SYMPHONY NO. 6 (TCHAIKOVSKY)

The 'Symphony No. 6 in B minor', '''Pathétique''', 'Op. 74' is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's final symphony. It was premiered nine days before his death in 1893. Tchaikovsky said of it, "Without exaggeration, I have put my whole soul into this work."^[1]

Contents

Title

Instrumentation

Structure

Bibliography

References

External links

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. His brother Modest suggested the ''Патетическая'' title, which was used in early editions of the symphony; although Tchaikovsky disliked the title and instructed the publisher to remove it, his publisher chose not to, and the title remained. Its French translation ''Pathétique'', however, is generally used in French, English, German and other languages.^[1]

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 a bass), tuba, 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 get the desired quietness.

Structure

The symphony contains four movements
# Adagio - Allegro non troppo
# Allegro con grazia
# Allegro molto vivace
# Finale: Adagio lamentoso
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.161-304), a recapitulation in which only the second theme group is repeated (m.305-334), 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. According to Simon Karlinsky,^[3] in an oral tradition passed from Tchaikovsky, to his brother Modest, to the painter Pavel Tchelitchew, to a musician called Alex, to him in 1941, the secret programme of the symphony is about the love of two men—represented by the romantic theme—and the agitated passage represents the attacks of a hostile world. A brief trombone chorale based on an Orthodox hymn is heard after a climax represented by descending trumpet scales. The battle would continue through its development until a tragic eruption. 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.
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]
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. Eventually, the orchestra launches into a full, triumphant chorus of the brass theme at the movement's end, often leading many people to believe that the symphony is over. For this reason, audiences sometimes mistakenly applaud after the movement.
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 theme, and the same is done with the other parts. A slow crescendo builds up to a fortissimo of wailing strings accompanying a fanfare for the brass and drums. The bassoon theme reemerges and is built upon; after much development the movement, without ever quickening, again climaxes with a ''fff'' drumroll, brass knell, and a resurgence of the first string theme, then meanders off into a quiet ending. According to Karlinsky, it is an elegy for one or more of Tchaikovsky's deceased lovers.
Among the sketches for the "Pathétique" were found sketches of the 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.

Bibliography

★ Hans Keller, "Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky", in Vol. I of ''The Symphony'', ed. Robert Simpson (Harmondsworth, 1966).

References

1. Steinberg, Michael. "The Symphony: a listener’s guide". p. 635-641. Oxford University Press, 1995.
2. Steinberg, Michael. "The Symphony: a listener’s guide". p. 635-641. Oxford University Press, 1995.
3. "Should We Retire Tchaikovsky?" ''Christopher Street'' Vol 11 No 3, 16-21

External links

★ http://www.tchaikovsky-research.net/en/Works/Symphonies/TH030/index.html

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