Here are Tchaikovsky’s 12 pieces from The Seasons, Op. 37a, ranked from easiest to hardest on Road to Virtuosity.
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Tchaikovsky - The Seasons - May (White Nights)
375,000 Points · Level 8 -
Tchaikovsky - The Seasons - April (Snowdrop)
390,000 Points · Level 8 -
Tchaikovsky - The Seasons - October (Autumn Song)
403,000 Points · Level 8 -
Tchaikovsky - The Seasons - March (Song of the Lark)
415,000 Points · Level 8 -
Tchaikovsky - The Seasons - July (Song of the Reaper)
440,000 Points · Level 8 -
Tchaikovsky - The Seasons - December (Christmas)
567,000 Points · Level 9 -
Tchaikovsky - The Seasons - January (By the Fireside)
590,000 Points · Level 9 -
Tchaikovsky - The Seasons - September (The Hunt)
655,000 Points · Level 9 -
Tchaikovsky - The Seasons - June (Barcarolle)
675,000 Points · Level 9 -
Tchaikovsky - The Seasons - February (The Carnival)
680,000 Points · Level 9 -
Tchaikovsky - The Seasons - August (The Harvest)
760,000 Points · Level 9 -
Tchaikovsky - The Seasons - November (Troika)
775,000 Points · Level 9
Quick facts from the RTV ranking
The easiest piece from Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons on this list is May (White Nights), with 375,000 RTV points.
The hardest piece from the set is November (Troika), with 775,000 RTV points.
The collection begins at Level 8 and reaches Level 9, so even the easiest pieces in the set are still advanced piano works.
The famous June (Barcarolle) is one of the more difficult pieces in the collection, but it is not the hardest. It is listed at 675,000 points and Level 9.
The original calendar order does not match the RTV difficulty order. Some spring and autumn pieces rank lower, while several winter and late-year pieces rank much higher.
This ranking is useful because The Seasons is often discussed as one complete set, but each month has its own technical and musical demands.
Tchaikovsky The Seasons Op. 37a in original order
The 12 Months
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January - By the Fireside
View piece — 590,000 points — Level 9 -
February - The Carnival
View piece — 680,000 points — Level 9 -
March - Song of the Lark
View piece — 415,000 points — Level 8 -
April - Snowdrop
View piece — 390,000 points — Level 8 -
May - White Nights
View piece — 375,000 points — Level 8 -
June - Barcarolle
View piece — 675,000 points — Level 9 -
July - Song of the Reaper
View piece — 440,000 points — Level 8 -
August - The Harvest
View piece — 760,000 points — Level 9 -
September - The Hunt
View piece — 655,000 points — Level 9 -
October - Autumn Song
View piece — 403,000 points — Level 8 -
November - Troika
View piece — 775,000 points — Level 9 -
December - Christmas
View piece — 567,000 points — Level 9
About RTV points and levels
Road to Virtuosity uses both points and levels to show difficulty. Levels give a broad category, while RTV points give a more specific ranking within that category.
RTV points are based on the overall difficulty of learning and performing a piece. This can include factors such as length, tempo, rhythm, hand coordination, articulation, voicing, repeated patterns, jumps, musical control, and the amount of consistency needed to perform the piece accurately.
Because points are more detailed than levels, two pieces can have the same level but still have different RTV point values. The piece with more RTV points is ranked as more difficult.
About Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons Op. 37a
Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons, Op. 37a, is a set of twelve piano character pieces, with each piece representing a different month of the year.
The collection includes some of Tchaikovsky’s most poetic solo piano writing. Each month has its own mood, from the quiet warmth of January (By the Fireside) to the lyrical motion of June (Barcarolle) and the winter character of November (Troika) and December (Christmas).
Although the pieces are not as technically extreme as the great virtuoso works of Liszt or Rachmaninoff, they still require mature tone, careful voicing, rubato, phrasing, and control of Romantic style.
Why this ranking is useful
The calendar order of The Seasons is beautiful as a complete musical idea, but it is not a difficulty order.
A pianist may love one month and assume it is a good starting point, but some of the most famous pieces in the set are also among the more demanding.
This is where the RTV ranking helps. Instead of treating all twelve pieces as one difficulty level, each month receives its own point value and level.
That makes it easier for pianists and teachers to choose the right Tchaikovsky piece at the right stage of study.
Complete book on RTV
View Tchaikovsky - The Seasons Op. 37a on Road to Virtuosity
The complete RTV edition includes all 12 pieces from The Seasons, Op. 37a by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, engraved in a clean, modern format for study and performance.