Symphony No. 5 (Tchaikovsky)

Programme

On 15 April 1888, about a month before he started to compose the symphony,^[10] Tchaikovsky sketched notes on the symphony in his notebook, saying it is a "total submission before fate, or [...] the inscrutable designs of providence." Possibly referring to the first movement, he wrote: "Murmurs, doubts, laments, reproaches against... xxx^[a]" and on the second: "Shall I cast myself into the embrace of faith???"^[11] In sketches for the second movement, there appear to be notes written around the score; in the treble clef is written: 'consolation,' 'a ray of light,' and 'below the reply: "No, there is no hope."'^[b] However, most of these sketches were rejected, and it is uncertain how much of this programme has been realised in the composition, as it is possible that some of the notes made were transferred from the fifth symphony to the Symphony in E♭ major.^[12]

Cyclical structure

Like the Symphony No. 4, No. 5 is a cyclical symphony, with a recurring main theme.^[3] Unlike No. 4, however, the theme is heard in all four movements, a feature Tchaikovsky had first used in the Manfred Symphony, which was completed less than three years before No. 5.^[13][14]

I. Andante – Allegro con anima – Molto più tranquillo

Motto Theme, mm. 1–4:^[23]

Primary Theme 1 (PT1), mm. 42–50:^[23]

Primary Theme 2 (PT2), mm. 116–128:^[23]

Subordinate Theme (ST), mm. 170–182:^[23]

Motive X, mm.154–170:^[23]

In the exposition of the first movement, the initial tonality (E minor) is relatively unstable. A tonality of D major slips in and out E minor as the dominant of the relative major (G major),^[24] but not until mm. 128–132^[23] does one hear this as an antagonistic to E minor. The exposition concludes in D major after integrating part of the PT1 into its cadential moment (mm. 194–198^[23]), of a perfect authentic cadence in D major.^[24] Motive X frames the secondary theme group by preceding the ST and reiterating D major afterwards.^[14]

The development consists of four distinct sections. The first section exhibits a sequence based on the PT1 superimposed with motive X. This is accompanied by a bass line that diatonically descends over an octave and a fifth.^[25] The second section develops the head motive from PT1. At bar 218 the tonality changes from D major to D minor, its parallel minor.^[24] The shifting meter (from ⁶
₈ to ³
₄),^[20] and diminished sonority (m. 261 for example^[23]) adds to growing instability. The third section is a brief allusion to the PT2, interrupted by a fugato based on PT1.^[25] Motive X returns strongly and insistently in m. 285,^[23] going back and forth between G minor and D minor. This can be interpreted as an effort to re-establish sonority in D. The transition to recapitulation is rather abrupt, yet a use of common tone modulation can be observed.

The recapitulation of this movement follows the convention of sonata form, with the coda using the primary theme material to conclude the movement.^[14][20][24]

II. Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza

The second movement begins with the continuation of the tragic sonority in B minor, as if the movement will be in the minor dominant of the tonic of the symphony. Instead, a common chord modulation leads to a D major theme first introduced by a solo horn.^[20]

Theme A1 (1st horn):^[23]

Theme A2 (oboe/horn):^[23]

Theme B (clarinet in A):^[23]

This movement is in a standard ternary form with the A section in D major, the B section alluding to F♯ minor, then a restatement of the A section with different orchestration.^[26] Compared to the stable A section, the B section exhibits instability in many ways.^[21] For example, the theme begins and remains in V⁷ of F♯ minor, even though it could be easily resolved to F♯ minor. Moreover, the segmentation of a theme and use of hyper meter and stretto contributes to the instability of this section.^[20]

The second movement is often recoginsed by its famous horn solo of theme A1: the opening melody of the movement (bar 8 upbeat^[23]). Marked dolce con molto espress^[d], the melody is praised for its poigniant romaiticism, lyricism, and singability,^[27][28] whilst also requiring exceptional musicality, expression, and control of dynamics from the performer.^[29]

In this movement, the motto theme appears twice:^[21] from mm. 99–103 as a structural dominant preparing the return of the A section, and in the coda (mm. 158–166) in G♯⁷.^[23] One could interpret this as a preparation for I⁶, but also as a structural leading tone to the next movement (G♯⁷ → A), especially since the unwinding from the climactic restatement of the motto theme occurs relatively hesitantly and what follows seems to diminish away.^[30]

III. Valse. Allegro moderato

Waltz 1:^[23]

Waltz 2 (ob 1):^[23]

Waltz 3:^[23]

Trio:^[23]

The third movement is a waltz, with some unusual elements, for example, hemiola and unbalanced phrase structure at the outset of the movement. These elements take over the movement in the trio section, which is a scherzo. The scherzo theme initially played by the first violins can be seen as a superimposition of ⁴
₄ over ³
₄. Hemiola is used again as a transitional technique (mm. 97–105^[23]). The waltz returns, but with the texture from the scherzo.

The return of the motto theme in the third movement, preceded by a waltz in a major mode, recalls the opening of the symphony, but with a hemiola element:^[23][31]

The movement ends with the texture shrinking until only pianissimo strings play a repeated cadence, which then quickens into a hemiola rhythm before six sudden fortissimo chords played by the whole orchestra.^[21]

IV. Finale: Andante maestoso – Allegro vivace – Meno mosso

Introduction – Motto Theme:^[23]

PT1 (violin I):^[23]

PT2:^[23]

ST:^[23]

The exposition of the last movement begins in E minor, whilst the D major sonority seeks to establish itself. Unlike the first movement, there is an early statement in D major, as well as in the V⁷ of D major (mm. 86–90, 106–114^[23]). A passage of key oppositions, increasing harmonic rhythm, segmentation, and rapid changes of themes culminates at m. 172 with the re-introduction of the motto theme in C major.^[21][23][31]

The development is very brief, lasting about 60 measures. In the recapitulation, a new melody is superimposed over the texture, but never returns.

The sixth statement of the motto theme is in E minor, leading to an emphatic perfect authentic cadence in B major. Following this, the coda succeeds in reemphasizing the tonic, using different themes and many cadences in the tonic. Some of the themes used here are the motto theme (m. 474), the countermelody to PT1 (m. 474, superimposed onto the motto theme), PT2 (m. 504), and PT1 from the first movement of the symphony.^[23] The climax uses several scalic passages and tremolos in the strings, as well as offbeat notes played to create fourth species counterpoint. The symphony ends with a triumphant march in E Major with the trumpets and horns exchanging the melody:^[21][32]