Talking Shop On Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1
III. Allegro con fuoco
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23
I'm Tchaikovsky, and I'm about to explain the third movement of my Piano Concerto No 1, the Allegro con fuoco. You'll hear a lively Ukrainian song return again and again, each time answered by a tender Russian tune, until that tune comes back at the end in a grand, bright blaze. Once you've listened, try the Trainer here on this site, where my fellow composers and I help you recognize our pieces the moment they begin.
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Listen With Your Whole Body, Not Just Your Ears
Before you press play, forget everything you think you must know about classical music, because this finale needs none of it. Follow the piano, the soloist, and notice how it sometimes races ahead and sometimes lets the orchestra answer back. Then pay attention to the strings, which carry a calm, singing tune whenever the music takes a breath, while the brass and timpani are there to add weight and excitement. If you can only do one thing, listen for the tunes that keep coming back, because they are the thread through the whole movement.A Title That Strikes a Match
I marked this movement "Allegro con fuoco", which in Italian means fast and with fire. After a slow, quiet middle movement I wanted the ending to burst back in with energy. A marking like that is a message to the players, telling them not to be polite and to play as if they mean it. I would rather have a performer slightly too fiery than one who plays it as if it were a bedtime story.How I Built This Little Machine
Choosing the form for this finale was an adventure, and in the end I let folk songs decide for me. The music alternates between a Ukrainian song and a Russian folk song, with a tranquil string melody that returns as a place to rest. Because the tunes keep coming back, you can think of it as a ring of themes, and you will recognize each one more happily every time. I will take the sections one by one now, and I should mention that the version most people hear today has a cut in the finale, which I made when I revised it years later.Section 1: Ivan Is In a Hurry
The movement begins with the Ukrainian song "Go on, go on Ivan", and the pace is fast from the first moment. The piano takes this tune and runs with it, and the orchestra pushes along behind. The mood is bright, driven and full of bounce, like a dance that has started before everyone has found their partner. This is the fire promised in the title, so let it carry you along.Section 2: A Tender Visitor Arrives
Next comes the second theme, which comes from Russian folk music and is called "I'm Coming to the Capital". After all that racing it feels tender and lyrical, and the music seems to lean back and smile. The change of mood is the point, because the same movement can be rough and energetic in one moment and warm in the next. Listen for how the tempo of your own breathing changes when this tune takes over.Section 3: The Strings Pour Some Tea
Between the folk songs I placed a tranquil melody in the strings, and it works as a pause in the action. It does not hurry, and it gives the ear a rest before the next burst of energy. Then the folk song returns, and you will notice how much more lively it sounds after the calm. This back and forth between rest and motion is the story of the whole movement, and you can follow it without any theory at all.Section 4: The Big Finish, Now With Sunshine
Near the end the second theme comes back, but I transformed it into something grand and bright. The tender tune you met earlier now sounds like a victory, with the whole orchestra and the piano lifting it high. It is the same melody in a new outfit, and I enjoy that surprise very much. When it arrives, you will know you have reached the end of the journey, and the concerto closes in triumph.Your Turn At The Controls
Now it is your turn to hear this finale for yourself, so press play and let the music take over. As it goes, listen for the Ukrainian song, the Russian tune and the quiet string melody, and see if you can spot each one when it returns. Don't worry if you miss some, because the movement is built to be enjoyed even on a first listen. I hope it gives you as much excitement as I felt when I wrote it.---
So, did you enjoy this listen guide to the Allegro con fuoco? I hope the finale now sounds a little different to you, with its two folk tunes trading places and its calm string melody offering a moment to breathe. Once you know where those tunes come from, I think you hear the music as something with roots, not only as a rush of notes. The finale is where the concerto lets go of its worries and simply dances. I like to think that this is the right way to end a piece that began with such a grand gesture. There is still a good deal more to discover in Piano Concerto No 1. The story of how it came to be, the people who first played it, and the changes I made to it over the years all have more to tell. Even the first two movements will sound new if you come back to them after hearing the finale. If you're curious, I invite you to click on the links provided and keep exploring Piano Concerto No 1. Then listen to the whole concerto once more, and see which moments stay with you this time.