Both Russian conservatories offered an “elementary course” — an introductory course in music theory. One of the first professors of the elementary course at the Moscow Conservatory was Pyotr Tchaikovsky. We have neither the curriculum nor the programs of Tchaikovsky’s course. However, lecture notes for the elementary course, which Tchaikovsky gave in the 1867–68 academic year, have survived. These notes were written down by the young Sergei Taneyev. They show that Tchaikovsky did not limit himself to explaining the elements of musical language. His course included an overview of all musical theoretical disciplines: harmony, form, counterpoint, instrumentation. At the end of 1868, the Council of Professors undertook a reform of the elementary course. The elementary course became part of the solfeggio course. The article suggests that Tchaikovsky lost interest in the elementary course for this very reason.
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