Symphony No. 5 in E Minor: Op. 64

by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

The enormous popular appeal of Tchaikovsky's orchestral music rests on themes of touching eloquence and emotional power, on endlessly inventive textures, and on a masterful control of sheer symphonic sound — surely one of the best in all of the nineteenth-century literature. Then there is a thread that runs through his late work — especially in the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Symphonies — seeming to invite us, his audience, to share in depth the composer's most personal feelings. It is a potent recipe for success, nowhere more evident than in the extraordinarily popular Symphony No. 5, a favorite with concert-goers worldwide ever since its premiere, in St. Petersburg, in 1888.
One of the finest examples of symphonic orchestration in the Romantic repertoire, Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 appears here in full score, with bar-numbered movements and ample margins at the bottom of each score page for notes and analysis. Ideal for study in the classroom, at home, or in the concert hall, this affordable, high-quality, conveniently sized volume will be the edition of choice for music students and music lovers alike.

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Петр Ильич Чайковский) was a Russian composer of the Romantic era. While not part of the nationalistic music group known as "The Five", Tchaikovsky wrote music which was distinctly Russian: plangent, introspective, with modally-inflected melody and harmony.

Tchaikovsky considered himself a professional composer. He felt his professionalism in combining skill and high standards in his musical works separated him from his colleagues in "The Five." He shared several of their ideals, including an emphasis on national character in music. His aim, however, was linking those ideals with a professional standard high enough to satisfy European criteria. His professionalism also fueled his desire to reach a broad public, not just nationally but internationally, which he would eventually do.

Reviews

[Bernardo Henríquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Empecé a leer esta partitura a partir de la noticia de que la Orquesta Cruz-Diez la montaría para presentarla acá en Madrid. Solo he llegado a ver seccionales, pero notando que se han concentrado más en la flauta mágica, pues he pasado a la primera de Brahms para asegurar mejor mi entendimiento de la forma sonata.

A veces me pregunto que si esta sinfonía fue compuesta en tandem con la Obertura sobre Hamlet, si una estará basada en la otra.

Esta sinfonía está repleta de variaciones sobre el OP del primer movimiento. Sin embargo hay muchos temas muy bonitos como el solo de corno del segundo movimiento. El primer movimiento cuenta con un control muy cuidadoso de la orquestación, teniendo en cuenta el uso de efectos y cambios en la dinámica. Mayor análisis vendrá en una relectura.

[Raúl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una de las seis joyas de Chaikovski, la pieza más interpretada del repertorio clásico (el "Yesterday" "culto") pero que con mucho no se sitúa por encima del resto de las sinfonías del gran Chaikovsky.