# 1812 overture vs Romeo and Juliet



## BenG (Aug 28, 2018)

Which one do you prefer?


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

The 1812, because it reminds me of the old Quaker Oats commercial with the Tchaikovsky soundtrack: [Boom!] "This is the cereal that's shot from guns."


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

I voted for _Romeo and Juliet_. In my opinion it is more profound.


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## Ned Low (Jul 29, 2020)

Tchaikovsky composed 1812 overture to celebrate the historic Russia's victory over Napoleon Bonaparte, so it's kind of a martial music( of course those canons!)
But my favourite is Romeo and Juliet. Actually, It's a symphonic poem; it tells the story of the play. I'm no music expert but i think Wikipedia has a quite informative article about this masterpiece :

" Although styled an 'Overture-Fantasy' by the composer, the overall design is a symphonic poem in sonata form with an introduction and an epilogue. The work is based on three main strands of the Shakespeare story. The first strand, written in F-sharp minor, following Mily Balakirev's suggestion, is the introduction representing the saintly Friar Laurence. Here there is a foreboding of doom from the lower strings.The Friar Laurence theme is heard in F minor, with plucked strings, before ending up in E minor. The introduction is chorale-like.

Eventually a single first inversion B minor chord is passed back and forth between strings and woodwinds grows into the second strand in B minor, the agitated theme of the warring Capulets and Montagues, including a reference to the sword fight, depicted by crashing cymbals. There are agitated, quick sixteenth notes. The forceful irregular rhythms of the street music point ahead to Igor Stravinsky and beyond.The action suddenly slows, the key changing from B minor to D-flat (as suggested by Balakirev) and we hear the opening bars of the "love theme", the third strand, passionate and yearning in character but always with an underlying current of anxiety.

The love theme signifies the couple first meeting and the scene at Juliet's balcony. The English horn and viola represent Romeo, while the flutes represent Juliet. Then the battling strand returns, this time with more intensity and build-up, with the Friar Laurence Theme heard with agitation. The strings enter with a lush, hovering melody over which the flute and oboe eventually soar with the love theme once again, this time loud and in D major, signaling the development section and their consummated marriage, and finally heard in E major, and two large orchestra hits with cymbal crashes signal the suicide of the two lovers. A final battle theme is played, then a soft, slow dirge in B major ensues, with timpani playing a repeated triplet pattern, and tuba holding a B natural for 16 bars. The woodwinds play a sweet homage to the lovers, and a final allusion to the love theme brings in the climax, beginning with a huge crescendo B natural roll of the timpani, and the orchestra plays homophonic shouts of a B major chord before the final bar, with full orchestra belting out a powerful B natural to close the overture."


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## Taplow (Aug 13, 2017)

[deleted ... sorry]


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

R&J is one of my favorite pieces by Tchaikovsky, never been much of a fan of the 1812 Overture.


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Can't say because although composed by same composer, they are both very different. If I had to choose, would be Romeo & Juliet!


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Both works have fantastic melodies and an inevitable progression. Feeling celebratory these last days of Trump, I vote for 1812.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Allerius said:


> I voted for _Romeo and Juliet_. In my opinion it is more profound.


I'd say Romeo and Juliet is way more substantial than the 1812, rather than profound.


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## Axter (Jan 15, 2020)

For me Romeo and Juliet, followed very closely by 1812.
And tomorrow I might say it the other way round.
Both are great!


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

I'm not really a fan of any Tchaikovsky overture, but I guess I'll vote for 1812, because it quotes the Marseillaise, which is my favorite national anthem.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Bulldog said:


> Both works have fantastic melodies and an inevitable progression. Feeling celebratory these last days of Trump, I vote for 1812.


Do you also mean if Trump won, you would have listened to R&J?


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

1812...Hands down


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## Littlephrase (Nov 28, 2018)

The 1812 Overture is one of the those pieces I simply reject. Have never liked it and will never like it. 

Romeo and Juliet is Tchaikovsky’s first masterpiece.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Manxfeeder said:


> The 1812, because it reminds me of the old Quaker Oats commercial with the Tchaikovsky soundtrack: [Boom!] "This is the cereal that's shot from guns."
> 
> View attachment 145443


Half? That many? I wonder how many people get the Lone Ranger and William Tell Overture connection anymore. Great post.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Littlephrase1913 said:


> The 1812 Overture is one of the those pieces I simply reject. Have never liked it and will never like it.
> 
> Romeo and Juliet is Tchaikovsky's first masterpiece.


Have you ever played either? R&J may be the masterpiece, but 1812 is a heck of a lot of fun to play!


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

1812.

Just f-in brilliant.

Tchaikovsky is so underrated.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Wow just heard Dorati's 1812, the cannons and bells are something to behold. The sound of the instruments is dry, so I added some reverb (not too much) on my editor, and the results turned out amazing! Full of life.


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## Highwayman (Jul 16, 2018)

The OP did not specify it so I voted for R&J assuming that it is the one belonging to Prokofiev.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

Phil loves classical said:


> Wow just heard Dorati's 1812, the cannons and bells are something to behold. The sound of the instruments is dry, so I added some reverb (not too much) on my editor, and the results turned out amazing! Full of life.


I grew up with the original Antal Dorati version and love it (He re-recorded it several years later so it could be released in stereo.)


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

^ I prefer the stereo remake overall with the cannons, and the faster pace. But in the original mono version where the higher bell ringing stops and the lower bells still resound while the brass is hammering the chords is an absolute awe-inspiring magical effect starting 14:07 for several seconds.


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## JAS (Mar 6, 2013)

I remain, for now, over-saturated on both of these particular works. I hope eventually to be able to hear them again without rolling my eyes and thinking "again?" (I think I may be closer to that state for 1812 since I keep hearing Romeo and Juliet on the radio from time to time.)


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

JAS said:


> I remain, for now, over-saturated on both of these particular works. I hope eventually to be able to hear them again without rolling my eyes and thinking "again?" (I think I may be closer to that state for 1812 since I keep hearing Romeo and Juliet on the radio from time to time.)


I only hear the two works when I want to hear them. I never listen to classical on the radio.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Same here. It was a staple for me when I was young, but for many years now I've preferred to choose my own programmes.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

It's been awhile since I've had a listen to the lengthy *Romeo and Juliet Overture*. I'll cue it up and give it a listen later.


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