THE OVERTURE OF 1812 - Peter Tchaikovsky - 1881:
COMMISSIONED TO CELEBRATE A CATHEDRAL COMPLETION
The piece was written to celebrate the completion of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow, which had been built to celebrate the defeat of Napoleon by Russia in 1812. Whilst the first performance was planned, in accordance with the score, to include cannon fire and church bells this was eventually deemed over-ambitious. The church itself was also not completed in time, so Tchaikovsky’s piece was performed in more low-key fashion in a tent next to the building.
The Overture tells the story of Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812. It intermingles Russian and French tunes such as the Marseillaise (French) and 'God the Omnipotent' (Russian).
It is the only orchestral work to include live anon fire as Moscow is victorious over the largest land army assembled to that date.
