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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
My pleasure. Enjoy ur weekend.
本曲大概在1893年八月末至九月間完成，為作者的代表作。柴科夫斯基自認為這部交響曲是他一生中最成功的作品，也是他最得意的傑作。本曲首演於同年的十月二十八日，六天之後，作者不幸染上霍亂，與世長辭。本曲終成為柴科夫斯基的“天鵝之歌”。
這首交響曲正如標題所示，強烈地表現出“悲愴”的情緒，這一點也就構成本曲的特色。柴科夫斯基音樂的特征，如旋律的優美，形式的均衡，管弦樂法的精巧等優點，都在本曲中得到深刻的印證，因此本曲不僅是柴科夫斯基作品中最著名、最傑出的樂曲之一，也是古今交響曲中第一流的精品。
本交響曲旨在描寫人生的恐怖、絕望、失敗、滅亡等，充滿了悲觀的情緒，而否定了一切肯定、享受人生的樂觀情緒。作者在本曲中也刻意描寫了人們為生活而奔忙的情景，但他揭示了一個永恒的真理——死亡是絕對的、無可避免的，而生活中的所有歡樂都是轉瞬即逝的。作者所體現出的這類情緒，實際上反映的是在沙皇俄國末期，俄羅斯人民處於一種被壓抑狀況下的真實心態。
本曲雖屬於標題音樂，但決不是針對某一特定事件或某一特殊個人的感情描寫，隻是以抽象手法表現人類共同具有的悲愴情緒而已。因此有的樂評家認為，本曲不應視為純粹的標題音樂。
全曲共分為四個樂章：
第一樂章 慢板，轉不很快的快板，b小調，4/4拍子,奏鳴曲形式。序奏為慢板，低音提琴以空虛的重音作為引子，由低音管在低音區演奏出呻吟般的旋律，其他樂器則如歎息般地繼續。樂曲自開始就籠罩在一種煩躁不安的陰沉氣氛中。主部的第一主題快速而富節奏感地奏出，給人以苦惱、不安和焦燥的印象。之後樂曲的速度旋即轉成行板，第二主題哀愁而美麗，有如暫時拋卻苦惱而沉入幻想中一般（片段1）。本樂章的終結部十分柔美、溫和，旋律在平靜的伴奏下伸展，形成謎一樣的結尾。
第二樂章 溫柔的快板，D大調，5/4拍子。自始自終 一貫單純的色彩，其構想似乎來自俄羅斯民謠。5/4拍子的分配方式為， 各小節的前半部分為二拍，後半部分為三拍，形成了不安定而又稍快的音樂，全樂章呈現出昏暗、低迷的狀態。主部的主要旋律具有舞蹈般的節奏，卻又蕩漾著一絲不安的空虛感（片段2）。
第三樂章 甚活潑的快板，G大調，4/4拍子,諧謔曲與進行曲混合而無發展部的奏鳴曲式。這一樂章的主要內容反映了人們四處奔忙、積極生活的景象，有人認為這一樂章體現出作者對過去的回憶。本樂章第一主題為諧謔曲式,輕快、活潑,與前兩個樂章的主題形成對比（片段3）。 樂章的第二主題很像意大利南部的一種民族舞蹈音樂——塔蘭泰拉舞曲，其主要旋律具有戰鬥般的感覺，但這一主題在進行曲般的旋律中，並沒有明朗、快活的氣息，反而呈現出一種悲壯感。 這一主題旨在表現人類的苦惱爆發時,所發泄出的反抗力量（片段4）。 此部分略經擴展後，再次出現詼諧曲主題而達到高潮。緊接著進行曲主題再現，樂章的終結部便在進行曲主題片斷堆積的形態下強烈地結束。
第四樂章 終曲，哀傷的慢板，b小調，3/4拍，自由的三段體。 本樂章的主題極為沉鬱、晦暗（一般交響曲的終曲都是最為快速、壯麗的樂章，而本交響曲正相反，充分強調了“悲愴”的主題），悲傷的旋律在兩聲圓號的襯托下顯得更加淒涼（片段5）。 本樂章在無限淒寂當中結束。這一樂章正如本交響曲的標題，描寫人生的哀傷、悲歎和苦惱，淒怨感人，有深沉的悲愴之美。
Source: http://www.hongen.com/art/gdyy/amqbl/ga42303.htm