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TCHAIKOVSKY
1890 - 1893 - THE FINAL YEARS
Tchaikovsky was a shy and retiring person. He believed in keeping secrets, as he was obviously trained to do resulting from his homosexuality. Although he and his patroness swore never to meet physically, the intimate letter writing romance was kept secret from the rest of the world. Thus, his feelings of loss resulting from the end of this relationship never entered into conversations with others. The Victorian Era was a time when secrets were well vaulted.
By this time, many developments in technology were influencing changes in once considered permanent life styles. By 1890, such things as telephones, gas engines and horseless carriages were in use or soon to be in use including Edison's "kinoscope", which was the birth of motion pictures. Much of technology helped to spread the popularity of Tchaikovsky's music. The successful premiere of his second ballet, The Sleeping Beauty, Opus 66, danced and performed in St. Petersburg, first begun in 1889, launched the immortality of this work in dance and concert performance.
The composer's travels took him to England, where he received an honorary degree at Cambridge University in 1893
Tchaikovsky receiving
his honorary degree
at Cambridge, England
THE NEW WORLD
In 1891, Tchaikovsky visited the United States. Thanks to the advancement of technology, an ocean proved to be no barrier to his fame.
By 1890, the Statue
of Liberty was 4 years
old, symbolizing America.
The United States was growing and becoming richer. Millions were being made by industrialists that resulted in the "gilded age". Income taxes were yet to come and generous contributions were being made by millionaires and industrial giants such as Andrew Carnegie. One example of such generosity was the opening of Carnegie Hall.
Tchaikovsky conducted the New York Philharmonic in a performance of the Fifth Symphony. He then conducted in Philadelphia and Baltimore. While he was enroute, he heard the sad news that his sister, Alexandria Davydov had passed away. The loss must have been profound, as he was very close to his sister. His mature responsibility to fame made him go on.
Carnegie Hall, where the world
famous composer conducted his
Fifth Symphony during the hall's
opening ceremonies.
The sad news of his sister's passing, combined with the ending of his intimate letter writing friendship with his patroness, made him depressed and lonely. The medicine and antidote was constant travel and keeping occupied with musical creation. It seems a paradox that the magic of his most famous ballet The Nutcracker, commissioned by the St. Petersburg Opera in 1892, was a only a moderate success. He fashioned a suite from the famous score, which for a time, became more popular than the complete ballet. The complete ballet seemed to rest in an attic dust bin until some 70 years later, George Balanchine, of the New York City ballet, would re-choreograph it to ultimately revive it back to its well deserved popularity. It seems strange to compare 1892, the year of his deep depression with the creation of one of the happiest of musical creations, when it is danced world-wide during the Christmas holiday period.
THE SIXTH "PATHETIQUE" SYMPHONY - 1893
By this time, Tchaikovsky was busy with making appearances and conducting throughout Europe. During his activities, the concept of a new symphony was also occupying his thoughts. He often discussed his ideas with his brother, Modeste. This was to be a strange work in symphonic form. It was not to have the same animated ending of his earlier symphonies, for the final movement would be a dirge, abundant with the feelings of dying and pathos.
During discussions with his brother, he indicated that he would want to give the new symphony a title. Modeste came up with a suggestion that the composer adopted, and thus the Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Opus 74 would carry the title Pathetique.
listeners' notes
The first movement immediately announces the mood of this work as a sinister passage heard by the oboe and basses growls. Then the strings utter an agitated development, gathering dramatic force in the process. The beautiful and famous theme makes its presence, first heard by the strings and then returns with more passionate evocations. The woodwinds quietly put the theme to soft like sleep. Then suddenly there is the thunderous shock of return agitation as a new counter theme chases away the former tranquility. The crying out of drama reaches its epitome in continuous waves of torment, until, as if fatigued by its own spent energy, it quiets down to allow the first theme to be heard. A slow and distant sounding march brings it to a quiet end.
The second movement is in the form of an imperfect waltz, reminding one of the dance form, but not quite danceable. The main theme is shared with an alternate theme of pathos and passion. It concludes with a feeling of distance, alienation and quiet.
