Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Overture

Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture

• Tchaikovsky's Life: Born in 1840, studied law, worked as a civil servant, became a professor of theory and harmony at the Moscow Conservatory, traveled extensively throughout the USA and Europe, and died in 1893 from cholera. Known for compositions like Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.

Tchaikovsky's Style

• Musical Techniques: Utilized new combinations of instruments (muted violins, cor anglais), semiquaver scales in accompaniment, descending bass lines, and melodic sequences. He frequently contrasted keys and tempos and employed unexpected keys, such as using Db major instead of D major.

Introduction

• Key: F sharp minor, homophonic texture.
• Themes: Friar Lawrence theme presented by clarinet and bassoons, accompanied by other woodwinds and strings
• Musical Developments: Pizzicato strings, flute and oboe play the Friar Lawrence theme, followed by tempo changes and antiphonal dialogue between woodwinds, horns and violas, and a timpani roll.

Exposition

• Key: B minor.
• Themes: Strife theme played by strings, woodwinds and horns, featuring ascending and descending scales and antiphonal dialogue between strings and woodwinds.

Development

• Key: B minor.
• Musical Features: No key signature, but music is played in the scale of B minor; motif for the strife theme; dialogue between strings and wind instruments; Friar Lawrence motif; syncopated strings; semitone motif on woodwinds; antiphonal dialogue between woodwinds and strings to convey the opposing forces of the story; instrumental changes; instrumental drop outs; and a codetta (mini ending).

Recapitulation

• Key: B minor.
• Themes: The strife theme is played; the first time it is played forte, and the second time fortissimo (very loud). Texture becomes richer; trumpet, trombone, tuba and percussion (cymbals, bass drum) are added. Ascending and descending scales on woodwinds and strings are also included; and the piccolo is added to the orchestral sound.
• Love Theme Part B: Played in D major (instead of D flat major). Original presentation involved muted strings, but now the oboe and clarinet introduce the melody. A chromatic rising scale in the strings leads to the Love Theme Part A.

Coda

• Themes: Timpani plays a triplet rhythm (representing death); the bassoon, violin and cello play a funeral sequence; a hymn tune on the wind instruments, love theme plays in octaves on strings; syncopated rhythms on wind instruments, and descending lines on cellos and basses (emphasizing the tragic aspect of the story). The score ends with repeated B major notes and chords creating a conclusive feel, including tutti (everyone).