Tchaikovsky - Schubert

At the end of 1817 FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797–1828) started work on his Symphony No. 6 in C Major D589,in which he substituted the traditional minuet movement with a scherzo. It was at this time that he was at the height of his musical creativity and alongside the sixth symphony he composed other works, such as the beautiful lied "Die Forelle" (Trout). The first movement of the symphony – Allegro – opens with a rather extensive adagio introduction reminiscent of Beethoven. That said, the triumphant main theme, which already at the start is extensively developed, and the second, calmer theme, are typically Schubertian.  The second movement, Andante, which follows a distinctly short reprise, has all the characteristics of episodic sections of Schubert symphonies, with the main theme undergoing masterly modulations. The third movement, Scherzo, has a shimmering airy theme in the presto section, which then relaxes and becomes part of a charming Trio. The final movement, Allegro moderato, is an agile rondo, where the thematic material perfectly matches the previous sweeping flow of the symphony. Several similarities to Schubert’s other work can be detected in parts of the symphony, such as a hint of his Impromptus, as well as his later composition Moments musicaux. The supple main theme and its concrete shape allow Schubert’s ingenious invention to shine, and the composer develops his themes on multiple levels, creating crisp melodic lines that join into a noble and supremely fine structure.

PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY’s (1840–1893) Symphony No. 6 in B minor Op. 74 "Pathétique", written in 1893, was the last and best known of the composers’ symphonies. The four-movement composition starts with a slow bassoon motif, followed by a sharply undulating theme that marks the start of the main part of the movement (Adagio. Allegro non troppo). This main theme is marked by accents and is filled with a relentless pathos that gave the symphony its name. In contrast to this stormy exalted passage is the second, rather emotionally charged theme which when repeated – after another dramatic passage – ends in quiet resignation. After the tragic pathos comes the calming mood of the second movement, in which – as its title Allegro con grazia already suggests – the charming dance melody flows in symmetrical phases, in an unusual 5/4 time signature. In the introduction to the third movement, Allegro molto vivace, there is a very fast theme that billows in typical fashion for romantic scherzo melodies. Soon after, however, the fanfare oboe motif ushers in a new and fierce parade-like theme which escalates in to a deafening tutti that uses Turkish drums and cymbals. This mood is unexpectedly disrupted in the final movement (Finale. Adagio lamentoso), a slow movement with a poignant and mournful theme. Only for a short moment does a glimmer of hope appear in the form of a major key motif, but after the rumbling sound of a tam-tam and with the return of the first theme, the ray of light disappears.