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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Op.20 — Act I Intro — Wikimedia Commons source record

Swan Lake Op. 20

PUBLIC DOMAIN RECORDINGPyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Op.20 — Act I Intro — Wikimedia Commons source recordPyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky · Wikimedia Commons source recordPlay full recording
00:00
18:50
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01 / The first 30 seconds

30-second entrance

Hear the dance step before the melody. Tchaikovsky’s charm is not only the tune; the body starts moving first.

Mood / situation

Melody, image, being lifted out of tiredness

Minute to hear first

00:00–00:50: hear the dance inside the beat, then how melody enters.

02 / LISTEN FOR

Three things to wait for

  1. Dance before melody
  2. Color shifts between winds and strings
  3. A little unease under sweetness

03 / RIGHTS

Copyright and source

Wikimedia Commons

FILE FINGERPRINTSHA-25643a5a16147faff9bf4263224186adaede0215c9b0862cb44d325e57077c34ad4

04 / VERSION

Version / performer information

In ballet music, listen for rhythmic spring. Too thick becomes syrup; too light becomes a toy.

PERFORMERWikimedia Commons source record1130s · PUBLIC-DOMAIN