Cannons in the Orchestra 💥 The story of Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture

Maybe one of the most popular remixes of all time - we take a closer look at the 1812 Overture composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and why exactly he added cannons to the orchestra.
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[@benaya3207]

Tchaikovsky: "...very loud and noisy and completely without artistic merit, obviously written without warmth or love" 21st Century dudes : Cannons in Orchestra? This is *LIT*

[@Jay-S04]

Benaya APB Cannons* two Ns. There’s a difference

[@ryanlorenzo5003]

Cannon barrels get hot and like Hellsing Abridged has told us: Bitches love cannons.

[@kacperpiotrowski7239]

That Tetris joke is just. Well i must say that was Very creative.

[@brandondye7774]

i am the man who arranges the blocks...

[@JB-bq2qj]

I saw this comment so I knew A joke was coming but once I saw it 😮

[@naverilllang]

It might also be a nod to the fact that it was invented in the Soviet Union

[@kacperpiotrowski7239]

​@@naverilllang Captain obvious and Major spoiler, forces combined!

[@anthonykaiser974]

@@kacperpiotrowski7239 Captain Obvious does all the nug work. That's staff life.

[@mplspc]

If only the planned premier of the piece happened, it would have been one of the most awe-inspiring musical performances ever. A full orchestra and brass band, a full set of cannons, and all the bells in the city would produce a musical climax like no other!

[@TVGUY333]

That's true but in my head it is always the war narrative and all the church bells of the surrounding area.

[@cashkromsupernerd1193]

V For Vendetta's performance is probably the closest we'll ever see

[@birdiemcchicken1471]

"Tchaikovsky, no!" Tchaikovsky: "Tchaikovsky, yes!" Real Life: "Tchaikovsky, no!" Tchaikovsky: "... Tchaikovsky, sad."

[@ramun9402]

:(

[@ryehn9644]

Was completed in 6 weeks!!?? This Tchaikovsky dude was a genious.

[@mr.clasher-clashofclansboo7286]

Clearly you aren't genius, because you can't even spell it.

[@ryehn9644]

@@mr.clasher-clashofclansboo7286 What?

[@RevsAndWheels]

@@ryehn9644 the word "IT"

[@lordlucius1341]

Wrong, it took him a week to write it, and 5 weeks fucking around with cannons after realizing it would be fucking badass to use them during the song

[@TchaikovskyFDR]

Considering how he loathed the piece, because it was commissioned by Alexander III for his Coronation, and in borrowed from at least 3 separate motifs - God Save the Tzar Hymn, the French Marseillaise, and also as heard in the final in both this and the prior piece - Slavonic March - i would say its basically a big copy paste which obviously didnt suite Tchaikovsky by any means because that meant he wasnt composing so much as making a mixtape.

[@stablernose7203]

1880: is cannons an instrument? 2018: is mayonnaise an instrument?

[@jwdickinson643]

StablerNose 720 mayonnaise is not an instrument....it can be a sex toy....or so I’m told.....

[@lordofrims]

Gray Poupon?

[@宇宙终结者]

yes and yes

[@rileymccarter7823]

Why not? It can make sounds

[@hillyhank8979]

Cannons are ALWAYS an instrument

[@JonathanPMusic]

So the machine gun sound effects mean modern rap is the spiritual successor to Tchaikovsky?

[@Oddquartet]

I never thought about i this way but...YES.

[@datemasamune2106]

This is saddening.

[@MrWhangdoodles]

Yes, sadly. But, as long as nobody compares Bieber to Beethoven I'm happy.

[@MojiMikato]

Joonha Shcal bieber is not a rapper

[@unoriginal422]

Also K-pop gunshots

[@InsanityMan]

Random dude: Tchaikovsky, cannons are not real instruments.. Tchaikovsky: Yes they are and I'm going to use 21 of them. Random dude: Tchaikovsky no! Tchaikovsky: Tchaikovsky yes! * 1812 overture starts playing * Tchaikovsky: *TCHAIKOVSKY ALWAYS YES!!*

[@thefruitofpassion927]

I get the reference but I never understood why it's 21 when there are only 16 cannons actually in the song.

