Writing in the style of Tchaikovsky

Recently I got assigned a project in my European history class (highschool not college) to research a revolutionary figure and make a presentation on him. I picked Tchaikovsky (I really wanted Schoenberg, Debussy, Wagner, or Beethoven, but they weren't choices) so my teacher suggested that I do something interesting and play a Tchaikovsky piece for the class on my instrument. My instrument is guitar, so that doesn't really work. I offered to write a piece in his style and explain what his style is.

So, what are some of the things I should look out for when writing in his style. I know the main thing is to get that Russian sound and for it to sound powerful, but anything more theoretical or structural?

Thanks in advance!

P.S: To those of you who will say "Do your own work", the project is supposed to be about his life and what his famous pieces were, not anything to do with music theory. I'm going to research that myself too, but I wanted to know if you guys have any tips.

I'm utterly clueless about Tchaikovsky, so I can't be much of a help here, but I'm guessing you'll have a hard time sounding convincingly like Tchaikovsky simply because of your instrument. One might say instrumentation is only one tiny factor, next to all the other things that make a piece of music, but it's one of the most striking things we get presented with right away. The same piece might sound like a baroque concerto grosso when played with baroque instruments, and like rock when played with e-guitars and drumset. And guitar is really an instrument I probably would have a hard time connecting with the Tchaikovsky sound I'm imagining. Of course, that doesn't hinder you to try your best anyways and use it as an introduction for your presentation.

And as I said, I'm clueless about Tchaikovsky.

I'm utterly clueless about Tchaikovsky, so I can't be much of a help here, but I'm guessing you'll have a hard time sounding convincingly like Tchaikovsky simply because of your instrument. One might say instrumentation is only one tiny factor, next to all the other things that make a piece of music, but it's one of the most striking things we get presented with right away. The same piece might sound like a baroque concerto grosso when played with baroque instruments, and like rock when played with e-guitars and drumset. And guitar is really an instrument I probably would have a hard time connecting with the Tchaikovsky sound I'm imagining. Of course, that doesn't hinder you to try your best anyways and use it as an introduction for your presentation.

And as I said, I'm clueless about Tchaikovsky.

I wasn't planning to use guitar. I was planning to write something out in Sibelius and then use my sampling software to make a semi convincing mock up.

Thanks anyway though!

I wasn't planning to use guitar. I was planning to write something out in Sibelius and then use my sampling software to make a semi convincing mock up.

Thanks anyway though!

Ah, ok, that's a different case then.

Why write a piece when you can just use the real thing? Use something well known like the 4th Symphony or Swan Lake or the First Piano Concerto. (The latter two I've completely transcribed into Sibelius for editing and re-orchestration.)

But if you don't plan on playing an actual instrument, just bring a real recording and discuss it. That would be more effective than Sibelius ever will.

Russian orchestration is often characterized by heavy use of mixed instrument families to generate varied timbres. For Tchaikovsky in general, use as many string double-stops as you possibly can! :P

Russian orchestration is often characterized by heavy use of mixed instrument families to generate varied timbres. For Tchaikovsky in general, use as many string double-stops as you possibly can! :P

Totally! Ugh, that gets on my nerves SOOO much!

Thanks Christopher! That's very helpful.

And Tokkemon, I might do that too, but it's always fun to share compositions of your own with the class :).

As a string player... uh.. Tchaikovsky's writing has never bothered me. I've played several large scale works on both violin and viola... and uh.. double stops are in everything.

As a string player... uh.. Tchaikovsky's writing has never bothered me. I've played several large scale works on both violin and viola... and uh.. double stops are in everything.

You haven't played much Tchaikovsky then.

You haven't played much Tchaikovsky then.

You don't play a string instrument. I don't understand how it can even bother you. I've played violin in two of his symphonies, and viola in 3. I've played as a violist in orchestral parts for some of his concertos, and as a violinist in marche slave and 1812. Double stops are common in almost every romantic composers symphonic works.. and when they are there... they are there extensively. If things are really awkward, sections just divisi things. It isn't a big deal at all.

You don't play a string instrument. I don't understand how it can even bother you. I've played violin in two of his symphonies, and viola in 3. I've played as a violist in orchestral parts for some of his concertos, and as a violinist in marche slave and 1812. Double stops are common in almost every romantic composers symphonic works.. and when they are there... they are there extensively. If things are really awkward, sections just divisi things. It isn't a big deal at all.

It bothers me as an arranger when I have to simplify string parts because they're difficult to play.

It bothers me as an arranger when I have to simplify string parts because they're difficult to play.

Good thing Tchaikovsky didn't write his music with the intention of making it easy for you to arrange.

It bothers me as an arranger when I have to simplify string parts because they're difficult to play.

Yeah. That's not the difficult part either. Having an agile, tactile bow technique is the hard part for playing Tchaikovsky. Multi-stop parts really don't fall into this. I don't think you understand the difficulties of playing string parts in orchestras.

Sounds more fun than going Clementi style :P

HOW? Study Tchaikovsky... a lot. Copy them out, really get the feel of his music. Get in there with your hands...like your making, I don't know, meatballs...(vegetarian, of course..:D) Like you get in with your hands and mush it up..do that with the music. (Though maybe Tchaikovsky meatballs are not recommended lol)

There's no such thing as vegetarian meatballs! Otherwise they aren't meatballs anymore!!! :angry:

There's no such thing as vegetarian meatballs! Otherwise they aren't meatballs anymore!!! :angry:

Tofuballs? Vegetableballs?

:shifty:

I'd recommend keeping it at a small scale somehow, don't try writing something long. I've been studying his music from time to time this year, I got out some scores from the nutcracker and swan lake suites and I just try to note as much as I can while I listen. For example, what instruments is used and how does he double them, what's the chords like?

It sounds like an interesting project but I'd guess it would require a lot of work to pull it off.

sry triple post

sry triple post