Variations on a Rococo Theme Op. 33

Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians

Sometimes a composer has to accept that he does not always know best, even where his own music is concerned. Tchaikovsky was a remarkably unreliable judge of his own work. Once, when commissioned to write a ballet and an opera, he freely declared that the opera was the masterpiece and the ballet a forgettable trifle. The opera almost immediately fell into obscurity and is now wheeled out only as a curio (Iolantha); the ballet was The Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky eventually revised his opinion.

Tchaikovsky wrote these variations in December 1876 for Wilhelm Fitzenhagen, a 28-year-old professor of cello at the Moscow Conservatory. Twenty-eight might seem a little young to be a professor, but Fitzenhagen was precocious in most things. Sadly, he even died young, at just 41. He lived a full life, though. By the age of 21, he had such a formidable reputation in his native Brunswick that Liszt tried to convince him to join his orchestra at Weimar. Instead, Fitzenhagen chose to accept the offer to teach in Moscow. There he established a celebrated school of cello playing and teaching, and composed and performed successfully until his death. On at least one memorable occasion, he also came to the aid of an anxious composer, and assisted in creating a fine piece of music.

Fitzenhagen acted as midwife to these variations. Tchaikovsky had completed a version with eight variations. It is not clear who decided the music was unsatisfactory, but Fitzenhagen subsequently edited out one variation entirely and changed the order of the rest. We assume Tchaikovsky was satisfied with the results, since he conducted the rejiggered piece, which has become the authoritative version.

Tchaikovsky’s love of the 18th century — and Mozart especially — inspired him throughout his life. This piece belongs to a succession of works in all genres that look back to what he saw as a golden age. He calls for a Mozart-sized orchestra, and certain touches in the orchestration echo his idol. But Tchaikovsky couldn’t help but be a 19th-century Russian rather than an 18th-century Austrian. His “Rococo theme” is as Russian as St. Basil’s dome.