Description
August, "The Harvest," from The Seasons, Op. 37b. Its epigraph is a poem by Koltsov, and the music depicts a village day in which the reaping never pauses. It is the largest piece in the collection, with over 2,400 notes across five and a half minutes.
In B minor and 6/8, fast figuration turns without a break, written as though the motion of working hands had been transcribed directly. The middle section opens out into a calm melody that seems to survey the wider landscape, before the work resumes.
It is rated intermediate but comes close to advanced in what it asks: the stamina to sustain fast figuration for five and a half minutes, and the judgement to switch character completely in the middle. Keep the fingers moving in small motions close to the keys, turning them with a loose arm. Push too hard early and the second half will sag — set a tempo that survives to the end.
Twelve piano pieces Tchaikovsky composed in 1875-76, each depicting a month of the Russian year in music.
Browse all songs in The Seasons →Sheet Music
Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was Russia's foremost Romantic composer, achieving worldwide fame through ballets such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. His style blends Western compositional technique with Russian melodic warmth, and his pedagogical piano collection Children's Album remains a beloved favorite. This site includes 7 of his works, including pieces from that collection and The Seasons.
View all works by Tchaikovsky →