zoom_in Click to enlarge

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5

▲ ▼

description Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 Overview

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64, completed and premiered in 1888.

A recurring motto first heard in a dark clarinet introduction returns in each movement, giving the four-movement work a cyclical design and linking its contrasting moods. The symphony moves through grief, agitation, waltz-like lyricism, and a forceful finale that transforms the opening material into a major-key conclusion.

help Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 FAQ

What key and opus number does Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 use?

It is the Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64, written in 1888. The work is organized in four movements and uses a recurring fate-related theme.

What is cyclical about Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony?

A central theme first heard in the opening returns in all four movements. Tchaikovsky changes its rhythm, harmony, and emotional setting so it can sound mournful, lyrical, ominous, or triumphant.

Where was Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 premiered?

Tchaikovsky conducted the first performance in Saint Petersburg on November 17, 1888. The premiere took place soon after he completed the symphony.

Why does the finale of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony sound triumphant after such a dark opening?

The finale transforms the recurring fate material into a broad E major conclusion after the symphony has spent much of its time in E minor. That change creates the work's famous tension between melancholy and public triumph.

swap_horiz

Looking for Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 alternatives? Compare top competitors ranked & scored

arrow_forward