The name of the music collection is the doll's childhood. Flowers, music and children are the best decoration of life

Irina Chichina
Analysis of the play "March" wooden soldiers"from "Children's Album" by P. I. Tchaikovsky

Musical language is very good at conveying feelings and moods. In order to "draw" anything with music or "tell" about something, composers resort to ordinary, verbal language. It can be just one word in the title plays.

The first outstanding collection of music for children in Russian piano literature was « Children's album» P.I. Tchaikovsky. It fit a whole children's country, the big world of a child, told in sounds.

« Children's album» differs not only in its enormous artistic value, but also extremely useful for developing children's musicality.

« Children's album» , op. 39 was written by P.I. Tchaikovsky in May 1878. and dedicated to his beloved nephew Volodya Davydov. While visiting his sister in Kamenka, near Kyiv, "family nest" big noble family Davydov and often, listening to the play of his favorite Volodya, who was then 6 years old, Pyotr Ilyich was amazed at the poverty of the repertoire for beginners. He loved to hang out with his nephews, have fireworks, musical performances, evenings with dancing, took part in games, enjoyed the spontaneity of children. It was then that he decided to create album of plays for children.

On title page first edition full title cycle: « Children's album. Collection of lungs plays for children(imitation of Schumann). Essay by P. Tchaikovsky" Indeed, one can trace the connection « Children's album» P.I. Tchaikovsky with a similar work by R. Schumann « Album for youth» . Both composers speak to children surprisingly clearly and simply and at the same time seriously, without any "adjustments". The collections captivate with their lyricism. « Children's album» Tchaikovsky is perceived as Russian music, as a series of pictures dedicated to the everyday life of Russian children. Pyotr Ilyich strove to ensure that his music was lively and exciting, so he even showed interest in the external design of the publication plays - to pictures, to the collection format.

IN « Children's album» P.I. Tchaikovsky 24 pieces, not related to a single theme. In each play contains a specific plot, living poetic content, but several relatively independent plot lines can be noted. The collection captures a wide range of images.

« March of the Wooden Soldiers» (No. 5, along with "Game of Horses"(No. 3, refers to "game" children's plays, This "boys' games". Perhaps these are the most cloudless, children's naive plays« Album» .

« March of the Wooden Soldiers» is funny march, to the sounds "toy" orchestra with flutes and drums, as if a toy army is stamping the step wooden soldiers. This "toy-like" is emphasized by very subtle means - quiet (piano) and even very quiet (pianissimo, at the very beginning, performance. In this miniature, the composer draws a musical image with precise and economical means of expression - a sense of puppetry and woodenness conveyed by the clarity of the rhythmic pattern and the precision of the stroke. All play performed extremely clearly, smoothly, strictly, at a moderate tempo. For piano texture P.I. Tchaikovsky characterized by a significant role of the chord type of presentation. The close arrangement of chords, the consistency of rhythm and strokes figuratively convey harmonious movements soldiers walking in close formation to the beat of the drummer.

Play written in a simple tripartite form. Middle plays sounds secretive and even a little threatening, thanks to the change of fret (La Minor) and the application of Neapolitan harmony. But even this part in terms of dynamics does not go beyond the sonority of piano.

In the reprise, the original sonority is restored again, even quieter than in the middle plays as if "toy" the army leaves.

P.I. Tchaikovsky while writing« Album» achieved his goal by creating small masterpieces that are memorable plays, close and understandable to every child.

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Dear readers, today I invite you to relax a little, fill yourself with beautiful music with your children and grandchildren. We will talk to you about the music of P.I. Tchaikovsky, about his “Children's Album”. I remember the time when I myself played many pieces from this amazing album. I also remember how, while working at a music school, I gave many works to children, and I remember their response to these works. The music from this album is close, understandable and interesting to children. It’s as if they live their lives in music, recognize themselves, empathize with the characters, learn to think, and get to know the world.

On the pages of my blog I often appeal to you: introduce children to beauty from childhood. Listen to good music, go with them to the Philharmonic, to concerts that will be close and understandable to them. This is a very important moment in nurturing a sense of beauty in our children. And this is always important for the family. Discuss what you heard with your children, develop their horizons.

I hope that our small conversations on the blog will help you. Today, together with Lilia Shadkovsky, a reader of my blog, a music teacher with extensive experience working with children, we have prepared material in our section. I give the floor to Lilia and I’ll add a little to her article.

Good afternoon to all readers of Irina’s blog! Today we once again invite you, together with your children and grandchildren, to take a trip to fascinating world music of the great Russian composer P.I. Tchaikovsky, whose wonderful and poetic music is loved not only by adults, but it is understandable and interesting to children.

Flowers, music and children are the best decoration of life

P.I. Tchaikovsky loved children very much, subtly and sensitively understood their souls, felt their mood. He often said: “Flowers, music and children make up the best decoration of life.”

Indeed, the children's theme runs through all of his work, and "Children's Album" became the first collection of plays for children in Russia, included in the gold fund of the world musical literature for children. It contained a whole children's country, a big world of a child, told in sounds.

The history of the creation of the “Children’s Album by P.I. Tchaikovsky”

One of the factors that determined the composer’s desire to write music for children was the example of Robert Schumann, whose fascinating pieces from “Album for Youth” were very much loved by both children and teachers.

Another very important factor in the creation of the “Children’s Album” was the unusually warm relationship with her sister’s children. He walked with them for a long time, played a lot, told them about his travels and incredible stories about the countries he had visited. And he always listened with great interest to children's stories about various events in their lives. An unusually tender and warm relationship with his nephews gave impetus to writing a children's album.

In March 1878, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky arrived at the estate of his sister Alexandra Ilyinichna Davydova. He fell into Kamenka unexpectedly, out of the blue, and created a joyful commotion. Alexandra Ilyinichna’s children gave him such a concert that he had to cover his ears. Again the house was filled with “sweet, heavenly” sounds. Pyotr Ilyich settled comfortably in his room and was already scribbling something at his desk. A few days later he let slip:

“Here, these birds,” he pointed to the children, “certainly want me to write “every last bit” in their album. I'll write, don't be afraid. I’ll write and we’ll play everything!

And he wrote for the “Children's Album” and played them with children. And Pyotr Ilyich also loved to listen to children play music. Listening to the play of little musicians, he often thought that there were not so many compositions intended for children.

To whom did Tchaikovsky dedicated his “Children’s Album”?

After the “Children's Album” was completed, Pyotr Ilyich decides to dedicate it to his beloved nephew.

“I dedicated this album to my nephew Volodya, who passionately loves music and promises to be a musician,” wrote Tchaikovsky in a letter to N.F. von Meck. And indeed, on the title page of the first edition it was written: “Dedicated to Volodya Davydov.”

We flip through the pages of the music collection and one after another pictures from the lives of children appear in front of us. How many events interesting stories and accidents!

Here are fun games and sorrows, entertaining tales and pictures of Russian life, as well as sketches of Russian nature. I think that you will also be interested in experiencing the special spirit of that time through Tchaikovsky’s music, finding out how children lived then, what surrounded them, how they spent their time?

Look at the contents of the album. The titles of the plays will immediately tell you a lot.

"Children's Album" by Tchaikovsky. Content

The “Children's Album” includes the following plays:

1. Morning prayer
2. Winter morning
3. Horse game
4. March of the Wooden Soldiers
5. Doll disease
6. Doll funeral
7. Waltz
8. New doll
9. Mazurka
10. Russian song
11. A man plays the harmonica
12. Kamarinskaya
13. Polka
14. Italian song
15. An old French song
16. German song
17. Neapolitan song
18. Nanny's fairy tale
19. Baba Yaga
20. Sweet dream
21. The lark's song
22. The organ grinder sings
23. In the church

Let's walk through the pages of the "Children's Album" and listen to musical sketches and plays, some of which are probably already familiar to you. The collection contains 24 plays, where several plot lines are visible. We will listen to some of them.

Morning prayer

First story line associated with the child waking up and starting the day. The day in the family began and ended with prayer. We invite you to listen to “Morning Prayer,” whose bright and lyrical intonations are full of sublime peace and contemplation. This is a kind of reflection about God, about the soul. Surely the children were motivated to do good deeds and deeds by reciting the texts of the prayers. Let's listen to it with the children.

