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On Saturday night the WCFSO will perform a canonical orchestral work, Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, alongside two seminal pieces by American composer John Adams. For those of you thinking about coming to the concert, the following is a quick introduction to the Tchaikovsky drawn from the composer’s own words.

After completing his Fourth Symphony Tchaikovsky wrote a letter to his patron Nadezhda von Meck [quoted throughout]. The correspondence is notable for the programmatic insight it provides into the piece, but there is some debate about Tchaikosvky’s earnestness. He may have presented these ideas to von Meck simply to satisfy her demands for explanation – quoting Heinrich Heiene, the composer admitted, ‘Where words leave off, music begins.’ The controversy over this letter, much like the musical content of the symphony itself, invites discussion on ways to find meaning in music.

First movement
The Fourth Symphony begins with a series of menacing brass fanfares. Its composer called this dramatic opening ‘the seed of the whole symphony, without doubt the principal idea – this is Fate.’ [Andante Sostenuto]

A ‘languishing’ theme then arises in the strings and winds. Tchaikovsky’s gift for evocative melodic writing is apparent in the sighing gestures that appear throughout this theme. [Moderato con anima]

As this theme subsides so does the music’s tormented consciousness, taking refuge instead in a waltz-like ‘daydream’ [Moderato assai, quasi Andante]

Second movement
Nostalgia is a key element of Tchaikovsky’s music, and the composer claimed that the opening theme of this movement was full of ‘teeming memories … so much has been and gone.’ [Andantino in modo di canzona]

As the movement continues the music seems to vacillate between contentment and sadness, ‘moments of joy… when life was satisfying… hard times, too, irreplaceable losses… both sad yet somehow sweet to immerse yourself in the past.’

Third movement
This delightful movement is notable for the way in which each section is clearly defined by a specific instrumental technique, creating the impression of a series of distinct musical ‘pictures’. The first is a bubbling ramble for strings playing pizzicato. [Pizzicato ostinato]

After a wind band interlude interrupts the strings, the brass come through with their own lively, if slightly doltish, march. [March theme, Tempo I]

Tchaikovsky himself presented this movement as a fantastical vision, giving ‘free reign to imagination’ and having ‘nothing in common with reality’.

Fourth movement
The final movement of the Fourth Symphony is one of the most exciting works in the symphonic repertoire, a musical ‘picture of folk celebrating a festival… abandoning themselves entirely to feelings of joy’. Tchaikovsky brings this ‘spectacle’ to life by quoting the melody of a famous Russian folk tune throughout the movement. [Second theme, ‘In the Field Stood a Birch Tree’]

The excitment and joy of the musical festivities build to a massive climax, at which point the ‘Fate’ motive from the beginning of the symphony suddenly returns – ‘barely have you managed to forget yourself and to be carried away by the spectacle of other people’s joys when implacable Fate appears again and reminds you of its existence.’

The Fourth Symphony has been the subject of much study. Here are two engaging multimedia programs on the topic:
Chicago Symphony ‘Beyond the Score’ – Quicktime or WMV [right/control Click to download]
San Fransisco Symphony ‘Keeping Score’ – Launch website [select ‘Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony’]