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Symphony No. 6 (Tchaikovsky)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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."
Listen to Discovering Music - Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony. from 2:30
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,[2][citation needed] but in any event his publisher chose to keep it and the title remained. Its French translation Pathétique is generally used in French, English, German and other languages.[3]
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,[4] 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. 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 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 "desperation" theme, and the same is done with the other parts. During the second "consolatory" theme, 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. The second theme, now in its tonic minor, re-emerges and then meanders off into a quiet ending. According to Karlinsky, it is an elegy for one or more of Tchaikovsky's deceased lovers.
Listen to Discovering Music - Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony. from 2:30
References
1. Steinberg, Michael. "The Symphony: a listener’s guide". p. 635-641. Oxford University Press, 1995.
2. Listen to Discovering Music - Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony. from 2:30
3. Steinberg, Michael. "The Symphony: a listener’s guide". p. 635-641. Oxford University Press, 1995.
4. "Should We Retire Tchaikovsky?" Christopher Street Vol 11 No 3, 16-21
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._6_%28Tchaikovsky%29
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本曲大概在1893年八月末至九月间完成，为作者的代表作。柴科夫斯基自认为这部交响曲是他一生中最成功的作品，也是他最得意的杰作。本曲首演于同年的十月二十八日，六天之后，作者不幸染上霍乱，与世长辞。本曲终成为柴科夫斯基的“天鹅之歌”。
这首交响曲正如标题所示，强烈地表现出“悲怆”的情绪，这一点也就构成本曲的特色。柴科夫斯基音乐的特征，如旋律的优美，形式的均衡，管弦乐法的精巧等优点，都在本曲中得到深刻的印证，因此本曲不仅是柴科夫斯基作品中最著名、最杰出的乐曲之一，也是古今交响曲中第一流的精品。
本交响曲旨在描写人生的恐怖、绝望、失败、灭亡等，充满了悲观的情绪，而否定了一切肯定、享受人生的乐观情绪。作者在本曲中也刻意描写了人们为生活而奔忙的情景，但他揭示了一个永恒的真理——死亡是绝对的、无可避免的，而生活中的所有欢乐都是转瞬即逝的。作者所体现出的这类情绪，实际上反映的是在沙皇俄国末期，俄罗斯人民处于一种被压抑状况下的真实心态。
本曲虽属于标题音乐，但决不是针对某一特定事件或某一特殊个人的感情描写，只是以抽象手法表现人类共同具有的悲怆情绪而已。因此有的乐评家认为，本曲不应视为纯粹的标题音乐。
全曲共分为四个乐章：
第一乐章 慢板，转不很快的快板，b小调，4/4拍子,奏鸣曲形式。序奏为慢板，低音提琴以空虚的重音作为引子，由低音管在低音区演奏出呻吟般的旋律，其他乐器则如叹息般地继续。乐曲自开始就笼罩在一种烦躁不安的阴沉气氛中。主部的第一主题快速而富节奏感地奏出，给人以苦恼、不安和焦燥的印象。之后乐曲的速度旋即转成行板，第二主题哀愁而美丽，有如暂时抛却苦恼而沉入幻想中一般（片段1）。本乐章的终结部十分柔美、温和，旋律在平静的伴奏下伸展，形成谜一样的结尾。
第二乐章 温柔的快板，D大调，5/4拍子。自始自终 一贯单纯的色彩，其构想似乎来自俄罗斯民谣。5/4拍子的分配方式为， 各小节的前半部分为二拍，后半部分为三拍，形成了不安定而又稍快的音乐，全乐章呈现出昏暗、低迷的状态。主部的主要旋律具有舞蹈般的节奏，却又荡漾着一丝不安的空虚感（片段2）。
第三乐章 甚活泼的快板，G大调，4/4拍子,谐谑曲与进行曲混合而无发展部的奏鸣曲式。这一乐章的主要内容反映了人们四处奔忙、积极生活的景象，有人认为这一乐章体现出作者对过去的回忆。本乐章第一主题为谐谑曲式,轻快、活泼,与前两个乐章的主题形成对比（片段3）。 乐章的第二主题很像意大利南部的一种民族舞蹈音乐——塔兰泰拉舞曲，其主要旋律具有战斗般的感觉，但这一主题在进行曲般的旋律中，并没有明朗、快活的气息，反而呈现出一种悲壮感。 这一主题旨在表现人类的苦恼爆发时,所发泄出的反抗力量（片段4）。 此部分略经扩展后，再次出现诙谐曲主题而达到高潮。紧接着进行曲主题再现，乐章的终结部便在进行曲主题片断堆积的形态下强烈地结束。
第四乐章 终曲，哀伤的慢板，b小调，3/4拍，自由的三段体。 本乐章的主题极为沉郁、晦暗（一般交响曲的终曲都是最为快速、壮丽的乐章，而本交响曲正相反，充分强调了“悲怆”的主题），悲伤的旋律在两声圆号的衬托下显得更加凄凉（片段5）。 本乐章在无限凄寂当中结束。这一乐章正如本交响曲的标题，描写人生的哀伤、悲叹和苦恼，凄怨感人，有深沉的悲怆之美。
Source: http://www.hongen.com/art/gdyy/amqbl/ga42303.htm