tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33366214.post5384477675233777867..comments2023-11-04T08:38:43.573-04:00Comments on Thoughts On a Train: Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony: The End of a Musical LifeDick Strawserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10033692470502525123noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33366214.post-41025897153819067582017-07-08T21:49:35.710-04:002017-07-08T21:49:35.710-04:00Having just performed the 6th this last year, the ...Having just performed the 6th this last year, the first time, though I have loved this symphony since university days in the middle 70's. I was struck by the use of hocketing, the slicing and dicing of melodic strings into pieces, both in a single section and between sections. As someone who had not studied the score, but simply loved the piece, this startled me and made the first sight-reading session a chore.<br />And even until the week of the performance, I was discovering pieces of lines strewn throughout the piece. Surely a part of us would think that putting these lines logically into a single part would seem the simpler solution, and the disappointment at not delivering a certain run in it's entirely at first possessed me. Instead, the final performance shows how the color and location of the various parts creates a more satisfying and voluptuous whole. I would say as principle trombonist, there are few things more spiritually satisfying, but emotionally exhausting than to play the final chorale. As a performer, it was wonderful to feel the reverent hush that fell over my colleagues, even in rehearsal, and though these are far from the most exacting, exciting or difficult parts, even within this symphony, I still cannot listen to any performance of the 6th without feeling chills down my spine in the final bars, long before waiting for the last heartbeat from the basses....wishin' and hopin'....https://www.blogger.com/profile/11467551485336889381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33366214.post-37805203483181429512015-11-04T19:18:21.845-05:002015-11-04T19:18:21.845-05:00Sorry, but that goes way beyond the scope of this ...Sorry, but that goes way beyond the scope of this post which is primarily "biographical" in nature -- what you're looking for is more technical in terms of theory and orchestration. Besides, I'm not sure we know what "his expressive objectives" were. But if you listen to the opening passage, to the endings of the first and last movements in particular, to the nature of the 2nd and 3rd movements and the fact the tragic-sounding slow movement is placed last, then figure out how he uses those elements (and add, say, "contrast"), you might come up with an idea how he achieves what *we* usually think of as his "expressive objectives" in this particular piece. It's unfortunate he was no longer corresponding with Mme von Meck to whom he'd given so much "inside information" about writing his 4th Symphony, or that he didn't live long enough after the 6th's premiere to leave any thoughts on the piece behind... Remember, he originally wanted to call this his "Program" Symphony (implying it was *about* something) but never told anyone what that program was. Dick Strawserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10033692470502525123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33366214.post-83041673348261626452015-11-04T19:03:41.660-05:002015-11-04T19:03:41.660-05:00This article was beautifuly written.
Although, I ...This article was beautifuly written. <br />Although, I do have questions I wish you could answer..<br />First, how did Tchaikovsky employ timbre, rhthm, tonality, form, texture and melody to express his expressive objectives in his piece?<br />Feedback would be greatly appreciated, thank you.Jenn Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05487482581974549097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33366214.post-88649642244873383652015-01-20T03:11:06.471-05:002015-01-20T03:11:06.471-05:00His story is amazing. Thank you for sharing this I...His story is amazing. Thank you for sharing this I'm a 28 years old Saudi and i am absolutely in love with the 6th symphony. I was listening to it the whole time i read this. Thank you again.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07045838429001932971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33366214.post-30647262951183509722012-03-01T15:08:46.561-05:002012-03-01T15:08:46.561-05:00You make a very compelling and convincing case. T...You make a very compelling and convincing case. Thanks for writing such a nicely put together article. Still, my favorite playlist is playing the 6th, followed by Mozart's Ave verum corpus k.618 followed by Mozart's Requiem. The symphony of recounting one's life before a depressed death, followed by rebirth and grieving. I like it at any rate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com