Winter morning

With his special compositional techniques P.I. Tchaikovsky conveyed the poetic atmosphere of a winter morning. Swift and prickly, alarming and unfriendly. On such a morning, you want to sit at home in the warmth, read a book or just cuddle up to your mother, bury yourself in her warm palms...Remember the lines of F. Tyutchev with your children.

Enchantress in Winter
Bewitched, the forest stands -
And under the snow fringe,
motionless, mute,
He shines with a wonderful life.

And he stands, bewitched, -
Not dead and not alive -
Enchanted by a magical dream,
All entangled, all shackled
Light chain down...

Is the winter sun shining
On him your ray with a scythe -
Nothing will tremble in him,
It will all flare up and sparkle
Dazzling beauty.

F. Tyutchev conveys the peaceful state of winter nature, plunged into a magical sleep with the help figurative metaphors. In the rays of the morning sun, it really looks like a real fairy-tale kingdom! And here is the music itself. Listening to “Winter Morning” from Tchaikovsky’s “Children’s Album”.

Mother

Extraordinarily touching sounds of peace and tranquility. Immediately before us stands the bright image of the mother and everything connected with eternal symbol motherhood. We feel her gentle hands, hear her gentle voice, feel protection and friendly support, seeing her calm gaze.

These were probably Pyotr Ilyich’s memories of his mother, whom he loved immensely. No wonder all his life he remembered her extraordinary eyes. Let's listen to the play "Mama" from the children's album of P.I. Tchaikovsky.

Horse game

But now the emotional experiences are replaced by mischievous, cheerful melodies of the second storyline. We are immersed in unbridled fun, laughter and joy. Children did not have cars or airplanes in the time of Tchaikovsky, so for any boy of that time, tin soldiers, a drum or a toy horse were a source of special pride. Listen to how unusual the music of the play “The Horse Game” sounds.

March of the Wooden Soldiers

But “March of the Wooden Soldiers” sounds cheerfully and solemnly - one of the most popular children's plays. You listen and imagine how a whole army of wooden soldiers are marching to this music. I think that your kids also wanted to pick up a drum and proudly walk like a real one. good soldier, chasing every step.

Doll disease. Funeral of a doll. New doll

And then (especially for girls) topics with a doll will be interesting. Three plays are associated with it. The doll gets sick. The girl is very sorry for her doll. Doctors are called to see her, but nothing helps. The doll is dead. Everyone came to the funeral, all the toys. After all, they loved the doll so much! A small toy orchestra escorts a doll: The monkey plays the trumpet. Bunny is on the drum, and Mishka hits the timpani. Poor old teddy bear, he was completely wet from tears.

The doll was buried in the garden, next to a rose bush, and the entire grave was decorated with flowers. And then one day, my father’s friend came to visit. He had some kind of box in his hands.

- This is for you, Sasha! - he said.

“What is it?” Sashenka thought, burning with curiosity.

The friend untied the ribbon, opened the lid and handed the box to the girl. There lay a beautiful doll. She had big blue eyes. When the doll was rocked, the eyes opened and closed. The pretty little mouth smiled at the girl. Blonde curly hair fell on her shoulders. And from under the velvet dress white stockings and black patent leather shoes were visible. A real beauty! Sashenka looked at the doll and couldn’t stop looking at it.

- Well. What are you doing? Take it, it’s yours,” said dad’s friend.

The girl reached over and took the doll out of the box. A feeling of joy and happiness overwhelmed her. The girl impulsively pressed the doll to her chest and spun around the room with it, as if in a waltz.

- What a joy to receive such a gift! – thought Sasha. Let's listen to the play "New Doll" from the "Children's Album".

Sweet dream

One of my favorite pieces from the Children's Album is “Sweet Dream”. A daydream is a dream, a tremulous state of mind, the contemplation of something unusual and sublime. I think that there are no people who would not dream of something secret. Talk to the children, ask what they dream about.

Nanny's fairy tale

As in those distant times, a day full of different impressions ends with a good good fairy tale. With bated breath, kids listen to their favorite fairy tales, sincerely worrying about their favorite characters.

“Nanny's Tale” has an intricate rhythmic pattern that creates an atmosphere of fairy-tale and anxiety. And what kind of stories do children suggest when listening to the play “Nanny’s Tales”? That’s where there is room for children’s fantasies to fly! Let's listen to this music too.

Songs of distant lands

The following storyline is represented by “Old French Song”, “German Song”, “Italian Song”. Each of the plays reflects the characteristics folk music these countries. It is known that Pyotr Ilyich traveled a lot, and he embodied his impressions in music. So you and I will take a fascinating musical journey and try to understand the characteristics of folk music and the flavor of these countries.

German song

The "German Song" from the "Children's Album" is reminiscent of the sound of a barrel organ and is very similar to the old German Lander dance, which was danced by peasants, with whirling and stomping in their wooden shoes

Neapolitan song

“The Neapolitan Song” is one of the most popular and brightest pieces of the “Children's Album”, reflecting the cheerful Italian carnival. Based on this play, Pyotr Ilyich created the “Neapolitan dance for the ballet “Swan Lake”.

Tchaikovsky's music, like Pushkin's poetry, comes to us in childhood and remains with us for life. Peter Ilyich left us a wonderful musical heritage - this is our culture, this is our art, without which there cannot be a worthy future.

Did you know that:

1. "Children's Album" was written in May 1878. The history of its creation is inextricably linked with Kamenka, a small Ukrainian village near Kyiv. Kamenka is the family nest of the large Davydov family Lev Vasilyevich Davydov himself was a great friend of Tchaikovsky and the husband of his beloved sister Alexandra Ilyinichna. Kamenka was the composer’s favorite place, where he worked and rested with inspiration. Tchaikovsky called this unusually picturesque place a “radiant land.” Here he spent his free time among the children, watching their games, listening to their children's stories. It was the unusually tender and warm relationship with his nephews that gave impetus to the writing of “Children’s Album.”
2. The creation of the “Children's Album” was preceded by a long communication with Kolya Conradi, a deaf-mute student of P. I. Tchaikovsky. It was with him and with their brother that they spent part of the time from 1877-1978.
3. 3. The idea of ​​dedicating the “Children’s Album” to Volodya Davydov obviously arose after finishing the composition. Tchaikovsky spent quite a lot of time with his nephew in the summer of 1878 in Kamenka.
4. Even later, in 1878, from Florence he wrote to L.V. Davydov, his sister’s husband: “Tell Bobik that the notes with pictures were printed, that the notes were composed by Uncle Petya, and what is written on them: dedicated to Volodya Davydov. He's stupid and won't understand what it means to be dedicated! And I’ll write to Jurgenson to send a copy to Kamenka.

This is the journey we took with you today, dear readers. I hope it was interesting to you and your children.

Sharko's shower

Tchaikovsky P.I. "Children's album

(methodological and performance analysis)

