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柴可夫斯基除了六首有序号的交响曲外,还有一首无序号的b小调标题交响曲《曼弗雷德》,作品58号。这是柴可夫斯基受“五人强力集团”之一的巴拉基列夫委托,根据拜伦的同名诗剧的四个场面作于1885年,1886年3月23日首演。在这部诗剧中,曼弗雷德对知识和生活感到厌倦和失望,从而放弃对生活的任何探求。他不愿再在人群中生活,独自躲在阿尔卑斯山上人迹不到的一座堡寨中,拒绝向诸命运之神和众精灵之王屈膝,拒绝修道院院长的挽救,一心寻求遗忘,宁愿在孤寂中死去。柴可夫斯基对这部作品的创作表现了极大的热情,作品写完后他给巴拉基列夫写信道:“《曼弗雷德》完成了……在我一生中向来没有这样努力过,也没有由于工作而觉得这样疲倦,交响曲是依照您的提示而写成四个乐章……自然,它是献给您的。”
作品共分四个乐章,也就是四个场面:
The Manfred Symphony in B minor, Op. 58, is a programmatic symphony composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky between May and September 1885. It is based on the poem "Manfred" written by Lord Byron in 1817. It is the only one of Tchaikovsky's symphonies he completed that is not numbered (the Symphony in E flat is a conjectural work left unfinished by the composer) and was written between the Fourth and Fifth Symphonies.
Like the fantasy-overture Romeo and Juliet, Tchaikovsky wrote the Manfred Symphony at the behest of nationalist composer Mily Balakirev, who provided a program written by critic Vladimir Stasov. Stasov had sent the program to Balakirev in 1868, hoping that Balakirev would write a symphony based on it. Balakirev did not feel capable of carrying out this project and sent the program to French composer Hector Berlioz, whose programmatic works had genuinely impressed him. Berlioz refused, claiming old age and ill health, and returned the program to Balakirev. Balakirev kept the program until he reestablished contact with Tchaikovsky in the early 1880s.
The Manfred Symphony is the only programmatic symphonic work by Tchaikovsky in more than one movement. He initially considered the work one of his best, and in a typical reversal of opinion later considered destroying all but the opening movement. The symphony was greeted with mixed reviews, some finding much to laud in it, and others feeling that its programmatic aspects only weakened it. Manfred remained rarely performed for many years, probably due to its length and complexity. It has been recorded with increasing frequency but is still seldom heard in the concert hall.