Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6, B minor, Op. 74 - "Pathetique"

Adagio lamentoso

Though the final movement of Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony, this movement is slow with a dark, brooding tone that begins with almost a cry of despair, builds to a climax of intense agitation, then fades off into a quiet, sustained ending. It is filled with gorgeous lush chords and a powerful range of expression through style, dynamics and careful orchestration. The symphony is scored for 3 flutes (3rd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in A, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in B-flat and A, 3 trombones (2 tenors and 1 bass), tuba, 3 timpani, bass drum, cymbals, tam-tam and strings.

Orchestration of the Main Themes:

First Theme
Tchaikovsky opens this movement with a beautiful, almost despairing melody (main theme- theme one) in the first and second violins- though in an unusual way. Neither the first nor the second violin play the whole melody alone but instead pass each successive note like a baton, alternating back and forth from note to note. The effect is a smooth, almost seamless sound in the violins with rich, rich harmonies in the same rhythm provided by the lower strings. Perhaps Tchaikovsky chose this method to create an extreme legato because the two parts can work to pass the notes so carefully so that they almost overlap (which would be impossible if all played on one instrument)?

The question is, does he treat this first theme in the same way each time it reappears? No. In fact, it is different every time.

The first appearance of the first theme (m. 1) has the violins with this unique passing of the melody, harmonic support in the remaining strings, and a sustained response from the flutes in the background.

The second time the first theme appears (m. 24) the string part remains the same, but the bassoons take over the previous role of the flutes and produces a more dark, menacing response an octave lower.

In the recapitulation, the first theme returns (m. 90) in the strings - undivided. The first violins play the melody in its entirety, supported by the harmonic progression in the second violins, violas, cellos and the bass. Whereas the earlier features of this theme were very legato and smooth, Tchaikovsky chose to make this presentation more intense and articulated with a down bow mark on the first beat and the melody all in the first violin.The sustained response is this time played by the horns, contrasting the previous entries with a warm, mellow tone.

The final appearance of the first theme (m. 126) is the strongest and most straightforward. The first violins share the melody in unison with all three flute parts, and later the clarinets. The lower string harmonies are also shared with the lower woodwinds.

Second Theme
Near the middle of the final movement, (m. 38) Tchaikovsky introduces a more stately theme through sequences of ascending and descending quarter notes. The second theme melody is originally held by the violins and doubled by the violas an octave lower. A seeming favorite of the woodwind section for this Pathetique , the bassoon part is featured with a counter melody, supported by the clarinets an octave higher. At measure 48, the trombones are highlighted with a bold echo of the string melody, and then another echo (of the echo of the originally melody) appears in the horns. The upper winds join to thicken the texture with a new countermelody (m. 55), and the trumpets and trombones combine in an octave unison to bring more power to the melodic echo (m. 63), and gain even more strength and texture when all four horns join in measure 67.

This section grows in the thickness of texture and dynamic power by adding instrumentation and thematic material until it explodes in a wailing cry of strings, brass fanfare. At measure 71, the strings become the main feature with powerful high range playing and octave doubling at a triple forte. The winds move to the background and provide percussive accompaniment, and become more like a punctuation of sound to add a powerful punch to the climax.

(Random side: In m. 77, the strings start this succession of rapid moving descending scales for about 3 measures. The bassoons join only for the last 8 notes. Maybe this is just to add depth and power to the lower range? It seems like an awkward and difficult place for the bassoons to just "jump in")

Underlying Pulse
Tchaikovsky also weaves a syncopated triplet rhythm through a major portion of this final movement as a unifying pulse. This pattern is carried throughout the middle portion of the Adagio and passed around to almost every instrument in the orchestra. This pattern is introduced in m. 36 by the horns, then moves to the clarinets and bassoons in m. 47, and returns to the horns again in m. 54. These instruments carry it well since they are mellow enough to remain in the background, but have enough presence in tone to provide the foundational pulse. In m. 62, the pattern is given to all the woodwinds and eventually the brass, though surprisingly does not grow much in overall weight or presence.

After disappearing for a time while the first theme returns, this triplet pattern comes again in a different form in the double bass (m. 115) - double time and with no syncopation. This adds to the intensity building in the other instruments. At m. 147, the pattern returns in its original form in the double bass and carries the pulse through the end as the texture thins and the sound gradually dies away in a quiet, serene finale.