[@alcagraphics9006]

Insanity Man prozd lol

[@theconductoresplin8092]

Top 10 most powerful anime charters of all time

[@mihir2607]

Tchaikovsky you can't use Cannons " hold my vodka "

[@threovibfovuiab]

Random Dude = ProZD LInk (kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2bJnoGteMyZZ68)

[@snakey934Snakeybakey]

Me: "I'm in the Orchestra" Her: "Oh cool, what section are you in?" Me: "1st Artillery Company"

[@anthonykaiser974]

I've been the "gun director," back when I was a battery commander. Best job in the Army. Helps that I know music. Funny how that works. COL Gruber wrote the Caisson Song. He was related to the Franz Gruber of "Silent Night" fame.

[@KnightDaylight]

“What instrument do you play?” “The 105mm field howitzer.”

[@OhNoBohNo]

1:20 “We did it, Czar! We saved the city!”

[@panzerofthelake506]

By burning it

[@SpadesNeil]

It's even more funny because they did save the city.

[@rustyshaculford1882]

Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody is going to be 6 min long Tchaikovsky: Hold my (Cannon)Balls

[@jazyjaz1317]

2:26 ... I am the man who arranges the blocks...

[@derptank3308]

JazyJaz13 WHICH DESCEND UPON ME FROM UP ABOVE

[@Niko0902]

They come down and I spin them around, to they fit in the ground like hand in glove

[@catinheels88]

Tetris!

[@arenio]

tetris was invented back then. duh.

[@brandondye7774]

@@Niko0902 Sometimes it seems that to move blocks is fine, that the lines will be formed as they fall.

[@camfg8908]

Yea, this is a masterpiece. The more I listen to classical music, the more I love it. There is often a deep meaning in every piece even if there are no lyrics at all. All you have to use is some sources and imagination.

[@MrWhangdoodles]

You really should go to the ballet. It's instruments and dance, no lyrics needed.

[@robertodeleon-gonzalez9844]

I am mystified as to why Tchaikovsky so completely disliked the 1812 Overture, as well as The Nutcracker ballet, two of his compositions which would come to be among audience's favorites. Could it be that he was his own most severe critic?

[@Krissy_Bunnie]

Kurt Cobain hated SLTS for the same reason

[@ic6351]

Tchaikovsky suffered severe depression. People in deep depression tends to hate themselves and their works.

[@jaffarebellion292]

Holst apparently didn't like The Planets either. Composers don't tend to like their most popular stuff.

[@keifthys1740]

@@jaffarebellion292 or maybe people tend to like composers' most disliked compositions

[@Arthur-qe8xc]

@@jaffarebellion292 True to Rachmaninoff Prelude in C# too

[@julianblake8385]

That tetris man! hahahah Beautifully played, sir, beatifully played. Have a like, sir. And a subscriber. Great content.

[@cristianomaddog]

Amazing! Never though a music could contain so much history into it! I have zero knowledge about music, but this is brilliant! I mean, include all this details on the music, parts of other songs! I wonder if people at that time were able to identify these things more easily than today. Well, at least people with access to these kind of music. I could be wrong, please correct me, but I believe that only people who really understand about classic music would pick those references nowadays. Great job explaining it!

[@Oddquartet]

Thanks! I definitely think that people at the time were more familiar with the history and the music references because it was really the pop music of the time. As the music gets older, the references become more obscure and people forget. Nowadays, it's music historians and music teachers that keep this music alive. Thanks for the great comment!

[@rydemk4168]

Cristiano Mazzotti never thought a music peice could have so much danger in it!

[@kornaros96]

Never thought of music containing so much history? Sabaton

[@SamnissArandeen]

That Tchaikovsky ended up hating the 1812 Overture makes it his personal Stairway to Heaven.

[@m4gn3tic82]

I liked how the way the creator of this video used a Tetris edit since it’s from russia

[@ON-O]

The end of all this is so sad. Imagine the full band and all of the planned artillery 😔

[@FreakieFan]

6 bloody weeks to compose a ridiculously complex and creative orchestral piece that runs over 15 minutes in length, and approx. 73 pages of detailed sheet score? That is absolutely insane. Tchaikovsky was a god.

