3. Op. 1. Russian Scherzo and Impromptu. Composed early in 1867. The first of these compositions was originally entitled “Capriccio.” It is based on the first theme of the Andante in the quartet in B major, which Tchaikovsky composed while still at the Conservatoire in 1865. The theme itself is a Malo-Russian folksong, heard at Kamenka. The Impromptu—a still earlier work—was never intended for publication. It chanced to be in the same manuscript-book as the Capriccio, which was given to Jurgenson by Rubinstein, without any intimation that the Impromptu was not to be published. The Russian Scherzo was performed at Rubinstein’s concert in 1867. Both these works—like the First Symphony—were dedicated to Nicholas Rubinstein, and published by Jurgenson.
4. Op. 2. Souvenir de Hapsal—three pianoforte pieces: (a) “The Ruin,” (b) “Scherzo,” (c) “Chant sans Paroles.” June and July, 1867. Hapsal. Only the first and third of these pieces were composed at Hapsal; the second dates back to the days of the Conservatoire. This opus number is dedicated to Vera Davidov. Jurgenson. Besides these works, Tchaikovsky was engaged from the beginning of 1867 upon his opera, The Voyevode.
1867-1868
The Voyevode was the sole work of this season.
In a letter dated November 25th (December 7th) Tchaikovsky speaks of having completed the third act, which is as good as saying that he had finished the whole opera, because he rarely broke through his custom of working straight through a composition. The instrumentation remained, and this was finished in Paris during the summer.
The Voyevode, or A Dream on the Volga, is a play in five acts, with a prologue, by A. N. Ostrovsky. The opera libretto is condensed into three acts, the prologue being omitted.
The chief beauty of the play, the scenes from national life, so charmingly depicted by Ostrovsky, had been ruthlessly cut out of the libretto, and only an insipid and uninteresting story left. The charm of national colour, the characteristic details of the secondary dramatis personæ, such as Nedviga, the apparition of the Domovoi, or “house spirit,” the gloomy figure of Mizgir—of all these things the libretto had been completely denuded.
But it was not so much Ostrovsky as Tchaikovsky who was to blame, for it is evident from the manuscript which the latter used while composing the music that he eliminated every episode which did not bear directly upon the tale. A few years later Tchaikovsky would not have missed so many good opportunities of effective musical illustration.
Ostrovsky’s collaboration was practically limited to Act I., which is also the best, and to a portion of Act II. The remainder is almost entirely of Tchaikovsky’s own writing.
Of this opera only the “Dances of the Serving Maids” and the “Entr’acte” were published as Op. 3. Jurgenson. The rest of the score was destroyed by the composer during the seventies. The orchestral and choral parts and some of the solos—unfortunately not the principal ones—are still preserved in the library of the Imperial Opera House in Moscow.