Teacher of children's music school No. 1 Semenova Marina Alexandrovna
Cycle piano pieces"Children's Album", Op. 89, written by P.I. Tchaikovsky in May 1878, dedicated to his beloved nephew Volodya Davydov and published by P. Jurgenson in October of the same year.
On the title page of the first edition the full title of the cycle is: “Children's Album. A collection of light plays for children (imitation of Schumann). Composition by P. Tchaikovsky.”
Tchaikovsky's love for children is widely known. He treated with great tenderness, for example, his nephews, or the deaf-mute boy Volodya Konradi, a pupil of the composer’s brother M.P. Tchaikovsky. It is also known how persistently the composer worked to open a school in Maidanovo. Tchaikovsky could spend hours playing with children, taking part in games, enjoying their spontaneity. The children paid the composer with sincere affection and love. The bright, joyful world of a child is reflected in the work of Tchaikovsky. Suffice it to recall the cycle of “Children’s Songs” (the full title is “16 songs for children based on the poems of A.M. Pleshcheev and other poets,” op. 543 or the ballet extravaganza “The Nutcracker,” op. 71).
With extraordinary sensitivity and a subtle understanding of child psychology, the composer reflected in the “Children's Album” the life and everyday life of the children of the environment that surrounded him every day.
The “Children's Album” contains 24 plays that are not connected by a single theme. All plays in the cycle are programmatic, each containing a specific plot and living poetic content.
The collection captures a wide range of images. These are pictures of nature - “Winter Morning”, “Song of the Lark”, children’s games - “Game of Horses”, “Doll Illness”, “Funeral of a Doll”, “New Doll”, “March of the Wooden Soldiers”. Russian characters are vividly depicted folk tales– “Nanny’s Tale”, “Baba Yaga”, Russian folk art - “Russian Song”, “A Man Plays a Harmonica”, “Kamarinskaya”, songs of other nations - “Italian Song”, “Old French Song”, “German Song” ", "Neapolitan song". The cycle contains elements of figurativeness - “The Organ Grinder Sings” and onomatopoeia - “The Lark’s Song”. Tchaikovsky, without resorting to simplification, paints a rich inner world child in the plays “Morning Reflection”, “Sweet Dream” and “Chorus”.
The songs of various peoples are based on authentic folk melodies. “Russian Song” is built on the theme of the song “Are you a head, my little head?” Italian folk melodies are the “Neapolitan Song”, previously included in the ballet “Swan Lake” and “Italian Song”. Another Italian folk melody formed the basis of the play “The Organ Grinder Sings.” The theme of “An Old French Song” is also genuine, and was later used in the opera “The Maid of Orleans”.
. Robert Schumann's Album for Youth, which Tchaikovsky imitates, is widely known. He expressed his love for Schumann in some piano works, for example, in the play “Un poco di Schuman”, op. 72. or in one of the variations of op. 19.
Schumann's influence on Tchaikovsky's piano style is visible, for example, in the similarity of texture, rhythm and dynamics, but in the "Children's Album", paradoxically, it is expressed to a lesser extent; the genre themes of these collections are rather similar. The plays “The Brave Rider”, “The Cheerful Peasant”, “Soldier’s March”, “Winter”, “Sicilian Song” by Schumann correspond to works from Tchaikovsky’s cycle that are similar in theme: “The Game of Horses”, “A Man Plays a Harmonica”, “March of the Wooden soldiers", "Winter morning", "Italian song".
If we talk about continuity, we should note the similarity of the musical language of the “Children’s Album” with the melody and texture of M.I. Glinka’s piano style. His waltzes, nocturnes, polkas, mazurkas, plays “Feeling” and “Innocence” are the immediate predecessors of “Waltz”, “Mazurka”, “Polka” and other plays from the “Children's Album”.
The “Children’s Album” was published several times during the author’s lifetime. Nowadays there are a large number of domestic and foreign publications. The cycle is published in full and in parts; individual plays are also included in various collections. In some publications, for various reasons, individual plays were removed from the Children's Album. In Muzgiz's 1929 edition. the play “Funeral of a Doll” was not included under the pretext of its tragic nature, and from the same publication of 1935. the play “Chorus” (formerly “In the Church”) was withdrawn as generally unacceptable.
In the autograph of the “Children's Album,” the designations of tempo and character are given in Russian, but already in the first edition of Jurgenson, which the author reviewed and corrected, the terminology changed significantly. For example, the character of the play “Morning Reflection” is designated “Quiet” in the autograph, while Jurgenson’s edition prescribes the tempo designation Andante (Calmly). In the play “A Man Plays the Harmonica” - in the autograph “Quite Slowly”, and in the 1st edition - Adagio (Slowly).
The autograph of the play “The Organ Grinder Sings” does not contain the author’s tempo designation. In Jurgenson's edition - Andante. In a number of editions, this tempo is designated differently. Edited by E. Golubev - Andantino, published by Peters - Moderato. In the latter, the author's designations of tempo are generally distorted in many ways. In the plays “Morning Meditation” and “The Doll’s Disease” Lento is arbitrarily written, in “Russian Song”, “Kamarinskaya” and the first part of the “Neapolitan Song” - Commodo, “The Lark's Song” - Lentamente. The editor's complete lack of understanding of the nature of music is demonstrated in the designation of the Andante tempo in the play "Winter Morning".
In the autograph, the first period of the play “German Song” is maintained on the unchanged bass Es (in the first quarter of the bar), and the same is true in the reprise. However, already in Jurgenson's edition the unchanged organ item is missing. All subsequent editions are based on Jurgenson's edition. The version with a constant organ section is very attractive - it fits well with the nature of the music and can be considered as a kind of author’s version.
In the preface to the edition of the “Children's Album,” editor E. Golubev points out “the incorrect designation of the rhythmic figure in the “German Song” available in all editions of the album in the third bar from the end, two eighth notes with a dot, followed by a dotted line and two eighth notes, as elsewhere in similar places. The error arose as a result of a typo by the author himself.” We cannot agree with this argument. Why should the author act in a reprise exactly by analogy, because the reprise sounds more convincing with an even more emphasized dotted line.
All Russian and Soviet editions accurately reproduce the articulation and dynamics of the autograph and the first edition. However, in many foreign publications these designations are distorted. In the already mentioned Peters edition, editor V. Niman arbitrarily corrects the author's instructions. In this edition, translations of the titles of the plays into German, French and English are also arbitrary. The play “The Game of Horses” is translated as “Little Cavalryman”, “March of the Wooden Soldiers” is “Soldier’s March”, “A Man Plays the Harmonica” is “The Peasant’s Song”, and “Mama” is translated as “My Mommy”. Incorrect translations also distort the nature of the music and do not give children a complete understanding of it. The element of play is lost in the plays “The Game of Horses” and “March of the Wooden Soldiers”, “Mother” is translated in a cloyingly sweet way, and no idea is given about the specificity of the work “A Man Plays a Harmonica”.
From all that has been said, it follows that it is better to turn to domestic editions of the “Children’s Album”, which accurately depict the author’s text.
Although the texture, melody, harmony, rhythm, articulation, dynamics, ornamentation, fingering and pedaling of the “Children's Album” are sometimes complex, they take into account the level of development of children and their performing capabilities.
Tchaikovsky did not use complex keys or tonal shifts. Of the 24 plays, 19 are written in major keys, and of the 5 minor keys, only the plays “The Doll’s Sickness” and “The Doll’s Funeral” (G minor and C minor) sound truly gloomy. The major keys are dominated by C major, D major, F major, B flat major, E flat major, which give the whole cycle a bright, joyful sound.
The ratio of tempos in the cycle is thought out and built on contrasts. This is what the researcher wrote piano creativity Tchaikovsky A.A. Nikolaev: “In the “Children's Album” we recognize Tchaikovsky’s characteristic piano style, which retains its basic, typical features. Here, as if on a reduced scale, in a simplified presentation, almost all the technical formulas found in “The Seasons” and in other miniatures by Tchaikovsky are presented.”
It is interesting that Tchaikovsky, who never taught children and had little contact with the issues of teaching the piano, showed excellent knowledge of piano presentation, accessible to children's hands.
In the entire collection there is, for example, not a single octave or chord located wider than within a seventh. In not a single piece will we find a simultaneous combination of the extreme registers of the keyboard, requiring a wide distance between the hands. The lower register (counter and subcontra octaves) are not used at all, and sounds in the highest octaves are found only in the play “The Lark's Song.” The fabric of these works itself is much simpler in design. The usual multi-element presentation, imitations, echoes characteristic of Tchaikovsky are almost absent here.
Chord technique occupies a predominant place in the series of these pieces, but as we noted above, throughout the chords are used taking into account the physical capabilities of the child’s hand.
Chord accompaniment in the left hand part is typical for such pieces as “Waltz”, “Mazurka”, “Italian Song”, “German Song”, “Neapolitan Song”, “The Organ Grinder Sings”, i.e. for such musical pictures where the melodious character in the right hand part is supported by accompaniment that clearly reveals the harmonic basis.
Another type of piano presentation is an almost continuous harmonization of the melody, forming a movement with chords located in both hands. We see such a drawing in “Morning Prayer”, in modern transcription - “Morning Reflection”, the plays “Winter Morning”, “March of the Wooden Soldiers”, “Funeral of a Doll”, “Nanny’s Tale”, etc. A particularly dense chord structure is found in the piece “A Man Plays a Harmonica,” where the sound of a harmonica is imitated by the ingenious technique of using dominant seventh chords in a close arrangement, which sounds quite shrill and sharp in the middle register of the piano.
To all that has been said, it must be added that in the plays “Morning Reflection”, “Winter Morning”, “Game of Horses”, “Mother”, “Russian Song”, “Nanny’s Tale”, “Chorus” the quartet structure is clearly felt. The melody is extremely expressive. The composer generously draws it, as if from a cornucopia. The rhythm is also varied. The harmonic composition of the pieces is simple and accessible. The ornamentation is organically woven into the melodic line of the plays “Polka”, “Italian Song”, “Song of the Lark”.
Let us especially focus on articulation and dynamics. The composer finds precise intonations that sometimes convey even barely noticeable, subtle shades of expressiveness of human speech. Studying the "Children's Album" can be an excellent articulation school.
I. Braudo in his major work “Articulation” outlined a scale of connectedness and dismemberment in the following table:
"Connectedness"
1.Acoustic legato or legatissimo
2. Legato
3. Dry legato
"Dismemberment":
4.Deep non legato
5.Non legato
6.Metrically defined non legato
"Brevity":
7. Soft staccato
8. Staccato
9. Staccatissimo (maximum achievable brevity)
Of course, the given table is only a diagram, because the degrees of coherence, brevity and dissection are truly limitless, but all the given types of articulation are available in the “Children's Album” from legato and legatissimo in the plays “Mama”, “Old French Song”, “Sweet Dream” to staccatissimo in the works “Baba Yaga” and “The Game of Horses”. In many plays, a combination of precisely placed legato, non legato, staccato, leagues, and accents is necessary to create an image, which will be discussed in detail below.
The dynamics are also carefully indicated. The composer uses both its gradual development and sudden changes in subtle gradations of sonority. But nowhere in the cycle is ff indicated - the author prescribes a dynamics scale ppp-f. In the works of the cycle, Tchaikovsky mainly used simple shapes, which are easy to analyze.
It should be recognized that the fingering of some publications is unsuccessful - it often does not agree with the meaning of the music, is inconvenient and difficult to remember. When analyzing individual pieces, fingering options for the author of the work will be suggested.
The pieces from Tchaikovsky's piano collection are invaluable pedagogical and artistic material. To create images, the performer will have to use the entire arsenal musical means expressiveness.
Studying works will allow young pianists to show creative initiative and read each in their own way.
The “Children's Album” can be performed in its entirety, or individual pieces should be included in the repertoire of young performers. The following microcycles can be built on its material:
1. “Doll’s illness”, “Doll’s funeral”, “New doll”.
2. “Waltz”, “Mazurka”, “Polka”, “March of the Wooden Soldiers”.
3. “Russian song”, “A man plays a harmonica”, “Kamarinskaya”.
4. “Italian song”, “Old French song”, “German song”, “Neapolitan song”.
5. “Nanny’s Tale”, “Baba Yaga”.
Other solutions can be found when combining plays.
Author methodological manual does not provide musical examples, because the notes of "Children's Album" are ubiquitous. When reading the work you need to have them in front of you. We emphasize that the reader will inevitably encounter some repetitions, because... A number of plays pose similar artistic and pianistic goals.
Let's move on to the performing and pedagogical analysis of the plays in the cycle.

