Symphony No. 6 (Tchaikovsky)

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The Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Pathétique, Op. 74 is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's final symphony, written between February and the end of August 1893. The composer led the first performance in St. Petersburg on October 28 of that year, nine days before his death. The second performance, under Eduard Nápravník, took place 20 days later at a memorial concert.^[1] It included some minor corrections that Tchaikovsky had made after the premiere, and was thus the first performance of the work in the form in which it is known today. The first performance in Moscow was on 4/16 December, under Vasily Safonov.^[2]

Contents 1 Background 2 Title 3 Instrumentation 4 Structure 5 Cello Concerto 6 In popular culture 7 Bibliography 8 References 9 External links

[edit] Background

The first drafts were completed in the spring of 1891.^[3] However, some or all of the symphony was not pleasing to Tchaikovsky, who tore up the manuscript "in one of his frequent moods of depression and doubt over his alleged inability to create."^[4] In 1892, Tchaikovsky wrote the following to his nephew:

The symphony is only a work written by dint of sheer will on the part of the composer; it contains nothing that is interesting or sympathetic. It should be cast aside and forgotten. This determination on my part is admirable and irrevocable.^[5]

In 1893, Tchaikovsky again mentions the work in a letter to his brother:

I am now wholly occupied with the new work . . . and it is hard for me to tear myself away from it. I believe it comes into being as the best of my works. I must finish it as soon as possible, for I have to wind up a lot of affairs and I must soon go to London. I told you that I had completed a Symphony which suddenly displeased me, and I tore it up. Now I have composed a new symphony which I certainly shall not tear up.^[6]

The symphony was composed in a small house in Klin, which Tchaikovsky left on October 19. He arrived shortly thereafter in St. Petersburg for the first performance, "in excellent spirits".^[7] However, the composer began to feel apprehension over his symphony, when, at rehearsals, the orchestra players did not exhibit any great admiration for the new work.^[8] Nevertheless, the premiere was met with great appreciation. Tchaikovsky's brother Modest wrote, "There was applause and the composer was recalled, but with more enthusiasm than on previous occasions. There was not the mighty, overpowering impression made by the work when it was conducted by Eduard Nápravník, on November 18, 1893, and later, wherever it was played."^[9]

[edit] Title

The Russian title of the symphony, Патетическая (Patetičeskaja), means "passionate" or "emotional", not "arousing pity". Tchaikovsky considered calling it Программная (Programmnaja or "Programme Symphony") but realised that would encourage curiosity about the programme, which he did not want to reveal. According to his brother Modest, he suggested the Патетическая title, which was used in early editions of the symphony; there are conflicting accounts about whether Tchaikovsky liked the title,^[10] but in any event his publisher chose to keep it and the title remained. Its French translation Pathétique is generally used in French, Spanish, English, German and other languages.^[11]

[edit] Instrumentation

The symphony is scored for 3 flutes (3rd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in A, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in B-flat and A, 3 trombones (2 tenors and 1 bass), tuba, 3 timpani, bass drum, cymbals, tam-tam (ad libitum) and strings. A bass clarinet is sometimes used to play the bassoon solo marked pppppp in the first movement, to achieve the desired quietness.

[edit] Structure

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The symphony contains four movements

1. Adagio - Allegro non troppo (B minor → B major)

   The first movement is cast in a modified Sonata-allegro form with an introduction (m.1-18), an exposition consisting of two theme groups (m.19-88 and m.89-160), a development section (m.161-268), a recapitulation (m.269-334), and a coda (m.335-354). The movement opens with a slow bassoon solo, stating a motif that will become the first theme, accompanied by low strings. A romantic theme occurs 89 bars in. After some development, it fades away in a bassoon passage marked pppppp, followed (at bar 161) by a sudden tutti fortissimo and an agitated passage.^[12] A brief trombone chorale based on an Orthodox hymn from the Russian Requiem service is heard after a climax represented by descending trumpet scales.^[13] A restatement of the romantic theme in B major is heard this time darker in mood. Lastly, a wind chorale plays over descending pizzicato B major scales.

2. Allegro con grazia (D major)

   The second movement takes the form of a lively dance. Its unusual 5/4 time signature is the subject of much speculation, most of which claims that the movement acts as a stretched or limping waltz. [1]

3. Allegro molto vivace (G major)

   The third movement is again upbeat. In common time, it adheres to much more of a standard form than the rest of the work. The movement revolves around two themes, a nervous, jittery motif in the woodwinds and a majestic march originating in the brass. As a march, it is very un-military. Its harmonic structure is based on the tonic and subdominant rather than the more common tonic and dominant. The jittery theme completely gives way to the march theme at the short development. Eventually, the orchestra launches into a full, triumphant chorus of the brass theme at the movement's end, often leading the audience to believe that the symphony is over.

4. Finale: Adagio lamentoso (B minor)

   The final movement immediately returns to the darkness of the first with its brooding tone and slow tempo. The opening is scored unusually, the first and second violins taking turns to play the notes of the main "desperation" theme, meaning neither actually plays the melody as heard, and the same is done with the other parts. During the second "consolatory" theme, in its relative major, a slow crescendo builds up to a fortissimo of strings accompanying the brass and drums. The main theme is built upon, switching to its tonic minor; after much development the movement, without ever quickening, again climaxes with a fff drumroll, brass knell, and a resurgence of the first string theme. The second theme, now in its tonic minor, reemerges and then meanders off into a quiet ending.^[14]

[edit] Cello Concerto

Among the sketches for the "Pathétique" were found sketches of a projected Cello Concerto. It was debated whether or not the sketches were to belong to the finale of the symphony or a completely different work. After much discussion, experts agreed that the sketches belonged to the Cello Concerto.

[edit] In popular culture

The second theme of the first movement formed the basis of a popular song in the 1940s, "(This is) The Story of a Starry Night" (by Mann Curtis, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston) which was popularised by Glenn Miller.

Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony has proved a popular choice with filmmakers, with extracts featuring in (amongst others) Now, Voyager, the 1997 version of Anna Karenina, Minority Report, Soylent Green and The Aviator.

[edit] Bibliography

• Bagar, Robert, "Peter Ilyitch Tchaikowsky", The Concert Companion: A Comprehensive Guide to Symphonic Music (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1947).
• Cross, Milton and Ewen, David, "Peter Ilitch Tchaikovsky", in Vol. II of Milton Cross' Encyclopedia of Great Composers and Their Music (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1962).
• Hans Keller, "Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky", in Vol. I of The Symphony, ed. Robert Simpson (Harmondsworth, 1966).
• Steinberg, Michael, The Symphony (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1995). ISBN 0-19-512665-3 (paperback)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• http://www.tchaikovsky-research.net/en/Works/Symphonies/TH030/index.html
• 6th symphony: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.
• Recordings for personal use as performed by the Peabody Concert Orchestra

v • d • e Symphonies by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky No. 1 in G minor (Winter Daydreams) · No. 2 in C minor (Little Russian) · No. 3 in D major (Polish) · No. 4 in F minor · Manfred Symphony · No. 5 in E minor · No. 6 in B minor (Pathétique) Unfinished: No. 7 in E flat major List of compositions by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky