Petya, Petya, how could you! Exchange law on the tune! - approximately with these words he reprimanded the angry uncle of the careless nephew, who left the service of the titular counselor in the Ministry of Justice in order to serve Euterpe, the patroness of music. And they called their nephew - Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
And today, when the music of Pyotr Ilyich is known to the whole world, when international competitions are held to them. Tchaikovsky, in which academic musicians from all countries take part, it can be argued that it was not for nothing that Petya abandoned jurisprudence.
In the works of Pyotr Ilyich there are many serious works that earned him world-wide fame, but he also wrote music that is understandable and accessible to children. Tchaikovsky's works for children are familiar to many from early childhood. Who has not heard the song "Grass Green"? - many people sang and sang it, often without suspecting that music belongs to Tchaikovsky.
Children's album
The first appeal of Peter Ilyich to children's topics was the composition of the Children's Album, which the composer was encouraged to communicate with the deaf-and-dumb boy Kolya Konradi, a student of his younger brother Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
The Old French Song and The Song of the Minstrels from the opera Orleansky Maiden is one and the same melody, in writing of which Tchaikovsky used an authentic medieval tune of the 16th century. Dreamy and heartfelt music, reminiscent of an old ballad, evoking associations with the paintings of old masters, uniquely recreates the flavor of France in the Middle Ages. So it seems cities with castles, streets, paved with stone, where people live in old-fashioned clothes, and knights rush to the rescue of the princesses.
And a completely different attitude "March of wooden soldiers". A clear rhythm and a bright sound, in which dry drumming is heard, create an image of a detachment of marching soldiers, who smoothly print a step. The brave commander is in front, the drummers are in the ranks, the soldiers have medals on their chest and the flag flutters proudly over the ranks.
"Children's Album" was written by Tchaikovsky for children's performance. And today in music schools familiarity with the works of Peter Ilyich begins with these works.
16 songs for children
Speaking of Tchaikovsky's music for children, one can not fail to mention the 16 songs that are familiar to all since childhood.
In 1881, the poet Pleshcheev presented to Peter Ilyich a collection of his poems "Snowdrop". It is possible that the book was the impetus for writing children's songs. These songs are intended for listening to children, and not for performance.
It is enough to cite the first lines of the song "Spring", so that it becomes immediately clear which works are meant: "The grass is green, the sun is shining."
"Snow Maiden"
Which of the children does not know the fairytale of Ostrovsky "Snow Maiden"? But the fact that the music for the performance was written by Tchaikovsky is known to a much smaller number of children.
The Snow Maiden is a true masterpiece in the work of Pyotr Ilyich: a wealth of colors, fullness of light and fabulous colorful images. When Tchaikovsky wrote the music for "Snow Maiden" he was 33 years old, but already then he was a professor at the Moscow Conservatory. Not bad, right? I chose the "tune" and became a professor, but I could be an ordinary titular adviser.
"Seasons"
For each play, and there are 12 of them altogether, Tchaikovsky chose epigraphs from the work of Russian poets. The music of "January" is preceded by lines from Pushkin's poem "At the Small Chamber", "February" - lines from the poem by Vyazemsky "Maslenitsa". And each month has its own picture, its own plot. In May, these are the white nights, in August - the harvest, and in September - the hunt.
"Eugene Onegin"
Is it possible to keep silent about such a work as "Eugene Onegin", better known to children, like Pushkin's novel, excerpts from which they are forced to learn in school?
Contemporaries did not appreciate the opera at its true worth. And only in the XX century Stanislavsky breathed new life into the opera "Eugene Onegin". And today this opera with success and triumph goes both theatrical stage of Russia and Europe.
"Queen of Spades"
And again - Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, because the opera was written according to his work. And ordered the opera to Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Directorate of Imperial Theaters.
"Three, seven, ace!" - the words of the Countess's ghost, which, like a spell, repeated everything and repeated Herman, for she promised him three wins in a row.
Among the works of Tchaikovsky for children, the “Children's Album” and “16 Songs for Children”, of course, became very famous. But in the works of Pyotr Ilyich there are many works that cannot be definitely called "Tchaikovsky's music for children", but, nevertheless, they are equally interesting for both adults and children - this is also music for the Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, operas "Iolanta", "Cherevichki" and many others.
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