After the overwhelming success of his 'Second Symphony' Pjotr Tschaikowsky (Votkinsk 1840 - Saint-Petersburg 1893) got a request of the Imperial Theatre in Moscow early in 1873 to compose the stage music to the play 'Snegourotchka' (translated as 'The Snow Maiden', 'Snow White' or 'Snowflakes') which was to be written by Alexander Ostrovski, the greatest Russian playwright of that period.
The wage of 350 rubles was particularly welcome to the young composer who completed the work in only three weeks time (between the middle of March and the 6th of April) before Ostrovsky finished his libretto. The first performance was given at the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre on 23rd May, 1873 was very successful and since then the work remained on the Russian orchestral repertoire as a concert suite. The suite consists of 19 parts that incorporate twelve authentic Russian folksongs. The 'Dance of the Jesters' (sometimes called 'Dance of the Buffoons') is number 13 and appears in Act 3 as part of the carnival music; it suggests the joyful atmosphere of popular festivals.