1. Morning reflection

The play introduces a child to the world of complex experiences. The work, reminiscent of a saraband, has strict four-voices (the student can imagine the sound of a quartet of string instruments). In the chorale, the author avoids harmonic complications and is content with simple cadence formulas. It is worth emphasizing the sharp sound of the seconds in bars 6,8, 10,21, the opening seventh chord on the tonic organ point (bars 17,19).
Carefully work with the student on voice leading, the melodiousness of each voice, but especially pay attention to the sound of the mobile soprano and bass.
Articulation and dynamics should emphasize the expressiveness of the piece. Although in bars 1,2,7-12 legato is not written out by the author - it is implied. It is important to achieve soft melodious sound legato in all voices. This will be ensured by appropriately selected fingering (when repeating chords, fingers should not be changed).
In one case, the expressiveness of speech intonations is emphasized by leagues - supports on the strong beats of measures, in the other - by syncopations on the second or third beat. The teacher will also draw the student's attention to the fact that an accented downbeat and soft syncopation sometimes follow one another (bars 17,19).
When working on dynamics, pay close attention to the instructions in the text - first, a small “fork” in 3-5 bars, then a partial culmination of mf in bar 8 and a bright climactic f in the twelfth. At the end of the piece, the music gradually fades away and dissolves on pp.
In the rhythmic figure characteristic of the saraband - a quarter note with a dot - an eighth, students often do not listen to the full stop. Rhythmically, you need to play the right hand part and the dotted eighth with a dot - the sixteenth, taking into account that in all cases the eighth is accented; this gives the rhythm additional elasticity.
You should especially work on the tonic organ point, use the rehearsal capabilities of the piano, and differentiate the bass and tenor parts. To do this, the support is removed from the fifth finger (it gently repeats the organ point) and transferred to the remaining fingers. In a singing tenor part, a strong first finger will be able to naturally fulfill the accents in bars 17 and 19 - supporting the expressiveness of the soprano, enhancing the sound of the chord. In this fragment, also feel the “talking” pauses in bars 16 and 18.
The piece may use a delay pedal to mark changes in harmonies. 17, 19 and the last three measures can be pronounced on one pedal. The organ point contributes to this.
When playing holistically, students tend to drag out the tempo; The desire to overcome the chord vertical and find a natural, leisurely, flowing movement in the rhythm of the saraband will help.
The relatively simple texture of the work does not mean that it is easy and accessible for the student to understand. Performing a piece requires a sufficient amount of attention from the child; he must clearly show the polyphony of the piece, take into account the harmonic, phrasing, articulation, dynamic, and rhythmic features of the work. Only work on conscious mastery of all components of interpretation will lead to its meaningfulness.
2. Winter morning

The play captures not only the picture of a snowy, frosty winter morning, but also the psychological mood of the child. The piece begins in joyful D major, which soon modulates into parallel minor, as if the joy is overshadowed by cloudy weather.
A potential mistake for a student is dividing the music into separate units by beat, so the teacher should pay attention to the fact that each eight-beat of the outer parts of the piece should be pronounced in one breath, as if under a common league. It is necessary to find appropriate pianistic movements so that each cell (measure) is an integral part of the overall movement. The collected hands are positionally transferred with soft, economical, synchronous movements. Along the way, springy spring supports with clear resolutions alternate within each bar, a general crescendo is carried out with climaxes in bars 5 and 13 and a subsequent diminuendo.
Monitor the accuracy of the dotted rhythm, emphasize the roll calls in the soprano and alto parts in bars 5-8 and soprano and tenor (bars 13-16). The same with minor changes in the reprise.
The contrasting middle part of the play is very expressive. Its metricality (in each two-beat the same rhythm is repeated) must be overcome by performing means in the same way as in the extreme parts of the play, combine two-beats, pronounce them in one breath with a melodious, soulful sound. Expressive accents should not delay movement. Don't smooth out dissonances. In bars 25-40, it is important to emphasize the bass line, which gives the fragment a special charm. You should work on the accuracy of the rhythmic figure - eighth with a dot - sixteenth, hear the roll calls of soprano and alto. Draw the student’s attention to the clear, melodious performance of the culminating dotted line of this figure in bars 28 and 32, which runs synchronously in all voices. Movement rushes towards it, as if summing up the previous constructions.
In bars 39-40, the mystery of p can be emphasized by a barely noticeable slowdown in tempo. You can also slow down a little at the end of the play.
In the extreme parts of the piece in each measure, the accentuation of strong beats can be supported by the pedal, and in the middle part and coda the pedal should help identify the melodic and harmonic features of the texture.
Difficulty of this work It also lies in the fact that it is designed for the student’s good reaction and ability to think at a fast pace.
3. Game of horses
The student must introduce himself actor, galloping astride a stick or toy horse. The bright, colorful little toccata is reminiscent of the Scherzo pizzicato from Tchaikovsky's IV Symphony.
When determining tempo and movement, it is important to assume that the metric unit here is a beat, not an eighth note. A musical idea fits into four measures.
From beginning to end, the piece is structured in a four-voice quartet chord structure. What comes naturally from a string quartet, with each voice played by a different person, is not at all easy to do on the piano. Natural sound can be achieved if the student feels the change of harmonies, the logic of voice guidance, and hears modulations. In chords you need to achieve sound alignment and harmony.
Staccato is performed with the smallest movements of the hand and tucked fingertips. The teacher will make sure that the student does not make any unnecessary movements on the keyboard, and when repeating notes, he uses a double piano rehearsal. Each subsequent note or chord is played before the keys are fully raised. You should choose the fingering well to avoid unnecessary hand movements.
When learning a piece, the student often touches extraneous keys. The chords sound dirty. Repeated repetitions do not improve the situation. Raise the fingers not involved in the game slightly; they should not touch the keys. Crescendo and diminuendo are achieved by increasing or decreasing the intensity of the touch on the keys. At the moment the sonority increases, the hand and then the forearm are “connected” to the fingers, and when the sound decreases, they are gradually “turned off”. These pianistic techniques should be preserved when moving to a fast tempo. If you use only uniform vertical movements, this will inevitably lead to rapid fatigue of your hands.
We emphasize that to master the piece, persistent work at a slow tempo is necessary. After thoroughly mastering a piece at a slow tempo, you should not immediately switch to a fast tempo. Often, some inexperienced young pianists make this transition all at once, and as a result the piece fails at a fast tempo. In a slow tempo, the pianist gets used to a certain slow type of movement. If you move directly to a fast pace, your hands begin to work hard and quickly get tired, the skills acquired at a slow pace are destroyed, and automation of movements cannot be achieved. At a fast tempo, the fingers expend less effort - the shoulder and forearm take on part of the work, the sound becomes lighter and more defined, and one should play closer to the keys. You should move from a slow to a fast pace gradually so that your hands gradually get used to the new type of movements. You need to find 5-7, and in some cases more intermediate gradations of tempo, from slow to the desired fast, achieving accuracy in the pronunciation of music in each. If there are rough edges in the next faster pace, you should return to the previous pace and continue polishing the failed fragment. The teacher must carefully monitor the complex process of gradual automation of movements and make his own adjustments.
The principle of transition from a slow tempo to a fast one applies not only to the play “The Game of Horses”, it is universal and can be widely applied in pedagogical practice.

