In June 1876,
Serbia and the
Ottoman Empire were engaged in the
Serbian-Ottoman War, in which Russia openly supported Serbia. The
Russian Musical Society commissioned an orchestral piece from
Tchaikovsky for a concert in aid of the
Red Cross Society, and ultimately for the benefit of wounded Serbian veterans. Many Russians sympathized with their fellow
Slavs and
Orthodox Christians and sent volunteer soldiers and aid to assist Serbia. Tchaikovsky referred to the piece as his "Serbo-Russian March" while writing it. It was premiered in
Moscow on , conducted by
Nikolai Rubinstein. by Isidor Ćirić and "
Rado ide Srbin u vojnike" (Gladly does the Serb become a soldier). This eventually gives way to the second section, written in the relative key of
D major, which describes the Russians rallying to help the Serbs. This is based on a simple melody with the character of a rustic dance that is passed around the orchestra, until finally it gives way to a solemn statement of the Russian imperial anthem "
God Save the Tsar". The third section of the piece is a repeat of Tchaikovsky's furious orchestral climax from the first section, reiterating the Serbian cry for help. The fourth and final section describes the Russian volunteers marching into battle to assist the
Serbs. It uses a Russian folk tune, this time in the
tonic major key of
B major, and includes another blazing rendition of "God Save the Tsar", prophesying the triumph of the
Slavonic people over the Ottomans. The overture finishes with a virtuoso
coda for the full orchestra. ==See also==