In 1878 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, then working on great orchestral music, took time to write 24 short pieces for children. The Album for the Young, Op. 39, is still one of the most loved collections for young pianists, and for adults too.
Written for a nephew
Tchaikovsky dedicated the album to his young nephew Vladimir Davydov, known in the family as Bob. Tchaikovsky adored him, and later dedicated his Sixth Symphony to him as well.
Inspired by Schumann
Tchaikovsky admired Robert Schumann's Album for the Young and wanted to write something similar. The pieces follow a child's day and world: a morning prayer, a winter morning, games with toys, a sick doll and the doll's funeral, a new doll, and songs from Italy, France and Germany.
Small pieces, real music
Each piece is short and technically easy, but none is a simple exercise. They have real harmony, real feeling, and the chromatic touches typical of Tchaikovsky. Those chromatic notes are exactly where young readers stumble, and in iCanPiano Style they are visible in the notes.
- F sharp: right half black. Play the black key to the right of F.
- B flat: left half black. Play the black key to the left of B.
- B natural: no natural sign. A note that is all black or all white is played on a white key.
Frequently asked questions
How many pieces are in Tchaikovsky's Album for the Young?
Twenty-four short pieces, published as Op. 39 in 1878.
Who was the Album for the Young written for?
Tchaikovsky dedicated it to his nephew Vladimir Davydov.