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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic era. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. In addition to his symphonies he wrote some of the most popular concert and theatrical music in the long form acoustic music repertoire. Despite his many popular successes, Tchaikovsky’s life was punctuated by personal crises and depression. Contributing factors included the untimely deaths of his mother and later of his close friend and colleague, the collapse of his 13 year association with a commissioning patron, and being unable to be openly queer in a deeply intolerant society. Tchaikovsky’s sudden death at the age of 53 just 9 days after the premiere of his Symphony No. 6 is surrounded in misinformation and controversy to this day. Various accounts include cholera and poisoning, and there is evidence to support a claim of a state sentenced “honor execution” by suicide.
This work is one that captures the imagination, hearts, and minds of listeners everywhere. There is something universal in the emotional heft of Tchaikovsky’s expressions which resonates with anyone who struggles with their human flaws, whether perceived or real.
RESOURCES
A recording of the full symphony with score to follow along!
A fun version of the score for audience participation. 🤓😂
ABOUT THE WORK
The symphony is constructed in the traditional 4 movements, or musical chapters, that form an arch. It bucks tradition by shaping the arch differently though. Typically there would be an up tempo first movement, often with a slow introduction, followed by two inner movements that form a dance and something contemplative, and then bookended by a 4th movement in a quick and/or majestic tempo. Instead Tchaikovsky seems to swap the contemplative and final movements so that this symphony is bookended with extended material from the slow first movement introduction. Many audiences applaud at the end of what sounds like the final movement but is actually the third movement. Hence the funny meme above. 😎
Tchaikovsky gave the symphony the title “The Passionate Symphony”, using a Russian word meaning “passionate” or “emotional”. This word was translated differently into French as pathétique which means more “solemn” or “emotive” and into English as pathetic, moving even further away from its original intent. It’s easy to understand how these slight but important mistranslations stuck, since the piece begins and ends with such darkness, loneliness, and longing.
Despite the arch shape outer movements suggesting suffering or even death, the inner movements are lively, graceful, and powerful sounding even with periodic injections of tension. Possibly the best example of this is the second movement.
The second movement, marked Allegro con grazia (quick, with grace), is an apparent waltz although it’s arranged in beat groupings of 5 rather than the expected 3. This could have an effect of making the dance seem off kilter but Tchaikovsky masterfully sets us swinging and swaying by inserting the “2, 3” accompaniment to the melody in such a way as to cause the swinging sensation even when it may fall on unexpected beats. In this way, he seems to have created an elegant dance space that he doesn’t quite completely fit into — a space that he is expected to occupy in a certain way but isn’t allowed to be his complete authentic self. You might not notice the mood shifting to more tension if you don’t listen carefully for the timpani striking all 5 beats in the pattern throughout the middle section and again toward the end of the movement. This, in effect, steals some of the swing from the dance and makes it just a fraction more foreboding. It’s also the reason I highlighted the similarities of Holst’s Mars, also in 5/4 meter, in the mashup video above. I’ll likely burn in classical music hell for making that mashup... but... #worthit!
A typical performance of “The Passionate Symphony” lasts around 45 minutes.
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