Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture
"It's going to be very loud and noisy!" These were Tchaikovsky's words to his patron Madame von Meck, about the 1812 Overture, commissioned for the Moscow Exhibition of 1881 and written in just one week.
Tchaikovsky was particularly scathing about the 1812 Overture before it premiered, saying it would be "without artistic merit, because I wrote it without warmth or love". Given the heartache in Tchaikovsky's life, it's sad to think he never realised how his 1812 Overture would go on to become one of the most adored creations in classical music.
A musical portrayal of the Russian victory over Napoleon, the 1812 Overture weaves together a number of orginial and historically significant musical themes, including the French national anthem 'Marseillaise', the Russian National Anthem and an Orthodox hymn.
The 1812 Overture is perhaps best known for its rousing climactic volley of cannon fire, ringing chimes and brass fanfare finale. Tchaikovsky orginally intended the piece to be performed with a brass band to reinforce the orchestra, the bells of the cathedral and live cannon fire in accompaniment, fired from an electric switch panel in order to achieve the precision demanded by the musical score in which each shot was specifically written. Unfortunately logistics prevented this from happening, though the piece has since been performed and recorded with the level of noise and excitement Tchaikovsky envisioned.
It could be a muddle of pompous brashness, but instead the 1812 Overture is a breathless, extravagant and hugely enjoyable romp, which is why the piece was chosen to bring Classic FM Live to a spectacular close at London's Royal Albert Hall by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra .
Listen to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture at Classic FM Live
You can also listen again to these pieces as part of Classic FM Live:
Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue (soloist: Benjamin Grosvenor)
Puccini - Recondita Armonia from Tosca (soloist: Noah Stewart)
Elgar - Nimrod from Enigma Variations
Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture
Bruch - Finale from Violin Concerto No. 1
Mascagni - Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana
Prokofiev - The Montagues and Capulets
Bach - Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor
Holst - Jupiter, from The Planet
Pachelbel- Canon in D
