Valery Dance Academy

We continue the topic devoted to one of the greatest composers P. I. Chaykovsky, published in the previous issue of the newspaper “Perspective”, Winnipeg, and would like to describe to the broader audience the atmosphere and place in which P.I. Chaykovsky created his masterpieces: “Eugene Onegin”, “Swan Lake”, “Nutcracker”, etc.

The 20th century recognized Chaykovsky’s genius along with the greatest European composers. At the same time we had the 19th century when P.I. Chaykovsky created his music and when his time was covered both with roses and thorns.

Today we are going discuss about the environment which influenced the creative heritage of Chaykovsky. But prior to that I would like to ask a question: why do we like his music? Why does it touch us so much? And everyone will find his own answer. But one thing is unquestionable – his music has a soul. The biggest accomplishments in our lives are connected with strives, particularly in the lives of talented people. It defines his or her place in the universe. For any masterpiece the presence or absence of the strive models its destiny. The music world of Chaykovsky is inspiring. His music characters are alive; they bring thoughts, feelings and inspirations. What has influenced his creativity? For a genius it is literature, arts, classical heritage in music and opera-ballet genres, and other things which are hard to notice sometimes but for an artist they serve to reflect the artistic and musical images.

We will also touch upon his communication that has such great value for people. When we meet a person in our life that gives us an opportunity to expand our knowledge and enrich it and inspires us to discover more horizons, he or she touches our feelings, and because of that we get a great sensation of new opportunities and ideas. Every person has his or her own ways.

Turning the pages of the history of the 19th century our attention is drown to a small provincial town Kamyanka in the central part of Ukraine located not far from Kaniv, a place where the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko was born and buried. This small town was founded in the 17th century. The last governor of this town was Potiomkin-Tavrichesky who later gave it as a gift to his favorite niece Katherine, Rayevska in the first marriage and Davydova in the second. With time, both families made this town one of the centers of the Russian empire. Decembrists had their secret meetings in this place: P. Pestel, S. Muravyov-Apostol, M. Bestuzhev-Riumin, S. Volkonsky, M.Orlov. In Kamyanka they were developing their secret plan to eliminate the Tsar. A. Pushkin came to the town several times and later he was sent in exile to the south of the Russian empire.

It is in that place that A. Pushkin finished his poem “Kavkazskiy plennik” and devoted it to N. Rayevsky. There he started the poem “Poltava”. His good memories about Kamyanka were expressed in his letter to V. Davydov who was in Siberia at that time: “To you and Orlov and with love to Kamyanka”.

In 1865 at the age of 25, the first time in his life Chaykovsky came to visit his sister Katia for the first time and since then he came to Kamyanka every year. That place became the place of rest and inspiration for him. Chaykovsky wrote to his brother: “in Kamyanka I found the feeling of light in my soul which I couldn’t find in Moscow and St Petersburg”, “I love its past, it has so much poetry, the image of Pushkin is present here, everything inspires a poetic mood.” There, he found peace and quiet for his soul. Unfortunately, at that time he didn’t have an apartment in Moscow and/or St. Petersburg; he was renting a place. He felt at home in Kamyanka. In the capital they knew him as a very introverted person, in Kamyanka he was friendly, happy, full of life.

When he was going to Ukraine and was asked “where are you going?” he used to respond “home” meaning to Kamyanka. That atmosphere of the past: sister Katia, children, nature and his roots might have led to a very old Cossack’s family. His great grandfather on his father’s side, Fedir Chajka, was the head of the cossack’s division in Myrhorod. Maybe that whole combination of things contributed to the spiritual bond to that place.

As Pushkin listened to his babysitter Arina Rodionovna, Chaykovsky listened to the general’s wife Oleksandra Ivanivna Davydova who buried her husband in Krasnoyarsk after his 28 years of imprisonment, and in 1856 she returned to Kamyanka. She resembled a live history of the 19th century. At the age of 93 she had an exceptional memory and showed great hospitality to Pushkin and later to Chaykovsky.

Chaykovsky was inspired by long walks in the forest, along the river Ros. Possibly the river Ros hides the history of the Ros tribes that had inhabited that area and led the name to Kyiv Rus. At fairs and folklore weddings he heard many songs that entered his music world and made his compositions incredibly rich and beautiful. With great love Chaykovsky called folk songs a people’s treasure. Musical critiques stated that 32 Ukrainian songs were present in his works. Chaykovsky introduced the very melodic Ukrainian song “Plyve choven vody poven” into his opera “Mazepa”, which he started writing in Kamyanka. He also used Ukrainian songs in his second symphony which he called “Ukrainian Symphony”.

The world-known ballet “Swan Lake” and its energy. That story was born in Kamyanka. If you asked people who lived in Kamyanka about it, you’d get one answer, that it’s a story of their lake. “The Lake of Swans” is the first name given to a of one-act ballet created for Davydov’s children in 1871 where Chaykovsky introduced himself as a composer and producer. His favorite nieces and nephews acted in it. At that time he already had a sad “Swan Melody” and music to the dance of small swans. The whole period of writing was very emotional for Chaykovsky. It was 1877 at the age of 37 he married his 16 year old student. That marriage didn’t last long and was almost tragic. It could have also contributed to writing “Swan pictures”, full of dramatism, love, sadness and suffering. The history of arts is the history of varous authors’ ideas given to us from their personal lives. Chaykovsky dreamed to have his own family and perpetuate continue his name. “Light Tragedy” is how he called his “Swan Lake”. That’s how he saw the opera “The Blacksmith Vakula” renamed later “Little Shoes”.

The ballet “Nutcracker” was also written in Kamyanka. In the beginning Chaykovsky engaged his nephew Volodia whom he dearly loved and raised. This is a symphony of his childhood where fantasy ruled over the souls of little the viewers, where little soldiers used to fight with mice in the awakening of Maria’s and the Prince’s feelings. The theme depicted both good and evil on which several generations of children were brought up. In addition, in this play there was a dance called “Tropak” written down as a Russian dance. Chaykovsky wrote that music to the Ukrainian dance “Cossack”. The proof to that is in the ballet written by S. Taneev “Ukrainian dance Cossack”. It’s time to correct this error and call this dance a Ukrainian phenomenon because the music itself meets the character of Ukrainian dance. Symphonic pictures of “Snowflakes” and “Flowers” became unsurpassed masterpieces of ballet music, a reflection on the seasons. Only one who is in love with the nature could describe so well the beauty of a winter night and fields with blooming flowers. They corresponded to the best paintings of the greatest artists. They are waltzes of the soul and the beautiful atmosphere of the time when they were created. Chaykovsky loved to hold the first lily of the valley and the blooming flowers. His inspiration used to come back to him. When he was abroad his niece Vira used to write to him: “Dear uncle, the lily of the valley is already blooming”. That was a call to go home. The music in the “Nutcracker” is dear and close to everyone. All of us despite our age find sweetness in memories and in the beauty of the nature. This music is close to me as well. I grew up in a place not far from Kamyanka. In this music I feel that nature and see my childhood. My first dance was the “Soldier’s Dance” from the “Nutcracker”. Time passed and as a professional choreographer I revisited to the ballet version of that piece using Chaykovsky’s music.

Having a chance to work with Chaykovsky’s music one can feel the greatness of the music. He loved the ballet as a genre and with respect mentioned that “ballet is also a symphony”. Therefore, in a ballet-symphony, choreographers are looking for new emotional images and creativity for a laconic dramatic act. Chaykovsky’s music is a depository of plastic images. You enjoy its melody, where the dance starts with the tune and is based on it, then develops and establishes itself. The melody of a dance is similar to the melody of the music. “The theatre of music, song, and dance is the theatre of lyrics” as writers of the Romanticism period of the 19th century used to say. Working with the music of that epoch we can’t forget that “it’s sincere poetry – poetry of the heart – poetry of the soul”. In arts only something from the soul triumphs, Chaykovsky’s music is all “ANIMO”. The impact of Chaykovsky on the development of the ballet genre is significant. Due to him dance got its symphonic development that is highly appreciated by choreographers.

“Eugene Onegin” is the peak of his legacy. Once again he introduced his masterpiece first to his family in Kamyanka. He wrote the libretto with the help of his friend K. S. Shyliavsky. He started writing the piece in 1877 and almost completed the whole opera within one month. However, events in his personal life and sickness interrupted the completion of his work and he finished it after his recovery in January 1878. Half a year is short period of time in whish to write such a masterpiece. His thoughts about the writing of that opera were very interesting. He expressed them in the letter to his brother: “Poetism, humanity, simplicity of the plot in conjunction with the brilliant text”. “I’ll tell you about the music, if it’s written with the sincere admiration, love, this music is for Onegin. I was withering and shaking when I had composed it” - Chaykovsky wrote to S. Tanev.

"Sleeping Beauty" – is the culmination of the ballet classics. Its music is an encyclopedia of theatrical dance with the Great waltz of genius in the first act.

In the creative life of P. Chaykovsky we should mention the name of Nadia Filaretovna Von Meck. It was she, who gave him the creative will and financial independence. Till the end of her life she sponsored him, admiring his genius in music. Due to her attention and care he could work fruitfully and gave the world his magnificent music. This is a great example for modern patrons, who could provide financial assistance and help discover talent and by doing so enrich the national and world cultures.

Chaykovsky was loved by all the creative intelligentsia of Ukraine. After the first night of “Dame Pique” all of theatrical Odessa was thrilled and excited. The waves of emotions were moving from the stage to the hall. The whole theatre was overwhelmed and the chandeliers were shaking at the end of the play, Maria Zankovetska, the theater’s star actress gave the author a laurel wreathe with the inscription “from a mortal to an immortal”. They became friends and with time, Zankovetska invited him to her play “Unlucky”. He was deeply touched by her dramatic acting. His gift to the actress was a silver wreathe with the words “to an immortal lady from a mortal man”. That was P.I. Chaykovsky. He was talented and admired talent.

Before his death, P.I. Chaykovsky was involved in conducting. He performed beautifully in Odessa. In his letter to his brother Modest he wrote: “Never in my life have I felt so tired from conducting because I was conducting five concerts. Too bad you don’t have Odessa’s newspapers, because you’d know how much I was appreciated there. If I could only feel the same in our capitals. However, my faith is undermined. It seems to me, I’m completing my role.” That’s how his tragic notes coincided with his life. He was only 53. Thinking of his love for Pushkin’s poetry, one can recall: “I think in poems” – Pushkin wrote. Chaykovsky could say: “I think in music”. “Music is supposed to inspire people and their souls” – stated Beethoven. These words completely apply to the creativity of the great genius P.I. Chaykovsky.

P.I. Chaykovsky appeared to the world as the greatest individual of the 19th century. Nature gave him the talent, and that talent multiplied by hard work raised him among the geniuses in music. Symphonic music, an opera-ballet legacy was given to the world for ever.

Based on materials of a historical-chronicle nature, is article was presented by the artistic director of the “Valery Dance Academy”, Valery Debely

Winnipeg, Canada October 3, 2006
Website: www.valerydance.com

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