies and bass lines

c. a musical instrument that looks like a small piano and produces notes that sound like soft bells

d. a musical instrument in the brass family that produces a bright, clear tone by vibrating the lips into a mouthpiece connected to a metal tube with a flared bell

e. a historical keyboard string instrument where keys trigger a mechanism to pluck strings using a small plectrum (like a quill or plastic)

f. a stringed musical instrument that consists of a number of individual strings stretched across an angled frame and a soundboard, producing sound when plucked with the fingers

Quiz 2: Answer Key

1 - e ---> 1892

2 - c ---> the text of an opera or other long vocal work.

3 - d ---> E. T. A. Hoffmann

4 - e ---> a brief summary or general survey of something.

5 - a ---> True

6 - c ---> Herr Drosselmeyer

7 - b ---> slipper

8 - b ---> False ---> These dances showcase sweets and treats from around the world, such as Spanish chocolate, Arabian coffee, Chinese tea, and Russian candy canes

9 - A ---> True

10 - c ---> a musical instrument that looks like a small piano and produces notes that sound like soft bells