Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5

HAPPINESS, OR TRAGEDY?

After the doom-laden confessional that was the Fourth Symphony, Tchaikovsky was finally getting more in peace with himself. His fame began to spread and by 1885 he was already considered a national hero. This time saw the maturation of Tchaikovsky's style from the more blatantly folk-song oriented works and the more youthfully turbulent ideas to a more mainstream and calmer drift. Following the Fourth Symphony ...
...overtures Capriccio Italien (composed during his bright stay at Italy) and 1812 (with the famous cannon-fire finale), the subtle String Serenade, the elegiac Piano Trio, a couple of small operas, and the large scale Manfred Symphony, amid some smaller scale works, all predominately genial in character. In 1888, after getting over his fear of conducting, he began a tour of Europe and the US with the purpose of promoting his works. To this purpose ... more

HAPPINESS, OR TRAGEDY?

After the doom-laden confessional that was the Fourth Symphony, Tchaikovsky was finally getting more in peace with himself. His fame began to spread and by 1885 he was already considered a national hero. This time saw the maturation of Tchaikovsky's style from the more blatantly folk-song oriented works and the more youthfully turbulent ideas to a more mainstream and calmer drift. Following the Fourth Symphony came the Violin Concerto, the Second Piano Concerto, the colourful overtures Capriccio Italien (composed during his bright stay at Italy) and 1812 (with the famous cannon-fire finale), the subtle String Serenade, the elegiac Piano Trio, a couple of small operas, and the large scale Manfred Symphony, amid some smaller scale works, all predominately genial in character. In 1888, after getting over his fear of conducting, he began a tour of Europe and the US with the purpose of promoting his works. To this purpose came about the need for a new symphony where Tchaikovsky returned to his struggle with Fate, that malevolent power that prevents our striving for happiness.

Not since his Fourth Symphony of 1877 (apart from Manfred) had Tchaikovsky really battled with Fatum again. For the Fifth Symphony Tchaikovsky made a short programme note that he used as the basis of his musical argument, though he never made his thoughts public knowledge. The note ran as follows: "Introduction. Complete resignation before Fate, or, which is the same, before the inscrutable decrees of Providence. Allegro (I) Murmurs, doubts, lamentations, reproaches agains XXX. (II) Shall I throw myself into the arms of Fate?" The Fourth Symphony featured Fate as a malignant and distinctly external force that crushes our hope with brute force. In the Fifth, Fatum is not quite so overstated, but is perhaps even more terrifying. Here Fatum appears in the form of an idée fixe, a term coined by Berlioz in his Symphonie fantastique for a fixed idea that stubbornly reappears in every movement (a kind of precursor of Wagner's leitmotif). Rather than being a forceful entity appearing amid dreams of happiness, Fatum in the Fifth is more all-enveloping, intruding more subtlely into every germ of our mind. This makes the Fifth perhaps a more refined and less destructive work than the Fourth for casual listeners, but is no less powerful.

MINOR CRITICISMS

Tchaikovsky set to work on the symphony in May 1888, finishing the score in August of the same year. The work was premiered in St.Petersburg on November 17, 1888 under the composer's direction and repeated a week later. The symphony was received with great success, despite some reservations among some critics. Tchaikovsky himself stated that he was pleased with it: "It's not any worse than the others." His opinions however were not always steady and soon enough he started feeling differently of his new work: "Having played my symphony twice I have decided it is a failure. There is something repellent in it, some over-exaggerated color, some insincerity of invention, which the public instinctively recognizes." To some extent this may seem like Tchaikovsky being a little over-critical, but there is a truth to this also.

While I find the Fifth Symphony to be a very enjoyable and ultimately well wrought work, the biggest stumbling block in this symphony is the sudden transition into happyland when we reach the finale. In the Fourth there was a distinct programme that made such a transition work, as if in a collection of paintings viewed one after the other. The Fifth however is much more vague in its overall imagery (after all the programme set out by Tchaikovsky was far from being detailed). A happy victory ending in itself, of course, is not the reason it sounds a little fake, but the abrupt E major opening without any kind of preparation is not very convincing. Even Beethoven in his Fifth Symphony built the glorious C major explosion out of the dark ruminations of the previous Scherzo, making it sound like a natural outgrowth of triumph. Still, Tchaikovsky's Fifth is very romantic, melodic, exciting, and authentic Tchaikovsky. It's not his best, but it sure is enjoyable

MOVEMENT BY MOVEMENT ANALYSIS

I. Andante - Allegro con anima

The symphony opens with a slow introduction on clarinet and low strings (this is the Fate theme, which is easy to remember). It is almost funereal in tone, somber and clouded. There are some signs of protestation, but the overall feeling is that of a soul tired and unresisting. As the introduction gradually subsides, the tempo quickens to 6/8 with a new, yet strikingly similar theme to the motto because of its alternating E minor and A minor chords, making it a natural sounding extension. It is first carried forward by bassoon and clarinet, with a gracefully lilting dance-like air, although the underlying rhythm makes it sound heavy. A more bright strain completes the subject, which is then used to build an insistent climax. Without a break Tchaikovsky leads us into an anguished second subject in F sharp on the strings. From here we are launched into a bittersweet and heartfelt melody that is usual in Tchaikovsky's works. The development is a little diffuse but is in keeping with the character of the movement. The Fate motto has more influence here than in the opening introduction, though this is more in keeping with its character rather than its force. The recapitulation makes the motto's purpose more clear, with the main first movement subject now presented on bassoon alone (without the supportive clarinet). The accompaniment is likewise much more subdued. Other than that there is not much difference to the exposition. The coda takes the main theme and turns it more intense. The energy of it however soon dwindles and the movement ends in quiet resignation, very much similar to the Sixth Symphony's conclusion.

II. Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza

The second movement Andante is in D major and is one of Tchaikovsky's most lively slow movements. Slow, shifting strings create a somber atmosphere in the very beginning, a great way to open after the morbid close of the first movement. To this a lone French horn plays an affectionate melody. This melody has been made famous by Mack David who used it in his song "Moon Love," although here it has a much better continuation. The movement's general tempo marking indicates "con alcuna licenza" (with some freedom), with the horn soloist separately directed to play "dolce con molto espressione." Additionally Tchaikovsky continuously makes minor tempo adjustments like "animando," "ritenuto," "sostenuto," "con moto" and the like to keep the movement in continuous flux. Soon the oboe joins in for a pastoral duet in F sharp major, which later on is used to evolve into the passionate song in the rest of the orchestra. The cellos then repeat the horn's phrase and extend it further. Now the music is speeded up to "Moderato con anima" using the second subject as a source, though now being more feverish in tone. It starts to rise ever higher and higher, as well as more intense, but on reaching the climax the music is struck down with a crushing blow. A clarinet appears, playing a wistful, slightly oriental sounding tune (bringing to mind a moment from The Nutcracker for a moment). The different instruments of the orchestra then thrown this strain backwards and forwards, reaching a dreadful climax on the Fate motto. The concluding two notes of the motto, feeble in the introduction, change into swift hammer blows that bring the music to a frightened halt. These final notes then echo in pizzicato for a moment, after which the main theme makes a reappearance, now in the violins. Other wind instruments ornament this melody and the music begins its rise again towards the high climax (Tchaikovsky instructs ffff) but is again struck down. The Fate motto then makes a truly malignant appearance, beating us into submission with not even a hope for recovery. The violins, exhausted, play the oboe's continuation of the initial horn melody and the movement sinks into a tired conclusion.

III. Valse: Allegro moderato

In the place of the usual scherzo, Tchaikovsky reverts to his favourite form: the waltz. Set in A major, it is a graceful, if somewhat melancholy dance, not a smooth and bright ballroom waltz by any means, but much softer and yieling in tone. This weariness is not dispelled by the more sprightly figure in the middle presented by the violins. As is usual with Tchaikovsky, the syncopations help break the steady rhythm of the waltz and this is used to great effect here as well. In the end, the Fate motto appears as a ghostly whisper, ending the movement with six forceful strikes.

IV. Finale: Andante maestoso - Allegro vivace

The Finale begins with the Fate motto, corresponding to the introduction of the first movement, but this time it is transformed into the bright key of E major. Overall this finale is filled with lots of heady passion, melodies, and triumphal notions where we are flung forward with great forward momentum, although one has to wonder when exactly was this triumph achieved. The main theme of the movement (Allegro vivace, 2/2) is filled with energy and vitality, the truer representation of triumph. It is almost trying to push the sense of triumph on us so that we get it, or at least get the illusion of it. The second subject in this sonata-form finale then is a true march tune, banal as it may be, buoyant and active. The development takes the Fate motto again, transforming it into more of a rhythm than anything else. The recapitulation is not much altered in terms of structure, but is very much different in its orchestrations and color. The coda then emphasizes the major aspects of the Fate motto by marching forward in a headlong Presto, before broadening again for the final pages for a rousing conclusion.

RECOMMENDED RECORDINGS

Philips. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra / Valery Gergiev - An absolutely fantastic reading and recording, made live in Vienna. Gergiev's pacing is very fast and this works wonders with the symphony, making it extremely involving and exciting without sacrificing the beautiful aspects of the work. Although there are no fillers on this CD, it is quite possibly the best Tchaikovsky Fifth I have ever heard, and despite the fact that it's a live recording, the orchestra is caught amazingly well with audience noise not even noticeable when the orchestra is playing.

Chandos. Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra / Mariss Jansons - Not quite as exciting as Gergiev's live recording, Jansons' is a very good and more faithful performance of the symphony than most. Good digital recording with precision playing.

Harmonia Mundi. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Daniele Gatti - Unlike many other conductors, Gatti's 2003 recording of the Fifth stands apart in that it makes a conscious effort to present the work using Tchaikovsky's metronome markings and to bring us the first version of it the way it was though out by the composer. Although one needs to get a little used to the new sound, the performance is fresh and lively with a great sense of discovery from all involved. A very good choice.

SCORED FOR

3 flutes (3rd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani and strings.

© berlioz
 

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