The title itself contains the meaning of the work, which is emphasized by the author’s remark - “With great feeling and tenderness.” It is necessary to establish what the child sees in this image, how he can capture it in interpretation.
The play is written in a polyphonic, polyphonic style. The bass and soprano sing in decima almost throughout its entire length, but their articulatory tasks are different. The lower voice is marked legatissimo (the short lines in each measure should not be taken into account; according to a long tradition, they correspond to the movement of the bow of string instruments). The articulation of the right hand part conveys a variety of speech intonations. Tchaikovsky's enormous skill is manifested in the fact that until bar 31 there is no reliance on strong beats in the presentation, and incomplete cadences are used in harmony, which emphasizes the through movement of the music. Its achievement is the main performance difficulty.
So from bars 1-8 and 17-24 in the right hand part, articulatory leagues begin on weak parts and softly resolve on the downbeats of the following measures. From the second half of bars 8 to 12 and from bars 24 to 28, short leagues, combining two quarters, follow one after another, evoking an association with a pendulum. It should also not disrupt the end-to-end development of the music. Warn the student against a possible mistake: left hand often, out of solidarity, plays with the same articulation as the right one. Elastic brush movements and well-chosen fingering will help achieve legatissimo in the left hand part.
A precisely written dynamic plan leads to a soft climax in bar 30, after which the young pianist should be well aware of the expressive “talking” pause. In the last six bars of the piece, the reliance on the downbeats of every other bar contrasts with the previous presentation, emphasizing the completeness of the statement.

5. March of the Wooden Soldiers

To embody the image, the young pianist must achieve the lightness, sonority of staccato, the “toy” sonority of the “March of the Wooden Soldiers”, to the sounds of a “toy” orchestra with flutes and a drum.
It is necessary to work on the elasticity and accuracy of the rhythm. In one case (bars 2-4) in the first half of the bar the indicated dotted line is an eighth with a dot and a sixteenth is pronounced under the league, and in the second half the dot is replaced by a pause. In another case (bars 7, 15), pauses are placed in both the first and second half of the bars. These fine details must be followed precisely. Pianistic techniques require short, fast, precise movements of targeted, rounded fingertips. It is important to work on the precision of chords and dotted rhythm, and pay attention to the fingering; for example, it is better to perform rehearsals in bars 8, 16, 40 with different fingers (sometimes, to make it easier, they can be transferred to the right hand part).
The play never goes beyond the limits of r and pp. Accents should not disrupt the dynamics; they further emphasize the “toy-like” nature of the music.
A short pedal helps you better hear the precise sound of texture, strong beats of measures, and accentuation of chords.
It is necessary to warn the student against accelerating the tempo, strictly following the author’s instructions Moderato (Moderate).

6. Doll disease

The play is one of the easiest in the “Children's Album”, but it is also fraught with certain difficulties. Students usually convey her character well - the doll is sick, suffers, moans, complains.
A common mistake is hearing only the vertical. Meanwhile, the young pianist should feel three sound layers developing horizontally - melody, bass and harmony. Each of these elements of the composition has its own expressiveness. Merging together, they form harmony. Work on a singable melody, expressive bass and harmonies that follow one after another. When combining layers, you need to pay attention to the fact that each of them is independent, and, at the same time, to their subordination, help to find the sound ratio. Students, for example, usually “sit” on a melodic note and do not feel the need to continue the melodic line. You can learn the melody separately, without pauses, at a more agile tempo, in order to better feel its development. Collect the harmonies vertically into a chord: this will make them easier to hear. Fingers will help in working on the sound, as if fused with the keys, taking them “closely,” “warmly,” softly.
Let us note the greater gradualness of dynamic development, for example, the approach to the climax f in bars 21-24, followed by diminuendo, small dynamic influxes in bars 31-34 and, finally, the final “fork”, at the end of which the tempo can be slowed down.
Unnecessarily slow pace, in which all the elements of the piece will inevitably disintegrate - it is necessary to find a smooth, fluid pulsation.
“Doll Disease” can be a good school for pedaling. In each measure, except 9-16, gently take the delay pedal on a quarter with a dot in the left hand part and listen to it along with the melody note until the end of the measure, and then smoothly remove it when a new bass arrives. The same thing happens in every next measure. In the second eight-bar, also take the quarter pedal with a dot in the right hand part and attach the harmony to the melodic note of the next bar.
The teacher must monitor the pedaling technique so that the pedal is taken smoothly, does not press to the bottom and does not cause large number overtones, which would be in conflict with the transparent nature of the music. You also need to pay attention to finger discipline. If they overexpose the bass or harmony, then the next harmony will contain overtones of the previous one.

7. Doll funeral

In a solemn funeral procession, a funeral march sounds in gloomy C minor. At first the funeral procession is far away, then it gets closer and closer, now it is already next to us, and then it begins to move away. In accordance with this, a dynamic plan is constructed (the play begins pp, gradually develops to mf, and returns to pp again). Its accuracy is very important for revealing the image. As with every funeral march, the young pianist's attention should be drawn to the rhythmic figure (half note, dotted eighth note, sixteenth note and half note again - students often turn a dotted eighth note and a sixteenth note into a triplet). In different performing situations, this game sounds differently - sometimes like a mannered step, sometimes at the climax - minted, ominous. The gloomy nature of the music is emphasized by heavy chords and intervals in the accompaniment, which should be well coordinated with the melodic line. It is especially necessary to emphasize the seventh code of the double dominant at the climax: it usually appears in Tchaikovsky in the most tense fragments.
The articulation is dominated by measured non legato gait. The expressive leagues in measures 17, 18, 21 and 22 must be listened to to the end, but not connected to the next sixteenth note. Legato (bars 31-33) should sound melodious, highlighting the dominant stroke.
The child must be aware that this is a doll funeral and treat it as a game.

