Description
Toy soldiers on crisp parade are the subject of "March of the Wooden Soldiers," the fifth piece of Tchaikovsky's Children's Album, Op. 39, written in 1878. The set follows a child through one day, and this march belongs to the time of playing with toys, after the morning prayer and the winter morning. Given that the next three pieces are the doll's illness, its death and a new doll, this is still an untroubled scene.
In D major and duple time, clipped chords are struck in strict time to draw the stiff tread of toy soldiers. The melody moves within a narrow compass with no large leaps. It is short — about forty seconds and some 320 notes.
As the beginner rating suggests, there is nothing technically difficult here. The work is rhythmic accuracy and articulation. Let the chords ring on and the soldiers turn human, so cut them short — without hardening them. Keep the wrist loose rather than striking from the fingers alone, and hold the volume down throughout: that is what keeps them toys.
Twenty-four piano pieces Tchaikovsky composed in 1878 for children, yet musically rich enough to reward listeners of any age.
Browse all songs in Children's Album →Sheet Music
Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
What this piece teaches
Tchaikovsky's "March of the Wooden Soldiers". D major, duple time: short, clipped chords in strict tempo, drawing the stiff tread of toy soldiers. After joined chords, these are cut short.
How to practise it
- Keep the wrist loose and release the chords lightly from the fingertips. Pressing with the arm makes them hard and heavy.
- Turn on beat lines and check that the tempo neither rushes nor drags.
- Keep the whole piece fairly quiet. What makes them toys is the exact rhythm, not the volume.
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 →