1812 -- Festival Overture, for orchestra in E flat major, Op. 49
Moscow, coronation cantata for mezzo-soprano, baritone, chorus & orchestra
Slavonic March, for orchestra, Op. 31
Festival Coronation March, for orchestra (or piano) in D major
Festival Overture on the Danish National Hymn, for orchestra in D major, Op. 15
The occasional or commemorative compositions of the great composers often have historical significance, especially when they are associated with royalty and the military, but only a few works in this category have become popular hits. Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky composed several celebratory pieces on commission to mark national events and achieved some success, despite the fact that he usually discounted them as hack work and felt embarrassed by their bombast and shallowness. The self-critical composer was wrong about the ...
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The occasional or commemorative compositions of the great composers often have historical significance, especially when they are associated with royalty and the military, but only a few works in this category have become popular hits. Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky composed several celebratory pieces on commission to mark national events and achieved some success, despite the fact that he usually discounted them as hack work and felt embarrassed by their bombast and shallowness. The self-critical composer was wrong about the worth of two of his masterpieces, the 1812 Festival Overture, Op. 49, and the Slavonic March, Op. 31, for both are among his most played works and widely loved for their bold orchestration, abundant tunefulness, and vivid depictions of military struggles and victories. Valery Gergiev certainly had to include both of these favorites for this 2009 release from Mariinsky, for without them there would be little incentive for most people to listen to the rest of the program. The "Moscow"...
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