So long as I am spared I shall endeavour to oblige you. I am most grateful for your courtesy and readiness to pay me such a high fee. On 24 November/6 December 1875, Tchaikovsky agreed to Nikolay Bernard's proposal that he should write the cycle The Seasons: 'I have received your letter. Very little documentary information concerning the origins of the cycle has survived, but some correspondence between Nikolay Bernard and Tchaikovsky concerning the commission dates from the end of 1875. The Seasons were commissioned from Tchaikovsky by the publisher Nikolay Bernard, for publication in his journal Nuvellist (Нувеллист), which was issued on the first day of each month. On the manuscript score of Christmas-Tide, someone (perhaps the publisher?) had crossed out Tchaikovsky's indication that the start should be completely repeated in the reprise (as with The Harvest, The Hunt, etc.), and written: ''D. 8 and 12 have subtitles: The Harvest (Scherzo) and Christmas-Tide (Waltz) respectively. Christmas-Tide: December (Святки: Декабрь)Īt the time of their first publication in Nuvellist, the names of the months were not given before the title.Autumn Song: October (Осенняя песня: Октябрь)Īndante doloroso e molto cantabile (D minor, 56 bars).

Song of the Lark: March (Песнь жаворонка: Март)Īllegretto con moto e un poco rubato (B-flat major, 86 bars).

Moderato semplice, ma espressivo (A major, 103 bars).

The twelve numbers last around 40 to 45 minutes in performance :

Seasons piano