The third movement seems to contradict all of the moods of the earlier two. This is definite "allegro" in its most animated guise. The main theme is a march, first quietly stated by the string section, yet to become more dominant by the entire orchestra as the theme develops. This is usually the grand finale movement that the composer reserved for his earlier works. But save the applause. The symphony is not over.
The fourth movement completes the fitting of the work's title, "Pathetique". A mournful introduction by the string section seems to weep despair. The main theme takes over the musical tears, crying out a melody of pathos and pain. Then with the performing of the "Dies Irae", and the soft sound of the cymbals, the movement comes to a funereal ending.
On June 6, 1893 the Sixth Symphony had its premiere in St. Petersburg. It was poorly received, probably as a result of the unorthodox concept of the work. The symphony was one of several new and lesser known compositions from his creative output. The spring and summer kept him on the move from Odessa to London.
Manuscript page
of the Sixth Symphony
Because of the marshy and unsanitary environs of St. Petersburg in the 1890's, cholera epidemics in that area were rampant in early autumn. An important safeguard was to boil water before drinking it. According to Modeste, his brother took a drink of unboiled water, which was the same as taking poison. Within hours, Pyotr Ilyich was struck down by early symptoms of the fatal disease, followed by a slow and agonizing death.
The composer's
apartment in
St. Petersburg,
where he died of
cholera.
There is much skepticism about the manner of his death and the timing of the "Pathetique" Symphony. Was this intended to be his swan song, or symphonic requiem? Did he intentionally drink the glass of unboiled water to kill himself? Others believe that the composer took poison to avoid facing a scandal about his homosexuality.
Funeral procession in
St. Petersburg,
October 28, 1893
The death of Tchaikovsky was a national day of mourning throughout all of Russia. There were accounts of weeping and wailing through the streets of St. Petersburg. He had the privilege of seeing his musical creations honored and revered during his lifetime, and that he died with honor, and without disgrace.
Tchaikovsky's grave
at the Monastery of
Alexander Nevsky in
St. Petersburg.
EPILOGUE
The1890's was a very sad decade for the classical music world. Johannes Brahms passed away in 1897. It marked the end of the Romantic Era, as styles of musical composition would change. Gustav Mahler, considered a "neo-romantic" would soon sound his musical trumpet. Igor Stravinsky , a protégé of Nicholas Rimsky Korsakov, was destined to become a leader in atonal music. Classical music would share the limelight with newer musical forms known as Jazz, Swing, Bebop, Blues, Rock 'n Roll, etc.
If Tchaikovsky were born generations later, how would he have fit into today's world? This is an interesting question. He would not have to hide his homosexuality. "Gay Rights" is vocally being heard today. The words "sexual preference" is legitimately being employed on radio and television newscasts and discussions when the subject is aired. There are men and women in politics who are openly "gay" and lesbian. How ironic that the composer had to suffer such misery in his own time!
Yet, here's something else. How would the contemporary creative environment affect his creative genius? In his own time, he was a creature of 19th century "Mother Russia", just becoming conscious of the culture of her western European neighbors. He was greatly influenced by Mozart, whose music he adored. What would a Tchaikovsky symphony with borrowed tunes from the repertories of Glenn Miller, Elvis Presley, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, etc. sound like?
Speaking of "borrowed tunes", the opposite occurred during the 1930's and 1940's, the decades of the "big band era". Popular love songs with titles as follows were "borrowed" from the composer...
theme from
"Romeo and Juliet Fantasy" became "Our Love"..
theme from "Andante
Cantabile",2nd movement of the 5th Symphony
became "Moon Love".
theme from 1st movement of the 6th
Symphony became "Story of a Starry Night".
theme from 1st movement of 1st Piano
Concerto became "Tonight We Love".
Perhaps he might have been very successful working at "Tin Pan Alley".
Finally, that very Victorian life style of privacy and the keeping of secrets. How could he keep away from the "Paparazzi"? In this information age, we are warned of and told of the danger of our privacy not being kept private owing from new technology of communication. Perhaps Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky might have rented a bought a home in the back woods of the Berkshires to find peace and quiet.
Perhaps not. Let him rest in peace.
notes by Richard Erlanger
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