Tchaikovsky could have ended his symphony right there after the third movement and left everyone feeling happy and satisfied. However, I don't think that Tchaikovsky was that kind of person, and thus, he leaves us with his last movement of Pathetique.
Did you think that such sadness as we heard in the first movement would be forgotten? That a naive, triumphant theme could steal the show after such mourning and loss? Here, the answer is no- and besides, the naive theme was just that: naive. Tchaikovsky sends us the first chord of this movement, and it hits us like a crashing wave- with impact. The orchestra grieves again, but now they are worn out (no, I don't mean the players, although they might be..) and even through hopeful efforts, real happiness is still absent. Near the end of the movement, things get significantly quieter. The energy of the orchestra slowly wears down to just a heartbeat and fades. Not a happy ending, but perhaps a more suitable one than the end of the third movement.
Again, Yuri Temirkanov with the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala of Milan
IV: Adagio Lamentoso
Good critique enjoyed your comments and interpretation. You certainly know and love your music!
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