Waltz – couples dance, based on smooth whirling, is one of the most common dance genres. He took a worthy place in Tchaikovsky's work. It is necessary to introduce the young pianist to analogues - two or three samples from symphonies, operas, ballets or piano waltzes, for example, with the “Nata Waltz” or the play “December” from “The Four Seasons”. It is useful to show him waltz steps or even teach him how to dance (children rarely know how to dance the waltz these days). It is advisable to turn to a figurative comparison - the student should imagine that the waltz is being performed at a holiday at school or at home.
The play is written in a complex three-part form in a small-format version.
First of all, you need to take care of waltzing.
The left hand part is pronounced easily, with soft support from the bass. In the second period, the bass line acquires a certain independence, which should be emphasized.
When working on a melody, strive for melodiousness, clarity, plasticity, pay attention to syncopation in 2-4 bars. Light accents and pauses should not interrupt the movement. You should think about a through development, as if the bar line disappears under the influence of the elements of dance. The melodic line tends to intermediate “intonation points” in bars 5, 7, 9 (also in the second phrase), and then to a small climax in bar 17. Next, the action becomes dynamic, the author writes out mf from 18 and f from 26 bars, which should not lead to heavier syncopation, accents, or inhibition of movement. Short leagues and staccato give this fragment a special grace. It's the same in the reprise. When performing the first part of the piece and reprise with both hands, you need to make sure that the bass and chords in the left hand part are organically woven into the overall outline of the non-stop waltz movement, to find a good balance
melodic line of bass and harmony.
In the middle part, students sometimes do not feel polymetry - a combination of a three-beat waltz accompaniment with a two-beat right hand part, and do not feel two-voices. Sometimes the sonority is forced, which leads to a dull two-beat (the left one plays along with the right one out of “sympathy”). The second phrase of the middle part can be played a little quieter, and at the end the tempo can be slowed down a little.
Carefully selected fingerings can help the artistic performance of a piece. In the left hand part, in measures 1-16 and a similar fragment in the 5th reprise, the finger should only be placed on the bass.
Pedaling will help identify danceability: connecting the bass with chords with a delayed pedal.

9. New doll

This is a subtle psychological sketch - a girl’s joy over a wonderful gift - a new doll.
When working on a play, teachers and young musicians face pitfalls. Using performing means one must be able to overcome rhythmic and textural monotony: in the extreme parts of the piece there is repetition in the right hand part of a rhythmic figure - a quarter and an eighth, and in the middle - two eighths separated by pauses, which is further aggravated by the monotonous texture of the accompaniment throughout the entire piece. In the extreme parts, the development and variety of wonderful expressiveness, flight, and soft aspiration of the melody will be helped by the dynamics and subtle articulatory instructions set by the author. These parts should be performed as if “in one breath”, to achieve gradual dynamics, melodious legato in bars 1-5, 10-13. Expressive pronunciation of “talking” leagues (bars 6-9, 14-17) will help to identify lively speech intonations. It's the same in the reprise. In the middle part of the piece and the coda, the student must find a subtle, “breathing” melody, monitor the flexibility of intonation and the continuity of development of the music. In the dynamics, accurately presented by the author, the climax occurs at 24-25 bars.
The left hand part has its own difficulties - in each measure, in a group of repeating two eighths, soft support falls on the first, which should not interfere with the continuity in the development of the music.
When playing a piece with both hands, make sure that the melody and accompaniment are consistent. The left part always followed the right, like a thread following a needle, and the change of harmonies in each measure was heard.
For sound evenness and identification of articulation, it is advisable to play all thirds in the accompaniment only with 2 and 4 fingers, and the melody of the middle part with 2 and 3.
The pedal can be taken on strong beats and a little thicker (but not longer) at the climaxes with a soft touch of the foot to the pedal foot not to the bottom, so as not to cause the appearance of unnecessary overtones and promote the transparency of the music.

10. Mazurka

The name of the Polish folk dance “Mazurka” comes from “Masur”, the name of the inhabitants of Mazovia. The mazurka is characterized by a three-beat meter and rhythm with frequent shifts of emphasis to the second and third beats of the measures. These features must be taken into account by the performer. In the middle section of the dance, from bar 19, the accent is emphasized first, and then in bars 32 and 33 and sf on the third beat. The second beat is often noted - tenuto on the half (bars 1-4 and further in similar places), as well as a short league (bars 5, 13, 15). In some cases, both the second and third beats can be emphasized: for example, in measures 19 and 23, you need to softly show the second beat in the right hand part, and then the emphasis in the left on the third. At the same time, one should not forget about the strong beats, find their “balance” with syncopations.
Scrupulous work is required on the pronunciation of the short league and staccato in the 5th bar, staccato in the 7th bar, the dotted line in the 16-18 bars, the combination of staccato in the right hand part and tenuto in the left (the first beat of bars 1-4 and further in similar fragments).
The dynamics change due to changes in performance situations: it gradually intensifies in bars 21-23, 23-26, 28-31, and in bars 5, 19, 23, 27 and 31 it is associated with a sudden change in mf-p.
The combination of lively rhythm, clear articulation and dynamics can lead to an interesting interpretation of the mazurka, a graceful, graceful dance.
A clear, precise touch of the selected fingertips on the piano keyboard, a slow tempo, a clear hearing of harmony, carefully selected fingering, as well as pedaling, which helps to mark either the downbeat or syncopation, will complete the work on interesting play.
11. Russian song

“Russian Song” is based on the original folk melody “You are my head, my little head.” This is an example of Russian folk subvocal polyphony, in which four-voice alternates with two- and three-voice.
With a constant melody, the music varies due to the moving bass and echoes.
The song is written in periodic alternating meter alternating 6/4, 4/4 and 2/4 (except for the last six bars). To make the meter understandable to children, the author put 2/4 everywhere, so you need to read 6/4 as 3 times

3. “Children’s Album” by P. I. Tchaikovsky

The novelty and originality of Schumann's Album for Youth awakened the imagination of many composers.

In April 1878, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote to his friend and admirer:

I’ve been thinking for a long time that it wouldn’t hurt to contribute as much as I can to enriching children’s musical literature, which is very poor. I want to make a whole series of small passages of unconditional ease with titles that are enticing to children, like Schumann's.

The immediate impetus for the creation of the “Children’s Album” was Tchaikovsky’s communication with his little nephew Volodya Davydov, to whom this collection, consisting of 24 easy pieces and published in October 1878, is dedicated. It is interesting that on the cover of the first edition it is marked in brackets: “Imitation of Schumann.”

You have already encountered pieces from Tchaikovsky’s “Children’s Album” many times in your music literature lessons. And some of you knew them in piano class too.

Let's go through the pages of the "Children's Album" and at the same time remember the plays that we have already encountered.

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In addition to links to the examples given earlier, each piece can be listened to in its entirety using the button on the left. Performed by Y. Flier.

1. "Morning Prayer" See analysis and example in topic 6.
2. "Winter morning". A musical sketch with “prickly”, “frosty” harmony.
3. "Game of Horses" A fast-paced piece with non-stop movement of eighth notes.
4. "Mother". Lyrical portrait.
5. March of wooden soldiers. Toy march (see example 53 in topic 2).
6. "Doll Disease" Sad music about the very sincere experiences of a girl who takes her game seriously. Or maybe your favorite doll is really hopelessly broken.
7. "Doll's funeral" Funeral march.
8. Waltz. See about it in topic 5 and topic 6 (section 3 and section 6).
9. "New doll." The piece, sounding in one impulse, expresses the girl’s unbridled joy.
10. Mazurka. Dance miniature in the mazurka genre.
11. Russian song. See analysis and example in topic 6.
12. “A man plays a harmonica.”

Let’s take a closer look at this original miniature. Perhaps Tchaikovsky accidentally heard the unlucky accordion player trying to pick something up, but he just couldn’t do it. With great humor, the composer depicted this episode in a tiny play.

Example 102

First, the same little phrase is repeated four times. Then, twice, the accordion player again begins her first motive, but stops, fingering two chords in some bewilderment. Apparently, one of them (the dominant seventh chord) struck his imagination too much, and he enchantedly opens and closes the bellows, clutching this chord with his fingers.

When you press one key on the left keyboard, many harmonicas sound not just one note, but an entire chord: tonic, dominant or subdominant. Therefore, imitating inept harmonica playing, Tchaikovsky uses a chord structure. The key of B-flat major is also not accidental. Most harmonicas are tuned in this particular scale (unlike the button accordion and accordion, you cannot play either a chromatic scale or music in different keys on the harmonica).

Here we saw another type of picture programming onomatopoeic. Such imitation of musical instruments is quite rare. More often, composers use onomatopoeia to depict natural noises or birdsong. A similar example also appears in the “Children’s Album,” and we will get to it soon.

1. "Kamarinskaya". Figurative variations on a famous Russian dance melody.
2. Polka. Dance miniature in the polka genre (see example 150 in topic 5).
3. Italian song. The composer's memories of Italy. Tchaikovsky heard the melody in the chorus of this song in Milan performed by a small street singer.
4. An old French song. See analysis and example in topic 6.
5. German song.