[@LlAM514]

I love Tchaikovsky's violin Concerto

[@paVlo711]

good bit of underappreciated animation at 2:13

[@MrsChung-1357]

I just love your lessons, with the right visuals at the right moment, and simple and 'to the point' explanations! Thank you so much for your time and knowledge, and sharing.

[@AHPSC]

I cried every time he said “Lah Mars-eh-LACE”. (Marseillaise). I wonder how he pronounce ‘entourage’ or ‘envelope’.

[@olekan1351]

2:16 my mans out here playing Tetris

[@spicymeatball3807]

People: NO,YOU CANT USE A WEAPON AS AN INSTRUMENT Tchaicovsky:haha cannon go B O O M

[@yalkn2073]

Tchaicovsky YES!

[@lemonfreshie]

hmmm kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYmTeIueebGUeZY

[@moonpigdotcom5933]

Tchaikovsky no...

[@TravellingTARDIS]

Tchaikovsky yes

[@MT-kx7ff]

*TCHAIKOVSKY ALWAYS YES*

[@hannahquintua]

Explain reference plzz

[@LochNessy02]

@@hannahquintua ProZD

[@ramun9402]

@@hannahquintua kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2bJnoGteMyZZ68

[@lorddominonexus]

"Mommy, why are the cannons firing from the distance? Is war really over?" *"Yes my dear, that's just the Overture"*

[@Krissy_Bunnie]

I'm going out on a limb here, but if I had to channel Tchaikovsky's frustration with his own work, I assume it would be because he felt like he rushed through it and didn't do as well as he could. Especially with a song that represents something so spectacular.

[@許進曾]

The most ironic thing about this overture is that the writer dislikes it while most other people likes it, especially the last part.

[@arendstunes1891]

The Tetris building graphic is wonderfully inspired

[@ItsElllis]

Your content is fantastic

[@widowpeak6142]

Damn...I would have never known there was so much behind this piece. Great video, indeed!

[@theopiron4368]

"Brazilian Great Solemn March", a music composed in 1869 by Louis Moreau Gottschalk also had cannons and it was composed before 1812 Overture.

[@jwlundgren]

next on my list to look up

[@julianblake8385]

Woooo I gotta hear that shit!! Any version to recommend?

[@comment6864]

@alibabaregis It's ok, but no cake to the 1812 imho

[@d_squigle2767]

had to watch this for school, this channel is helping alot, thank you

[@tahadeterre1537]

Until now I interpreted the Overture like the triumph of napoleonic army, I learned a lot thanks! (But speak more loudly please)

[@Oddquartet]

Sorry my voice is quiet in the mix. I will try to make it louder next time. Thanks!

[@lastswordfighter]

These days the song is associated the most with big explosions and artillery.

[@giladkay3761]

@@lastswordfighter "song", every musician in the world wants to burn you at the stake right now

[@astaganaga1906]

Terrific analysis.

[@gasaiyuno2219]

*Random guy playing the FFFF notes on the sheets at the rehearsal* Tchaikovsky: you know, I feel like we can go louder

[@pault1964]

Thank you explaining it

[@powertheimmortal]

“oh lord save my people” kind of reminded me of “hellfire”.

[@comment6864]

It's actually 'Lord, save YOUR people' ..and bless Your dominion, granting victories to Christians against adversaries, and preserving with Your cross the place for Your abode. Approximately like that. It's really a prayer with both a reverently penitent and victorious spirit at the same time. More humility than pride.

[@nativeturtleman4595]

I feel bad for Tchaikovsky not being able to do what he intended, I hate the person who assassinated Alexander the II.

[@drewehlers1987]

Yeah so does Alexander the Second

[@LordDim1]

Communists assassinated Alexander II whilst he was on his way to present a constitution for Russia. We was literally at the cusp of turning Russia into a liberal, constitutional monarchy, but the communists assasinated him, and instead his conservative son Alexander III, made even more hardline by the assassination of his father, came to the throne and scrapped the constitution, ruled as an autocrat and basically set the stage for the 1917 revolution and the eventual formation of the Soviet Union.

