Tchaikovsky's Magic  悲愴大師──柴可夫斯基

This Russian composer left a lasting mark on the world of classical music.
這位俄羅斯的作曲大師為古典樂寫下璀璨的一頁。

11/10
  On May 7, 1840, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born in a small town in Russia. His family had no way of knowing that he was destined to become one of the greatest musicians of all time. However, he began to show his incredible talent when he was just a boy.
  When Tchaikovsky was five years old, he began taking piano lessons. Soon, he could play better than his instructor. However, Tchaikovsky's parents ignored his talent and sent him away to school to study for government service. Not long afterwards, Tchaikovsky's mother died and the boy was heartbroken. He turned back to music for comfort and began to write his own pieces.
  Over the following years, Tchaikovsky studied, graduated, and worked for the Russian government. Meanwhile, he continued writing music. Finally, a teacher he was studying with noticed his talent. In 1865, the teacher offered Tchaikovsky a job teaching and writing music. After just a couple of years, Tchaikovsky wrote his first big hit, Romeo and Juliet, based on the play by Shakespeare.
  Tchaikovsky's life was unsuccessful in some ways. For example, his marriage to Antonina Miliukova failed after just six weeks. However, his music was another story. Tchaikovsky's goal was to write music that had a traditional Russian feel, but that was good enough to be enjoyed all over Europe. He succeeded. By the time he died in 1893, Tchaikovsky was recognized as one of Europe's greatest composers.
  Tchaikovsky's reputation didn't end when his life did. His music is still enjoyed not only in Russia and Europe but all over the globe. Now, even more than when he was alive, Tchaikovsky is a musical legend.


單字小舖
1. musician n. 音樂家
2. incredible a. 驚人的;難以置信的
3. instructor n. 講師;指導員
4. afterwards adv. 之後(= afterward)
5. heartbroken a. 感到心碎的
heartbreaking a. 令人心碎的
6. piece n. 一支(樂曲),一篇(藝術作品)
7. traditional a. 傳統的
8. composer n. 作曲家
9. reputation n. 名聲
10. legend n. 傳奇人物

片語小舖
1. a couple of...  幾個∕若干……
2. be based on...  根據……
3. For example, S + V  例如,……
= For instance, S + V
4. not only...but (also)...  不僅……而且……

Grammar Tips
by the time + S + V  等到……時
注意:
by the time 作副詞連接詞時,其所引導的副詞子句用來修飾主要子句,用法如下:
a. 表過去狀態:
By the time + 主詞 + 過去式動詞, 主詞 + 過去式∕過去進行式(was/were + V-ing)∕過去完成式(had + p.p.)∕過去完成進行式(had been + V-ing)
例: By the time I got to class, my classmates were already taking the test.
(等我到達教室時,我的同學們都已經在考試了。)
b. 表未來狀態:
By the time + 主詞 + 現在式動詞, 主詞 + 未來進行式(will be + V-ing)∕未來完成式(will have + p.p.)∕未來完成進行式(will have been + V-ing)
例: By the time you get this message, I will be riding on a plane to Paris.
(等你收到這個留言時,我將正搭機前往巴黎。)


精解字詞片語
1. be destined + to V/for N  注定……
be doomed to V/N  注定……
be bound to V  注定……
注意:
"be destined to/for" 之後接表正面、負面意義的原形動詞或名詞均可;"be doomed to" 之後所接的都是表負面意義的原形動詞或名詞(如失敗、死亡等);而 "be bound to" 之後則可接正面、負面意義的原形動詞。
例: Charles is destined for greatness.
(查爾斯注定會有不凡的成就。)
例: This project is doomed to fail.
(這個計畫注定會失敗。)
例: A hardworking person is bound to get somewhere.
(努力的人注定會有出息。)

2. of all time  空前的,有史以來
* 該片語常與有最高級形容詞修飾的名詞並用。
例: This movie is rated as one of the most popular of all time.
(這部電影被列為有史以來最受歡迎的影片之一。)

3. ignore vt. 忽視,忽略
例: The influence of advertising on people's spending habits can't be ignored.
(廣告對人們購物習慣的影響力不容小覷。)

4. comfort n. & vt. 安慰
例: A kind word can comfort a person who is feeling down.
(溫馨的言語能夠撫慰一個情緒低落的人。)

5. meanwhile adv. 同時
= in the meantime
例: John and I went for a hike. Meanwhile, our parents went for a walk on the beach.
(我和約翰去健行。同時,我們爸媽則去海灘散步。)

6. offer vt. 提供
offer sb sth  提供某人某事物
例: The insurance company offered Arthur a settlement of two million dollars.
(那家保險公司提供亞瑟 2 百萬元的理賠金。)

7. be recognized as...  被公認為……
例: Einstein is recognized as a great scientist.
(愛因斯坦被公認為偉大的科學家。)



  西元 1840 年 5 月 7 日,彼得‧伊里奇‧柴可夫斯基出生在俄國的一個小鎮。當時他的家人不知道他命中注定要成為有史以來最偉大的音樂家之一。然而,他在小時候就開始展露無比的天份。
  柴可夫斯基 5 歲開始學琴,不久便彈得比他的老師還好。但是他的雙親無視於他的天份,還把他送去學校,希望日後他能從事公職。過沒多久,他的母親去世,讓還是孩童的他非常傷心。他轉而向音樂尋求慰藉,並開始創作自己的作品。
  接下來幾年,柴可夫斯基歷經了求學、畢業,並開始擔任公職。在這段期間,他繼續創作音樂。終於,一位指導老師注意到他的才華。這位老師在 1865 年時提供柴可夫斯基一份工作,內容是教導並創作音樂。不到幾年時間,柴可夫斯基以莎士比亞的戲劇為藍本,寫下生平第一個廣受歡迎的作品《羅密歐與茱麗葉幻想曲》。
  柴可夫斯基的一生在某些方面不盡如意,他和安東妮娜‧米露科娃的婚姻只維持 6 星期便宣告破裂便是一例。但是他的音樂之路則恰恰相反。柴可夫斯基的目標是創作具有俄羅斯傳統風格的音樂,但也能讓全歐洲的人陶醉其中。他辦到了。1893 年他去世時,柴可夫斯基已被公認是歐洲最偉大的作曲家之一。
  柴可夫斯基的聲望並未隨死亡而消逝。不只俄國和歐洲,全世界也都欣賞他的音樂。比起他在世的時候,柴可夫斯基現在更被視為音樂劇的傳奇人物。


本期其他文章
前期其他文章