In 1888, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky returned to his homeland after a long concert tour abroad. In a pursuit of a retreat to relax and gain strength, the composer rented a house in the village of Frolovskoye with which, according to him, he was “completely in love.” It was among those picturesque hills that he began work on the Fifth Symphony in May of the same year.
The process required much effort. It had been 11 years since he composed his Fourth Symphony, and he was very much tired of touring. Also, at that time, the composer became somewhat skeptic of his abilities. “I often doubt myself and the question arises: is it time to stop, have I always strained my imagination too much, has the source dried up?”
Despite all those difficulties, on August 14, 1888 the Symphony was completely finished. The composer dedicated the work to Theodor Avé-Lallemant, a famous musician and public figure, founder and chief director of the Hamburg Philharmonic Society. Pyotr Ilyich had been quite charmed by that 80-year-old man during the concert tour. Theodor had not only organized his performances flawlessly, but had also attended all rehearsals, and expressed his admiration for the composer’s work.
In the Fifth Symphony, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky turns to the theme of “man and fate” once again. This theme already manifests itself in the Fourth Symphony, but now it has received a new interpretation. The four movements of the masterpiece are permeated by the “doom theme”, a gloomy, ominous and unyielding image. As the musical fabric develops, the theme changes and in the finale loses its harsh coloring. The final bars render a victorious, triumphant sound. This conclusion of the Symphony represents an open ending and everyone must solve the composer’s riddle: is the doom of fate defeated or is this its triumphant rejoicing?
The Symphony was premiered on November 5, 1888 in St. Petersburg, at a concert of the Philharmonic Society. It was a great success with the public. The famous Russian composer, pianist, teacher of composition, music theorist and public figure Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev considered the Fifth Symphony to be the best work by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Alexandra Vershinina
