The Children's Album is dedicated to Tchaikovsky's favorite nephew, Vladimir Davydov. On 12/24 December 1878, Tchaikovsky wrote to Lev Davydov: "Tell Bobik that the music has been printed with pictures, that the music was composed by Uncle Petya, and that on it is written Dedicated to Volodya Davydov. The silly little fellow will not understand what dedicated means... Even so, Bobik is an inimitably delightful figure when he's playing, and he might look at the notes, and think that a whole symphony is dedicated to him?.

In a letter of 30 April/12 May 1878 to Nadezhda von Meck, the composer wrote: "A while ago I thought that it would not be a bad idea to make a small contribution to the stock of children's musical literature, which is very modest. I want to create a series of little individual pieces just for children, and with an attractive title, like Schumann`s.

Some months before this letter was written, while staying in Florence on 14/26 February, Tchaikovsky told Pyotr Jurgenson that he wanted "to write a number of easy pieces, like Kinderst�ck?. Evidently, the idea of creating a collection of pieces for young people had not been abandoned by the composer, and after his return to Kamenka in April he decided to begin composition. In the aforementioned letter to Nadezhda von Meck, he informed her: "Tomorrow I shall start working on my collection of miniatures for children".

On 1/13 May the composer wrote to Anatoly Tchaikovsky: "I'm working well and have done rather a lot". On 4/16 May the sketches for all 24 pieces were ready. Shortly afterwards, Tchaikovsky accepted an invitation from Nadezhda von Meck to stay at her Brailov estate until the end of May/beginning of June, before spending a few days in Moscow; from there he went to spend five days with his friend Nikolay Kondratyev at Nizy, and in mid/late June he called at Kiev, before returning to Verbovka. In the days following his arrival, he began to put the finishing touches to all the pieces written in April and May. The fair copy of the Children's Album was begun, it seems, on 13/25 July.

By 20 July/1 August the copying out was completed, and on 21 July/2 August the composer told Nadezhda von Meck that he was working on the Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom.

On 29 July/10 August the manuscript of the Children's Album, along with a number of other compositions, was sent to Pyotr Jurgenson in Moscow. In October, after the proofs had been corrected, the album was published.



P.S.- Other than a modest suggestion for an interpretation, this arrangements remain absolute faithful to the original composition.

The first version is in the original key of g minor, the second is transposed to ?a minor?, the third one is intended for a little lap harp and transposed to d minor. It sounds better in the original key of g minor. I used a lot the d minor version and performed it with my little harp very often, always experiencing a very deep musical feedback.

A little nuance was added to the arrangements, thus obliged by its minimal use on the original manuscripts.

I included the original long and expressive leggato bows and left out the staccatos for the left hand between the bars 17 and 20. I felt somehow awkward when applying this technic on the harp myself.

May be the staccatos suites you best, and you should try it.

The score was written on Finale.

The sound file was produced with samplers from Garritan,

intended as an audio support for the presentation of the score.

A reproduction of Tchaikovsky`s original manuscript is added to the file as a reference to the original sources of this composition, it is an extra bonus intentionally didactic and obviously not included in the price of the arrangement itself.

Thank you very much for taking your time to read this text and to listen to the file.

I hope you enjoy the music.

An original composition
In dorian mode. Very much in folk song style
Inspired by animal welfare
Lovely arrangement. Quite easy.
Has impovised section in middle
The original lyrics are:

The Horse of Beckmann?s Mill



Pray, have you seen that chestnut foal o'er there uponthe hill?

The finest foal you've ever seen was born at Beckmann'sMill.

They let her play within her yard, tie ribbons in hermane,

They train her to the grinding stone that crushes up thegrain.

Now many times I've thought about that foal at Beckmann'sMill,

And many times I've wondered how that man can do so ill.

They use you up, they throw you out and turn their backsin scorn.

All because by chance it came to be the place where youwere born.





Pray, have you seen that chestnut filly o'er there besidethe hill?

The finest filly you're ever seen was worked at Beckmann'sMill.

They drive her from the morning sun until it's very late,

They thrash her hard to pull the wheel that's bonded toher fate.

Now many times I've passed her by and oft I've turned myface.

Yet many times I've wondered what if I were in her place.

They take advantage of the young and those without avoice.

And it seems to me that nowhere did she really have achoice.





Pray, have you seen that chestnut mare o'er there underthe hill?

The finest mare you've ever seen has died at Beckmann'sMill.

One day she fell upon her kness, the man he brought hisknife.

The tread mill won the battle, and the miller took herlife.

Now many times I've thought about the mare at Beckman'sMill,

And many times I've wondered how that man can do so ill.

They use you up, they throw you out and train anotherfoal,

Yet every death they cause will leave a stain upon theirsoul.