Tchaikovsky-Marche Slave cover (Rahter)

This week, I’ll have a bit of a study of Tchaikovsky’s Marche Slave or “Serbo-Russo March”, with which I have no previous familiarity, in name, and I’m curious if I will recognize any themes, it being Tchaikovsky after all.

Initial Impressions

Well, first off, after one listening I have learned that in fact this piece is not at all new to me, which is a good thing, because I’m going to be very busy at work this week, and it will be nice to have a piece that is familiar more quickly than some, and is shorter in duration, too.  I’m not sure where exactly I’ve heard this, but I see that it is often programmed along with the 1812 Overture, and shares some material with that piece. There is no mistaking this as a Tchaikovsky orchestral work, what with its initial theme in low winds, its furiously rising bursting motives, leading to a massive reiteration of the theme by full brass. It is pure Tchaikovsky, and lots of fun.