Discussion Week 6 - Humanities 112

Tchaikovsky

Select one (1) composition by Tchaikovsky that you enjoy. Describe the music and subject matter of that work, and explain why you enjoyed it.

Swan Lake Op. 20 – Full Suite – Pyotr Llych Tchaikovsky

Peter Llyich Tchaikovsky was born in Russia and is renowned as one of the greatest composers in his country of birth. His first ballet score was Swan Lake and was performed in 1877. This composition is one of my favorites because of the sheer mesmerizing note of each musical collaboration of an almost mystical dreamlike state that compels the senses to flow along with each musical beat. It coaxes and seduces the mind to flow with imagery to feel every heartfelt movement as it goes along with every lilt as it prevails the eye to internally visualize and sympathize with Odette and her maiden’s fate of victimization and the deprivation of their parents whose heartbroken tears have filled a lake of magical allure.

Despair fills the pair (Prince Siegfried and Odette) who have found love as heartbreak and treachery causes the death of both but become lovers in the afterlife. If you can imagine music expressing tears then that is what is included in this composition along with drama and danger.

I believe the reason it failed at first was because of the unhappy ending because we all want happy endings but the true essential and exquisite blending of harp, flutes, trombones, drums, tambourines ring salute, horns that play plaintively for understanding and violins that dance with triumph and horns that underscore is irresistible and a joy to hear and see the choreography which accompanies the music. The choreography, depiction and interpretation is grace innate and is pure sublime to view.

Explain the key reasons why you believe that compositions by Tchaikovsky continue to be popular with contemporary orchestras and audiences.

Some of the key reasons why I believe that compositions by Tchaikovsky continue to be popular with contemporary orchestras and audiences are the intricate combination of drama and his ability to take a Shakespearean play and breathe life into a musical representation. Using his unique talents he was able to show new composers how a play could be personified musically and then modify it to fit a ballet. Inspired by this play he was overwhelmed with inspiration to create his interpretation and was able to work with other composers and helped facilitate a mentor image and example that is followed today.

Further the flow and intriguing combinations of musical notes reflect high emotional levels of tears, sadness, happiness, joy, listlessness and despair. Because of the vast range it is almost a triumph to be able to play his flawless renditions and allow a new level of ballet music that can be interpreted with graceful and intricate dance. Challenging to all is to play and reflect various levels of delicacy mixed with drama and relay all to a pleased audience the exquisite compositions.

Passionate nationalism, like Tchaikovsky's for Russia, could be a feature of Romantic art and music and in the arts of the late 1800s. Give primary examples of music today (besides national anthems) that is characterized by nationalism.

Primary examples of music today (besides national anthems) that is characterized by nationalism and are portrayed by the following:

Richard Wagner
Germany.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Austria

Giacomo Puccini
Italy

Richard Wagner of German descent music is perceived as an associative to Fascism. With this consideration in mind it is conclusive that it stands as a form of patriotism and honorable tribute to his country’s nationalism. Examples of his music are Tristan und Isolde, mysticism (Der fliegende Holländer) and Nordic mythology (the Ring cycle), Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung).

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart being of Austrian birth gave rise to a level of symphonic splendor that changed the attitude toward music from being merely appreciated to a true art form. In the nature and honor to his country as a true nationalist or as true nationalism he gave the exceedly complicated composition of Der Hölle Rache from Die Zauberflöte, Requiem in D minor, Piano Concerto 21, Symphony no. 40 and Coronation Mass.

Giacomo Puccinia of Italian birth symbolizes in essence the elixir in Operetta. His compositions are reflective of his heritage with sheer beauty of expression and heart wounding clarity that embodies the passion of nationalism in each composition. Serving as a mentor and exemplary example he is very influential and effective in the continuance of “the opera”. Some of his music compositions are Madama Butterfly, Romance of La Boheme and the comedy of Gianni Schicci amongst others.

Although the above mentioned are just three of the top ten composers who symbolize and embody Nationalism the others are as follow who exhibit skill of intricacy, beauty of expression and exquisite form:

Edward Elgar (England), Dmitri Shostakovich (Soviet Union), Edvard Grieg (Norway), Antonín Dvo?ák (Bohemia), Claude Debussy (France), Bela Bartok (Hungary), Krzysztof Penderecki (Poland) and Charles Ives (Danbury, Connecticut).

http://dance.about.com/od/historyofdance/f/Tchaikovsky.htm
http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/balletsynopses/a/swanlakesto
Sayre, H.M. (2014) The Humanities: Culture, Continuity and Change, Boston, MA: Pearson
http://www.rockfordsymphony.com/tchaikovsky-romeo-and-juliet-notes/
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tchaikovsky&&view=detail&mid=34B77353A33516122F5E34B77353A33516122F5E&rvsmid=D20420FEFE03060DD6F5D20420FEFE03060DD6F5&fsscr=0&FORM=VDQVAP
http://listverse.com/2010/04/19/top-10-composers-who-embody-nationalism/

Reply to co-student

I agree that the depiction in the painting by Berthe Morisot (Summer's Day) is relaying a distinction between classes of the two women portrayed. Also, that inherent respect is reflected as well as decency portrayed by socialistic perception. Reflected is graceful strokes of two varying visual angles in the formation of the women that is a primary characteristic of impressionism.

Further that a life of ease and comfort was theirs but in contrast the painting done by Edgar Degas (Dance Class) is reflective of a more stressful life that reflects hard work to survive. His painting is a tight composition reflecting more detail in clarity with light brush strokes and I believe a secret respect for hard workers since he was one also.

A "picture does tell a thousand words" is true that ability to relay respect is enabled by correct portrayal as well as disrespect is figuratively done with ease. Today versus yesterday is like two lines going in opposite directions. Having internal respect for women is inherent, socialized and a usual social norm to keep society correctly structured.

Depiction and thoughts go relatively hand in hand and even in those days women were portrayed in sometimes a risque view but it was not so brazenly displayed. Furthermore, there was plenty of disrespect but in segments or in certain levels of society. Also, respect is a state of mind and you must have respect for yourself before you can relay it to someone else.

Thank you.

Felicia