In its general character, this piece is reminiscent of the old German dance Ländler (a slightly slower and rougher waltz). And some characteristic melodic turns make one remember another genre yodel, a peculiar song of the Alpine mountaineers. Regular singing with words is interspersed in yodels with vocalizations depicting instrumental strumming. These vocalises are performed in a distinctive manner with frequent wide leaps, distributed over the sounds of the chords. The melody of the first section of the German Song is very similar to a yodel:

Example 103

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And here is the traditional German (Tyrolean) yodel in a modern version.

1. Neapolitan song. See analysis and example in topic 6.
2. "Nanny's Tale"

Although Tchaikovsky does not tell us what kind of tale the nanny is telling, and we do not know its plot, we can hear that the music speaks of some kind of adventure.

The beginning sounds mysterious, “prickly” chords are interrupted by mysterious pauses. The second sentence begins secretly, an octave lower, then all the voices rapidly fly up, and in the cadence itself something new and unexpected suddenly happens.

Example 104

Moderately

And then something terrible happened. Throughout the entire middle section in the right hand it is repeated with increasing waves in two waves. crescendo same sound before, as if saying: “Oh-oh! Oh-oh!..” And in the left hand the rustling of chromatic thirds in a “frightening” low register trembles.

Example 105

When just before the reprise before goes into re, we feel this event as the culmination of a terrible fairy tale. But immediately calm comes: the reprise is completely accurate, and when we hear the familiar music again, it no longer seems as mysterious and “prickly” as it seemed at first. A scary fairy tale has a happy and kind ending.

1. "Baba Yaga". Another good-natured “horror story”, a picture of the swift flight of an evil witch on a broom.
2. "Sweet Dream" Lyrical play. Although it has a name, it is not a software miniature. The image of a bright dream, which is given in music, can be filled with any suitable content. Or you can just listen and enjoy.
3. Song of the lark.

As in the play “A Man Plays a Harmonica,” there is onomatopoeia here. But the image is born completely different. Not funny, but lyrical. In one of his letters, Tchaikovsky wrote: How I love it when streams of melting snow flow through the streets and you feel something life-giving and invigorating in the air! With what love you greet the first green grass, how you rejoice at the arrival of the rooks, followed by the larks and other overseas summer guests!

Birds have been singing for a long time musical art was associated with images of spring, the gentle sun, the awakening of nature. Remember the symbolic figures of larks in spring folk rituals.

And besides, songbirds have amazed people since time immemorial with the ingenuity and variety of their trills. The musicians also have a lot to learn from them.

In the Song of the Lark we hear both sunny, spring joy and an unusual variety of “bird” passages in a high register.

The play is written in a simple three-part form. From the very first bars you can feel both “streams of melting snow” and “something life-giving and invigorating” spilled in the spring air. And above this sunny picture somewhere high, high a lark is pouring.

Example 106

Moderately

In the middle section, which begins hidden pp , the composer seems to listen to the singing of the lark and lets us hear more and more new twists and turns of this song.

Example 107

After a precise reprise, in a small coda, we hear another “knee” of the lark

1. "The organ grinder is singing." See analysis and example in topic 6.
2. "In the church".

The child's day began and ended with prayer. And if “Morning Prayer” is an introduction to the pictures, images and impressions that fill a child’s day, then the play “In Church” is a farewell to another day. Sings strictly and harmoniously church choir at the evening service, in the soft “speaking” intonations of the first phrases you can hear: “Lord, have mercy.”

Example 108

Moderately

These four phrases, forming a period of free construction, are repeated again, but louder and louder: the singing expands and grows.

But here are the last, fading phrases of the choir and a huge coda, which occupies half of the entire piece: a long farewell, in which one can hear the measured and slightly sad sound of the viscous evening church bells…

Example 109

If Schumann's pieces were arranged in increasing complexity, then Tchaikovsky's very easy ones can coexist with quite difficult ones. When arranging the pieces in the album, Tchaikovsky was guided by their figurative content.

All genre play scenes “Game of Horses”, March of the Wooden Soldiers, “Doll’s Illness”, “Funeral of a Doll”, “New Doll” are concentrated in the first half of the collection.

In the middle there is a small Russian “suite”: Russian song, “A man playing a harmonica” and “Kamarinskaya”.

Then comes the “travel suite” songs different countries, times and cities: Italian, Ancient French, German and Neapolitan.

Then a section on fairy tales: “Nanny’s Tale” and “Baba Yaga”.

Lyrical plays and dances create the necessary contrast or relieve tension. “Mama” sets off “The Horse Game” and the March of the Wooden Soldiers. The waltz softens the transition from inconsolable grief(“Funeral of a Doll”) to great joy (“New Doll”). Mazurka and Polka original “breaks” between the “Russian” and “European” sections. “Sweet Dream” “lyrical digression” after scary tales. One more “lyrical digression” just before farewell - the play “The Organ Grinder Sings.”

Two nature paintings “Winter Morning” and The Lark’s Song are located one almost at the very beginning, and the other closer to the end.

Finally, an introduction and conclusion related to church music: “Morning Prayer” and “At Church.”

This grouping of pieces makes Tchaikovsky's "Children's Album" a surprisingly harmonious work - not just a collection of plays, but a large suite that is interesting and not tiring to listen to in a row from beginning to end.

Tchaikovsky pushes the boundaries of children's music. In the plays Russian Song, “Kamarinskaya”, Italian Song, Ancient French Song, Neapolitan Song, “The Organ Grinder Sings,” he introduces little musicians to folk melodies from different countries. And the music of some plays can also be heard in Tchaikovsky’s “adult” works. Thus, the Neapolitan song came to the album from the ballet “Swan Lake”, the Ancient French song turned into the Minstrel Song in the opera “The Maid of Orleans”, the melody of the play “The Organ Grinder Sings” sounded again in the piano miniature “Interrupted Dreams”, and the intonations of “Sweet Dream” unexpectedly appeared in the Scene in the Spruce Forest from the ballet “The Nutcracker”.

It is necessary to introduce children to classical music at any age. Let it play during their games and other activities. The child will develop emotionally and become involved in art, which is important for the development of personality - many pediatricians and teachers are convinced of this.

Some classical composers wrote specifically for children, taking into account children's perceptions and the range of interests of children of a certain age. Other works were written for young performers; they correspond not only to the child’s perception of the content of the musical work itself, but also to the child’s technical capabilities.

In our article we will talk about some composers and their works written specifically for children.

P.I. Tchaikovsky "Children's Album"

The collection includes 24 pieces for performance by a small pianist. It is dedicated to the composer's nephew V.L. Davydov. This is the composer's first approach to a children's theme. Later P.I. Tchaikovsky will write the cycle “Children's Songs” and the ballet “The Nutcracker” for children.

All the names of the plays indicate that we are dealing with works for children:

1. “Morning prayer”
2. “Winter Morning”
3. "Mom"
4. "Game of Horses"
5. “March of the Wooden Soldiers”
6. "Doll Disease"
7. "Doll Funeral"
8. "Waltz"
9. "New Doll"
10. "Mazurka"
11. “Russian song”
12. “A man plays a harmonica”
13. "Kamarinskaya"
14. "Polka"
15. “Italian song”
16. “Old French Song”
17. “German Song”
18. “Neapolitan Song”
19. "Nanny's Tale"
20. "Baba Yaga"
21. "Sweet Dream"
22. "The Lark's Song"
23. “The Organ Grinder Sings”
24. "In the Church"

The history of the album

P.I. Tchaikovsky loved children very much; he often communicated with the children of his sister A.I. Davydova, when he visited them in Kamenka. His nephew Volodya Davydov was very musical child. In one of his letters, Tchaikovsky wrote: “I dedicated this album to my nephew Volodya, who passionately loves music and promises to be a musician.”

When publishing the album, the composer himself took care of both the format of the collection and the pictures that should accompany the notes.

Some plays in the cycle were created on folklore material. For example, in the “Neapolitan Song” and in the “Italian Song” Tchaikovsky used Italian folk melodies. By the way, the theme of the “Neapolitan Song” is also heard in the third act of the ballet “Swan Lake”. The play “The Organ Grinder Sings” also features a folk (Venetian) motif. In “Russian Song,” the composer turned to the Russian folk dance song “Are you a head, my head?” The play “Kamarinskaya” is based on the melody of a famous Russian dance song.

