English Component: "Overture of 1812"

Overture of 1812
http://www.last.fm/music/Pyotr+Ilyich+Tchaikovsky/_/1812+Overture

Analysis

The "Overture of 1812", written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, uses an orchestra and cannon fire to tell a fictional story of Napoleon's invasion of Russia. The story begins with Napoleon marching on Moscow as the Tsar realizes his army could not fight the vast and powerful French. The Tsar asks his people for their prayers for Russian victory while small skirmishes reach deeper and deeper inside Russia resulting in Russia’s defeat. All hope seems lost for the Russian people as they all migrate to Moscow to defend their country at the Tsar's request. The Russian people could see the advancing French army and were filled with fear as the soldiers prepared for a last battle. The Russian people's prayers are answered as winter comes and weakens the French allowing Russian soldiers to capture them. Russian victory is celebrated in a joyous symphony of cannon fire. This shows that it is a time period where war is a glorious thing, but as people develop better ways to kill each other war is made more and more impersonal.

The actual story is slightly different. The cold did weaken the French troops, but the Russians did not defeat the French before they arrived at Moscow. In reality, a Russian general let Napoleon enter Russia and take Moscow, but not before burning it to the ground. With his supply line stretched out and the imminence of a bitter Russian winter, Napoleon retreated. Throughout his retreat, Napoleon met with Russian opposition and suffered heavy casualties. By the time Napoleon arrived at his initial base camp, his army shrunk to one tenth its original size.

Although the song is meant to tell the story of a Russian victory against the French, the "Overture of 1812" could tell the story of any country at the cuffs of defeat miraculously transcended to victory.