1812 paper 1 assignment PDF

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Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” is an extremely well-known piece of music. Famously, it is the main musical motif in the film “V for Vendetta,” where it represents an idea, specifically overthrowing an oppressive government. However, it’s most wellknown as a beloved piece of “Americana” that plays during countless fireworks displays across the country during the Fourth of July. Clearly, it’s a reference to our War of 1812. Alas, that’s not quite right. In truth, the “1812 Overture” is about Russia’s very own 1812 war, known as “The Patriotic War of 1812,” in which France, led by Napoleon, attempted to invade Russia and defeat their army. This was a very hard fought and bitter war. In fact, the Russians adopted a “scorched earth” campaign, in which they burned much of the land and villages so that when they fell back, the French army would have difficulty setting up camp or using the land for supplies. Eventually, Napoleon was forced to retreat. This is considered a turning point for him, historically, as his reputation was sullied. Naturally, this was a very prideful moment for the Russians, and in 1880, Pyotr Tchaikovsky commemorated this great defense with this particular piece of music. How and why America started to use this piece of music in our fireworks displays eludes me, although, admittedly, it’s a fantastic piece of music. To me, it’s clear through the writing that Tchaikovsky based the narrative of the song to quite excellently mirror the real-life historical events. Right at the start, we are given a large, even ghostly chorus. It feels as though it’s recanting a legendary, noble tale. Perhaps it’s the stirring Russian pride as their homeland is being invaded. Considering the rest of the piece, it almost feels as though it is a prologue. It slowly builds tension, increasing in volume and fervor, being joined by

what I believe are clarinets before finally reaching the climax, which abruptly changes pace as the full orchestra comes in, lead by tumultuous strings, particularly cellos. This section of music, like the choral sequence, also builds tension. It sounds like a great battle, with the various sections of the orchestra locked in a struggle for supremacy, with the loud, powerful horns often taking the dominant position against the more whimsical elements. When they finally achieve a crescendo, everything slows down and tapers off. Immediately following this tapering off, the most famous motif from the piece plays in a very nostalgic tone. Subdued, led by the brass, with some icing from the strings, and then fading into a contemplative, even threatening, concept. It’s as if the idea of “victory” is in the minds of the Russian army, but it seems so far off that it may only be a dream. After another bout of orchestral warfare, a climax returns us to a broad explosion of the main motif, with its noble, victorious feelings seemingly more tangible than ever before. It soars and dives repeatedly, with grinding cellos and blaring horns before being completely blindsided by a sweeping, string-led, romantic section, that soon goes from “romantic” to “mournful,” like the idea of better times, or paradise being lost. Perhaps the subject yearns for these past times as the memory slowly dissipates and reality sets in. The next section is a strange departure, with a children’s choir. It’s hard to put a descriptor on this section, as it stands in stark contrast to the previous passages, but I’d lean towards “jovial” or “celebratory. In keeping with the narrative of that passing romantic memory, perhaps it triggered a memory of a long-past childhood for a soldier, unsure of their fate in the bleak battles ahead. It also has a feeling of a

traditional song, perhaps a type of celebration or holiday in our soldier’s home village. Maybe this represents the villages being sacrificed and burned for the sake of the scorched earth campaign. Following this, we get trumpet teases of the main motif, but the strings and other sections make it unsure. Is victory at hand? Or is still yet a fading a dream? Lots of bombast, including kettle drums, simulate the feeling of contentious combat. I love how the main motif fades in and out during this scatter-brained sequence. And then, once again, we’re back to the romance-fueled strings, with the same, dreamy attitude from before. It’s an infectious motif, even lulling the listener into a stupor. Mirroring the proceedings before, the children’s chorus fades back in, with slightly more power, before abruptly dissipating, with an ominous orchestral accompaniment. Our proud, triumphant main motif returns, slowly building more strength than ever. If it were an army, this building of tension would be the gathering of all the necessary forces for one, final, dramatic and climactic charge against the forces of the enemy. Snares accompany the building brass, and as it reaches its prominent climax, the genuine sounds of cannon fire punctuate the power perfectly. Hypnotic strings spiral downwards and then peter out, as if they were increasing the width of that spiral into oblivion. Before reaching a complete stop from the slowdown they are joined by powerful trombones. Then, at what seems like the final moment, an enormous, tearinducing choir pronounces victory, accompanied by church bells and glorious strings.

The choir, surrounded by a cacophony of every section of the orchestra, continues its proud declarations, exploding into the famous finale. The main motif is now a quick march, with tons of pomp. The brass is noble, while cannon salvos accentuate their glory, and then the choir joins in, adding an even more triumphant feeling to the proceedings. To top off this masterpiece, the conclusion could best be described as being a neatly tied bow, with the orchestra teasing the famous motif one final time, and then building into a concise, satisfying conclusion with deep, deep brass, snares and timpani. It genuinely feels like the end of a story. Throughout the piece, we hear rumblings of the main theme, and it’s seemingly legendary or mythic status. When France, whose military was legendary at that time, struck, it was like it shook the core of the Russians. But as the song goes on, we hear the romantic remembrances and children’s choirs, calling back to the pre-invasion, or signaling the self-inflicted destruction to stave off the French. Of course, the main motif’s many, many build-ups and teases throughout the piece show the growing morale of the Russians, and when we finally get to the climactic march, this is a perfect display of a triumphant Russia pushing back against the French, and irrevocably changed European history forever....