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Tchaikovsky · Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 in B minor, 'Pathétique'

The symphony whose composer died nine days after the premiere

Key
B minor
Composed
1893
Premiere
1893 St. Petersburg
Duration
About 46 min
Movements
4 movements
Instrumentation
Woodwinds 3·2·2·2 (3rd flute doubling piccolo) · Brass 4·2·3·1 · Timpani · Percussion (bass drum, cymbals, tam-tam) · Strings

The story behind this piece

In 1893 Tchaikovsky poured himself into this piece so much that he said he 'often wept while composing,' and he took pride in it as 'the best and most sincere of my works.' He dedicated it to his nephew, Vladimir 'Bob' Davydov.

Tchaikovsky conducted the premiere himself in St. Petersburg on October 28, 1893, and the audience's reaction was rather bewildered. Nine days later he died of what appears to have been cholera. Rumors spread that 'the piece was a suicide note' and that 'he took his own life,' but none of this has been proven. Scholars are also divided over such interpretations.

It was long said that the title 'Pathétique' was suggested by his brother Modest, but according to recent research, some hold that Tchaikovsky chose it himself. The original Russian meaning is closer to 'passionate, full of emotion' than to 'sad.'

A fun fact for players: in the first movement, the bassoon solo is marked pppppp (six pianos), a nearly impossible dynamic, so there is a custom of having the bass clarinet play that passage instead.

What to listen for

  • Movement 2: It's a waltz, but each bar has five beats (5/4). Feel the oddly graceful dance, as if with a limp.
  • Movement 3: The ever-growing march ends so brilliantly that applause often breaks out, as people think the piece is over. The real ending is still to come!
  • Movement 4: Where a fast finale usually goes, a slow, sorrowful Adagio lamentoso comes instead. At the end only the cellos and double basses remain, and the sound fades away.

Listen · Score

Credits