Having a Ball with Tchaikovsky's Symphony No 6
The Best Moments
Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 ("Pathétique")
I'm Tchaikovsky, and these are the best moments of my Symphony No 6. You'll hear the passage where the finale slowly sinks into its long, fading close, and I think it's worth your time because few endings in music are so quiet and so moving. My fellow composers and I also help you recognize our pieces when they come on, so if you'd like to test yourself, head to the Trainer and give it a go.
---
One Lonely Bassoon Walks Into a Symphony
I start the symphony with a single bassoon, alone and quiet, which is not what most people picture when they hear the word symphony. It plays slowly and low, like someone clearing his throat before an announcement nobody is looking forward to, and then the music gradually wakes up and picks up speed in the Allegro non troppo.
A Waltz With One Beat Too Many
Once the first movement has shared its troubles, I offer you a waltz in D major, though it comes with a small catch. It counts to five instead of the usual three, so it feels a bit lopsided, like a dance floor with one extra step, and a sighing middle section gives everyone a moment to catch their breath.
The March That Wants to Be the Ending
Then I switch to a march in G major, and I admit it sounds much too cheerful for a symphony that began so quietly. It is quick and bustling, the kind of music that seems ready to finish the whole piece with a flourish, and that is exactly why I didn't let it have the last word.
The Finale Refuses to Make a Fuss
I close with an Adagio lamentoso in B minor, because I chose a long, slow ending over the loud finale people expect. The scales sink downward, the music rises to a peak of yearning and then fades away, and in my own outline I called this part death, so please don't wait around for a final bang.
---
We've walked through only a few of the moments I treasure most in Symphony No 6, and I hope the walk felt unhurried. Did you enjoy learning about the best moments of Symphony No 6? There is still a good deal left to discover. The third movement marches along with a bright, driving energy that I haven't described yet. The first movement also has a stormy middle section that is very different from its quiet opening. Then there is the finale, where I chose a slow, sorrowful adagio instead of a loud, triumphant ending. It is a surprising way to close a symphony, and it stays with many listeners long after the last note fades. If you'd like to hear more, please click on the links provided and keep exploring Symphony No 6 at your own pace. I'd be glad to have you listen again.