Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and the Russian Musical Society. The Creative Aspect of Interaction

Abstract

The present work is devoted to the little researched influence of the Russian Musical Society (RMS) on the artistic activities of Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Examination is made of composer’s original musical works performed in the concerts of the Russian Musical Society, as well as his orchestrations, which are viewed for the first time in the historical realities of the life of the Society and the artistic priorities of this organization. The fact of regular performances of the composer’s music in the Society’s concerts is presented as a manifestation of the realization of one of the crucial positions of the Statute of the RMS. The other position of this document substantiates the monetary payments to Tchaikovsky for the first performances of his compositions in the Society’s concerts. The special attention which the RMS gave to the composers’ works in the orchestral genre is highlighted and explained. Four compositions by Tchaikovsky connected with orchestrations of works by other composers are illuminated in detail. It is demonstrated on the basis of analysis of these works that by means of the choice of a particular instrumental range of the orchestra and the use of particular techniques of orchestration, in each of the four cases the composer made attempts to reconstruct the absent scores. The article is concluded of a brief generalization of Tchaikovsky’s contribution to the activities of the RMS and the role of the Society in the composer’s creative development. Keywords: Russian Musical Society (RMS), musical education, concert life, orchestration, Piotr Tchaikovsky.