TheMusicBox

Piano Concerto No. 1 in B♭ minor, Op. 23 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky This concerto was finished in 1875 while Tchaikovsky was working in Moscow. The first performance of the concerto was in October of 1875 in Boston. During this time, Tchaikovsky was self-funded from his compositions and performances. Due to the success of this composition and others, he would soon be funded by Nadezhda von Meck, the widow of railway magnate Karl Otto Georg von Meck. Despite never actually meeting, Tchaikovsky would describe Nadezhda as his ‘best friend’. The work is comprised of three movements: I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso – Allegro con spirito (B♭ minor – B♭ major) II. Andantino semplice – Prestissimo – Tempo I (D♭ major) III. Allegro con fuoco – Molto meno mosso – Allegro vivo (B♭ minor – B♭ major) Other notable events in 1875 include the passing of the American Civil Rights Act, the Ottoman Empire falling into bankruptcy, the founding of Tanaka Manufacturing (now called Toshiba) and the first indoor game of ice hockey, played in Quebec.

Symphony No. 29 in A Major, K. 201/186a by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart This work was composed in 1774 by Mozart while working as court musician to the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, Hieronymus von Colloredo. The relationship between the young Mozart and Colloredo was not a friendly one. This plus the low wages of the position led to Mozart seeking employment elsewhere, in particular in Vienna and Paris. The work is comprised of four movements: I. Allegro moderato II. Andante in D major III. Menuetto: Allegretto – Trio (Trio in E major) IV. Allegro con spirito 1774 saw Good King Louis XVI crowned in France, the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia, the discovery of New Caledonia and the return of Giacomo Casanova to Venice after an 18-year exile.