[@fabianoasc]

The Tsar Alexander II was killed by terrorists of the Narodnaya Volya ("People's Will") movement, a leftist group . That was really a tragedy ,that prevented a liberalization of Russian Monarchy and paved the way to Russian revolution.

[@jannadrielcervo7753]

What's even saddening the original Cathedral was demolished. A horrifying and sad sight to see of what Russia has become.

[@ywe3]

110 million people agree with you

[@MeepChangeling]

3:31 Little known fact: As a personal friend of the Great Ones, Nepolion's France's national anthem was God Gave Rock and Roll to You.

[@julianblake8385]

hahahahaha

[@myself55555-x]

suddently, music from was my favorite subject.

[@claytonbenignus4688]

Even if Tchaikovsky is correct about this piece, there is nothing wrong with a little boisterous fun and emotional release. Don’t be hard on yourself, Pete. Maurice felt the same way about Bolero, but even Bolero provides emotional release.

[@TheTrueAltoClef]

Keep in mind, (one of) the first times we hear the French anthem, the rest of the orchestra plays alot of runs which simulates (and truely sounds like) russian people screaming in horror as the french are approaching

[@KnoxEmDown]

One day a piece of music will be made with a nuclear explosion as an instrument.

[@kaelang12]

Springtime for Hitler uses the sound effects, but I'm not sure if the noises are genuine

[@theconductoresplin8092]

And a badass ... Music will never be better

[@Dis-Emboweled]

2:18 I give this video a thumbs up for cleverness. Well done good sir

[@SynthD]

No one wants to admit Tchaikovsky was the first musical artist to “drop the bass” and create the strongest hook in classical music.

[@GothBb666]

my man was just so happy to play in an historical event besides the tzar but some dude wasnt feeling like it and decided it would be funny to kill the tzar

[@JWvdv]

3:30 true le chant du depart was used as the anthem

[@jwdickinson643]

JWvdv and here I was thinking it was Sur La Pont D’Avignon or Frere Jacques

[@robertlagruth516]

I love the 1812 overture, it reminds me of our struggle from 1776 to 1812 how our country became triumphant over our oppressors. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸%

[@YSLRD]

And yet, here we are

[@SlyHikari03]

Love the Tetris in Joke. Also, i guess Timpani were not enough.

[@leader_big_shiee]

ok now i can allow tchaikovsky to use cannons

[@Dylan_Otto]

loved the video, one single criticism I have is that your voice is waaay too soft. Otherwise, great vid :D

[@Oddquartet]

Thanks for the feedback! I have been working on my audio settings. Hopefully the new videos sound better. 😊

[@kayzeaza]

To be fair it was a good call. Give me chills to hear then in the end.

[@hunterfarrar4204]

“Tchaikovsky, canons are not instruments.” “Yes they are, and I’m using 21 of them.” “Tchaikovsky, no” “Tchaikovsky, YES”

[@nuri2318]

Finally able to get the joke now Thank you. Can't believe that this man using cannons is the same man who gave hymn of cherubim.

[@phantomlord067]

I like the Tetris references

[@zorohibiki]

omg the things one ends up learning from memes i saw one meme about using cannons as instruments and 5 min later im watching this

[@christianbryan6961]

2:15 Russia and Tetris reference, nice

[@america1st721]

so tchaikovsky is sitting around talking to a buddy and says, do you know what this songs needs? Friend: cowbell? Tchaikovsky: nope, cannons.

[@jamesgibbs6716]

The song was then discovered a few thousand years later by a smuggler from space, who built a stupidly overpowered handheld superweapon which played the overture whenever it was fired. He then gave the weapon to a fuzzy, long-eared orphan and the rest was history.

[@erzherzogalbrecht8504]

Tchaikovsky: is a cannon an Instrument? Squidward: no Tchaikovsky, a cannon is not an Instrument. Tchaikovsky: i'll fucking do it anyway

[@fryloc359]

I had no idea there was that kind of history behind it.