An authentic French melody sounds in “An Old French Song” (in later composer used this melody, slightly modifying it, in the minstrel chorus from Act II of the opera "Maid of Orleans"). The Tyrolean motif is used in the "German Song". In the play “A Man Plays the Harmonica,” you can hear the intonations of Russian single-row harmonicas.

Storylines of the “Children's Album” series

They are clearly visible and seem to make up the child’s whole day from the moment he wakes up to sleep.

Morning. Plays “Morning Prayer”, “Winter Morning”, “Mother”.

Day. Games and children's activities. Plays “The Game of Horses”, “March of the Wooden Soldiers”.

Trilogy dedicated to the doll. Plays “The Doll’s Illness”, “The Doll’s Funeral”, “The New Doll”.

Fascinating musical travels through Italy, France, Germany. Plays “Italian Song”, “Neapolitan Song”, “Old French Song”, “German Song”. But let’s not forget our native tunes (“Russian Song”, “Kamarinskaya”).

Children's day ends. The play "Nanny's Tale", in which it is impossible without "Baba Yaga". And then the play “Sweet Dream”.

The album contains landscape sketches (the play “The Lark’s Song”), and everyday sketches (“The Organ Grinder Sings”), as well as dances “Waltz”, “Polka”, “Mazurka”. The cycle ends with the play “In the Church,” as if echoing “Morning Prayer.”

Although musical cycle“Children's Album” is addressed to children; adults often became its performers: Y. Flier, M. Pletnev and others.

P.I. Tchaikovsky "Children's Songs"

History of creation

The success of the "Children's Album" inspired P.I. Tchaikovsky to create another album for children. This was also facilitated by the collection of poems by the poet A. Pleshcheev “Snowdrop”, which he presented to Tchaikovsky with the inscription: “To Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky as a sign of respect and gratitude for his wonderful music to my bad poems." Tchaikovsky was already by that time the author of several romances based on Pleshcheev’s poems. In this book there were many poems about children's life or dedicated to children, edifying stories. These poems prompted the composer to create songs. Pleshcheev's poems are supplemented by texts by I. Surikov and S. Aksakov. Unlike the "Children's Album", "Children's Songs" are not intended for performance, but for listening by children.

It is based on the relationship between an adult and a child, as an adult sees it. Motives stand out Spring, Birds and Garden (song “My Garden”), but as an adult’s view of childhood, which brings hope. Motives of Compassion and God are associated with the moral values ​​that a loving adult would like to pass on to his children. In the Legend, the motif is interpreted symbolically and serves to reveal the theme of the suffering of Christ. The song “Legend” (“The Child Christ Had a Garden”) was later rearranged by Tchaikovsky and Taneyev for the choir.

Sometimes P.I. Tchaikovsky himself reworked some of the poems in the collection or added to them. The song “Cuckoo” is a translation of H. Gellert’s fable. Tchaikovsky's funny dialogue between the cuckoo and the starling turns into a funny and instructive song-sketch. The song "Flower" - a free translation from the collection of the French children's writer L. Ratisbonne, echoes in content with famous fairy tale H.K. Andersen "Five from One Pod".

R. Schumann "Children's Scenes"

The collection was first published in 1839. The composer himself spoke about its purpose and content in his letter to Clara Schumann, a pianist and his wife: “I learned that nothing inspires imagination more than tension and longing for something; that's exactly what happened to me in last days when I was waiting for your letter and composed whole volumes - strange, crazy, very funny - you will open your eyes wide when you play this; In general, I am now capable of sometimes being torn to pieces by the music sounding [in me]. - And I would not forget everything that I composed. It was like an echo of the words that you once wrote to me: “Sometimes I can seem like a child to you,” in short, I was truly inspired and wrote thirty little funny things, of which I selected about twelve and called “Children’s Scenes.” You will be delighted with them, but, of course, you will have to forget about yourself as a virtuoso. There are such titles as “Frightening”, “By the Fireplace”, “A Game of Blind Man’s Bluff”, “The Begging Child”, “Riding on a Stick”, “About Foreign Countries”, “A Funny Story”, etc., you name it No! In general, everything is obvious there, and besides, all the pieces are easy to hum.”

Despite its apparent simplicity, only a very mature pianist capable of penetrating the essence of the author’s intention can perform the cycle with dignity.

Schumann's musical miniatures are a kind of “musical novellas”, stories with a simple plot. Schumann focuses not so much on narration as on mood, on emotions. “Children's Scenes” is not a cycle “for children”, like Tchaikovsky’s famous “Children’s Album”. Rather, it is music to be performed by adults who do not want to forget their childhood. According to the author himself, this cycle is “a reflection of the past through the eyes of the elder and for the elders.”

Contents of R. Schumann’s cycle “Children’s Scenes”

1. “About foreign countries and people”

2. "A Curious Story"

3. "Game of Tag"

4. “The Asking Child”

5. “Total Happiness”

6. "Important Event"

7. "Dreams"

8. "By the Fireplace"

9. "Game of Horses"

10. "Not too serious"

11. "The Horror Story"

12. “Child falling asleep”

13. “The poet speaks”

S. Prokofiev. Symphonic fairy tale for children “Peter and the Wolf”

The work was written in 1936 for production at the Children's musical theater Natalia Sats. The tale is performed by a reader, the text for which was written by the composer himself, and by an orchestra.

The plot of the work is simple, but the point is that each character is represented by a specific instrument and a separate motif, thus children become familiar with the musical instruments that make up the symphony orchestra.

The plot of the tale

Early in the morning, pioneer Petya goes out onto a large green lawn. The familiar Bird, noticing Petya, flies down. The Duck enters the slightly open gate and goes to the pond. Along the way, she begins to argue with the Bird about which of them should be considered the real bird. The Cat is watching them, she is ready to catch one of them, but Petya warns them. The bird flies up the tree, and the Duck dives into the pond, and the Cat is left with nothing.

Petya's grandfather comes out. He warns Petya that a big gray Wolf is walking in the forest, and takes his grandson away. Soon the Wolf appears. The Cat quickly climbs the tree, and the Duck jumps out of the pond, but the Wolf overtakes her and swallows her.

Petya climbs over the fence with the help of a rope and finds himself on a tall tree. He asks the Bird to distract the Wolf and puts a noose around his tail. Hunters who have been watching the Wolf for a long time come out of the forest. Petya helps them tie up the Wolf and take him to the zoo. The work ends with a general procession in which all its characters participate: Petya walks in front, the Hunters lead the Wolf behind him, the Bird flies above them, and Grandfather and the Cat are behind. A quiet quack is heard: this is the voice of the Duck, sitting in the belly of the Wolf, who was in such a hurry that he swallowed her alive.

• Peter― stringed instruments(mostly violins).
• Birdie- flute in a high register.
• Duck- oboe, “quacking” melody in the lower register.
• Cat- clarinet.
• Grandfather- bassoon imitating grumbling.
• Wolf- three horns.
• Hunters- timpani and bass drum (image of shots), wind instruments(final march).

E. Grieg "Peer Gynt"

Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg did not create special children's cycles, but his music is so simple and accessible to children that even children 5-6 years old can understand it. They take especially close to their hearts the plays from the music to Ibsen’s drama “Peer Gynt” - “Solveig’s Song”, “In the Cave” mountain king", "Anitra's Dance" and others.

P.I. Tchaikovsky wrote: “In Grieg’s music, imbued with enchanting melancholy, reflecting the beauty of Norwegian nature, sometimes majestically wide and grandiose, sometimes drab, modest, wretched, but for the soul of a northerner always unspeakably enchanting, there is something close, dear, immediately which finds a warm, sympathetic response in our hearts.”

Other composers also wrote for children: piano cycle C. Debussy"Children's Corner "; M. Ravel“Mother Goose”, pieces for piano based on fairy tales by Perrault; collection B. Bartok“First steps at the piano”, as well as many Russian authors, from A. Grechaninova, S. Prokofiev and V. Rebikov before S. Maikapara, A. Gedike, E. Gnesina, Dm. Kabalevsky etc. Children's cycles are known S. Gavrilova“Heroes of fairy tales”, “For kids about animals”, “For the little ones”, D. Shostakovich"Album of piano pieces for children."