Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6, movement 4

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

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6, movement 3

So according to my album sleeve, the third movement of Tchaikovsky's Pathetique symphony is a "spirited march (with it's underlying tarantella theme in 12/8 time) represents the triumph of previous success" It's easy to hear the triumph and excitement in this movement, however, the beginning of this movement shows a trace of uncertainty and sadness mixed in with the celebrations. By the middle of the movement, all unhappiness is completely forgotten and the triumph of this movement is in full swing. Tchaikovsky builds the excitement and happiness until we reach a big bang finish, and we could almost stop right there- but no we don't. There's one more movement to come yet.

III. Allegro Molto Vivace

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6, movement 2

So after a little uncertainty about what to write for the 2nd through 4th movements of this symphony, I think I have a better idea today. This afternoon I bought a recording of the symphony by the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra :) According to the album sleeve, this second movement is supposed to "illustrate the transient pleasures of everyday life" It is written as a trio in 5/4 time- weird! (but really cool) The unusual time signature gives the music a sort of strange lilt.

The beginning of the movement sounds very country-like and pleasant to me, but I think between the parts where the main melody of this movement is heard- the unusual time signature helps to show hints of stress and disruption beneath the pleasant everyday life. This is can be heard especially during the middle section of this movement at: 2:40
The timpani, again, provides that sort of somber heartbeat. After this middle developmental section, life continues- and so does the cheery melody from the beginning of the movement. The end of the movement is a little strange; we hear the stress of the middle section illustrated by the cellos and brass, while it is answered reassuringly by the horns and winds. Again, we have the theme of hope as the movement comes to a quiet close.

Same recording as last post
Movement II: Allegro Con Grazia

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique" First Movement

This music is moving-
There aren't really many other ways to put it. As one might venture to guess, since this is Tchaikovsky, a composer of the romantic era- that this symphony is full of romance. But to say that it only speaks with romance is selling it short. Tchaikovsky was quite happy with this symphony after he had completed it- he thought it expressed what he wanted it to.

The first movement starts with a quiet, somber tone. When the first melody is introduced, the music holds the same mournful feeling and quickly turns to passionate grieving. Then hope is introduced. The orchestra takes that idea and runs with it- but nothing is ever really achieved here- only hopes and dreams are illustrated. These dreams are awakened with a bang(beginning of the second link), and we hear the first grieving melody again in the strings as they frantically scurry at the instance of a catastrophe further illustrated by the brass. Things quiet down, but are still filled with tension and disharmony; the orchestra is truly grieving and these emotions boil over again. Then the same "hopeful romantic" melody as heard earlier in the movement comes back again- but this idea is only a painful reminder of what could have been and no longer can be. Pizzicato in the strings serves as a heartbeat for the woodwinds to lament over, and the timpani ends the movement with a gentle roll.

There will be more to come over the next few days- I'm still working on analyzing this symphony in moods! ^__^ This is by no means any sort of real storyline that Tchaikovsky had in mind for this piece- just my interpretation.

First Movement Part A
Part Two
conducted by Yuri Temirkanov with the Orchestra del Teatro all Scala