Francesca da Rimini, Op. 32: Study score

by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Inspired by Canto V of the "Inferno" of Dante's "Divine Comedy", Tchaikovsky initially planned to create an opera on the subject but abandoned the idea in favor the present 24-minute fantasia for orchestra in 1876. Bearing all the hallmarks of the composer's late romantic style, "Francesca da Rimini" takes full advantage of the powerful orchestral forces employed. The first performance was given on March 9, 1877 in Moscow, with the RMS Orchestra conducted by Nikolay Rubinstein. This is a new, digitally enhanced reissue of the score originally published around 1900 in Leipzig by Ernst Eulenburg.

146 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1986

About the author

Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Петр Ильич Чайковский) was a Russian composer of the Romantic era. While not part of the nationalistic music group known as "The Five", Tchaikovsky wrote music which was distinctly Russian: plangent, introspective, with modally-inflected melody and harmony.

Tchaikovsky considered himself a professional composer. He felt his professionalism in combining skill and high standards in his musical works separated him from his colleagues in "The Five." He shared several of their ideals, including an emphasis on national character in music. His aim, however, was linking those ideals with a professional standard high enough to satisfy European criteria. His professionalism also fueled his desire to reach a broad public, not just nationally but internationally, which he would eventually do.