“Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the concert itself, but I had heard these fragments from Undine at the rehearsals, and observed not only the careful and delicate orchestration for which Tchaikovsky’s music is remarkable, but picturesque suggestions of the fantastic realms of the water sprites. Other parts—notably the finale—appeared to me lacking in spontaneity. On the whole, however, the new score is worthy of attention.”
1869-1870
1. Twenty-five Russian folksongs, arranged for pianoforte, four hands. Completed September 25th, 1869. Published, together with the twenty-five of the previous year, by Jurgenson, Moscow.
2. Romeo and Juliet. Overture-Fantasia for orchestra, founded on Shakespeare’s tragedy. Begun September 25th (October 7th); sketch completed by October 7th (19th), and orchestrated by November 15th (27th), 1869. During the summer of 1870 the work was completely revised. According to Kashkin, the Introduction was entirely new; the funeral march at the close of the work was omitted and a fresh ending substituted for it, while many alterations were made in the orchestration as a whole. The overture is dedicated to Mily Alexandrovich Balakirev, and was performed for the first time at Moscow, under the bâton of N. Rubinstein, March 4th (16th), 1870. Published by Bote and Bock, Berlin, 1871.
3. Pianoforte arrangement for four hands of the overture Ivan the Terrible, by Anton Rubinstein. Bessel, St. Petersburg.
4. Op. 6. Six songs.[194] Written between November 15th (27th) and December 19th (31st), 1869. (1) “Glaub’ nicht mein Freund,” words by Count A. Tolstoi, dedicated to A. G. Menshikov. (2) “Nicht Worte,” words by Plestcheiev, dedicated to N. Kashkin. (3) “Wie wehe, wie süss,” words by Countess Rostopchin, dedicated to A. D. Kochetov. (4) “Die Thräne bebt,” words by Count A. Tolstoi, dedicated to P. Jurgenson. (5) “Warum,” words by Mey, dedicated to I. Klimenko. (6) “Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt,” words by Mey (from Goethe), dedicated to Madame Khvostova. P. Jurgenson, Moscow.
5. “Chorus of Insects,” from the unfinished opera Mandragora, January 13th (25th), 1870. The score of this work has been entirely lost. The pianoforte arrangement is preserved by Jurgenson. In 1898 Glazounov orchestrated it.
6. Op. 7. Valse Scherzo (A major) for pianoforte, dedicated to Alexandra Ilinichna Davidov. P. Jurgenson.
7. Op. 8. Capriccio (G flat) for piano, dedicated to K. Klindworth. P. Jurgenson. Both these pieces were completed about February 3rd (15th), 1870.
Besides the above, Tchaikovsky began his opera, The Oprichnik, about the end of January, 1870.