Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893) was a Russian
composer during the Romantic period. He was the first
Russian composer whose music would make a lasting
impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of
the most popular concert and theatrical music in the
current classical repertoire, including the ballets
Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, the 1812 Overture, his
First Piano Concerto, Violin Concerto, the Romeo and
Juliet Overture-Fantasy, several symphonies, and the
opera Eugene Onegin.(+)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893) was a Russian
composer during the Romantic period. He was the first
Russian composer whose music would make a lasting
impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of
the most popular concert and theatrical music in the
current classical repertoire, including the ballets
Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, the 1812 Overture, his
First Piano Concerto, Violin Concerto, the Romeo and
Juliet Overture-Fantasy, several symphonies, and the
opera Eugene Onegin.
Although musically precocious, Tchaikovsky was educated
for a career as a civil servant as there was little
opportunity for a musical career in Russia at the time
and no system of public music education. When an
opportunity for such an education arose, he entered the
nascent Saint Petersburg Conservatory, from which he
graduated in 1865. The formal Western-oriented teaching
that Tchaikovsky received there set him apart from
composers of the contemporary nationalist movement
embodied by the Russian composers of The Five with whom
his professional relationship was mixed.
Tchaikovsky composed "Swan Lake" (Op. 20) in 1875–76.
Despite its initial failure, it is now one of the most
popular of all ballets. The scenario, initially in two
acts, was fashioned from Russian and German folk tales
and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a
swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of
the original production was Julius Reisinger (Václav
Reisinger). The ballet was premiered by the Bolshoi
Ballet on 4 March, 1877 at the Bolshoi Theatre in
Moscow. Although it is presented in many different
versions, most ballet companies base their stagings
both choreographically and musically on the 1895
revival of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, first staged
for the Imperial Ballet on 15 January 1895, at the
Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. For this revival,
Tchaikovsky's score was revised by the St. Petersburg
Imperial Theatre's chief conductor and composer
Riccardo Drigo.
In the final movement, Odette flings herself into the
lake and Siegfried follows. Siegfried's and Odette's
steadfast love breaks the enchanter's spell and Von
Rothbart, too, collapses and dies. With the curse
removed, the lovers' spirits are freed. Their spirits
take flight and are reunited for eternity.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan_Lake)
Although originally scored for Full Orchestra, I
created this arrangement of the "Finale (Op. 20 Act 4
No. 29) for Flute & Strings (2 Violins, Viola, Cello &
Bass).
SHEET MUSIC