• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Russian Best

Russian Life & People Digest

  • Home
  • Articles
  • Questions and Answers
    • History and Politics
    • Culture and Science
    • People and Language
    • Lifestyle and Attributes
    • Russian Sports
    • Food and Drinks
    • Traveling Russia
    • Economy and Geography
    • Russian Military
    • Books & Movies
Browse: Home / Culture and Science

A version of Tchaikovsky 1812 overture without bells?

Question by Mr D: Is there a version of Tchaikovsky 1812 overture without bells?
Is there a version of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture without the stupid bells during the climax? Every version I find has the bells as well as the cannon fire. For the love of God, can someone make a version without the cannons and bells?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Giambattista76
HI, at home I have 3 different recordings of the 1812 and I don’t hear in either of them the cannons. The bells are present in 2 recordings, but I’m afraid that in the third the reason of the missing bells is that the recording is on a “cheap” CD (here, in my country in every shopping mall you can buy “classical masterpieces” for approx. 2 $ ) and perhaps the orchestra didn’t have time to find a player or I don’t know.

However, I think that bells can sound very well (it depends on the quality because I heard a version where the bells sounded like doorbells…). The ending of “1812” is composed to be as spectacular as possible (for the sake of God, symphonic orchestra + military band…), so to achieve this effect, even the bells are needed. But it’s only my opinion, if you would like a version without “accessories”, I can send it (the “cheap” version) to you, just write to me.

Read all the answers in the comments.

What do you think?

See other posts in Culture and Science

Reader Interactions

Comments ( 1 )

  1. Alberich says

    They are not to suppose to. Tchaikovsky's score calls for all these; it was written as a celebratory composition, to be performed out of doors, and should be viewed in this context.

    One needs to remember, that during the 19th/early 20th centuries, electronic sound amplification was not available: so that "bombastic" means were necessary for him to achieve his intent.

    Alberich

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Popular Posts

Pushkin's Tatiana writing a letter to Onegin

Onegin’s Tatiana Was Only Thirteen?

Russian shashlik

My Favorite Russian Food

Dacha – Home Away From Home

Subway Dog

Subway Dogs of Moscow

Cape Cod on the Rocks

What is a cocktail with vodka and cranberry juice called?

Categories

Recent Comments

  • Pat on What does Nazdrovia actually mean?
  • Ted on Where can i send free SMS messages to Russian mobiles?
  • PutinPow on What does Nazdrovia actually mean?
  • bigdogg on What does Nazdrovia actually mean?
  • HAMISH A McDONALD on What Russia would be like today if Nicholas II had not been executed?

Copyright RussianBest.com © 2025 · About · Privacy Policy · Disclaimer: RussianBest.com is an informational website, and its content does not constitute professional advice of any kind.