[@jrpggolf]

I thought it was pronounced mar-say-ez

[@Oddquartet]

Yes, it is. I got the pronunciation wrong. I pinned a comment about this a while ago.

[@valera3046]

Tchaikovsky always yes

[@leonaswind]

i like to think this man listen to Canon in D and disappointed that there are no canon in it Tchaikovsky: fine'll do it myself

[@contranimal]

Another uncommon instrument anymore ( typically ends up being played by trumpet, flugelhorn, tenor horn, or saxhorns ) would be the Buccine parts in Respighi's Pini di Roma and Feste Romane

[@theguide1192]

Tchaikovsky: Is Cannon a instrument? Teacher: No Tchaikovsky Cannon is not a instrument. Tchaikovsky: *Raises hand* Teacher: Church bells is not a instrument either.

[@peterhan4903]

2:24 i have a weird sense of humour i laughed it looks like tetris😭

[@BigSkinty91]

I honestly thought the cannons inside of the song where just a sign of somebody being in the drums I didn't know he used real cannons 😮

[@latios5376]

1880: Cannons as instrument 2019: Mayonnaise as instrument

[@ccityplanner1217]

A great way to get heavy artillery into civilian hands in common-law jurisdictions. "Why do you have cannons?" "We're a symphony orchestra. They're for when we play the 1812 Overture". 2:37: It's so repetitive, it looks like a railway timetable.

[@matko1901]

Great video

[@uziTGC]

great video. LOVED the tetris bit!

[@Oddquartet]

+Hayekian that was my favorite part too. Thanks for watching!

[@TheAcdcninja]

EVERYTHING’S A DRUM!

[@neobaggins3718]

My top 5 composers are: Dvorak, Rimsky-Korsakov, Copeland, Tchaikovsky, Vaughan Williams.

[@solumeasd]

Great video!!!

[@hscutenako3029]

This piece is not written in warmth nor love, it’s written for adrenaline

[@tcc5750]

1:19 So badass!

[@thekingshussar1808]

Aleksander I: *Y E S*

[@hippocratesm.d.1543]

good job man great vid you got my sub ♥

[@gustavakerman2566]

TCHAIKOVSKY YES TCHAIKOVSKY ALWAYS YES

[@Jeremiah_Rivers76]

Patrick: Are cannons instruments? Tchaikovsky: No, Patrick, cannons are not instruments. Patrick: **raises hand again** Tchaikovsky: Church bells are not instruments, either. Credit goes to the person who originally wrote this comment.

[@rage_2000]

Tchaikovsky yes Tchaikovsky always yes

[@johnulrichamador664]

PLEASE MAKE MORE VIDEO!

[@Oddquartet]

Working on some new stuff coming soon!

[@LegacyCat386M]

what’s the name of the song in the part that goes “ba da ba da bu da bam bum bam”? or should i say “that good part”

[@KuroiShiAnimu]

Just a reminder that there's chainsaw noises in one of DOOM 2016s OST

[@vinhoverde3843]

Ive seen an orchestra doing it with fireworks :o

[@unfa00]

It's so frustrating that so often musician's least favorite work becomes the thing that everyone recognizes them for...

[@U_C_G]

*TCHAIKOVSKY ALWAYS YES!!!*

[@dextercook9525]

I think some of it was used in guts and black powder on catocomes for the great stand

[@LlAM514]

But I also love the song cannon to be professional, it is a music piece

[@bpyangyang2153]

As far as I know, triple f, fortisimmo, meaning as loud as possible. What mark does appear in the music sheet as the cannon fires?

[@dilybob6852]

this gives the same vibes as Mick Gordon using chainsaws in his songs

[@sjmh280491]

Waiting for a video about Prokofiev machine guns in his cantata. :b

[@ВалерийЧемоданов-ч5ы]

Saint-Petersburg was the capital at that time. It was imperial time of the time between Napoleon and Alexander.

[@Jeffers59]

People used to make fun of Patton, looking back at history. IF Hitler had remembered history, he would have remembered how the Soviets would used the scorched earth policy in 1812, and that they wouldn't use it in WWII?